A/N: This is post-2x10 AU-ish kind of thing, just something I think should have happened/should happen. (Oh, and the title is just because I was listening to the song of that name by Mat Kearney on repeat while writing this, so you can too if you want, I think it's a good fit :D)
Warnings: Recreational drug use, reference to past drug use, slight OOC-ness, and lots of swearing.
MAJOR SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2 FINALE AND OTHER SEASON 2 EPISODES.
Enjoy~
Michael Ross was elated.
Well, by now he was simply pleased since the marijuana in his body had already begun to take effect. He couldn't even pretend to be ashamed or sorry anymore. The decisive moment that caused his new habit and lax attitude towards his hobby (he refused to call it an addiction) had been a magnificent one in deed. For all that Harvey bitched to him the first time he relapsed shortly after he started working at Pearson Hardman, there was a surprising lack of rant and a completely astounding decision to fucking join him during his second relapse.
He could still remember the dulled but still almost overwhelming sense of relief and anticipation when Harvey began to smoke with him. Coming to the realization that Harvey was okay with his new hobby and may even partake every once in a while was no great stretch. It was perfectly reasonable and Harvey would have said something if he had any qualms about it happening again.
It's now been about a month since the Orange-Pee-Plan-Turned-Actual-Mostly-Legal-Plan was thought up and executed. Mike didn't think much of it when he lit up again that night in his apartment; relishing the scent, taste, and fucking relaxing feel of the pot entering his system.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Three knocks loud and firm against his apartment door broke the stoned associate from his satisfied reverie over the events of the last few eventful months. He stumbled up from his reclined position on his worn-out couch and, with only a little trouble, managed to make his way to his door. His thoughts still working through what time of night it was, despite having checked his watch twice on the brief walk, he didn't stop to think about who was most definitely the one at his door.
SUITSSUITSSUITS
The sight that greeted the most valuable senior partner at Pearson Hardman, was one that he had sincerely hoped he would never see again.
His associate was wearing one of his regular button-down shirts (but it was almost completely unbuttoned by now), his tie was completely untied yet still wrapped around his neck (both ends coming to swing limply with his every step), he was in his boxers, and his hair was mussed which gave the image of a young child just having woken.
To put it simply, Mike looked, and obviously was, completely stoned. A kind of primal anger and indignation rose from the pit of Harvey's stomach and the, sadly, familiar state of his associate. This anger's increasing frequency of appearances during events in his life was beginning to concern him, but he pushed the concern away temporarily to focus his attention and emotions on Mike.
"Hey, Harv, wassup?" Harvey really wanted to punch that lazy grin off Mike's face.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Harvey managed to grit out; he could feel the vein in his forehead bulging and pulsating with every rapid beat of his heart.
"What do you think? You want in?" Mike replied as he walked back into his main living area and resumed his reclined position on his couch, gesturing vaguely towards the table as he finished.
"You're a goddamn idiot!" Harvey let slip out before he reined himself in; the vein in his forehead throbbing mercilessly as his heart rate rose even higher.
The look of surprise and confusion on the younger man's face brought a brief sense of pleasure to the older man as he watched the emotions flitting across Mike's face dive down to dread and what he sincerely hoped (for Mike's sake) was regret. Harvey kept his face contorted in anger until his associate attempted to reason.
"Harvey, I-, I didn't-, but you-" Harvey let Mike flounder briefly before answering the strikingly obvious unspoken questions he was being asked.
"Just because I had had a few shitty months and briefly sought comfort from an illegal drug, doesn't make it okay for you to do repeatedly! We were both hurting and the circumstances were fucked-up at best, but now? It's been a month since that night! There is absolutely no reason for this to have been going on for this long! Besides, I thought we had a deal?" The tension grew to be almost palpable between the two friends.
"What, so, it's okay if I break our deal as long as it's convenient for you, but otherwise it's wrong? What the hell kind of logic is that?" The ice in Harvey's tone was matched in the equally cold reply.
"We should never have gotten high in the first place, okay? I admit it! I made a goddamn mistake and it almost cost me my job! My decisions that night were impossibly far from right. I don't blame you for that night, Mike, I'm not a hypocrite, but it should have been a one-time thing! Look, I get that your grandmother died, I am truly sorry for your loss, but that does not give you the right to regularly use illegal drugs, Michael!"
Mike, having jumped to his feet in the heat of the argument, suddenly sunk to a perched position on the edge of his couch. He pressed the backs of his thumbs on his eyelids; elbows resting on his knees. He breathed in a deep, shuddering breath and felt his eyes begin to water despite his almost desperate attempts to prevent the tears from forming. The emotional silence that had overtaken the room since Harvey's last retort continued and was even strengthened, as Mike spontaneously jumped up, pacing the short floor space of his apartment once before collapsing into one chairs on either side of the small table by his window; his fingers roughly raked through his hair as he slumped in his seat, defeat written in his posture.
Harvey felt his anger ebb away as his sympathy for the tortured young man in front of him temporarily gained precedence over his other emotions. He made to sit next to Mike, much as he had that night, but didn't want any more reminders of that day, so instead he got down on one-knee in front of Mike; gently laying his hands over top Mike's now clenched fists, and sliding them slightly towards himself.
"Mike, look at me." Harvey gently encouraged his associate to meet his eyes. When his associate turned away further from his gaze, the shame finally sinking in, Harvey slowly brought his hand up to Mike's chin, carefully turning his head to face him. Mike reluctantly met Harvey's eyes, tears still shining in the light blue orbs that have been lacking their light for far too long now.
"I'm here. I know what losing the only family you have left is like. I know the pain that causes. You shouldn't have to go through that alone, and definitely not like this. Just know that I'm," Harvey paused almost imperceptibly, "your friend." There was a brief silence between the two as their eyes did the talking for them: exchanging expressions of gratitude and relief.
"But," Harvey continued after a moment; standing, "if you ever do something this stupid again, I will personally assign you to Louis for a month."
Mike smiled, a fraction of his usual smug grin, but progress nonetheless. "Like you could last a month without me. You caved after like less than two days last time I was gone." Another slight pause as Harvey rewarded Mike with a small smile of his own. Then, "Hey, can you get me a beer and maybe some pretzels? Oh, and by the way, what was with all that 'care-y, share-y, proposal thing goin' on?'"
"I'm not your slave, you're mine, so, no, I'm not getting you food or a drink, get it yourself. And the so-called 'care-y, share-y, proposal thing' was the only way I could get your stubborn, stoned ass to pay even a shred of attention to me. Don't read into it or anything, I could still sell you to Louis."
Mike's grin grew. "Sure, Harvey. Don't worry, you're secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone you're secretly planning on proposing to me. Oh, yeah, by the way, did you really admit to making a mistake? Was I hallucinating? Because I thought that 'The Great Harvey Specter' didn't make mistakes."
Mike just barely dodged the book thrown at him.
THE END.
A/N: Any good? I started writing this like the second the episode ended and was determined to get it posted tonight :3
This is my first posted Suits fic so please tell me what you think!
Please review!