Kyle sat withLouis, looking over the addendum for the meeting as he organized their files. Once every two weeks, Jessica Pearson held a meeting for the Senior and Junior partners to go over the highs and lows for the firm. Being a mere associate, Kyle was never invited and was insteadsubjected to research or lately, gearing up for his own court cases. They were still Pro Bonobut it was better than nothing. Occasionallyhe helped Louis with his own cases, would hopefullybe getting more now that he had proven just how valuable he was and when he had HarveySpecter's attention and mentorship he'd get it all.
It was with that thought in mind that he kept his focus on his work all while paying attention to what was going on around him. The Senior Partners were slowly but surely trickling in, Louis was greeting themand occasionally Kyle got a look from them. Appraising, thoughtful, judging, Kyle shifted everytime, tried to sit up a little straighter, looka little more confident because this was the big time. He'd made an impression and he had to keep it up if he was going tomove up in this firm. And he would move up. He would become a top notchlawyer and eventually a partner. He kept that thought in mind as he waited at the table, watched, and planned his moves toget Specter totake him on as his golden child. And then life wouldbe a piece of cake fromthere on out.
"Get more new ties. Ties that aren't skinny."
"I like myskinnyties."
Kyle looked up at the sound of voices to find that Specter and Ross were entering the conference roomtogether. As in side byside, not paying attention to anyone else but themselves and their...no, Kyle felt himself freeze as he took in their stances, relaxed but guarded, and their gestures, and fuck. They weren't really fighting like theyhad been all week, this was the...shit it was the normal banter that had the office buzzing on a normal basis.
"I don't," Harvey shot Mike a sidelong glance. "And you..."
"Are a reflection of you," Mike finished, as though it were old hat between themnow. "I know."
"And?"
"I'mstill not wearing ties like yours."
"Your grandmother likes my ties," Harvey countered, Mike snorted.
"My grandmother likes you and the fact that youbrought her flowers and a milkshake."
"What can I say? I know how to charmpeople."
"You're talking about mygrandmother."
"Harvey, Mike."
Both men stopped talking as one of the older senior partners, Shawn Dern, if Kyle remembered correctlyapproached them. He straightened up and shifted his focus to the three of them, watched in shockas the older man shook both Specter and Ross's hands, Dern didn't even call Kyle by his first name. Hell, Dern had onlyever acknowledgedhim during Mock Trual. He tuned his attentions to the trio in the room.
"Shawn, good to see you again."
"Mr. Dern," Mike nodded his head.
"You can call me Shawn. I just wanted to thank youboth for your help with my client on Saturdayafternoon. I'm convinced we would have lost her had your boy not intervened," Dern nodded towards Mike who simply smiled as Harvey looked downright proud.
"It was nothing Mr. D-Shawn, she just needed to be reassured that we were going to do everything for her," Mike replied. "She just spoke to someone who made her waiver. I told her we believed in her case."
"And I'mworking on figuring out who that was," Dern grumbled. "Can't trust these damn associates todoone simple thing. I don't know what I would have done if Mike hadn't connected with her the way he had."
Kyle shrank down in his seat a little bit at that, trying to think about who had handled that grunt work, certainly not him, but it'd be one less person toworry about at the end of the day.
"It's one of Mike's specialties all right," Harvey nudged Mike, tone teasing, but his eyes were warm. "Caring and all that."
"Well don't let himlose it all Specter, I'm starting to think that it could be useful with clients," Dern replied with a glance at Mike who just shrugged.
"Sometimes it's all a person needs tohear," he replied.
"As a thankyou, I insist on buying you both a drink."
"We're working on a new case tonight but I'll have Donna contact your assistant?"
"As always," Dern nodded. "Harvey, Mike."
Dern walked awayfromthe two then and allowed themto continue their walk into the room as Kyle silentlyseethed. The Senior Partners barely knew his last name and they never talkedto him, never invited himfor drinks and fucking Mike Ross was on a first name basis with not onlyHarvey Specter but Shawn Dern? He was going out for drinks with the two of them? This was unfair because Ross wasn't worth it, Kyle was.
"As I was saying, new ties," Harveygrumbled as they walked past Kyle, completely oblivious to his presence, as it seemed most everyone else was. But as Kyle looked around he saw that more people were taking notice of Harvey, which was to be expected, but also of Mike. There were a few more handshakes and nods and Kyle did not like this one but. He had won that mocktrial, he had crushed Ross and why wasn't he the center of attention.
"Harvey, I need Mike to go over some briefs later...." Louis stopped talking beside himwhen Harveyturned and raised his eyebrow at the junior partner and then smirked.
"No."
"I said."
"And mycases take precedence for my associate," Harveysaid. "You have your own associate yes?"
"But I..."
"No, my cases are more important andMike is going tobe taken up all weekwith them," Harveyreplied and Kyle decided to make his presence known. He cleared his throat, straightened his suit, and stood up.
"If you need any help at all..."
"I don't," Specter cut him off before his phone went off. Kyle watched him look at the screen, look at Mike, have some sort of weird silent eye communication, and then Ross was looking at Specter's phone as well. Ross and Specter were both cursing together and Specter looking at Ross again.
"On it, I'll have what we need waiting when you're done," Ross replied before he was out of the conference room, phone in hand and taking off towards the direction of Harvey Specter's office.
"New case?" Louis asked casually.
"Hamlen Corporation again," Specter replied and Kyle watched with interest as Louis nodded. Obviously Litt knew about this, Ross knew about it, but did Kyle? Nope. Nor did he have any type of secret kind of eye communication with Louis. He also couldn't read his mind like Ross and Specter could. He was about to ask a question but he stopped when Jessica Pearson enteredthe room, gave everyone a look, and began the meeting as they all took their seats.
Kyle would have to wait to get into Harvey Specter's good graces until after this meeting.
