A/Ns: This can be seen as a Crumbled sequel (the one I swore I was never doing) or as a stand alone. I'm treating it as a stand alone, but there really is no reason you couldn't think they are connected...I guess.
This is cross posted on AO3 under my username KaliTracer.
Comments are love!
Two weeks. Two fucking weeks of Mike being out of New York City. Harvey had been less than thrilled when Mike had gotten sent with Louis to California to handle a case of a company that had business there. They had gone up against another big firm, Wolfram & Hart, but won, barely. If it hadn't been so much involved in finance law, Harvey would have been there, but instead Luis had been sent instead. And Harvey had hated every minute.
When Mike had spent the night, prior to leaving, packing, Harvey easily pretended that it wouldn't be a hardship. Simply ignored the tightness in his chest when Mike's suits were packed squarely in proper luggage.
"Just one week," Mike said, shoving boxers in next to his socks, undoing Harvey's folding without even noticing.
"Of course, if it takes longer, I'll have to find a new associate. A less incompetent one," Harvey snarked, and tried to not respond to Mike's smirk like he knew how that was a big fat lie.
There were a few extra pairs of socks since Mike could lose a single sock without the aid of a dryer. Harvey still didn't know how that worked.
Since Mike was flying out about the same time Harvey managed to get into work, they ended up saying good bye as they rode down the elevator. By then, Harvey really should have known that the tightness in his chest was only going to get worse as the week went on.
"So I will call when I can," Mike said, fingers brushing against Harvey's as the bright red number decreased. Harvey nodded, as if they hadn't all ready said all this.
"And I will pick you up at the airport on Saturday. Home in time for Sunday," Harvey said, dutifully keeping his eyes focused on the numbers and away from the desire to pin Mike to the wall and kiss the small frown on his lips away.
"Yep," Mike replied, shifting the luggage around as the numbers closer and closer to one. He kept patting the airplane ticket in pocket, just making sure he could feel the paper so he knew he hadn't forgotten it on their dresser.
Finally the doors open and they both exited, Harvey noted with some pride how Mike seemed much more confident striding across the lobby to the doors than the man who had come stumbling into an interview all that time ago.
That finally drew him up short, and he paused, after a moment, Mike paused too, turning back to his lover.
"You okay?" Mike asked, in a low voice, not like he would disturb anyone, as they were very much alone.
"You forgot something," Harvey said, smiling, as he covered the distance to Mike.
"What? How?" Mike asked, frantically going through his pockets, even checking for his wallet twice before he noticed Harvey's sly smile.
"You forgot something very important," Harvey said, with a mock seriousness, that Mike finally caught, and grinned in returned.
"Oh did I? How thoughtless of me," Mike said, leaning in and brushing his lips against the older man's. Harvey was having none of the light teasing kisses at that moment. With his free hand, he secured Mike's head and set about devouring the hot mouth he craved so much.
A moment passed as Harvey kissed and licked every inch he could, until both of them were having trouble breathing. As they pulled a part, Mike shuddered just a bit against Harvey, who smirked.
"It is just a week," Mike said, a sad note in his tone.
"I know," Harvey said, sighing.
"I was reminding myself," he said, eyes glancing back to Harvey's lips.
Nodding, Harvey took a moment to smooth out the hair on Mike's head that he had definitely gotten out of place.
"We should get going," he said, gently letting go of Mike.
"Yeah," Mike agreed.
There was one more brief kiss with Mike sitting in a cab and Harvey half leaning in to make sure he had one more. Harvey tried to ignore the way that Mike's hand gripped his suit jacket and seemed to physically have to make himself let go. It hit him that this would be the first time that Mike would be away from him for any real amount of time. The tightness in his chest stung.
Even as the cab pulled away, Harvey kept his composure as he climbed in the back, accepting a cup of coffee from Ray, who didn't say anything, but just nodded like he understood anyway.
The ride was quiet and Harvey had a feeling it was just the beginning.
The week, to say the least, was an absolute nightmare.
By day two, Harvey started snapping at everyone, even once at Jessica. She had sent him home for the day. It only made Harvey sit alone in his apartment and realize how empty it felt without Mike wandering around, making noise and coffee and a mess. Harvey had no clue how he had lived there without Mike anymore. He drank himself asleep.
Day three, Mike managed to call, late due to the time difference. He told Harvey in hushed tones that the situation was bad, and that Louis and he were drowning under the paper work that the other firm kept sending. He wasn't sure if they would be home Saturday. Harvey tried to keep his voice level and said that 'yes, yes, I understand' and 'No, Mike, everything is fine.' He didn't say anything to Mike's half whispered, 'I miss you.' And really, he wasn't sure how to respond to that.
On day four, Louis called Jessica and said they definitely were going to be here through the following Monday and maybe Tuesday. Harvey worked straight through the night.
When the weekend came, Harvey kept on working, there were no phone calls from Mike, just an unhappy text that stated I'm sorry I'm missing our Sunday. Harvey ignored it, and the way the tightness in his chest had started to feel like a hundred pound weight. He drove himself through stacks of files in a way that he hadn't done since he first started.
Monday and Tuesday passed, Louis said they needed more time. Jessica, even more annoyed now, demands a full report. Harvey sits and listens too, hearing a few times Mike's voice in the background, probably giving Louis the right information to get them more time. It is almost unbearable that Harvey has to listen to Louis whine on and on about how hard Wolfram & Hart is making the whole process, and knows he hears Mike snort at one point, telling Harvey that Mike is probably bearing the brunt of the paperwork. He hates it, because at least when he pushes Mike, he knows the limits, he knows what Mike can take before he needs a break, and Harvey knows without a doubt that Louis has no idea and is pushing him beyond those limits.
By the end of the conversation, Louis gets the rest of the week before Jessica will be sending someone else to finish it.
Thankfully, Harvey spends the week in court, able to take out all his aggression on witnesses and other lawyers. It is no surprise that he wins all his cases, but even the victories feel hollow when he glances over at the end of one and finds Mike's infectious smile missing from the room.
Louis and Mike actually are in settlement talks when Friday rolls around. It shouldn't be too much longer, but it will probably take the weekend, Monday at the latest to get all parties to agree.
Mike sends daily texts through the week, saying things like I miss you hogging the covers, I dreamed about you, I miss you so much and Can't wait to come home. They stop Saturday morning, and Harvey spends the day looking through old files, anything to ignore the way he feels horrible and kind of hates himself for not having anything to reply. Part of him wants to text back, The bed is too big without you, I miss you too, I can't stop thinking of you, and god, I love you. But that last one they haven't even gotten around to saying out loud yet and to send it like that would probably be a bad way to go about it.
So as Saturday night creeps on past midnight, Harvey crawls into the bed, admitting the disappointment he feels when he realizes that Mike will miss another Sunday.
