Work Text:
It’s late when Donna bursts in.
Harvey’s just about to get up to leave; he’s already closed down his work laptop, shoved relevant files into a neat pile to bring home and he just pressed send on his text to Ray that he’ll be down shortly. Well, that’s gone out the window now. When Donna has that look on her face... yeah, he’ll be at least another half-hour.
“Harvey.”
“Donna,” Harvey mimics, quickly shooting another text to Ray, “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening?”
Donna struts further into the room, closing the glass door behind her, “Sit,” she says.
Harvey sits.
Donna pulls out her phone, taps the screen a few times and asks, “Did you know about the video of Mike on TikTok?”
Harvey pulls a face, “The video of Mike on what ?”
“Right,” she starts, “There’s a video of Mike, on the internet , talking to you over the phone,” she enunciates her words slowly, mockingly, her eyes wide and trained on Harvey.
He glares at her, unimpressed, “Don’t.”
Donna smirks, “You haven’t seen it then? It’s literally everywhere, Harvey. Surely you’ve noticed people looking at you, I mean, even Louis has seen it, and you know what he’s like with technology.”
“People are always looking at me, Donna. I’m me .”
Now it’s Donna’s turn to glare, “You’re ridiculous. You really haven’t seen it, though?”
“No, I haven’t seen it- Why would I have?” he asks.
Donna looks a little confused, she tilts her head and narrows her eyes, “Mike didn’t tell you?”
Harvey wants to throw up his arms, but he manages to keep them still. He huffs, “What are you talking about? Can you get to the point?”
Donna sighs and sits down in the chair in front of Harvey’s desk, “In the video, this guy asks Mike- You know what? No, here,” she says, handing her phone over to Harvey, “Just tap the screen to unpause it.”
Harvey takes her phone and the still image of Mike completely in his own world lightens his mood a little.
“Press the-”
“Yes, I know,” Harvey spins his chair to hide his face from Donna while he sits through the video of Mike.
The video is... well it’s endearing. And if Harvey smiles a little watching Mike freak out over their conversation, that’s between him and whatever God is out there. And Donna, because even though she can’t see his face, she already knows. She’s Donna.
When the video starts to loop again, Harvey pauses it and spins back around to meet Donna’s eyes, “What about it?” he asks, feigning nonchalance. He and Mike hadn’t actually talked about what they’d said to each other yet.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that, what do you think?”
“What I think doesn’t matter,” he says, handing the phone back to her and moving to stand.
“Harvey, come on. Look at him, he looked like a child at Christmas when you said it back!” she beams. Harvey picks up his briefcase in a clear attempt at escaping and that’s when she realises, “Oh. You haven’t talked to him about it yet, have you?”
Harvey leaves her observation in the air and makes to pick up the stack of files he needs to bring home with him. Donna slaps her hand onto the top of the stack to keep him from picking them up, “No,” she says, “We’re talking about it.”
“We are not talking about it. There is nothing to talk about,” Harvey insists, trying to take the files with more force this time. Donna holds them still under her hand and stares. Harvey stares back. And then promptly loses.
The fight leaves him all in one go, and he sighs, dropping his hold on the files as his shoulders slump. “Fine,” he breathes, “We haven’t talked about it.”
Donna looks at him with sympathy, eyes wide as she asks, “Why? I know he stopped by your office after the meeting he mentioned in the video. He was so happy, Harvey. Why haven’t you talked about it?”
Harvey sighs, “Because I don’t know how to,” he admits, this time dropping the briefcase and sitting back down, “I don’t want to mess anything up.”
“You can’t mess it up, Harvey,” Donna says, “It’s Mike , remember. That kid would follow you to hell and back if you asked him to, or even if you didn’t: if he felt you needed help, he’d be there, no questions asked.”
Harvey looks away, his eyes drawn to the city lights outside. The sun has long since set, so they’re bright in the darkness of the city. “ Exactly ,” he stresses, “If things don’t work out... Then I'll lose him completely. No more hero-worship , no more movie-quote battles , no more stupid nicknames , no more anything . He’ll just be another person that leaves.”
“But it’s Mike-”
“I know that it’s Mike, Donna!” he bursts out, “I know that it’s Mike,” he repeats, quieter this time. “That’s why I'm terrified to talk to him about it, because I can’t-”
“Harvey, listen to me,” Donna starts, “You’ve already said the quiet bit out loud. He knows you love him, you can’t just ignore that, or you will lose him. Look, that old best friend of his, whatever his name was, Tyler?”
“Trevor.”
“ Trevor , who cares. Mike stayed by his side through everything he did to him, until you helped him see who he really was. That’s loyalty . Mike’s not going to up and leave out of nowhere, and if he does, then... then he’s not who we thought he was. He’s in this , Harvey, I can see it. If you tell him how you feel, I can promise you, it’ll be the best decision you ever make.”
Harvey goes quiet and Donna can tell that she’s gotten through to him, “Just tell him, Harvey,” she says, getting up to leave. She’s only just opened the door when Harvey stops her.
“Donna,” he says, softly.
Donna turns, “Yes, Harvey?” she asks.
A beat. “Thank you.”
She smiles, “You’re welcome, Harvey. Now go find Mike.”
Harvey sits in the quiet of his office before pulling out his phone, Donna’s right; he needs to find Mike.
Fingers gliding over the screen, Harvey makes his way to Mike’s contact. The profile picture is horrendous. It’s Mike, obviously, but he’s leaned back in his chair in the bullpen fast asleep with his mouth hanging open. He’s drooling. It’s perfect.
Harvey opens their messages and takes a second before starting to type.
Harvey: Where are you? (23:44)
Not even ten seconds later, Harvey can see the telltale dots of Mike texting him back.
Mike: Bullpen, why? (23:44)
Harvey: We’re talking about it. (23:45)
Harvey starts to wonder if Mike has decided he never wants to talk about it, because it’s been longer than it would usually take for Mike to respond to one of his texts unless he was sleeping, when Mike comes running down the corridor to his office.
Mike skids to a stop and nearly topples over himself.
Sometimes, most times in fact, Harvey wonders how he’s managed to let this complete dumbass become such an important part of his life.
Mike pulls the door open and walks in, knowing better than to run in Harvey’s office.
He’s breathless and a little sweaty. Harvey should be completely put off. Somehow, he’s not.
Still heaving, Mike asks, “We’re really talking about it?”
Harvey sighs, “We are,” he says, motioning Mike to sit on the couch. Having this conversation at his desk didn’t feel right. Having it in his office wasn’t great, but if anything goes south, this is as good a middle ground as they’re going to get.
“Are you sure?”
Harvey makes his way to the armchair next to the couch, knowing it would be best to be able to look at Mike directly for this, he sighs, “No, but you’ve waited long enough.”
Watching as Harvey settles into his seat, Mike shakes his head, “We don’t have to talk about it just because you think we need to.”
Harvey grimaces, “No, that’s... not what I meant. Look,” he starts, “If we don’t talk about this now, I’ll keep avoiding it, and I don’t want to drive you away like that.”
“Okay... So, where do we start?” Mike asks.
Harvey huffs a laugh, “I really don’t know,” he admits.
For maybe too long, they just look at each other.
“I take it you saw the video, then?” Mike assumes, shifting to get as comfortable as possible.
“I did, yeah. I wouldn’t have if Donna hadn’t cornered me ten minutes ago, though,” he starts, before realising something, “Speaking of, actually: we really need to work on your self-preservation skills.”
Mike cracks a smile, “I knew you would say that-”
Harvey cuts him off, “Mike, seriously. We’re in New York. Some random guy stops you in the street and you stay and hear him out? You’re insane,” he laughs, feeling some of the tension in the room start to break away.
Mike chuckles, “I really didn’t want to be in that meeting with Louis, you know he always says weird shit, I mean, that pony metaphor is something else.”
“If he was anyone else, he would’ve been fired by now,” Harvey adds, standing up to get himself a drink, “You want one?” he asks, pouring himself a glass of scotch.
Mike fixes his posture, “Sure,” he says, accepting the offered glass and swirling the liquid around in the glass before taking a sip, “It’s a shame he’s so good at his job.”
“It is,” Harvey agrees, sitting back down, “But we’re not supposed to be talking about Louis, are we?”
Mike presses his lips together, “No, we’re not,” he sighs and squares his shoulders, “We’re supposed to be talking about the fact that I told you I love you over the phone,” he admits.
“And the fact that I said it back.”
“That too.”
They lapse into silence again.
“I hope...” Mike hesitates, “I hope you don’t mind that, well, that it was over the phone. And that there’s just a video of me saying it on the internet forever. And also, that I only really said it because of that random guy...” he trails off, looking down into the glass like it’s the most interesting thing in the world, “But, in my defence,” he looks up, but not at Harvey, “I don’t think I ever would have been able to tell you otherwise.”
Harvey doesn’t speak. Mike plays with his glass.
“I mean, I would’ve looked at you and just panicked, seriously. You have no idea how intimidating you can be. Sometimes I look at you and my hands start sweating, I don’t mean for them to, but you’re just so... so,” he makes a gesture with his free hand to try and get his point across.
“I don’t know what possessed me that day, I just... I don’t know. I would never have the confidence to do that usually, but... it just happened. Maybe it was the guy, Daniel, I think he has those eyes, you know the ones where you look at them for a second and suddenly, you’re spilling your guts?”
Mike finally looks at Harvey. He’s smiling. Mike’s mind goes quiet, and he loses himself in it, it’s so... filled with the love that he now knows is there.
“Mike,” Harvey says, softly too, like he loves him or something, “I don’t mind.”
Mike can’t help but smile back at him, “Okay,” he says, “Then, I don’t either.”
A few moments pass and Harvey’s smile dims a little when he asks, in a rare moment of insecurity, “Are you sure, though? That you... that you love me?”
Mike scoffs, “Am I sure? Am I sure about the most innate thing about me? Harvey, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Of course, I'm sure.”
“Right. I just, I don’t... I don’t want you to wake up one day and decide that you don’t anymore, or maybe that I've pissed you off too much, been too,” he swallows, “Too me , and have you leave. I don’t,” he stops, eyes locked onto Mike’s, “I don’t think I could handle it, Mike.”
Mike leans forward, looking straight at Harvey, “I know...” he starts, “That you don’t let people in. But you’ve let me in, for some reason, and I see that, and I know what that means to you,” he takes a breath, “Harvey, I know that it maybe doesn’t seem like, well, I don’t know, that I'm serious , about you.
“But Harvey... Harvey I’ve never been this serious in my life. I’ve been in relationships before, obviously, but none of them were like you. I look at you and everything makes complete and total sense. You came into my life at just about the lowest point you could have, and you turned me into a better person. Harvey, you could run me over with your car, ” Mike gives a wet laugh, “And I'd love you until the moment my heart stops beating because you made me proud of myself .”
Harvey blinks. Once, twice, even a third time. He downs his glass, swallowing thickly, and places it down on the table in front of him.
“Mike,” he tries, a disbelieving laugh bubbling up, “You are,” he stops, shakes his head, “You’re completely ridiculous,” he has the wildest grin on his face as he says it. It’s the most open and by far the most gorgeous sight Mike has ever seen.
Mike grins back at him, “What? You don’t believe me?”
“Oh no, I believe you, Mike. I just also think you’re ridiculous,” he insists, falling backwards into his chair.
Mike rolls his eyes playfully, “Yeah, ridiculously in love with you,” he smirks.
Harvey snorts, “Yeah, no shit. I mean, really Mike? You’d still love me even if I-”
“Ran me over with your car, yeah,” Mike interrupts, leaning back into the couch cushions and crossing a leg over the other.
Harvey seems to be in a never-seen-before, honest to God, giggly mood, because he just starts laughing again, “You’re insane,” he decides, pressing his hands into his face.
“A little bit,” Mike nods.
“You’re not supposed to agree!” Harvey argues, throwing his hands back into his lap.
“Are we having our first argument as a couple? I’m sorry honey, I didn’t mean it,” Mike jokes, grinning as he takes another sip from his neglected glass.
Harvey smirks, “We’re not even a couple yet, eager, are we?”
“Well, I love you, you love me, problem solved, right?” he shrugs, a dopey grin seemingly stuck on his face.
“Not quite, I want to take you out for dinner first.”
“Ah,” Mike nods, “The old-fashioned way. Very Harvey Specter,” he hums, “Are you gonna take me home and kiss me outside my door too? I wouldn’t mind, y’know.”
Harvey grins, “I’ll think about it,” he says, “You should get home, though. It’s late.”
“Eh,” Mike shrugs, “Nothing new there, I’d rather be here with you.”
“Mike,” Harvey warns.
“Fine, I’ll go home. You’re leaving too though, right?” he asks, standing up and cracking his back. He really needs to stop sitting in awkward positions.
“I am, just need to grab a few things before I go,” Harvey confirms, walking over to his desk and sorting through things that don’t need sorting through at all. Really, he just wants a minute alone to process this entire night and he knows he won’t get that with an over-excited Mike practically glued to his side.
“Alright Harvey, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Mike says, quickly draining what’s left of his glass and leaving it on the table.
“Goodbye, Mike,” Harvey says, looking down at his stack of miscellaneous paperwork.
Mike hums, “Bye Harvey, I love you.”
Harvey gives a small laugh and looks up at Mike at the edge of his doorway.
“I love you too, Mike.”