I'm already regretting posting this. Set in early 7B, very AU.
This is stupid. Tremendously stupid. How had he let himself be dragged into this, Harvey had no clue.
Mike's pressure and Louis's confirmation that this dumb ass outing was compulsory combined, Harvey had finally relented into going to the firm's weekend retirement. He had spent the whole trip there, which had been on a bus rented by SL, watching Donna sleep peacefully next to Rachel just a few rows ahead of him and Mike. She was still ignoring him, which had been fine for the most of the time. But after the first few days, his anger and means to hurt her had finally dissipated completely and the remains of his thoughts about her were purely guilt.
After the kiss and his inevitable lashing out, he went back home and broke it off with Paula. The idea of continuing in a relationship with her had been ruined, for better or for worse, because of the kiss. She hadn't been surprised, nor that mad for the matter. She stuffed her clothes into a bag and just before she closed the door, she had said "Don't take too long to tell her.".
Donna tried to contact him a few times the next day, his absence at the firm alarming her and everyone there. Harvey didn't call back, but she had gotten the message.
Now, over a week after Donna had kissed him, he missed her. Harvey had finally come to terms with himself and after a lot of procrastination in his office late at night, he was ready to win her back. To apologize for being a dick not this time but for all the times he had treated her like this. For making her and himself wait for the inevitable. For keeping her at arm's length but close enough for him to love her nevertheless. For being jealous of all of her boyfriends and not caring when she acted coldly with his girlfriends. For not kissing her every opportunity he has had the last 13 years.
But that wasn't stupid. This was stupid. What was he even doing in the theater course Louis had arranged? You saw Donna approach the circle of people and you followed her, dumb ass. The circle was quite wide, Donna was too busy chatting with Rachel to notice both him and Mike joining them on the other side of it.
About twenty people were surrounding a short bald man, both of his hands were in his front pockets, dressed casually like everyone else. "Hello. I'm James, the theater coach. Louis told me that most of you have zero to no experience in theater so I thought that we could start with some improvisation pairs if everyone's up for it?" A few nods from everyone were enough for him. "Perfect. Now, everyone close your eyes, I'll pick the pairs randomly. No peeking."
Harvey watched as everyone including both Mike and Donna followed his instructions, so he reluctantly followed suit.
James caught both Donna and Harvey's hands, dragging them both to the middle of the human circle. Their bodies came to a stop, they opened their eyes, meeting the other's as soon as they do. A few cheers erupted from different sides of the circle, the palpable tension between them obvious to everyone except James, who remained oblivious.
Donna's confident inner actress started to dissipate in a heartbeat, the nervousness of having to improvise with him sinking into her body. This was her territory, improv had always been her forte, she was in charge. Was she? Questions flooded her mind, disorienting her and making it even harder to listen to James's assignment, which he was currently explaining.
Harvey nearly missed the small shift in her attitude, only now noticing how rare it was for them to be standing so close, only two feet between them.
Mike wiggled his eyebrows excitedly at Harvey, which he responded with a glare, letting out a big puff of air. They hadn't talked for a whole week. Avoiding each other in the firm had been almost too easy, cases piling up one after the other. Meetings that had been pushed back because of the trial against Malick had been scheduled back to back. Almost no time for any breaks, draining not only both of them but everyone working in the firm's energy.
Sadly, this sorry-ass excuse of a camping trip had been mandatory by the firms accountant and council. The idea of a peaceful weekend outdoors would attract a better image for their working dynamic, attracting more clients and future possible associates.
This clown as a "theater" teacher was something Louis had most definitely ignored telling Harvey about. He was going to pay.
"So," James clapped twice, their minds back in the game. "you are in an airport, you used to date-"
Donna seemed to come back to reality first. "I- What?"
"Excuse me?" Harvey asked at the same time.
James repeated, unfazed. "You used to date, you bump in the airport. You're both about to lose your respective planes." Donna nods slowly, taking the words in and almost religiously avoiding crossing looks with Harvey. Harvey's brow deepens, his right hand nervously scratching his left wrist where his father's watch usually resides. "You haven't seen each other in a while, and you-" The instructor looks at Harvey. "want to win her back, but she's really heartbroken because of how you two ended things."
Donna finally cast a short glimpse at Harvey, his eyes coming and going between the redhead and James.
"You'll do everything in your power to win her back, and in the end you reconcile and kiss."
She nervously laughed. "There's no way-"
"Kiss?" Harvey whispers, his head turning towards Mike, who's excitement has turned into shock, his eyes gone almost completely blank. Rachel's mimicking his.
Donna's shock was just as big, but she's a good actress, right? She shook her arms wildly, her hands following suit and a low growl leaving her body, a small trick her acting professor in college had taught her to liven and lighten up her body before a scene. She perked her chin up, opened her eyes with conviction and looked at Harvey who's worried look trapped her.
"Aaand... ACTION!" James stepped back.
Before Donna could even think how to start the scene, Harvey stepped forward. "I-Roberta, Roberta please don't leave."
"Wherefore art thee looking for me?" She mumbled, the words out of her mouth before she could stop them.
Everyone's heads, including Harvey's, turned to the instructor. "Uh, w-what am I supposed to answer?"
James stepped in. "Yes, Donna, why Shakespearean?"
With her chin still propped up, she turned to James, her confidence now a puddle. "I-I thought it could mix things up?"
James, although confused, considered it and finally nodded in agreement. "Well... if that's how you feel it, okay yes, go ahead." He steps back once again.
Harvey stepped towards her once again. "Roberta-"
Donna cast a dramatic glance towards him. "Telleth me wherefore art thee looking for me, Peter?"
"I-I'm not looking for you, Roberta. All I need is for you not to go, I-"
"You'll loseth thy plane."
Snickers erupted somewhere behind Harvey and he turned towards them, annoyed. "Will you shut up, I-" Harvey turned back to her once again, his eyes that had been firmly closed finally opened and he looked straight at Donna, confidence finally but slowly building up inside him before coming back to the scene. "I beg you, please. I don't want you to leave."
"This is inevitable." Donna responded.
"I miss you." He sighs.
It came out with such sincerity that Donna got dizzy. Her eyes widened a small fraction, but quickly recovered despite her racing heart and she cocked her head to the side with a tiny heartbroken smile. "I miss you too, but our love is impossible."
"I want to be with you, I left P-Laura. I left her-"
"But it's- You left her?" She stuttered, a small gulp goes through her throat. Her chin propped up upwards once again, her pride and confidence never flickering. This wasn't real. This was some dumb scene and she wasn't going to let her feelings get hurt again by him.
He nodded and stepped forward once again. "I did. I left her because I realized I had made a mistake when I let you go last time."
Donna's breath coming in heavy slow puffs. "This is inevitable."
"I miss you, I miss you so much."
Words now leading their conversation, rather than the other way around. He spoke over her and she over him.
She gasped sadly. "I'm dying to be with you."
"I-I just want one more chance. Just one." He took a small step forward.
Her face contorted to a dejected look, she shook her head. "I don't want to suffer any longer."
Harvey's face mirrored hers and his head cocks to the side. "I don't either, please just one more chance."
"I really miss you."
Harvey stepped forward, determined and with one goal in mind. "I-I'm not getting on that fucking plane." Only a foot away from Donna now, his right hand almost grazing hers.
"Stay with me." She utters softly.
His resolve almost slipping, head cocked to the side, Harvey's hand grabbed hers. "I want to stay with you."
They walked into each others arms, both of them letting out a big chunk of air they didn't even know they were keeping in. Donna's nails rake through the back of his black shirt whilst he squeezed her tighter, both enjoying the rare proximity they were sharing. He smelled her hair before stepping back. Her hand slid from his back through his shoulder to his chest.
They share a wavering look, but he stepped in, letting the tip of his lips graze hers softly, a peck so small that made him step back a second later. The need for courage to do this was too necessary to even process. Her eyes closed, Donna's nervousness flooding her, making Harvey take the lead. He took a moment, to look at her, his face only 3 inches away hers now. She looked absolutely gorgeous, her perky peach lips calling out for him, their proximity letting him sneak a glance at her delicate freckles that he's usually too far away to appreciate when she has makeup on. His right hand, working on its own, found its home on the back of her neck and a few of her hair strands stood up in the process.
Donna opened her eyes, doubt and fear overflowing her. He slowly leaned forward, she stayed put, their eyes met for a second before his lips brushed over hers once again, he gently caught her lower lip and stopped for a second. Their noses pressed themselves together, one side to the other, testing and calculating, until he finally captured her mouth. He didn't waste a second before opening her mouth with his, swallowing her gasp instantaneously, his tongue snaking in eagerly. She granted him access with a sigh, her body relaxing when he angled his head against hers, deepening their kiss. She felt a low moan escape her when he sucked on her tongue and she felt herself growing dizzy. Her hand raked through his short strands, pulling him closer to her. Donna nearly loses it when he grabs her cheeks and pushes her hair out of her face. He tasted like mint, like coffee, he tasted like a 'fucking finally'. Can someone taste words? She doesn't care, because he's there, and he's really kissing her like this in front of everyone.
They run out of air embarrassingly quick, the reminder that they aren't alone coming back to both of their minds just before they stepped back.
She covered her lips, but her smile widening too big to hide, her eyes glued on his. He looked at her with a soft smile but quickly scanned his surroundings acting nonchalantly, rapidly turning to James nervously. "So, that. Was that- okay?"
"Yeah." Donna gasped, the answer leaving her lips before she realized the question wasn't directed at her. Her smile widened, her rose lipstick almost completely gone from her lips. His entire mouth looked like a One Direction poster, pink messy smudges everywhere.
"This was real. This, is what real acting is. This is what we're looking for." James stated, stepping forward between them for a second before slowly starting to clap. The rest of the circle claps, some celebratory hoots and whistles follow.
This is pure crap. I'm sorry. Insult me in the reviews, I'd appreciate it.