Title: Derek Morgan's Cooking Institute
By: Daisyangel
Pairing: gen
Rating: G
Summary: Written for the CCOAC new year's resolution challenge. my chosen character was Reid, his resolution was learning how to cook, and my other assigned character was Morgan.

***

Reid pushed his grocery cart up and down the aisles at the grocery store. He wasn't very fond of shopping but it was necessary. He had just placed some TV dinners in his cart when he spotted a familiar face heading towards him.

XXXX

"Hey Morgan," Reid called out. Hearing his name being called, the other man looked up and saw his friend and coworker just a few feet away.

"Hey there, kid. Out doing shopping?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, I don't like doing it, but I have to." Nodding, Morgan glanced into his friend's cart and frowned. Besides the normal personal care products like toothpaste and shaving cream, Morgan saw lots of boxed meals.

"Do you ever eat anything besides those boxed meals?" Morgan wondered.

"No, not really," Reid reluctantly admitted.

"No wonder you're so skinny. Why don't you cook something every now and then?" Morgan questioned. Blushing the genius looked down at his feet.

"I um, don't really know how to cook. I made a new years resolution to learn, but I don't know," Reid broke off realizing he'd probably said too much.

"I tell you what. Why don't I teach you how to cook? I know it's just you so I'll give you some recipes that can be adapted for just one person. If the recipe makes more than you'll eat in one meal you have leftovers," Morgan said.

"You can cook?" Reid asked in surprise.

"Yeah, Mama made me learn how to. She said no child of hers was going to live off microwave meals all their life. So what do you say, want me to teach you?" Reid thought about it for a second before nodding. "Great, let's get a few more things then we can head to your place and begin." Reid nodded and the two men headed off to finish their shopping.

XXXX

"Okay, let's start with something simple. How about some chicken breasts and mixed vegetables," the dark-skinned man suggested.

"Sounds good to me. What do I do first?" Reid asked after he washed his hands.

"First you take out the chicken and season it," Morgan instructed. Nodding, Reid reached for the package of meat and began opening it. Here goes nothing he thought as he began doing what Morgan had told him to do.

XXXX

A little over an hour later the two of them were enjoying the meal with a couple of beers with the TV on softly in the background.

"This is really good, kid. Not too bad for your first attempt," Morgan complimented.

"Thanks, I really appreciate your help. Do you think you can teach me some other recipes?" he requested shyly.

"I'd love to. Why don't I come over on Saturday and we can make a few things. I'll bring over some cookbooks that have easy recipes that my mother sent me," Morgan offered.

"Saturday sounds fine to me," Reid said as he ate his last bite. Sure he wouldn't become a gourmet chef, but at least he was confident that he wouldn't have to live off those microwave dinners for the rest of his life. For the first time he was glad he'd made a new year's resolution.

Finished!

***