A/N: to clarify- I am obsessed and in love with korean food. (the more kimchi, the better)
A Darvey-fanfic about Harvey and his ability to experience new things. One-shot, short sweet plotless. Critiques, and suggestions are as always welcome!
New experiences
Harvey hid a grimace at the taste of kimchi hitting his taste buds. "Fermented cabbage in spices" is what Cathy told him it was and when she saw his brows raise she laughed and clarified "It's like pickled slaw. It's good I promise."
Cathy god damn lied.
He was at a new restaurant in koreatown, with Cathy, an HR representative at one of his latest client's companies, and she was incredibly captivating, but Harvey wasn't sure she was worth the sting of new smells singing off his nostrils nor his taste buds getting whipped by intensely spicy food he didn't care for. He didn't want to seem like a stick in the mud when she'd suggested the place. First and foremost, the location was abysmal, it was a traffic-city and he hated it. There was a reason he hated visiting koreatown. If Manhattan was a general human traffic area then koreatown was the bottleneck area, mimicking a cheerleader pyramid with the amount of people toppling over one another. It was louder and more densely packed with street vendors, houses, Korean markets, open street markets, restaurants, natives, tourists and Americans obsessed with the culture were everywhere. Harvey had nothing against the culture, nor the food. But this specific restaurant with his specific tastes, grated on his entire being.
He liked to think of himself as adventurous, willing to try anything once. But he was also aware of his likes and dislikes and the idea of eating raw octopus cooked slowly in a hot bowl of spicy soup was not appetizing to him. Nor did he care for tofu and the way it creeped into most of the food options. Plus, having to cook the food himself on a hot plate wasn't appealing either. For the prices they were charging, shouldn't the meat come ready cooked and not raw with instructions on how to prepare it?
Theoretically, Harvey was adventurous… it just didn't always translate or sit right. He switched from a baseball career to law, moved from boston to new york, struck out on his own when he was 18, moving away from his family, bounced from job to job supporting himself. He chased adrenaline rushes through hiking, and boxing, and even went sky jumping once with his friends on a spur last minute Monday. He was up for new things… just not always. And not when he knew he could have the option of something he knew he'd enjoy. Like pasta.
Cathy picked up on his unease and smirked as she fried her egg on the stove. "Jeez, Harvey live a little."
He smiled tersely at her quip. "Hey I'm up for new adventures- pretty much everywhere." He teased and Cathy smirked winningly at his innuendo. "Well if you're a sport now, I'll pay it forward elsewhere too Mr. Specter."
Harvey smiled back genuinely this time, till he took a bite of whatever meat was in front of him and he winced slightly. He can admit he's a creature of habit and this was way out of his normal routine, opting for american or italian cuisine more so than asian. He thinks the main reason he's uncomfortable aside from the senses attacking him left and right, from the music to the aroma and tastes, was the lack of control he felt throughout their dinner experience.
He shook the feeling off and powered through his meal, opting to focus on the stuff he knew he could tolerate like the soy and ginger marinated ribs which were edible.
Cathy thanked him generously afterwards for not complaining too much about the new place he tried, which all in all, left the aftertaste of the food fade away.
. . .
Harvey never considered himself to be one for the beach. The idea of sand, scorching sun, and stinging saltwater with ants and crabs roaming around wasn't exactly the picture of a relaxing evening. He'd think of feeling hot, sweaty and irritated as he swatted away the bees and the lack of comfortable furniture around.
Harvey was a goddamn idiot.
He was immensely enjoying every second of his time, and he thinks it has something to do with Donna, his wife, in a two piece bikini lathering on sunscreen every 30 minutes, under her floppy big sunhat and humongous sunglasses, while laying under the shade of their umbrella. Harvey teased her about looking like an Eskimo and she snapped back he'd appreciate all her efforts when she didn't wind up looking like a tomato.
"Although, wait a minute, that is what you're into isnt it?" She teased, referencing the time he told Louis he got off on them. Harvey snorted at her response, before bending over her and kissing her sunscreen-less nose.
He took the sunscreen bottle from her hand and motioned for her to turn around. "If I can't convince you I might as well hop onto your craziness." Donna smiled appreciating his good sportsmanship.
He slowly spread his hands all over her freckled shoulders then upper back, going under her skimpy little back strings, before slowly teasing her lower backside, goosebumps occuring in the wake of his palms. He smiled at the effect he had on her.
"Besides I gotta make sure you don't get sunburned and put this out of commission."
"Put what out of-" Harvey tapped and then playfully slapped her left ass cheek lightly in response cheekily biting the inside of his cheek as he continued applying sunscreen on her upper thighs.
Donna let out half a yelp that transformed into a drunken giggle. She let him get away with the move because it wasn't like they had to keep up a sense of professionalism here, they were in the lovely beachside of Rome where they knew no one and had no reason to keep a wandering eye out on the off chance someone they knew personally or professionally was about to spot them.
"Told you I'd get you into a beach-y mindset" Donna sighed as his ministrations on her body went from humorous to relaxing as he kept throughly caressing every inch of her body, practically kneading every inch of her body with attention and care rather than simply putting on her beloved spf 50.
He smirked at her wording, not entirely off. She had to convince him pretty heavily that this would be a fun idea compared to his plan of just hitting up the formula one track. (they'd agreed to go tomorrow). Not to anyone's surprise, Harvey Specter, boston and new york born and bread was barely affable to the idea of a beach. He'd been to a few when he was younger, shitty ones where waves were either non-existent or too high, and he had general good childhood memories of them, but he didn't particularly care one way or the other for them.
But now, here, in Rome, he'd conceded to the fact that the water was warm and the currents were inviting, the sun was out sizzling nicely against his already bronzing body and he couldn't say he didn't enjoy dipping into the water with Donna, wrapping around her much slower crawl into the water and forcing her body to be covered in his own, wet with droplets, before maneuvering her into the deeper levels of water. (His body wrapped around hers from the back, before he pushed her in while he took giant steps forward into the water with her deliciously still trapped in his arms against his chest) They splashed around like kids fighting with one another, testing one anothers swimming and agility skills, racing one another as they dove in deeper, before Donna simply floated on her back letting the gentle waves carry her softly while Harvey took to pushing his body some more, swimming laps as he pushed his limit to how far in he could get, and swimming back to Donna as a little reward every time.
Eventually, Donna got out, wanting to relax with a few drinks and Harvey said he would meet up with her after a few more rounds, leading to them now: Donna laid out on the chaise lounge with three refills of pina coladas, and Harvey dripping wet droplets over her frame as he helped cover her up in sun care.
"Think it has to do with you more than the sand getting in everywhere" He feigned disgruntlement at the end.
"Aw, so sweet. Such a romantic talker." She sarcastically droned as Harvey tapped her lower back once letting her know she can turn back around now. Donna lifted herself off the chaise lounge to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him as a thank you. Harvey dove back in, stealing four more long pecks from her. He loved her warm, sun kissed freckled body against his. How supple and tender she felt, relaxed against his form, her two piece black bikini giving him ample easy access to all his favorite parts of her.
Donna smirked against his lips as she replied "don't worry, I'll help you rinse it all off back in our bathroom."
"Promettre?" He murmured in a husky Italian accent.
"Mm si" she mumbled back before stealing him in for one more kiss, as his hands roamed her back.
She tasted like pina coladas and saltwater mixed in together.
As Harvey took in her relaxed features, how her red hair glistened like gold in soft breezy curls, how cute she looked with the freckles on her cheekbones highlighted thanks to the Italian sun…
Harvey thinks he could go and try anything anywhere anytime as long as she kept promising to be there with him.