"Do they have any kittens in there?" Artie asked, straining to see the top row of glassed-in cages at the local pet store. "Last time I was here, they didn't have any."
Quinn looked up. "Yes, there are some white fluffy ones up there. Are you sure this is a good idea?"
He nodded. "It's cool. They know me here. I don't understand why they have to have them up so high...it's kind of ridiculous, and if they want little kids to beg their parents for kittens, they should have them down here," he said, pointing to the bottom row of cages, most of which contained various puppies.
She grinned. "They probably put them up there because they knew you were coming and they didn't want you playing with merchandise that you never buy."
He laughed. "I told Lynn that I can't actually take one home, because I'm allergic, and she said I could come cuddle them as much as I wanted. I know, I'm like...5."
She laughed. "5 and adorable," she said, smiling at the short, gray-haired woman that was approaching them.
"Hi Lynn," Artie said, "this is my girlfriend, Quinn. Quinn...Lynn."
Lynn smiled at both of them as she exchanged pleasantries with Quinn, before turning to Artie. "Artie, if I had known you were coming, I would have moved the kittens back down. I had them up there because I had to move some puppies around, but there's space down here again," she said, going around the back of the cages. "One? Two?"
He grinned. "Well, I'll take a couple," he said, gesturing towards his lap. "Quinn? Kitten?"
She laughed. "Sure...how about one for me?"
Lynn brought out two sleepy kittens and handed them to Artie, and then returned to the cage, grabbing two more, one for Quinn, and one for herself.
"Aren't they the sweetest kittens you've ever seen?" Lynn asked, as they all cuddled the soft, white, purring kittens.
Quinn nodded. "They're so soft! But Charlie would be so jealous if I brought one home."
"Lynn, you know it's not fair to ask me if they're the sweetest kittens," Artie said, grinning as one of the kittens started chewing on his finger, "because I think they're all the sweetest kittens ever."
Lynn turned to Quinn. "Did you know that he's been coming in here at least twice a month since he was six, just to play with the kittens?"
Quinn shook her head, turning to Artie. "You said you come here sometimes, but you never said you've been coming here for THAT long!"
He shrugged. "I didn't want you to think I had an unhealthy obsession with kittens."
"Um...I've known that for a while," she said, holding her kitten up to her face and listening to the soft purring.
The three chatted for a bit more, before Artie announced that they should probably be going so the kittens could go back to sleep. After they had been placed into one of the lower cages, they watched them for a couple of minutes, until all four of them were snuggled cozily into their bed.
After saying goodbye to Lynn, they left the pet store.
When they returned to the car, Artie pulled out his allergy medication, and told Quinn that it might make him a bit sleepy, but that he should be fine.
She grinned. "You come here to cuddle kittens, and then have to take drugs? Is that worth it?"
He laughed. "It's only every couple of weeks. And, besides...did you not see how cute they were? Definitely worth it."
A/N: Julie commented on one of my previous stories that she wanted to see Quartie at the pet store...so here they are!
QUARTIE FICATHON NOW IN PROGRESS! All the fics that have been posted so far are AMAZING, and anyone reading this should go read them all!
Or...better yet...join us and write some! Details can be found in the Quinn/Artie Forum, or you can PM me!