Thanks to those of you who reviewed! I always greatly enjoy hearing from you and especially that you like the story! I know this next bit is short as well, and I apologize, but really, if any of you follow my other works, you might be sighing in relief... Now, for ACT II!
Chapter 2: Louis
Mike sank even lower on his desk as he heard the familiar gait indicating Louis's nearing presence.
He had about four more hours of work for Harvey before he could even consider doing anything for Louis, and he was starting to develop a migraine.
This new headache had hit him in the middle of his and Harvey's courtroom victory, which was, as usual, stunning and elegant. But Mike didn't have any pills on him that might lessen the sharp stabs poking at his brain, and he didn't want to take anything on an empty stomach. After all, he hadn't eaten anything that morning on account of his toaster setting on fire.
So now he was forced to power through his work, which was steadily piling up, and without the distraction of his music. The noise only increased the pressure in his skull.
Mike hoped that if he couldn't see Louis, then Louis couldn't see him.
It didn't work.
"Mike, have these done by noon," Louis said cheerily and heaved a large stack of briefs on Mike's already overflowing desk.
"No, Louis, I can't. I'm working on three things for—"
"Does it look like I care about Harvey?" Louis interrupted, giving Mike a vicious sneer. Mike heard faint chuckles and snickers coming from the surrounding cubicles.
"But—"
"Ah!" Louis cut him off. "No. You work for this firm, Mike. And these are for Jessica herself. You've gotta prioritize Mike." His words sounded so condescending that Mike had to actually force back the urge to get himself fired for assault and battery. Instead he gritted his teeth and glared at Louis, rubbing his temple when his actions sent fresh waves of pain to his head.
"Fine, whatever. I'll have it done."
"Good, 'cause I need it thirty minutes ago," Louis said, a victorious smile on his face.
Mike was too busy wincing in pain at his growing headache to notice. He only looked up when he heard Louis walking away.
Mike delivered a brutal stare at the back of Louis's head, feeling his anger rise in him, swollen by the pain throbbing through his every thought. The room started to spin and he felt uncomfortably warm, as his focus narrowed to the point where Louis's shirt met his neck.
And suddenly, Mike was shaken from his silent fury by girlish screams erupting from Louis, who was now frantically swiping at the back of his neck. A nearby associate was trying to swat at the low, flickering orange flames that were growing out of Louis's collar.
Finally, a paralegal swung by and threw a large mug of water on the man, and the entire bullpen went silent, waiting for Louis's reaction.
He glared at everyone, but said not a word before hastily marching back into his office, a look of slight embarrassment on his face. Once he was out of earshot, the associates gave a soft roll of laughter at what had just happened.
Mike was curious as to who would dare to throw a lit match onto Louis, but whoever they had been, he owed them a serious favor. He noticed with relief and a small amount of glee that his migraine was dulled, and attributed it to the second fire incident. Perhaps karma did exist, and this was the world's way of apologizing for his toaster's suicidal self-immolation.
Whatever the explanation, Mike decided he didn't care, and returned to his now excessively larger pile of work with a grin.
Harvey would be so upset he'd missed this.