A/N: Happy Halloween guys! I haven't written in quite a while so apologies if this isn't very good, but I couldn't let Miss Paulsen's favourite season go past without writing a little something. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!
"Fuck this!" Harvey exclaims, as he pulls the knitted blanket over his face for the hundredth time.
Donna tries to stifle a laugh. Who would've thought her husband, the best closer in New York, would be this terrified of horror films.
They lay cuddled on the long leather couch, covered with the blanket, and a bowl of popcorn balancing on their bodies. After spending a large chunk of her favourite month on the sunny beaches of Antigua, focussing on nothing else but her new husband, she was glad they got to spend a little time cosying up and enjoying the Halloween season at home. As a lover of all things spooky, laying here in the dark with Harvey, watching slasher films, and allowing the sweet smell of the pumpkin and apple wax melt to fill her nostrils, was almost as blissful to her as their honeymoon had been.
"Oh, come on, Harvey! The scariest thing about this film is the seventies electric music," she chuckles, yanking the blanket down from his eyes. "Besides, if you're gonna survive the rest of your life with me, you better get used to loving Halloween."
"Speaking of," he replies, turning himself around a little to look at her. "Are you sure you're okay with staying at home this year?"
They had decided that with everything going on there was no point in going all out for Halloween this year. The next week would be full of tying up loose ends in New York and getting packed for their big move to Seattle.
"I'm sure. By then, we'll hardly be able to move for all the boxes. I'm gonna miss all the kids from my old building though," she muses pensively.
The ball was already rolling on the sale of her apartment before their impromptu wedding. She expected Harvey would be the one struggling to let go of their life in New York, but she was almost inconsolable packing up her apartment.
She smiles to herself thinking of all the Halloween parties she had hosted there and the groups of kids coming to her door in their adorable costumes.
Harvey smiles at the sweet look on her face. He knows she's been thinking a lot about how much she'll miss everything they are leaving here but they know this is a good step for them. A fresh start with their best friends and a calmer lifestyle.
A thought pops into his head as he watches her get lost in the movie in front of them again.
"Hey, I have an idea," he says, and she turns to look at him. "Some of the younger kids in the building do their trick or treating here. We could get some decorations for the hall and stock up on candy for them."
His smile grows as he watches her face light up with an almost childlike joy.
"Oh my goodness, can we? We need to get fake cobwebs, and a wreath for the door, and—," she rambles away to herself, jumping over him and off the sofa to fetch her planner.
Harvey chuckles as he watches her spout off decoration ideas and yeah, life is perfect.
…
In true Donna fashion, she had gone all out making the hallway leading to his front door fit for Halloween. The wall was draped in cobwebs, purple fairy lights, fake spiders and bats. Little pumpkins and white squashes were scattered on the floor next to his door, which was decorated with a beautiful autumnal leaf and pinecone garland.
"Do you think we need more?" Donna asked, as they inspected the Halloween scene before them.
"More? I was gonna ask if this is overboard?" Harvey scoffed. But he loved it all the same.
She had been so happy bossing him around, telling him where to hang things, and gushing about how good it'll look for when the kids come to their door.
He couldn't help but think about next year in their new home. Would they do the same?
"Don't be silly. You can never go too overboard for Halloween," she pointed out, stepping inside the apartment and surveying the bowls of candy on the entrance table.
"Okay," she turns to him. "We have about two hours until the kids start turning up so we need to get ready."
"Get ready for what?" His eyes widen as he asks. "I thought we weren't dressing up?"
She draws him a look as if he was stupid, wondering if he knows her at all.
She breaks out her cutest smile and saunters towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing a peck on his lips.
"Well we're not dressing up per se…" she mumbles.
He wraps his arms around her waist, drawing her closer and returning her kiss.
"What do you have in mind?" he asks as he pulls back.
Donna breaks free from his hold and walks towards the kitchen island, rummaging through one of the paper bags there. She pulls her hand out clutching a small pot of black face paint and two headbands with what looks like kitten ears.
"Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me!" He protests as she makes her way towards him, mouth wide with a mischievous grin.
She grabs his hand and starts pulling his relenting body to the kitchen island, turning to push him into a seat. She stands between his legs and wraps his arms around his neck again and he knows where this is headed.
"I promise, I can make this very worth your while…" she whispers melodiously, her forehead pressed against his. "I do have an old catsuit that would go well with this, you know, if you'd be interested in seeing it tonight."
His breath catches in his throat at the thought and yeah, he'll do whatever she wants.
…
The begins to turn darker shades of blue and grey and the moon shines brighter in the sky as Halloween night draws in.
Donna was pretty proud of her skills. She knew she had her husband wrapped around her little finger but never did she think he'd let her paint his face with whiskers and put on cat ears, which matched her own, with pretty minimal complaints.
She had even managed to convince him into taking a few selfies with her, although she doubted he'd be too pleased when he finds out she put them on Instagram.
Their heads turn in unison as soft knocks can be heard from the door and Donna's face lights up as she makes her way to answer it.
Harvey grabs the first bowl of candy from the hall table as she opens the door and he swears even his heart melts.
In front of them is a little girl in a cute dalmatian print jacket and a long back tutu dress, her face basically overtaken by a curly black and white wig on her head, and holding a pumpkin bucket ready to collect her candy.
Her moms were standing behind her dressed as the dog snatchers, one of them holding a sleeping baby dressed in a dalmatian baby grow.
"Trick or treat!", the little girl exclaimed as they looked down at her.
Donna crouched down to the girl's height, smiling brightly at her as she says, "Well aren't you the most adorable Cruella de Vil ever!".
Harvey crouches down to join in and the girl giggles at Harvey's face as one of her moms compliments his face paint.
"So, do you have a joke for us?" Harvey asks.
"Knock, knock."
"Who's there?" Harvey and Donna reply in unison.
"Ice cream."
"Ice cream who?"
"ICE CREAM SO YOU CAN HEAR ME!" her little voice shouts as she leans closer to them.
Harvey and Donna laugh at her adorable joke as she and her moms laugh along with them.
"Well, I definitely think that deserves a big helping of Halloween candy, doesn't it, Donna?" and the girl's face sparkles with a smile as she agrees.
"Here you go, sweetie," Harvey says gently. He dips his hand into the candy bowl and drops a large helping into the child's pumpkin bucket.
He catches eyes with her moms and remembers the tiny baby dressed as a Dalmatian.
"Here's a little extra for the adorable little puppy you brought along too," he says. "I know she can't eat it yet, but I'm sure you can tell her how good it is."
"Thank you, mister. Happy Halloween!" she says as she turns to leave, both of her moms mumbling a thanks as they follow her down the hall.
Donna was lost in thought as they closed the door and headed back to their seats in the kitchen. She had seen Harvey with kids before, with his — now their — niece and nephew on their trips to Boston and with her sister's kids in Connecticut. He was also beyond adorable holding little Lucy. But seeing him being so sweet with the little trick-or-treater had made her heart all warm and fuzzy.
Maybe it was because they are still newlyweds. They had briefly mentioned kids on their wedding night, lost in the pure ecstasy of an entire life together waiting for them. Kids could very possibly be their reality soon and she'd be lying if she said it didn't make her happy and terrified all at once.
She barely has time to spiral further into her thoughts before the door goes again and Harvey rushes past her to the door.
…
The night passed by and they had barely closed the door as more and more kids turned up. They had seen little pumpkins, witches, superheroes, a Wizard of Oz ensemble, a very tiny Wednesday Addams accompanied by her big sister as Morticia, scary clowns and Disney princesses.
But when a little girl who couldn't have been more than two turned up, wearing a green bodysuit and tutu, and her face framed with her red curly hair and a flower petal headpiece, the both of them had almost cried. The adorable toddler did nothing to calm Donna's earlier thoughts, and combined with watching Harvey have fun and speaking so softly with the kids all evening, she was about to spiral any second.
By 9pm the candy bowls were completely empty and it looked like the Halloween madness had died down. Donna retreated to the couch and Harvey followed behind, stopping in the kitchen to grab some wine.
"I hope you liked your whiskers because next year we're gonna have the most extra couples costume ever. There's no getting out of it." Donna chuckles as he takes his place next to her.
She watches as he pours them each a glass, leaning her head on the back of the couch and smiling dreamily at him. "You know, you were a natural with all those kids tonight. They all loved you," she tells him.
He passes her a glass and smiles back at her. "Well, I'm sure any kid would love the person handing them bundles of candy."
"No," she quickly protests. She puts her glass on the table in front of them and snuggles into his side a little. "I really mean it Harvey, you're so good with our nieces and nephews too."
"You know, I really do think you'll be an amazing dad," she muses. "Sometimes it seems like you were born for that role."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
He kisses her softly on the lips and then on the head before pulling her closer.
"So, does that mean that this time next year we might have our own little pumpkin to dress up?" he asks, half joking but also hoping her answer is yes.
He can't wait to start a family with her. It was never something he thought was on the cards for him, too fucked up by his own childhood. But as soon as he and Donna had promised forever to each other, a little Baby Specter was something he couldn't put out of his mind.
She laughs and smiles, bopping him on the nose as she answers. "Hold your horses, mister, I want you all to myself for a little while."
Her words remind him of her earlier promise.
"Speaking of, do I finally get to see my beautiful wife in this catwoman costume that I can't stop thinking about?" he asks with a seductive look on his face.
She leans in to kiss him on the lips and pulls back.
"You sure do..." she replies with a sexy smile.
Suddenly she turns away and grabs the television remote from the table and switches it on.
"…Right after we watch Hocus Pocus!"
He rolls his eyes but really he has no complaints. His first Halloween with his wife had been his favourite ever.