Helplessly in love
Title: Helplessly in love
Pairing: Harvey Specter/Mike Ross
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 2,944
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.
Warning: Harvey’s sickeningly in love.
Summary: Harvey needs to see his associate every single day including the weekends. He just has to. No exceptions.
Author’s note: I just can’t get over the wonderful fact that Harvey loves his puppy so much. The story’s written in the third person but it’s Harvey’s POV.
He was helplessly in love. That was what he was. He had fought tooth and nail, debating with himself day and night, but the verdict wouldn’t change. No matter how much he hated to get emotionally attached, he was in love with his associate and he had to face the naked truth.
The problem was that his associate seemed clueless about his inner battles and kept giving him mixed signals. One moment he would be up close and personal in his space, wagging his tail like a happy puppy. Then the next moment he would pretend he had better things to do than hanging out in his boss’ office.
If Mike wasn’t ready to step up to the plate, that was fine. He would wait and nudge him towards the right direction. After all, that was what a mentor was supposed to do. But the problem was that he didn’t get to mentor the kid every day. Pearson-Hardman was closed on weekends and holidays, and he didn’t want to drag Mike into the office when they could simply meet elsewhere. So that was how these ‘mentoring brunches’ had started.
“Hahaha…”
If the kid’s laughter sounded clearer this morning, it was because the air was fresher after the pollutants had been washed away in the rain last night. It didn’t mean he had fallen harder for the kid.
“Mm, Harvey, you’ve gotta try this.”
He watched as his associate kindly dropped a piece of strawberry crêpe on his plate. A fellow senior partner had recommended this place for its crêpes, and it seemed like he had known what he was talking about.
“Come on. What are you waiting for? You want me to feed you? That seems to be the general behavior around here.”
Unable to resist, he answered the invitation before Mike could change his mind. “You know what they say, Mike. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
He took in the surprised look on the pretty face. The boy was even cuter with his eyes looking rounder. He calmly waited and took a sip of his coffee until Mike came up with a decision.
“Yeah, I guess you have to respect the Romans. Rome was a great city. They also say ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ That shows just how great Rome was. There’s also ‘All roads lead to Rome.’ and ‘Fiddle while Rome burns.’ What an awesome city it must’ve been.”
The nervous babble put a smile on his face. The kid was adorable. “Have you ever been to Rome? It is awesome. Fine suits and shoes to begin with.”
“Ahaha, of course you’d like that. But no, I’ve never been to Rome.”
“Perhaps one day a dashing guy might sweep you off your feet and take you there.”
“Yeah, perhaps. One day…”
The boy’s grin told him he wasn’t nervous anymore. It was time to keep him on his toes again. “So where’s my crêpe?”
He could almost hear his associate gulp. But after the turmoil he had gone through, he wasn’t going to make it easy for the one who was responsible for it. “I’m getting a little hungry here, puppy.”
That was all the encouragement needed for Mike to spear the crêpe with his own fork and lean in. It was only polite for him to meet him halfway and open his mouth. The crêpe was impressive but he was more enthralled by the brightness of the blue eyes. Rain had done a remarkable job of making things clearer.
“So? How do you like it?”
He had to chuckle at the slightly worried tone. It was as if Mike was waiting for the reaction of his beloved husband to see if his cooking was edible. “It tastes great just like you said.”
“Ha! Now you don’t get to tease me about my humble palate! It’s been nicely upgraded, thanks to my boss who keeps insisting we eat at posh brunch places.”
“It sounds like he’s a fine man with good taste.”
“Yeah, he is. He’s obsessed with fine suits and shoes.”
“And, fine men he’s willing to sleep with for a long time.”
“Haha, good for them.”
“Good for them? I’m sure he can arrange to put you on the list.”
“Ah, I don’t know about that. He’s become so important to me. I wouldn’t be able to deal with it if I ever lost him.”
“Hmm, a pessimist, aren’t we?”
“Given my track record at life, that can’t be surprising.”
“But I thought that boss of yours gave you a clean slate to start over. Maybe that turned the tables.”
“Yeah, maybe. So do you still need my help like a big baby or can you eat on your own now?”
“For the record, I’ve never needed your help. We were just following the custom around here.”
“You can keep telling yourself that. But we both know you needed me to get your appetite going.”
Well, he couldn’t argue with that.
“So we’ve been talking about random crap so far and that’s including yesterday’s brunch. When does this mentoring start exactly?”
“It starts now, you brat. Holding a civilized conversation with an intelligent individual isn’t talking about crap. You should try it more often.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Harvey. If anyone sees us, they might get the wrong idea that we come out to flirt with each other.”
“Is that what you think is going on?”
“I just said that’s the wrong idea.”
“You didn’t sound too convinced.”
“How could I sound convincing about anything, when I’m convinced we’re wasting our breaths instead of eating good food that’s about to get cold!”
He had to admit it was a neat escape for a rookie. Perhaps all that mentoring was starting to show. Feeling completely pleased with himself, he enjoyed his brunch and his company without a single cloud over his head.
As clouds rolled in and out under the blazing sun, their brunches got longer and more natural. At some point, he had actually given his associate tips one could only acquire through years of experience. The look of pure adoration in those sea-blue eyes was more than worth it. Some days there was no mentoring and they just talked easily about whatever came to mind, but Mike didn’t complain.
He was certain it wouldn’t be a wrong idea now if someone kept a close eye on their table. Intimacy rolled off their plates and there was no hiding those breathless moments when they got caught in a small trap of time of their own. It would be foolish for anyone to consider them close colleagues or friends, and that included themselves.
But despite the thrilling development of their interaction, the emotional tension between them was escalating. Mike’s fingers kept tapping rapidly against the table and he himself couldn’t loosen his grip on the silverware. They had reached the tipping point. After one more brush of hands or another candy dropped in each other’s pocket on their way out, there would be no way to stop the heavy affections from spilling all over their hearts.
Then on a particularly searing Saturday morning, he got a phone call while he was picking out what to wear. “Hello?”
“Uh, hi, Harvey, it’s me.”
“Good morning, Mike. You couldn’t wait a few hours to hear my voice?”
“Haha, well, I wouldn’t be hearing your voice in a few hours. That’s why I called. I’m not feeling too well. Sorry.”
“Mike, I think I made it clear how important these brunches are. It’s my job to mentor you at every single opportunity. No exceptions. And, you have to eat anyway. I can pick you up in my Tesla if you want. It’ll be a short, comfortable ride.”
“Wow, that’s so generous but I’ll have to take a rain check, Harvey. I think I’ll get sicker if I push food into my stomach. It must be food poisoning.”
The kid was lying. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t see the usual telltale signs on his face; he could hear it in his voice. “Is there something going on I should be aware of?”
“No. What are you implying?”
“I’m not implying anything. I’m just asking if everything’s all right other than your stomach.”
“Everything’s fine. But I think I’ll skip tomorrow’s brunch too just to be safe. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Mike, what did I just say? It’s…”
“Harvey, please…”
There was desperation in the kid’s voice he hadn’t expected. Something serious was troubling his associate and he had a good idea of what it was. But since Mike was reluctant to discuss it over the phone, he had to end the conversation on good terms. “All right, puppy. Take care of yourself. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me. I mean it.”
“Okay. Thanks, Harvey. Have a nice weekend!”
The boy sounded visibly relieved and his ego didn’t take it too well. He pressed the END button with more force than necessary without wishing him a pleasant weekend. As petty as it was, he wanted Mike to spend a miserable weekend without him. It would only be fair since his weekend would be miserable without Mike.
Knock-knock.
If Mike thought he was capable of staying away from that endearing face, he was wrong. He had presented countless arguments to himself about why he should leave him alone for the remainder of the weekend, but his inner self was a stubborn bastard.
“Who is it?”
As sickening as it was, the kid’s voice in itself cleared some of the fog in his mind. “It’s me, Mike.”
“One minute! Let me throw something on.”
He clutched the bag of food and tried not to picture his associate in his underwear. He wasn’t here to molest him in his mind; he was here to check in on him and provide help if necessary.
“Morning, Harvey.”
“Morning.”
“What brings you here? Come in. I have the A/C on. It’s so hot today.”
“It is. I just wanted to bring you some soup. As soon as you’re done eating, I’ll be out of your soft hair.” He walked in and heard Mike lock the door behind him.
“How do you know if it’s soft?”
There it was again; the Möbius strip of seduction. It didn’t matter he was the one who had started it this time. One of them always initiated it without thinking and the other one always accepted it without hesitating. What happened if he broke the pattern? After all, Mike had already deviated from the course when he had decided to hide in his apartment.
“Harvey, I asked how you knew whether my hair was soft or not.”
Unlike this time yesterday, determination was evident in his voice. What had changed? Had his Saturday been as unpleasant as his? Or was he finally done with his fair share of self-combats? Before the boy could give up and turn around, he caressed the back of Mike’s head. “I was right. It’s soft.”
He wished he had come up with a witty comment but the feeling of Mike on his fingertips had been distracting. His hand slid down to the nape of the beautiful neck as his associate held his breath.
“Stay here. I’ll go heat up the soup.” He released the kid and picked up the bag of food. Mike might not be sick but he definitely needed to breathe. “You’ll like it. It’s broccoli. It’s from that place we went last month.”
“You remembered?”
“Of course, Mike. You know I have an excellent memory for someone who doesn’t have an eidetic one.” He wasn’t going to confess he remembered every little detail when it came to Mike. The kid had taken pleasure in many types of food, but he could tell the difference among those pleasant sounds and smiles and lay them out on a spectrum. And, as far as soup was concerned, this broccoli soup was at the right end of it.
“Thank you.”
The tone had a little too much sincerity in it. It was just a bowl of soup. But it was all right. He was allowed to go into the kitchen and avoid facing his associate.
He was peeling a cucumber he had found in the fridge when he felt eyes on him. But against his expectations, the kid remained silent even when he had moved onto the next cucumber. Was he waiting for him to start the conversation? “Didn’t think I knew how to peel vegetables?”
“Pfft. I expected you to be faster. You’ve lived alone for how many years now?”
“And, who taught you to be so ungrateful?”
“Oh, you want me to show you some gratitude? I can do that.”
The boy walked straight up to him. He had to put down the knife when a pair of arms hooked around his waist. Wasn’t he full of surprises today.
They stayed like that, enjoying each other’s proximity, with his associate’s head tilted on his left shoulder. The soup was boiling loudly, trying to catch their attention, but it wasn’t the highlight of the event anymore.
“Is this okay?”
“You already know it is.” He put a hand on top of Mike’s for further reassurance.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
The boy stepped back and took a seat at the table, allowing him to turn off the gas range. “Help me set the table, will you? I also brought potato salad if you’re up for it.”
“Sure. I feel much better now.” The kid’s claim was backed up by a rumble in his stomach.
“I’m not surprised. My back is known for its curative properties.”
“Haha, well, it did feel special.”
He didn’t ask if his associate meant his back or the hug. Instead he finished setting the brunch for two and sat across the boy.
“So how was your Saturday, Harvey? It must’ve been better than mine.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
“But you weren’t hurting.”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Can I ask why?”
“Broken routine, I suppose.” He shrugged and took a spoonful of soup. It tasted better than in the restaurant.
Mike didn’t press the matter and talked about the movies he had downloaded yesterday. He listened as the familiar voice poured out information about the characters, actors, and plot. It almost felt like one of their regular brunches; except that the tension was unbearable. The unintentional brushes of legs under the small table, the lingering stares over the shared salad, and the way the boy fondled the base of the cucumber were all too much to handle.
Grateful they didn’t have much food, he decided to end the torture and got up. “I should get going. You wanted a peaceful weekend.”
“Yeah, you should get some sleep, now that your routine’s been restored.”
He had taken a few steps when Mike reached out and touched his arm. “Wait. You forgot your candy.”
He watched his associate tap into his stash of candy in the second drawer under the sink. The kid came back with a grin and two pieces of candy. “There you go.”
He was glad he was wearing tight jeans as Mike pushed the candy deep into his left pocket. Then the boy put the other candy in his hand as if he expected him to drop it in his own pocket.
“I have a better idea.”
Mike looked a little disappointed at the loss of tradition but seemed to trust him with the new idea. Firmly keeping his eyes on those irresistible ones, he unwrapped the candy and put it in his own mouth.
“But that was mine!”
The moment realization hit the boy, he pulled him in for a kiss. He braced himself to get pushed away in case the kid wasn’t ready for more yet. But Mike was surprisingly responsive for someone who had asked if it was okay to wrap his arms around him.
He passed the candy to its rightful owner and got a small whimper of appreciation. The intensity of the kiss escalated as soon as the package was delivered. The boy gripped his shoulders while he pressed their bodies closer. Their worries dissipated and their hearts beat in a single rhythm. They shared the candy back and forth until all they could feel was a rush of sweetness and unstoppable desire for each other. Affection was running freely down their hearts and they both knew it was a lost cause. They were in this together and would have to add many new routines to their weekends.
He let Mike pull away and rest his forehead on his shoulder. His hand found the back of the kid’s neck again but this time it stayed there. He slowly massaged the neck and used his thumb to tickle the sensitive skin right under his hair.
“Hahaha…”
If the kid’s laughter sounded clearer than ever, it was because the fog in his mind had disappeared. It didn’t mean he had fallen even harder for the kid.
“So when do you want to go to Rome?”
He had known it would earn him a kiss. But he hadn’t known it would be sweeter than the one they had just shared.