Mike arrived at his desk in a bad temper that morning. Louis had cornered him just as he got into the lift and said something along the lines of 'Do this for me or I will get Jessica to make you my associate instead of Harvey's'. This was something Mike really didn't want to happen. Whatever he might say to the contrary, he loved working with Harvey; that and the fact that he didn't want to spend all of his time at Louis' beck and call. At least Harvey didn't make him do all of his work for him.
So now, Mike had a huge stack of folders he needed to go through, and he hadn't even been given his work from Harvey yet. He'd also had to get a cab in, as he still hadn't found a replacement bike yet. Thank god his pay had gone in, or he would have had to walk in and his knees still gave dull throbs if he walked for too long. Sure, Harvey had said he should call Ray, but Mike wasn't used to having a personal driver and he would feel the need to repay him - although what with he didn't know.
He threw the files down at his desk and sat down, going to turn his computer on. There was a fluorescent yellow post-it on his computer screen.
Remember how I said to call Ray to get to work? And how I didn't see you get dropped off by him this morning? Thanks to that, you've received about a dozen files, courtesy of Louis, that he wants looking through. And now I don't have an associate I can use for the day. You think I draw fear yet trust from just anyone? It requires finesse, and I can't start something like that up over one day. So if you've learnt your lesson, hurry up because I need my associate back dammit.
Mike couldn't help but chuckle at the note, and stood up to go talk to Harvey, before being pushed back into his seat by Louis.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I need to - "
"For today, you work for me. Gregory's covering your duties with Harvey," Louis smiled at this, thinking that he now had the better of the two associates.
Mike sighed. It was going to be one of the longest days of his career.
"For god's sake - how am I supposed to close this case when the associate I've been given can't even do some simple research for me?" Harvey steamed, glaring at Gregory, who had forgotten to do the obvious and check some bank records.
"I'm sorry, Mr Specter, but I - "
"No. Just get out of here," Harvey ordered, and waited until he left before letting out a frustrated growl and punch his desk. Why had he decided that giving Mike up for the day was a good thing? He needed someone halfway competent if he wanted to win this - and he always wanted to win.
He stalked out of his office for a while to get some air and when he came back he saw an amused smile on Donna's face. "What?" He grumbled, still in a bad mood.
"You have Mike Mail," she said to him, smirking.
"I'm not even going to ask," he sighed, walking in and sitting down. He realised what she meant though, when he saw the piece of paper left on his desk. The note began in a snarky way, and Harvey saw that it came 'From the desk of Louis Litt'
As you can tell by the letter head, I've spent the whole day in Louis' office. You know what that does to a person? He's been making me sanitise the pens after I use them! You know I have to chew on the lids when I think, and he hits my knuckles with a ruler if I do that! Doesn't that count as harassment? This is going to be sent in my only break. You get that? Louis has kept me here all day and I get 10 minutes to use the bathroom and send you a note.
Don't think it's because I miss you...
Harvey could imagine Mike saying this in a very stern way, but chortled as he thought of how much Mike would give to be in the other office right now. However, he then also felt slight anger. Mike said he only got one break. That wasn't right. Harvey had even given that idiot Louis had sent regular breaks. No one mistreats his associate.
... but if I don't have some sort of contact with the outside world I'll go insane. And I don't think Louis would realise. He's started giving me metaphors about once every five minutes. Has he mentioned something about prize pigs at a county fair to you? And he said something disturbing about mackles, or was it muckles? Maybe he's just reading from an old sayings website. That must be what he's doing, it can't be work because I seem to be doing all of that.
And this punishment is surely hurting you more than it's hurting me! For starters - he gave you Gregory. I have two words for you - HA HA.
Harvey smirked but still felt annoyance towards Louis' associate.
Secondly - I hope you realised it's unjustified; I got a taxi in this morning! Do your research (which I bet you have to; I'm assuming by now you've thrown Gregory out?) next time. I'm writing this now and I don't think Louis has noticed I'm not doing his work - how did he become a partner in this firm? If I check and he's playing solitaire I'm going to be very unhappy. Oh and btw...
Harvey had to think for a second, trying to come up with text abbreviations before finally settling on 'by the way'.
... bright yellow post-its? Really? I'd have assumed if they'd come from me then they'd look like that. Why don't yours have a letterhead? Even Louis has some that look respectable. Like that scene from 'American Psycho' well, I think it was that. That one with Christian Bale? And they're comparing business cards. Though they all look the same, but one has nice lettering and...
Harvey frowned and cocked his head slightly as the babble curved off as if the pen had been taken from Mike. The writing then went back to normal, although not on the same tangent.
Louis just took my pen. I'm serious, like - right out from under me. Who does that? And the worst part is, he wiped it down before using it. I don't look that ill, right? He's using it to squash a fly on his desk. He can't be sane, right?
Uh - can you please come get me? I bet you're dying for me to come back and do good work, and you miss me, I know you do. But please come save me. Louis just sprayed aerosol everywhere and I'm finding it hard to breathe. And he's just dumped more work on me! He's saying it's permanent now and that Gregory is 'getting housetrained as we speak'. I don't want to share my basket with another puppy!... You can't see me, but right now I'm attempting to face plant the desk. I can't believe I just went along with your analogy.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, I'm about to be let out on that only break I was talking about. He told me I wasn't allowed to eat until I finished, but I know for a fact you'll have eaten! Please don't tell me you got pizza :( And if Gregory was given any stuffed crust I might be forced to kill him.
The second you get this please come rescue me. I'm begging.
P.S. If Louis mentions anything about me saying something about you being 'nice' please ignore him. It was a slip of the tongue involving a boring discussion about your suits being nice. I swear.
Harvey's mouth twitched and realised that the kid had brightened his horrific day and he hadn't even spoken with him. But he was now seriously regretting sending Mike to be with Louis for a punishment. A punishment for a crime that hadn't actually been committed. He could tell there would be stuffed crust pizza in his future.
He got up, deciding to rescue his poor associate. "Louis," he said pleasantly as he entered the room, and the relief coming off Mike in waves was obvious. "We can swap back now. I prefer Mike."
Mike beamed and stood up, rolling his head as he had been sat down all day. "We had a deal, Harvey," Louis told him haughtily. "I get Michael for as long as I need today. I gave you a substitute."
"He wasn't working out," Harvey told him. "And I need to talk to you about basic co-worker's code. You only let the kid out for one break today?" He smirked at Louis' pained 'how did he know that?' face. "And I don't care how you think you can get around Jessica - this is not permanent. I am refusing to let that idiot Gregory work for me a second longer. Mike, come."
Mike winced slightly at the obvious dig to his 'puppy' status but happily went towards the door to stand behind Harvey. "Harvey, all this work - " Louis began, before being cut off.
"You can do on your own," Harvey told him sharply, turning to leave, causing Mike to scurry after him.
"Thank you so much," Mike gushed as soon as they were out of earshot and heading towards Harvey's office.
"Yeah, I thought I'd better get you back before I received another copy of 'War and Peace'," he said lightly as they walked into his office.
"I was bored, and when I'm writing it just kind of gets away from me," Mike argued as he stretched and sat down on the familiar, more comfortable sofa than the one in Louis' office (Not that he had been allowed on the couch).
"You need me to get you some post-its too?" Harvey asked, throwing a bottle of water over to Mike. "For god's sake drink something; you do anything in that break of yours?"
"I kind of stretched the truth," Mike mumbled, looking down at his water.
"If you're telling me that Louis gave you loads of breaks..." Harvey growled menacingly.
"He uh - he only gave me a minute. I had to run to your office and back."
Harvey glared at him. "Of all the - you used your minute break to drop me off a note?"
Mike shrugged. "What can I say? All the cool kids are doing it," he grinned at Harvey. "I thought it was becoming our 'thing'. And I spent all that time writing it, I might as well have been able to give you it."
"Well next time, kid," Harvey said in a softer voice than he had been using, "get better stationary."