The Stardrop Saloon was buzzing with the usual evening crowd—Gus pouring drinks, Emily weaving between tables with practiced ease, the clatter of conversation filling the air. Harvey wasn’t usually one to linger in town this late, but tonight, he sat at the bar, a half-empty cup of coffee in front of him.

He seemed lost in thought, stirring his coffee absentmindedly as Gus wiped down the counter nearby.

—“Long day?” Gus asked, glancing at him.

Harvey hummed in response, then sighed.

—“Just… thinking.” His eyes flickered toward the door just as you walked in. His fingers tightened briefly around the handle of his cup before he forced himself to relax.

Gus followed his gaze and smirked.

—“Ah. I see.”

Harvey cleared his throat, shaking his head as if to dismiss the unspoken implication. But when you approached, his usual reserved demeanor shifted—his posture straightened slightly, his grip on his cup more deliberate.

—“You don’t come here often,” he noted, his voice carrying the usual warmth but with something else underneath. “Long day on the farm?”

Gus, ever the observant bartender, casually slid another cup of coffee toward Harvey.

—“This one’s on the house, doc. You look like you’ll be here a while.”

Harvey shot him a look but didn’t argue. Instead, he focused on you again, his expression softening.

—“I guess we both needed a break tonight.” His fingers hovered over his cup for a moment before he finally lifted it, a small, almost hesitant smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Maybe it was the warm glow of the saloon lights or the way the usual background noise seemed to fade into something quieter, something more intimate—but for once, Harvey wasn’t thinking about work.