Work Text:
2008
Max Friedman is 12 years old and obsessed with wrestling. His favourite wrestler is CM Punk and he's finally meeting him. Punk smiles and signs an 8x10, then poses for a picture and Max is happier than he ever remembers being. He wants to tell Punk how much he admires him, how much he wants to be just like him one day, but he's too nervous and can't find the words. Instead he leaves, clutching his autograph and vowing that one day he will share a ring with his hero. He'll find just the right words then, he's sure of it.
2010
He's 14 now and he turns down a cigarette from a boy at school. Max is going to grow up to be straight edge, just like CM Punk and he can't risk his future wrestling career (or his voice) for a cigarette no matter how cute the boy offering may be. Not as cute as Punk with his new short hair, but Max won't let himself dwell on that. He comforts himself by imagining how impressed Punk will be the first time they meet in the ring and Max delivers a word-perfect promo that shows him as an equal, a kindred spirit. He's not sure what he'll say, but the words will come when he needs them. They always do.
June, 2011
The Pipe Bomb. Max replays it so often he can repeat it word for word. He can mimic Punk's inflections and mannerisms flawlessly. He knows, he knows that one day he will create something as revolutionary. As meaningful. And Punk will look at him with the same awe, the same reverence Max has felt for years. Of course the words will be his own. He won't need to copy Punk then; doesn't really need to copy him now. Max is learning how to master words, make them dance for him. It's making him popular and hated in equal measures, but he doesn't care as long as he's getting a reaction.
March, 2012
AJ Lee kisses CM Punk. She kisses Daniel Bryan too, but that's not the part Max watches over and over. He tells himself he's jealous of Punk, that AJ is a beautiful woman and who wouldn't be turned on watching her make out with a guy? But he's not watching AJ. He's watching Punk, watching his lips press against hers, his big hands that look even bigger against her tiny frame and wondering how they might feel on his own body. When they're wrestling one day. Obviously. That's what he meant. And it will happen; Max has no doubt Punk will wait for him.
July, 2012
CM Punk turns heel in everyone's eyes except Max's. He's glad Punk turned on The Rock, glad he's finally demanding the respect he deserves. Punk is better than them and everyone knows it. Max vows that he will never allow himself to be overshadowed by anyone, never settle for being second best. One day he'll take his rightful place in the spotlight right next to Punk, and they will rule together. Max is used to the limelight now. He's a football star, a renowned singer and one of the most popular boys in his school. He loves being the centre of attention and always knows exactly what to say when all eyes are on him. If sometimes when he's alone in his room, lost in daydreams, there's only one word, one name on his lips, well what does it matter?
November, 2012
The Shield? That's a stupid name, but they do look cool Max has to admit. And they did help Punk, so he guesses he's a fan. He'll never be a minion though, never stand in the background as a lackey. He and Punk will be equals. Partners, friends and sometimes maybe even rivals but always with respect and mutual admiration. Max is so close now. He's 16, almost done with school and ready to start training for real. It won't take him long to be noticed and called up to the WWE where Punk will still be at the top of the roster, maybe even still champion.
Max has imagined their first meeting so many times. Punk will have heard of him of course, will probably have watched videos of his matches and promos, so he'll already know that Max is a kindred spirit. Maybe Punk will come to one of the few indie shows Max wrestles before heading to the big leagues? They'll meet in the locker room when Punk comes to congratulate him and ask Max to join him in WWE. Max will accept of course and they'll shake hands, hug even. Maybe Punk will pull back a little, take Max's face in his hands and tell him how long he's waited for someone like him. Someone who can match him move for move, word for word. Someone who's brilliance complements his own, then he'll lean in and...
Or maybe they'll meet in a WWE ring. A newly signed Max coming out to confront the still-reigning champion, to introduce himself. Officially to the WWE Universe but really to CM Punk. He's practised that promo countless times, but it's never the same twice so he decides that he'll wing it. Once he's in the ring with Punk the words will come. Punk will be annoyed at first, maybe even throw a few punches, but Max will give as good as he gets, physically and verbally and a gleam of respect will appear in Punk's beautiful eyes. He'll crack a rakish smile before catching Max in a tight bear-hug, pulling him close and...
January, 2013
Punk loses his title to The Rock. Oh well, that means that Max won't have to be the one to beat him for it and they can be friends. Or partners. Or whatever. Max doesn't have a word for what he expects them to be. But they will be.
June, 2013
Another turn for Punk; now he's a babyface again. Good. That means he's moving away from Paul Heyman and Max is pleased. The last think Punk needs is someone to speak for him, and besides Heyman is more interested in Brock Lesnar, and the great CM Punk should never be second best to anyone. Max swears that when he gets to the WWE and allies with Punk he will never put anyone else first. He can't imagine ever wanting anyone else the way he wants Punk.
November, 2013
He looks tired. It's the first time Max has fully acknowledged the thought, but it's been at the back of his mind for a while. When Punk is attacked by the Shield (still a stupid name and Max hates them now) it looks like he's struggling to get back up. Hang on a little longer Max thinks. Just a couple more years.
January, 2014
First entrant in the Rumble and he looks exhausted. There are dark circles under his eyes, and he's lost weight. Max winces every time Punk takes a bump, and he has to look away when Kane delivers the chokeslam through the table. Get up! He doesn't.
Monday Night Raw. Where is he? Is he injured? No sign of him on Smackdown either, and Max can't find any mention of future appearances on the website. Max is frantic and scours the internet for any news, any mention of Punk until it's announced that he has walked out on WWE and apparently, wrestling. He hasn't waited for Max.
Max is heartbroken. His dreams of one day sharing a ring with his hero and, he can admit it now, long-term crush are shattered. He'll still be a superstar of course, but without Punk waiting for him, it all feels a bit hollow. The bright lights and screaming crowds of the WWE don't hold quite the same appeal and; for the first time Max finds himself contemplating indie companies as a long-term possibility.
2015
Less than a year after CM Punk retires, MJF debuts. He's an instant hit in CZW, his contempt for the other wrestlers evident in every scornful word he spits into the microphone. He doesn't say it outright, but he's furious at every low-life nobody he wrestles that isn't the man he dreamed of facing. How dare they step into the ring with the great MJF? Who the hell do they think they are? It doesn't matter who they are, just who they're not.
2017
Max is a champion now. It's taken him a little longer than he's anticipated, but that's fine. He's been perfecting his craft, honing his skills, and after only two years on the circuit there is no one who can match him in the ring or on the mic. No one currently wrestling at least. Maybe he should push for a shot in WWE? The door has opened for indie wrestlers to make it in the big leagues thanks in no small part to CM Punk, but something holds Max back. He isn't quite ready he tells himself. He needs just a little longer to really refine his abilities before he takes the wrestling world by storm, and if rumours of CM Punk making appearances at indie shows are floating around? Well Max knows better than to listen to gossip.
2018
Cody Rhodes has taken a liking to Max, and truthfully Max likes Cody. He's not so keen on the idiots he surrounds himself with, but he can keep his disdain to himself he's sure. Cody tells great stories, Max discovers. He's wickedly funny and can have an audience in stitches, telling tales of his time in the WWE and on the road, but Max only listens with half an ear until a particular name is mentioned. CM Punk. Cody, when in the right mood, can be pressed for stories about Punk, whom he obviously still admires. Through Cody Max learns how much Punk suffered in those last few months. How hard he worked to overcome injury, pain, and unhappiness and put on incredible shows despite the lack of recognition or reward.
Max's heart aches for the man he so admired, still admires, and he cultivates an intense dislike of the WWE and the people who control it. Their lack of respect for their talent is appalling, and their stupidity must be truly limitless for them to treat Punk so badly that he quit. Max wants to hurt them, but he doesn't know how. Not until a phone call from Tony Khan changes everything.
January, 2019
Maxwell Jacob Friedman is All Elite.
May, 2019
Stupid Hangman. Stupid battle royal. Max had the damn thing won until that idiot cowboy screwed everything up. Max doesn't understand why Cody speaks so highly of him or the rest of The Elite and frankly Max is starting to question his own association with Cody. He's dreamed of having an equal, a friend, a mentor, but it's becoming clearer every day that Cody isn't the man for the job. Yes he's athletic, he's charismatic, and he's just the right amount of cocky to appeal to Max's own arrogant nature, but he's too clean. Max admires Cody's refusal to bow to the powers-that-be in WWE and his decision to strike out on his own, but that rebellious nature has become somewhat tempered now by his own position of power. Max applauded Cody's determination to take over the Bullet Club and oust Kenny as leader, but he didn't finish the job, didn't have the willingness to be hated for doing what needed to be done. Max is disappointed but not surprised. Cody was never going to live up to Max's ideal, not when it's based on a very different man.
November, 2019
To the surprise of absolutely no one MJF turns on Cody. Even Cody himself seems relieved to finally feel the long-awaited knife in his back. Max briefly wonders if he made the right choice, but he is moving rapidly up the rankings, and he's just removed one of his toughest rivals from the title picture for good. Chris Jericho seems grateful for Max's assistance. Perhaps that's a relationship worth cultivating? Or perhaps not. Max isn't sure he wants to be disappointed again; he resolves to make use of Chris but not allow himself to hope the man may be his equal.
2020
Max's star couldn't be rising faster. He is arguably the most successful 'heel' (he hates that term) in over a decade, and his name is trending around the world. He takes a small pleasure in ignoring calls and emails from WWE talent relations. They'll still be there in the future if he decides to give them a chance, but for now he's thoroughly enjoying outshining their best performers on a weekly basis.
Occasionally, rarely even, Max allows himself to wonder who is watching him. If somewhere in the word (Chicago maybe?) someone is taking notice of the young man with the diamond ring and silver tongue. If, just maybe they're regretting not waiting for him. He hopes they are.
March, 2021
The Pinnacle. It has a nice ring to it, and Max likes having a group to watch his back. Wardlow has been good to him, and Max can even admit some affection for the man, but a single partner was never going to be enough. A man like Max needs minions, people he can command. This is fine he tells himself. This group is enough for him.
Max is already bored.
May, 2021
What the hell is a Stadium Stampede match anyway?
Oh.
June, 2021
It's not true. Max knows it's not true. It can't be. It's not true. Please be true.
July, 2021
Max swallows his pride and goes to Tony Khan. Asks him straight out if the rumours are true. Tony is characteristically tight-lipped and unhelpful and will only confirm that he has been 'in contact' with CM Punk. Max wants to beg for answers but holds back. Instead he waits, almost certain that he will be among the first to know if Punk returns. Surely the man will seek him out, choose Max as the person to ring him back to the ring. If he's coming back that is. And Max is sure that he's not because if he was, why wouldn't he come to Max?
August, 2021
CM Punk back and Max is destroyed. His heart has shattered into a million pieces and it will never be whole again. Punk came back, but it wasn't for him. It was for Darby. It was never going to be him. For once Max has no words.
Darby will pay for this. Punk will pay for this.
September, 2021
So Darby can't be broken mentally? Let's find out. Max has been broken for weeks now, so he feels like an expert. Darby's straight edge lifestyle due to childhood trauma? Fair game as far as Max is concerned, and if in the process of hurting Darby he also hurts the man who came back for him, all the better. Max fires words like weapons and he never misses. Darby and Punk will find out exactly how savage he can be when he's out of hope. You did this Punk. You brought this upon Darby and now he'll pay for your choices.
October, 2021
Punk passes Max in the hall. It's the first time they have come face to face and Max freezes. For the first time since he was 12 years old, he can't speak. Punk walks by without even sparing him a glance and Max almost chokes on his disappointment, his bitterness at the knowledge that, not only has Punk never acknowledged him, he has never even spoken Max's name.
Max returns to his locker room and rages at his inability to confront Punk, to tear him into tiny pieces and stamp on the remains. It's what he should do. It's what he will do. Soon. But first he needs to deal with Darby.
November 17, 2021
Darby is beaten and Max is finally feeling like his old self again. Standing in the ring he feels at home. He doesn't need recognition or validation from anyone, least of all a stuck-up prima-donna with stupid tattoos, a chip on his shoulder, and a hard-on for Pepsi. He's MJF dammit, and that's all he needs to know. He's calm, collected and steady as a rock.
Cult of Personality plays, and Max trembles in his designer shoes. This is it, he finally came for Max! This is the moment he's waited for. All his confidence flies out of the window as he forces a cocky smile onto his face and extends his hand. He dares to look Punk in the eye to witness the moment they connect as equals. He does it just in time to see the scorn and, what the fuck? Is that pity? He's laughing. CM Punk is laughing at MJF and nothing is OK. Love turns to hatred so fast Max feels sick with it, and he almost sobs with the rage and humiliation.
November 24, 2012
Ignore this you little bitch.
“You really hurt my feelings last week.
It's truer than Max will ever admit, and he wants to know if Punk will care but there is no reaction from the man across the ring. That's fine; he has time.
“Took your ball and went home like a little bitch.”
When Eddie Kingston pushed that particular button it was enough to send Punk into a rage. When Max does it? Nothing. Fine.
“The pipe bomb is your best moment.”
Max loved the pipe bomb; can still recite it word for word. Not that he ever would of course.
“Never in my wildest dreams could I have possibly imagined a straight-edge man could look so much like a meth addict.”
Was that a small chuckle from Punk? It was, Max swears it was and he has to turn away and take a moment before he speaks again. Another jab at Punk's appearance, but the man is back to the stoic statue. Damn. Well it was a long shot. Punk may not be vain but he has to know how beautiful he is; cracks about his looks won't carry much heat.
“You would name every single wrestler underneath the sun except for moi.”
Punk nods; admits it. It was entirely deliberate. Max knew it! He remains nonchalant on the outside, but inside he is whooping for joy. Punk isn't indifferent to him. He deliberately didn't mention Max which means he was thinking about him. Doesn't it? It has to. Now let's push a little more, Max thinks, and see of we can find out why.
The mention of his UFC career gets nothing from Punk, although the crowd lose their minds. At least they seem to be aware of the momentous moment they are witnessing; Max just needs to get Punk on the same page.
“I'm MJF and I drop nukes!”
Max is shaking and panting now. This is it. The gauntlet has been thrown down and he waits with bated breath to see if Punk will pick it up.
Punk reaches for a microphone, and the world narrows to just the two of them. Here we go. Whatever comes next, Max can't wait. Whether it's compliments, insults, or anything in between it will be better than the indifference he's suffered through so far.
He watches, enthralled as that intense gaze focuses on him, finally. It's more exhilarating than Max has ever imagined and he never wants Punk to stop looking at him, stop seeing him.
“I am so disappointed in you.”
No. No, that's not right. That's not how this is supposed to go.
“I thought MJF stood for My Jealous Fan.”
Oh shit. It turns out Punk was aware of Max after all. Far more aware than Max had ever anticipated, and he's so humiliated he briefly considers leaving the ring, but then the unthinkable happens. Punk smiles. He full on grins at Max and shakes his shoulders, loosening himself up a little. Oh please, Max thinks.
“The last think I wanted to do was feed your rotten little ego.”
Hell yes! Punk wasn't indifferent. He wasn't unaware of Max. He knew and was thinking about him before he ever arrived in AEW. OK, it's not the most flattering acknowledgement Max has ever gotten but Punk is laser focused on him, so he'll take it gladly.
“I'm in your head... there's a poster of me on your wall.”
Well not any more, but the point is valid. Punk is absolutely in Max's head; always has been. But what's this?
“I heard about the great MJF!”
Looks like Max is comfortably situated in Punk's head too. Right where he belongs.
“He's just a less famous Miz.”
Holy shit, that one stung! Max keeps his face stony, but he's singing inside. They mouth silent insults at each other across the ring, and it's spectacular. Max locks eyes with Punk and silently begs keep it coming.
“Almost what I wanted.”
Max pushes because he can't not. He is having the time of his life, and he wants Punk to be right there with him; wants Punk to give him everything he's got and then give him even more. More than he has ever given anyone else because, really? Who else could bring the old fire out but Max? Punk has moved from the corner. He's meeting Max in the centre of the ring and it's glorious.
“This is PG Punk... what happened to the guy I grew up on... renegade...ass-kicker...outsider.”
What did happen to him? Max wonders. Is he still in there? Max is sure he is. He can see him right there behind those beguiling eyes, and dear god he wants to meet him. Wants to bask in his brilliance and test himself against that power.
“Hustle, loyalty and respect!”
There he is. In a fraction of a second CM Punk stands before Max in all his glory. The only reaction Punk gives is a blink, but it's enough. Max sees the change even if no one else does.
“I can see you.”
And Max can see him, at last. He's in the ring with the best in the world and it's magnificent.
“You stayed put on that couch for seven long years.”
And Max knows why. Now he finally knows why Punk stayed away for so long. He was waiting for Max after all. Not in the WWE like Max envisioned, but he was waiting all the same.
“Is it because you were terrified?”
Were you scared Punk? I think you were, but don't be. I'm here, and I'll be what you need. What you've always needed; legitimate competition.
“Do you people think CM Punk can do it?”
Of course they do. And for once the idiot masses are correct. Punk can do it, with Max's help.
“I represent everything about this business that you hate.”
I'll be that guy for you, he vows. The 'born for this' villain for you to rage against because we were never supposed to be friends, never supposed to be partners. Not even meant to be equals. I was always meant to be the villain to your hero. The Lex Luthor to your Superman. The Shawn to your Bret, and I know I can do it so damn well. I can bring out the best in you in ways you never imagined, and I'll keep doing it. You don't need Cena or Hunter, not when you have me.
“I know what keeps you up at night.”
From now on I'll be what keeps you up at night. You'll lie awake thinking of me, and when you sleep I'll be in your dreams. The same way you've lived in my head, I'll be in yours.
“Your whole career you've been nothing more than second best.”
You can be second best to me Punk. You can chase my glory, and I'll always stay one step ahead of you. I'll always be there, just above you, just within reach. We can rise together Punk; you can push as hard as you need to, safe in the knowledge that I'll always be strong enough to push back.
“I'm better than you, and you know it!”
You're welcome.
“There's some truth in what you just said.”
There is and always will be, Max thinks. I won't lie to you Punk. I won't kiss your ass the way the rest of them do; that's not what you need or what you want.
“I'm not scared any longer.”
Of course you're not. You're in the ring with me, and you're safer than you've ever been in your life. No matter what you do, I'll be right there with you, and together there's nothing that can touch us.
“I went for the heart and soul of AEW, Darby Allin.”
Yes you did, but you're ready for me now. Practice time is over; it's time to move up and meet me in the spotlight.
“The only way you're gonna be number one is if we all wait around long enough for Tony to have a daughter that you marry.”
Welcome back CM Punk. I missed you.
Max rolls out of the ring, but he leaves behind a different man to the one who originally stood across from him. There is no indifference in Punk now, no hesitation, and Max could weep for joy. He has spent his life imagining what they would do together, and now they're finally united it's nothing like he'd planned. It's so much better, and Max is sure that Punk understands.
You need me, he thinks. The best version of you can't exist without me. Darby can't do this for you; no one can give you what you need except for me.
Because you're better with me. And you know it.