A/N: Written for Marvey Fic Challenges (Tumblr). Challenge #37: All-Nighter.

Thank you for reading! x

TW: Mentions of Death.

"Hey" Mike said breathlessly as he hurried into Harvey's office struggling to keep all the files he was holding balanced in his arms. "Sorry it took me so long I was just so-"

"It doesn't matter. Just hand them over" Harvey instructed.

Mike was just a few steps away from the desk when he managed to stumble over his own feet, sending the folders flying everywhere.

"Shit!" he exclaimed angrily. "Sorry, I'm really sorry" he said frantically as he knelt down and scrambled to pick them up.

Harvey frowned when he spotted how badly the kid's hands were shaking; how his whole body was trembling, actually. It was apparent that he was in an unhealthy state and something was wrong.

"Mike…"

"Sorry, just a sec-"

"Mike!" The associate looked up. It was then Harvey also noticed the redness in his eyes. Had he been crying? Harvey didn't know if he should ask.

"I-I'm fine" Mike stammered before Harvey even could ask.

"Cleary not" Harvey said. "C'mon, get up." Mike did as he was told the first time which was worrying enough to Harvey. "What's going on?"

"I-it's nothing. Really, it's nothing."

"Mike, you're not okay. Anyone with eyes can see that" Harvey said. "What's wrong?"

Mike looked down at the floor for a few moments before clearing his throat and bringing himself to look at Harvey with weepy eyes.

"It's the anniversary of my parent's death" he confessed. "I'm sorry if I'm off my game today-"

"Go home" Harvey interrupted.

"What?" Mike blinked with disbelief. "No! I can-"

"That wasn't a suggestion" Harvey said firmly. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble. Just take the rest of the day off, okay?"

Mike nodded and wiped a hand across his eyes. "Okay."

He turned and headed out of the office.

Harvey sighed. He hoped that was the right decision. He silently promised himself and Mike that he would check in on the associate later.

When Mike went to answer his door that evening the last person he expected to find was his boss stood casually waiting with one hand in his coat pocket and the other carrying a box of beer.

"Is there any good pizza take-outs around here?" Harvey asked as he strode into the apartment without an invitation.

Mike stood looking out into the hall dazed for a couple of moments before closing the door and turning to face Harvey. The older man had put the beer down on the table and was taking his coat off.

"You want me to order pizza?" Mike asked suspiciously. "And you're going to eat it? Greasy and out of the box?"

"Well I'm sure as hell not going to eat the stale slices you've probably got stuffed under your couch cushions" Harvey replied as he looked around the disorganised apartment. "Seriously, how do you ever find anything?"

"I have a system" Mike assured him. He scoffed with disbelief and wiped his hands over his face. "I'm sorry; I think we skipped the part where you explained what you're doing here?"

"I sent you home from work today because you were a mess" Harvey reminded him.

"Right" Mike smirked as he folded his arms across his chest. "So, you're here because you care?"

"I think it's best you don't over think it" Harvey said with a slight tone of warning.

"Okay" Mike said throwing his arms up in defeat. "I guess I'll order some pizza. You're paying though, right?"

Harvey just rolled his eyes.

Two hours later Harvey and Mike were surrounded by several empty beer bottles and boxes. They weren't exactly drunk, but both of the lawyers were a lot more mellowed than they were earlier.

Mike was sprawled out on his coach in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Harvey had been relegated to sitting on the floor, leaning against the sofa, in his expensive Italian suit minus the jacket and tie. He would have argued, but he was there for Mike, and it was the kid's apartment.

They were watching a low budget horror movie which just so happened to be on TV. A group of teenage girls were at a sleepover and about to try and summon a demon.

"Is this really what kids get up to at those sorts of things?" Harvey asked.

"I guess. My friends and I tried to call on Bloody Mary once at a slumber party" Mike told him. Harvey gave an amused huffed and then took another sip of beer. "Well, what did you do at sleepovers?" Mike asked defensively.

"I don't remember ever going to one" Harvey mused.

"Seriously?" Mike said as he rolled over a little to face his boss. "Not even to a party? Or just with your brother?"

"No, because I've actually been a male all my life and my brother's hair was never long enough to braid" Harvey said mockingly.

"That's not what we did at sleepovers" Mike said as he flopped back down and looked up at the ceiling. "We talked about girls we thought were hot, played truth or dare, watched crappy movies and ate junk food."

"Really? And then did you all share a bed?" Harvey jibed.

"No, we brought sleeping bags" Mike explained. "But it didn't matter because no one actually sleeps at a sleepover. You have to stay up all night unless you want your hand in a bucket of warm water."

"Nice" Harvey said sarcastically.

"You…wanna give it a shot?" Mike suggested as nonchalantly as possible.

"What?" Harvey frowned.

"Unless you don't think you could stay up all night, old man" Mike taunted.

Harvey turned a little and looked at his associate questioningly. There was as part of him that suspected the opportunity to mock him wasn't the only reason Mike wanted him to stay on that particular night. In fact, he was sure there was something almost pleading in the younger man's eyes.

"Alright, you're on" Harvey said. "But let's make it a bet so there's at least something a little manly about it."

"Okay…fifty dollars says you don't make it."

"Make it a hundred and you're on."

The two men chinked their beer bottles together in agreement.

By the early hours of the morning Mike and Harvey had made their way through another box of beers and were on their third horror movie – one that Harvey claimed was a classic and insisted Mike needed to see.

They had made idle chitchat throughout the night, agreeing that any talk of work was off the table (unless it was bad mouthing Louis). It was unusual for both of them to be in phatic conversation with each other, but by this point both men were too buzzed by the alcohol to care what the other thought.

"I'm gunna make some coffee" Mike said at some point as he managed to sit up and stumble over to the kitchen. "Caffeine should pick us up a little."

Whilst he was gone Harvey absentmindedly pushed around the papers and magazines which were scattered on the coffee table in front of him. He came across a photograph which he picked up curiously. It showed a boy and presumably his parents stood in front of a house.

Harvey turned when he heard Mike come back into the room. The kid somehow managed to put the coffee down on the table without spilling anything.

"Is this you and your folks?" Harvey asked as he held up the photo.

"Yeah" Mike said as he took it from his boss; it wasn't done in an angry or defensive manner.

Mike ran his thumb across the corner of the photo and looked at it distantly for a while.

"Mike…why did you really want me stay up with you tonight?" Harvey figured if he could get the younger man to say it, it would help him come to terms with things a bit better.

Mike sighed and sat back down on the sofa.

"Well, I…I've always struggled on this day every year since the accident but…this is the first year I've had to get through it without my Grammy too, so… I guess I just didn't want to be alone tonight. If I sleep then I'll just dream about them and…it won't be good."

He put the photo back down on the table and then clasped his hands together between his knees. Harvey looked up at him a little sadly and then pulled himself onto the sofa so that he was sat next to Mike.

"You're not alone" Harvey stated. "But, you can't stay awake for the rest of your life either."

"I know" Mike said. "But just…not tonight."

Harvey gave him a lopsided smile and patted Mike's thigh affectionately before picking up his cup of coffee.

"So, girls we think are hot, huh?" the older man mused.

"Sure, we already bitched about Louis, and we've eaten crap and watched a load of even crappier movies."

"Alright, you start. Who's on your celebrity list?"

"I'm not sure you'll have heard of a lot of them. They're a little past the black and white film star era."

Harvey shot him an unimpressed look.

It was Mike who first realised it was once again daylight outside. He and Harvey had been talking all night but now the associate was struggling to even keep his head up. Mike lazily looked down at his watch, but when he saw what time it was his eyes widened and he jolted upright.

"Whoa! We've gotta be at work in an hour."

"No, we don't" Harvey said with a groan as he pulled himself up off the floor. "You're taking today off to get some rest. I'll be alright on my own."

"What? C'mon, that's not fair on you" Mike argued.

"Hey, remember I'm still your boss" Harvey said pointing a stern finger at the associate. "So, just don't argue with me this time, okay? I'll have Donna arrange things so I can nap between meetings."

"Okay" Mike yawned with defeat.

"Alright. Mind if I use your shower?"

"Nah, go ahead."

Harvey turned to leave when Mike spoke up again.

"Harvey?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you, for everything."

"Don't mention it" Harvey said with a small smile. The moment became a little too sentimental for him when Mike returned the gesture. "Seriously, I have a badass reputation to uphold!"

Mike huffed amusedly and rolled his eyes. "Sure."

Harvey went and showered, and then got back into his now wrinkled suit sound in the knowledge he had a spare one at the office he could change into. He was exhausted beyond belief, but he had to remain ever the professional and turn up anyway.

"Hey" he said as he exited the bathroom. "I made it, all night awake, so you owe me-"

He stopped when he realised Mike wasn't listening. The kid was sound asleep, curled up on the sofa with his hands tucked beneath his head. Harvey wondered over and pulled off the blanket which was folded on the back of the couch. He gently placed it over Mike before grabbing his coat.

"You'll be alright, Pup" he said to oblivious ears before heading out the door.