Five times Harvey buys flowers for Donna and one time he buys them with her.

Based on the prompt that Harvey pretends Donna is his wife when he buys her flowers.

My many many thanks to Cassie for all of her help and for putting up with all my complaining while I wrote this one!

-one-

"Looking for something for your wife?"

The first time it happens Harvey has no idea why he doesn't correct the man's assumption.

It was their first official day at Pearson Hardman and as Harvey had been about to enter the building he had spotted the small florist on the other side of the street, walking over without even making a conscious decision to do so. Feeling lost as he surveyed the wide assortment of flowers and bouquets spread around the store, trying to work out what type Donna would like best, the florist's words had taken him by surprise. It wasn't like he wore a ring and Harvey was damn sure he had never before been mistaken for someone's husband. That just wasn't him.

And yet.

The man's words had him slipping back in time, to a week prior when he showed up at Donna's door and she answered with a can of whipped cream in her hand. While the sex had been amazing, hot and passionate and better than anything he had imagined, there had also been something else occuring. A feeling that what was meant to be just sex, actually really wasn't, it was something more. Harvey was well aware he ran from it, from the possibility of something he had felt settling over them that night. Because that wasn't him, and even if he wanted it to be, there was no fucking way he was ready for that. And because more than anything he needed Donna in his life, and he knew having her in that way would only end badly.

But for just a moment he let himself consider it, the word wife bringing back into focus a slew of feelings from that night that he hadn't been willing to confront. And so for some unknown reason Harvey says yes, he is looking for something for his wife, and he doesn't know why he says it, it just comes out. But he likes the feeling it gives him, likes the sound of the word on his tongue. He lets himself imagine, for just a split second, what it would be like to be buying flowers for his wife, and an even more dangerous thought, what it would be like for her to be his wife.

It was a ridiculous fantasy, but for reasons he could not even begin to explain to himself, Harvey let himself live in it.

—

Donna was already there when he arrived, rearranging things around his new office. Harvey suddenly felt slightly awkward about the large bouquet of pink peonies in his hand, not wanting to give her the wrong idea. His only real thought in buying them was simply a desire to show how grateful he was that she had agreed to come with him, that she was still going to be there with him every day. It didn't mean anymore than that.

"And just who are they for?" her voice was teasing, as she spotted the flowers in his hand. A grin spread over her face as he somewhat awkwardly thrust the bouquet at her.

"Don't start thinking this will be a regular thing," he warned.

She raised the flowers to her face, sighing softly as she breathed in the scent, her eyes closing briefly. Harvey suddenly felt his mouth go dry at the image.

"Ohh peonies," she looked up at him with a smirk. "You know they're the symbol of a happy marriage. Better be careful Harvey or you might give everyone the wrong idea about us," she teased, waggling her eyebrows at him.

He knew she was joking, knew Donna was aware he would have no idea about the meaning behind any flower, but still Harvey nearly choked at her words. The fact he had just been playing make believe with that very idea, her being his wife, made Harvey feel suddenly exposed. He gaped at her, trying to force out a comeback, but Donna only laughed at his floundering.

"Oh calm down, no one is going to think the arrogant, self obsessed, best closer in the city, Harvey Specter is married," she said her voice dripping with humour and sarcasm. Donna rolled her eyes at him before turning to saunter out of his office, the sway of her hips pulling his gaze and further muddling his thoughts.

She caught him staring as she slid into her desk, throwing him a wink and Harvey couldn't help but think that he really wouldn't mind in the least for people to think she was his wife.

-two-

His lip was still tender and the hand clutching the bunch of flowers ached. But Harvey had no regrets, or rather his only regret was not smashing his fist into Stephen Huntley's face harder.

He knew Donna was upset, some of her brightness having been diminished by the realisation of just what sort of man she had been sleeping with. Harvey was determined not to let some murderous prick break the spirit of one of the most amazing women he knew. Hence the flowers, a small token to help brighten her day. Maybe it was strange, buying flowers for someone who had just broken up with their boyfriend, for lack of a better word, but Harvey had seen the hurt on her face and he'd do anything to take it away.

The florist made the same assumption once again, that Harvey was shopping for his wife. And once again he didn't correct him. It was just what he did now. Pretended. Like an actor playing a role, he let himself slip into the character, liking the feeling that buzzed inside him every time he did. He knew he should be questioning it, but like all manner of things that happened between him and Donna, he didn't, ignoring whatever implications his actions might mean.

"What are these for?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously as he handed her the flowers.

"No reason," he said with a shrug and Harvey let the quiet hang in the air.

She glanced up at him then, their eyes locking together and as happened sometimes Harvey found himself stuck, trapped in her gaze, unable to look away.

"Thank you Harvey," her words soft, delicate sounding.

He nodded at her, forcing himself to turn and move away from her desk before he did something stupid.

-three-

"Flowers for your wife?"

"Yes, it's her closing night performance," and Harvey felt a grin flash across his face in anticipation of the surprise he had planned for Donna.

"Well I think we better pick out something extra special then," remarked the florist as he started to search through the flower selection.

Harvey had long ago stopped questioning it, the reason why he always pretended that Donna was his wife when he came to buy her flowers. It's just his little secret, his five minutes of a fantasy life that he allowed himself to fall into, before walking out of the shop and returning to reality.

That night he waited for her outside the office, enjoying the thrill of being able to surprise her, soaking in the look on her face when she realised he was coming to watch her performance. But things were starting to get blurry in Harvey's mind, the separation between real and fantasy feeling less obvious and he let himself live in the land of make believe almost a little too much that night.

He felt himself slipping with his comments.

"I'm Donna fan."

"The only thing I've got going on tonight is you."

He was pushing at their boundaries, immersing himself in what the world would be like if he really had just stopped to pick up flowers for his wife on the way to taking her to her final performance. And when he dropped Donna off at her apartment, forcing himself to leave after he walked her to her front door, his flowers clutched in her hand, he suddenly felt a keening loss for what could have been.

He dreamt that night, about a mother and child playing in the garden, their familiar shade of red hair flashing in the sunlight, and when he woke in the morning Harvey wondered just what the fuck he was doing with his life.

-four-

"Picking up something for the wife?"

For the first time the words make him feel a touch of guilt. He had come to the florist to pick up some flowers for Donna as an overdue congratulations on becoming COO, but he was with Paula now and it dawned on him in that moment that she was probably the woman he was now meant to be buying flowers for.

"She just got a big promotion," and despite his sudden flash of guilt, Harvey can hear the echo of pride in his voice.

"You must be very proud."

"You have no idea," he murmured.

Maybe he was with Paula, but that didn't suddenly change how important a part of his life Donna was. Besides this was just his own personal joke, a bit of make believe he did every so often, it didn't mean anything.

But he leaves the flowers on Donna's desk while she is in a meeting, rather than waiting to give them to her in person as he usually would. He leaves them on her desk and goes to meet Paula and Harvey tells himself that it doesn't mean anything.

-five-

"No Harvey, I'm in my position because I fucking earned it!"

The words had been running on a loop in his head and fuck he had been such a dick to her. He damn well knew she had earned her position, a thousand times over. He should have promoted her years ago, probably would have if it hadn't felt like losing her a little bit.

"Something tells me you're in need of some apology flowers?" The florist's words jolted Harvey out of his ruminating, and he guessed the guilt he was feeling must have been pretty evident on his face.

"Very much so," he said, nodding at the man.

"I think this calls for roses, no wife can resist them," the florist declared.

The man's well meaning words caused a throb of wanting through Harvey. What had once been a silly game of fantasy that he indulged himself in now felt a little painful, rubbing against a wound he hadn't even realised was there until recently. His recent therapy session with Lipschitz, watching Louis plan for a family, it was all causing a tug inside Harvey, a longing. The idea of family, a wife and children, now no longer something he couldn't envisage himself wanting, but instead was now something he worried he had forever missed out on.

He was realising that he didn't want the fantasy anymore. He wanted the real deal. But still the risk of going after what he wanted scared him, because Donna said she didn't feel anything and while part of him wonders if maybe she lied, there was always the chance that maybe she hadn't.

He leaves the flowers on her desk, cowardly like he was well aware, but Harvey wasn't entirely sure he wanted to risk her wrath again today. But he leaves a note with them, one word written on it, sorry. He'd never done that before, but he wanted her to know how much he regretted his actions.

Donna comes to him that evening, when the office is quiet and everyone has gone home, pours them both a glass of scotch and settles herself on the couch. She lets the silence continue to linger, but Harvey knows she's forgiven him. He seats himself down next to her, close but not close enough, and they drink in the softening silence. She's close enough that he could reach out and touch her if he wanted, and deep down he knows that he does. It would be so easy to bend his face to hers and kiss her. He spends a long time thinking about doing just that.

But in the end he runs from the moment as he always does and as he falls into bed that night regret settles heavy over him, filled with all the moments and opportunity and life he is missing out on.

- plus one-

He catches the sunlight glinting off the band on his finger as he watches Donna move around the store, and he flexes his hand, still adjusting to the sensation of wearing a ring. He watches as she stops to inspect each bouquet of flowers that draw her attention, leaning down to inhale the scent. She is dressed casual, jeans and a sweater, her sunglasses pushed up on her head, holding back her loose flowing hair. But it's quickly becoming Harvey's favorite kind of look of hers, the one he only now gets to experience, something he didn't share in before. She looked beautiful and happy and all his and the contentment he feels settling deep in his bones is beyond anything he has experienced before.

He sees the florist watching them, or more precisely watching Donna, a grin on his face.

"Ahhh so this is your wife!" he exclaims.

And Harvey knows his grin spreads a mile wide across his face, pride and joy and happiness flowing out of him. It isn't fantasy anymore. It's real now, finally after all this time the words are no longer a lie.

"Yes," he replied, his eyes never once leaving her, "This is my wife."

Thanks for reading! Would love to hear your thoughts and comments, reviews are always very much welcomed and appreciated.