Prompt #23 by raffertypaltrow: "Donna is taking a baking class on December 24th (just like in All Things Valentine), but she has no idea that Harvey would be accompanying his niece and nephew to the same session because Marcus and Katie will be unable to attend. (Pre-canon Darvey, Fluff)"
"I'm so excited, Uncle Harvey!"
The best goddamn closer New York City has ever seen has taken the weekend off to be the coolest, funnest uncle these kids have ever had. Well, that is besides the fact that he is the only uncle that Hailey and Matt have.
Marcus and Katie planned a night away on their own before Christmas which means Harvey is left to take care of the kids. He pretended to get annoyed when his brother asked if he could look after the young Specters, but there was a smile on his face when he told him, "Okay."
The little family arrived on a Friday afternoon, checking in at their hotel first before meeting with the lawyer for dinner. The kids were ecstatic to see their uncle. 'He always has the best gifts,' they said, earning a chuckle from the said man. The plan was to have a sleepover at his apartment for only one night but Hailey flashed her sweet smile at his uncle and tricked him for one extra night. Matt jumps on his seat, excited to roam the spacious penthouse and build forts at every corner possible.
And the kids seemed to never run out of energy because that's exactly what they did when they arrived at his place. The pristine bachelor pad has turned into a wonderland of castles of blankets and pillows for the princess and the knights. Jazz music was put aside for the night as kiddie squeals and giggles filled the air before they headed to bed. He read them stories, one for each kid, until they drifted to sleep but not before Hailey said she's excited to be baking with her uncle the next day.
It completely slipped his mind that he will have to accompany them to the baking classes. He thought of just spending the day at his apartment because it'd be easier to look after them there, a place where they're all familiar and he has better control of things, less prone to accidents. But he won't let the kids down, he can't, not when he rarely gets the chance to spend time with them.
…
A bouncing bed wakes him up this morning. He opens his eyes and sees two kids jumping up and down on his mattress with big smiles on their faces.
"Wake up, Uncle Harvey. Wake up!" Matt sits next to him and shakes his shoulder with a little too much energy that he can take this early.
Hailey plops down on the bed, her head on her uncle's stomach as she says, "We're gonna bake cookies today!"
Harvey rubs a hand over his face and carefully sits up, back resting against the headboard. The movement causes his niece's head to fall down over the sheets. "Ouch," she pretends getting hurt before erupting into a fit of giggles together with her brother.
He quickly reaches for her, hand holding onto her arm to check if she's okay. "Hailey! I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
The younger Specter laughs again as she looks at her uncle. "I'm okay."
"Right." He nods, pulling the little girl to sit on his lap. Still half asleep, he tries his best to catch up with what all the fuss is about. "What were you saying?"
Matt joins in the conversation and sits closer to the other two. "You'll come with us to the baking class, right, Uncle Harvey?"
He nods and tries to ruffle his nephew's hair, but the young boy is quick to dock away, an annoyed look on his face. Oh, Specter men and their hair. He chuckles and answers instead, "I'll go with you two."
"Do you know how to bake cookies?" Hailey asks, her eyebrows furrowed as she looks at her uncle. The matter seems very important to her.
He shakes his head as a response. "But I make delicious pancakes."
"Better than what Dad makes?" Matt sits up straighter, an evident curiosity and excitement in his voice.
Harvey scoffs, "Absolutely. He doesn't know my secret ingredient."
"Will you tell us, Uncle Harvey? Please, please." Hailey pleads, her hands pressed together by her chest as she flashes those puppy eyes once more.
He moves out of bed, carrying his niece in his arms. He looks back at his nephew and nods at him, signalling for the kid to join them too.
"Even better, I'll also teach you how I make them." He replies as the three of them head over to his kitchen, luckily one that he stocked before his guests arrived.
They work hand in hand in preparing their breakfast. His two little sous chefs are effective helpers, attentively listening to his instructions and carefully following them. Not bad as practice for the class they'll be attending later in the afternoon. If this is how smooth it'll be, then they will be just fine.
…
Harvey opens the door to the little bakeshop where the class will be held, letting the two young ones enter first before him. They are a few minutes earlier than the scheduled time, wanting to get acquainted with the place first before the class begins. He is guiding the kids to one side of the room when he catches a glimpse of red in the corner of his eye.
She has a cream cashmere sweater on and a pair of dark jeans, her hair swept up on a ponytail that swings as she animatedly engages in a conversation. Years of working together, of her sitting outside of his office, he knows her back so well and can't mistake it for someone else. He's looked at it a lot of times in the past, stared at it a little too long when work has taken its toll. Or he gazed at it in the middle of the day when she's too focused on her task, a lingering look of admiration that he can only do when she has her back on him because he can't risk getting caught and be asked why is he looking at her that way. So, yes, he knows it can only be her.
"Donna?" He calls as he takes a step in her direction.
She turns around just as the person she was talking to walks away. She tilts her head to the side, her eyes squinting as she takes him in. "Harvey?"
A smile creeps on his face as he gives her a curt nod. "What are you doing here?" He asks, running a hand through his hair before placing it in his pocket. He is oddly nervous seeing her and he blames it on the fact that this rarely happens to them — meeting each other outside of the office, in their casual clothes on a Saturday afternoon.
"The better question is what are you doing here?" She teases, crossing her arms in front of her chest. They don't usually take the weekends off, slaving away even on days when they're supposed to be resting. But this week, he purposefully requested her to block off his weekend because his brother and his family are in the city. She knows how big of a step it is for him to reconnect with his family so she did what she was told without any hesitation. But she did not expect that those family plans would include having Harvey Specter attending a baking class for kids.
"I asked you first." He answers smugly causing her to let out a chuckle.
"Well, if you must know…" She starts her reply but is immediately cut short by a little lady tugging on her uncle's shirt as she calls for him.
"Uncle Harvey! Uncle Harvey!" Hailey jumps up and down by his side, buzzing with excitement. "The lady said that's our station." She explains, pointing at one of the tables in the front row.
Matt arrives just behind her sister. "Can we go there now?" He smiles sweetly. He's much more reserved than his sister but their uncle hears the excitement in his voice.
"Are these Hailey and Matt?" Her eyes widened at the sight of the two kids. The last time she saw them was when Marcus sent her a picture of them on a christmas card a couple of years ago. They were babies then, Matt was just about to start school and Hailey was still a chubby little baby.
"You know me?" Hailey perks up when her name is mentioned, her eyes twinkling as she turns to face Donna.
She reaches out a hand to touch the young girl's arm, gently squeezing it as she replies, "Of course, I do." She then turns her focus to the boy now standing beside his sister and holds out her hand to him, "And you too, Matt. You've grown into such a handsome young man."
He smiles proudly at her and softly shakes her hand, "Thank you."
Suddenly a warm feeling fills Harvey's chest, one that he hasn't felt before. He knew Donna fit just right with his family, how she got along well with Gordon and Marcus with so much ease as if they've known each other for a long time. She's family, always has been and always will be. But the sight of her with kids hits different, makes him think of what it would be like to have his own family.
The idea is a bit startling. It hasn't crossed his mind before, not even when he thought things were starting to get serious with his previous relationship. And it's even more intimidating that he thought of it with Donna. It shouldn't probably happen because they are not like that, right? Any possibility of them being together has been put out of their minds just like they both agreed to. Then why is he suddenly daydreaming of strawberry-blonde kids running around his apartment covered in flour while she stands laughing behind the kitchen counter? Could it mean…
"Harvey!"
Donna waves her hand in front of his face, "Wow. You're really out of it."
He shakes his head and reacquaints himself with his surroundings. "Sorry, what was that?"
"She's going to bake cookies with us!" Hailey answers loudly, making the other patrons look their way. Luckily, everyone else finds it amusing how excited the girl is and they just smile at their small little group.
The next thing he knows there are two small hands tugging him away, his feet moving in the same direction. They reach their station which, surprisingly, fits all four of them. The woman who was talking to Donna earlier passes by and hands them all aprons before the class officially begins.
Hailey eagerly grabs one and tries to put it on. But she finds it quite difficult to tie since it's too big for her. She looks up at Donna and flashes her signature puppy eyes at her, "Aunt Donna, can you help me please?"
Donna chuckles and offers a sweet smile in return, "Sure, sweetie. Come here."
Harvey mouths to her, "Aunt Donna?" She just shrugs at him and continues to fix the apron. "Are you bestfriends now?" He jokes as he wears his own and helps Matt with his.
"We are!" Hailey happily answers while her brother snickers beside her.
"You can be my best friend, Uncle Harvey." Matt says as he puts a hand up for a high five which his uncle gladly accepts and replies with, "Thanks, buddy! I like that."
…
The class goes smoothly with the two kids taking the lead in their station. It's amazing how much Matt knows his way around the kitchen, using the right tools and following the instructions carefully. Hailey does her best to help her big brother, passing on the ingredients and the utensils he needs.
The adults mainly stay behind, letting the little Specters enjoy the class and only assisting them at times when they ask for help. Like when the jar of sugar was capped too tightly and only 'Uncle Harvey's strong arms' can open it or when a bag of flour was accidentally knocked over the counter, leaving Hailey's face covered in it and Aunt Donna was the one to wipe them all away.
Their station is basically buzzing the whole time and all four of them seem to be having a lot of fun. When it was time to put the cookies in the pan, Donna immediately volunteered for the task, saying that it's best that an adult do it first because it might be too hot for the kids. They happily obliged and contentedly watched her place the tray inside.
"Look at you, you look like a professional." Harvey teases her as she closes the oven and sets the timer.
She turns around to face him and leans against the counter. "I can bake, Harvey." She lifts an eyebrow and gives him a proud smile.
"But you can't cook to save your life." He replies as he remembers the god-awful dinner party that he tried to save back then. He'll never forget her flustered face when she tasted the dish she made and immediately knew it was a disaster.
She rolls her eyes before answering, "Well, I can't be good at everything. That would just be unfair to the rest of the world."
Two quiet giggles interrupt their moment, the kids stealing glances at them while they clean up their mess on the table. Donna pushes herself to a stand and walks over to them, offering to take over the job so they can have a break. "Why don't you two take a seat and rest while we wait for the cookies? Uncle Harvey and I will take care of this."
Harvey comes to stand beside her and agrees, "You did great today, both of you." He smiles and gives a high five to each kid.
"Thanks! Dad tries to teach us every Sunday." Matt replies proudly.
"Matt is really good at it!" Hailey cheerfully adds. "When I grow up," she raises her hand at the same height as her brother, "I want to be just like him."
"You're getting better every week, Hailey." Matt says as he hugs her sister and walks off to their seats.
Harvey and Donna are left behind looking at those siblings still talking to each other with so much energy. "They're very sweet," she says, turning around to start gathering the utensils they used.
"They are," he nods, collecting all the bowls while he continues his reply, "far from how Marcus and I used to be."
She chuckles. "Speaking of Marcus, where is he and Katie?"
"They're on a date," he rolls his eyes as he says the last word.
She smiles as she unties the knot of her apron "That's why you're left with uncle duties."
"Something like that." He follows suit, removing his apron and taking hers to put aside. He then pats his hands down his pants and straightens his clothes. He turns to look at her again and sees a line of flour near her eyebrow.
"Oh, wait." He says and quickly reaches for her. One hand holds her chin to keep her head in place while the other gently swipes the flour away from her face.
Her eyes flutter at the feeling of his skin against hers. His touch is so soft, it feels just like a feather brushing her temple. She opens her eyes again and sees how little space there is left between them. If she leans in, even a tiny bit, something else will be touching and she thinks no one's ready for that.
The last speck of flour is removed and his eyes roam her face once more to check if there is anything else left. He doesn't get to see it all because their eyes meet and they are suddenly transported back to the time they were this close, surrounded by dim lights and ruffled sheets – a moment they tried so hard to forget but couldn't.
His hand now cups her face, his thumb caressing her cheek as he takes a glance at her lips. He wets his own and sees her do the same with hers. The attraction is strong and the pull is heavy, both feeling that something is happening. More than a decade of waiting, a chance is presented to them once again.
But that long awaited moment is gone too soon.
It's the ring of the timer that breaks them apart, jumping away from each other and standing a foot apart. The kids rush to their sides and eagerly call for the cookies to be taken out of the oven.
Donna takes up on the task again just to avoid any immediate interaction with him after that charged second that they shared. She puts the oven mits on and carefully extracts the tray. She places them on the counter and tells the kids to let the cookies cool first before they taste.
Harvey hasn't taken his eyes off her since they parted and Matt notices how his uncle continues to follow every move of the redhead. He tugs on his hand, forcing the older man to crouch down to his level.
"Do you have a crush on her?" Matt whispers in his ear.
He turns his head towards his nephew, a confused look on his face as he takes in the words he just heard. "What?"
"Aunt Donna," he leans in and keeps his voice low so their company wouldn't hear what they're talking about. "You keep looking at her. Do you likeher?"
He is taken aback, clearly not prepared to be interrogated today, let alone be asked these questions by someone so young. "Of course, I like her. She's my friend." He answers in the most truthful way he can.
"No." He shakes his head. "Do you like her?" The young boy puts more emphasis on that one word, speaking as if he already knows so much about what it means.
Does he? He thinks of it now. He hasn't tried to think of it before, not because he doesn't want to but because he's not allowed to. It's one of her conditions when she agreed to come to the firm. The one night they shared must be put out of their minds and he took it to mean that thinking of a possible future for them is also out of the books. So, he never did think about it, not until now.
Yes, he likes her. He is fond of her, her witty remarks and smart comebacks. He enjoys her company, eating shitty Thai late at night while they listen to his father's records in his office. He is in awe of her, not just of her skills in being her secretary but also of her talent as an actress when she's up on stage acting her heart out. He seeks for her, the day not feeling complete when he doesn't see her or hear her voice. He appreciates her presence in his world and in his life more than he can say.
Does that mean he likes her? As more than a friend?
"I don't know, Matt." He shakes his head as he replies. "I guess I'm gonna have to figure that out."
The young guy just nods at his uncle and offers him a weak smile.
"What are we whispering about?" Donna's voice pulls them out of their conversation and their heads turn to where the girls are standing, both holding cookies in their hands.
Harvey stands up and walks over, taking the cookie she offered him just as Hailey approaches her brother and gives him his share of cookies.
"It's nothing," he says. But she's quite skeptical with his answer so she looks at Matt instead. The little boy just shrugs and points at something above their heads. Both adults look up and are surprised by what's been hanging up there all this time.
"Oh, it's a mistletoe!" Hailey exclaims with too much excitement in her voice again. "You have to kiss." She feigns surprise, her eyes widening as she covers her mouth with her hand.
Matt joins in, seemingly not yet done with teasing his uncle. "It's tradition. You can't break it."
Harvey lets out a defeated sigh. 'Great,' he thinks. Of all the times this could have come up, why does it have to be right after when he's feelings are shaken and his mind is all over the place. He sheepishly looks at the woman beside him, checking if the kids' request to honor the tradition is fine with her. She looks stunned as well but still gives him a silent nod as response.
He turns to fully look at her, his hand skimming her back as he moves closer. They're only an inch apart now, eyes meeting once again and it feels like the moment they had earlier has resumed. The tips of their noses graze each other, causing her eyes to fall shut.
He thinks this could be it. The chance to prove themselves that the spark is still there, that it hasn't really left. And that this is the part where they can start all over again, walk past the blurred lines and explore just what could be.
Just one last step and everything can change.
But it doesn't happen because he takes the coward's way out.
He leans in but his lips don't meet hers, instead the kiss lands on her cheek. Too soft and too quick, it makes her doubt if it really happened.
She pulls back and looks at him, a small smile is on his face as he gazes back at her. He looks shy and it makes her think that maybe he did it to keep everything child-friendly. His niece and nephew are watching them after all.
She turns her head to check on the two kids and funny enough, they are not paying attention to them, not one bit. They are busy munching on the cookies they baked, counting who had more bites than the other.
That's when she feels his fingers brush her chin once more, making her head turn back towards his direction. His lips are suddenly on hers, pressed with so much eagerness that overwhelms her. She feels the want, the need for more, and it only takes her one second before she's responding.
She lightly sucks on his lower lip and a low moan comes from him. She tries to muffle the sound by pressing her lips harder against his, her hand moving up to touch his head, tangling her fingers with his short brown locks. She feels his hand pull her closer by the waist, holding her up against his solid chest.
Their surroundings have been completely tuned out. It's just the two of them wrapped up in each other, lost in the feeling of being together again. Until they hear a giggle come from their side.
They break the kiss, eyes still closed but big smiles plastered both on their faces. She looks at her side and sees Hailey facing them, her little hand pretending to cover her eyes but it's obvious she can see through the spaces between her fingers.
He drops his forehead against her temple and whispers in her ear. "The cookie tastes good."
"Does it?" She chuckles and faces him again.
He nods, raising his eyebrows as a tease.
"I think I need another taste." She replies and dives right in again. The kiss now a little more intense, making sure they both get a taste of it, not quite suitable for the young eyes around them. But she thinks screw it, they'll just have to sit down and explain later.
Because there's no way in hell she's letting it go, not when it tastes this good.