Brother from another mother

Blood in the water AU [Part-7]

"You didn't deserve this!" Harvey said.

"No, you said I deserved worse than I got!"

"I never wanted you to get hurt like this! Never! I worried like hell!" Harvey was standing up now. He had been yelling.

Mike was breathing hard but looked too shocked to say anything else. At least at first.

"I didn't notice that." He then threw out.

Harvey shook his head and sat down again. "Mike, this wasn't easy for me either. I've been feeling guilty about what I said to you that night. Sure you made a mistake, but it's not my place to judge you. Not that hard at least." He smirked a little. "But I don't ever want to see you hurt. Not in any way, and I'm sorry about what I said. I should have contacted you yesterday. And I'm sorry I haven't been there for you after your grandmother died. I should have been."

Mike had gone completely still and was looking at Harvey with his mouth opened. His eyes were a bit shiny and Harvey had noticed that he flinched a little at his mentioning of his grandmother.

"Thanks Harvey." He eventually said. He then looked down and Harvey understood that he was fighting tears. He nodded not even sure Mike saw it.

"You want me to leave you alone for a moment?" He offered.

Mike's head snapped up and their eyes met. Mike shook his head. "No. Please stay."

"Of course." They sat in silence for a while. Mike sniffed. Harvey leaned forward and held out a tissue. Mike took it and pressed it against his eyes. A minute or so he remained like that, trying to collect himself.

"I'm sorry." He said when he removed the fabric again. His eyes were a bit red.

Harvey smiled and shook his head. He placed a hand on Mike's shoulder and kept it there. Mike looked down at his hand and then met Harvey's eyes. Harvey could see how the sadness in the younger man's eyes competed with something that he perceived as hope.

"We are good Mike." He said then.

He watched how Mike's face wrinkled up in a grimace and unexpectedly Mike started to list forward towards him. Harvey threw up his other hand and caught Mike's body as he fell towards him. Then he understood.

Mike's face leaned against his shoulder and Mike's arm came up around him. He felt how Mike's hands gripped his suit jacket and how Mike's body started to shake. Harvey wrapped his arms around his associate, one hand ending up at the back of Mike's head. He stroke the younger man's hair a bit as he listened to the sounds of Mike crying against him. He felt the wetness of his tears through his shirt. He didn't say anything as his other hand stroke Mike's back. If this was what Mike needed at this moment he was prepared to give it to him.

Harvey didn't know how long they remained like that. It felt like a long time. It hurt in Harvey when he felt the way Mike trembled, or when he heard the sounds of his sobs. Apparently Mike had a lot of sadness inside him that needed to come out.

"Hey, hey." Harvey mumbled after a while when Mike just continued. "It'll be fine. We are fine."

"I just…I just thought…" Mike whispered against him. "I thought you were angry. I thought you blamed me and that…that you didn't want anything to do with me."

"Why would you think that kid?" Harvey unconsciously pressed Mike a bit closer to him.

"You didn't come. I was so alone. I felt so alone…"

"I'm sorry." Harvey whispered. "You are not alone."

Mike cried harder.

"I promise you are not alone." He said again.

They remained like that. Harvey found himself rocking them slowly back and forth. He had never thought he would be in this situation. He would have laughed if someone had told him that he would sit on and hug his associate. But now it just felt like the right thing to do. Mike needed this. Mike needed him and Harvey wanted to be there for him.

Eventually Mike calmed down. He leaned heavier against Harvey.

"Are you good?" Harvey asked quietly.

"Yeah…" Mike whispered.

"Do you want to lay down?"

"Yes."

Harvey carefully lowered him down onto the bed. He then reached for a couple of tissues and used them to wipe Mike's face. Mike didn't meet his eyes. He just stared forward.

"You look like crap." Harvey told him, and though he saw a smile play around Mike's lips.

"You tired? You can sleep if you like. I'll stay here with you."

Mike nodded a little and looked up at Harvey, who smiled at him. He lowered Mike's bed a little and adjusted his blanket over him.

"You are not in pain are you?"

"No, not right now." Mike said. "I'm just tired."

"I bet you are. Try and sleep then."

Mike nodded again and closed his eyes. His breaths started to even out, but then his eyes opened again.

"You know, I was getting my shit together." He said.

"Yeah, I know." Harvey said. "I actually kind of want to kick that guy's ass."

"Me too. He owes me a spleen." Mike smiled and Harvey couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks for coming Harvey." Mike said then.

"Sure. I actually kind of missed you at the office."

Mike lit up at those words. "I knew you would!" He exclaimed. "I bet that was why you never came here, you were lost without me."

Harvey got serious again though at his words. He hadn't really realized how much him not showing up had affected Mike.

"I should have come." He said.

"Yeah, but it's fine. You are here now." Mike looked up at him.

"Yes I am. Donna says hi by the way. And you know what, now I can actually tell her I hugged you."

"You will tell her that you hugged me?" Mike smirked.

"Oh, never. Forget it. She will never let me live it down."

Mike just smiled. He then patted Harvey's arm a bit. "Don't worry Harvey. Your secret is safe with me."

Harvey almost surprised himself when he grabbed Mike's hand in his own.

"I know kid." He said.

He felt how Mike squeezed his hand a bit and watched him close his eyes. Somehow Harvey couldn't get himself to let go of the kid's hand. He just wanted Mike to fall asleep knowing that he was still there.