Happy #Darveyweek! Here's a ficlet I one wrote but hadn't posted here. Hope you enjoy this quick piece and help us celebrate #Darvey this week. Maybe leave a review? x
The Breakup
It's Gretchen's first day, she's trying to make coffee for Harvey. Her mind running over the possible order she didn't quite grasped as she walks to the partners kitchen. She's struggling with the exact recipe as the redhead walks in, eyeing his new secretary. She knows immediately who's coffee the older woman is making, she doesn't ask if she needs help. Instead she just tells the older woman she should add some whipped cream and vanilla. The older woman nods not even really knowing who the woman is that has just given her that advice, but she takes it anyway.
With a small smile on her lips, Gretchen returns the cup of coffee in her hand. She enters his office without greeting him, just placing it on his desk as she decides to leave him alone. He's facing the window, mumbling a soft 'thank you' as he watches her walk away in the reflection of his window. When he hears his door fall shut he slowly turns around, his fingers reaching for the cup. Letting out a sigh as he notices the letters staring at him. 'You just got Litt up!'
He repeats the words in his head, another reminder of how Donna left him. Left him for Louis. For Louis of all people and he lets out a sigh, wondering if things will ever be the same between them. The same but different, because truthfully he wants more. He wants more than how it used to be.
He lets out another breath, swallowing as he brings the cup to his lips. He takes a sip, the flavour surprising him. Whipped cream and vanilla, he's not just drinking coffee, he's tasting her. He's seeing her and he doesn't even notice how his tongue is tracing his lips, his eyes fixated on the redhead that walks past his office.
She isn't looking at him, but her head turns just slightly to the right before she disappears out of sight. His gaze just meeting hers, the taste of whipped cream still burning on his lips, wishing things would be different.
He then realizes it was her, it was Donna who made that coffee. Or Donna who told his new secretary how to make his coffee, a small smile forming on his lips. Maybe things will turn out just right.
He walks around in his office, his eyes fixated on the view outside. It's been a year since they broke up. Broke up, he repeats the words in his mind. Broke up, it's a funny thing to say. They were never really together, but it's how he has seen them. Together. She was his everything.
He watches her reflection appear in the window, a small smile forming on his lips.
A year since they broke up, and that break up broke him. It physically and mentally broke him. But somehow that break up that wasn't really a break up, after all she only left him to work for Louis, was what ultimately brought them together.
He whispers a hello as she walks towards him. He can see her smile, feels her eyes fixated on him. He's looking at the cup in her hands. It's white and he knows it's one of Louis's 'you just got Litt up' cups.
He used to hate them, but not anymore. Not since that first time Gretchen brought him a coffee in that cup.
The coffee with whipped cream and vanilla. He can still taste it. How that small cup of coffee during their break up was just the little sign he needed.
He turns around then, his eyes meeting hers. They seem to sparkle and he bites his lips, neither of them saying anything else. It's become a new ritual. Gretchen doesn't bring him coffee anymore. She does, like she's always done.
It's what they agreed upon. She's still working for Louis, but they are together now. Five months already.
And no matter how hard it is, they decided to keep things professional at the firm. The only exception her bringing him his coffee every morning.
A look, a touch, a small kiss. It's not enough, if he has to be honest. It's never enough if it's all you ever wanted for twelve years, and now that you're finally allowed to... she still wants to keep things professional at the firm, but he agreed. He agreed to the rule, a new rule, because it's her. It's always been her and luckily she's all his once they're at home. There aren't any rules at home.
"Donna," he greets her, his lips curling up in that signature Specter smile. "Harvey," she mimics as she hands him the cup of coffee. He takes it from her hand. Placing it on the table in front of him as he pulls her closer.
She protests a bit, but it's early. There's no one else at the firm yet and she lets him kiss her. It's passionate and all she needs to get through the day. She can't even count the amount of times she wanted him to do that. Just out of the blue, kiss her and she can't believe they are actually here now. Together.
She places another kiss on his lips as she mumbles that she has to go. "Louis has a meeting," is all he hears and he lets out a sigh. His hands just trailing along her curves, as if he has to memorize how she feels, but he lets her go, and he watches her walk out of his office again.
His eyes redirect towards the cup of coffee on his desk again, his lips once again greeted by the flavour of whipped cream and vanilla. Just like the other time, just like she tasted last night. Just like she tasted only a second ago.
It's lunch and she's typing away some files for Louis. The messages he's leaving on his dictaphone are to ridiculous to think of and that's when Louis calls her in. She lets out a sigh, pushing her chair back, but she goes to him anyway. She tiptoes towards her boss' office, not even seeing how Louis signals Harvey.
"What is it Louis?" she asks, her back facing her own desk now and Louis gives her some bullshit story, he rehearsed with Harvey. Just stalling time as he watches if Harvey is already done with what he needed to do. He sees his fellow name partner give him a thumbs up and walk away again.
"What Donna?" Louis mumbles, "uhm never mind.." She gives him a questioning face, shaking her head as she lets out a sigh. "Just go back to transcribing my messages," he orders as she walks away again.
She rolls her eyes as she nears her desk again. Her eyes immediately spotting the cup of coffee on her desk and her lips curl up as she notices the small heart made in the cream of the coffee, her mind going to Harvey. She turns the cup around to find his handwriting on it. Her heart skips a beat as she reads the message.
'I love you, Donna.'
It's the first line she reads and her eyes pop up, instantly searching for him, but he's nowhere to be seen.
She looks at the cup again, frowning as she turns it around a bit more.
'You should continue with your work,'
It's all it reads. She can't even remember what she has just been doing anyway. Her eyes scanning the desk. The dictaphone still there and now she hears Louis's words again.. 'Continue transcribing messages.'
Her hands start shaking as she reaches for the object, both Louis words as Harvey's message on repeat in her mind; connecting some dots but the overall imagine not yet clear. She quickly presses the play button.
"Donna," she hears his voice, her heart skipping a beat. She swallows her eyes still searching for him, but they rest on the heart shape in the coffee again. "Twelve years ago, you told me it was the luckiest day of my life. And it was, it really was." She smiles, tears now forming in her eyes as she hears him recall some important moments.
"Donna, I love you. I always have and I always will. Will you marry me?"
She drops the dictaphone to her desk, bringing her hand to her mouth as her eyes look in the direction of his office again. She still doesn't see him, instead she she's her new boss. The managing partner, her best friend and the puppy. And everyone else of the firm waiting for her.
She practically jumps in place as she feels a finger tapping on her shoulder. "I hope you're looking for me?" she hears his voice break the silence.
She turns around, her watery eyes meeting his as she sees him kneel down in front of her. His hand reaching hers, while he holds a diamond ring in his other hand. "Donna Roberta Paulsen, since I haven't heard you say no or yes yet," he starts causing the crowd to chuckle. "I'll repeat the message, because sometimes it takes a long time for both of us to get a message. The most important one took us twelve years, but I'm not willing to wait that long, so from now on I'll repeat things immediately again," he pauses for a second as his eyes meet hers.
"Donna, will you marry me?"
She nods, she nods her head as her arms run around his neck. Her hands cupping his face as she kisses him. "Yes," she mumbles, "a thousand times yes."
- the End