Work Text:
Waking up to an empty bed is a little disappointing, but expected.
Sure, Mike had hoped he'd wake to the smell of bacon and leave the bedroom to see his boss cooking them breakfast in sweatpants -- or nothing, really; Mike's not picky and okay, maybe he's a little desperate -- but instead he's been drooling on Harvey's pillow for who knows how long now. He knows Harvey's all about work, couldn't forget about it if he wanted to, not when only a few hours before he'd been moaning shamelessly as he listened to Harvey talk about how good it felt to finally close Mike and all the illegal things he wanted to do with him, fraud notwithstanding.
Things he shouldn't be thinking about if he wants to get to work before their lunch meeting.
He looks like an undignified jumble as he leaves Harvey's building, but he has to admit that it's pretty sweet as far as walks of shame go. He's a little impressed with himself, really, but he knows he'll have to hurry to put on his spare suit and finish the briefs Louis undoubtedly dropped on him before he can see Harvey.
As he signals for a cab to stop, he wonders what Harvey is doing. Probably talking on his phone and looking out the window, his voice either that smug tone he always has when speaking to the opposing counsel or new clients or the mocking way he talks to Louis and, well, also the opposing counsel. Maybe it's one of those rare days when Harvey lets himself feel -- not use feelings, Mike doesn't buy that crap -- and he's assuring a client or someone he knows. The thought makes him smile as he slides into the back of the cab and gives the driver Pearson Hardman's address without needing to think it.
Maybe Harvey's thinking about the night before. His heart flutters at the mere idea and he finds himself grinning freely as he looks out the window.
Once he's changed into fresh clothes which have never been strewn across the floor of Harvey's penthouse, he realizes that he's feeling a little on the edge. He doesn't know why, but his feet take him to Harvey's office and surely enough he's on the phone, nursing a glass of expensive -- and amazing, especially when he tastes it from Harvey's lips -- Scotch. He glances at Donna, who gives him an amused yet exhasperated look and for a moment he wonders if she knows. Just for a moment because of course she knows, she's Donna, and he grins bashfully in return. He waits until Harvey's done with his call to go inside, mentally preparing himself for...
...Harvey glancing up at him and muttering a 'glad to see you decided to join us' as he gives Mike a handful of files.
There's no spark of memory in his gaze, no sign that they woke up in the same bed, it's more like Harvey isn't paying attention to him at all. This might as well be nothing, really, and it hurts.
He's sure he's doing a bad job of hiding his confusion but Harvey isn't looking at him, instead scribbling on some papers like everything's normal and he doesn't know how long has gone by before Donna takes mercy on him and guides him out of the office. "What...?" He asks, though he doesn't know if he wants an answer.
"You know how he is," Donna answers regardless and oh. That's when it hits him that they never actually got around to talking about what it meant. Mike thought they'd done plenty of talking with their bodies, but Harvey either wasn't listening or he was speaking an entirely different language. His shoulders slump at the thought that yes, that's exactly how Harvey is. A new, gorgeous woman and the occasional man found their way into his bed every night, never to be seen again unless they're Scottie but they don't talk about that.
She's looking at him curiously and he feels like an idiot, being judged for not considering the obvious, for imagining it meant something. But that's the thing -- it did. It meant a lot to him. He's known that Harvey's different from those boring suits since the moment weed spilled all over the floor and Harvey ended up hiring him, not immediately throwing him out or getting the police, but somewhere between shared grins at late nights and classic movie references, he fell in love with everything about Harvey and thought that the way Harvey's unbearably fond gaze always rested on him longer than necessary meant Harvey might reciprocate. Apparently, it just meant he's Harvey Specter and he gets what he wants and Mike knows exactly how stupid he was for believing anything else.
A shaky smile is the only response he gives even if Donna will see right through it and he speeds off to the bullpen, putting on his headphones and blasting something loud that is not a love song as he loses himself into work. Louis' briefs are done within the hour and he's barely started memorizing the bylaws Harvey gave him when someone --Harvey, of course it's Harvey -- takes off his earphones and nods to their left vaguely. "Lunch, remember?" Harvey says, a hint of a smile on his lips as if he can't contain himself when it comes to Mike forgetting things.
He wonders if Harvey forgot that he's Mike's boss and they slept together and he's making Mike's life even more complicated than before. Okay, not before Harvey before, but definitely before last night.
And still, Mike knows better than to let this affect work, the way they always click whether they're talking to a client or sitting in Harvey's office looking through neverending boxes full of files for one small detail. It's a little awkward for Mike, but even he can't deny that they make an awesome team and as they leave, the awareness that their client doesn't know what hit him has Mike in better spirits.
Once they're back in the car and Harvey gives him a no short of infectious grin, Mike finds himself mirroring the expression even as his heart sinks in his chest. He's a goner for Harvey and he'd do anything to make him smile like this every day, but he'll have to settle for any work things, like nothing's changed even if breathing doesn't come as easily and his limbs feel a little heavier.
He has to remind himself that he's lucky to have any of this at all.
He doesn't go to Harvey's office as he usually would have, ignoring Harvey's confused look as he heads back to the bullpen instead and sets to work. Having a lot to do had never stopped him from joining Harvey before, but right now the thought of standing on Harvey's office and throwing quotes at him when he can't use his hand to muss Harvey's perfect hairdo or lean down to brush their lips against each other's tenderly is too painful to bear, so he's back to briefs, highlighters, earphones and annoying associates.
His avoidance proves strangely productive -- or annoyingly so, as he finds himself with nothing left to do at six, and Mike is a nice guy but he's not about to volunteer to help out the associates who hate him just so he can avoid the sight that going home and getting out of his suit will provide, all the marks Harvey left on him, fingers, lips, and teeth. He still takes his time walking to Louis' office to deliver all the revised stacks of paper, but gets there and leaves in no more than four minutes. Damn it. Unable to pretend he has anything left to do, he goes back to get his things, messenger bag thrown over his shoulder as he walks to the elevators.
"Where do you think you're going?" Mike freezes at the sound of Harvey's voice, only relaxing after he'd mentally looked over everything Harvey had asked him to do and came to the conclusion that he'd finished all of it. He can't help but shuffle nervously on his feet as he turns back to face his boss, looking away from him almost immediately as the mere sight of him brings back memories he can't deal with, not here, not now.
Home, his mouth opens to answer, but he doesn't get a chance to say it. Harvey throws something at him which he takes, noticing that they're keys, no, the keys to Harvey's condo, and he looks at Harvey with wide, hopeful eyes. "We have a reservation at seven and you still don't own any decent ties," Harvey answers the silent question.
"Client meeting?" Mike asks, wanting, needing to be sure.
Harvey raises an eyebrow, looking at Mike in that familiar way which means he thinks he's stupid for asking. "It's a date," he corrects and says something about Ray but Mike is too stunned by what he heard, Harvey's voice repeating the word date over and over again in his head. It's only then that he gets it - Harvey doesn't do relationships, sure, but more than that, he hides his feelings. Now Mike feels stupid but that doesn't stop him from grinning like an idiot. Sure, he was very wrong and Harvey's going to laugh at his expense if he ever finds out, but Mike is too relieved and happy to care.
"I'll see you at our date," he calls and he swears he can hear Harvey's responding eyeroll, but he knows they're wearing matching grins.