Bully
Prompt for: MarvellousMarvey: No physical abuse this time, just an emotional one. Basically, someone makes Mike cry (of course, he tries to hide it and insists he's fine, but Harvey sees) and Harvey goes into protective mode.
Enjoy!
Tried to get this posted earlier, but the Fanfiction properties wasn't working for the last few days. Finally they fixed it!
Trigger Warning: Mentions of Sexual Assault
Mike stared out the window of the town car, watching the city scenery disappear, turning into trees as he and Harvey headed upstate to meet with their new client. He could feel Harvey glancing at him from time to time, but the older man never said a word. Mike wondered if he could tell if something was wrong. Well, everything was wrong; his Grammy had died last week, and no one but Rachel knew about it. And he wanted to keep it that way for now. If he told Donna, she would tell Harvey and force the man to let him have time off. If he told Harvey, and if the man cared that is, he would treat him differently and still force him to take time off. That was something he didn't need. He didn't need space; if he was alone, all he would do was obsess about every interaction, or lack of them, that he had with his Grammy leading up to her death. He had been a terrible grandson. She did everything for him, and he couldn't even take ten minutes off of work to go see her. You never visit anymore, Michael. He swallowed the choked sob that almost made its way out of his mouth. He couldn't cry, especially not in front of Harvey. Mike cleared his throat before letting out a deep sigh.
"Hey," Harvey spoke. Mike blinked and turned to his boss. The man was focusing on the road but briefly twisted his head to look over. "You good?"
Shit, had he outed himself? "Yeah, I'm fine."
"You sure? I need your head in this, so if there's something that's keeping you from bringing your A-game-"
"I'm fine," Mike snapped.
Harvey raised his brow in surprise but if he had a retort he kept it to himself. "Did you do the research on this guy?" The man asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah," Mike replied, flipping through the papers in the folder. "Seems like a scumbag though. Why are we representing him again?"
"Because he's a friend of Jessica and he asked her for help. Plus, he's donating a lot of money to the firm."
Mike rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut. Must be nice to buy your way through things. He continued to read to Harvey information about their client, Clark Richards. It seemed weird though, there wasn't much about the man on paper. Stuff on him only went back ten years, but there was nothing about where he was before college. Something wasn't right yet he couldn't put his finger on it.
"We'll be there in five so get everything organized."
Mike nodded silently and kept to himself the rest of the ride until they pulled up to the large mansion. This guy was loaded, no wonder Jessica wanted him as a client and Harvey didn't question her. After the gate opened to let them in, Harvey drove up to the door and the two got out.
"You've been uncharacteristically quiet lately," Harvey quipped as they walked up the stairs.
"I thought my babbling annoyed you."
Harvey rang the doorbell and shrugged. "It does."
"Then why do you c-"
"I don't. Just stating facts."
Mike snorted and shook his head just before the door opened and the maid opened the door to let them in.
"Mr. Richards is in the study, down the hall to your right."
Harvey bobbed his head, and they made their way down. Mike wasn't really paying attention, zoning out, thinking about his grandmother, and wishing he could talk to her one more time.
"Clark, it's good to meet you," he heard Harvey say.
"Likewise, Mr. Specter. And Mike Ross, is it?"
Mike swallowed and raised his head. The second he saw their client, his heart dropped, and he could hear the blood rushing through his ears. This couldn't be happening; of all the people in New York, in the country, in the world, it just had to be the one person they were representing. He could feel the color drain from his face and his fingers go cold; there was no way out of this. He had to pull himself together and deal with his panic later.
"Hey, Earth to Mike!" Harvey hissed.
The blonde made eye contact with Clark, and it seemed the man already recognized him. Maybe he knew Mike would be there all along. Maybe he did the research, found out he worked for Pearson Hardman and Harvey, and specifically requested them. He wouldn't put it past the man; it was definitely something he would do. After all, the guy had been his high school abuser for three years. Three miserable years being tormented before he and his grandmother moved to another school district. Only then did he get some sort of relief, however, he had PTSD for a long time. After therapy, he managed to return to normal, but now all those years of work had been flushed down the toilet in literally five seconds. Mike tried to control his breathing as the two sat down and reviewed the plantiff's case against Clark's company. He numbly gave Harvey whatever papers he asked for, thanking the stars the man was preoccupied and didn't notice how wordless he was being. The older lawyer didn't even notice that every time he looked down at something, Clark would stare at him menacingly. Mike clenched his jaw and tried hard to avoid eye contact. They were almost finished with the meeting and Mike was internally jumping for joy. After this, he would have to find a good excuse to give Harvey so that he didn't have to be anywhere near Clark and this case.
Suddenly, Harvey's phone rang and he paused mid-sentence to pick it up. He glanced at the caller's I.D. and grumbled. "Sorry about this, Clark. I gotta take this. Mike can finish things up with you." He gave Mike a pointed look before leaving the room.
Mike swallowed nervously, feeling the panic rise up in his chest. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Harvey, please don't leave me with this guy. But he did and now they were alone. The two sat in silence for, what seemed like, forever, until Clark smirked.
"Alone at last. It's been a long time, huh Mikey?"
Mike didn't say anything, his palms getting sweaty as he gripped the arms of the chair. Clark leaned back in his chair before standing up and walking around the desk. Mike was really starting to freak out now.
"You changed your name," Mike finally managed to get out.
"Well, after you left, somehow the other boys had the courage to report me. I got off, of course, no real evidence, but I couldn't take any chances. But…small world, right?" He stood behind the blonde who was sitting rigid in the seat. Clark placed both hands on Mike's shoulders and squeezed them. "You grew tall…" a hand moved to the younger man's cheek. "Your face didn't change a bit though…I wonder if your mouth is also the same."
"Darren, please don't," Mike's voice cracked, tears burning his eyes.
"Don't call me that," Clark growled, tightening his grip on Mike's shoulder.
"Why? You're still the same scumbag you were over fifteen years ago. Just because you're a millionaire with a new name, doesn't change who you really are. It doesn't change what you did to me and those other boys-"
"Shut the hell up," Clark snapped, swiveling around to stand in front of Mike and moving a hand around his throat.
The blonde gasped in fear and surprise, the pressure on his windpipe crushing. A door suddenly shut in the distance before they heard Harvey's voice getting closer to the study. Thank God. Clark looked pissed that he was interrupted.
"If you so much as breathe a word to your boss or anyone about me and the past, I'll kill you, got it?"
Mike sniffed and nodded rapidly. Just before the door opened, Clark went back to his seat, talking like nothing ever happened.
"I can get you those papers signed by tomorrow. I'm putting a lot of trust in you guys, so please…don't screw up."
Harvey got off the phone and smiled. "Don't worry, Clark; Jessica wouldn't have sent her two best guys if she didn't believe in us. Mike, we have to go, Jessica needs me back at the firm. Clark, we'll be in touch and if you need anything, you have both of our numbers." Harvey returned his attention to his phone as he left the room, oblivious to the fear on Mike's face or the fact that the client was still staring at his associate.
"Perfect," Clark grinned.
"Let's go, Mike!"
The blonde hastily got up, gathering his things and trying to compose himself. Just before he reached the door, Clark spoke up.
"Remember what I said, Mikey. I'll be watching you."
Grinding his teeth and refusing to look back, Mike rushed to the front door and outside. Harvey was waiting by the car and before the younger man could wipe the tears from his eyes, the brunette looked up and frowned.
Mike had been acting different for almost a week and a half now and he didn't know why. He'd been quiet, withdrawn, serious, and maybe almost ill. Today, he was untalkative, pretty much zoned out in the car and parts of their meeting, and now…the blonde came out of the house looking like he had seen a ghost. His face was void of all color, his tie was loosened, and his eyes were watery and red-rimmed. What the fuck was going on with this kid?
"Hey, what's the matter with you?"
Mike flinched, realizing he was out of that place…and Harvey was staring at him quizzically. Shit. He coughed and rubbed his eyes. "N-Nothing…just allergies."
Harvey squinted in suspicion, but Mike kept his face stoic as he passed the man and got into the vehicle. It didn't look like Harvey believed him in the slightest, but Mike didn't care. The ride home was exactly like the ride up. Silent. Though now he was spiraling. Darren—or Clark—was back in his life again and he was going to make it a living hell. There was no way he would be able to remove himself from the case now. Harvey would ask questions and questions could lead to him caving and telling him the truth about their client.
"Mike."
The blonde blinked and looked around. The car had stopped, and they were back at the firm. When the hell did that happen? Had he really zoned out for thirty minutes?
"Hey."
Mike turned to Harvey, puzzled. "Huh?"
"What the hell is going on with you?"
"Nothing, why do you keep asking me that?"
Harvey didn't have an answer; not without revealing that he was worried about the pup.
"I'm just tired I guess…or maybe coming down with something."
Harvey sighed. The kid did look exhausted. "Go home."
"What?" Mike said, taken aback.
"Go home, get some rest, but be in by 9 am tomorrow."
"Harvey…" Normally, he'd be excited at this rare opportunity to go home early, but now after today, he was scared. What if Da—Clark followed them? What if the man already knew where he lived? What if he was watching him right now? He was so afraid to be alone, but he couldn't tell Harvey that without a reason. "Are you sure? If you need me to look over some briefs, I can. I don't mind."
Harvey frowned. Usually, the kid would be jumping all over the opportunity to leave. "You look like shit, for one, and two, I need you to be well rested and on top of your game which I can tell you are not."
"Harvey-"
"Don't argue with me. Go."
Mike grumbled, gathered his things, and exited the car begrudgingly. Harvey scoffed, shaking his head before leaving to park the car. He hoped when he walked back to the office, Mike didn't disobey him and hide somewhere in the file room, but thankfully when he passed the bike rack, the kid's contraption was gone. Good. And even though he was now focused on the job, there was still a niggling feeling in the back of his head that something was very wrong with his associate.
~+SUITS+~
When Mike got home, he quickly shut and locked the door before collapsing on the ground with gut-wrenching sobs. This had to be some sort of twisted nightmare. How, of all people, did it have to be Darren? The guy who had sexually assaulted him and three other boys multiple times when they were in high school. He had been shorter—and younger—than most kids there since he skipped a few grades, which meant he was an easy target for bullies. But most bullies stole homework, and lunch money, or roughed people up a bit. But Darren…he had taken it way over the line. Traumatized him for life. Mike gasped his breathing stuttering and chest tight as flashes of horrible memories came back to haunt him. He wasn't sure how long he had been crying, but his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket, causing his heart to leap into his throat. With shaky hands, Mike took the device out and it lit up with a new text message. It was from a number he didn't have in his contacts, but he knew who it was.
Unknown, 3:45 pm:
"Remember what I said. I'm watching you, Mikey. And if you don't want me to hurt you, then you better keep your mouth shut."
Another text came in shortly after.
Unknown, 3:46 pm:
"On second thought, I liked when your mouth was open. You were the best one out of all of them."
Mike gagged, throwing his phone across the room and hugging his knees to his chest. He had a feeling this was going to end very badly. There was no way around it. He couldn't block the guy's number; he had a job to do. And he couldn't tell anyone either so his only hope was that the man would leave him alone after they were done with the case. However, he knew that was probably wishful thinking. Once Darren had you in his sights, he never let you out. It took a while and a lot of deep breaths, but Mike finally managed to calm himself down and drag himself to bed. It was only five-thirty, but ever since his Grammy's death, he hadn't been able to sleep through the night…and he was sure it wasn't going to get any better now. Mike laid his head on the pillow, still dressed in his work clothes but toeing off his shoes and letting himself pass out.
When he opened his eyes, it hadn't felt like he slept more than a few hours but outside it was pitch black. Mike groaned, rolling on his back and staring at the ceiling. His head was pounding from all the crying he had done, but he didn't have the energy to get up and get pain pills. He guessed he would just have to lay here and—
"Couldn't sleep, Mikey?"
He froze…that voice; why was he hearing that voice? He raised his head and saw none other than Darren Richards standing at the foot of his bed. Mike tried to move but found that he couldn't…like he was strapped down. Why the fuck couldn't he move? The blonde whimpered as his breathing quickened dramatically. Darren smiled, loosening his tie before climbing on top of him.
"Excited? I sure am."
"D-Darren," he gasped. "Please don't do this."
"Why? I thought you liked it. I thought you wanted me to follow you home. You don't think I noticed the way you looked at me at that meeting?"
Tears sprung to his eyes as Mike squirmed, trying to buck Darren off of him to no avail. "I promised I wouldn't tell Harvey, pl-please just leave me alone."
"I will," Darren said as he slowly undid his belt and inched closer to Mike's head. "After we're done."
"NO!"
Mike shot up straight, out of breath, and covered in a cold sweat. He was in his apartment again, but alone. Darren was gone. A nightmare…a very real feeling nightmare that chilled him to his core. The blonde wiped his face, still gasping as he looked at the time. 1:00 am. He had been sleeping for almost seven hours, but that nightmare made him feel like it had only been two and there was no way he would be able to close his eyes again. Mike washed both hands down his face and decided it was pointless to stay there. If he wanted this case to be over, then he had to start working on it ASAP. He pushed himself out of bed, warily looking around the darkened apartment to make sure Darren wasn't actually there. Satisfied when he found it empty, the man changed into a new suit and splashed cold water on his face. He took a deep breath as his hand lingered over the doorknob. Darren could be out there somewhere watching. But it was almost one-thirty in the morning, surely the guy had to sleep. Besides his nightmares, Mike figured that the only time he was safe would be at this ungodly hour. Hitching his messenger bag higher on his shoulder, Mike left and hailed a taxi to take him to the firm.
8:50 am
Harvey normally got a sense of dread and annoyance when he didn't see Mike's bicycle on the rack yet. Today, however, he was actually happy the kid was acting normal and was running late as always. That is until he got to his office and saw Donna look up at him with a disapproving shake of the head.
"What?"
"You need to figure out what's wrong with that kid."
He frowned. "Who, Mike? What could he have done now, he's not even here yet?"
"Think again. I got here at six and he was in the file room hunched over a bunch of paperwork. He looks terrible, Harvey, almost sick like he hasn't slept in days."
Harvey angrily tightened his grip on his coffee cup. "Son of a bitch." He must've taken a cab. "Did you check to see when he got in?"
"No, I thought I'd leave that and the reaming out to you."
Harvey reached over the desk and picked up the phone, pressing a few numbers to get the security desk in the lobby. "Hey Bill, it's Harvey Specter…I'm doing all right, listen, can you tell me when Michael Ross badged in this morning?" His brow shot up and Donna could see his jaw clench, muttering 'Jesus Christ' under his breath. "Great, thank you, Bill, have a great day." He hung up and huffed. "Two in the morning."
"I'm gonna kill him," Donna said.
"Not if I kill him first," Harvey replied as he turned and walked towards the file room. He was ready to give his associate a lecture about being well-rested, so their work didn't suffer, but the moment he saw the blonde, his anger diffused. Mike's upper body was sprawled out over the table that was also covered in papers, books, and folders. Upon closer inspection, the kid was passed out, his face pale and dark circles underneath his eyes. Donna was right, he looked terrible.
"Mike," he said before placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder and shaking it. "Mike!"
And for some reason, Mike had a violent reaction. He shot up straight and jumped away with a gasp; he lost his footing, fell out of the chair and onto the ground.
"Jesus, kid!" Harvey shouted, going around to check on his associate.
Mike blinked furiously, confused before glancing up and seeing Harvey standing over him with a displeased look on his face.
"What the hell's the matter with you?"
The blonde scratched his head, sitting up. "Huh?"
"You really are a hopeless case." Harvey bent over and grabbed Mike by the elbow to pull him up. "Didn't I tell you to go home?"
Mike wiped his eyes. "I did."
"And rest?"
"I…kind of did," Mike replied sheepishly.
"2am?"
"I was hoping you wouldn't find that out," Mike muttered. "I tried to sleep, Harvey, I did, but…" he couldn't mention the nightmares. Too many questions. "I tried, but you know how my brain is, it doesn't shut off so I figured I would just get some work done."
Harvey hesitated, debating on whether or not to believe him. Mike's phone suddenly started to vibrate, and the blonde immediately tensed up, making no move to grab it.
"You gonna get that?" Harvey questioned.
Mike swallowed. "Um, no, it's nothing. So, what do you need from me? I've been working on the stuff for the deposition and preparing for the hearing."
The brunette let out a sigh. "All right, bring that stuff to my office so we can go over it."
Mike bobbed his head and waited until Harvey left the room to pick up his phone. Two new text messages from Darren. Mike's stomach twisted; it was a picture of his living room. Oh god.
Unknown, 10:16 am
"I know where you live now, Mikey, so remember not to say anything to Harvey. I'll be seeing you soon."
A shiver ran up his spine, taking a deep breath before getting his things organized and bringing everything back to Harvey's office. How the hell did Darren find his apartment let alone get into it? He now knew it wouldn't be safe to go back there. What if what happened in his nightmare came true? He shuddered in disgust.
"Mike, you okay?"
The younger man snapped out of his daze and realized he was in front of Donna's desk. She was staring at him with a raised brow.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just-"
"Tired, yeah I can tell." She stood up and came around the desk, cupping his face. "I'll get you some coffee, but you need to take better care of yourself."
Mike smiled weakly. "I know, I'll try."
Donna briefly stroked his cheek with her thumb before heading towards the kitchen. Mike walked into the office and sat down at the table, laying out the work he finished in front of Harvey.
"So," Harvey began. "What do we have so far?"
The day went by pretty quickly and without incident from Darren and the tension in Mike's body seemed to dissolve. He almost forgot about his tormentor until it was time to go home…and remembered that it wasn't safe to go home.
"Hey," Harvey said, holding the elevator and wondering why Mike wasn't following. "You coming?"
"Uh…"
"Actually, let me rephrase that. Let's go, you're going home so you can get some sleep. Real sleep."
Mike shifted, trying to think of an excuse. "I forgot I didn't ride my bike here. I can just wait here and call a cab."
"I can drop you off."
"It's fine, I don't want to make you go out of your way."
Harvey shook his head. "I'm headed downtown anyways. Come on."
Shit. He stepped into the elevator. "Okay. Thanks."
Once again, the ride was silent. And once again Mike could feel Harvey staring at him. When Ray got to his apartment, Mike took a deep breath and opened the door. What the hell was he going to do? "Thanks."
"Mike," Harvey said, stopping the blonde in his tracks. "You would tell me if something was up, right?"
The younger man didn't want to turn around, afraid Harvey would see right through him if he did. He turned slightly and forced a smile. He did think it was weird Harvey was concerned.
"Yeah, of course."
"All right, see you tomorrow."
Mike bobbed his head and shut the door, walking up the stairs to the entrance. He waited until the town car disappeared around the corner before he turned back about to call a taxi to bring him to the nearest hotel. Just before he did though, a text message appeared on his screen.
Unknown, 7:54 pm
"You can run, but you can't hide. I have connections everywhere, Mikey. Even if you don't stay at home, I'll find you."
Mike's stomach dropped and he let out a strangled whimper. He wasn't safe anywhere. He glanced up, wondering if Darren was out there somewhere watching him right now. Mike swallowed thickly before running back inside and up to his apartment. Panting, he shut and locked the door, resting his forehead against the cool wood. He didn't know how long he'd be able to take this…if he would be able to hold out until the end of the case. Even if he made it to the end, he knew Darren still wouldn't be able to leave him alone…not until either of them were dead. Mike sniffed, tears dripping down his cheek, to his chin, and on the floor. What the hell was he going to do?
~+SUITS+~
The torment went on for days. And each text message he got took a few days off of his life. Mike knew he looked like shit, but he tried to push through, even when they had a deposition with Darren and the people suing him. He absolutely hated that he had to sit there next to the man and pretend nothing happened or was happening between them. That was almost torture on its own. Even worse, Darren had touched his knee under the table, and he had noticeably flinched…and Harvey was the one who noticed. At the time, the man just glared at him, but once the plaintiff left, Harvey, through gritted teeth, had asked what the fuck the problem was.
"S-Sorry. Leg spasm," he stuttered, avoiding Darren's look. "It must've fallen asleep or something."
Harvey just rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Walk Clark out would you?"
Before Mike could protest, Harvey walked out of the conference room. Darren chuckled darkly, getting up and gathering his things.
"Good save there, Mikey," Darren said, passing Mike so close that they brushed arms. "But don't pretend you didn't like it."
"I didn't," he snapped. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"Because it's like old times. Watching you squirm is so much fun. You not knowing what I'll do next; it's riveting."
Mike closed his eyes, letting a tear escape. He couldn't do this anymore.
"Don't cry. I can make it all better if you'd like. Now do what Harvey said and walk me out."
It was the most terrifying elevator ride Mike had ever experienced. Darren didn't do anything too obvious in case someone came in, but he stood right next to him, stroked his arm, or let his hand linger too close to the buckle on his belt. It was just his luck they remained the only two in there. Mike felt like he couldn't breathe, his lungs tight with fear. By the time they reached the bottom, the blonde was close to having a full-blown panic attack.
"See you soon, Mikey," Darren smirked, pressing the button for the 50th floor before exiting the elevators. Mike stood there, frozen to his spot in the corner. He stayed there the entire ride back up, blood cold and heart pounding against his chest. He was literally and figuratively backed into a corner. He must've been on autopilot because he had no idea how he got into the men's bathroom, gasping for air. He loosened his tie and leaned against the counter as he stared at himself in the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot with dark shadows underneath, his face pale and drawn with a slight 5 o'clock shadow. No wonder people were staring at him a lot lately.
His phone suddenly vibrated and he nervously picked it up, hoping it was Harvey asking where he was. But it wasn't…it was Darren again.
Unknown, 2:34 pm
"I think tonight is the night. I've been having so much fun with you and that time in the elevator just got me excited. I can't wait to see you again Mikey. As I said, you were my favorite then and my favorite now. And don't tell Harvey, he'll spoil our fun."
Mike's legs felt like Jell-O, and he could no longer hold it in. The dam broke—no exploded— and he could no longer see as the tears blurred his vision. The only way out was death at this point, but he was too much of a coward to do that to himself. He prayed no one else was in the bathroom; he hadn't even looked but maybe they'd be freaked out and leave him alone anyways.
A few minutes earlier, Harvey was walking down the hall, looking for his associate when he saw the kid bolt out of the elevator and to the bathroom. At first, he figured Mike had a bathroom emergency, but the way he ran looked off, so Harvey decided to follow. What he saw next was the last thing he expected to come across. Mike was hunched over the sink, shoulders violently shaking and sobs so heartbreaking it almost made him want to cry. He had never seen the kid like this; so vulnerable and broken and he wasn't entirely sure what to do.
"Mike?" He said cautiously, but clearly not loud enough over the blonde's cries. He went over and touched the man's shoulder and the pup acted like he had been electrocuted, jumping back with a sharp gasp. He looked both surprised and embarrassed but taking in Mike's condition scared Harvey. His eyes were red and puffy, while his face was pale but blotchy.
"H-Harvey," Mike choked, trying to wipe his tears away. "What…what are you doing in here?"
"It's the bathroom, kid."
Mike chuckled wetly, running a hand through his hair. "R-Right…um…" Shit.
"What's going on?"
The blonde looked away. "N-Noth-Nothing."
Harvey snorted. "Yeah okay, so you expect me to pretend you weren't crying your eyes out mere seconds ago?"
Mike remained silent.
"Jesus Christ, kid! Spit it out, what the fuck is the matter with you? You've been acting strange for the last few weeks and it's starting to piss me off! I'm starting to wonder if it's worth having you around anymore so if you don't tell me what's going on—"
"Fuck! Leave me alone, Harvey, I said I'm fine! And if you want to fire me, then go ahead and do it, I don't care anymore!" Mike stormed out of the bathroom, leaving Harvey at a loss for words. He wasn't expecting that response. He pressed his fingers to his eyes and shook his head. He was about to leave when he noticed Mike left his phone on the counter…unlocked. The brunette frowned and went over to see that it was opened to a message. What he read made him want to vomit. The further he scrolled up, not only did the nausea grow, but intense anger. No wonder the kid was acting weird; someone had been tormenting and stalking him for the last week…being sexually inappropriate. It disgusted him.
"Shit." It upset him that Mike never said anything. That he kept this hidden for so long, suffering silently. There was only a number at the top of the screen, no contact information, and Mike never replied to the taunts. Who the fuck was doing this to his kid? Harvey spun around and ran out of the bathroom. He needed to find Mike; he needed to protect him, find out who was doing this and then potentially kill them. He wasn't sure where to look, however; Mike could've gone anywhere. He could've gone home for all he knew.
"Dammit." He found a nearby phone and called down to the lobby to check if Mike left, but he hadn't. He was still somewhere in the building and Harvey searched everywhere. File room, library, his office, breakroom, and bullpen. The only place left that he could think of was the roof. And there he was. Mike was sitting in the far corner against the wall. His knees were pulled up to his chest, his arms rested on top, and his face partially hidden behind them.
"Mike, there you are."
The blonde looked up but didn't make a sound besides a loud sniffle.
"I didn't mean to get angry with you back there. I just…I want you to tell me what's been going on with you. I thought you said you'd tell me if there was something wrong."
Mike kept a blank stare and spoke with a raw voice. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Harvey sighed and pulled out the blonde's phone. "Kid, I know."
Mike's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, unable to find any words. He had been stupid and forgot his phone and now Harvey knew. He knew everything so there was no denying it. Darren was going to kill him; once he found out Harvey knew, he was going to actually kill him.
"I'm taking care of it."
Harvey laughed humorlessly. "That's bullshit, Mike. You're a wreck and have you seen yourself? Who is this?"
"It's no-"
"If you say 'it's nothing' one more time, I'm gonna throw you off the roof. Tell me the truth."
Mike looked away, tears welling up again and Harvey pressed his lips together before walking closer. "Mike."
The younger man was surprised at the sudden soft tone of Harvey Specter; something he had never heard before.
"Talk to me, kid. Whoever is doing this to you, I can make it stop, but you have to help me here. I can't do anything unless you tell me what's going on." I don't like seeing you like this. You're scaring me. He squat down and placed a hand on Mike's knee. Just like in the bathroom, he wasn't expecting such a harsh reaction.
Mike retracted with a gasp, holding himself tighter as the waterworks started up again. "Don't…don't touch me."
"Mike-"
"I'm s-sorry, I…" he sobbed harder. "It's not you. God, I'm being so pathetic."
"Hey, please tell me so I can help you, kid."
The blonde looked up with red-rimmed eyes. There was that tone again…and the word 'please.' Harvey never said please. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand and let out a stuttering exhale. "Okay." Without trying to have another breakdown, Mike recounted everything from when he first met Darren in high school to today when the man basically assaulted him in the elevator.
Anger was boiling in Harvey's chest; he wanted to punch something immediately, but he didn't want to traumatize Mike even more by slamming his fist into a concrete wall. He sat down next to the pup, careful not to touch him just in case he had another bad response. He couldn't believe he didn't see any of this! Mike had flinched in the deposition because Cla—Darren—had touched his leg. Mike had barely been sleeping or eating because Darren had been stalking him, threatening him, and following him. Mike had been literally scared for his life and he didn't see any of it even though it was clear Mike was going through something. Fuck! He was going to kill his soon-to-be ex-client.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
The blonde hiccupped. "I didn't want to embarrass you. Plus, you saw the messages. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone."
"Christ, kid. I'm sorry I didn't notice anything that was going on."
Mike's jaw clenched. "Not your fault."
The brunette pressed his lips together, before getting to his feet. He turned to face his associate and put a hand out. "Come on, let's go."
Mike's breath hitched as he raised his head, looking at Harvey's hand hesitantly. "Go where?"
"You're staying with me for the night."
It took a moment, but he finally reached and grasped it. He had expected it to be calloused and cold, but instead, it was soft and warm…safe. Harvey pulled him up and Mike cleared his throat.
"T-Thanks."
Harvey smiled and wrapped an arm around Mike's shoulder, leading him back towards the stairwell. He would need to tell Donna to wipe the rest of his schedule for the rest of the day and probably tomorrow. There was also someone he needed to take care of before they went to the condo.
Mike was mentally and physically drained by the time they got to Harvey's car. He got into the passenger's seat, leaned his forehead against the cool window, and closed his eyes. Harvey didn't say anything as he got into the vehicle, smiling sadly as he turned on some relaxing jazz music. Mike's serenity was short-lived, however, when he felt the car jolt to a stop. He blinked open his eyes and immediately knew where he was. Darren's house.
"Harvey," he trembled as they went through the gate and up to the front entrance. "What…what are we doing here?"
"Relax," Harvey replied, putting the car in park and unbuckling. "You stay here; I'm gonna take care of this."
"Wait, I wasn't supposed to tell you. You weren't supposed to know about this. He'll kill me. Can we just leave and forget about it?"
"Mike, one: I'm not gonna let him do anything else to you from here on out. He'll have to get past me if he wants to get to you. Second: he's a predator; I'll make sure he gets the point."
"What are you gonna do?"
Harvey got out of the car and fixed the buttons on his suit jacket. "Nothing that he doesn't deserve." Harvey shut the door before Mike could respond and stormed up to the door, banging on it angrily.
"Oh, Mr. Specter," the maid smiled. "Mr. Richards isn't expecting you, but I can go—"
"No need. Where is he? The study?"
"Yes sir."
Once Harvey passed her, his forced smile formed into a scowl. He strode down the hallway and burst through the doors. Clar—Darren jumped in surprise.
"Harvey! You startled me."
Without a word, Harvey marched over to where Darren was sitting in a nearby armchair. He grabbed the man roughly by the collar and lifted him up, pushing him across the room and against the wall with a grunt.
"H-Harvey, what the hell?"
"You stay the hell away from Mike, you got it?"
Darren's face grew dark and emotionless. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Harvey balled his hand into a fist before punching the man across the face and throwing him to the ground. "Don't give me that bullshit!" He said as Darren touched his now bleeding nose. "I saw the texts you sick fuck!" Harvey grabbed the man's collar again, slamming his fist into his jaw.
"That little bitch ratted me out, huh? Just when we were starting to have some fun."
"Shut up!" Harvey barked, kicking Darren in the stomach. "We're done. And you—you're going to leave Mike alone, you hear me?"
"And if I don't?" Darren seethed, teeth stained with blood.
Harvey clenched his jaw, lifting Darren up once more and pushing him back up on the wall, except he pressed his arm tightly against the man's throat. Darren choked, lifting his hand to try and pry it off. Harvey got in his face, breathing heavily. "If I see you again Darren, I'll kill you, got it? You lose both our numbers, lose Jessica's, lose the firms. If you know what's best for you, you'll stay out of the city. I don't care how much money you have, I'll get the police involved. I have connections too and I have a few friends who love making people like you disappear. So, leave him alone, am I clear?"
Darren's face was turning purple, and he was gasping for air, but he nodded weakly.
"Y-Yesss."
"Good." Harvey stepped back and Darren collapsed to the ground, inhaling hungrily.
Harvey glared at the ex-client in disgust, chest heaving before spitting on him while rebuttoning his suit jacket. He left the room and walked out the door to the car. When he got in, Mike was staring at him in disbelief.
"Harvey, what did you do?" The blonde took in the older lawyer's condition. His hair was disheveled, his suit ruffled, and his knuckles cut and bloody. "Jesus did you—"
"I did what needed to be done," Harvey breathed, starting the car and gripping the steering wheel. "He won't be bothering you anymore."
Mike gulped. "You didn't kill him did you?"
Harvey chuckled humorlessly. He wished. "No of course not. I like you kid, but I wouldn't kill for you." Truthfully, if someone really was hurting his kid, he wouldn't be afraid to go the extra mile and cause some real damage, no matter what the consequences would've been. He wouldn't admit it, but lately, he'd been feeling more protective of Mike. The kid was like a little brother, and no one fucked with his family.
Mike chuckled weakly and Harvey sighed. "You okay?"
"Yeah…no…I don't know. I'm just glad it's over. And I'm sorry."
Harvey frowned. "For what?"
"For crying, for being embarrassing, and causing you to lose a client."
Harvey shrugged. "He was a douche anyways. I didn't like him the second he opened his mouth. But you have nothing to apologize for…except for maybe the fact that you didn't tell me earlier what was going on. You can come to me with things, especially with things as serious as this. I may not act inviting or like I care, but I do. You're my responsibility kid. What if he decided to take it one step further and carry out his threats? If he actually decided to hurt you?" Harvey tightened his grip on the steering wheel, the thought of that making him sick.
Mike swallowed thickly. It could've been possible; Darren used to beat him up pretty badly before, of course only in spots of his body that would be hidden. The two kept silent the rest of the way to Harvey's place and when they stepped into the condo, Mike felt his energy waning. He hadn't slept well in days. Now that the threat was—maybe—gone, he could relax a bit. Which meant the adrenaline that kept him going all these days was dissipating…fast.
"Hey," Harvey said, suddenly appearing in front of him with a concerned look on his face.
"Hmm?"
"You with me?"
Mike wiped his face. "Y-Yeah…just tired all of a sudden."
Harvey sighed through his nose. "Go change. There are some clothes in the bottom drawer in my room."
Mike nodded and did just that. Harvey's room was pristine, everything in its place and bed made. A bed that looked so inviting. He wished he could go sleep in his own bed. Yawning, Mike went to the bottom drawer of the dresser and pulled out a large gray Harvard shirt—he snorted at the irony of that—and some black sweatpants. He removed his suit and sluggishly changed into the comfortable pants, however bending over made him extremely dizzy.
"Whoa." He sat down on the bed and closed his eyes, willing the room to stop spinning. And the longer he sat, the more exhausted he grew, and it seemed like an uphill battle to stand back up let alone open his eyes.
Harvey glanced at the clock and his brow furrowed, wondering why it was taking Mike over ten minutes to change. He walked over to the bedroom and knocked on the door.
"Mike, you good in there?" He pushed the door open and smirked at what he saw. The blonde was sitting on the edge of the bed, eyes closed and his chin touching his chest. He had been in the middle of changing, shirtless, but one of the spare shirts Harvey had, was clutched in the man's fingers. He wondered when the last time Mike actually slept properly, let alone eaten. He went to the bed and gently touched his shoulder, trying not to startle him as he already had so much today.
"Mike."
The blonde inhaled sharply, his head shooting up and blinking wildly. "Wha'? Where m'I?"
"My place. Get the shirt on so you can lie down."
Mike hummed, moving sluggishly and uncoordinated, making Harvey wonder how sleep deprived the kid was. He hoped it wouldn't become hospital serious. Once Mike pulled the shirt on, Harvey helped him move to the pillows and under the covers.
"Harvey?" Mike croaked, his eyes remaining closed.
"Yeah, kid?"
"You sure he won't do anything?"
"Mike, I promise he won't hurt you again."
"'Kay." Mike's breathing deepened and his body relaxed, indicating he was fast asleep. Harvey sighed through his nose before he left the room. He needed a drink.
6:45 am
"Hey, sleeping beauty."
Mike squinted, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, making him appear fifteen years younger.
"How long was I out?" He was so confused. He didn't even remember falling asleep, let alone in Harvey's bed. It had been comfortable as fuck though; probably one of the best sleeps he's had in a long time, even before all this crap with Darren.
"It's almost seven in the morning, so about fifteen hours."
"What?!" Mike replied dumbfounded. "Why'd you let me sleep that long? Why didn't you wake me up?"
"Mike, the fact that you slept fifteen hours straight tells me that you needed the rest. You could barely stand when we got here."
"Really? I don't remember that," the blonde replied, sitting down at the counter as Harvey passed him a cup of coffee. It smelled and tasted so good. The liquid seemed to reset his entire body. "Last thing I remember is sitting on the roof with you, the rest is blank."
"I'm not surprised. How are you feeling now?" The kid still looked like shit, his face drawn and pale with dark bags under his eyes.
Mike shrugged. "Groggy, but…"
Harvey knew that something else was up. Even before they knew Darren was their client, Mike had been acting differently. He walked around the counter and stood next to his associate. "Remember what I said about telling me things?"
The young lawyer bit the inside of his cheek, cradling his coffee cup. "My…my grandmother died two weeks ago."
The color in Harvey's face drained. Shit. No wonder Mike was so broken. "Mike…I'm sorry." And he hesitated before he reached over and squeezed the back of the blonde's neck.
Mike's chin quivered. He couldn't break. Not again, but the more he thought about it, the guiltier he got. "I didn't even get to say goodbye. She just died in her sleep."
Harvey swallowed feeling responsible. He probably had a part in that. Mike worked so much that he barely got to leave the firm. "Mike—"
"Know what the last thing she said to me was? Asked why I barely ever visited her, and I told her I was just busy with work. She probably thought I didn't care about her anymore. That I didn't love her." Tears blurred his vision, and he could no longer hold it in. Fuck it.
Watching Mike start crying again made Harvey's heart break and before he realized what he was doing, he brought the younger man into a tight embrace. He must be losing his tough exterior; no way in hell three years ago would he have had this much emotion let alone hug another man that wasn't his brother. But now Mike was his brother, so this felt right; this felt like something a big brother was supposed to do. Be there for him.
"Kid, you know that's not true. She knew that you loved her…knew that you are a damn good lawyer and an even harder worker. From the first time I met her, I knew she was proud of you…I'm proud of you."
Mike choked, pulling away from the man while wiping his eyes. "Who are you and what have you done with Harvey Specter?"
The brunette just chuckled, rolling his eyes, and pat Mike on the shoulder.
"Uh…I might've already asked this, but I can't remember on account of being exhausted, but…Darren—"
"Is taken care of and you're safe now. I will always make sure of that. Even if you are a huge pain in my ass."
Mike laughed. "And you're a pain in mine."
Harvey smirked. "Why don't you go shower; I'll make breakfast before I drop you off at home. I'll even give you a couple of extra days to recuperate but remember what I told you. If something or someone is bothering you, you let me know immediately."
Mike bobbed his head with a smile, getting off the stool. He never had a support system the last time he had to deal with Darren. Telling his Grammy would've broken her heart and it was too embarrassing to tell anyone else besides his therapist. However, this time around, he decided he might be okay. Harvey was there for him and so were Donna and Rachel. He had a second family, and he wasn't alone anymore. It was funny; he never pegged Harvey to have a caring and emotional side, but it was good to see the guy wasn't a soulless douche.
"Thanks, Harvey."
Harvey watched the blonde disappear into the bathroom and he let out a deep breath. He always told Mike he wasn't against using emotions, but against having them…and now that he had them, he was drained. Mike was going to be the death of him, he was sure. He looked at his phone when it vibrated and saw that he had several missed calls from Donna and Jessica. He massaged his temples, figuring he should probably call Jessica and let her know the situation.
"Harvey, Clark just called me to say that you dropped him. What the hell is going on?"
"Jessica, there's something I need to tell you about that guy and you're not going to like it. He's not who he says he is." He recounted the whole thing to her and thankfully, she understood.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Just make sure to tell him to never contact anyone of us again." There weren't many clients he would drop especially when those people had tons of money, but it was worth it this time around. Mike was worth it. "And to remember what I told him."
"Do I want to know what that was?"
Harvey smirked. "Probably not. Probably wouldn't want to know what I did to him either." He could basically hear Jessica roll her eyes on the other end of the line.
"We'll talk more about this tomorrow, just take care of the kid."
"You don't have to tell me twice."
End
Next prompt for: Magenta: Mike gets into an accident and this time he doesn't make it. Be prepared for this death!fic!
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