Prompt from aprylynn: Kensi and Deeks find a puppy while investigating a case and they have to take care of it until they find the owner.
"Who's the cutest puppy, huh? You's the cutest puppy, that's right."
Kensi grimaced at her partner, who was literally giving puppy dog kisses to the small hound puppy they'd found nosing around their crime scene earlier. "Deeks. Quit kissing the dog."
Deeks frowned at her and snuggled the little girl puppy in his lap. Ruffling the dog's ears, he whispered loudly, "She's just jealous."
Sighing, Kensi crossed the boatshed to take a seat next to Deeks. She rubbed her hand down back of the puppy, all the way to the tip of her tail. "I don't want you to get too attached."
"I'm not going to get too attached, Kens. She just needs some love and affection, that's all."
"Really?" Kensi's mouth dropped open. "You won't get too attached? You hit a squirrel with your motorcycle, took it to the vet, and then tried to keep it."
"In my defense," Deeks responded, holding a finger up. "It was a very cute squirrel. A bit of a biter, though." He looked down at the puppy, who was starting to doze off in his lap. "She's cute. And she's not micro-chipped. So what if I get attached?"
"She has a collar."
"With only a Rabies tag."
"And we're waiting on the veterinarian to call us back."
Deeks tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. "What are you so afraid of?"
Shrugging, Kensi continued petting the puppy, refusing to meet his eyes. "I'm not afraid of anything. I just think she deserves to find her home again, that's all."
"Uh huh."
"Yes, huh."
"Whatever you say."
"You're really annoying," Kensi told him, raising her eyes to meet his. "A puppy is a big commitment, Deeks."
"Are you saying you're not ready to make a commitment?" Deeks asked the question jokingly, but she saw the tiny twinge of hurt in his eyes.
Kensi leaned over the puppy to kiss Deeks on the cheek. "You know what I mean. This wouldn't be your puppy, or my puppy. It would be our puppy. That's almost like having a kid." She closed her eyes and shuddered at the thought.
"Not quite," he responded, grinning at her. "But I think we're ready for it. The puppy, not the kid."
"See, this is what you always do! You're attached to her already," she chided. The puppy rolled over in Deeks' lap, wagging her tail. Kensi scratched her belly and the little dog started kicking a back leg uncontrollably.
Deeks placed his hand his hand over Kensi's, rubbing it with his thumb. "Yeah. I am definitely attached."