Sucker Punch

Mike wiped his face wearily with his calloused hand, leaning against the counter tiredly and waiting for the coffee to brew. He had been proofing briefs all day, because Harvey was a dick and left without him to go to some client's New Year's party. Now he was stuck with Louis, and Kyle, and Greg. Just his luck. At least Donna still cared…somewhat. He hadn't been able to see her at all today, but every time he'd leave to go drop off the briefs in Louis' office and return, he'd find a sandwich or a granola bar sitting on his desk. Donna knew he'd been working non-stop on low energy, so she always looked after the kid when the big dog wasn't around.

Once the coffee was hot and ready, Mike poured himself a cup and left the room to head back to chain himself to the desk for the next few days. He sat down heavily in his chair, rubbed his face with both hands before getting ready to do the next few hundred briefs…when Kyle came.

"Hey, Ross." The smug man leaning over Mike's cubicle wall lazily.

"Kyle, not now."

"What's the matter, Golden Boy? Daddy still pissed at you for embarrassing him in front of all the associates a few weeks ago? I mean, I would be too if I have an annoying little bitch chained to my wrist."

Mike gritted his teeth, trying to ignore Kyle and get his work done, but the guy was nearly breathing down his neck. He really wanted to punch the bastard right in his arrogant face…and it was tempting, so tempting.

"You're Specter's little, bitch did you know that? Everyone knows that. And you think you're so smart that you can one-up the rest of us, but it's just a mask you were. Inside you're a lonely, depressed little boy and everyone hates you…even your parents."

Mike's heart stopped as well as his highlighter. Say it, Kyle; just fucking say it.

"But you know what? You think that you're better than the rest of us, which isn't true…you know why? Because we all one-up you; we actually have parents, but it's your fault, because having you as a son would make any parent want to kill themselves."

And Mike just snapped completely. He pushed himself out of his chair and jumped onto his desk. He rammed into Kyle, crashing to the floor brutally; Mike brought his fist back and rammed it into Kyle's nose, blood spurting from his nostrils instantly. A crowd began to form around them and shouts for help or people egging them on filled the air.

"You're gonna pay for that you fucking bastard," shouted Mike, pounding his fist into Kyle's face. He couldn't believe…actually he could believe Kyle would say something like that…but not actually say it.

"You are not getting the best of me you skinny prick!" Kyle all of a sudden slipped out from underneath Mike and rolled over; switching places. Before he knew it, Mike was getting the shit beat out of him. And to tell the truth, Kyle's punches were much worse. His vision was getting blurry, his face was feeling numb and blood was rushing into his brain. He was so close to passing out, but he couldn't let Kyle get the best of him.

"What the hell!?"

The crowd silenced and parted, revealing a very pissed looking Donna and Louis. And even after the crowd started to disperse, a very angry, bloody Kyle was still finishing off Mike. Louis ran over and pulled the associate off the other while Donna went to Mike, gently resting a hand on his head. The kid sat up on his elbows weakly, breathing erratically.

"You two!" Louis shouted angrily. "My office."

"He's not going anywhere but Harvey's office; possibly the hospital," said Donna forcefully, giving her best glare to the junior partner.

"But-"

"Go. Now."

Louis shrunk a little before dragging Kyle down to his office. Whatever the punishment would be, it'd be too good for him. She looked down at Mike who looked worse for wear and had laid back on the floor.

"Come on, pup, let's go to Harvey's office and you can rest on his couch."

"H-Harvey'll get mad…doesn't like me touching his things," Mike coughed, spitting out blood from his busted lip.

"Harvey's a big boy, he can suck it up."

Mike chuckled weakly as Donna slowly helped him off the floor. She brought his arm around her shoulder and her arm around his skinny waist. "Let's go."

Three minutes later, Mike was laying on Harvey's expensive leather couch, a blanket the Donna kept for Harvey on late night tucked underneath his chin. A cold, wet cloth had been placed on his throbbing face, thanks to Donna. Now all they were waiting for was Harvey.

Donna was sitting at her desk, guarding the office from a snooping Louis, when Harvey came strolling down the hallway. Taking a deep breath, she kept her head down, pretending to finish typing an email. In seconds, she could feel Harvey's presence causing her to look up with a raised eyebrow.

"Why is Mike laying on my couch?"

"Yeah…about that…"

Harvey frowned. "What did he do?"

"I don't know exactly…all I heard was shouting and when I got to the bullpen," Donna shook her head. "Mike and Kyle were fighting...like full on WWE fighting."

"Dammit," Harvey growled as he headed into his office.

"Go easy on him; he's in pain."

Harvey stepped into his office and stopped in front of the couch, staring down at Mike. At first he was angry, but he noticed the blood on the kid's shirt and hands, causing pride and sadness to overcome that.

"You know, that's real creepy what you're doing," the associate mumbled tiredly from underneath the cloth. Mike took off the cloth and glanced up at Harvey with unfocused vision.

"When did you get here?"

"Just now," Harvey said, hanging his jacket on the back of his chair before sitting down.

"You look like shit."

Mike chuckled lightly. "You should see the other guy."

Harvey smirked. "So…what did Kyle to make you go all hulk on him?"

Anger flashed in Mike's eyes, not going unnoticed by Harvey, before looking away.

"It's nothing important."

"Mike, obviously it's important if it led to this."

Mike rolled his eyes and put the cloth back on his face. "He…umm…he dissed you first then he…he made fun of my parents. Said some things I really don't want to repeat. S'bad enough I can easily remember them."

Harvey clenched his jaw. Kyle was gonna get his ass kicked…again.

"After that," Mike continued, "I just snapped and I beat the crap out of him."

There was a long moment of silence between the two of them and Mike was beginning to drift off before Harvey spoke up again.

"How bad does he look? If he doesn't look worse than you, I will completely shun you for a week."

"Oh yeah," Mike yawned with a laugh. "He's gonna need plastic surgery."

FIN

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