Fanfic: Public Display of Affection
Title- Public Display of Affection
Fandom- Suits
Ship- Harvey/Mike
Rating- PG
Genre- established relationship, fluff, slash
Warnings- unbetaed
Wordcount- 800
Disclaimer- I do not own Suits
Summary- Mike wishes he and Harvey could be open about their relationship.
A/N- written for a prompt here at suitsmeme: I just want a fic that involves Harvey & Mike holding hands. Just a fun little fic about hand holding.
Mike has always been a little bothered by the fact that they have to keep their relationship secret. Donna knows, of course -the woman knows everything- and Jessica probably suspects, but no one else can ever find out. The last thing either of them need is someone crying favoritism, especially considering it might make them dig more into whether or not Mike is really qualified for the job. This means that they can never go on public dates, can never talk to anyone about their relationship, and definitely can’t ever make any public displays of affection.
Mike understands that, but it’s still depressing not to be able to be affectionate with Harvey when they’re not either in one of their apartments or the back of Harvey’s car or, if they’re feeling risky, Harvey’s office, with the blinds drawn. Mike knows Harvey cares for him, truly cares, even if he never shows it around other people. Harvey at least tries makes sure that Mike doesn’t feel like some cheap fuckbuddy that he doesn’t care about beyond what goes on inside the bedroom.
And Mike doesn’t, really. It’s just that Mike is a very affectionate person, and it’s difficult to be around his boyfriend without being able to touch him, hug him, kiss him. Harvey knows it bothers Mike, and he’s tried to make adjustments to help him deal. He initiates more friendly touches between them, brushes of fingers as they exchange papers, congratulatory high-fives and fist bumps when they win a case, anything he thinks they can get away with to help Mike.
It’s a day just like any other, and they’re on their way back from a meeting with a client, stopping at a roadside food vendor about a block away from the firm. Mike’s mind is torn between thinking about the meeting and what he’ll have to do when they get back, and concentrating on the hotdog in his hand, when he feels a light brush against his other hand. He glances over at Harvey and finds the other lawyer looking away from him. Mike writes it off as an accident, or else another of Harvey’s little touches in an attempt to placate him.
Mike looks away and turns his mind back to his food, knowing they’ll be back to the office soon. He’s about to take a bite of his hotdog when he feels another brush on his hand. The slowly, gently, like the pieces of a puzzle finally fitting perfectly into place, Harvey’s hand slips over his and laces their fingers together.
Mike glances over at him quickly, but Harvey’s still looking away. Blushing, Mike turns back to his hotdog, trying to act like nothing’s going on. He knows he can’t draw attention to this, even if it is the greatest public expression of love he’s ever received from Harvey.
Suddenly work is the last thing on Mike’s mind. He wants to draw out the walk back to the office as long as he possibly can. His heart is speeding up and he knows he must be blushing, but he tries to be calm. He’s afraid that if Harvey thinks Mike’s going to draw attention to them, and what their hands are doing, he’ll pull away.
Mike can feel the warmth of Harvey’s palm against his, the texture of the rough-soft skin. Although he knows his memory will probably never let him forget it, he tries to brand every detail into his mind. It feels good, except he’s a little insecure about the fact that his hand is sweating. He knows it’s probably making the hand-holding less than ideal for Harvey, and he hopes that doesn’t make him pull back either.
Finally they reach the edge of the firm’s building. They’re only a few yards from the door now, and there could be people they know walking out at any second. Without breaking stride, Harvey gives Mike’s hand a little squeeze, which Mike returns, and then lets their hands fall apart. They walk side-by-side for a few steps more before Harvey pulls ahead. He glances back once and catches Mike’s eye. “Hurry back up as soon as you’re finished with your lunch,” he says with a fond but playful smile. “You’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Harvey turns away and strides off to the door. Mike glances back at his hotdog, uneaten in his hand. He hurries to gulp it down as quickly as he can without getting ketch up on his shirt, which he knows Harvey wouldn’t like. He can’t stop thinking about the hand-holding, about how amazing it is that Harvey would actually show affection in public, and how loved it makes him feel. As soon as Mike’s done with the hotdog, he rushes into the building and to the elevators, trying not to grin like an idiot. His hand still tingles where Harvey touched him.