Next To Me (1/1)
Title: Next To Me
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Mike/Harvey: Donna, Jessica, Louis, Kyle, Harold
Words: ~2400
Spoilers: none
Warnings: possible Fluff overload!
Summary: “So you're telling me that spending your Friday night surrounded by beautiful women, expensive alcohol and the chance to display just how rich you are doesn't interest you?” Louis stared at him, a sneer curling his mouth.
“That's exactly what I'm saying.” He turned his attention back to his work
Disclaimer: I don't own Mike, Harvey or any of the other characters or show content - kudos goes to USA network.
A/N: This is based loosely on the first few lines of Next To Me by Emelie Sande - it's a wonderful song and this bunny was bouncing around for a good couple of weeks! I finally decided to write it up though, keeping it simple and cute. I was just in the mood for something sweet and easy, I hope you enjoy!
X-posted to my AO3
---
Next To Me
It was a strikingly nondescript Friday. Harvey had been working on a complex case file for the past week - part of a firm wide attempt to win against a corruption case against a major stock broker. He was about five minutes away from finding the heart of his argument and Mike was already down in research forming a watertight set of precedents. They'd be ready to present to Jessica at the end of the day, if all went to plan - and Harvey honestly couldn't see how it wouldn't.
Of course, he hadn't counted on Donna's closed-door policy suddenly changing.
“Harvey.” Louis' voice broke the peaceful silence in the room and Harvey paused in the middle of typing a sentence.
“What have I said about you coming into my office?” Harvey didn't even look up from his computer and he carried on with his work once more. He just needed to finish the sentence...
“Donna let me in.” This caught his attention. He sat back and fixed Louis with a bored kind of look. “I've just heard you're not going to be at the Paragon opening party tonight.”
“You heard correctly.” He smiled slightly, head tilting to one side in the way it did every time he insulted his colleague. “Casinos remind me of you, Louis.”
“What do you mean?” Louis just frowned, looking even more unattractive than usual.
“They bore me.” Harvey rolled his eyes.
“So you're telling me that spending your Friday night surrounded by beautiful women, expensive alcohol and the chance to display just how rich you are doesn't interest you?” Louis stared at him, a sneer curling his mouth.
“That's exactly what I'm saying.” He turned his attention back to his work - the sentence he'd just read was looking particularly promising. “Now, unless you want me to help you pick out a pretty dress--”
It was rather gratifying to see Louis all but flounce out of the office but when he glanced up to double check he was gone and made the mistake of catching Donna's eye. She smiled knowingly and Harvey shot her a look of vague disapproval.
He sighed inwardly and turned back to his computer. A few minutes later and he'd found the smoking gun that would win the case for him. He emailed the file to Donna for printing and sat back with a satisfied smile.
-
“Hey, Ross, I hear Specter closed the Sanderson case.” Mike looked up, seeing Harold standing behind his computer, a look of genuine excitement on his face.
“Uh, yeah. I'm doing the final proofs.” He glanced around him, but no-one else was paying them any attention. He did notice that there was a distinct air of relaxation in the room - something that definitely hadn't been there before lunch. Apparently Harvey's breakthrough was something momentous. He wondered when it was he'd stopped appreciating that.
“That's so cool.” Harold smiled again. “Look, we're all going out for drinks later, to celebrate - I don't think we've worked that hard on a firm case before. All the partners are at some Casino opening thing, so Specter won't be calling you in or anything.”
“Harold, I--”
“C'mon, Mike, you haven't been out with us for months.” Harold's face and fallen and he leaned in. “And Kyle's being a real douche about the segment he contributed. You're the only one who can beat him down.”
“Kyle's not that hard to deal with. Just remind him that he made that typo in the Roethe and Gibson merger last week.” Mike grinned and Harold brightened again. He was by far the most pleasant of the other associates and Mike would even go so far as to say he was a friend.
“Look, just a couple of drinks. You might even score - you could do with a proper wind down after all the hours you've been pulling the last couple of weeks.” Harold was testing out his best courtroom voice.
“Sorry, man, I've got a date with some take-out and my bed.” He shrugged and grimaced in apology and Harold sighed. Mike held out a fist and after a moment, Harold reluctantly bumped it and went back to his desk.
-
“You know, Harvey, I'm really impressed.” Jessica was sitting back on the couch, Harvey having taken a seat behind her desk. He was trying it out for size, getting a feel for the position. Jessica had simply looked amused at entering her office to find him there. He'd just grinned back.
“And so you should be. I'm pretty sure that's in my top five highest billables.” Harvey arched his fingers together and Jessica cocked an eyebrow at him.
“About time too.” She closed the folder and turned slightly, angling herself to look at him directly, an arm draped over the back of the couch. “Now, tell me why you aren't going to the Paragon opening tonight.”
“I know you have your sights set on closing them as clients, but it's a losing battle. We'd make more money representing the businesses they forced out to build in the first place.” Harvey let his hands fall, forearms resting on the arms of the chair. Jessica tilted her head a little. “You won't sign them tonight, but if I'm there, I guarantee you that you won't ever.”
“Fine, have it your way - but you're only allowed off because of this.” She held up the Sanderson file and stood up. “Now get your ass out of my chair.”
Harvey grinned and paused for a long moment. It was only when Jessica shifted her shoulders, as if readying for a fight, that he got up and left her office with a salute. He headed back to his office, via the associate pen to get Mike's finished proof of the case. He stopped as he reached the space, watching Mike hunched over his desk with his earphones in, clearly deep in concentration. From where he stood, he could pick up the strains of a conversation
“You heard Ross isn't coming out tonight?” A gaggle of associates were gathered in the kitchenette, one of the more obnoxious ones was clearly the focus of the group.
“Yeah, I know. Weird right? I bet he got some more special treatment from Specter and he's going to that Casino thing.” Harvey frowned slightly, training his ears to the conversation a bit more. He recognised some of the voices, but he wouldn't be able to put faces to them.
“No way, Specter wouldn't take a rookie along as a wingman, he's his boss.” A third voice - he may not know them, but they seemed to know him a little.
“Then there's some girl somewhere he doesn't want us to know about.” The first one again. He sounded a little familiar, perhaps the idiot Mike had been put against at mock trial.
“Look, what if he's genuinely just staying in tonight? He works harder than any of us.” Another new one. Harvey was a little surprised at the defence - he hadn't realised that Mike had made friends with any of the others.
“And who's fault is that?” The first one again, all arrogance and bitterness. So Defence had hit a nerve. “No, there's something off about him. We know nothing about his private life.”
“That's because it's private, Kyle. Stop being a douche.” Defence again. Harvey was a little surprised at his loyalty. From what he understood, Kyle was the top-dog in the pen and only Mike ever really went against him.
“What's up, Harold? You jealous of Ross' girlfriend?” Ah, turning on the weak one. Kyle would make one hell of an attack dog one day. He was definitely going to end up under Louis' wing.
“If you spent more time learning to use spell-check and less time thinking up ways to slander Mike, maybe you'd have earned yourself a bit of peace and quiet.” Defence had some balls, Harvey was impressed.
“He's got a point, Kyle. You typo'd bad.” A fourth guy joined in and three of them started to laugh. “With a record like Ross has, you can sleep with whoever you want, in my books.”
Harvey smiled, eyes trained on the ground. He looked up and caught Mike's eye. One earphone was clearly dangling from one of his hands and he quirked an eyebrow. He'd heard everything and was obviously choosing to let it roll off his back. Harvey pushed away from the wall, and headed to his cubicle, holding out a hand.
Mike slapped the final file of the case in his hand and Harvey nodded, walking off without a word.
“You're welcome!” Mike called after him. Harvey couldn't help but smirk a little.
-
“Jessica--” Jessica looked up form where she'd just finished talking to one of the many high-flyers at the casino opening that her firm happened to represent. She did her best to suppress her instinct to sucker punch the man behind her, mentally cursing Harvey from rubbing off on her.
“Don't even start, Louis.” Jessica turned to him with a firm smile on her face. She knew exactly what was coming. It was the same story every time.
“But he's a senior partner, you know how important his face here is.” Louis was clearly fuming. Jessica fixed him with a look and sipped at her champagne, smiling as another one of their clients and their entourage passed by them to the roulette wheels.
“I do, but you should know Harvey better than that.” She shot him a final warning look and moved off to where the Dawes, the owner of the Paragon was beckoning her. She was barely aware of Louis' indignation and didn't give him a moment's more thought. “Julian.”
Julian Dawes was in his mid thirties and was as suave as they came. He took her hand with a smile and kissed her knuckles. She smiled, reminded just a little of Harvey.
“Jessica, you look stunning.” He grinned in a very similar manner to her senior partner and she couldn't help but return it. He was undoubtedly a very charismatic man. “You know, I've been thinking about the points Harvey raised earlier in the week and I've drawn together some numbers that I'd like him to look over.”
“I'll make sure he fits you in sometime this week then.” She replied easily, her smile staying in place. If there was one thing Jessica Pearson should be known for, it was her ability to take a curve ball and turn it into a home run.
-
“... impressive, even for you Harvey. Don't think you're getting away with this though, I know your ego wouldn't survive any more inflation. I expect to see you first thing Monday in my office...” Harvey grinned as he closed the front door behind him, taking his phone back into his hand and letting his shoulder down from where it had been pressing up to his shoulder, “Nice job though.”
The message ended and he closed his voicemail, tossing the phone onto the sofa as he passed. He headed through to his-walk in closet, pulling his tied loose and threading it through the rack to his left. His suit was next, jacket, vest and pants hung neatly and tucked back amongst the rest. His cuff-links went into a drawer and his button down was off and bunched in his hands as he went back into the bedroom.
Tossing the material in one corner, he all but dived onto the bed and wriggled his way up and under the covers. He leaned back, head hitting the pillow with a happy sigh.
“You're so dramatic.” He glanced up with a grin as Mike fixed him with an amused look. He was sitting up, a pillow propped behind him with a crossword in his lap and a pen balancing from his fingers.
“I'm allowed to be.” Harvey shuffled so that his head was resting on Mike's stomach. He angled himself so he could read the clues, Mike's free arm settling around his shoulders, a hand stroking his back absently. After a moment, Harvey reached up a hand, pointing to 6-Across. “Arson.”
Mike paused for a moment, deliberating before gripping the pen a bit tighter and marking the letters in. Harvey let his arm fall around Mike's waist, holding him loosely.
“How was dinner with Donna?” Mike asked absently, marking in another answer.
“Oh, you know. The usual.” He heard Mike huff a slight laugh. 'The usual' meant that they'd spent the evening gossiping like highschoolers, discussing everyone and everything. Mike had come up. Several times. Donna's fascination with the two of them hadn't waned at all over the past year.
Harvey felt Mike's hand moved up from his back, stroking across his neck and through the hair at the base of his skull. He sighed and closed his eyes, nestling his face against the soft material of Mike's pajama top. This was infinitely better than any pretentious casino opening could possibly hope to be.
They stayed like that for a while, Mike occasionally moving to fill in a clue, Harvey just enjoying the sound of his breathing and the scratch of biro on paper, the wet thrum of his heartbeat under his ear, the gentle movements against his neck that were lulling him easily into a state of utter contentment.
“There.” Mike said finally, a soft exhalation of breath as he dropped the pen into his lap. Harvey cracked his eyes open to look briefly at the now finished puzzle before reaching out and pushing it lazily off the bed. Mike laughed and shuffled his way down onto his side until he was nose to nose with Harvey. He smiled and leaned in, kissing him gently.
Harvey returned it a little sleepily, revelling in the slow, easy manner of Mike's lips against his. He slid his arms around his waist and pulled him closer, Mike pulling the covers up over their shoulders. Harvey broke away was a smile, his nose scrunching a little as Mike pressed a kiss to it before twisting in his arms. He pressed back against Harvey's chest and Harvey held him a little tighter.
Mike reached out and flicked off the bedside light, leaving them immersed in the warm, comfortable darkness of the New York night time. Harvey rested his forehead against the back of Mike's neck and sighed, already feeling the edges of a good night's sleep, well earned.
It wasn't long before he drifted off, safe in the knowledge that he was there, next to Mike, just as they should be.
---
Fin x.
I hope you enjoyed it! Make sure you give the song a listen to - it's wonderful =] Comments, as always, are adored <3
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Mike/Harvey: Donna, Jessica, Louis, Kyle, Harold
Words: ~2400
Spoilers: none
Warnings: possible Fluff overload!
Summary: “So you're telling me that spending your Friday night surrounded by beautiful women, expensive alcohol and the chance to display just how rich you are doesn't interest you?” Louis stared at him, a sneer curling his mouth.
“That's exactly what I'm saying.” He turned his attention back to his work
Disclaimer: I don't own Mike, Harvey or any of the other characters or show content - kudos goes to USA network.
A/N: This is based loosely on the first few lines of Next To Me by Emelie Sande - it's a wonderful song and this bunny was bouncing around for a good couple of weeks! I finally decided to write it up though, keeping it simple and cute. I was just in the mood for something sweet and easy, I hope you enjoy!
X-posted to my AO3
---
Next To Me
It was a strikingly nondescript Friday. Harvey had been working on a complex case file for the past week - part of a firm wide attempt to win against a corruption case against a major stock broker. He was about five minutes away from finding the heart of his argument and Mike was already down in research forming a watertight set of precedents. They'd be ready to present to Jessica at the end of the day, if all went to plan - and Harvey honestly couldn't see how it wouldn't.
Of course, he hadn't counted on Donna's closed-door policy suddenly changing.
“Harvey.” Louis' voice broke the peaceful silence in the room and Harvey paused in the middle of typing a sentence.
“What have I said about you coming into my office?” Harvey didn't even look up from his computer and he carried on with his work once more. He just needed to finish the sentence...
“Donna let me in.” This caught his attention. He sat back and fixed Louis with a bored kind of look. “I've just heard you're not going to be at the Paragon opening party tonight.”
“You heard correctly.” He smiled slightly, head tilting to one side in the way it did every time he insulted his colleague. “Casinos remind me of you, Louis.”
“What do you mean?” Louis just frowned, looking even more unattractive than usual.
“They bore me.” Harvey rolled his eyes.
“So you're telling me that spending your Friday night surrounded by beautiful women, expensive alcohol and the chance to display just how rich you are doesn't interest you?” Louis stared at him, a sneer curling his mouth.
“That's exactly what I'm saying.” He turned his attention back to his work - the sentence he'd just read was looking particularly promising. “Now, unless you want me to help you pick out a pretty dress--”
It was rather gratifying to see Louis all but flounce out of the office but when he glanced up to double check he was gone and made the mistake of catching Donna's eye. She smiled knowingly and Harvey shot her a look of vague disapproval.
He sighed inwardly and turned back to his computer. A few minutes later and he'd found the smoking gun that would win the case for him. He emailed the file to Donna for printing and sat back with a satisfied smile.
-
“Hey, Ross, I hear Specter closed the Sanderson case.” Mike looked up, seeing Harold standing behind his computer, a look of genuine excitement on his face.
“Uh, yeah. I'm doing the final proofs.” He glanced around him, but no-one else was paying them any attention. He did notice that there was a distinct air of relaxation in the room - something that definitely hadn't been there before lunch. Apparently Harvey's breakthrough was something momentous. He wondered when it was he'd stopped appreciating that.
“That's so cool.” Harold smiled again. “Look, we're all going out for drinks later, to celebrate - I don't think we've worked that hard on a firm case before. All the partners are at some Casino opening thing, so Specter won't be calling you in or anything.”
“Harold, I--”
“C'mon, Mike, you haven't been out with us for months.” Harold's face and fallen and he leaned in. “And Kyle's being a real douche about the segment he contributed. You're the only one who can beat him down.”
“Kyle's not that hard to deal with. Just remind him that he made that typo in the Roethe and Gibson merger last week.” Mike grinned and Harold brightened again. He was by far the most pleasant of the other associates and Mike would even go so far as to say he was a friend.
“Look, just a couple of drinks. You might even score - you could do with a proper wind down after all the hours you've been pulling the last couple of weeks.” Harold was testing out his best courtroom voice.
“Sorry, man, I've got a date with some take-out and my bed.” He shrugged and grimaced in apology and Harold sighed. Mike held out a fist and after a moment, Harold reluctantly bumped it and went back to his desk.
-
“You know, Harvey, I'm really impressed.” Jessica was sitting back on the couch, Harvey having taken a seat behind her desk. He was trying it out for size, getting a feel for the position. Jessica had simply looked amused at entering her office to find him there. He'd just grinned back.
“And so you should be. I'm pretty sure that's in my top five highest billables.” Harvey arched his fingers together and Jessica cocked an eyebrow at him.
“About time too.” She closed the folder and turned slightly, angling herself to look at him directly, an arm draped over the back of the couch. “Now, tell me why you aren't going to the Paragon opening tonight.”
“I know you have your sights set on closing them as clients, but it's a losing battle. We'd make more money representing the businesses they forced out to build in the first place.” Harvey let his hands fall, forearms resting on the arms of the chair. Jessica tilted her head a little. “You won't sign them tonight, but if I'm there, I guarantee you that you won't ever.”
“Fine, have it your way - but you're only allowed off because of this.” She held up the Sanderson file and stood up. “Now get your ass out of my chair.”
Harvey grinned and paused for a long moment. It was only when Jessica shifted her shoulders, as if readying for a fight, that he got up and left her office with a salute. He headed back to his office, via the associate pen to get Mike's finished proof of the case. He stopped as he reached the space, watching Mike hunched over his desk with his earphones in, clearly deep in concentration. From where he stood, he could pick up the strains of a conversation
“You heard Ross isn't coming out tonight?” A gaggle of associates were gathered in the kitchenette, one of the more obnoxious ones was clearly the focus of the group.
“Yeah, I know. Weird right? I bet he got some more special treatment from Specter and he's going to that Casino thing.” Harvey frowned slightly, training his ears to the conversation a bit more. He recognised some of the voices, but he wouldn't be able to put faces to them.
“No way, Specter wouldn't take a rookie along as a wingman, he's his boss.” A third voice - he may not know them, but they seemed to know him a little.
“Then there's some girl somewhere he doesn't want us to know about.” The first one again. He sounded a little familiar, perhaps the idiot Mike had been put against at mock trial.
“Look, what if he's genuinely just staying in tonight? He works harder than any of us.” Another new one. Harvey was a little surprised at the defence - he hadn't realised that Mike had made friends with any of the others.
“And who's fault is that?” The first one again, all arrogance and bitterness. So Defence had hit a nerve. “No, there's something off about him. We know nothing about his private life.”
“That's because it's private, Kyle. Stop being a douche.” Defence again. Harvey was a little surprised at his loyalty. From what he understood, Kyle was the top-dog in the pen and only Mike ever really went against him.
“What's up, Harold? You jealous of Ross' girlfriend?” Ah, turning on the weak one. Kyle would make one hell of an attack dog one day. He was definitely going to end up under Louis' wing.
“If you spent more time learning to use spell-check and less time thinking up ways to slander Mike, maybe you'd have earned yourself a bit of peace and quiet.” Defence had some balls, Harvey was impressed.
“He's got a point, Kyle. You typo'd bad.” A fourth guy joined in and three of them started to laugh. “With a record like Ross has, you can sleep with whoever you want, in my books.”
Harvey smiled, eyes trained on the ground. He looked up and caught Mike's eye. One earphone was clearly dangling from one of his hands and he quirked an eyebrow. He'd heard everything and was obviously choosing to let it roll off his back. Harvey pushed away from the wall, and headed to his cubicle, holding out a hand.
Mike slapped the final file of the case in his hand and Harvey nodded, walking off without a word.
“You're welcome!” Mike called after him. Harvey couldn't help but smirk a little.
-
“Jessica--” Jessica looked up form where she'd just finished talking to one of the many high-flyers at the casino opening that her firm happened to represent. She did her best to suppress her instinct to sucker punch the man behind her, mentally cursing Harvey from rubbing off on her.
“Don't even start, Louis.” Jessica turned to him with a firm smile on her face. She knew exactly what was coming. It was the same story every time.
“But he's a senior partner, you know how important his face here is.” Louis was clearly fuming. Jessica fixed him with a look and sipped at her champagne, smiling as another one of their clients and their entourage passed by them to the roulette wheels.
“I do, but you should know Harvey better than that.” She shot him a final warning look and moved off to where the Dawes, the owner of the Paragon was beckoning her. She was barely aware of Louis' indignation and didn't give him a moment's more thought. “Julian.”
Julian Dawes was in his mid thirties and was as suave as they came. He took her hand with a smile and kissed her knuckles. She smiled, reminded just a little of Harvey.
“Jessica, you look stunning.” He grinned in a very similar manner to her senior partner and she couldn't help but return it. He was undoubtedly a very charismatic man. “You know, I've been thinking about the points Harvey raised earlier in the week and I've drawn together some numbers that I'd like him to look over.”
“I'll make sure he fits you in sometime this week then.” She replied easily, her smile staying in place. If there was one thing Jessica Pearson should be known for, it was her ability to take a curve ball and turn it into a home run.
-
“... impressive, even for you Harvey. Don't think you're getting away with this though, I know your ego wouldn't survive any more inflation. I expect to see you first thing Monday in my office...” Harvey grinned as he closed the front door behind him, taking his phone back into his hand and letting his shoulder down from where it had been pressing up to his shoulder, “Nice job though.”
The message ended and he closed his voicemail, tossing the phone onto the sofa as he passed. He headed through to his-walk in closet, pulling his tied loose and threading it through the rack to his left. His suit was next, jacket, vest and pants hung neatly and tucked back amongst the rest. His cuff-links went into a drawer and his button down was off and bunched in his hands as he went back into the bedroom.
Tossing the material in one corner, he all but dived onto the bed and wriggled his way up and under the covers. He leaned back, head hitting the pillow with a happy sigh.
“You're so dramatic.” He glanced up with a grin as Mike fixed him with an amused look. He was sitting up, a pillow propped behind him with a crossword in his lap and a pen balancing from his fingers.
“I'm allowed to be.” Harvey shuffled so that his head was resting on Mike's stomach. He angled himself so he could read the clues, Mike's free arm settling around his shoulders, a hand stroking his back absently. After a moment, Harvey reached up a hand, pointing to 6-Across. “Arson.”
Mike paused for a moment, deliberating before gripping the pen a bit tighter and marking the letters in. Harvey let his arm fall around Mike's waist, holding him loosely.
“How was dinner with Donna?” Mike asked absently, marking in another answer.
“Oh, you know. The usual.” He heard Mike huff a slight laugh. 'The usual' meant that they'd spent the evening gossiping like highschoolers, discussing everyone and everything. Mike had come up. Several times. Donna's fascination with the two of them hadn't waned at all over the past year.
Harvey felt Mike's hand moved up from his back, stroking across his neck and through the hair at the base of his skull. He sighed and closed his eyes, nestling his face against the soft material of Mike's pajama top. This was infinitely better than any pretentious casino opening could possibly hope to be.
They stayed like that for a while, Mike occasionally moving to fill in a clue, Harvey just enjoying the sound of his breathing and the scratch of biro on paper, the wet thrum of his heartbeat under his ear, the gentle movements against his neck that were lulling him easily into a state of utter contentment.
“There.” Mike said finally, a soft exhalation of breath as he dropped the pen into his lap. Harvey cracked his eyes open to look briefly at the now finished puzzle before reaching out and pushing it lazily off the bed. Mike laughed and shuffled his way down onto his side until he was nose to nose with Harvey. He smiled and leaned in, kissing him gently.
Harvey returned it a little sleepily, revelling in the slow, easy manner of Mike's lips against his. He slid his arms around his waist and pulled him closer, Mike pulling the covers up over their shoulders. Harvey broke away was a smile, his nose scrunching a little as Mike pressed a kiss to it before twisting in his arms. He pressed back against Harvey's chest and Harvey held him a little tighter.
Mike reached out and flicked off the bedside light, leaving them immersed in the warm, comfortable darkness of the New York night time. Harvey rested his forehead against the back of Mike's neck and sighed, already feeling the edges of a good night's sleep, well earned.
It wasn't long before he drifted off, safe in the knowledge that he was there, next to Mike, just as they should be.
---
Fin x.
I hope you enjoyed it! Make sure you give the song a listen to - it's wonderful =] Comments, as always, are adored <3