Not a great chapter, hope to be back on my game next week. Merry Christmas, all!
"...So I lost by submission."
Mike frowns, glancing down at Alex's somewhat tentative footfalls. "Was it because of your hip? How is rehab going, anyway?"
"It's slow," he admits as they wander down the hallway of the Baltimore arena TLC is being held at. "I'm close to 100%, it's just taking a little longer than I hoped."
Mike shakes his head, mind wandering back to how Morrison's recovery after the surgery had also seemed to drag on and on and never really reached a satisfying conclusion before Laurinaitis chose to release him. It's a chilling comparison to make. "I'm sorry," he finally manages, sighing slightly. He's distracted when he catches sight of an annoyed looking Del Rio, Ricardo obviously trying to cajol him, off by catering. He slaps Alex on the shoulder. "Hey, I've got something to deal with. I'll see you later, alright?"
Alex sounds startled when he says, "Sure. I'll be around..."
Miz feels briefly bad for ditching him like that but, his mood already sour to begin with after his unsettling conversation with A-Ri, quickly gets in Alberto's face, arguing with him about stupid things before admitting that he was just using Del Rio for his own purposes. They bicker even more before Ricardo appears with a snack for the former world champion. Miz, feeling childish and so angry he could almost explode, he slams the plate into Ricardo, covering him in mustard and who-knows-what else. His guilt warring with anger grows as he spots the pained, hurt expression on the ring announcer's face, Alberto barely looking at him a second before turning back to Mike. They glare at each other heatedly before Del Rio grabs Rodriguez and drags him away, the man obviously unable to see too well due to the burning in his eyes.
Ricardo's influence isn't over, however. The ladder match begins and for awhile, the three just lay into each other ruthlessly. They're all down at one point and Mike looks up to see the hesitant man climbing up the largest ladder in the ring, slowly making his way to the top. What he hopes to accomplish, Mike isn't sure- he's not legally in the match, after all. The best he can figure is Ricardo plans on grabbing the belt and handing it off to Del Rio.
Punk is climbing into the ring, aiming right for the ladder, and Mike catches on, taking the other side as they look up at the precariously balanced Ricardo. They're both exhausted from the excruciating match so it takes both of them pushing all of their weight against the ladder to tip it, barely getting a glance at the look of horror on Ricardo's face before his grip slips and he falls clear out of the ring, the sound of a body falling twenty feet at least into the tables waiting on the outside echoing through the arena.
Mike slouches against the ring, gasping and looking around, wide eyed, as he tries to regain some energy for the rest of the match. Did we really do that?Of course, Ricardo's an annoying pest on the best of days but to send him off of such a high ladder, when he's a simple ring announcer... Cringing, the Awesome One makes it to his feet and, finding the handcuffs that Rodriguez had attempted to use to hold Punk at bay earlier, recycles the idea by handcuffing Punk to the top turnbuckle, smirking as Punk kicks and thrashes at him. He's heading for the ladder when Punk makes quick work of unattaching the turnbuckle; one GTS later, and it's over as Punk slowly climbs to the top and collects the title, his opponents strewn around the ring side area.
As he drifts, all Miz feels is empty. His own hard work, what John had sacrificed weeks ago for him, slipping through his fingers like sand through an hourglass. He slaps his fist against the mat, growling desperately. "Dammit." His head drops back down to the padding and he groans, not wanting to face anyone ever again- especially Alex, or John himself. For perhaps the first time ever, he feels like a complete failure. Trudging up the ramp a little later is the hardest thing he's ever had to do, his eyes locked on the floor in front of him as he takes one step after another, the only thing he's capable of doing up to this point.
Before he can make his escape to the locker room and a long, hot shower, someone walks into his path. He doesn't even need to look up to know, just senses. "Not now, Alex," he mumbles. "I just... want to be alone right now." He tries to slip past the taller man but a hand tightening around his arm stops him and he looks up, almost ready to start landing blows.
"Calm down, Mike. There's someone who wants to talk to you," he says softly, not taking no for an answer as he drags Mike away from the post-TLC bustle, into an abandoned locker room on the other end of the building. Mike's laptop is waiting for them there, the wallpaper of Microsoft's logo bouncing around the screen as it waits for him. His suspicions grow as he locks his legs at the doorway, coming to a dead stop. "Mike..."
"No way, Alex. I don't... I can't..." He shakes his head desperately. "Not now."
"Just... he just wants to make sure you're ok," Alex says soothingly. "Come on, Mike. Don't shut him out."
"I can't do this." He tries to leave but Alex blocks the way, shaking his head. "Alex, move." He's tired and he's sore but he'd clock his former protege if he really had to.
"Not until you sit down and talk with him." Alex has random moments of stubbornness that surprises even Mike so he takes one more look at the younger man before huffing, stomping over to the laptop and settling down in front of it. He's still sweaty and feels disgusting, probably looks worse, but with Alex staring at him like that, he has no real choice but to flick the computer off of idle.
John is looking away, his gaze distant and thoughtful, but when the glow of the computer against his face changes, he glances at it. His face lights up a little. "Hey, Mike."
"Hey, John." He still feels horrible, but his lips twitch into a small smile anyway as he peers at the screen. "John... man, I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing to me?" John's eyebrows raise into his hairline as he shifts, leans closer to the screen. "If I know you, and I'd say I do, this is just the start, right? You're not gonna just give up after one measly loss. You're too stubborn and annoying for that."
Mike chuckles, shaking his head. It still eats at him, but he knows John's right. After all of this, he's not about to give up. "You're right."
"Of course I'm right. Now stop looking like someone kicked your dog and explain to me what Ricardo ever did to you." As the conversation turns lighter, Alex joins them and they discuss the upcoming holidays and what John's been up to with his rehab and just indulging in some relaxation during his time off, something he had had precious little of for the past few years.
The next night, Dolph, Alberto and he interrupt Punk, Daniel Bryan and Zack Ryder's obnoxious, boring celebraton in the ring, just for it to begin degrading into a brawl. He and Del Rio slam Ryder into the steel steps and leave him laying just for Daniel and Punk to chase them up the ramp. For the first time in probably ever, Miz is a little glad to see Laurinaitis, giving them enough leeway as the two champions run back to check on Zack.
That is, until he places them in another tag match. After last night, Mike doesn't look forward to teaming with Del Rio but he doesn't have much of a chance. He's not sure how it helps him get another title opportunity but it keeps him in Punk's orbit, it's a start. Even when Del Rio loses to Daniel Bryan's Labell Lock, Miz isn't that bothered by it. He hadn't been the one to submit so it doesn't feel like a mark against him personally.
By the time he's ready to leave, Alex is already waiting for him by the exit and Mike grins as he heads over to the younger man. "Ready to go?" Instead of returning to Florida, A-Ri had agreed to head off to California for a few days, spend some time with Mike and John before going to spend the actual holiday with his family.
"Yep. Are you?" As Mike unlocks the rental, Alex tosses his duffel into the trunk, shifting it over before Mike can squash it with his own.
"Of course. I'm even going to do my best not to think about WWE for the next couple of days," he says, smirking as Alex looks doubtful. "I'll manage somehow." He eats, breathes and sleeps WWE sometimes but it's Christmas, and it wouldn't be fair to Alex or John if he spends the whole time talking about his aspirations or future plans, considering how things are shaping up for the other two men.
Mid-afternoon, they arrive at LAX and Mike drops Alex off at his house before continuing onto Morrison's apartment. "Hey, John," he greets his surprised looking friend.
"You again?" he cracks, holding the door open a little wider. "Come in, man. What's up?"
"Oh, I don't need to come in. In fact, you need to come out." He grins as John looks even more confused. "I'm kidnappin' ya for a bit. You said you hadn't been out of the house too much since everything, so this should be good."
"What exactly should be good?" he asks doubtfully.
"Christmas party at my place!" Mike laughs at the look on John's face. "Alex and I both have the rest of the week off, until Raw, so we figured why not. You're coming with me and we're gonna just hang out and do whatever for a couple days. I'm not taking no for an answer either, John, so move. Get what you need and let's go."
Morrison rolls his eyes, but some time out of his own head sounds good. Really good. "So pushy... Gimme a few minutes." Mike nods, watching as he walks back into his apartment. He still has a bit of a limp but it's a marked improvement even from the week prior. Five minutes later, he returns with his phone and a few other things, pushing the door shut behind him. "How long are you gonna 'kidnap' me?"
"Alex is leaving back to Florida on Thursday. I'll be heading to Ohio, so around there, I guess. Sound alright?"
"Yeah." It actually sounds better than alright and when John enters Mike's house, almost immediately overwhelmed by the size of the Christmas tree in his living room, he makes sure they know it. "Thanks for the invite, guys. This... is kinda incredible." He peers up at the tree, the various lights reflecting in his eyes and off of his ponytailed hair.
"Wait until you see the fridge," Alex grins, pushing some gifts under the tree for later. "I think Mike bought out everything that was left in the store."
"Not a surprise," John smirks as Mike glowers at them for a moment, shaking his head. "Merry Christmas, guys."
"Merry Christmas," they echo softly, Mike's face softening as he too looks up at the tree.