emmajane14 | fic: We've all been there (I'm doing what I can) (Reply)

Title: We’ve all been there (I’m doing what I can)

Rating: PG

Fandom/Pairing: Suits, Mike/Harvey

Summary: Five times they think they’re obvious, and the one time they really are.

Ever since the beginning of their relationship, they’ve always strived to keep it out of the office. The partners frown upon workplace relationships because they “cause disruptions and interfere with loyalties to the firm.”

Harvey thinks it’s bullshit.

But Mike is scared enough of Jessica so a relationship in the workplace is the last thing Mike needs on top of his non-existent law degree so Harvey tries not to push the issue.

Sometimes are harder than others though. Like when Mike wins the next mock trial and destroys whoever Louis was foolish enough to put up against him.

Harvey can’t help but watch the end of the trial, leaning against a wall and oh so smug.

It takes a considerable amount of willpower not to congratulate Mike afterwards. Not to smile at him and kiss his cheek as if they were in his apartment.

But he’s Harvey Specter. And Harvey Specter is nothing if not discreet. So he doesn’t smile. He doesn’t kiss Mike.

But he can’t stop the “good boy,” that slips out when Mike walks past.

So much for being discreet.

Jessica’s office always makes Mike feel like a rebellious high schooler in the principal’s office. Except this principal can do far worse than expel him. Jessica is seated behind her desk with an expression that reveals nothing.

Harvey’s in the chair next to him and Mike thinks he's going to be sick.

Either they’re here because Jessica knows that he never went to Harvard and doesn’t have a law degree, or it’s because she discovered his relationship with his boss.

Or both.

Mike is sweating and almost positive he's going to pee himself.

Jessica is still eyeing them and Mike isn’t sure he can talk himself out of this. He tries anyway.

“Look Jessica, this is all my fault—“ Harvey cuts him off immediately.

“I’m very sorry about this Jessica, but seeing as Mike is my associate, I take full responsibility for his mistakes,” Mike has no idea what Harvey is talking about “But if you want this taken care of, then stop wasting our time and leave the disciplining up to me.”

Jessica gives Harvey a sharp look but doesn’t argue back.

“Fix this, or this case and your ass are mine, Harvey.” Harvey’s up and dragging Mike out of the office before Mike has time to realize he still has a job.

Harvey shoves two pounds of paperwork at Mike before giving him a disappointed look.

“Since we both still have jobs, get to work,” he motions to the stack of papers in Mike’s arms, “on my desk before you go home.”

III

Donna has always known about the relationship between Mike and her boss. She knew before they knew. She knows what nights they spend together, where they go when they go out and when they’re fighting.

When Harvey comes in wearing a tie that doesn’t perfectly match his pin-striped suit, she knows there’s a problem. Anyone could see that Mike is upset, but Harvey is harder for everyone to read. Except Donna.

Donna manages to corner Harvey in his office right after he ends a phone call. She shuts the door behind her before approaching him.

“What did you do?”

“What do you mean, what did I do? I didn’t do anything.” Donna gives him an amused look that clearly says she isn’t buying that.

“He said he doesn’t want to sneak around anymore,” Harvey shrugs and if it weren’t for a twitch in his left pinky finger, Donna would be sure Harvey Specter has no feelings.

“So don’t sneak around anymore,” Donna thinks that with the brains both men have, they should’ve figured that out themselves.

Harvey doesn’t answer, he just gets up from his desk to stand at the window. Donna rolls her eyes behind his back and wonders when her boss became so melodramatic.

“Just because you’re Harvey Specter doesn’t mean you can’t have feelings,” and then she’s back at her desk answering emails.

She hears Harvey mutter to himself over the intercom she always keeps on, “it’s not as if everyone doesn’t already know.”

Mike blatantly stares at Harvey when he finds the older man already in Mike’s cubicle, two coffees sitting next to the cubicle. Harvey picks one up and hands it to Mike.

“Morning kid, running late again?” But Mike isn’t running late and from Harvey’s smile, he isn’t being yelled at either.

What the hell is going on? There’s very few associates in the office yet so they pretty much have the area to themselves.

“What’s going on Harvey?” Mike is confused and more than a little nervous.

Harvey hands several files before getting up from Mike’s chair.

“On my desk by lunchtime,” Harvey winks on his way out and Mike is pretty sure that flirting in the office is cruel and unusual punishment.

Jessica is so going to fire him.

When Mike flies into Harvey’s office looking panicky and muttering about Trevor and drug money, Harvey wants to strangle him.

Once upon a time, Mike would have gone and tried to fix this himself but now they try their best not to keep secrets. They have enough secrets already.

Instead of yelling at Mike, Harvey tells Donna to cancel all his appointments. Apparently Trevor is back in town and so are some of his so-called clients that he had the opportunity to rip off. Because it seems that in addition to being a drug dealer, Trevor wasn’t even an honorable one. What a surprise…

Once he’s gathered some kind of idea from Mike just exactly what is going on, they’re up and out of the office. Harvey has a hand on the small of Mike’s back that Mike unconsciously leans into and what the hell, everyone must know by now.

Mike is fairly sure that Kyle must have been born a douchebag. No one can just become this much of a douche one day. It just doesn’t happen.

“Still not sitting at the grown up table huh, Ross?” Sometimes Mike wishes that Harvey oversaw the associates instead of Louis because then he could surely get away with a little retaliation.

But then Harvey is striding down the hall, headed for his cubicle. Harvey stops in front of Mike with files in hand.

“Have these finished when I get back.”

“Will do,” Mike takes the files and adds them onto the stack already in front of him, “Good luck in court Harvey.”

Mike hears Kyle snicker in the background and from the expression on Harvey’s face, so does he. But then Harvey is leaning over the wall of Mike’s cubicle to kiss him twice, slow and hot.

But he pulls away too soon and heads back to the elevators.

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

And it’s like any other day at home until Kyle interrupts with an incredulous voice, “What the fuck?”