Work Text:
It’s late, when Jessica hears her doorbell ring. There was a time, when being at home meant leaving work behind. But as most discover, work doesn’t stop at quitting time. For some it doesn’t stop at all. Such is the life of a name partner. But Jessica knows she wouldn’t give up her throne for anything. Glancing at the clock on her desk, she puts down the files she has been working on for the last couple of hours to see who thought it was a good idea to disturb her at this time of night.
When she sees his profile in the peep hole she sighs heavily. It’s not often they meet outside of the office and when they do, it usually means trouble, big trouble. But hey, what’s a little trouble between friends? There was a time when that wasn’t the case, but with the hustle and bustle of a law firm destined to be the best, emotions often get buried or just flat out ignored. And besides, those type of moments are long gone. Jessica opens the door to see Harvey leaning against her doorframe, an unopened bottle of Macallan in his hands. She steps aside to allow him entrance all the while grabbing the bottle.
“Harvey. You brought me a gift.”
“And it’s not even your birthday,” he answers. His smile is soft, easy, but she notices it doesn’t reach his eyes. Jessica silently wonders what has brought Harvey to her door tonight. Is he looking for advice, for direction, or something else? In another life, she was the first person he came to when he needed something, and him hers. In all things legal and mostly legal, that is still true. Together, they make a dangerous team and opponents all over the city know the cost of crossing one or both of them. And other times, when the personal bleeds into the professional, they are that much stronger and even more dangerous.
“Hmm. Well then, make yourself at home while I grab us some glasses.”
Harvey heads towards her music collection, fingering through the albums like a man on a mission. Within moments she hears Billie Holiday’s voice fill her living room.
“I see you still have the second best music collection around,” he muses.
“So I take it you think that you have the best? And here I thought I taught you better.” She answers, walking towards him.
She hands him his glass. Harvey’s fingers brush up against hers in the exchange.
“You did,” he answers softly.
Jessica ignores the spike of familiarity. She assumes Harvey does too, since he quickly turns away walking out onto the patio. She debates not following him for a moment, but she knows by looking at him, he needs her, even if it is to stand out there in solidarity, in silence. Grabbing her glass she joins him along the rail, content to stare at the night sky, which is lit up by the many lights of the city below. She takes a sip of her drink and waits in comfortable silence. Jessica knows her stallion well. She knows Harvey will tell her whatever is on his mind when he is ready. And if he doesn’t? Well she knows how to work around that too. She’s the one that broke him; taught him how and when to use his strength, as well as how to bend without breaking.
While she waits, Jessica finds herself remembering a different time, a different them. Harvey was young and cocky when she found him in the mail room. He was so sure of himself despite having nothing much to his name that he reminded her of her own situation. Jessica saw something in him, something she couldn’t walk away from or ignore. With a few discreet moves, she plucked his ass from the mailroom and started him on his journey towards a career. That same decision also sent the both of them down a path neither of them saw coming.
While Harvey was in law school, they would get together; often discussing his classes and the merits of law. It wasn’t long before those debates turned into fights, and then those fights, well, those led to something else. Something fierce, something passionate, something they couldn’t contain, and more importantly didn’t want to. She made him yield and he made her vulnerable. It was wrong and right all within the same breath. Harvey makes love like he argues a case; powerfully, unashamed and willing to try anything and everything to win. Even if it means getting filthy. And when he won? The whole neighborhood could hear her cry out. And when she did? Harvey would tremble in his surrender, blissed and sated in her arms.
They both learned from each other, studied each other; often anticipating each other’s moves. Together, they were (and some would argue still are), a delicate and sensual dance of both subtle and unrestrained power; and they mastered it perfectly. If she purrs, he roars and both are equally as dangerous. For a while they managed to dance in secret, but ambition is a fickle mistress; her demands are many. This led to less and less opportunities and large risks if exposed. It wasn’t long before they both realized that their moments were just that- moments. Life, real life, wasn’t meant to be lived in the shadows, and neither of them were ready or willing to sacrifice their position to start over. Now, years later, they still find that every once in awhile they stumble across a moment; a look, a touch, something that reminds one or both of them of a different time. Not that it matters. They know their bond as friends is stronger than anything else. And yet….
“Jessica.”
Harvey’s voice brings her back to the present. ‘Billie’s Blues’ is filtering softly from the living room. She turns to face him.
“What is it, Harvey? What’s going on?”
Harvey looks at her and she can see the storms waging in his eyes. Jessica wants to reach out, to pull him in close until whatever it is passes, but she stands her ground. She can feel the need radiating off him in waves. She would like to believe that she is unaffected, she can stand here in silence and let the battle pass. But Jessica has never been good at standing on the sidelines, and she knows for a fact Harvey isn’t either. War is waged on the battlefield, within the storm. So she asks the dangerous question; the question that could unlock the doors to a past they both once labeled forbidden.
“Harvey, what do you need?”
Harvey places his drink on the patio table and steps in close. She feels his fingers lightly drifting up her hand, her wrist. And just like that, the years slip away.
“A moment,” he whispers, against her lips.