Pairings will be varied, as many saw, I don't latch onto just one and run with it, I'm flexible…though Van's a little shite and decided he wanted Lucy a bit more than the other boys lol

That Said. I don't own the Pradesh boys, Desna's Version of the FT world...or FT itself. ..The core of Team Natsu wouldn't be so abusive if I did. I own the Plot and Hestor Kedanza...who's been handed over to me after 6 months of developmental work with Desna

Anyone is free to use these prompts, they're simply out there on the Internet, I just grabbed the one that I liked some of the prompts a lot...and a break from a large story can always help give a person new insight.

Also, if anyone feels like continuing the small snippets, feel free. these are random "story seeds", quick stories to perhaps build off in the future..only thing I'd like is to be able to see it.

Seriously, anyone wants to pick this up? feel free. just lemme see the result and give me credit for my contribution.

I know, I've been...not about. A lot has been going on in the backend of the Fanfiction community and I don't condone it at all. I don't condone people attacking each other over OCs. I'm guilty of being a little aggressive with Hestor, but after working and developing him for as long as I did, I see him as my little Prickly and I'm defensive. asking permission, getting a character correct while taking your own spin on it is important. if you go somewhere completely out of left field to how they are?

Also, given the background work I'm doing with a few friends on Celestial Keys, i'd like to encourage everyone to look into the Major current constellations, and ancient ones, to see what is out there. look at the stories behind them, see what you see in them, take from them. The Stars, their formations in the sky, how people have changed what they represent? these are things that are amazing stories, let your imagination run when you look over these myths, these other things, expand yourself as you write.

This was done for Friendship day, I am slowly getting back into writing, but there is plenty of stubbornness from my muses. I simply have to allow them to...work as they want to work.

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Vander knew he spent a lot of time with different partners, but he watched across the club at a single woman that had caught him in a way he wasn't sure was possible. Her past was darker than a lot, taken from her home, put into labs, changed into something that she wasn't, but she always smiled. He could see the darkness in the vibrant peridot eyes when no one else was looking and knew that his own ruby depths held the same from time to time. The Havati of Husen island taking to her hadn't been something he'd ever expected.

He'd watched her laugh and play games of cat and mouse with the havati through the trees with no fear at all. She wasn't afraid of them, even knowing how dangerous they were. She never treated them anything other than beautiful and intelligent creatures, letting them come to her, never the other way around. He could feel them on the island because it was in his blood, but she could 'hear' them. He'd seen her do it with other animals too, not just the havati, but during visits to the conservatory and she'd driven Beck up a wall a few times by climbing into various habitats and taking naps with creatures that were almost as deadly as the Havati.

Vander had worked with her on quite a few missions, her demeanor was laid back enough that she was able to get along with Presca while still getting things she had to learn something for an undercover assignment, she dove in with everything she had and he was amazed at how fast she learned, everything she did was with an amount of flair that he wasn't sure was possible at times.

The Encan was making drinks and it was a party, he watched as she flipped bottles and filled the shaker, dancing and singing along to the music being played. She was...close to perfect, if he was honest. She had her bold moments, but then he'd watch her become shy at simple compliments. He grinned as their eyes met and she nearly dropped a bottle, managing to bounce it a few times and not look like she'd messed up. His grin widened as she shot him a glower and then shook her head.

Tonight. He would talk to her tonight...and it had nothing to do with the ring that was damn near burning a hole in his requip. Nothing at all to do with the fact that she was open and full of life. Nothing at all to do with the fact that she could make him forget to breathe some times. Nothing to do with her being bold as brass one moment and shy the next over a simple compliment.

Or not. The chancellor had come into the club outside his 'normal' schedule and...they'd not been able to leave early. He'd gotten a last minute client and by the time he'd been done, the place was cleaned, closed and when he'd gotten back to the apartment they were using for the mission, she was curled up and asleep.

He let out a frustrated sigh as he climbed into the bed, getting comfortable and then giving a low chuckle as she curled into him. His fingers came up, gently curling into her dark hair. He knew what was beneath her skin, the tiger that could kill at a moment's notice and would if it felt threatened. He shifted a bit, moving to press a kiss against the crown of her head before he made himself go to sleep. Tonight. Later that night...after they woke up and went through their day.

~)~))~)~)~

Vander frowned, it was well past last call and there was still someone at the bar talking to her. It took him a moment to realize it was one of the aides for the man that they were gathering information on, but his focus was on her. Her body language screamed 'exhaustion' even though she was smiling and being polite.

"Non, thank ya though," Cida gave a faint smile to the man and Vander made sure that he was behind the aide, so that if she looked at him, it wouldn't look suspicious. Her eyes darted to him and then back to the man that spoke.

"Why not?" The man sipped his drink, obviously nursing it and trying to wear the woman down, which grated the hell out of Vander. This was Bosco. No meant no.

Cida gave a soft laugh, "well, ain't gonna ask wha' yer job is, ain't m'place, but...let's say ya 'ad a custom'r an' ya did work fer 'em...then ya meet 'em on th' street an' they want...th' same type o' services wit'out payin'."

"Ah, that makes sense...how about I walk you home then? It's late and I hear there are some rumors of people mugging men and women walking alone."

Cida hesitated for a moment. They never left together, but they always met up further down and he watched her from the shadows. "I…" he knew she couldn't find a way to get out of it and he saw her give a tired smile, "a'ight...but tha' means ya gotta finish yer drink so I can git done wit' m'work."

The man nodded and Vander ducked into a shadow, waiting until he walked out of the club. He watched her put the glass in to be washed and then walked to the back room. He knew she was taking a moment to center herself and he could see the exhaustion now that things were settled a bit more. Vander came up behind her, gently sliding his hands along her arms, she tensed for a fraction of a second before leaning back into him and he dipped his head, slowly running his lips along her neck and taking one of her hands.

"Here, just...don't touch this to your skin...but his," Vander murmured, sliding a small pad on one of her finger tips, "it's a sedative, about five minutes, it'll knock him out."

"Yer gonna be there?" Cida's voice was soft, the exhaustion that she was feeling evident now that they were alone.

Vander nodded as he let his lips curl along her neck and couldn't help but smile as her head tilted, giving him more access, "yes."

"Okay," her lips curled into a soft smile, "thanks."

He watched as she shrugged into her jacket and then smiled gently at him before taking a centering breath and walking out.

~)~)~)~)~

"Hey, sorry, girl's gotta do 'er work b'fore she gits ta go home," Cida looked at the man with tired amusement.

"I'm so sorry," The man chuckled, rubbing his neck with one hand and then holding out the other, "Come on, let's get you home."

She hesitated as she looked at the outstretched hand and then warily took it, she knew she had to touch skin, but that didn't mean she wanted to. "Thanks..but uh…"

"Safety," The man chuckled, "I'm a shield mage, but I have to be touching those I want to shield."

Cida gave a nod, trying to push the pace of the walk to get there faster, without seeming it, but the man just...refused to walk fast. She was getting frustrated and feeling the tiredness that she had been fighting for days just settle in. Six months. It had been six months, she wanted to go back to the island and listen to the havati singing in the daytime, or the evening. She made small noises, acting as if she were listening to the man and then turning as he fell backwards, watching Vander catch him, "Thanks, sweetie."

"Hey, I said I'd be here," Vander grinned at her and hefted the man over a shoulder, "I'm taking him to the mind mage, i'll see you back at the apartment?"

Cida nodded. They'd chosen the apartment because of the many ways in and out and the fact that there were shadowed alleyways about, she felt safer walking in them at night, knowing he was there. The woman watched him go and then continued her walk, blinking slowly as it felt like the exhaustion hit her like a train and she stumbled, her mind tried to figure out what was wrong, then flashed back to being tranquilized back in the labs, just as her body gave out and she crumbled into the ground, slamming into a trash can on the way down. The sounds of the alley cats screeching and running away filled the air, most of the residents awake, or awakened not bothering to check on the crash because of it.

She barely heard the concerned and panicked call of her name as she was picked up. Her mind was muddled as her body stayed limp.

~)~)~)~))~)~)~

He'd taken their cargo to the mind mage and then raced back, eyes going wide when he saw the mess in the normally clean alleyway, this was abnormal, but what worried him was the black leather clad legs that barely were seen. "No, no, no, no. Cida!"

Vander knew he was panicking as he moved to pick her up, half shaking her. If something took her down, it was bad. She didn't seem hurt, but he did the only thing he could think of, dove into the void with her. Meala and Searsha were there, protecting them and he would have, under normal circumstances, been in slight awe as the white havati joined them, lightning crackling around them to help keep the shades at bay before they were in the Guild Infirmary and he was yelling for Xally and Cris.

"What's wro-" Xally's eyes went wide as she saw the three havati, the white one aggressively hissing before curling up by the bed almost semi-lethargically. She went to work as Cris came bursting in, the two healers working as Vander watched on.

It was an hour later that Cris spoke, "Gods...there was enough tranquiliser in her to take down a dragon…"

Vander stared at the now peacefully resting woman and closed his eyes, "Dammit...I know what I gave her wasn't that powerful...was just enough to take out the aide…" he paused and then frowned, they hadn't had any information on the aide, other than he was one of the chancellor's oldest, his magic was listed as 'shield', but he checked his com and paled as he read the report...the man was a poison mage..a mage that could make a powerful enough toxin to put a Sevenese supersoldier down, apparently.

He sat down next to the bed, "I'll...stay here with her."

His two siblings watched for a moment and then Xally spoke, "I'll be in the office...I'm going to double check her blood work."

~)~)~)~)~~)~)~)~

Vander's head snapped up when he heard the groan and he watched Cida slowly wake and bring a hand up, mumbling to herself, "..th' fuck 'it me?"

"A toxin mage," Vander spoke softly, worried as he watched her, hand reaching out to gently brush her hair back, "it's okay, Cris and Xally got it out."

Peridot eyes blinked slowly and looked at Vander, smiling softly, "oh...tha's sucks…'m sorry fer worryin' ya...shoulda fig'r'd somethin' was up...m'bad."

Vander scowled slightly, "you didn't do anything wrong…" he watched her as she lay there, "I called the club, we're taking the day off...told them you got attacked by the guy that's been going around the area. Found you after the attack and took you for care…"

"Sorry," Cida sighed as she closed her eyes and Vander's scowl deepened now that she couldn't see it.

"Dammit, it's not your fault," Vander sighed as he watched her lay there and bit his lip. "Let's go out to breakfast."

Cida let out a chuckle, "am I cleared?" her head rolled to the side and she looked at him, eyes opening a bit as she lay there, watching him.

"Yeah, Xally checked on you a few hours ago, so did Cris, it was just a matter of you waking up," Vander spoke softly as he gave her a small grin.

"Breakfast it is then," She gave him a lopsided grin as she carefully started to sit up and then chuckled as the white havati nudged her with his snout, "mornin', Tanpet."

This was what he loved about her, she was so simple, so intune with things that most wouldn't be. He carefully helped her get up and then chuckled, "go get cleaned up and changed...don't think you want to wear your work clothes out for breakfast."

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Vander took her to the boardwalk, even midmorning, the rides were going, the games were open and it was lively. He watched her as she ate a corn dog and grinned at him as they stopped by the merry go round. "What?"

"C'mon," Cida grinned before she finished the corn dog and then drug him towards the line. When they got on, she was smirking and then waited for it to start. Even his eyes danced as various poles came down, brass rings glinting in the morning light and the two started reaching, laughing as they grabbed rings and then started throwing them.

There weren't many others on it, but the attendants were watching, and keeping score, so that when they got off and were lead into the prize shop, they had an idea of how many points they had to spend. He watched as she blinked slowly, tilting her head at the prizes, "I...got no idea wha' ta pick."

The shop was filled with jewelry, none of it cheap, a variety of stuffed animals and other things and Vander chuckled as she just looked lost. He carefully walked to a few different items and then plucked up a set of jewelry before walking back. He carefully slid behind her, sliding the choker around her neck, smiling warmly as he kissed her shoulder and then slid the hair clip into her hair, smiling as he clipped it just beneath one of the tiger striped ears.

Cida blushed brightly as she stood there, fingers curling against the choker and she murmured, "I feel like it's...too damn pretty fer me."

"No, it looks good on you," Vander spoke softly. Tonight. He'd ask tonight.

~)~))~)~)~))~~)

Vander chuckled softly as he waited for Cida to get out of the tub. He looked at the meal set out and grinned, knowing it was only a matter of time before the smells drug her out.

True enough, it was less than ten minutes and she was slinking out, hair wet and up in a messy bun, the woman having obviously decided to fuck clothes as she was wearing a simple wrap around her chest, a pair of shorts that barely covered anything and blinking curiously. He'd turned off the lights, using a few well placed lacrima to light the home, giving it a light glow like moonlight was touching everything.

"Wha'...seems a bit much fer dinn'r, Van," Cida tilted her head as she slowly sat down.

Vander grinned as they started eating, "nah, nothing wrong with a bit of mood lighting."

Cida rolled her eyes as she ate, focusing on her food, "I guess?"

He waited until she was done and then took a breath, "Cida?"

The green eyes half glowed in the lighting as she looked up at him, blinking slowly, "...yeah?"

Vander rubbed the back of his neck, feeling nervous as he slid off his seat and then moved to kneel in front of her. He looked up at Cida and smiled softly, not a grin, just a smile, "so…"

Cida blinked, looking curious and confused at the same time as she looked down at him, "...Van?"

The shadowquip steeled his nerves and then pulled a ring box out, opening it to reveal a stylized ring that looked like a havati in white gold with one red eye and one black eye, "we've known each other for awhile, and gotten close...I'd like to get closer. Promise with me?"

"Me?" The Encan squeaked as she looked at him, eyes wide as her face turned red, even in the pale lighting.

She looked shocked and shy at the same time, that mix of emotions getting to him, making him almost vibrate with nervousness. Vander just waited, ring box held up and then tilted his head, giving her a little grin, "that's...kind of what I meant, yeah."

Cida's face got a darker shade of red as she sat there and looked at him, he watched as emotions flickered through her eyes before a shaking hand slowly curled out and she murmured, "oui."