A/N: This was the first Mike/Harvey story I ever wrote. It's on my ao3 account where I originally posted it so if it looks familiar that's where it's from! I pictured this happening in and around episode 2x15, Normandy. It's from Scottie's POV. :)
I own nothing, Suits and the characters is the property of USA network, if I owned them Mike and Harvey would be together for reals having hot steamy office sex in every episode. Woo.
Let me know what you think :) xx
Dana knows the second she finishes her conversation with Donna that she needs to get that file to Mike Ross and then more importantly talk to Harvey.
So that's how she finds herself ringing the doorbell to Harvey's apartment doing her best to hype herself up. She can't help but think back on what Donna had said in the file room back at the firm.
She'd said that Harvey wasn't interested which is why he never fought for her. That there was simply something that interested him more, which yeah, that hurt a little bit. Donna hadn't said it in a mean way but there was just something about her tone and the look she gave her that didn't feel quite right. So she landed an extra hard knock to the door of Harvey's apartment because she had to ask Harvey, had to hear it from him.
She could hear Harvey yelling to hang on a minute, could hear that he was irritated but she hoped that as soon as he saw it was her, that the irritation would go away. Or it could increase tenfold but she was really hoping for the former.
"What," he swung the door open, looking ticked off and rumpled, freezing when he saw that it was Dana standing on the other side staring back at him.
Harvey heaved a sigh as he tugged at his shirt and Dana had been too consumed watching his expression to notice that he had been in the process of pulling a shirt on.
He cleared his throat as he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the door frame, "What do you want Scottie?"
Well she certainly wasn't expecting that. Maybe a blank stare or a quick, perfectly timed jab about her complete lack of integrity as a lawyer, as a friend but not this. Not this, what ever this even was?! He wasn't inviting her in, merely looking at her like she didn't matter to him. Harvey's never done that.
She could only assume he was still mad that she hadn't told him about the merger. But she was here to make it better so the least Harvey could do was invite her inside so they could work this out.
"Can we talk maybe," Dana said to Harvey, who was still staring at her like she didn't mean a single damn thing to him. Dana knew she had always mattered to Harvey, he'd never said it outright but she knew. He loved her in his way and now she just needed to get him to admit it. Prove Donna wrong and prove herself right. Dana needed to hear him say it and she would because this was Harvey and she's Dana Scott, she can do this. She will do this.
"We don't have anything to talk about," Harvey said and his tone wasn't even cold it just sounded like he didn't care. Like he had better things to do, which Dana highly doubted.
She couldn't help the scoff she answered with, "Don't give me that shit Harvey, we have plenty to talk about. Plenty that we need to talk about."
Dana elbowed her way around him, into his apartment but counted it as a win when Harvey didn't try and stop her or make to push her back out the door so she kept walking. Down the hallway into the spacious kitchen/living area she placed her bag on the counter, laid her coat over the back of one of the bar stools.
When Dana turned around Harvey's arms were still crossed over his chest and he looked annoyed more than anything else.
"Donna told me something today that I can't...that I can't get off my mind," Dana told the other as she began to compose herself for this conversation.
"She told me that you never fought for me to stay because you didn't reciprocate my feelings for you but I don't believe that! I know you love me Harvey so just-"
"Babe" a voice, a very male voice yelled from the hallway that led to the bedroom wing of the huge penthouse apartment. "I changed my mind, I think I'll take you up on that back rub," and then Mike Ross is stood at the entrance to the living room, looking a little like a deer in the headlights. He had on a faded, well-worn Harvard t-shirt that was a size or two too big, clearly belonging to the older man Dana came to see and a pair of black sweatpants that hung low on his hips, dragged under his feet, probably Harvey's as well.
"Oh," the young blonde seemed to choke out. Turning bright red from the tip of his ears down his neck and probably further but the shirt cut it off at his collarbones. He gave an awkward, uncomfortable sort of wave that Dana didn't know whether to return or not because was she even allowed to. Suddenly the entire situation became clear, clearerbecause Mike Ross was standing in Harvey's living room in Harvey's clothes looking like he just got caught sleeping with the opposing counsel. Dana had no illusions about what was going on here, looking at them now it was obvious. Harvey had a pretty young lawyer-to-be to keep him company now, so naturally Scottie could eat shit.
Harvey Specter was fucking his associate.
"Hi Dana," Mike squeaked as he rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly. Taking a few more steps into the room, hovering behind Harvey he asked, "Are you here about the case," but Harvey held up a hand. The older man turned to look at his associate, a silent conversation passed between and Dana had never felt more out of place in her entire life.
"I can go...uh-" Mike stuttered, what lawyer stutters, Dana thought to herself. "Wait in the bedr-, the den! I can wait in the den." Dana really wanted to take him up on that, her and Harvey had stuff to talk about regardless of the fact that he was in some sort of sexual relationship with his underling. They needed to get this sorted, so yeah Mike could definitely go wait in the den!
"You don't have to do that," Harvey's words took Dana completely by surprise because what? What was he saying?! "Anything Scottie has to say she can say to both of us." The venom in his voice hurt way more than she expected it to.
Just as Dana was about to protest that statement Mike took a few steps closer to Harvey, laid a hand on his arm and whispered something in Harvey's ear. As the blonde continued to talk to him quietly, nudging against the side of his head, Harvey leaned in closer like Mike was reeling him in with his hushed words. Dana couldn't look away even though she didn't want to watch this. Whatever Mike Ross was saying positively melted his boss' icy exterior, unbelievable. It was as if Dana wasn't even there to chill the air of the room anymore! Harvey Specter didn't melt for anyone, and certainly never in front of Dana, notfor her either. What the hell was so damn special about this kid?!
And then it hit her.
Mike Ross was that 'something' that Harvey was interested in more than her. That goddamn associate!
She tried to convince herself that she still had a fighting chance because it wasn't over until it was over, if you asked her. So maybe she still had a shot!
But then she looked at them. Really looked at them.
Mike had one hand on Harvey's shoulder the other still on his arm but it was Harvey's stance that really got her. Harvey's arms had uncrossed from in front of his chest, as if he no longer needed them as a shield. One of his hands was gripping tightly to Mike's hip while the other was tight over Mike's where it laid on his bicep. His eyes were closed, his forehead leaning against Mike's temple, he looked...comfortable.
Like he knew he could take down his walls he'd never let fall for anyone and keep them down, as long as Mike's hands were on him, like Mike's presence was all the protection he really needed. For as long as Dana had known Harvey she didn't think she'd ever gotten to see Harvey with every last one of his defenses down. He was vulnerable in this moment with Mikes lips right at the edge of his left cheekbone. He looked content, like he was home...like this was his home. Like Mike was his home, the one that made him feel safe.
Dana was never and would never be Harvey's home or even his safe place because that was all Mike, now and forever. She saw that now, it was right there in front of her and she knew that this, between those two men was more than just sex.
She couldn't compete with that. She wouldn't.
"I'm-" she cleared her throat, before trying again, "I'm gonna go, sorry I intruded on your evening."
Harvey looked at her then, pulled himself away from Mike after a moment and she didn't miss the reluctance on Mike's face at having to let Harvey go.
"Scottie...I'm-" Dana held up her hand to stop him.
"Don't apologize Harvey, not for this," she gestured to Mike behind Harvey as if that explained it all but Mike perked up a little as he shifted and that was the making of a smile on Harvey's face so she assumed it explained enough.
"You could've told me," she sighed and turned away because she didn't want to see any pity on either of their faces.
"We didn't tell anyone, only Donna and Jessica know. And Mike's Grammie too before..." And Dana watched as Mike buried his face in Harvey's back, nearly hiding himself from view and Harvey as he reached back for Mike's hand or any part of him, whispering an apology she barely caught. What he was apologizing for she couldn't even guess but she figured it wasn't her place to ask, she had done enough. Time to bow out gracefully.
"I'll see you later," she said and she tried to smile she really did. "Goodnight Harvey, Mr. Ross," she turned to grab her bag and her coat, throwing them both over her arm as she started to step around the kitchen island, making her way towards the door but Mike Ross' voice stopped her.
"Specter," he said. Dana turned around to look at the pair and Mike had stepped around to stand a little in front of Harvey.
"What," she asked.
"You called me Mr. Ross, but I'm actually a Specter now...in every way that matters," he said to her astonished face. The look of pride on Harvey's face was enough for her though.
Mike extended a hand out behind him and that's when she caught sight of it. The gold band around his ring finger, snug at the base, bright against his pale skin. Harvey's hand closed around Mike's with no hesitation at all, and Scottie shifted her gaze to see an identical ring on Harvey's left hand. How did she miss that?! Really!
Harvey was married to this kid, no wonder he didn't fight for her. He had a husband to fight to keep or rather tokeep him from fighting for anyone else. When she left the first time, he never fought for her to stay, just let her go back to London and now it finally made sense.
She didn't really have anything other than a cordial congratulations to offer that bombshell so after giving one and a nod of her head she turned back around to leave the apartment. The look she saw in Mike's eyes though as she turned said everything she'd probably never hear his sweet self say, that Harvey was his, not Dana's and he wasn't ever going to be letting him go. Not without a fight. But maybe Dana was tired of fighting.
Besides Harvey seemed happy, didn't he?
The walk down the hall towards the door felt like an odd version of the walk of shame.
Mike's quiet voice made her ears perk up, slow her steps as she approached the door.
"I heard you talking to someone but thought it was Donna with the file I asked her about...I didn't know it was Scottie...I would've stayed in the bedroom if I knew, I'm sor-" the sound of Harvey tutting at him then a soft, muffled smack of lips made Dana's hand freeze over the door knob.
"I wouldn't have you hide here," she heard Harvey's voice say and she wished, just for the sake of knowing, that she could see the look on Harvey's face as he spoke to Mike. She'd never heard Harvey sound like that and she really wished, just out of curiosity, she could see the look that went with it. "Not in our home," and his voice was so tender, filled with a love Dana had never even known Harvey Specter was capable of.
Mike's soft laughter drifted down the hall to where Dana stood with her hand mid twist on the door knob.
Dana pulled open the door as quietly as she could manage but she hoped that the other two were too wrapped up in each other to hear it.
"I love you," Harvey muttered to the other with so much conviction that if there were any doubts still left in Dana's mind about this situation they had just flown right out the floor to ceiling windows at that statement and the way Harvey said it. As if he'd never meant anything more. Harvey loved Mike, that was that.
She heard Mike snicker and could only assume Harvey was kissing him again because Mike's response of "I love you more," was a bit garbled.
Harvey scoffed at that, adding a "That's not possible," she'd never heard Harvey sound quite so content, quite so carefree before and Dana smiled. Actually smiled, real and happy because it was clear to her that she'd never get to love Harvey the way she'd always wanted but at least she knew Harvey had Mike, who clearly adored him for everything he was, his successes and his faults and all the little things that no one but Mike would get to see. Harvey was exactly where he wanted to be, where he wanted to stay and that gave Scottie hope that the very same thing was out there waiting for her too she just had to open her eyes to it.
Harvey had Mike who would take care of him, love him and be there for him always, and that made Scottie feel better, maybe even good about the whole thing. Which was something she never thought would happen.
Just as she was pulling the door shut Dana heard Mike say, "So Mr. Specter, you owe your husband something,"
Harvey laughed, "And what would that be Mr. Specter,"
"Back rub," Mike teased and Dana had to bite her lip against the laugh that bubbled up inside her. She tugged the door shut behind her, making her way towards the public elevator at the end of the hall.
It'd be okay, she would be okay because Harvey was happy and Mike would ensure that he stayed that way forever. And Harvey's happiness was all she ever really wanted.