Title: Ficlet
By: carolinecrane
Pairing: pre-slash Morgan/Reid
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Rating: PG
Summary: Earlier today I wrote a Criminal Minds ficlet based on this gifset on tumblr. I don't know if it's spoilery for the latest episode or not, because I haven't been watching the show, but I was at work and I felt inspired to write little Morgan/Reid. Because of reasons. Anyway, it's only just over 500 words of fluffy preslash, but I'm posting here for posterity. (Nobody really cared about it on tumblr either.)

***

"Come on, genius, get your coat," Morgan says on his way past Reid's desk. He doesn't give Reid time to argue or even ask where they're going; by the time Reid pulls his coat on, Morgan's already out the door, keys in one hand and looking back at Reid expectantly.

"Where are we going?" Reid asks once he catches up, falling into step as Morgan leads him across the parking lot.

"It's a surprise," Morgan says, grinning over the top of the car before he slides behind the wheel. Reid thinks about arguing, demanding that Morgan tell him what's going on before he gets in the car. But it's Morgan, and Reid trusts him more than pretty much anyone in his life. So he climbs into the car, carefully buckling his seat belt before Morgan backs out of the spot.

He drives across town to a coffee shop Reid's only been to a few times, but before Reid can ask why Morgan needed company on a simple coffee run, he's out of the car and pocketing the keys. Reid stares out the windshield after him for a moment or two, but when Morgan doesn't look back to see if he's following, he lets out a sigh and climbs back out of the car.

"You know, if you wanted coffee we could have just gone to the usual place," Reid says when he catches up with Morgan. He takes the cup of coffee Morgan holds out to him, taking a tentative sip and raising an eyebrow when he realizes Morgan's already sweetened it for him.

"Nah," Morgan says, a hand on Reid's shoulder to steer him back out of the coffee shop. Instead of heading for the car he turns down the sidewalk, and Reid pauses for another second before he follows Morgan to the end of the block.

There's a little park that Reid's never noticed before, just big enough for a fountain and a few benches. There are flowers someone obviously tends, and when Morgan settles down on a bench and pats the seat next to him, Reid takes the hint and sits down.

"There's no park near the office," Morgan says, then he slides a little closer to Reid and rests his arm along the back of the bench.

"What are we doing?" Reid asks, staring down at his coffee for a second before he glances over at Morgan.

When Morgan shrugs his arm brushes against Reid's shoulders, and when his hand settles on the back of Reid's neck, Reid doesn't shrug him off. "You said you never did any of the usual teenage stuff. Figured it was about time we start making up for that."

"So this is...a date?"

Another shrug, and the hand on Reid's neck squeezes just a little. "If you want."

Reid nods slowly, then he glances over to find Morgan watching him. "One condition."

Morgan grins, but Reid's known him long enough to tell that he's just a little nervous. "Oh, yeah? What's that, pretty boy?"

"We skip the mall," Reid answers, and when Morgan laughs, Reid smiles and leans back into his touch.

"Done."

***