A/N: This is the first story of the bunch, focusing on the pairing of Vinnie and Minka. Though I have my own opinions about the two in my headcanon that don't really allow for them to get together, it's a really cute ship. I found it to be a pretty good first start. This is the first thing I have ever submitted to the site, so please be sharp with the criticism! My writing is a little rusty and I need all the help I can get.

Note that I am also OPEN for ideas at this time! I plan on making a story for most of the major pairings in the show and even a lot of obscure ships, but I don't have ideas laid out for all of them. Please feel free to chime in in that regard. If I like your idea, I will likely write it out.

Thanks for your support!

With a decisive splatter of red-orange paint, Minka's day was finally coming to an end.

She had spent the entire rainy Thursday unusually focused, hard at work on what turned out to be her biggest project yet. In terms of the spider monkey's rather small attention span, it was an amazing feat; the behemoth of a painting that stood before her was a testament to how accomplished she could be if she channeled her energy.

However, once the final few drops of paint left her eager fingers and married themselves with the canvas, she found she could contain herself no longer. Her typical brand of restless, cheerful energy seized her as she raced towards the television, assured her friends would be there, waiting on her.

They were going to love this.

She couldn't reach the TV fast enough. The moment she caught sight of the others, she approached them without abandon. Not everyone was there watching the program, but her audience would have to do.

A few of her friends looked up expectantly, wondering where she had been. She gave them no time to ask.

"Oh my gosh you guys, you're never going to believe this! I've been working allllll day and guess what?! It's finished, it's finished, it's finally finished!" she cheered, practically running in circles around them.

Even though she was chattering enough for her mood to be infectious, none of the others quite shared her enthusiasm. In fact, several painful seconds transpired before any of them spoke up. It was Penny Ling who took the first plunge.

Sugar-sweet, she cooed, "Oh, Minka! Is that where you've been? Making a painting?"

Minka made a mental note to herself that she was, in fact, making art, not just a painting. However, she was too excited to be annoyed with her friends, even if they were all staring at her with mostly blank expressions.

"Yes indeedy!" she chirped in response to the panda, "Took me all day, too!

"Mmm, that's wonderful Minka," Russell said from behind his clipboard, "Very nice."

Zoe piped in as well, feigning interest, "Yes, yes. So proud of you, Minka. We really must take a look at it sometime!" Though her tone might have suggested otherwise, she did not take her eyes off of the program at hand. Pepper and Sunil, the remaining two pets, said nothing in response to Minka's excitement, fueling her disappointment.

Though she was trying her hardest not to get upset at her friends' nonchalance, she fought the urge to turn the television off and force them to appreciate the artwork she was so enthusiastic about showing them. She was so proud of her piece—why didn't they care? None of them seemed even remotely interested, and most had turned their attention back towards the TV, assuming Minka's outburst was finished.

Indeed it was. The spider monkey wrung her tail disconsolately, too upset with her friends' response to actually be angry with them. None of the eyes were on her now as she muttered a hurried "sure" and slunk away from the other pets' vision, and back to the company of her painting.

The pilgrimage back to her masterpiece was slow and solemn, but she felt a bit better once she returned. The bright hues of her work practically danced around on the canvas, doing wonders to lift her spirits. In fact, that was exactly what it was for; although it was an abstract piece, full of seemingly random designs that took no real shape, it had a very clear purpose. The monkey artist saw it as a representation of her cheerful nature and optimism, and she created it in the attempt to put her friends in good spirits when she herself couldn't.

Then why doesn't anyone want to see it? I did it for them!

She didn't have time to answer her own question. Instead, all of her thoughts stood still as she realized a startling fact.

She had company. Vinnie.

She hadn't particularly noticed his absence at the TV earlier, and she definitely didn't expect him to be ogling her art instead. But here he was, admiring her masterpiece. His mouth was agape, his hands by his sides. She almost laughed, because it was so undeniably earnest, so undeniably Vinnie, that she knew it was genuine. There was no way he was faking interest for her sake; this was a thought that brought her good spirits back full circle.

Before she could chime in with renewed excitement, the gecko made an abrupt turn towards her, his eyes shining with amazement.

"Minka," he said, almost gasping as he gestured wildly at her work, "Did you do this?!"

"Sure did!" she replied, grinning.

"Oh-ho-ho-man, this is awesome! How did you do this? I mean, it's amazing! Wait till I tell the others about thi—"

Oh, yeah. The others. Just like that, her good mood was again killed. She placed a hand behind her back, trying her best to look sheepish and not completely depressed. "Iiiii don't think that's a good idea."

He cocked an eyebrow, his smile still firmly in place.

"Well, why not? I'm sure they'd love to—"

She cut him off again, too upset to let him finish.

"But they didn't! They didn't even care! I worked my tail off all day and I'm so so proud of this and I can't believe they don't even wanna take a look at it! I thought we were friends, I thought they were supposed to care! Aaaand do you remember that one time?! Where they found out people wanted to buy my stuff? That was the only time they all cared, and it was just so they'd all be rich! I love art, Vinnie, why can't they care about that, or even about me?!" Her last few sentences came out as a soft plea, her voice losing its usual rambling tone as she laid bare all her emotions to the waiting gecko. She held back the tears, but barely—her anger was ebbing in place of sadness, and it was becoming hard to hide. She turned away from him and her painting.

He wasn't ready to let her wallow in her own sadness. He made a leap towards her, placing himself once again in her line of sight. His face showed only empathy and distress.

He took a deep breath and exhaled softly, likely trying to find the right words to say to Minka before addressing her with a slow "Ahh, I'm—I'm sorry, Minks. You know how the others can be sometimes—. I'm sure they have a reason for not bein' so excited. I don't get why they wouldn't wanna see this though, I mean, heh" he stopped to chuckle softly, reaching a scaled hand out to her own, "It's wicked cool. It's so deep, and I mean, no one in their right mind would turn down checkin' this thing out."

He gave her a grin

"Guess you must not be in your right mind then," she said. She meant to sound angry, but it came out as more of a joke. Already, he was rubbing off on her.

"Psssh, as if that wasn't obvious already!" they both laughed then.

"Hey, wanna come with me? I got an idea—we can ask Blythe for a frame for this baby. The others will be so jealous when they see it all dressed up, they won't be able to keep their eyes off of it!"

"Guess not!" she replied rather modestly. After a moment of thought, she tacked on a cheerful, "Hey, wanna hear about how I made it? Gotta warn you, it's a loooong story!"

Her bubbly tone was back, along with her fast paced manner of speaking. She was practically bouncing up and down, the whole incident of her friends neglect merely a memory. Vinnie knew she would forgive them instantly for their wrongdoings. That was the Minka he loved to see.

He grabbed her hand again as they headed towards the dumbwaiter.

"I've got time!"