Chapter Text
That first day that Mike was out was surreal. He and Harvey went to Harvey’s favourite classy restaurant, then they went to their favourite bar, and then Mike dragged them to his favourite street meat cart and forced a flimsy hotdog upon Harvey, who surprisingly took it with very little debate. Mike’s freedom tasted sweet and he tried not to think any further than just the moment he was in and the man that he was with. His ex-boss, his best friend, his…. Everything. Mike deliberated on that point while he slowly chewed the rubbery hot dog. Harvey and Mike walked silently along the New York City sidewalk, occasionally brushing shoulders while they walked or bumping into each other like magnets after making way for a person rushing in the opposite direction cutting through them.
“Mike… You’re staring at that thing like it has the answers to life, the universe, and everything,” Harvey’s voice cut through Mike’s thoughts. He was maybe a little drunk because he couldn’t help but think about how Harvey’s voice felt. Like warm, cuddly blankets wrapping around him, cradling his neck, massaging his head. Mike missed alcohol, and he got a bit giddy at the thought of maybe getting high with Harvey in the near future.
“Forty-two,” Mike replied happily. “The hot dog didn’t tell me that though,” Mike added, so that Harvey wouldn’t think Mike was actually communicating with a hot dog. Harvey laughed, light and easy. This new Harvey was all kinds of light and easy. From his casual clothes, to his sun-bleached hair, to this laugh, which Mike had heard before, but it used to be a rare commodity. Mike could get used to hearing that laugh more often.
Harvey finally hailed a cab as they realized they didn’t really want to be walking around the city much later than 1AM and they weren’t all that close to anywhere they wanted to be. They sloppily piled into the backseat, Harvey’s arm draped over Mike’s shoulder comfortably. Harvey gave the cabby his address, and Mike thought it would be weird to see this new, light Harvey in the old Harvey’s apartment. All modern, and sleek, with sharp edges. It also made Mike think about his old apartment and everything that it represents, and all the painful memories it no doubt holds.
“Harvey, where am I going to go?” Mike asked. Harvey looked over at him with a smile, thinking he would see Mike with a goofy smile. But it wasn’t a silly drunk question, Harvey realized when he saw Mike’s face, it was actually quite a sobering one. Harvey had been hoping to avoid the topic at least for the day.
“Don’t worry about it,” Harvey said in a soothing voice as he used the arm around Mike’s shoulder to pull him in a little tighter toward his chest. “Went to your place to get a bag full of clothes that will last you as long as you want.”
“Oh,” was all Mike replied, because it was enough. Harvey had clearly thought more about his release than Mike had, and Mike was ridiculously glad for it. He hadn’t been thinking any further than walking out of those gates for at least a month. He’d kept having dreams of walking towards them and something going wrong. One night the gates shut right in his face, inches from freedom, and alarms sounded. Another night, his feet wouldn’t move, feeling as though they were cemented to the ground. But he’d done it, and he was here, pressed into Harvey’s warm body, and he could wait another night before thinking about his future.
When Mike woke up, he was confused to say the least. He didn’t remember how he ended up in bed, let alone this specific bed, which was not the uncomfortable cell bed he’d grown accustomed to. He felt sort of sore as he turned over in the bed, snuggling into the plush mattress and puffy comforter. He cracked open an eye to try and take in his surroundings and was grateful that thick grey curtains dimmed most of the daylight that was threatening to break through. His head ached and he groaned. A few moments later, the door that had been open only a sliver opened a bit more, and a silhouette stood in the doorway. A tall, broad shouldered silhouette that suddenly made his brain piece together where he was. Harvey’s apartment, Harvey’s bedroom, Harvey’s bed, and yeah, Mike couldn’t really complain about that.
Mike smiled and tried to sit up. “Ow,” he said instead.
“Here,” Harvey said softly and came closer so Mike could finally really see him. Harvey was holding two mugs with steam rising up from them. “Coffee,” Harvey said, as if Mike couldn’t smell the delicious perfection from the other side of the room.
“Coffee,” Mike agreed, and this time he sat up, disregarding the bowling ball that rattled in his head.
“I guess two years sober really makes you a lightweight, huh?” Harvey asks, handing Mike the mug, and sitting on the bed at Mike’s feet.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll fix that in no time,” Mike grinned after taking a sip of the hot liquid. He didn’t care that it was so hot enough to burn a little going down, it was better than any of the garbage he’d had to deal with the last two years. “Mmm,” Mike appraised.
And then Harvey leaned in and kissed him, soft and hesitant, but Mike kissed him back, just a small movement of his lips against Harvey’s. Harvey leaned back after a few seconds. “Mmm,” he agreed.
“I don’t have to be worried that you took advantage of me or anything, right?” Mike started, and Harvey was already rolling his eyes. “I mean I wake up in this strange bed, mostly unclothed, with quite the hangover. What’s a guy supposed to think?”
“He’s supposed to think that he has a very charming and gentlemanly boyf—“ Harvey does an awkward stumble and pauses. “Person… looking out for him.”
Mike’s cheeks were burning and he felt like he was in grade school, being embarrassed about stupid terms of endearment and other trivial labels. As always, he was going to have to be the mature one in their relationship apparently. Some things never change, Mike thought to himself.
“Harvey, are you asking me to go steady?” Mike asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do I at least get to wear your letterman jacket or something if I agree to this?”
Harvey huffed out a laugh, clearly relieved that Mike diffused that potentially awkward minefield.
“You’re an idiot,” he replied, putting on his “cool” Harvey mask he always wore so well. “Get up or I’ll eat all the bacon and pancakes myself.” He got off the bed and made his way back to the kitchen. Mike took a second to think about how really real this was and it felt almost like he’d had the wind knocked out of him.
“Bacon. Pancakes. All mine!” Harvey called from the kitchen. And okay, Mike would probably sell himself on the streets for bacon right about now, so maybe he should get up and he maybe he won’t have to.
“Don’t you dare!” Mike tried to call back, his voice groggy.
He padded out to the kitchen, and the smell of delicious breakfast hit him and he probably could have cried. But he was a bit distracted by Harvey’s walls, which had been repainted since the last time he was here (getting into a fist fight with Harvey), and that some of Mike’s own decorations were scattered on the walls.
“When did you… How? Harvey, did you break into and loot my apartment?” Mike laughed.
“I… was given a key,” Harvey said carefully. And Mike was a genius, but it didn’t take one to know what Harvey wasn’t saying, which was that Rachel had given it to him. Mike pushed the thought aside though, because he was here with Harvey, and it felt like home, and the smell of breakfast made his stomach rumble loudly. “Eat up,” Harvey said as he piled food onto Mike’s plate. And later they would fall in bed, full and giddy, and Harvey would taste like maple syrup and Mike wouldn’t be able to get enough of it.