Chapter Text
Harvey should have caught on sooner.
It was supposed to be a joke. He was just fooling around, playing along with the silly little game that his father was so adamant to keep up for some reason. He thought it was obvious that he was just playing along.
“You never tell me about your girlfriends,” his dad remarked when they talked on the phone, and Harvey, not yet anticipating the consequences his words would have, only gave back, “Yeah, because there’s no girlfriend to tell you about.”
He was quiet for a beat before saying, “Oh, so you mean- I’m sorry, I just assumed because you told me you prefer women that you’d, you know. End up with a girlfriend eventually.”
“I don’t prefer them per se,” Harvey pointed out. “I just tend to be attracted to more women than men, that’s all.”
“Right. Still, I’m sorry for assuming anything. You know I don’t have a problem with that, right? It’s still new to me, I’ll admit that, but you can tell me about these things.”
“I know that,” Harvey told him, amused.
“Well, good. Great. In that case, you can start telling me about your boyfriend anytime you like.”
“Just as soon as there’s anything to tell you about,” Harvey promised, making him click his tongue.
“When did you get so shy? I want to hear everything. I mean it.”
Harvey snorted. “I’m serious, Dad. There isn’t anything for me to tell you.”
“Alright, alright. If you say so.”
That should have been the end of it, only that it wasn’t. Before hanging up a few minutes later, he added, “Tell that non-existent man of yours that I said hi. I do want to meet him one day.”
Huffing, Harvey shook his head.
“Yeah, alright. Sure. I’ll give him your best.”
His father mentioned his partner again the next time they talked, and the one after that, a teasing tone in his voice that Harvey took as a sign that he didn’t mean more by it than reminding him that he’d be cool with it, if it ever got relevant. He kept bringing it up, and he saw no reason not to play along, the incidental remarks forgotten as soon as he made them. At least on his side.
On his father’s, evidently not so much.
“I have good news,” he told him a few weeks later. “I can finally make a stop in New York soon. I’ll talk to Marcus about seeing him afterwards, but I think I can squeeze in about a week with you, give or take.”
“A whole week? That’s amazing news, Dad,” Harvey returned, swiveling in his chair to look at the view outside. His father can never get enough of it on the rare occasion that he visits, and he could already see his grin as he takes it in once again, the thought putting a smile on his face. “When do you think you’re coming?”
“If everything works out, I could do as early as next week. Maybe around Wednesday or Thursday, if you’ve got nothing else on?”
Huffing, Harvey shook his head. “You know I’d cancel my own wedding for you, old man.”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. Don’t worry, though. I’ll make time for you, it’s not a problem.”
“Perfect!” He could practically hear his beaming smile through the phone. “I so look forward to seeing you, Harvey. It’s been far too long. And I hope to get to know that man of yours at long last! You’ve been so secretive about him, I can’t wait to finally meet the person who managed to steal your heart.”
It was then that Harvey realized he had a problem.
That, of course, is nothing compared to the problem he has now, because if this were anyone but his father, he’d just tell them that they got it wrong and he’s actually single and semi-content that way, but, well. It is his father. And Harvey never was very good at refusing him anything.
It’s probably not healthy, he’s aware of that. Some messed up way of compensating for the pain he had to endure in his marriage to Harvey’s mother, the pain that he caused him, that doesn’t really make up for anything but is still impossible to let go of.
So Harvey didn’t tell him that he got it wrong. Harvey agreed and played along once again, giving him some vague, half-hearted assurance before cutting the conversation short under the pretense of having to work and, now that he has hung up, puts his head in his hands for a full minute, reflecting on the choices he made that led him to this point. Then he straightens with a sigh and asks Donna to send Mike into his office.
“If you brought me here to ask about the patent case,” he says as he strides in, “I know I’m fast but I’m not that fast, and you could have just texted me and asked how it’s going.”
“It’s not the patent case,” Harvey says. He doesn’t even remember what that’s about, nor does he care. “Close the door behind you.”
Mike throws him a suspicious look, but does as he’s told.
“What’s going on?” he asks, dropping into the chair before his desk. Harvey glances outside to see if Donna’s busy, then double-checks the intercom to make sure it’s switched off for good measure.
“I wouldn’t have asked you here if it weren’t important,” he begins, then pauses. “Well. Important to me. Or rather to my father, and thus to me by extension.”
Mike just frowns at him, which he doesn’t blame him for.
Suppressing a sigh, he says, “I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Okay.” Mike raises his eyebrows. “Do you need me to do some more work? Because I can totally squeeze something else in if you need me to. The patent won’t take that much longer.”
“It’s not about work. It’s… a more personal favor. And if you’re not up for it, I understand. Don’t feel obligated to say yes because I’m your boss, alright? I’m not asking you to do this as your boss. I’m asking you as a friend.”
Mike’s eyebrows rise even further as he sits back, crossing his arms.
“You, voluntarily admitting that we’re friends? Must be serious. Come on, spit it out. It can’t be that bad.”
“Famous last words,” Harvey mutters darkly, then sighs inaudibly and says, “I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend.”
For the span of a heartbeat, Mike is perfectly still as he looks at him.
“I’m not sure I follow.”
Harvey rubs his temple. “My father is coming to visit and he thinks I have a partner, which I don’t, so I need someone to pretend to be my partner so he’s happy.”
Blinking a couple of times, Mike frowns before he shakes his head.
“Okay, leaving aside the batshit crazy stuff that’s coming out of your mouth right now… why didn’t you just ask Donna? I’m sure she’d be more than happy to take part in something like this.”
Harvey waves his hand impatiently.
“He wouldn’t buy it. He knows I don’t feel that way about her.”
He almost bites his tongue at the implications – that he does feel that way about Mike, which his father doesn’t even know about but is still true, and this whole thing hasn’t even properly started and already he’s giving himself away.
What the hell did he get himself into?
“And anyway,” he carries on before Mike can connect the dots, “he thinks that I’m seeing a guy. So I need a guy to play my boyfriend. You… come to mind.”
Mike shakes his head slowly, evidently still hung up on the first part.
“Why does he think that?”
“Because he knows I’m bisexual and I’m apparently not as obvious about making a joke as I thought I was.”
Mike blinks at him.
“You’re bisexual.”
“Yes. I’m assuming you don’t have a problem with that. I rather depend on it, in fact, so if we could skip this part…”
“Right. I mean, of course I don’t have a problem with that, I just- had no idea. Cool. Great. I… still don’t get it, though. Walk me through it?”
Harvey sighs. “Long story short, my father thought I was keeping my girlfriend from him, I told him there was no girlfriend, he assumed that meant I had a boyfriend instead and somehow we never realized that I was joking and he was serious. Now he’s coming into town expecting to be introduced to my partner, who doesn’t exist, and- I’d rather not have to break to him that his son was lying this whole time, even though I thought it was obvious.”
Mike accepts that, nodding slowly.
“Okay, I’m starting to get it. Not that this isn’t crazy, I mean, I can’t believe you’re going along with this, but… it’s kinda sweet. In a very twisted way.”
“If you say so.”
“Totally.” Mike shakes his head. “This is also absolutely insane, you realize that, right?”
“I’m aware of the fact, yeah.”
“Like, this is just way too much. Unnecessarily complicated. Completely over the top.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“So, what’s our story?”
“Wait. What?” Harvey stares at him. “You mean you’re up for it?”
Mike just shrugs.
“Yeah, sure. Why not? I mean, after everything you’ve done for me, this isn’t really that big a favor to do for you in return. I’ll say again that it’s really fucking weird, but… you’re my friend. And I’m happy to help out a friend.”
Harvey swallows. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“Don’t mention it. So, our story? We should get that straight before your dad shows up here. When is he coming, anyway?”
“Next week. Wednesday, I believe. And you’re right. I… haven’t thought about it in that much detail, but how about you come over tonight and we do it together? We can get pizza from that place you like.”
The grin on Mike’s face is all the answer he needs.
“Deal. I’d best get back to work then so I make it out of the office in time. I’m already getting hungry.”
“It’s ten in the morning. You should eat something.”
“I will. Tonight. So much pizza.”
“Mike, that’s so unhealthy.”
“With cheese in the crust, it goes without saying,” he carries on, getting out of his chair to head for the door.
“You’re gonna collapse. You need sustenance if you want to deliver good work.”
“What I need is for you to get to work, so we can grab our super cheesy pizza in time.”
“Vitamins, too. You can’t live off cheese, you know.”
“Looking forward to that crust!” Mike adds over his shoulder, pushing the door open.
“Eat something!” Harvey calls after him, shaking his head when he disappears around the corner with a grin.
The same expression is still on his face the next time he sees him, standing in the doorway of his office at six sharp, and Harvey abandons the rest of his work until tomorrow and gets up to gather his things as well. He’s hungry too, after all.
They get the pizza to go – some things Harvey just isn’t comfortable talking about in public – and settle in once they’re at his place, steering clear of the situation at hand for so long that any tension he may have held about it has dissolved by the time Mike brings it up.
“Does this count as our first date, then?” he inquires, licking a bit of grease off his hand.
“Not technically, unless we pretend it happened some time ago. My father thinks we’ve been dating for a while, so that’s what we should go with.”
“Right. We can just tell him that it all started after we met and you hired me. That’ll make it easier to keep the timeline straight in our heads.” He pauses, throwing him a cautious look. “But, I mean, we can’t just say we’re seeing each other, right? We have to act like we are, too. Should we come up with some sort of plan for that as well? Any guidelines?”
Harvey puts his slice of pizza down, chewing and swallowing carefully before he responds. He’s been thinking about that aspect of this whole thing too, of course. About how much he should allow, how much he has to in order to make it believable.
Because this is a dangerous game to play, at least for him. The feelings he’s been harboring for Mike didn’t stay platonic for long, maybe never were in the first place, the pull he felt towards him during that interview something he only recognizes now as attraction on several levels. Getting too close to him probably isn’t a good idea, not when he has to go back to normal once the week is up, though a little more closeness than this is probably inevitable. It’ll take some careful consideration on his side to figure out the right balance.
Of course, he’s not about to tell him that.
“Let’s not plan everything too meticulously. We’ll just stick with what feels right in the moment, okay? Touch me a bit more, be somewhat affectionate, but not so much that he becomes suspicious. Just pretend we’re in an actual relationship and then treat me how you would treat your partner. As long as we remember the details of our story and neither of us slips up, he should buy it.”
“Yeah, alright. Sounds reasonable. Anything you’re not comfortable doing? Like… you know, kissing? On the lips?”
Swallowing, Harvey resists the urge to clear his throat. “I don’t have a problem with that. Unless you do. I’m open to anything you’re comfortable with. To, you know, make it convincing.” Not that it’ll take much effort on his part to do that. “What about you?”
“Yeah, no, I don’t mind. Any of it. Whatever feels right, you can just go for it.”
Narrowing his eyes, Harvey sits back.
“You don’t mind.”
“Nope.”
“Even if I kiss you. Even if I touch you like I’d touch my partner. You don’t have a problem with that.”
“Not at all.”
“Are you straight, Mike?”
Snorting, Mike drops his gaze to pick up another slice of pizza.
“Now he’s asking,” he mutters.
“I take it that’s a no.”
“Yeah. I mean, I’ve only ever dated women, but I’ve had the occasional… experience. With a guy. So I guess that technically makes me bi too.”
Harvey ignores the images popping up in his mind at that and remarks, “Well, only if you enjoyed it.”
“I did.” He clears his throat. “I definitely did, yeah.”
“Huh.”
Interesting.
“Well, I suppose that settles it,” Mike says before he can really process that new piece of information. “Touching is fine for both of us. We just have to make sure we don’t look uncomfortable or stiff doing it. It has to look natural, like we’ve done it hundreds of times. Like we want to.”
That definitely won’t be a problem. In fact, Harvey hopes he won’t make it look too natural.
“Shouldn’t be too much of an issue,” he says, deliberately not meeting his eyes as he reaches for another slice of pizza too. “We’re both attractive, we’re both not opposed to PDA with a guy, and we’re already familiar with each other. Less inhibitions that way.”
“A match made in heaven,” Mike agrees, grinning when he glances at him.
“Alright,” Harvey says, sitting back with the pizza. “Let’s figure out that story.”
Coming up with something that makes sense and is believable turns out to be easier than he expected. They agree that sticking as closely to the truth as possible is the best course of action, and by the time Mike has snatched the last slice of pizza from under his nose (Harvey pretended to complain, but actually didn’t mind letting him have it) they have something solid enough to work with.
Over the course of the week, Mike brings a few of his belongings over to strategically place around the apartment while Harvey sets up a second toothbrush in the bathroom and rearranges the bed to make it look like two people frequently sleep in it.
On Wednesday, he leaves the office early and asks Mike to come along, since whatever he’s working on can surely wait until tomorrow and he wants to get his first meeting with his father out of the way. He’ll never be able to relax otherwise.
“He’s arriving at around five,” he tells him once they’re home. “Remember, we’re keeping our story as close to the truth as possible. We met during that interview, fell for each other soon after you started working at the firm, and started seeing each other – in secret, of course, with our positions – only weeks after that. It’s going great, but we still haven’t told most people about it because it’s a tricky situation and we want to prevent rumors of favoritism if word gets out. The fact that no one knows about our relationship helps, because it means he won’t wonder why no one else is treating us like a couple.”
“You do know I have a pretty good memory, right?” Mike asks, giving him an amused smile. “I’ll remember.”
“Right.” Harvey takes a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he glances at the clock.
“Hey.”
He turns to Mike, lifting an eyebrow. “What?”
“Don’t worry, alright? Everything is going to be fine. Your dad is going to believe this whole thing. Why shouldn’t he? If he knows you’re bi, and we have a solid story as to why we kept our relationship a secret, he’ll have no reason to doubt it. I mean, why would he suspect his son is lying to him about something like this?”
Harvey sends him a reproachful look, but nods.
“You’re right, he’ll buy it. He thinks better of me than that. He’s just going to be happy that I am not alone, as he likes to put it.” He huffs. “It’s ludicrous. He’s been single for ages, ever since the divorce. What’s the big deal if I am, too?”
“He probably doesn’t like it all that much, then,” Mike points out. Harvey blinks, then frowns even more.
“If you’re thinking about your mother and what she did to him, stop,” Mike says. Harvey’s eyes flicker to his.
“How did you- never mind. You know what? I’m actually glad this family is as torn and fucked up as it is. I won’t have to explain why neither my mother nor my brother know about my relationship. That helps, too.”
“See, there’s always a bright side.” Mike hops down from the counter, patting Harvey’s back as he passes him on his way to grab some water. “It’s all going to work out, you’ll see. And in just a few days, this whole thing will be over anyway. I’ll take all my stuff back home, you will have your place to yourself again to enjoy the single life as you usually do and tell your father all about how happy we are on the phone. Or make up a story about how we ended it on a mutual agreement in the future, depending on where we’re taking this. It’ll all be back to normal in no time.”
“Right. It’s just for a few days,” Harvey repeats to himself. Somehow the idea isn’t as reassuring as it should be.
Before he can examine the feeling too closely, the doorbell rings.
“Shit. He’s here.”
“It’s gonna be fine, darling.” Mike winks at him, squeezing his shoulder. “Come on, let’s open the door. I want to meet your dad.”
Harvey takes a deep breath and straightens his shoulders as he goes to open up, Mike just a few steps behind him. His presence is strangely comforting.
He looks forward to seeing his father again, because it’s been too long, but there’s an apprehension welling up in him too that he just can’t shut out. He doesn’t like lying to his dad for obvious reasons, but if there is one thing he hates more, it’s hurting him – he has done enough of that for a lifetime, thank you very much. If he has to spin a little white lie (okay, it’s a big one, but it’s definitely white so it doesn’t matter, does it?) for him to be happy, then he’ll goddamn do it and live with the consequences for himself.
Any lingering thoughts about that disappear when he hears the familiar sounds of his father’s steps seconds before he appears in sight, a smile on his lips as soon as he lays eyes on him.
“Harvey.”
He opens his arms, and Harvey steps into them at once, embracing him tightly. The scent of him, familiar and comforting, fills his nose, and he inhales deeply, closing his eyes.
“Dad. It’s great to see you.”
“And you. Let me take a good look at you,” Gordon says, letting go of him as he steps back to check him out. He shakes his head. “Jesus, son, you look more handsome every time I see you.”
“Which I can only attest to,” Mike cuts in smoothly, stepping out from where he has lingered behind him so far. “It’s great to finally meet you, Mr. Specter. I’m Mike.”
“Oh, please. Don’t you start with that. I’m Gordon, and it is so good to meet you too.” Mike looks startled when he pulls him into a hug without further ado, freezing for the span of a heartbeat before he hesitantly returns the embrace with a small smile. When Gordon draws back, he is beaming at him. “Harvey kept you from me for so long. Let’s not waste any more time. I want to know all about the man who managed to make my son turn his back on the single life.”
Mike laughs. “Oh, that can definitely be arranged. Come on in then. You must be tired from the journey.”
“Oh, I’ve spent years of my life on the road. I’m not so tired that I can’t interrogate you over a cup of coffee,” Gordon says, winking at Mike, who just grins.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Let me make you that coffee.”
“That would be lovely,” Gordon says, looking after Mike as he leads him inside.
His eyes are gleaming when he turns to Harvey with a smile as wide as he has ever seen on him, and Harvey’s heart contracts a little. He can’t remember the last time he saw his father this happy. Every feeling of guilt simply evaporates at the sight. All the lying is worth it if it makes his father this happy.
They sit down to have that coffee and some of the treats from Levain Bakery that Mike insisted on picking up on the way.
“Of course I did,” Mike says when Harvey tells his father as much. “You have to try them. They’re New York City’s most famous cookies.”
“Or so they say. I don’t actually love them, though Mike does, but he loves anything as long as it’s edible. I do enjoy their chocolate chip brioches, though.”
“Enjoy them? Please. I’ve never seen you wolf down anything so fast.”
Harvey scoffs while Gordon chuckles. “I’ll have no choice but to try them both then.”
“That’s why I brought both,” Mike agrees. “You just have to.”
“Leave some space for dinner though. I thought we could get something from that burger place you enjoyed so much last time. Mike loves burgers, so we should find something for everyone there.”
“Except for you,” Gordon points out.
Mike huffs. “Yeah, don’t worry about it. He loves to complain and pretend to be above that sort of thing, but he enjoys it just as much as the next person.”
“Or maybe I just suffer through it because I know it makes you happy,” Harvey remarks, not needing to look at his father’s face to see the smile spreading on there.
“Hmm, no. I can tell the difference, but it’s cute that you’re still trying to convince me of the opposite.”
“I’m not cute,” Harvey gives back, causing Mike to grin and lean into him, bumping his shoulder.
“Yes, you are. Terribly. Especially when you scowl at me like that. Adorable.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
Mike might have said something in return if Gordon hadn’t let out a quiet laugh that moment, shaking his head fondly.
“Look at you two. What I wouldn’t give to be young and in love like this again.”
“Well, he’s not that young anymore,” Mike points out, gasping when Harvey elbows him.
“And you’re not that old,” he points out, turning to his dad. “It’s never too late. I wasn’t exactly expecting to meet Mike and fall in love with him when he showed up at that interview, but look where we are now.”
The words leave a bitter taste on his tongue, only half a lie, but Mike nods before he can lose himself in those thoughts.
“Yeah. But also, don’t think we’re like this all the time. We have to hold it in all day because people don’t know about us at work, so when we’re home it just comes pouring out sometimes.”
The image he paints puts a smile on Harvey’s face, wistful as it may be. He can see it before him, can see Mike being playfully affectionate, the casual flirty remarks he makes sometimes turning into actual fondness, into something real. Just like they’re pretending now, only it’s not an act, it’s because they both want it. This little show they’re putting on can’t compare to that.
Still, pretending’s nice. Sometimes it’s all there is.
“I understand that,” his father says with a nod. “It must be hard, hiding all the time. You haven’t told anyone at the office?”
“Not yet, no,” Harvey says. “We probably will, eventually, if everything goes well. When Mike isn’t my direct subordinate anymore. But right now, it’d only complicate things.”
“And it’s not all bad. Sure, it’s hard, but I kind of like having him all to myself too.”
Harvey glances at Mike, returning his smile before looking back to his father. He’s smiling from ear to ear. They’re clearly good at this, at pretending.
“Come on,” he changes the subject, reaching for the chocolate chip brioche to break it in half, “let’s not let this go to waste.”
“No. That would be such a shame, wouldn’t it?”
He rolls his eyes at the teasing tone of his voice, passing a piece on to his father before offering him one too.
They share a few more of the treats from Levain before putting the rest away while Gordon asks about how long they’ve been together and how things are at work, nothing they haven’t prepared for beforehand. It’s easy to play the part of the loving boyfriend on top of that of the loving son, and Mike and his father have no trouble building rapport either.
By the time they order dinner Harvey has relaxed back into the sofa, the nervousness coiling in his stomach having long since dissipated. The two of them clearly get along, and his father is showing no signs of doubting the story they’ve told him.
Then again, why would he? No one in their right mind would do something as ridiculous as lie about that.
It’s a good thing that the only person who knows about it is sitting right next to him, inexplicably happy to play along for some reason that Harvey sure as hell isn’t going to question, not if it allows him to get away with this. Not if it makes his father this happy, which is really the main goal in this endeavor. Anything else is just a pleasant side effect.
Very pleasant, he thinks to himself when Mike shifts and leans into him a little as if he weren’t even aware of doing it, his shoulder brushing his slightly. Definitely worth the hassle.
When their food arrives, Mike only gloats a little about how much Harvey likes it before turning the conversation towards Gordon’s work, and Harvey can tell it’s out of genuine interest rather than politeness.
“Have you always known that you wanted to do something with music?” he asks.
“More or less, yes. I grew up in a very creative family. My father was a musician too, my mother wrote stories and songs just for fun when she found the time. It was practically predestined, though I did dabble in other areas. My mother wanted me to have a plan B in case music didn’t work out for me. Luckily, it did. I can’t imagine doing anything else for as long as I’ve played now.”
“I don’t think you could have done anything else,” Harvey agrees. “Or at least you wouldn’t have been happy doing it.”
It’s hard to picture his father with a somewhat more conventional job, being home by six every day, seeing him without long breaks in between when he was once again on the road for weeks on end. It would have been easier for Harvey, maybe, but he doubts it would have truly been better to have a father who’s around and not happy about it. He was always delighted to come home to Marcus and him, to spend time with them, but maybe it was because those times were limited that they were so special in the first place. Who knows what it would have been like if he’d had a regular nine-to-five job. He always wished for it, sure, but he’s old enough now to understand that it may not have changed things for the better.
“Probably not. I would have kept making my music on the side, of course, but I doubt that would have been enough to satisfy me.”
“Yeah. I can tell how passionate you are about it, just from the way you look when you talk about it,” Mike says, smiling.
Gordon chuckles. “I suppose it is my one true love in life. It was my first, and it’ll be my last too. There’s just something about it. Expressing yourself, and creating something new that didn’t exist before, that brings people joy or comfort, brings them together… it’s the greatest thing there is.”
Mike hums.
“I’m not all that creative myself, but I think it’s amazing what other people can do. And, I mean, you’re actually doing it for a living, which is even more amazing. It can’t be easy getting your foot in the door in that business.”
“Unfortunately it isn’t, and it seems it’s constantly getting harder with the amount of entertainment we have on our hands these days. Everyone wants to consume, but no one wants to pay for it anymore. I’m lucky to have enough people wanting to listen to me to make ends meet, but even after decades in the business, it’s hard.” He shrugs. “But I was never in it for the money. As long as I can get by, I’ll continue putting my music out there. And if even one person wants to listen to it, I’ll consider it a success. And even if I can’t get by anymore one day, I’ll still keep doing it. I don’t think I could stop if I wanted to.”
Mike supports his chin on his hands as he listens. “It must be amazing, to have a passion like that. I mean, I love my work too, but it’s still mostly work rather than a way of expressing myself. I guess that plays into it too, but… it’s not like these creative types of jobs are, I don’t think. I kinda wish I was more skilled at something like that.”
Gordon lifts his shoulders.
“It’s not about being skilled per se. I think anyone can be creative, and anyone can work on their skills and improve them, but not everyone has the drive to actually follow through and create something. All the talent in the world won’t help you if you don’t want to put something out there. And if you do want it, you don’t need talent to get there. Only hard work and persistence. I wasn’t born knowing how to play. I learned quickly, yes, but I still had to work to get to where I am now. And I did it, because the desire to make something was too strong not to. Whether you live a creative life or not is a question of passion, nothing else.”
His eyes wander to Harvey with a faint smile.
“Sadly, I didn’t pass that on to either of my children. Marcus tried his hand at painting for a while, but he lost interest in it fairly quickly. He probably wasn’t all that into it, anyway. And Harvey here loves looking at pretty things, or appreciating them, but he doesn’t create them.”
“I let others do the work for me,” Harvey remarks with a slight smirk.
“No, that’s not entirely true. You don’t mind having to work. Remember the time you got up during that dinner party when you were about ten or eleven and started playing the piano to entertain the whole room? You weren’t exactly great at it, mind you, but that didn’t bother you. You didn’t do it for the sake of creating. You did it to entertain. Once you had achieved your goal, you stopped. And creating beauty has never been your main goal. Just appreciating it.”
“You do live for the aesthetic,” Mike points out. “You love beautiful things.”
“Of course. That’s why I love you.”
He didn’t plan on saying it, more or less just let it slip out, but now he’s glad he did.
Mike stares at him. His lips quiver before he says, his voice remarkably even, “See, Gordon, this is what I have to put up with once we make it out of the office. He’s unbelievably romantic, no matter how much he disputes the fact.”
“I believe it,” his father says softly, looking at him fondly and with something akin to pride. “He has a big heart, even if he likes to pretend that he doesn’t.”
“Alright, I think that’s enough now,” Harvey remarks despite the warmth coiling in his stomach at the smile he’s giving him.
“He’s gonna start claiming that we’re slandering him any minute now,” Mike mutters, grinning at him as he gets up to retrieve another bottle of wine from the kitchen when he throws him a look. Harvey didn’t even notice the first one was empty already.
Gordon gladly accepts another glass, and he indulges in one too despite the late hour and how early he’ll have to get up. The alcohol is already buzzing in his system, leaving him relaxed and comfortably warm all over, but it is a special occasion. No need to take anything away from this night.
All this, everything about it, is limited. It’s precious. His father’s visit. His joy about seeing him again. His happiness about Mike. Harvey’s happiness about Mike, the ease Mike carries himself with in his apartment, his role as his partner, the easy companionship with two of his favorite people in the world – all of that is going to disappear before long, and Harvey sure as hell isn’t going to cut the already limited time he’s getting short.
And clearly, he’s not the only one who’s enjoying himself. Mike is happy enough to stay right where he is even once they’re done eating, sitting back to listen to his father attentively, a soft smile playing on his lips that never quite fades.
Harvey had no idea he was that good an actor. Or maybe he really is as comfortable as he looks, settling into this place in Harvey’s life as effortlessly as if he were meant to take it.
He knows which option he’d prefer, at any rate. And this week is all about make-believe, isn’t it? No harm in pretending.
It is an image he could get used to, Mike smiling at him like that, or going into his kitchen like it’s his own, or sitting down on the sofa next to him close enough to touch without even a beat of hesitation.
He shouldn’t. But it’s harder not to than to just let it happen.
Well, Harvey thinks dryly as he pours himself another glass of wine and promises himself it’ll be the last one, he just has to find the right balance. That’s the key for any kind of indulgence.
The new bottle of wine is almost empty when Mike sinks back in his chair with a sigh, checking the time.
“God, it’s late. I’d best head home then. My boss is gonna have a go at me if I show up late tomorrow.”
“Rightfully so,” Harvey remarks, but before Mike can return anything, his father speaks up, giving him a confused look.
“Why don’t you just stay here? Or is this not something you two do?”
“Of course it is,” Harvey assures him at the sight of his frown, perhaps a little too fast, realizing his mistake a moment too late.
“Then what’s the problem? Is it because of me? Mike, I truly don’t have an issue with you staying over. Look, this is… still new to me, but I don’t care that Harvey is seeing a man. I don’t mind seeing you two be affectionate with each other and doing what every other couple does, on the contrary. I really hope I haven’t given you the wrong impression or made you uncomfortable.”
“God, no, you haven’t. You really haven’t. I just- thought I’d give you two some time alone,” Mike hurries to say, the hesitation short enough to go over his father’s head.
“Nonsense,” he tells him firmly. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk while I’m here, with or without you. Don’t leave because of me.”
Mike’s eyes flicker to Harvey’s. He shrugs.
“It would be easier if you stayed,” he tells him, aiming for nonchalant despite the pronounced beating of his heart. “If you want.”
“Yeah, okay,” he decides after a beat, smiling. “Sure.”
Harvey smiles back, then drops his gaze to his glass. At least the change of clothes Mike brought as a prop won’t go to waste.
The night draws to a close soon. Mike was right, it is late, and his father had a long day on the road. While he’s in the bathroom to get ready for bed, the two of them load the dishwasher and clean the table in companionable silence, not talking about it until they’re finished by some unspoken agreement.
Before Harvey can take the initiative, Mike supports himself on the counter and asks, “Is this really okay for you?”
Harvey glances at him, raising an eyebrow. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“Yeah, I don’t mind. Unless you hog the blankets.”
“I do not,” Harvey assures him dryly. “In that case, I don’t have a problem with it either.”
“Yeah. Not the first time I’m sharing a bed with a friend,” Mike says lightly, but his eyes linger on Harvey’s when he catches them, more attentive than his words would have led him to expect.
“Exactly,” he agrees anyway, smiling. “I’m sure we’ll manage.”
Mike nods. In the dim kitchen lights, he looks strangely unmasked, open and earnest in a way that almost seems vulnerable, though Harvey couldn’t begin to guess why. Must be a trick of the light, or the alcohol clouding his judgment. But as long as he said he’s fine with this, there’s no reason not to believe him.
Gordon comes back out to bid them goodnight with a fond smile, and Harvey signals Mike to use the bathroom first, watching his father disappear in the guest room with a slow exhale.
He has changed into his sleeping clothes by the time Mike comes out, and he goes through his nightly routine quickly, trying to stifle the warmth coiling in his stomach at the sight of Mike already between his sheets without much success. The bed looks entirely too comfortable and inviting, and he wastes no time sliding into it after switching off the lights, making sure to stay on his side and give Mike enough space.
“You got everything you need?” he asks, his voice dropping in the quiet darkness of the room without his conscious decision.
“I’m good, thanks,” Mike assures him, his voice equally low. It’s hard to make out the details of his face with only the light from outside falling in, but Harvey can tell that his eyes are open and he’s looking at him.
“Hey,” he says a beat later. “You alright?”
“Sure. Why?”
“You’re just quiet, that’s all.”
“I am about to go to sleep,” Harvey points out, then exhales slowly. “I was just thinking how… tonight went really well. Which I expected, but it’s still- nice. That he’s buying it. Having a good time.”
Mike hums, stuffing an extra pillow under his head as he gets comfortable.
“Are you having a good time?”
“Yeah,” Harvey breathes out. “It’s good to see him again. We don’t meet up nearly enough. I do hope you’re enjoying yourself at least somewhat too, though. I almost feel bad for using up the remaining hours of your day even after you make it out of the office.”
“Are you kidding? Your dad’s great company. You’re lucky to have a father like him. And you’re not the worst person in the world to hang out with either. Spending my limited free time on this isn’t exactly a hardship, believe me.” He pauses, then adds, “I do have a confession to make though.”
“What?”
“It’s me who actually hogs the blankets. I’ve… had complaints.”
“Oh, good god,” Harvey mutters. “Well, we’re just gonna have to make do and hope for the best. If you misbehave during the night, I just want you to be aware that I will kick you out.”
Mike huffs. “Yeah, right. And explain to your dad why I’m sleeping on the sofa in the morning?”
Harvey lets out an exaggerated sigh. “I’ll take my chances,” he threatens, though he really doesn’t care all that much about the blankets.
Mike just chuckles. “Fair enough.”
Harvey rolls onto his stomach, allowing himself another look at him, unrevealing as it proves to be, before he closes his eyes. “Night, Mike.”
“Night, Harvey.”
He doesn’t open his eyes again to check, but it sounds like he’s smiling. Without quite meaning to, Harvey does the same, the expression still lingering on his lips when he drifts off.