To say that Mike was in an odd mood was an understatement. In fact, the whole office of associates were in odd moods. They had a client who was being sued because he had several cannisters of nitrous oxide in his garage for help with some car engines he was building. Workers complained that they were faulty and let out gas when they weren't supposed to, and many were suing because of ill-effects they suffered, claiming the cannisters were detrimental to their health.
Louis decided - whilst both Jessica and Harvey were busy with other matters - to bring in the so-called faulty cannisters and place them around the associates' office. Hidden, of course, and then both he and the client would check for any signs of malfunction whilst viewing the associates' behaviour. It soon turned out they would need a very strong case.
Harold started to snort slightly as he read an email sent to him by an ailing elderly relative. Devon was biting on his knuckles to stop from laughing out loud as he read up on a case involving sexual threats, and Gregory was literally crying as he read through some briefs for Louis. Mike too, was feeling the gas's effects. Of course, he didn't realise it was any sort of gas, but he knew something wasn't right. He guessed it was just the sugar in his coffee - it had seemed overly sweet when he drank it; maybe the barista had added too much? Or had he himself added too much?
He giggled as he tried to figure out which was which. He looked down at his work, chuckling as he looked over some paperwork, biting on his lip as he saw he had highlighted the first half with a different coloured highlighter. "I hope Harvey doesn't mind," he whispered, snorting and pulling another sheet over. He found it quite hard to focus, however, and when he saw the other associates weren't exactly doing much work, he decided to do something more fun.
"Harvey, Mike sent this for you," Donna said, a slightly worried tone tinging her voice. She placed some folded paper on his desk, with the shakily written; 'Extremely important, open immediately - lives are at stake!' on top.
"You ask him what it was about?" Harvey asked, frowning. He knew that Mike's handwriting left a little to be desired but this was atrocious.
Donna shook her head. "Joshua - the mailboy - gave it to me. Said that Mike hadn't wanted to leave his desk."
"Alright," Harvey replied, unfolding it. "Thanks, Donna," she nodded and left, heels clicking over the floor. Harvey started to read.
Harvey -you know what the best thing in the world is? Mad Libs! Yeah, can you believe I haven't done these for about 10 years? I did some online and wrote them down for you, you'll get a kick out of them, 'cause I added your name! 'Cause you know, you're actually a nice guy, beneath the whole, 'representation of yourself' thing. Did you know that 'representation' is actually a really funny word? I can't stop laughing...
Harvey noted that the pen trailed off there, presumably because Mike had been laughing too much. He was torn between wanting to beat his associate to a pulp for being obviously high or dunk, and wanting to read the mad libs he had sent. He settled for the latter first, just to see what Mike was talking about.
Oh, and it asked for a girl's name, but I like you, so I added your name :D
Traditionally, Harvey is as cool as the Pearson Hardman on which she skates. Last night, however, she surprised her angry fans by pumping her eyebrows in the air and jumping into her tidy coach's desks when her winning Donnas were flashed on the shoe! Once again, America's five-time suit champion had out-dueled her four lawyers to win her third world banana. In a post-game interview, her coach, Pops Litt, justified the champ's rat-like enthusiasm: "Tonight she displayed amazing in athleticism in performing the triple Specter loop and the double bike. I don't think she's ever been better!"
Isn't it awesome? I wrote down the link, so you can do one too!
Harvey was just... baffled. He had no idea what was wrong with his associate, and he was loath to call him into his office right now. Harvey actually had work to do. He kept glancing down at the note and sighed. Even if he was drunk or high, the kid's enthusiasm was so damn infectious.
Louis had gone out for lunch with the client, and conveniently forgotten to tell the associates they should really leave the room. Most of them did, but Mike - who rarely went on his lunch breaks, stayed at his desk. He couldn't stop laughing, and was merrily doing more mad libs to pass the time. He wanted to go see Harvey, but his head was swimming and if he started to walk there he knew he would end up passing out from not being able to breathe for laughing. And he also thought his legs wouldn't be able to hold him properly.
He noticed he'd gotten an email and clicked it open eagerly, seeing it was from Harvey.
Kid, there is something wrong with you, and at some point when I'm not as busy as I am now, I'm coming down to see what's up.
To Mike's delight, however, he'd presented his associate with a mad lib.
(DIALOGUE BETWEEN PATIENT AND EYE DOCTOR IN DOCTOR'S OFFICE)
Patient: Thanks for WORKING me into your BUSY schedule. I have to go on tour in the morning.
Doctor: Are you a rock NOTE?
Patient: Yes. I'm the lead SENIOR PARTNER with the LAWYER band.
Doctor: What kind of problems are you having with your SUITS?
Patient: When I try to read my MONEY music, I have trouble with the small CAR.
Doctor: Have you ever worn eye BANKS or contact ASSOCIATES?
Patient: Just PAPER glasses.
Doctor: Let's test your eyes. Look at the chart. When do the letters become HANDSOME?
Patient: What chart, doc?
Doctor: The large one with OFFICES. Right in front of you.. On the wall.
Patient: What wall?
Doctor: You AMAZINGLY need glasses!
Don't think I'm doing this again. And just for the record, that one at the top about working into a busy schedule? That was serious, I hadn't read the mad lib yet. And it's also a hint - I'm BUSY. Stop sending me unimportant crap.
Mike was laughing incredibly hard, tears streaming down his face and banging his hand off the table. He felt the need to go and congratulate Harvey on his excellent mad lib. However, as he stood up another wave of euphoria crept up on him and he was doubled over, completely in stitches.
"Mike?" He managed to regain his upright composure and turned to see Harold stood behind him. "What's so funny?" The other associates were gathered behind him, looking curious. In their lunch break the gas had worn off. They obviously didn't know this, and Louis had yet to return to see what damage had been caused.
"Hey, Harold," Mike choked out. "I'm... doing... mad libs!" He nearly fell to the floor because of his laughter, and tears were once again falling down his face. Harold felt slightly uncomfortable, but suddenly behind them, Jimmy gave a snort.
"I haven't done mad libs in ages," he tittered, walking towards Mike. Soon, the other associates followed, chuckling.
It didn't take long for them all to be in stitches, and since Mike had been exposed to the gas for a longer amount of time, he was now getting very light headed, which just made him laugh more. The cannister was now well and truly broken, since anyone merely passing through the office would walk away giggling.
"Oh, I should reply to Harvey's email!" He told them hysterically. He turned to see that his computer had gone onto the screensaver and burst out laughing. "I'll just go see him," he told them all, stumbling away. The light headedness was becoming worse and as he approached Donna's desk he stuffed his fist in his mouth to try and keep his giggles at bay.
"Mike, Harvey's been - what's wrong with you?" Donna asked, an eyebrow raised. He was bright red from all of the laughing, and his shaking told her he was attempting to stop anymore laughter escaping. "Just get in there," she sighed, pointing over at Harvey's office.
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, giggling, pulling the push door and laughing.
Donna shook her head.
"Harvey, what'd you think of my mad libs?" Mike asked excitedly, after banging into the glass door a few times.
Harvey stood up, rage flaring in his eyes. "What did you take?" He growled, glaring at Mike. "Come on, you finally buckle under the pressure? Decided that you needed some pot to get you through the day?"
Mike was giggling. "No, Harvey - you know I threw it all away; I've only had coffee this morning," he had another fit of laughter.
"How much?" Harvey asked, disgusted. He really didn't need a caffeine-ridden Mike right now.
"A whole one cup!" Mike informed him, laughing so hard that he leant on Harvey. The older man instinctively tried to prop him up, but had no idea what else to do. "You know what?" Mike asked, gripping slightly at Harvey's tie. "I think I want to look like you," he tried to say it seriously, but tears of mirth were springing to his eyes.
"Mike - what's happening?" Harvey asked, pulling Mike off him and trying to make him stand of his own accord.
"I don't know," he chuckled. "But I think something's happened. I feel weird..."
"You're acting it," Harvey muttered, trying to guide Mike over to his couch.
He was surprised when Mike turned to stumble into him and just rest with his face pressed into Harvey's shoulder. "I really wanna be like you," he informed Harvey, still giggling. "I wanna be a really good lawyer..."
"Mike - what. Happened?" Harvey asked, trying to forget Mike had said that to him. He couldn't help but feel flattered, but now felt an inordinate amount of pressure to be as amazing as the young man in front of him seemed to think he was.
"Harvey," he glanced over to see Donna stood at the door, throwing Mike a wary look as he tittered and fell onto the couch (which may or may not have been Harvey pushing him down). "You might want to come and see this."
Looking down at Mike again, Harvey walked away. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," he told Donna, walking down the corridor to see a crowd gathering around the associate office.
"Well, at least now we know that they're broken, we can act accordingly," Louis tried to defend himself in front of Jessica. Harvey looked around the room to see many grim-faced associates, and some were giving out random chuckles here and there.
He pushed through the crowd to get closer. "Louis, what did you do?" Harvey asked.
"Harvey, this isn't your concern," Jessica informed him sternly.
"The hell it's not - my associate is acting stranger than normal and I want to know why," Harvey demanded, glaring at Louis.
"He's not... he's not back to normal yet?" The man Harvey recognised as a new client asked, looking nervous.
"Would I be asking if he was?" Harvey said, his words almost a yell in the now deathly silent room.
"Harvey, this is Victor Housend, one of our clients," Louis introduced. "He's being sued because the cannisters at his garage have been claimed by workers to be faulty."
"What kind of cannisters?" Harvey asked.
"Nitrous oxide - for the engines," Housend informed him. "So Louis said we should - "
"I think you'll find, Victor, that you insisted on this," Louis tried to say smoothly.
"Insisted on what?" Harvey barked out.
"Louis and Victor placed some of these cannisters around the room to see if they were faulty," Jessica told him, her stern gaze staying Louis. "It seems they became more faulty throughout the day and let more gas out."
"Laughing gas?" Harvey asked, astounded. "You just let the associates breathe this in all day?"
"They went out for breaks," Louis argued.
"Actually," everyone turned to look at Harold, who blushed. "Mike uh... he didn't have any breaks, Mr Specter, Sir. We came back from lunch and he was still sat there."
"Well he may have reacted more strongly to the gas," Louis said. "I placed a cannister underneath his desk."
All Harvey saw was red, and he walked very calmly over to Louis (and was pleased that the shorter man tried to move away) and said, "No one - no one messes with my associate."
He then punched him hard enough to knock him to the floor.
The associates would later refer to it as 'The broken cannister debacle of 2011'. After Harvey had punched Louis, Jessica had given a mild scolding to him but her heart wasn't in it, considering Louis could have killed Harvey's associate. The whole day was a flurry of excitement, not least because an ambulance was called.
Not for Louis, who was thoroughly chastised by Jessica and was made to slink back to his own office to tidy up, after Harvey gave him a bloody nose.
Harvey had called the ambulance, after realising that Mike hadn't sobered up when the rest of the associates had.
"Harvey, I'm fine," Mike had stressed, giggling as he was strapped into a wheelchair.
"Sure you are, kid," Harvey agreed as he walked with them to the elevator. "Just humour me."
"Can we do more mad libs?" Mike asked.
The great Harvey Specter's heart ached slightly as he heard that. Mike genuinely sounded like a small child who was made to come in from a day of playing.
"Sure, Mike," he replied. "I'll clear my schedule," Mike beamed from where he was sat as the paramedics pressed the ground floor button on the elevator.
"Don't worry," one of them said to Harvey, "it's not very likely that there'll be any permanent damage."
Harvey nodded as he watched the doors close.
Just two days after this and Mike was back at work. He'd been plyed with oxygen at the hospital and felt fine today. He was worried that people might say something, but then realised that - how could they? All the other associates had been affected too, and Louis was avoiding Mike lest Harvey stood around the corner with another punch ready.
He sat down at his desk and was pleased that no one said anything mocking or threw any snide comments. They were all feeling particularly lukewarm in regards to Louis. Just Mike sat down, a small ping came from his computer. He frowned when he saw it was a link from Harvey to Rene's website, in particular the three piece suits.
These aren't in your price range, but it's nice to look at, isn't it? So when you become a 'really good lawyer' like me, you might be able to afford it. You know, because you want to look like me.
Mike had barely finished reading this when he shot up from his desk and sprinted down to Harvey's office