Title: Show Me Something That Isn't Mine
Day/Theme: July 17 - when you leave, it will be hard again
Series: Tales of Symphonia
Character/Pairing: Seles, Zelos
Rating: PG
Note: God... I don't even know. I'm sleep wasted and running on nothing right now. Take it as you will. Hints at spoliers for the Kratos arc.


Seles had missed her brother, she admitted. Although he could get on her nerves - anyone's nerves, honestly - with his frivolous and selfish attitude, she had missed his company. The times when he would smile at her and play with her when they were children was long past, but she still waited from him every day beside her little window - although she would never admit that. Those memories of their short-lived childhood gave light to her otherwise bleak days. Even the bitterness that had ruined so much of their time together could not touch those memories.

When he showed up with strange people and an equally strange request for the gem he had left in her care, she had to stifle her joy. She had to hide it, not let it show that she was beside herself with happiness to see her brother again. Even though she was happy, that bitterness had filled her up. He had left her alone all this time, and now he shows up out of the blue to take her one treasure of his! She wanted to scream at him and hug him at the same time. Instead, she just glowered, snapping at him in quick bursts and quickly regretting her actions. He left her again, just as quick as he came, and she was alone, all alone in the world.

So, when she heard no news of him for days, weeks, months after the word spread of the rejoining of the world, she did not stifle her anger. Something was wrong. He was off lounging around, leaving her behind again! Leaving her to her memories of their childhood instead of rushing back to her with the same joy he had so long ago. Still, she could only think of his eyes when he had visited. How cold he had been, how sad he had looked. Even though his companions obviously did not see that sadness under his smile, she could. And she had shoved that worry away, and now she was regretting it.

It was not a surprise then when the swordsman from the group appeared, a sheepish and hurt look etched on his face. Or to see that woman, Sheena, trailing behind him, her eyes looking anywhere but Seles' face. She knew what they had come for - what news was hanging heavy on their hearts. What had taken them half a year to find her and face her with.

Her brother had left her alone, and he was never going to come back.

She let the bitterness take her that night - she did not stifle how the joy crashed down, how the sorrow took her heart and body in waves. She had missed her chances to change his path, she knew, as had others. She had mistook her own bitterness for his, and now she was all alone in the world. No title or comfort the world could offer would return those sunny memories in reality to her.

It was in the passing years, and the gentle acceptance of it that eased it for her. That allowed those memories to come back without the sorrow and the rage and the tears. He had done this for her, after all, so that she could live. And as much as the bitter hurt that tainted that gift followed her, the joy of knowing that her brother really did care for her made it just a little easier. It was just one more step forward that he had done for her.