Chapter Eleven - Replacement (Posted 11 February 2012)

"Hey, Harvey." Mike said, all smiles as he walked into his boss's office. "I'm about to head out, unless you need something?"

Harvey looked up, unable to be annoyed by the amount of work he had to do yet when he saw the sparkle in Mike's eye. "Actually, there is something I need from you before you go."

"Oh? What is it?"

He stood up and leaned slightly over his desk, holding out his hand. "Your keys."

"Huh?"

"Your keys," Harvey repeated. "You keep them on a key ring, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Give them to me." he tried to contain the smirk he felt threatening to break through.

"But... why?"

"Give them to me and you'll find out."

Mike stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out his keys, placing them in Harvey's hand. He watched him open a drawer in his desk and pull something out, securing it to the key ring. "What is this?" he asked, examining the new key.

Harvey rolled his eyes. "It's a key, Mike."

"Oh, really? I couldn't tell. Seriously, Harvey, what is it?"

"It's the key to my condo."

Mike's mouth went dry. "What?" he coughed. "We've only been together for a week..."

Harvey shrugged. "So?"

"So... aren't there rules about these things? Don't you have to wait a certain amount of time before you give someone your key?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never given anyone my key before."

"Really?"

"Really. So don't lose it, okay? I wouldn't want some stranger to be able to get into my house."

"Harvey... I... I don't know if I can accept this."

"Why not?"

"I don't know... I just feel like we're moving so fast, you know? I mean, we've barely done anything more than kissing... but I don't mean physically."

"Then what do you mean?"

"It feels like we've been together for a long time. Like we've... felt this way for longer than we have, like it couldn't have happened in just a week, Harvey. I just..."

"I understand." And boy, did he understand. "We'll talk about it later, okay? Will you wait for me at my place? It shouldn't take me much longer to finish up here."

"I could help you... then you could be done faster."

"You've already done all your work for today, Mike. You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

Mike gave a tiny smile. "I want to." He discreetly looked behind him to make sure no one was looking before leaning forward to meet Harvey's lips for a nanosecond before sitting down to get to work."

Harvey couldn't help but smile back, even if it was small. "Okay. Let;s get to it, then."

X

"If it bothers you that much," Harvey said, once they were settled in on his sofa, "I can keep the key until later."

"No... but that's just it, Harvey. It doesn't bother me at all. Actually, it... it makes me really happy. And I've been thinking... I'd do just about anything for you. I feel so at ease when I'm around you, and... I don't know why. I mean I know why, but I can't explain why I feel so close to you. Let's be real, this isn't a three-star romantic comedy, those kinds of things don't really happen, but I can't find any other explanation other than that I-"

"Stop." Harvey interrupted, placing his hand over Mike's mouth. "Don't. Don't say it." He removed his hand, hoping Mike wouldn't say what he knew he was going to say.

Mike looked defeated. "Maybe I should leave..."

"No, Mike, I didn't mean I don't want you to say it, but... you don't have all the facts."

"What?"

"There's just..."

"Is this still because of your brother?"

"...Yeah."

"You know... I've been meaning to ask you about that too."

"I thought you were done with your questions." Harvey was still conflicted over the whole matter. Maybe it was better for him not to know. For him to not have to remember that horrible day.

"I thought of another one."

At this point, Harvey didn't even know what to think. "Okay."

"When you look at me... do you see me? Or him?"

How was he supposed to answer. Neither answer was wrong. But neither was completely right, either. "I don't-"

"Because I can't be a replacement, Harvey. What I feel for you is real. But... I can't help but wonder if you feel this way because you like me... or because you miss your brother."

"Mike, I can't..."

"You said I don't have all the facts." Mike interrupted again. "What am I missing, Harvey? Why can't I get you to look at me without seeing you slip into your past with someone else?"

"It's not like that, Mike," he said, feeling Mike's hand on his face.

"Then tell me what it is like." Mike waited for an answer, but Harvey just gave him a blank stare. He stood and walked to the door. "Call me when you figure it out."