Wear My Name: Chapter 9
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 shows off his things, and Mike finally hits a breaking point.
Harvey grinned as he and Mike got out of their taxi and walked towards the large building in front of them. Mike was confused. "The aquarium? This is your grand scheme for today?"
The inside was blue- blue everywhere. There was already a large tank in the lobby- not too big, probably didn't want to show off all the interesting stuff before the people paid them. Harvey had finally changed out of his pajamas when the rest of his family had awoken. He didn't bother with his hair so much- only putting a little gel in it to keep it back. He wore a boring green button up and jeans. Mike wore his t-shirt and jeans still.
David had once commented on the fact that Harvey was always dressed like he had something to prove. Well, Harvey showed him. This was the most relaxed he had dressed in a long while.
Felt pretty good.
Harvey shrugged. "Gabrielle prefers it to the zoo. She doesn't like seeing animals in cages."
Mike frowned. "And fish are different because?"
"Something about them being stuck to water anyway so it isn't as sad?"
Mike laughed. "Four year old logic."
Harvey frowned. "Hey, Gabs is brilliant… In her own four year old way. She's gifted- just like her uncle."
"Yeah, I'm pretty amazing."
Harvey leered at him.
Mike snickered. "But seriously? The park would be more fun than an aquarium."
"True, we can go to the park later. But she's a sucker for learning the ocean- wants to be a dolphin doctor. Her words, not mine. Besides, your penguin fact from last night? It reminded me that you had a book from this aquarium of the different kinds of fish. I saw it at your apartment."
Mike gave him a suspicious look as they entered. Dave's taxi hadn't arrived yet so Harvey went to buy admission for the five of them. "I get it now."
Harvey laughed. "What?"
"You're showing me off."
Harvey made a vague gesture with his hand, a noncommittal sort of wave to the air as he looked at some pamphlets on a rack by the doors. There were a bunch on whales and sharks. He grabbed a couple and handed them to Mike without looking at him. Where was his brother? "I show all my things off. Dave knows that. Have you seen my office? He's seen the lovey-dovey stuff but he is probably still on the fence as to why. This will prove it."
"Prove what?"
Harvey grinned. "That not only do I want to keep you but that you've got staying power."
"I guess this is more practical then bringing them to work and just watching me be awesome."
Harvey grinned because Mike was right- not that Harvey would say so. Mike got better every day. One of these days, Mike would make partner. Not that Harvey would spend time thinking about that. Besides, Harvey still would be able to show Mike off. They were getting married after all. Harvey would get to show him off whenever he wanted, and the idea made Harvey grin wider.
Harvey stopped pursuing pamphlets and looked at Mike. His associate almost looked sad. "What?"
"I'm not a thing."
Harvey frowned. It had never bothered Mike before. "Seriously? That's what the pout is about?" Mike rolled his eyes and turned away. Harvey grabbed his elbow and forced him to turn back, meeting his eyes. "Hey." Mike turned, his face the picture of exasperation, and waited. Harvey sighed. "I know. But you are my fiancé. There is a possessive in there somewhere."
"So it's like that?"
"Hey, you pulled the jealous fiancé act already. How is this different?"
"It's-… Okay maybe it isn't all that different."
"See? Perfect."
Mike didn't look convinced but David and Alisa came in at that moment and Gabrielle came running up to them. "Mickey! Fish, fish, fishy, fish!" Harvey grinned as she grabbed at his Mike's pants leg and attempted to pull him towards the entrance.
Seeing his niece so excited put him at ease. He loved his niece, but you could tell she wanted to be seen as smart. She wanted to speak like the grownups. That was to be expected and she managed it pretty well. Harvey liked her like this though, excitement reducing her vocabulary to a name and the word fish.
"Uncle Arby says you know lots of stuff!" Gabrielle said, dragging her new uncle along behind her as they traveled down a corridor. It was a huge tank of exotic fish that went from ceiling to floor. They swam in rainbow spirals around the tank, perfectly coordinated.
Mike practically glowed as he picked up the little girl. "Pick one and I'll name it."
"Pink!" She pointed at a nearby fish. Alisa grinned and followed closely. Harvey and David hung back a little. Mike was spectacular. He would name the fish and Gabrielle would repeat it loudly, glancing at her parents with a smile. Mike would sometimes back track and ask Gabrielle what the name of a fish was. She would say it slowly, but with certainty. The little diva loved to impress. Other than calling the clownfish 'Nemo', she was a quick study, as always. By the grin on her face when the adults laughed, it was obviously a calculated error- definitely her uncle's niece.
Harvey couldn't stop watching Mike. There was something about Mike when he was in full eidetic memory mode that really caught a person's eye. Some people had taken to following them. They asked Mike questions about different fish and Mike answered them readily. It must be exhausting to remember everything all the time.
David remained quiet at Harvey's side while they made their way past the fish.
"Penquins!" The happy little girl squealed loudly. The 'penquins' waddled over to the employee feeding them. Gabrielle finally detached herself from Mike and ran down to the glass to watch them swim. Mike and Alisa ran after her.
Harvey looked at his brother, about to ask why he was so quiet. David was looking at him- had probably been watching him the whole time. "He's brilliant," David said in a hushed voice.
"Yeah, I know."
"I'm sorry."
Harvey shrugged. "Nothing to be sorry about."
"No I mean it. I really had my doubts but- I jumped to conclusions."
Harvey shrugged again. His brother was so dramatic. He looked back over as Mike finally caught the four year old and spun her above his head, then scolded her for running. She apologized and hugged Mike. Mike hugged her back, glowing blue against the water in the penguin tank. Harvey smiled. "It happens."
When he looked back at his brother, he looked relieved. "I've never seen you look at anyone like that."
Harvey immediately changed his facial expression. "Like what?"
David rolled his eyes. "How do you think?" His brother walked over to the tank and stood with his wife.
"Uncle Arby! Penquins! Look!"
Mike smiled over at him and jerked his head toward the tank. Harvey made his way over and slid in close to Mike and his niece. A couple penguins glided by behind the glass. Gabrielle's big brown eyes stared up at the penguins in childlike wonder. Mike looked at the little girl with an almost identical look.
Mike probably didn't interact with kids much.
He was a natural.
Mike looked at him, smiling softly. Harvey smiled back, and Mike's eyes flickered downward. Suddenly Mike turned red, and looked away. It took Harvey by surprise. Was Mike being… shy? Harvey slipped an arm wound Mike's waist.
Harvey leaned in and whispered. "I never get tired of watching you be brilliant." He felt Mike's back go tense and he chuckled. This was too precious.
Gabrielle grinned at her uncles, asking to be let down. Mike let her go but Harvey didn't move away. Mike watched the penguins a little longer. Harvey watched Mike.
The rest of the visit went well. Gabrielle nearly died when they went to the dolphins' tank. Mike literally had to wrestle her away and drag her towards the exit. Harvey would have helped but he was buying Gabrielle a pink dolphin Frisbee and a rubber ball with penguins all over it. When Mike finally delivered her to Alisa, he was panting. He joined Harvey in the gift shop and caught his breath. "Your niece has spunk."
"Oh, so she's my niece when she's being difficult and yours when she's brilliant?"
Mike laughed. "She is when you don't help me. One holler from you she would have come running."
"Yeah, well, you two were having so much fun. Didn't want to ruin it." Harvey laced his fingers with Mike's and led him back over to his-
No.
Their family.
That probably should have scared him more than it did.
Harvey made good on his promise of the park. It was after dinner and the sun was hanging low over the city. They headed over to Central Park from the aquarium. In the first large patch of green they found all five of them made a circle. Harvey and David threw Frisbee's like they were on the team for it in high school. He was lucky if his made it within a few feet of anyone. Harvey was teaching Gabrielle to throw. She didn't like that she wasn't picking it up right away. Mike could see her losing energy fast.
"Uncle Mickey?" She yawned and Mike laughed, scooping her up in his arms.
"Tired?" She nodded. Mike sat with her on a nearby bench and she rested her head on his thigh, curling up for a nap. He watched as David and Harvey switched to the ball, tossing it back and forth with ease.
Alisa sat next to Mike. "Hey there."
"Hey."
"You're in for a treat. They get competitive."
Mike frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Harvey and David use to be on the same baseball team. Harvey pitched. David always wanted to pitch. Then Harvey's shoulder started to go… He never told you?"
Mike grinned. "I suspected something along those lines."
"Anyway, it starts out all fun and games until-"
"Bet you can't hit the knothole on that tree over there." David smirked.
"You're on, rookie."
Said tree was about fifteen yards from where they stood. Harvey took a pitcher's stance, planting his feet sideways. He wound back and released the ball. It bounced off the knothole of the tree, the rubber material causing it to fly back a few feet. It landed, and the brothers were off like a shotgun. Mike had never seen Harvey run, but it was amazing. He ran like someone who knew how- all controlled power and breathing. He got the ball before David and turned to run. David fell when he tried to turn but grabbed Harvey by the legs and they rolled.
"Can't get the better of me, little bro." Harvey scrambled to his feet, laughing and holding the ball above his head. His back was to them on the bench. Mike lifted Gabrielle and set her with her mother, then slowly crept up on Harvey.
"Not fair." David whined from the ground.
"You might want to get back in the gym, Dave. Those six weeks on light labor have made you lazy."
Mike snatched the ball and ran off. "And you're getting slow." He could hear Harvey chasing after him but didn't dare to look back.
"Why you little shit- just wait until I catch you!" There was real amusement in his voice though.
"I might be waiting a while at this rate!" Mike dodged between a couple of trees, and headed back the way he came. Harvey wasn't the only one in the gym. "Come on, old man! Can't keep up?"
Mike spoke too soon. A hand grabbed at his shirt almost immediately after he said it. The sudden halt had them both tumbling to the ground. He and Harvey rolled. When they stopped, Harvey was- of course- on top and had managed to pin down his shoulders. "Old man, huh?"
Harvey's cheeks were flushed, panting as he recovered from their chase. Some of Harvey's hair was out of place and Mike had the impulse to reach up and fix it. The fading light of day cast shadows over Harvey's face. His expression went blank as his hold on Mike's shoulders slackened.
Mike watched as Harvey's lips closed in on his and he caught on, leaning up to meet him in an easy kiss. The slow slide of Harvey's tongue on his. He hadn't kissed Harvey all day and it was surprisingly hard not to. Amazing what you could get use to in a matter of days. So when he saw Harvey going for it well-
Mike couldn't help but meet him half way this time.
It didn't last nearly long enough. When Harvey pulled back, he released Mike and helped him to his feet. Grabbing his hand, Harvey led him back to David and Alisa, who were gathering up Gabrielle. "Hey, you two, we were just thinking it's later in the evening. Maybe we should go get our stuff and check into the hotel," David said.
Harvey smiled. "Leaving us already?"
"Afraid so."
Mike's grip tightened on Harvey's hand. They were going to finally be alone. Which meant Harvey would put the distance back between them for sure. He'd be sleeping alone. He didn't want to and this was becoming a problem.
They called a taxi big enough for all of them, and piled in. Harvey still had a hold of Mike's hand.
When they got back to Harvey's place, Alisa and David packed there things as if they were in a hurry. "You sure you don't want to stay for coffee or something?" Harvey asked as they began to carry their things to the hall.
David shook his head. "No, you've put up with us long enough. When you guys plan on marrying?"
"Wednesday."
"See you at the courthouse." Dave grinned and shut the door.
Mike frowned, sitting at the counter. "What was their problem?"
Harvey came up beside him looking towards his front door, holding back laughter. "I think they think they were cock-blocking us the past two days." Mike's eyes went wide and he looked anywhere but at Harvey. Harvey chuckled. "Wow, have you been shy today or what?" Mike glared his protest. Harvey looked smug and Mike didn't like it.
"Says you."
"Well, you weren't as quick to play the game today as you usually are."
Mike let out a short laugh. "I suppose you're right. I've been a bit hesitant, just me thinking too much I'm sure."
Harvey looked genuinely curious. "What about?"
Mike felt his will bending under those eyes. "Well, they're gone now."
"Yeah?"
"So… There isn't anyone here to spy on us."
"Yeah?"
Oh God, shut up, Mike. "So… I guess I'm-" Harvey and Mike started as Mike's cellphone buzzed loudly. "Oh, I had better-" Thank goodness.
Harvey nodded, pulling back. How did Harvey sneak in so close? "Yeah." He turned to open the fridge.
Mike clicked the button without checking. "Hello?"
"Mike, you're alive!"
Trevor.
Mike regretted being mostly deaf. His Grammy had always told him to turn his earphones down for a reason. Having the incoming call volume so loud suddenly became the worst decision of his life because Harvey froze to the spot, letting the fridge door swing closed.
"Oh, yeah, it's Saturday."
"Yeah, you were late for our call. You always said if you don't call me by ten that I should call you. I've never had to do it before. You score with a chick or something? Because then I totally understand-"
"It's not that, Trevor, I've just been busy. Things are really hectic right now-"
"Harvey busting your ass again? Seriously, dude, isn't there someone you can complain to about that guy always riding you so hard."
Harvey turned to face Mike, watching him intently. Mike made a gesture indicating he was going to the guest bedroom. "No, it hasn't got anything to do with work. I've just- some stuff came up and some plans were pushed forward and-" He closed the guest room door behind him and slid to the floor.
"You're rambling, Michael. Spill."
Mike let out a sigh. "I'm getting married."
Silence met him on the other end.
"To Harvey."
More silence.
"Wednesday."
Still nothing.
"Would you just say something already?"
"What do you-? I mean, Harvey?! Dude you never even- Shit why didn't you tell me? You're my best friend. I tell you everything! You know it doesn't matter to me that you're into dudes, but that you didn't tell me you were hurts, man. And Harvey? The guy who busts your balls all the time and doesn't give two shits about you?"
"He does!" Mike cut him off, anger boiling up in his stomach. "He does care, and I had good reason to keep the gay thing from you alright? Can we just leave it at that?"
"No, we can't. I tell you everything. After all this time, that you still don't trust me-"
"Not with this-"
"Mikey, I swear if you don't give me a good reason why-"
"I was in love with you- you idiot!"
The world stopped.
Mike wanted to die- he wanted to crawl in a hole and never see the light of day.
"I didn't want it to affect our friendship. That was what was important to me. It IS what is important to me. It has been a long time since I felt that way, so I didn't see why I should bring it up. I didn't want you to think that was the sole basis for our friendship." Mike could almost sense Harvey on the other side of the door. The nosey bastard.
"Oh… Mikey, I seriously had no idea."
"Trust me. Your college years got me over that pretty quickly. You were a shit friend. You used me and were the worst influence, and by the end I just couldn't get myself out of the hole I'd dug."
"Okay, I get that. But I still don't-… You are always complaining to me that Harvey is emotionally unavailable- that he is selfish. I don't want to see you hurt."
Oh… Right.
Harvey wasn't in love with him. Harvey cared but…
Mike was going to cry.
"Mikey, you're the white picket fence guy. I always knew you wanted that. Can you see Harvey with a dog, a kid and a yard? Can you see you two at fifty? Sixty? I mean- damn it, Mikey-tell me that you know for sure he loves you and I will never ask again. Tell me and mean it."
"I don't have to prove-"
"Mike."
Mike hung up so Trevor couldn't hear the sob as he started to cry.
He stared at the ceiling in hopes it would unlock the mystery that was his stupid life choices.
Why didn't the ceiling reveal what it knew to him? He stood and wiped his eyes. Sure enough, Harvey was right outside the door when he opened it.
"So that's why you still call Trevor."
Mike laughed, wiping his face even though the tears were mostly gone. "No. Usually our calls aren't about me. They're just him bitching about people in rehab and at his job. They are never usually that eventful." Mike found the courage to meet Harvey's eyes and yeah, Harvey was angry, but he was trying to hide it. "You're mad."
"The deal was we would be honest with each other, since we are lying to the rest of the world. You should have told me."
Mike shrugged.
For the first time since their charade began, Mike really just wanted to be alone.
"Mike. If he figures it out- we're both going down for this- not just me."
"But that's what you're worried about."
Harvey's hard expression grew stiffer before rapidly softening out - his eyebrows slightly raised, his lips slipping apart.
Mike's voice was quiet and calm as he went on. "You're good at this. This game. I- I'm not as good at it as I thought. I forget that when it comes down to it, you aren't someone who cares about anyone. You just play one on TV. The fact that I just came out to my best friend- someone I use to love- means nothing to you." Mike sighed. "You're more worried about your stupid immigration hearing, and I just can't deal with that right now. Besides, he already knows. Hanging up might as well have confirmed it."
"Confirmed what?" Oh, so it still speaks. There was a dread in that question that Mike just couldn't read right now.
"He knows you don't love me."
Mike closed the door to the guest room. He didn't slam it. Just let it shut in Harvey's face with a soft defining click.