I Wanna Be Yours

"Chapter 19"

"Okay, the way you're describing it is not the way the books explain it," Derek says, frowning at Meredith.

Meredith grins as she puts down her special study cards, proudly showing off her studying skills. This is their third study session, but it's the first one that came on a day off for her. She guesses as soon as her mother figured out she was helping Derek study, she synchronized their days off, and she's not complaining.

She arrived to Derek's house around eight in the morning, said hi to David who was out of the door with Carolyn in a flash, and then they started revising Neuro. Now it's the middle of the afternoon and she's looking forward to dinner more than anything. Since lunch was a quick sandwich and Derek promised to cook, she's more than hungry.

"It's not the same as what the books say but what it actually means. That's why my study cards work."

Derek groans, looking adorable as he runs his hand through his unkempt hair. He's still in his pajama pants and t-shirt, his stubble growing more than usual, clearly clueless about the effect that unruly look has on her.

Meredith has wanted to jump Derek from the moment she stepped foot in his house. She's exercising her self-control in a way she wasn't sure she was able to.

"Why don't they say this, instead?"

"Because doctors are supposed to be smart? The intern exam is one of the last times to pick out the good ones. They want it to work."

"God, my head is exploding." Derek groans, running his hands over his face. "I need a break."

"You can start cooking if you want," she says, grinning mischievously.

"Well, the deal was that I should teach you how to cook." It's his turn to smirk, now.

"Oh, boy, this is going to be a disaster."

Derek laughs and she joins him, their bodies relaxing on the couch for a beat. She's been loving how easily they can spend time together without feeling awkward. It never happened to her when in the company of men, and surely not since Finn.

"Okay, what about something easy?"

"Boiling water is tricky for me, Derek."

He snickers. "You can't use a boiler, then?"

Meredith laughs at his smugness, leaning closer to him. She needs to feel his warmth, even though she has no idea why.

"Are you sure you have something simple enough for me to learn?"

"All kinds of pasta are easy to make, Mere."

She feels a shiver at the smile he gives her. "Fine," she says, huffing in mock annoyance.

"Okay, so I have zucchini and shrimp, this is what we'll make."

He stands up with a purpose, opening cabinets and taking out stuff, then the fridge, taking out more stuff. For Meredith, it all seems like a lot of ingredients.

"Let's start by boiling the water, okay?"

He directs her to the right cabinet to pick out a pot, then switches on the stove as they cover the pot and wait for the water to boil.

"You know how to wash the zucchini, right?" he asks, more teasing in his tone.

She rolls her eyes, stealing the zucchini from him, then opening the faucet in the sink. She accidentally sprays him with water, and he laughs loudly.

"You're messy," he says, laughing again. "Okay. Cut off the ends now, then cut them into cubes."

Meredith cuts off the ends of the first zucchini, then watches as Derek slices it in the middle, then again into smaller sticks, before he produces perfect cubes. He hands her the huge chef's knife, and even though she wields scalpels on a daily basis, she feels unsure about handling this kind of blade.