paula

It's a random Saturday night, a couple weeks in. They've been working non-stop, spending weekends at the office and they had finally decided that they deserved a weekend to themselves. So, they had ordered takeout and had some wine and now they were wrapped up in each other on the couch, Donna flipping through movie channels looking for something to grab their attention.

Finally settling on The Wolf of Wall Street on HBO, she curled more into Harvey's side leaning into his chest as his hand continued to disappear into her hair. He definitely had a thing for her hair.

Soothed into relaxation, they got to a scene in the movie where the introduction of Margot Robbie came and Donna somehow felt compelled to ask, "Harvey?"

"Hm," he hummed in response, gaze focused on the screen.

"Do you think she's hot?" She said, turning her head to meet his eyes.

Chuckling to himself, hands still threading through her tresses, he pauses then says, "I don't like blondes,' he said, smirking.

Donna snorts in derision, excepting his answer until she tenses.

"What?" He asked, quietly, sensing her discomfort.

"You did, once," she said, eyes focusing on the movie, clearly avoiding him.

"Donna," he says, "Look at me." When she refuses, he takes the hand in her hair and directs it towards him.

"I know we've talked about this before, and we're having a good night so I won't elaborate unless you need me to," he declares, hand gravitating toward her cheek cupping it gently. "Paula," he says then pauses at her flinch, "was a huge mistake, as you know, and most of what happened with her was just my feelings for you manifesting themselves with someone else."

She just stares in response, taking in his words. They've talked about his situation with her before and she knows what he's saying is true. She's forgiven him, but that woman will probably always be a sore subject. Normally, she'd make a joke to diffuse the tension, but she finds that in these moments, now that they're together, she likes to lean into the vulnerability. Embrace it. She's still not used to him being so open and she's not used to being so open herself, but he deserves to have that side of her too.

"I know, Harvey," she says, "I'm sorry, sometimes the scar still hurts."

He nods gently in response, deciding that answer from her is enough for now, but he does need to add one more thing.

His hand gravitates back to her hair and he presses a kiss to her forehead, "I love you, that's all that matters now."

"I love you too, Harvey," she whispers in response. Settling back against him after a moment, she can't resist teasing him, "But if you think Margot's not hot, you're out of your mind." She feels more than hears his chuckle in response.

She finds she likes this, a lot. She likes the serious moments intertwined with the teasing. This is who they've always been, just now it's elevated.