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New York in fall really is a sight to behold. Crisp, golden leaves, a chill in the air and the sky is a beautiful cerulean blue…
Everything feels cosier, warmer and Mike inhales and exhales deeply, tilting his head back towards the late afternoon sun for a moment.
“Are you trying to get yourself knocked down by a cab?”
Harvey’s voice jerks him from his reverie and he blinks. ”Huh?”
“Mike, get on the god damn sidewalk.” Harvey says, his mouth twitching and oh.
He’s wandered into the road a little, ok.
“Just enjoying the beautiful fall day.” Mike smiles as they head towards the entrance of Central Park. “You know, being at one with nature? Connecting with Mother Earth?”
Harvey raises an eyebrow. “What nature?”
Mike laughs. “Uh, I think I saw some raccoons back there, building a nest?”
Harvey smirks and shakes his head but doesn’t comment. He pulls out a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses and puts them on and Mike stares a little. Damn Harvey and his good looks and cool demeanour. Even in his off work clothes - jeans and a dark grey jacket - he still looks insufferably hot.
They walk through into Central Park and Mike pauses by a bridge to take a photo or two of the burnt orange trees, their leaves cascading everywhere and blanketing the sidewalks.
“You feeling a little spiritual today, rookie?” Harvey teases as Mike breathes in and out again, trying to enjoy clean air instead of the smoke filled fumes of downtown.
“Told you. Being at one with nature.” Mike cuts back. He smiles at Harvey. “And you can stop acting like you don’t enjoy these walks with me, babe.”
“Hey, I’m here. In casual clothes.” Harvey points out. He adjusts his sunglasses. “When I could be-“
“No!” Mike cuts him off, putting on his best serious boyfriend tone. “You promised you wouldn’t spend your time telling me what you could’ve been doing, thats counterproductive to our peaceful walk.”
Harvey’s mouth twitches again. “I see.”
He waits for Mike to take another photo before sliding an arm round his shoulders. “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”
Mike blinks. “Huh?”
Is Harvey on something?
“I thought you wanted me to be philosophical?” Harvey smirks. He turns and kisses Mike on the temple, letting it linger for a moment. “So, does it?”
Mike smiles, a little giddy from the sudden PDA. “Uh, no, no. It doesn’t make a sound.”
Harvey frowns a little. “Of course it does. Like this….” He makes a dramatic-tree-falling-in-forest sound.
They walk slowly down a winding path and Mike smiles. “But if there’s no one there to perceive it, the sound isn’t heard.”
“It still happened.” Harvey says immediately. “So the world is silent if there’s no one around to hear it?”
Mike laughs, leaning into Harvey and snaking an arm round his waist as they walk. “If no one is there, how do you know it made a sound?” he counters.
Harvey snorts. “Because I know what a tree falling sounds like.” He moves his hand up idly to the back of Mike’s neck and gently strokes his hair.
“Sound can only exist in the mind of the perceiver.” Mike quips.
He smiles at an old lady who walks past with a fluffy white dog and she smiles back, her eyes flickering between the two of them. When he looks back at Harvey the older man is frowning a little, as though he is computing what Mike said on some deeper level.
After another thirty seconds, Mike laughs. “Did I render you speechless, oh great one?”
He cant see Harvey’s eyes behind the Tom Ford glasses but he’s pretty sure Harvey is rolling them.
“Serves me right for bringing up god damn philosophy.” he mutters.
“No, no, I love it when you engage your brain for something else besides corporate law, babe. It’s hot.” Mike smiles fondly. They wander over to an empty bench and sit down and Mike inhales and exhales again a few times, looking up at the gently swaying trees.
“Like I told you before, hit up Donna and her expensive Yoga class, they do weird breathing shit.” Harvey relaxes back, his fingers still caressing the back of Mike’s neck. "You'd fit right in."
“I’d achieve enlightenment.” Mike said confidently. “I’d be totally zen.”
“Sure. So zen that you forget to set your alarm this morning? Or so zen that you forget the deposition paperwork last week?” Harvey teases. “I don’t need a zen associate, thank you.”
Mike laughs at that. “Time is a social construct and the law is a made up concept to control the masses.”
He leans his head against Harvey’s shoulder and lets his eyes drift around the park. Leaves are swirling and the trees are half bare now. Mike can practically taste Halloween season in the air.
“Harvey?” he murmurs.
“Hmm?”
“Can we get a pumpkin for the apartment when it’s halloween?”
There is a beat before Harvey speaks. “Sure.”
Mike lifts his head and blinks in disbelief. “We can?”
Harvey smirks. “So you ask me for something, I say yes, then you’re shocked by my response?”
“No, no, I thought you’d say not a god damn chance in hell.” Mike says in his best Harvey voice.
Harvey laughs, slow and easy. “I’m feeling a little generous today.” he murmurs. He brushes his thumb round to Mike’s cheek, studying him for a moment.
“That’s nice, but as hot as you look in those sunglasses, I can’t see you.” Mike says, fighting to keep a stupid grin off his face. He pouts a little for effect.
Harvey takes them off and pockets them. “You’re right, sweetheart, I should show off my perfect face to the world. Let the mere mortals see excellence."
“Shut the hell up.” Mike laughs. “Egotistical asshole. This is a walk through nature, not us discussing about how Harvey Specter is hot... we already know that, it’s long established.”
“Correct, Mikey.” Harvey teases. He slides his arm round Mike and pulls him into his side and Mike goes willingly, leaning against him.
“Anything else?” Harvey says a minute later, turning and kissing the crown of Mike’s head. “Any other worldly thoughts? Brain teasers?”
“Hey, you bought up the tree in the forest!” Mike says. He pauses and pulls back a little to look at the older man, an idea flashing through his mind. Harvey is going to hate this one. “Is a hotdog a sandwich?”
Harvey opens his mouth. Closes it. Opens it. Closes it.
Mike laughs. “It’s food between two pieces of bread. Ergo, a sandwich.”
Harvey frowns a little. “That is not a god damn sandwich.”
“It’s not a dog either. Semantics.” Mike points out. He laughs again at Harvey’s expression. “I think I’m winning by two now, babe, you should quit before I take you three for three.”
“Alright, you have your shitty victory.” Harvey smirks. “Because that’s all you’re ever gonna win from me.”
Mike rolls his eyes fondly. To think Harvey calls him a drama queen approximately three times a day.
“Come on.” Harvey says, standing up suddenly. He holds out his hand and Mike blinks.
Even though Harvey is pretty good with PDA these days, he isn’t much of a hand holder in public. Mike stands up and hesitates for another second before sliding his hand into the older man's.
“You alright?” Harvey drops his tone to something a little softer and Mike smiles.
“I’m good, so good. You just don’t usually, uh, do this.” he shrugs, twining their fingers tightly so Harvey has zero chance of changing his mind and getting away from him.
“I told you, I’m feeling extra generous today.” Harvey says in a magnanimous tone. “All this hotdog talk has made me hungry, we’re getting pretzels.”
Mike blinks. “We are? Can I have a Pepsi?”
“You may.” Harvey rolls his eyes, but he’s still smiling. “You really are a puppy.”
“Don’t make me call you a thief of joy again, babe.” Mike smiles, gripping Harvey’s hand tightly. They slowly continue their walk through the park hand in hand, Mike pointing out random things and throwing in some facts that whoosh through his brain at the speed of light.
It’s quiet, just the odd person walking their dog and a few dedicated joggers rushing past.
“Did you know Central Park was inspired by a park in Liverpool in England?” he says, kicking through some leaves. “The first park for people of any background. It paved the way for public open spaces that don’t discriminate or exclude because of socioeconomic background.”
“Easy, Wikipedia.” Harvey smirks. He swings their hands a little. “And what year did they start building the park?”
“Eighteen fifty eight.” Mike says promptly. “But it took fifteen years to complete.”
“Impressive.” Harvey says. They walk up a bridge and pause at the top to take in the view of the beautiful autumnal trees and blue skies stretching out beneath them.
Mike sighs happily. “This is the best city in the whole world.”
Harvey nods and lets go of his hand but slides an arm round Mike again, anchoring him to his side.
“You feeling all connected to nature, babe?” Mike smiles a minute later.
“Of course.” Harvey smirks. He turns and kisses Mike on the temple again and Mike smiles, a warm feeling in his chest.
“Me too.” he mumbles. He looks back across the view of the park and leans further against Harvey. He doesn’t know why, but he can feel a ridiculous lump in his throat and he swallows thickly.
Everything in his life suddenly feels so calm and settled after living in chaos and uncertainty for so, so long.
Especially with the man next to him by his side. Dependable, strong Harvey. Always showing up for him, no matter what…
“Mike?” Harvey says gently. He rubs his hand down Mike’s arm a few times. “You with me?”
“I’m good. So good.” Mike assures him quickly. He smiles as Harvey presses another gentle kiss to the side of his head. “Can we get pretzels and Pepsi now?”
Harvey chuckles. “We can.”
“Cool.” Mike manages. “I… thank you, Harvey.”
Harvey nods, looking a little confused but he doesn’t question it. “Let’s go. Wouldn’t want you getting hangry on me.”
Mike laughs and they head off across the park towards their favourite pretzel cart.
Mike kicks through the crisp leaves happily as they go, the sunlight warm on his face and Harvey’s presence grounding him as always.
*