Chapter Text
You’re in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner while Toby plays some game in the living room. Harvey’s helping put away leftovers while you scrub a pan, when he turns to you. “So… My parents are asking when you can finally come over for dinner.”
You look up from the sink, sponge pausing in its little circles.
"Oh," you say, caught a little off guard by the question. You've met his parents, of course, just quick conversations and greetings, but going over for a proper dinner feels more… serious than that.
You consider it, scrubbing soap into the pan absently. "Uh… anytime this week really, did they suggest a day?” You ask, trying your best to hide the shake in your voice.
“They were hoping you could come by Friday,” he says casually, but you can tell by the way his shoulders tense that he’s nervous too.
Friday. A whole night where they can pick and prod, ask questions, find out if you're good enough for their son.
You try to ignore the tiny flutter of nerves in your stomach. "Yeah. Sure. Friday's fine with me," you mutter, going back to scrubbing.
“You don’t have to be too worried, they’ve seen how much you’ve helped me with the divorce, how you saved me, how much Toby loves you… Think of it more as a formality.” He places a container of food in the fridge before grabbing your shoulder reassuringly.
"A formality," you echo, more for your own benefit than anything.
You know they like you, at least on some level, but something about the thought of going over there, under their scrutinizing gaze, just makes your stomach do an uncomfortable flip.
You let out a sigh, trying to shake off the nerves. "Yeah… formality. Right. No big deal."
Harvey watches you carefully, eyes tracing over your expression. "…Are you okay?" he asks quietly, thumb rubbing the line of your shoulders.
There's a part of you that wants to play this cool, that wants to hide your nerves and pretend you're fine. But you know that won't fly with Harvey, so instead you just let out another shaky exhale.
"I don't know. I-I’ve never really done the whole ‘meet the parents’ thing."
He's still got his hand on your shoulder, and it tightens at that confession.
He tries for a lopsided smile. "Yeah, well, they'll love you. Honest. My dad can be a bit… quiet, but he's sweet. And my mum will adore you, I know it."
Your tone drops to something shy and a little serious. “Also… can I call them Harper and Evan or are first names off limits? I’ve just been calling them miss and sir… or just avoiding addressing them at all.”
Harvey giggles at the question, “First names are fine, love. You’ll just make them feel old otherwise.”
Friday comes around and Harvey drags you out of the car with your hand in his. You fidget with your shirt, trying to smooth down any wrinkles as he rings the doorbell.
He watches you fidget, his own palm clammier than normal. You can tell he's nervous too, and you’re unsure if that should make you feel better or worse.
The door swings open, and his parents smile as they step forward to greet you.
"Come on in!" his mother- Harper, calls out cheerfully. "We're glad you could make it."
You smile back, the corners of your lips only twitching slightly. “Thanks for inviting me.”
"Don't just stand there like a stiff," Harvey mutters under his breath, nudging you forward with his shoulder.
His mum pulls you into a warm hug, unexpected, but not unwelcome, and when she pulls back, she's smiling at you like she already knows all the good things about you.
"Harvey’s told us so much," she says softly. "We're so glad to finally have you here."
His dad- Evan, (you probably won’t get used to saying their names…) nods, muttering something about needing to go back to the kitchen. He grabs Harvey along the way, saying he needs him to help taste everything.
Then his mum gently links her arm with yours.
"Come on, dear," she says warmly. "Let's go sit in the lounge. Let the boys ruin dinner together."
That makes you laugh a little, Harvey’s a great cook, if anything you’d find a way to ruin dinner without even stepping foot in the kitchen.
She guides you to sit down, sitting herself in a nearby chair and turning to you with bright eyes.
Harper sits with such easy confidence, and you can see where Harvey got his mannerisms from. She has the same bright eyes, the same curious look on her face when she studies you.
"So," she starts, clasping her hands in her lap. “I won’t pry too much, but I can’t help wanting to know a little more about our son's mysterious savior.”
You smile sheepishly, “I’m not- I mean, I wouldn’t have made it out without him there so… I don’t see him as a princess in need of rescue,” you clarify. Harvey’s helped you more than you could ever thank him for, it’s not all one sided.
His mom smiles, and you see the way her eyes soften just a little.
"He's always been like that," she says softly, like she's telling a secret. “Looking out for anyone and everyone except himself. I worry about him, you know. He always wanted to help, no matter the cost to himself…"
You nod, thinking back to how hard he tried to please you when he first moved in…
"Even when he was little, he was like that," she continues, a wistful note in her voice. "There was never a day that boy cared about his own wellbeing more than somebody else's. I used to tell him he was too good for this world, that people would take advantage of him. It was a… constant fight, really. He was so stubborn."
Your heart aches at the images her words invoke, the thought of Harvey as a little kid, too trusting, too kind for his own good. You laugh a little when she calls him stubborn though. “He’s beyond stubborn. It took me months just to convince him he didn’t need to cook for me all the time.”
She lets out a low laugh at that.
"I'm not surprised," she confesses. “He used to try and make us breakfast in bed every Sunday once I remarried. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, the works. He'd wake up before anyone else in the house, then carry two trays up to our room with this… massive smile on his face, just so proud of himself for getting it right. No matter how many times we told him he didn't have to, the next week, he'd be back at it again."
His mom gets a shy look on her face, like she’s worried she’s said too much, but you just give her a soft smile and a laugh. “I won’t tell him you told me that, don’t worry.”
"Good." She chuckles, glancing in the direction of the kitchen, where you can hear the sounds of the boys bickering like kids.
Her expression softens again as she looks back at you. "I'm glad he has you in his life," she says after a moment, more quietly than before. "Not just because you saved him, but… because I think he needed someone like you."
You tilt your head, silently asking her to continue.
She smiles, folding her hands in her lap. "He's always been… a giver," she explains gently. "Especially with his wife...” Her smile falls a little. “But he's so different around you. He smiles more- He seems…" She pauses, searching for the word. "Happy. At ease. Like everything's… settled."
Your face flushes a little, it’s nice hearing that he seems better off with you, especially from his own parents. “I… That’s all I really want, to make him happy.”
She smiles again, then reaches out to squeeze your hand. "I know. I can tell. And that's what matters." She shoots you another wink. "That, and the fact that you're far better for him than she ever was. Even before all the chaos."
Her gaze takes on a new sharpness at the mention of Eun-mi, and you can see where some of Harvey's intense protectiveness came from.
Then she softens a little, her brow furrowing, “You really love him, don’t you?”
That throws you off, sending your heart thumping in your chest. Because yeah, you do. You're absolutely hopelessly head-over-heels for that stubborn, too-kind, perfect man.
You glance over in the direction of the kitchen, a fond smile spreading across your face, “Yeah, I do.”
Her smile widens into a full-fledged grin, and there's a gleam of approval in her eyes as she watches you gaze in the direction of the kitchen.
"Good," she says firmly, giving your hand another squeeze. "I'm glad."
Harvey comes walking back in, yelling about how dinner will be ready in five so you better get your butts to the table. He notices his mom’s hand on yours and raises an eyebrow. “I hope you’re not giving him a hard time Mum.”
She gives him a look of mock-offense, the picture-perfect version of the look Harvey gives you.
"Me?" she gasps, feigning indignance. "I would never. I'm only getting to know him."
He shoots you a suspicious look. "...Uh-huh," he responds, not buying it for a second.
You get guided to the dinner table, Harvey’s dad proudly placing dishes down with care. He’s definitely a quiet one, but he seems so full of love and affection it’s practically pouring off of him.
Harvey pulls out a chair for you, then sits down next to you. His knee knocks against yours under the table as you all settle in, and when you look over, his lips twitch in a tiny smirk.
You can feel his parents watching as you all talk, and every time you look away from Harvey, you can sense them darting glances between you two. It's almost like they're analyzing, seeing how many times he makes you smile or laugh, how you hold his hand…
Then comes the question you really should’ve prepared for.
“So! How’d you two meet?” his mom asks you excitedly. “Harvey here won’t even give us a clue, keeps saying it was something boring.”
Harvey flushes under her gaze, suddenly very interested in the food on his plate. "Mum, it was bor-"
"Oh, quit it," she interrupts him with a wave of her hand. "No more hiding things, I need to hear this story." She winks at you, leaning forward in her seat.
Oh no.
You can’t exactly tell them you fucked on the side of the road then gave him your number- Oh and he was still married at the time… You cast a panicked glance over at Harvey and he just tenses even further.
Time to lie through your teeth.
“Well… it was actually pretty boring,” you start, scrambling to come up with something. “I just saw him at a little coffee shop and sat down across from him. It was busy, so there weren’t any other seats left.”
They hang onto your every word, eyes wide and attentive, especially Harvey's mom.
"And then?" she presses, leaning forward as if physically trying to soak in every last word.
“I couldn’t help myself, I tried talking to him and he just seemed so sweet… I had to ask if I could give him my number.” Your confidence grows when you see how much his mom is eating up your story.
She swoons slightly, actually swoons, a hand on her chest like she's watching some romance movie.
Meanwhile, Harvey's eyes are wide as saucers, looking at you like you've suddenly gained a thousand points in respect. His dad just chuckles, mumbling "smooth" under his breath.
“It took him a whole week to text me though. I almost thought he wasn’t interested.” You say with a smug grin, at least that part’s true.
She gasps at that, covering her mouth in mock-shock. "A whole week?" she asks incredulously, eyes wide with curiosity.
Harvey sinks deeper into his seat, looking like he's fighting off a mortified groan as his dad snickers across from him.
You grin a little wider. “Yep, he was so shy. He told me he wasn’t expecting someone to find him so quickly after the divorce started.”
Harvey huffs at that, crossing his arms and mumbling to his dad: "I wasn't shy. I was just... surprised."
His dad eyes him sympathetically, trying desperately to disguise a grin.
His mom, on the other hand, just sighs dreamily. "That's so sweet," she croons, a hand over her heart again.
With your big story passing the test, the rest of the conversation is mostly about how everything’s been between the divorce and ‘the incident’ as his mom likes to call it.
Eventually, Harvey gets up to go to the bathroom, and you’re suddenly left alone with his parents.
They both look at you for a moment, then his mom starts giggling, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"He really likes you," she says with a little sigh, her eyes filled with such obvious affection and approval that it makes your heart warm.
Even his dad is beaming at you. "He's been so much better since he met you," he chimes in, a proud smile on his face. "He doesn't have that... empty look in his eyes anymore."
You remember it well. The way he’d shrink on himself, how he used to be so hesitant around you, eager for any little scrap of affection.
You nod, silently agreeing with them.
Then, they share a little look, their gazes turning serious when their eyes focus back on you.
"We know what it's like to lose someone you love to the wrong kind of person," his mom says softly, her voice gentle but firm. "And we don't want that for Harvey ever again."
His dad leans forward slightly, hands clasped together. "You've made him smile in a way we haven't seen in years," he adds quietly. "We can see how much you care for him."
Then they both say it at once, voices warm but weighted:
"Take care of him."
It's not a request, it's not even a plea- it's a command, and your heart thunders against your ribcage as the words echo through your mind.
You swallow nervously, heart throbbing in your throat.
"I… of course," you manage to stutter. "I'd never let anything happen to him."
You’ve never had this before, a relationship deep enough that you were this afraid of screwing up. You can’t help the way you tense under their stares.
Then, like a switch flipping, his mom softens, reaching over to gently pat your hand.
"Breathe," she says with a small chuckle. "We're not trying to scare you."
His dad snorts softly at that. "...Maybe we are a little."
She shoots him a look before turning back to you with kind eyes. "We can see how much you love him. And as long as that doesn’t change… You’ll always have a place here.”
Harvey comes back, and the conversation lightens again. By the end, you’re all smiling and laughing, the tension from before a distant memory.
It's a comfortable atmosphere, like an actual happy family. The conversation flows easily, the food is delicious, and his dad's quiet remarks make you laugh so hard you nearly choke.
The whole time, Harvey holds your hand under the table, thumb tracing gentle lines along your knuckles.
They insist on giving you food to take home, packing up little boxes and shoving them into your arms despite Harvey’s protests.
Harvey grumbles, trying to take some of the boxes from you.
"Mum, we don't need to take that much-“
"Oh, shut up, Harvey," she mutters, slapping his hand away. "We can’t possibly eat it all, and we need to make sure you boys get enough."
You have to hold back a laugh, knowing that the boxes are probably going to leave you with leftovers for the next week.
You carefully place the containers in the back seat of the car, making sure they won’t fall over. Harvey gets into the passenger seat with a huff, watching you closely.
"They always do this," he mutters, buckling his seatbelt with a dramatic sigh. "I swear, you'd think we're starving orphans the way they force food on me every time."
But then he glances at you, and there's a softness in his eyes that gives him away.
"...But I'm glad you liked them."
You plant a kiss on his cheek. “I love them, they told me so many embarrassing stories about you.”
"You absolute-" He sputters, face turning pink. "Nevermind, you're never going near them again."
But he's smiling as he says it, and when you start the car, he reaches over and squeezes your hand.