Chapter Text
When Mike gets into work on Tuesday morning, he immediately senses something is wrong.
Harvey isn’t there and Donna appears to be freaking out somewhat. What the fuck?
He hot foots it down to Harvey’s office. “Are ok?” he says to Donna, interrupting her spiel to Rachel.
“MIKE!” Donna says exasperatedly. “I called you an hour ago!”
“I, uh, shit. Sorry.” Mike scrambles for his phone. “What is it? Where’s Harvey?”
Donna lets out a long breath and Mike just stares, terror suddenly washing over him.
“DONNA?” he prompts.
“He was boxing last night and he’s hurt himself.” she sighs. “He’s… broke his wrist.”
“What?!” Mike says. “He’s broke his wrist?”
Donna nods and sits down at her computer, typing something super speed. “He was at the boxing gym and apparently he had a bout with some guy and caught him wrong on a hit and… hurt his wrist. Turns out, it’s completely broken.”
“Completely broken?” Mike stares at her.
“Are you just doing to repeat every damn thing I say?” Donna says sarcastically. “He went to the hospital and it’s all strapped up with a cast. I’ve told him to stay home.”
“And he actually did?!” Mike is even more shocked by that than the fact that Harvey has broken a bone.
“He’s not exactly in a fit state to berate witnesses or handle paperwork.” Donna raises her eyebrows at Mike.
“Do we need to… send him anything?” Rachel says. “He’s not planning on trying to work at home is he?”
“Of course he is.” Donna sighs. “It’s Harvey.” She turns to Mike and sighs. “Will you go and see him?”
“What, now? At his apartment?” Mike says dumbly. Is Donna nuts? Harvey is going to hate that. He hates people invading on his personal space.
“He’ll listen to you, Mike.” Donna says in a wheedling tone. “Just… go on the pretence of needing to talk about work, ok?”
Mike sigh. “I… sure. But if he wont let me in, I’m not to blame.”
Donna gives him a knowing look. “He’ll let the puppy in. I’ll order you a cab, ok?”
Mike nods and heads into Harvey’s office, picking up a couple of files and throwing them into his messenger bag in case Harvey really does want to do some work. He glances around for anything else Harvey might need and grabs a couple of things before leaving.
“Call me and let me know how he is!! Cab’s out front!” Donna calls. “Tell him I’m rescheduling and pushing back all his meetings and that he cant freak out.”
Mike laughs. “Uh yeah, telling Harvey not to freak out, good one.”
He dashes down the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator and sure enough, a cab is waiting by the doors. He gives Harvey’s address and sighs as the taxi roars through traffic. He knows Harvey is going to be a bad mood. He hates anything that disrupts his schedule and routine and he especially hates inconvenience.
The cabbie drops Mike off by the door and it appears Donna has already charged it to the company card because he drives off before Mike can extract ten bucks.
He heads into the building and up to Harvey’s apartment, pausing before knocking on his door. Silence.
He hesitates, waiting a few seconds before he hears footsteps. The door opens and Harvey is revealed. He’s wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt and sure enough, his right wrist is in a heavy looking cast, strapped up. He looks like shit too, with messy hair and a cut on his bottom lip.
“Jesus, Harvey.” Mike blinks. “I…are you alright?”
Harvey doesn’t speak but - surprisingly - steps aside. Mike walks inside and kicks off his shoes as Harvey shuts the door.
“Donna sent you?” Harvey says lightly, walking towards the living area. Mike cant help but notice he is hobbling a little, or looks in pain.
“She uh.. told me what happened. I wanted to see if you were ok.” Mike ventures. He hangs up his bag and suit jacket and follows Harvey inside.
“Peachy.” Harvey says in a sarcastic tone.
“What happened? You hit someone wrong?” Mike says. He waits for Harvey to sit down before sitting down a few feet away from him.
Harvey nods slowly. “Got ahead of myself, went in for the punch and caught him wrong. Knew I’d fucked it.”
Mike winces. “What else? You… look in pain.”
“Just bruises.” Harvey mutters. He stretches back on the couch and winces a little. “Did you bring the Adams files?”
Mike sighs. “Yeah, but you look like shit, no offence. You shouldn’t be working and how the hell are you gonna write anyway with one hand?”
Harvey glares at him. “I can still work, rookie.”
“Harvey!” Mike splutters. “You need to take the day off.”
Harvey makes a noncommittal noise and leans forward to pick up a drink of water, carefully sipping it. He looks a little shaky and unsure in his movements and Mike sighs.
“Harvey.” he says in a quieter tone. “Let me help, please. What do you need to me to do?”
“Do whatever you can on that Adams case.” Harvey says. He shifts his broken wrist and grimaces a little, shutting his eyes.
“Careful...” Mike quickly moves in closer, grabbing a soft cushion. He sets it down and gently moves Harvey’s wrist to rest on it. “You need to be resting that. Do you need any pain meds?”
Harvey glances at the clock and nods.
“Where are they? Stay there, I’ll get them.” Mike says in a warning tone.
“On the countertop somewhere.” Harvey sighs.
Mike nods and grabs his empty glass of water. He heads to the kitchen and refills it, finding Harvey’s pain medication in a bag. He takes the items back and pops out two pills into Harvey’s left hand and gives him the water.
Harvey knocks them back with the water and exhales. “Thanks.” he mutters.
“Now you need food.” Mike says sensibly. “You cant neck those on an empty stomach, trust me.”
Harvey smirks a little. “Alright, Mother Theresa.”
Mike smiles for the first time. “I mean it, you… dumbass. Just let me help you.”
Harvey nods and Mike rolls back the sleeves of his shirt and heads into the kitchen, finding some bagels in the cupboard and making Harvey one. A safe option he knows he likes. Unsurprisingly, Harvey scarfs it down in two minutes flat and sighs in relief.
“Now, I’ll sort the Adams file.” Mike says. “YOU need to rest your whole damn body by the look of it…” He trails his eyes down to Harvey’s abdomen area. “You got hit?”
“Broken rib.” Harvey mutters.
Mike’s eyes widen. What next? “Harvey for christ sake.” he groans. “Right, no work today, I’m calling it.”
Harvey smirks. “I’m sorry? You think you’re in charge?”
“Yeah, I am! Because you only have one good working hand, cracked ribs and god knows what other bruises.” Mike cuts back in a stern tone. “So live with it. I’m staying here and I’m not letting you get up and work.”
Harvey smirks again. “Getting me back for all the times I’ve been a hard ass, huh?”
Mike laughs then. “No! I… care about you and I don’t want you to do something stupid. Or stupider.”
“Stupider isn’t a word.” Harvey says lightly. He shifts back on the couch and winces a little. “Damn ribs.”
“I’m gonna call Donna and tell her I’m staying here. She said she’s pushed all your meetings back so you don’t need to worry, ok?” Mike says in a firm but gentle tone.
“Whatever you say, Florence Nightingale.” Harvey yawns.
He hasn’t shaved for a couple of days and Mike cant help but keep staring. Damn. He loves unshaved, rugged Harvey, he cant lie. He finds his cellphone and calls Donna to update her, muttering about Harvey’s broken ribs and bruises and insisting he's going to stay.
“I don’t need you and Donna exchanging notes about me.” Harvey says shortly as Mike walks back to the couch.
“We’re not exchanging notes, we’re worried about you.” Mike says. “Quit being so high and mighty.”
Harvey rolls his eyes as Mike sits down. “So I’m taking orders from my associate now?”
“Yeah, you are.” Mike laughs. “Because you cant be trusted to take it easy, Mr smart ass. Now, please, just rest? Do you need anything?”
Harvey lets out a deep sigh and shakes his head slowly.
“Well… lie down, sleep.” Mike shrugs. “I’ll just sit here and work, ok?”
“I’m not tired.” Harvey mutters, which is clearly a lie because he has dark smudges under his eyes and looks as though he is dead on his feet.
Mike glances around a grabs a blanket from the back of the couch, shaking it out. “Harvey please, just…. five minutes?” he bargains quietly. Harvey sighs dramatically but carefully shifts so he is lying down on his side, his broken wrist stretched out a little awkwardly.
“Thank you.” Mike laughs. He drapes the blanket over Harvey and hesitates before gently tucking it around him.
“Gonna kiss me on the forehead too?” Harvey mutters in a sarcastic tone.
“If you want.” Mike grins. “Will it help?”
Harvey makes a noncommittal noise.
“Just sleep, ok? I’ll make you something to eat again in a while and you can have some more pain meds… I’m gonna proof these mergers and some other stuff.” Mike says quietly.
Harvey sighs and nods a little, eyes shutting. Mike hesitates for a second before leaning down and pressing the softest kiss to Harvey’s temple. It’s so soft he probably doesn’t even feel it. He then goes and retrieves some more work and a pen from his messenger bag and gets to work. Harvey doesn’t stir again and is clearly asleep in minutes, his breath evening out.
Mike keeps stealing glances at him. He’s never seen this Harvey. Vulnerable, in pain, out of control. It even feels strange seeing him without his suit.
The morning ticks by and Harvey sleeps for a good couple of hours before stirring.
“Mike?” he mutters immediately.
Mike drops the piece of paper in his hand. “Yeah, I’m here.” he whispers. “Are you ok?”
Harvey grumbles something and turns over, gasping as he jars his wrist.
“Shit, easy, easy…” Mike kneels beside him on the couch, gently moving Harvey’s broken wrist into a comfortable position.
“You ok? You need more pain meds?” he whispers. He tucks the blanket back around Harvey and waits.
Silence. Mike kneels up a little and smiles. He’s already gone back to sleep.
Mike watches him for a minute before dragging himself back to the other end of the couch and carrying on working. He gets quite a lot done in the quiet apartment, Harvey is a reassuring presence next to him even though he’s asleep.
He wakes up again a while later and this time he yawns and sits up a little. He blinks at Mike for a long moment in confusion.
“Hi.” Mike smiles.
Harvey exhales and carefully stretches, wincing a little. “Go back to the office.” he murmurs. “I don’t need you to watch over me whilst I sleep, rookie.”
“I’m good here.” Mike says. “It’s quiet and calm and… if you need anything, I can get it for you.”
Harvey yawns and sighs, carefully drinking some of the water that Mike had left on the coffee table for him.
“You wanna watch TV? It wont disturb me.” Mike says a minute later.
Harvey shrugs a little and nods and he puts the TV on, finding some baseball and settling back. Mike carries on working, scribbling away and muttering to himself.
When he next looks up, Harvey is watching him.
“What?” Mike grins.
“Fascinating to see how that brain of yours works.” Harvey smirks. “You should donate yourself to science.”
Mike laughs. “So they can confirm how fucked my brain is? Let’s just say it’s like an encyclopaedia, a jukebox, a radio, a television all at once. It plays me facts, music, all sorts of shit. It’s not always cool.”
Harvey nods slowly. “How… when did you realise you were like that?” he sounds curious.
“I was about six I think.” Mike says slowly. He sets down his pen. “We had this math test at school and I got them all right because I memorised it all. The teacher kept giving me harder and harder questions…” he laughs. “She thought I was some Einstein freak with a high IQ. She then asked me if I could remember the book I was reading? I started reciting it word for word. She called my parents and told them.”
Harvey nods again. “Did they know?”
“I think my Mom knew because she used to test me.” Mike smiles, the memory washing over him. “I would read a page and she would say ok Mikey, go… and I would recite it back.”
He glances around the room and swallows a lump in his throat at the thought of his Mom. “When I was about eight she went back to community college. I used to memorise her homework and help her with her tests…”
Harvey smiles gently. “I bet she loved that.”
“She found it hilarious. I can still remember all the words on the page and her trying her best to give the right answers..” Mike nods. “She was called Nina.” he adds. He doesn’t know if he’s ever told Harvey his parent’s names. He only knows the basics about what happened to them. “My Dad was called James… hence the middle name.”
Harvey nods. “Well look at you now, huh? They’d be so proud of you.” he says quietly.
He has a soft, un-Harvey look on his face and it makes Mike smile. “Yeah, I guess. My Mom always told me to stand up for what’s right so… thats why you call me a bleeding heart.”
Harvey looks a little regretful. “Mike, I-“
“It’s cool.” Mike cuts him off with a laugh. “I know you were only joking. I love our little back and forth banter and jokes, I swear.”
Harvey nods. “Well you’re a damn good lawyer and associate. Ok?”
“Ok.” Mike says softly. “Thanks, Harvey.”
Harvey nods and goes back to watching the TV and Mike smiles, turning back to his work. Lunchtime rolls around and he throws down his files and goes on the hunt for food. Thankfully Harvey has soup and bread so he makes it for them, popping out some more pain medication for Harvey before he eats.
“You have to eat, those things will fuck with your stomach otherwise.” Mike says firmly. He passes Harvey some soup and bread and sits down next to him.
“Thanks, Mike.” Harvey says quietly. He manages to eat his soup with his left hand and their conversation turns to work and their upcoming trials and some rumours from the office grapevine.
By the time he’s eaten his soup and bread, Harvey looks more human and Mike feels relieved.
“I need to shower.” the older man sighs. “But I need to cover this fucking thing.” he lifts his arm.
“How about some saran wrap?” Mike says. He takes their empty soup bowls to the dishwasher and stacks everything inside.
“Middle drawer.” Harvey calls and Mike finds the roll. He grabs some scissors and walks back.
“Ok…” he laughs. “Uh, if we wrap this up good it should be ok.” He gently circles the plastic wrap around Harvey’s cast until it’s covered and secure. He cuts it off and then dashes off for some tape to hold it in place.
“Good?” he grins. It’s not perfect, but it’ll do.
“Thanks.” Harvey smirks, shaking his head. “How undignified.”
He stands up slowly and exhales and Mike quickly stands up also. “Don’t worry, I’m not getting in the shower with you.” he laughs. ‘I uh, just don’t want you to pass out or hurt yourself.”
“Mike, I’m good.” Harvey insists. “I appreciate the help but I’m a god damn grown ass man.”
“Yeah, with one working hand and broken ribs!” Mike cuts in. “Jesus, Harvey.” He hovers behind the older man as he walks slowly to the bathroom.
“Here, let me…” Mike sets the shower on and quickly dives out the way. “You good?”
Harvey smirks. “I’m good, rookie. Once again, thank you Florence Nightingale.”
Mike laughs. “Maybe thats my true calling instead of being a fake lawyer…” He slips out the bathroom and shuts the door behind him, heading back to the couch.
He hesitates before shaking out Harvey’s blanket and collecting a couple of old, empty glasses. Harvey eventually appears a while later in some sweat pants and a fresh t-shirt, hair damp. He wanders the apartment for five minutes, calling Donna and reiterating that he is okay and will be back into the office in a couple of days.
“Er, no the fuck you wont.” Mike says immediately as he hangs up. “You cant go into the office with broken ribs, Harvey!”
“I’m fine.” Harvey says firmly. “It’s just bruising.” He sits down on the couch and exhales, sweeping a hand through his damp hair.
“You’re nuts.” Mike shakes his head. “And a total nightmare, you know that?”
Harvey smirks. “Thank you, Mikey.”
“I’m coming back here tomorrow and you are not going to the office.” Mike laughs. “I mean it.”
“Who’s the boss here?” Harvey quips back, eyebrows raised.
Mike meets his eyes. “Don’t try the big boss act, it wont fly.” He picks up some paperwork and shuffles it. “Cool, so I’ve done that… I’ll swing by the office tomorrow morning and grab some more before I come back.”
“Come back?” Harvey says. “I don’t need a god damn babysitter.”
“Well tough shit, because you’ve got one.” Mike says in a firm tone. “Now… watch the damn baseball and rest, please?”
Harvey laughs. “You’ve been around me too long with that tone of voice.” he smirks, but he does go back to watching the TV.
“Yeah it’s called asserting authority.” Mike grins. “I’ve learnt how to do it in the last year, mainly from dealing with your hard ass. And Louis. And Jessica.”
Harvey chuckles. “Hey, none of them have got anything on me and my hard ass voice.”
“I’m well aware of it.” Mike mutters. “I’ve been on the receiving end of a scolding from you.”
Harvey looks amused. “A scolding?”
“What would you call it?” Mike drops his paperwork down and relaxes back into the couch, kicking his legs up onto the coffee table.
Harvey raises an eyebrow but lets it slide. “A scolding sounds a little… off.” he smirks. “Too much of a power imbalance.”
“Yeah, there is a power imbalance. A huge one. A major one.” Mike grins. “You didn’t notice? You’re the boss and best closer in NYC. I’m a fake who didn’t make Harvard and half the time I don’t know what I’m doing?”
Harvey doesn’t reply, taking the words in for a long moment.
“I don’t care about you chastising me.” Mike says. “My point is, I can assert myself a little more now in every day life, so thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Harvey says in an amused tone. “I’m glad to have given you something to carry forward in your life.”
Mike laughs, looking away. “You’ve given me way more than just that.” He picks up his water and takes a gulp, exhaling.
“Want a coffee?” he asks a minute later. “Actually no, fuck that, I cant work your stupid ass coffee machine.”
Harvey raises an eyebrow. “It’s a good machine.”
“Yeah, maybe, but it has fifty six buttons.” Mike groans. He stands up and walks over to the machine, squinting at it. “How do you get a damn americano?”
Harvey looks amused. “I’ll talk you through it.”
Mike laughs out loud, he cant help it. “Cool. Go ahead, big guy.”
Shit, he didn’t mean to sat that.
Harvey is still smirking and he starts reeling off instructions. Sure enough, Mike succeeds in making them both a coffee and he walks back, setting Harvey’s down.
“Good boy.” Harvey teases. “The puppy is learning.”
“Haha.” Mike sinks back onto the couch. “Shut up or I’ll spike your next drink with sleeping tablets.”
Harvey raises an eyebrow but doesn’t speak, going back to his baseball. They spend the afternoon that way, chatting on and off, Harvey wandering slowly around or watching TV or asking Mike questions about cases.
Around five, Harvey glanced at the clock. “Go home, rookie.”
“You sure?” Mike says. “What do you need before I go?”
“I’m good.” Harvey says firmly. “I’ve got Donna calling me non stop asking if I need anything, I’m not handicapped.”
Mike smiles. “There’s more soup so you should have some later for dinner, ok? Promise?”
Harvey smirks. “I promise.” he parrots. “Happy?”
“I’m coming back tomorrow.” Mike warns, gathering up his paperwork and putting it in his bag. “Don’t think I wont!”
“Cant wait!” Harvey rolls his eyes, shifting back on the couch.
Mike laughs. “Seriously, you need anything?” He pulls on his suit jacket and steps into his shoes.
“No.” Harvey says firmly.
Mike wander back over and pauses, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Cool.” he says lightly. “So… tomorrow?”
Harvey nods, smirking a little. “Tomorrow. Seems I have no choice.”
Mike grins. “Correct, boss. Alright. See… you later, Harvey.”
He hesitates for a second and Harvey smiles at him - a real smile. “Thanks, Mike.” he says quietly.
Mike smiles and turns, slipping out the apartment. He catches a cab home and calls Donna to update her and explain he is going back to Harvey’s tomorrow.
“Oh thank goodness, thank you Mike.” Donna sighs. “I knew he’d listen to you.”
“Uh, well, maybe.” Mike laughs.
“How is he, really?” Donna says. “Be honest.”
“In pain, but the stubborn asshole wont admit it.” Mike says. “He’s definitely hurt his ribs more than he’s letting on. But he ate food and had a shower, so…”
Donna sighs. “Alright. Well I’ve cleared his diary and apologised to all the clients. Just keep him company and… don’t let him wallow, ok? You know what he's like”
Mike laughs. “I’ll try.”
He bids goodnight to Donna, eats dinner and falls into bed, thoughts falling back to Harvey as he closes his eyes.