hi guys! this is my take on Donna saying I love you to Harvey because I really want her to say it first. I'm really sorry if it's repetitive, english is not my first language. thanks for reading :)

————————-

It's been one hell of a day. Donna loved her position, but it would get exhausting sometimes. Putting on long hours at the firm, fixing other people's jobs that had been done poorly and as of lately, dealing with Faye Richardson was stressing her out.

Normally, she would go home, fix herself a glass of wine and take a nice bubble bath. But her normal had changed, and she now had a new home to go to. Him. And whichever one of their places they had decided on spending the night. Tonight it was his, so she gathered her things, ready to stop by Harvey's office and call it a day. But when she checked her phone there was a text from him, letting her know he went straight home from his meeting and that Ray was waiting for her downstairs.

Stepping into his condo, Donna immediately heard the music playing. She knew that record. It was one of his favorites from his dad. He only played it when he was in a good mood, usually after a big win. She smiled to herself while she made her way in.

"You know, I hope you're giving Ray a raise now that he's-" - she stopped mid sentence when she saw Harvey standing by the stove, wearing a black shirt and his favorite sweatpants - "What are you doing?" - it wasn't usual to see him in the kitchen making something other than coffee.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" - he turned his head to look at her, still stirring whatever was in the pot in front of him - "I'm making us dinner. I hope you haven't eaten yet"

"I haven't" - she smiled, leaving her purse on the counter and reaching for her shoes, letting out a sigh of relief once they were off.

Harvey immediately looked at her, concerned look on his face.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I just had a long day," - emphasis on long.

The redhead walked up to her boyfriend and gave him a kiss, also taking the opportunity to peek at what he was making.

"Well, this is gonna make your day a whole lot better" - he stated proudly.

"I never realized you were a chef" - Donna joked, earning a chuckle from Harvey in return.

"Please...I'm the whole package, Donna" - he said in his smug tone while pouring some tomato sauce on top of the pasta on their plates, finishing it up with cheese on top.

The redhead sat down on the place that he had set for them, glass of wine included.

"It definitely smells good...let's see if it tastes good too" - she teased, taking a sip of the alcohol while he placed their plates on the counter and took a seat in front of her.

Donna took a bite and noticed he was staring, waiting to see her reaction to his food.

"So?"

"Well, let's just say you're husband material..." - she smirked, taking another bite.

He smiled softly at the mention of that word, eyes not moving from her figure.

"Husband, huh?" - he teased.

"Yeah, I mean..." - she looked up from her plate to meet his eyes - "I can't marry a guy who doesn't know how to cook me dinner" - she grinned, taking another sip of wine.

"Good thing I'm a chef then" - he said ironically, finally taking a bite of his own and earning a laugh from her.

After the couple was finished eating, they refilled their wine glasses and sat on the couch. Donna rested her back on its arm, legs spread over his. Their conversation kept going, both really invested in hearing each other's stories.

"You're gonna tell me you didn't use that to get out of a bunch of situations?" - he asked what was barely a question, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Not a bunch...maybe a few" - she said into her glass, taking another sip, eyes never leaving his.

He chuckled and shook his head, taking a sip on his wine too.

"Seriously, when did you learn how to do that?" - he was genuinely curious.

"I think I was like 17" - Donna paused to think - "I remember the first time I did it" - she chuckled at the memory - "It was to my math teacher in high school, to pass her class. The single tear wasn't working so I had to fake the ugliest cry for her to actually pity me enough to change my grade" - Donna laughed through her last words and Harvey did too.

"Okay, come clean right now" - he faked a serious tone - "How many times did you use it with me? Besides that one time I let your parents stay here"

She laughed and shook her head.

"Only that time, because it was an emergency" - she drank the rest of her wine and placed the glass on the coffe table, taking her legs off his and sitting up, still facing him. - "I don't have to fake cry to get you to do something" - she stated proudly, resting her arm on the back of the couch.

"You're right" - he raised his eyebrows and looked at the skyline in front of him - "If you told me the right call was to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, I'd probably be up there right now considering it" - he said in his lowest tone, bringing his glass to his mouth, in what sounded like a joke but at the same time didn't. She was his voice of reason, and has been for all these years. And although it has never been said out loud, they both knew it.

Donna didn't laugh. She just smiled in the softest way, a way in which she'd never been able to smile at anyone else. Because - she tried to deny it to herself before - but no one has ever made her feel the way Harvey does, and the fact that she can finally allow herself to feel all those feelings just puts her at ease.

She analyzed every feature on his face while he put his empty glass on the coffee table and mirrored her pose, now facing her too.

"What's going on in that brain of yours?" - he asked softly.

"You know, I was so stressed about work when I got here, now I can't even remember why" - she got closer to him, started caressing his face with her thumb while his hand gently squeezed her thigh. Harvey looked into her eyes and smirked softly. He was about to kiss her when she opened her mouth to say something else. It didn't come off right away. She took a deep breath, and in what came out almost like a whisper, she told him what she was feeling.

"I love you, Harvey"

He had only heard her say that once when she announced she was leaving him, and it was the most painful moment he ever went through. Hearing her say those words again, in the place they were in right now, the place they were supposed to be, made him so happy it was overwhelming. Knowing that this time, those three words meant she was gonna stay forever, as they had agreed on the other day. Harvey couldn't hold back his smile, so he got even closer to her, touching her forehead with his and the words came to him as easy as they possibly could.

"I love you too, Donna" - using the tone of voice he had always saved just for her.

Donna had never felt so vulnerable before, and she normally hated feeling like this. But not right now. Right now, she felt safe. She realized opening up to him wasn't scary anymore, and that she didn't have to be cautious with her words either. Because the love she felt for him, he felt for her too. And he was letting her now every day since he knocked on her door. She made a mental note to tell him she loved him more often. Right now, she was gonna show him.

Donna held each side of his face and kissed him with all the love she had in her. It was intense, and she was sure he felt it too. Harvey deepened the kiss and soon enough pulled her into his lap, bringing her as close as he possibly could. Hands slowly roaming through every single part of her body, taking his time enjoying the beautiful readhead that was now his. She moved her lips to his neck, leaving wet kisses and lightly sucking on his skin, making him squeeze her thigh and waist in return. She made a trail of kisses back to his mouth and locked eyes with him again.

"What do you say we take this to the bedroom?" - she asked in her raspy voice, the one that he thought was the sexiest thing ever, hands resting on his chest.

Harvey smirked, never breaking eye contact.

"Don't mind if I do"