Wear My Name: Chapter 3
Pairing: MikexHarvey
Rating: PG13 (currently)
Warnings: Slight AU(Mike has a degree), crossing over with "The Proposal" (2009)
Disclaimer: I do not own Suits or the Proposal or... anything. I'm not making money off this.
Summary: Harvey and Mike break the news to Grammy, and Donna checks in from the Homefront.
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Harvey should have better prepared himself for this moment. Mike had talked about his grandmother, but had only said the basics: she was in a home, she raised him after his parents died, and she was starting to forget. Mostly, it was just that Mike wanted to be like her someday.
“Grammy!”
Grammy was a short old woman with white hair, squinting at a crossword in a recliner by the window. She looked up and smiled like Mike was a superhero.
“Michael James, you know you should call me before you drop by-“ She spotted Harvey at the door and smiled wider still. She didn’t say anything but waited as Mike hugged her and sat down on the edge of her bed. Harvey moved into the room and closed the door.
“Good to see you too. I brought someone I wanted you to meet.”
She set the crossword down and Harvey slowly came over to her side. “Ma’am, it is an honor.” He offered her a hand and she shook it gently. Harvey gave her a warm, sincere smile. “I’m Harvey.”
The old woman giggled. “Oh, I know. Mike never stops talking about you. I’m Edith. But call me Grammy, dear.”
Harvey’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, hope you’ve only hear good things.”
“Mostly good.” She looked to Mike, patient but eager. “If you brought him there must be something serious you want to tell me.”
“I’ve got a couple things, actually. They all kind of end in the same thing really.” Mike sounded small and Harvey remembered he was eight years younger than him. He probably felt small too.
“You can tell me anything, honey. You know that.”
“But I’m afraid.” He sounded broken and sad and suddenly it isn’t just about their impromptu engagement and Harvey knew it. Harvey’s hand was on Mike’s shoulder and he squeezed. The unspoken encouragement seemed to help. “I want you to know that I’m better now. Really. But for a while- back when I was working with Trevor, I was into some bad things.” Grammy shifted, moving closer and reaching for Mike’s hand. Mike took it. “Trevor was dealing in drugs, and I kind of just freeloaded off him. I let my grades drop to barely passing and I knew I was letting you down but I-.”
“That’s not true, Michael.” She whispered. “You could never let me down.”
“But it gets worst. When you needed the money for living here, I was going to sell like Trevor.” Grammy looked legitimately surprised at that but didn’t say anything. She didn’t amend her statement, just waited for Mike to finish. “The reason why I didn’t tell you about the interview with Pearson-Hardman was because I stumbled in while outrunning the cops. It was an accident. The best thing that could have happened to me. You know that I took the job, and I cleaned up and I’ve been doing really well, and even though I complain about it this is what I love to do and for once you could be proud of me-“ He stopped and looked up at Harvey as if asking him permission. Harvey bit his lower lip and nodded. He wasn’t good at family moments like these. “And while all that was happening I still wasn’t telling you the whole story...” Mike seemed to be finding the courage to form the lie but Grammy interrupted.
“Tell me this is the part where you two are getting married.”
Neither of them had anything to say. Mike tried to stutter out a sentence, and Harvey was just staring,. She looked serious and when it was obvious that she wasn’t getting an answer out of Mike she looked to Harvey. He nodded. “Yeah… Yeah, we are.”
Now the my-hero look from before was directed at him, and she stood on wobbly old legs and hugged Harvey in an iron grip. “I knew it. Oh, congratulations.” Mike was still unable to make anything that sounded like words come out his mouth. Harvey couldn’t stop laughing. She finally let go and sat back down, giggling on her own. “I’m sorry. I hate ruining the moment for you, Mikey, but if I had let you tell me it would have taken us all day.”
Harvey laughed and sat next to Mike on the bed. “And here we thought we were being subtle.”
“The thing is Mike doesn’t think I knew any of that stuff. I knew bits and pieces though. Knew Trevor was holding him back. Knew that he was in trouble, just not how or how deep. Then he met you.” She practically glowed at Harvey. “I saw the change in him immediately. When he told me about you and the deal you gave him, I knew.”
Mike sighed. “Grammy I-you didn’t even know I was gay-“
She laughed. “Oh, I knew something was up.” She leaned back in her chair. All ancient wisdom and knowledge that Harvey knew would probably be embarrassing as hell. “Don’t tell me you don’t remember?”
“Whatever it is, please keep it to yourself-“
Harvey looked hurt. “Some of us want to hear the story.”
“Behave.” She chuckled and winked at Harvey. “Mike was maybe six or seven, and was watching his first big kid show.” All the blood drained from Mike’s face. “We couldn’t have been more than six episodes into the first season when Mike turned to me and said, ‘Grammy! I am going to marry Captain Kirk’.”
Mike groaned and put his head in his hands.
“He stuck with that until he was thirteen years old.”
Harvey was dying. He was seriously unable to breath. Then he was crying and shaking, trying to hold it in but it all just came out in a mass of giggles. He could imagine it. Little Mike, watching for three seasons, ‘Spock is so cool, Kirk is so dreamy. We’re going to get married’.
When Harvey finally came up for air from his giggle fit he leaned forward, took the old woman’s hand, and kissed it. “Thank you.” His smile was genuine. He hadn’t laughed like that in a long time.
Mike stood. “I’m going to go… get some water.” He walked out, obviously huffy. Harvey thought about following him but decided against it. Instead he looked back at Grammy who was eyeing him curiously- she seemed to think he was going to go after Mike too.
“But really.” He clasped her hand with both of his. “Thank you.” He whispered. “I knew he was scared to tell you but- that was the best reaction I could have hoped for.” Later, he’d worry about her being so willing to accept it. Right now, he was on the fast-track to citizenship. “He’ll be mad that I laughed but... honestly I’m relieved.”
“You thought maybe he could have met a nice girl, had some great-grand babies and settled down if he hadn’t met you?”
Harvey nodded.
“Well, I’ll tell you what- if anyone could measure up to James Tiberius Kirk, it’s you.” She patted his hands, as his eyebrows went up. “It will all be alright. Now, why the sudden rush to tell me?”
Harvey bit his lip. “We’re suddenly in a rush to tell everyone. I’m not actually a US citizen. They were going to ship me off to Canada.”
Grammy made a face. “You poor thing.”
“I know. Suddenly, not telling anyone stopped being convenient.”
“How has your family taken it?”
Harvey shrugged. “Haven’t told them yet.”
Grammy scrunched her nose. “And why would that be, may I ask?”
“Just thought Mike would feel better if we told you first.”
The old woman shook her head. “You really do always put him first.”
Harvey just smiled at their hands. That was not true at all. This was all very new. The whole putting others first thing- it was new but he had already put himself far enough in front of Mike’s needs with practically forcing this on him.
The door opened again and Mike came in with three cups of pudding and spoons. “I didn’t find water. Did you get the embarrassing stories out of your system?”
“Why yes, I did. Now how about we do something fun. I’m tired of all this somber talk. Parcheesi or Yahtzee?”
“Yahtzee,” Mike answered. He handed Harvey a pudding.
Harvey grinned as the old woman pulled out the dice and score pads. “Let the games begin.”
They headed over to Mike’s apartment after lunch with Grammy and the old woman beating them both three games in a row. Harvey was waiting while Mike packed the essentials. He would send movers for the rest of Mike’s junk later. They agreed most would end up in storage except the books. Those were going in the “spare” bedroom because apparently Mike couldn’t live without his collection. Mike was packing his toiletries when Harvey’s phone rang. “Donna?”
“Louis has been snooping.”
“Oh really?”
She huffed and there was a ruffling on the other end, probably her shifting to the other ear. “Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already got someone tailing you kids. Be on the lookout.”
“Louis wants a show, he’ll get a show.” Harvey was not going to have Louis ruin this.
“Oh and f-y-i? If you do not call your brother soon, I will. He is going to be pissed so as it is- he lost the bet we had going on whether you would ever get married.”
“Awe, you thought I would marry someone?”
“Yeah, but I was banking on sixty with a playboy bunny on your arm. This arrangement is infinitely more domestic. Now behave and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
With that she hung up and Harvey sighed. Mike came out with a suit bag and duffle. “That Donna?”
Harvey nodded. “We’ve got to be on watch.”
“Louis?” Mike asked.
“Yeah, Louis.” Mike’s face paled and Harvey sighed. “Just be calm alright. I’m going to call my brother and then we’ll head out.” He punched in his brother’s number and Mike practically ran back into his room. He sighed. The phone rang twice before David picked up.
“Harve? What up? You don’t usually call me on Thursdays, or any day. Is it a holiday I’m not aware of?”
“Nice to hear from you too, Dave.”
“Seriously though, what you need?”
Harvey rolled his eyes. “I don’t need anything. I’ve just- I kind of… have news.” Way to use your words, hot shot.
“Oh news. Well, if it’s news, I am all ears. Have you been elected mayor? Are non-citizen’s allowed to be elected mayor? No, you’re moving back home? I know you hate it here but I swear no one really says ‘eh’ anymore. Not since we got the internet. If you get here soon, I’m still out on medical. They don’t want to rush my recovery even though I tell them I’m fine-“
“No, but it’s actually about that. My trip to see you-?”
“Oh god, you left the country while your application was being processed.”
Harvey winced. “I have got to stop teaching you about the law.”
“You’re coming home? Nice. Gabs will be thrilled-“
“No, I’m not. Some plans of mine just got-… expedited. It’s for the best, I suppose.”
“Immigration law is pretty clear that the only way you’d be allowed to stay is if you were getting married or something. And it’s not like you’ve got a girl in your life, just-“ His brother stopped and Harvey looked at his phone to make sure the call hadn’t been dropped.
“David?”
“I’ll call you back.” Then the line went dead. Harvey stared at his phone curiously. Mike returned, and Harvey looked up at him.
“I sort of told him.” Harvey shrugged grabbing the duffle. “Let’s head back home for now.” Mike nodded and followed him out to where Ray was waiting on the street. They threw his bag and suits in the trunk. That’s when Harvey saw Mike was shaking.
“It’ll be fine. He didn’t sound panicked or anything.” Harvey reached out and closed the trunk.
“But you don’t know that, what if he does? What if he demands you break it off and go back to Canada?” Mike ranted. Harvey was about say that that was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard, when he saw a man on the end of the street watching them. He knew that guy. That was Louis’ guy. The one he called on to be underhanded and sneaky. Harvey’s anger flared and he thought fast. Luckily, the kid was distracted by his mini freak-out session. “And what if-?”
Harvey grabbed Mike’s jacket, and pulled him forward into a not so gentle but rather well executed kiss.
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