Life With Dasey (A Life With Derek Fanfic)

Chapter Eleven

"Back already?"

Derek Venturi and Casey McDonald found themselves back home once again for the Christmas/Derekus holiday.

"Is that any way to treat your guests?" Derek tossed his duffel bag into Edwin's hands, pretending to mistake his brother for a bellhop.

Before their trip, Casey zipped her own luggage to make sure her sleep clothes wouldn't mysteriously, or not-so mysteriously, be thrown out this time, and unlike her stepbrother, she carried her own bags from the car.

"I'm not your lapdog," Edwin mumbled.

"Did you say something?" Derek turned around momentarily.

"No. No, sir." Edwin was easily intimidated, poor thing.

Walking past the nativity, Derek grimaced at the sight of the Prince still parked in the driveway, broken and unused in months. Why couldn't his father ask for help from a professional? He was too stubborn, just like Derek, that's why.

Upon opening the red front door, Derek got a whiff of pinecones and peppermint in the air. The entire house was decorated in garland with pretty twinkling lights on top of the molding. The tree, however, wasn't up yet because Marti wanted to wait for Derek and Casey.

Derek, as was expected, started for the recliner, but George stopped him in his tracks and stood in his way.

"Don't sit down just yet, Derek. I need your help grabbing the last bit of decorations from the attic."

"Ed can get it; it's his room," he fought.

"Edwin's busy carrying your luggage. Go get the decorations." Edwin had already set the luggage on the couch, making his father's argument invalid, but Derek didn't dare get on George's bad side this early in the day.

"Fine. I'm gonna grab a drink first."

Casey was already heading that way, so Derek squirmed to get past her, but she fought back, pushing him against the shoulder.

"Hey, looks like you two are under the mistletoe!" Lizzie revealed, sliding out of her kitchen seat to witness the calamity destined to unfold.

"Wha-?" Derek looked above his head, and sure enough, there was a mistletoe dangling in the air. For what reason?! Nora and George already made out enough in public; they didn't need a mistletoe.

George chuckled from the living room, enjoying his son's freakout.

"You know the rules, Derek. Everyone's been inflicted by Nora's mistletoe. I had to kiss Nora. Lizzie had to kiss Simon on the nose. Marti had to kiss Edwin on the cheek. It's Nora's way of keeping us nice to each other around the holidays."

Thanksgiving was a success, so Derek didn't understand the point of implementing a mistletoe around the holidays, and neither did Casey.

"If she wanted to keep us nice, she should have bought us tickets to Hawaii instead. There is no way these lips are going anywhere near Casey's face, alright?" Derek maintained his composure, but inside, there was an active pinball machine in his stomach.

Casey was used to his hurdled insults, but it still hurt a little that he was this disgusted over a meaningless peck. Besides, he did kiss her once, if her drunken memory served her correctly. They had been forced to kiss by an audience of fools at the time, and not much has changed this go around. How ridiculous!