A/N: This is my first attempt at the 30 Oneshot Challenge by GJ7B.X, I have two others of my thirty done and I'll be posting those soon. I also have the Flash Fic to type up. Hmm, okay. This is basically an oneshot inspired by the word Kittens. Well, that's all. Enjoy. R&R! Thanks. –Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own LWD.

#11 Kittens:

Trip To The Pet Store

Marti Venturi had gotten to that age. That age where a kid decides that having a pet is the most important thing in the world. When they will go to drastic measures to convince their parents to let them have a pet. Even resorting to offering to housetrain the poor animal. Most of the time the child tries and fails, doomed to live a pet less life—at least until they can get their parents in a good mood. Somehow Marti succeeded.

And that is how Casey found herself at the pet store with Derek and Marti. Nora and George had enlisted their oldest children to take Marti to pick out a pet. A reasonable pet, that needed the usual amount of upkeep. Nothing reptilian or amphibian origin was expected to come home.

Marti had completely bypassed the bird section, moving on to the section of rodents. Casey was able to talk Marti out of a hamster, guinea pig or rat. She steered Marti away from the snake section, because anything that required live food was out of the question. That is how they had arrived at the section with casts and dogs.

So far Derek had offered little input on pet selection but as soon as Marti took an affection for a litter of kittens he spoke up, "Kittens? Come on you guys, Derek Venturi cannot have a kitten as a household pet."

"But Smerek, I like the kittens." Marti pouted.

"Yeah Derek, they're adorable." Casey sing-songed.

"Can't you go for something more manly?" Derek groaned, "Like a dog?"

"Well there's a cute little terrier over there." Casey replied, pointing it out to Marti.

"A terrier? Can you say lap dog?" Derek complained. "What about a Pit bull or Rottweiler?"

"Those kinds of dogs can be unpredictable." Casey chided, matter-of-factly. "But if you want to be responsible for the safety of your sister and brother and Lizzie, then why not?"

"Fine." Derek shook his head. "I give up."

Marti beamed. "I want a kitten Smerek."

"Okay, Smarti." Derek responded, picking up Marti, "But at least get a grey one, not one of those prissy mix matched ones."

"Okay Smerek!" Marti exclaimed.

Casey smiled as Derek helped Marti pick out one of the grey kittens that were crawling around. That evening after they had taken the kitten home, the adorable little thing was bestowed with the clever name of Grey.

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Marti Venturi had gotten to that age. That age where a kid will beg and plead for a pet and get one, then after a week or so get bored with it much to their parents' dismay. When Marti tired of taking care of Grey, the responsibility, surprisingly, fell to Derek. He could be found a lot of the time, sitting in his chair with Grey in his lap, absentmindedly stroking the kitten as he watched television. Casey had walked in on this situation at one point near the beginning and couldn't help but comment on it.

"That's just the sweetest thing." Casey cooed, coming around to sit on the couch.

"Shut up." Derek replied calmly, not even looking away from the television set.

"And you didn't even want a cat." Casey continued smiling widely.

"I don't want a cat!" Derek counted, "But this one's not so bad."

"Aw, Derek actually has a heart." Casey laughed.

"Shut. Up!" Derek exclaimed, finally turning to Casey.

"Don't scare the poor thing." Casey taunted, "We wouldn't want that."

"Will you knock it off? You're the one who wanted the damn kitten. But somehow I got stuck taking care of it. And I do it. What more do you want from me?"

Casey smirked, "I want you to admit to admit that you love the fluffy little kitten."

Grey hopped out of Derek's lap and began to stretch on the floor by his feet in that adorable feline manner. Both Casey and Derek looked on as Grey purred and curled up in a ball on the floor.

"Okay, I love the kitten, happy?"