Brother from another mother

Harvey as a dad.[Part-3]

Mike was up early, and stole a shower and started a pot of coffee, before he realized it was inappropriate to feed a twelve year old coffee for breakfast, so he made some eggs and toast since Harvey's refrigerator and pantry didn't really suit anything else. Mike was yawning around his cup of coffee when Hunter came into the room, still dressed down and not quite ready for the day. Mike could at least approve of making sure he didn't get his suit dirty.

"Now, remember, the interview today is just as much about you as it is the school. You want to pick somewhere you'll enjoy."

"Yeah right," Hunter answered, grumbling around his eggs.

Mike didn't like his answer, and frowned. "It is. I picked these schools based on excellent academic rankings, you pick based on what you think is best for you."

Harvey - interrupting by his mere presence - came into the room and started to pour himself a cup of coffee. He was dressed, but only in tie, vest, shirt, and pants, his jacket obviously still somewhere else. He didn't say anything at first, just put in a touch of creamer and then took a sip. Hunter didn't answer Mike's reassurance, just went back to his food.

"When are you getting back to the office, today? Louis is hounding me to loan you out for the Pinewood briefs."

Of course, Mike was handholding Harvey's kid through his mother's death and the selection of a private school and all Harvey cared about was loaning him out to Louis who worked him like a dog - or a pony, he supposed. "Our last interview should wrap up around 2:30. I'll take Hunter home and come back to the office. Three, 3:30." Mike glanced over to find Hunter very pointedly ignoring both of them. Mike had never been a fan of being talked about while he wasn't in the room. "Is that alright, Hunter?"

"You don't ask, you tell. You're an authority figure, not a kindergarten teacher. We're not building consensus." And then he left.

Mike sighed. This fake co-parenting thing worked much better when Harvey didn't countermand him in front of the kid. "What you want out of a school is important to me, and Harvey has given me... power of attorney on this." It was hilarious, most days Harvey acted as though Mike couldn't wipe his own ass without instructions.

Their first interview was an unmitigated disaster. They took one look at Hunter and his date of birth and sent him packing, no twelve year olds allowed. Mike could have kicked himself for not really checking, but Hunter seemed to be taking the rejection in stride. If he was anything like Harvey, he'd just take it as reason to fight back harder next time. Mike picked them up a coffee for him and a hot chocolate for Hunter to pass the time.

Their second interview - Addison Prep - was far more suited. They took one look at Hunter, assumed he was brilliant, they talked about Hunter's goals for the new year, and then took him to take a few achievement tests while Mike talked with the Headmaster.

"So, Mr. Ross. What is your relationship with Mr. Davis? We like to get a feel for the adults in our students' lives."

For a moment Mike felt like a terrible, incredible fraud, and then he realized he wasn't; with Harvey checking out from Hunter's life, Mike might be all the kid had for a while. "I'm Harvey's Associate. If Hunter is sick, has any problems, or so forth, I'll be his first line of contact and primary guardian." Which Mike had told Harvey he wasn't going to do, but he was a sap and a sucker, obviously. He just couldn't leave Hunter hanging like that.

"You will need a letter from Mr. Specter to that effect. We are... very understanding of... alternative parenting arrangements here at Addison Preparatory. But we require the guardians be allowed to make medical or legal decisions on the child's behalf."