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Mike was fidgeting.
That in itself wasn’t too unusual. Mike was always the restless one of the two of them, usually on his feet pacing or rushing around doing something. The kid barely sat still.
But this was different.
Harvey had been glancing at him, watching him for awhile, seeing him cross and uncross his legs, adjusting his seating position on the couch every few seconds, his knees non stop bouncing.
Finally he spoke up, “Mike what the hell is wrong with you?”
“Hm?” the associate looked up with those puppy eyes, suddenly stilling his movements, “What do you mean?”
Harvey cocked a brow, “You’ve been fidgeting like a little kid for the last like half hour, what’s going on? Do you need to piss or something?”
Mike was on the other side of the office but Harvey still saw the blush starting to colour his cheeks as he tried and failed to sit entirely still, his gaze dropping, “I um…yeah.”
“Well what are you waiting for? Permission? This isn’t school, Mike. You can go to the bathroom whenever you want.”
An awkward pause then, “It’s not that.”
Harvey was very confused, “Then what is it?”
“You’re going to be pissed.”
Now Harvey definitely needed to know, “Am I?” he got up from his desk and strode over, sitting in the chair beside Mike, “Try me.”
The flustered, fidgety associate refused to make eye contact, wringing his hands in his lap, “I…I’m not going because…because Louis told me I needed to take a drug test this morning and I told him I couldn’t because I didn’t need to pee, so he said that once I had to go, he’d get me to do it…and he’s just like waiting for me to go to the bathroom so he can get me to do it.”
Not catching on, Harvey shrugged, “So? Just take the test-“then he realized, “Mike, you didn’t.”
The resulting silence said everything Harvey needed to know, “Mike. I thought you were done with that stuff.”
“I-I was but…” Mike swallowed, glancing at Harvey briefly then away again, “I’ve been having nightmares, okay? It helps me sleep.”
Any anger faded away and Harvey felt a little bad for Mike, “Oh…” he still didn’t like him smoking pot, but he would also be a hypocrite if he didn’t admit he sometimes used some to help destress after particularly hard cases.
Mike just nodded and looked down, pressing his legs together with a barely audible whine, “I-I don’t know what to do, I can’t hold it forever. It’s only been an hour and I feel like I’m going to explode.”
Biting back a tease about Mike having a small bladder, Harvey tried to come up with a plan.
“Okay, if Louis asks I’m going to make up some story about needing to see a client. We’ll go downstairs, you can use the bathroom in the lobby and we’ll go get some lunch or something to give the illusion that we were out, how about that?”
It was an uncharacteristically nice idea, and Mike looked a little surprised, “You’d do all that for me?”
“Well it’s more so I don’t have to clean piss out of my carpet.” He smirked, nudging him, “Come on.”
Mike slowly got to his feet, clearly struggling just standing up, and Harvey felt another pang of sympathy seeing his associate in such a bad way, and he gently patted his back, encouraging him out of the office.
Harvey went after him and walked as quickly as he could with Mike half hobbling, trying not to grab at himself like a toddler as he walked.
They needed to get to the elevators before-
“Where are you two going?”
Shit.
Harvey forced a smile at Louis who had caught them by the elevators, “Morning, Louis. Mike and I were going to see a client. It’s rather urgent I’m afraid, so there’s no time for small talk.”
He tried to shove past Louis but he stood firm, “Not yet you’re not, he still owes me a drug test.” He pointed at Mike who really wasn’t doing a good job at hiding his need, “And clearly someone now needs to use the little boy’s room, and can take the test.”
Mike looked desperately at Harvey and he knew there was only a short time before this carpet was going to be ruined, as well as Mike’s dignity if he didn’t step in.
“Mike, go use the restroom. Louis, so help me if you follow him, I will punch you.”
Louis glared and Mike looked uncertain but after an encouraging nod from Harvey, he hurried off down the hall and Louis thankfully stayed after Harvey blocked his path with a death glare.
“What the hell, Harvey? I’m just trying to do my job.”
Harvey pulled Louis aside out of prying ears, “Listen, Louis. He didn’t want to take it because he smoked pot last night. He doesn’t normally, trust me he gave it up. But he told me he was having a hard time last night and he did it to help. So please just lay off of him this one time, okay?”
He knew appealing to Louis’ humanity didn’t always work, but he really hoped this time would.
And thankfully Louis didn’t barge past him, or make threats, he just sighed heavily and stared Harvey down, “Fine, I’ll let it go this time. But if somehow it gets out there he used and it wasn’t picked up, you take the blame.”
Harvey nodded, “Alright, Louis. I’ll take full responsibility.”
“Fine.” Louis didn’t look happy about it, but he didn’t argue anymore and just headed back to his office.
Deciding to head back to his, he found Mike back there, looking a lot better than before.
“Feel better?”
Mike nodded sheepishly, “Much better…thanks for helping me Harvey.”
“Don’t mention it.” He sat back at his desk, opening his folder again.
“Wait, what about getting lunch?”
Harvey looked up at Mike, “We’re not getting lunch, you are. I saved your ass and your pants, so you owe me.” He smiled, “And it better be something good or I’ll tell the whole firm about your little potty dance.”
Mike went red and frowned at Harvey but gave in, “Fine, is a hotdog good enough for his highness?”
“Make it two, I’m hungry.”
“Two it is.”
Mike made to leave but stopped, chewing on his lip he turned back to Harvey, "I mean it Harvey. Thanks for having my back."
Harvey looked up and finally smiled a little, "You know I always do, Mike. Now go on and get those hot dogs, I'm starving."
"On it."
"And Mike."
Mike looked back at him, "Yeah?"
"If you struggle to sleep again, you can always come to my place."
Mike smiled softly, "Thanks Harvey."