As Mike Ross bounded into Harvey Specter's office, his smile faltered as he was forced to listen to the tail end of Jessica Pearson chewing Harvey out for his unprofessional attitude to some annoying client or other. Although it always amused Mike to see his mentor be told off by the one person who could get away with it apart from Donna, it made Harvey cranky. When Harvey was cranky, Mike was the one who habitually bore the brunt of it. As he waited patiently in the outskirts of Harvey's glass panelled office, he watched as Jessica thrust a large quantity of files at the contrite looking man.
Mike bit his lip to keep from grinning as he realised they were thick, bulky proof reading files, and if there was one thing in the world that Harvey Reginald Specter hated to do, it was proof read. This fact alone let Mike know that this was Harvey's punishment for whatever he had said or done to upset the Pearson-Hardman client Jessica was currently berating him for. With a final "I'm sorry Jessica" drawn from the abashed looking Harvey, the managing partner seemed satisfied and strode from his office giving Mike a curt nod of acknowledgement as she did so.
Mike moved forwards and dropped down into his usual seat in front of the now scowling Harvey. Grinning recklessly at the annoyed older man, Mike teased "you ok Harvey? Want to talk about it? I think I have tissues in my bag, and I could order in Twilight for us?" Seeing Harvey glare at him warningly, Mike hastily changed tack whilst still chuckling to himself "or I could tell you what I found out to help the Greigson-Hanson takeover?"
"If you'd be so kind" came the sarcastic reply.
Mike explained the ins and outs of what he had unearthed on their current case and the two men discussed the pros and cons of using it, over half an hour passed and a disagreement eventually ensued.
Harvey ground his teeth as he surveyed the stubborn kid in front of him; he was in a bad enough mood already without the genius of Mike Ross adding to it. "Mike. I said no. It's too risky to use it, it could work wonderfully or it could blow up and completely tank our leverage. Usually, I'd say go for it but this merger is too important in billings alone to lose the upper hand."
Mike stared back in growing mutiny. "I can do it Harvey. I know I can. It won't blow up, and it will work out even at a cautious estimate in a thirty five per cent increase in stock price for the client. Come on, just give me a chance."
Beginning to glower, "or it could work out a cautious estimate in a thirty five per cent drop in stock price for the client" Harvey shot right back. "I've said no Mike, end of discussion, so drop it now and can the attitude while you're at it."
Mike rolled his eyes and stood to leave sulkily, causing Harvey to grind his perfect teeth with renewed vigour. Collecting his bag Mike muttered very softly under his breath, with no intention of actually being heard "you'd have said yes if Jessica hadn't just laid into you. Wuss."
Harvey shot his head up from the email he had just opened, simultaneously thankful and resentful for his pitch perfect hearing as he frowned heavily at his maddeningly cheeky associate. "What did you just say to me?" he demanded of the now panic stricken Mike, his dark eyes flashing dangerously.
Knowing better than to lie, but desperately wanting to, Mike silently cursed himself for being so idiotic. "I uh… well, I was just, umm". Feeling Harvey's gaze begin to penetrate his soul, Mike sighed in defeat. Weighing his options he gave in and gave the older man an apologetic look, and held his hands up in a defeated gesture.
"I was mouthing off. Sorry Harvey" he answered softly.
Standing and snatching the pile of files that the vacated Jessica had nearly decapitated him with, the elder lawyer stood and stalked out from behind his desk. Thrusting the hefty stack at Mike, who caught them with difficulty; he said in his trademark threatening tone, "you will be, have these on my desk by tomorrow morning."
Mike watched in chagrin as Harvey settled himself back behind his desk. He already had an alarming amount of work to be ready for tomorrow, and even with his rare mind there was no way he could get the hundreds of pages contained in the files now deposited in his arms completed on time. Well, if he wanted any sleep that is.
Pushing his eyes into puppy dog mode, Mike instantly whined "but Harvey this is your punishment, not mine!" He winced as he saw the older man stiffen in increased annoyance, but went for the kill shot anyway, it was his only hope. Taking a deep breath he blurted out "Jessica would hit the roof if she knew that you pushed this off on me, you know that."
Harvey whistled through his teeth in annoyance at Mike's very poorly veiled threat. What have I ever done to deserve this kid and his attitude he thought to himself in an uncharacteristic bout of self pity. Piercing his associate with his gaze once again, he asked in a dangerously sweet tone "and how is she going to find out Mike? Are you going to tell her?"
Mike wanted with all his might to say yes, but he recognised that as being akin to suicide so he clamped his mouth shut and shook his head moodily in the negative.
Harvey surveyed the recalcitrant young lawyer and sighed. "Didn't think so. Now get out, and get to work and have a better attitude the next time I see you kid or you and I are going to have a more in depth discussion, understood?" he warned, jerking his head towards the door in the corner of the room. Mike's eyes followed Harvey's unspoken direction and he paled somewhat. He knew Harvey was threatening him with a full on backside tanning, that so often took place behind that innocuous looking door and the abandoned administrative office that lay within. Recognising defeat and feeling a little embarrassed by his adolescent petulance he squirmed under Harvey's glare.
He looked beseechingly, as he usually did when in trouble, at his mentor. "Sorry Harvey. I'll have the files on your desk tomorrow and a better attitude" he apologised quietly. Feeling his anger deflate considerably as Mike turned on the full blown puppy dog charm Harvey smiled his crooked smile. "Alright then Mike, scoot. I have time to relax now seeing as you've very kindly volunteered to take my work, and I need a nap" he teased, snorting loudly at the associate's look of outraged indignation.
Days passed and the takeover was shaping up to Harvey's satisfaction, as was Mike's attitude. They were expected to present a motion to the court in about a week's time given the takeover was hostile and the Pearson-Hardman mergers and acquisitions department was in overdrive under Harvey's watchful eye, much to their non communicated resentment.
As Harvey and Mike worked diligently in the elder lawyers' office in an attempt to iron out a profound wrinkle in an overall sound motion, the issue of the information Mike wished to use surfaced once more. In assessing the snag in the otherwise good brief Mike could only see his previous suggestion which Harvey had previously flatly refused, as the answer. An extremely effective answer, if he did say so himself. Casting around in his mind for the best way to draw the issue up without Harvey killing him, he was coming up blank. Harvey hated to repeat himself, he was far too important.
Eventually Harvey stood up in frustration. "Ok, lets' call it a day. We're getting nowhere with this and it's late. Go home and get some sleep Mike and we'll give it another go in the morning." Mike hesitated, but took a deep breath and steeled himself. It was now or never.
Looking up at the overtired and irritable closer he muttered "actually Harvey, I might have an idea."
The mentor sat down heavily and glared at his mentee in hostile incredulity. "Oh might you indeed? What, pray tell were you waiting for? An invitation to the prom, so you could put on your new frock that shows of your legs just right and spill your guts when you've had your fourth punch? Spit it out for Christ's sake."
Wincing slightly, Mike sighed. This wasn't a good start.
"Well, I know you said no before but…well, I think we could use the information we talked about before to our advantage here, I really do and I think it's the only solution to the brief problem." Mike spoke quickly wanting to get it out before he lost his nerve.
Harvey felt the familiar pangs of wanting to calmly reach out and strangle the god damned kid. Taking a grasp on his temper, he sternly reminded himself that it was late, he was irritable and his little protégée was just trying to help.
"Mike. I said no then, and I'm saying no now. There is too much risk involved, and I'm not saying that because I'm a…how did you put it again? Oh yes, a wuss. I'm saying that because I'm a wuss. I'm saying it because the risk isn't commensurate with the reward. Now, is that finally clear?"
Mike, who was equally tired and fed up just shook his head in exasperation. Harvey could be so pig headed sometimes. It was maddening.
"Fine, Harvey, fine. Let's just spend another ten hours tomorrow staring at the same brief and eating takeout, sounds riveting, can hardly wait."
Seething, Harvey glanced out at the halls outside his office briefly, satisfied there was no one there or likely to be there, he rose from his seat and strode around the desk to where his recalcitrant associate sat in a petulant strop. Taking a firm grip of the kids upper arm, he pulled him quickly from his seat and before he could have time to protest he dropped himself in the vacated seat and pulled the hard headed mentee over his lap. Delivering a quick cluster of hard and deliberate swats on the upturned backside of the now squawking Mike, he paid careful attention to the tender curve of the joint of the boy's thighs and his rear.
Satisfied that the quick point he wished to impart had been made, the older lawyer lifted the younger off his knee as quickly as he had put him expertly over it.
Mike's face was flushed crimson as he instantly threw his hands back to rub the sting out of his smarting bottom and checked wildly to make sure no one had seen his mortifying rebuke. Drinking in a breath of sweet relief he realised they hadn't, and swiftly rounded on his tormentor.
"Harvey! What was that? Anyone could have seen, how could you?!"
In absolutely no mood for the kids whining, Harvey leant into Mike's personal space and ground out in carefully deliberate tone, "that was just your warning Mike. I've absolutely had it with your attitude when you don't get your own way. You need to remember who's the boss around here and it certainly isn't you. Mouth off to me again, and we are going to reacquaint your backside with the inability to sit for a week. I'm starting to think it's been far too long since I took you in hand. Now, go home and have a more associate appropriate attitude tomorrow, for your own sake."
Seeing Mike open his mouth to presumably argue, Harvey cut him off, genuinely not wanting to have to follow through on his treat.
"Dismissed Mike. Now, while you still can."
Hating leaving things on a bad note with the man he respected most, but knowing when to quit, Mike nodded sadly. Without another word he turned and left the office in a picture perfect example of a morose puppy dog.
Harvey watched his deflated boy wonder slouch sadly from his office and groaned audibly. He'll be the death of me he told himself ruefully as he collapsed back into his own chair and stared blankly at the tantalising brief that was the root cause of Mike's sore rear and ego and Harvey's very well hidden reluctance in delivering both.
The next few days came and went without incident and as per their traditional style, the seasoned and rookie lawyers fell back into their rhythm of a bantering based work style, Harvey having pushed Mike's previous attitude far out of his mind. The night before the motion trial, both men worked late into the night perfecting a solution Harvey had engineered to the previous issue that had caused so much upset. Mike firmly believed that the new solution was thoroughly sub standard but held his tongue and gave no indication that he disagreed with the route that had been carved out, he had no intention of disobeying Harvey again.
After depressingly meagre amounts of sleep, both men were somewhat blearily chauffeured by the ever courteous Ray to the courthouse in question. As Mike bounded up the steps, he sensed Harvey was no longer with him and glanced back over his shoulder to see his boss engrossed in a clearly agitated phone call. Leaning against a pillar, Mike waited obligingly for the call to end. When it did so, Harvey strode to him looking thunderous. Mike winced involuntarily and habitually, what have I done now he wondered frantically.
Coming to an abrupt halt in front of his confused associate, Harvey wordlessly thrust the necessary case files in his hands and eventually spoke in an uncharacteristic lack of Harvey Specter self assurance. "Mike. I have to go. You need to take this alone. Something's come up with Donna. She needs me. Stick to the script and you'll be fine ok?"
Mike gaped at him. He gaped at him in incredulity. Finding his voice, he eventually squealed in protest "Harvey. You can't be serious, this is one of the major billing aspects of the year and you're going to leave me here alone?!"
Harvey merely turned to leave and growled out "didn't you hear me? I said it's Donna. Just do exactly as I've outlined in the brief and that's all I can expect of you ok" and with that he disappeared smoothly into the back of the awaiting town car and it sped smoothly away, leaving Mike standing outside a suddenly very imposing court, feeling about ten years old and with a sudden inability to swallow normally.
Some half an hour later and Mike felt like he was in a nightmare, wallowing blindly in an ever growing sandpit of legal doom. He struggled to retain his composure as he was systematically and soundly hammered by opposing counsel, all four of them. With about fifty years of combined experienced between them and over him. All four of whom where discreetly sniggering as they saw a twenty something kid, without a babysitter try and argue a hopeless motion without any back up.
Gritting his teeth in despair, Mike made a split second choice. Wheeling around, he dug out from his own files his original idea. He took a deep breath and a stern handle on his own nerves. Harvey is the one who left me here, screw him. I have to do what I have to do he reasoned with himself. Taking about twenty minutes, Mike explained and argued his original and strictly forbidden motion before the court, with growing confidence. He saw out of the corner of his eye that the previously sniggering quadruplets were now looking on in dumbfounded horror as the twenty something kid pulled himself out of the trenches and onto the winning side of the battlefield.
Sitting down in relief some ten minutes later and relatively satisfied with his closing, Mike waited in trepidation for the ruling of the court. The judge had excused himself for a short consideration and he could do no more but wait and pray that this didn't backfire on him like an unclean gun. Some moment later the formidable looking justice strode out of chambers, and with a mercifully short preamble got to his decision.
Mike fought hard to contain himself as the most wondrous words drifted down from the raised dais like the first flakes of snow in the winter.
This court finds in favour of the petitioning party.
Trying to keep his grin professionally aloof, and not caring that he was failing miserably Mike shook hands with the now very grim looking opposing counsel. Quickly doing the math in his head, he exhaled sharply when he realised his cautious estimate had been off by about twelve per cent, resulting in an increased stock price of forty seven per cent for their client. Pulling his trusty and worn messenger bag over his shoulder, he spun on his heel and jauntily and turned to exit the courtroom.
When he saw the public seating of the court for the first time since he entered. His jaw dropped. Then his heart. His jaw and his heart then congregated together in mourning with his soul as it seeped from his body as he locked eyes with the grimmest looking man he had ever seen.
Eyes widening in unwelcome surprise and distressed fear, Mike held up his hands in a placating and defensive gesture as the positively dangerous looking man started slowly towards him, looking every bit the circling lion as it stalked it's hopelessly vulnerable prey. As the pincer like grip fell upon his upper arm and began dragging the young man from the now mercifully deserted courtroom, Mike winced both in pain and embarrassment.
Finding his voice, he finally spoke.
"Harvey. Please, I can explain."
When he received no response other than increased pressure on his upper arm which was now presumably deprived of any form of blood flow, Mike sighed in fatal defeat and merely tried to observe the trees and the birds for the last time as he was forcibly led to and placed in the back of the returned town car.
The ride back to Pearson-Hardman was tense and silent and Mike knew better than to even breathe with any more degree of noise pollution than was strictly necessary. As Ray drew up and parked, Harvey finally spoke, well snarled, but it was still progress Mike rationalised miserably.
"My office, now. You know where to wait. I need to drive around for a while to calm down. If anyone asks, you had my full approval to do what you did. Now get out."
Flinching at the abrupt tone, Mike nevertheless obeyed without question. Clambering out of the car, which immediately pulled away, he dutifully made his way into the building without making eye contact with anyone. Taking the stairs so he wouldn't have to make small talk with any of his colleagues, Mike eventually arrived outside the glass panelled office belonging to Harvey. Pushing open the door he stalled in his resolve as the inner door that led to his doom suddenly loomed large in the corner. Taking control of his emotions, Mike forced his legs to make the necessary movements that brought him to and through the door that led to the old assistant's office that branched off Harvey's.
After throwing on the lights and sitting down morosely, he remembered the last time he had been dragged into the room and his face flushed once more. Figuring that Harvey would probably take his time to calm down, Mike resigned himself to the long haul and stared at the walls as he whiled away what was presumably left of his life. Why the hell did I do it he thought to himself in consternation.
About half an hour later he stiffened as he heard the door handle turn. A millisecond later Harvey strode into the room. He looked considerably calmer, but a quietly fierce anger still seemed to ooze from every visible orifice of the older man as he quietly surveyed his slumped and abashed looking associate.
"Stand up" he eventually snapped.
Mike did as asked at once, his eyes rooted on the floor.
Growling, Harvey added a further "eyes up" instruction.
Mike took a bit longer to follow this order but eventually he made eye contact and cringed when he saw the now trademark disappointment and annoyance located in Harvey's dark eyes.
"I want an explanation, and I want it now" the elder man ground out.
Taking a steadying gulp of air Mike explained everything that had happened in court and how he had felt he had no other option, in as much brevity as possible. Harvey listened quietly, not visibly reacting to anything the younger man said but drinking it all in nonetheless. When Mike finished his account, he dropped his spikey haired head back to the floor and Harvey bit back his impulse to snap at him for it.
Taking a firm handle on his anger, Harvey did his best to put himself in the kid's shoes. He could understand why Mike had acted as he had, but he couldn't condone it given the battle that had gone on between them about Mike's inability to take no for an answer regarding using that strategy. He also filed away to Mike's credit the fact that he hadn't used the fact that his argument had been successful in his defence. This let Harvey know that Mike understood the reason he was so angry, wasn't the case or the client, it was the disobedience.
Clearing his throat significantly, he was relieved when Mike obeyed the unspoken command to look at him. Fixing the forlorn looking kid with a stern glare, Harvey launched into the inevitable lecture Mike had earned himself for his latest escapade.
"Ok Mike. I only came back in time to catch the tail end of your argument and the judgement, so I didn't see what drove you to so wilfully and knowingly disobey me. I can understand how you felt you were backed into a corner. However, I explicitly told you time and time again that you were not permitted to use that argument. I told you that until I was blue in the face. I put up with your attitude about it, and your sulking about it. Mainly, because I never thought you would so outrageously decide to flaunt my authority. I know we have a good relationship Mike, but I am still your god damned boss and what I say goes, at all times. Not when you feel like listening to me, or when it suits you. At all times, do you understand that?"
Waiting only for Mike to nod his head sadly, he pressed on without mercy.
"You think you're the only associate to ever think he knew better than his partner? Do you honestly think that I never thought that I knew better than Jessica? God damnit Mike, how many times do we have to go through this? You do what I tell you, when I tell you, whether you like it or not. That's the job, you knew it before and you know it now, you just think you can choose to ignore it. Well, after I'm finished dealing with you I can pretty much guarantee you won't dream about doing things your own way for the considerable future, is that clear to you or do I need to speak slower?"
Mike again merely gave another sad nod, an even sadder nod if it was possible.
"Good" came the curt reply. "You know the drill."
Mike jerked his head in acknowledgement and in summoning up all his resolve, shrugged his way out of his suit jacket and placed it loosely over a nearby chair. Harvey busied himself in pulling open a drawer in the sole office furniture left standing and withdrawing the paddle that resided there. Harvey closed his eyes for a moment, silently cursing his senior partnership for a moment and all the headaches that came with it.
He readily conceded that at this particular moment in time much rather be Mike's colleague and laugh with him about his ballsy move over a beer than be his boss and have to punish him for it. Pushing this out his mind, he turned to face his wayward associate who, as he watched silently placed himself over the desk, with the ease of a man who had been there many, many times before.
Walking towards the familiar position behind the now bent over Mike, with paddle in hand, Harvey hesitated but then grimaced in resolve. Taking a deep breath, he ordered the surprised Mike up from the desk.
Not taking any comfort in knowing that it was in the kid's best interests in the long run, Harvey again stared sternly at the fidgeting young man.
"Pants down Mike. You've gone too far this time I'm afraid, I need to make sure this is a lesson you don't forget in a hurry."
Mike, who to his credit had been handling the whole situation very well, predictably lost his nerve at this pronouncement. His eyes pooled into unspoken pleas that reminded Harvey forcibly of a very often guilty poodle that used to live near him as a child.
"Please" he said quietly peering up at his mentor beseechingly, "please Harvey, I'm sorry."
Gritting his teeth against the desire to throw the paddle down and ruffle the kid's hair and tell him all was forgiven, the older man shook his head in the negative with a firmness he did not really feel.
"Drop them Mike, right now. Boxers too, please don't make me do it for you."
Knowing that Harvey didn't make idle threats, Mike gulped miserably and turned to face the desk again. Fumbling slightly with his belt clasp and zip, he eventually managed to undo them and pushed his slacks and boxers to his knees in one go and slumped over the heavy oak surface in misery, with his head in his arms.
Harvey felt the familiar tug on his heart as he reluctantly took his well worn position behind his contrite boy, and placed a comforting and restraining hand on the small of his slim back. Steeling himself, he took a firm grip of the paddle's handle and raised it high, bringing the first of many swats down upon the bare behind of his associate.
Mike predictably hissed and bucked under the searing pain that shot across his rear, Harvey pressed slightly down on his back keeping him in position. He raised the paddle in a high arc once more and brought it down again, and again, quickly settling into a steady rhythm and making sure that he delivered Mike's punishment in an even distribution. Mike began to whimper and moan, but to his immense credit stayed in position, causing Harvey to feel a surge of pride for his young reprobate.
Closing his eyes in extreme reluctance, the older man gently pressed down harder on the small of the younger mans back, tilting him forward slightly. Mike, knowing what was coming began crying openly, causing Harvey to wince. Taking a firm grasp of his resolve, Harvey brought the paddle down hard on the now exposed sit spots of the sobbing man. Mike cried out in anguish, burying his head further in his arms, causing his pleading to come out in a muffled tone but Harvey caught it anyway.
"Pl…please not there, no please not…not there Harvey please" the kid whimpered in distress. "No n-no please stop...never do…I'll never do it again, I…I swear I won't."
Harvey felt a foreign feeling of shame as the beginnings of tears sprang up in his own eyes, Jesus what is this kid doing to me he thought wildly. Brushing away the horrific evidence of caring from his eyes, he steadied himself and hardened his emotions, knowing the kid had to learn. He raised the paddle again and brought it down on Mike's now ruby red backside, but didn't swat his sit spots. Feeling Mike go limp under his restraining hand Harvey expelled a great gutful of air in relief, the punishment was drawing to a merciful close. Closing his eyes briefly, he rained down a last flurry of swats on the well chastised backside of before him and dropped the paddle like it was burning his hand at the conclusion of the last swat.
As he looked at the silently sobbing kid in distress, Harvey quickly pulled the boy's boxers and slacks back into place and plucked the contrite man gently off the desk. Usually, he'd give Mike time to compose himself before attempting to comfort him, but he instinctively knew that Mike had taken this punishment hard and he himself felt exhausted from delivering it. Manoeuvring the skinny kid gently so that he could sit down on the desk, Harvey drew Mike to him in a tight hug. The young lawyer fell into the warm embrace without question, and rested his head on Harvey's broad shoulder and continued crying softly.
Harvey steadfastly held him tightly, and ran his hand loosely through his hair muttering soft reassurances to him all the while. Eventually, the tearful sobs gave way to tired sniffling, and eventually Mike rubbed his eyes for the last time and broke away, looking shamefacedly at the floor and away from his boss.
Harvey moved forwards gently and placed a finger under the kids chin and tipped it up, drawing eye contact from him. "How you doing kid?" he murmured softly.
Mike didn't answer for a moment, merely fixating on the floor, to Harvey's culminating alarm.
Eventually he looked up and his lips twitched before giving way to his patented Mike Ross rueful grin. "Sore mostly, but with an appreciable dash of sorry " he answered with a hint of his usual 'I'm a 20-something genius and I know it all' swagger returning.
Harvey breathed in relief, "I should think so, I should bloody well think so" he chuckled in reply.
Suddenly sighing, he put a hand on the boys shoulder, looking him in the eye. "Do you understand why I had to do that Mike?" he asked with a touch of anxiety.
Mike looked into the face of the older man and wasn't at all surprised that he felt no hint of resentment, or anger.
"Yes I do" he replied honestly. "I was out of line. I deserved it, and I'm sorry Harvey."
Harvey smiled his crooked smile that precious few rarely saw, and reached out to ruffle the kid's hair which was met with a scowl. "Good lad Mike" he said in genuine pride and snorted when he saw Mike beam at the rare praise.
Bending down to pick up the paddle, he placed it hastily back in the filing cabinet drawer, wishing for the day he could throw it out and never think of it again but knowing that day was some years off yet. He threw an arm around his recovered associate and gently guided him out of the inner and drab office to the outer, modern one.
Plopping him down gently in the most cushioned couch in the office, he lobbed a take-out menu at him. "Order us something off that, you need dinner" he instructed. Mike, who wasn't particularly hungry but knowing better than to argue obediently ordered a considerable quantity of food. Thirty minutes saw the two men eating, drinking and laughing animatedly in the comfortable setting, Mike albeit squirming occasionally, which Harvey pretended not to notice in deference to the younger mans attempt of stoicism in hiding his discomfort.
Their easy conversation was suddenly interrupted by the entrance of a very irritated Jessica Pearson, struggling somewhat under the weight of bulky box stuffed to the brim with files. Seeing Mike however, she flashed him a rare smile and congratulated him heartedly on a job well done, which Mike tried to accept as quickly as possible, not wanting the topic of his insubordination brought up again. After she finished praising Mike, the managing partner rounded on Harvey and her eyes flashed menacingly.
"Would you care to explain to me Harvey Specter why I've just had another client on the phone insisting that I place a greater degree of emphasis on client care when training my staff?"
Harvey held up his hands, in a very good imitation of Mike's earlier attempt at placating him, and began in a nearly believable tone of contrition "Jessica…listen, I can…"
"Can it Harvey, I don't want to hear it" the older woman interrupted him firmly. "Now, seeing as you did such a wonderful job on your last batch of proof reading files, I've decided it's both an effective form of discipline and ensures firm wide grammar proficiency." Dumping the box on Harvey's desk with a resounding thud she continued, "So, I want this lot completely proof read cover to cover and on my desk tomorrow morning, nine am sharp, clear?"
Seemingly satisfied with Harvey's sulky jerk of his head, the elder women turned to leave and stopped only to congratulate Mike again.
Looking at the bulging box of files on his mentor's desk Mike couldn't help but grin mischievously. Seeing this out of the corner of his eyes, Harvey glowered at him.
"Don't start kid, don't start."
Feigning wide eyed innocence, Mike muttered jauntily under his breath "all aboard the karma train."
"What was that Michael?"
"Oh I was just wondering if Rachel had boarded her plane yet is all Harvey" teased Mike, his blue eyes back to their twinkling selves.
Harvey grunted and continued to sulk as he surveyed the stack of proofing on his desk.
Suddenly putting on his sweetest voice, he turned to his associate "Mike, you know how much faster you read than I do, fancy staying here for a bit and helping me with this?"
Standing up to put a safe distance between him and his pouting boss, Mike frowned meaningfully and put on his best impression of Harvey.
"I'd love to Harvey, but you've gone too far this time I'm afraid, I need to make sure this is a lesson you don't forget in a hurry."
He snorted at the look on Harvey's face and ducked expertly as a piece of half eaten chicken came sailing through the air, intended for his head.
Chuckling, he looked up from his defensive position.
"Aw come on Harvey, reading is good for the soul".
He ducked again, as a batch of onion rings rained down on him.
"Ok ok, I'll help" he laughed and dropped back down in original seat, resuming the lively chat with his boss, mentor and friend.