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kaiousei renewed my 100 userpics for me for an entire year on my main journal. ♥ ♥ I still can't believe she did that, even as awesome as she is.
So anyway. Dawn wanted a Zelos/Colette, and so a Zelos/Colette she shallfinally have!
Title: Oblivious
Fandoms: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Flangst, I guess?
Rating: PG
Words: 1384
Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia.
Summary: She didn't want him to end up like Kratos.
Author's Notes: I've not written this pairing before, so I'd imagine there are a few bumps. Still, I hope Dawn (and anyone else who cares to read) will enjoy.And even in a fic about Zelos, I still manage to talk about Kratos. Go me.
“Good night, Lloyd.” Colette gave her childhood friend a small wave.
“Good night, Colette. Sleep well!” He grinned. “Dream some nice dreams!”
“I will!” Colette smiled at him as he left. Finally, after too long, she could do just as Lloyd asked! It was still a novelty, and one she enjoyed every night.
Still smiling at that, she looked around the clearing for a moment. There was Genis talking to Presea. He was so cute, stammering and blushing all the time. Regal had the first watch of the night, so he was somewhere in the trees, she guessed. Professor Raine was sitting by the fire, trying to read by its dying light. Sheena had already gone to bed for the night; Colette could see her curled up in her bedroll not too far away.
But Zelos . . . where did he go?
It took her a bit of searching, but finally, she found him, leaning up against a tree, his arms folded. One leg was bent and the other was stretched out straight in front of him. The firelight didn’t reach him, and in the dark, his brilliant red hair seemed dull and sullen.
She looked at him for a moment, her fingers twisting around each other, nibbling on her lower lip. There had been someone else in their group, once, someone who had always sat just outside the firelight. . . .
Her gaze slowly dropped to her hands. She took a deep breath, put on her best smile, and jogged over to Zelos.
As she approached, she tried to see his face. Were his eyes narrowed, or was it the light? He looked so serious. . . .
Her foot caught on an upraised tree root and she tripped with a quiet squeak.
Zelos, hearing her cry, moved fast and grabbed her shoulders, preventing her fall.
“Careful there, my cute Colette,” he told her as he helped her the rest of the way to the ground. He wore his usual easy-going smile. Had she imagined the other expression on his face? Had it just been the dim light?
“I don’t want you hurting your adorable self,” he went on, breaking into her thoughts. “Now that truly would be a crime.”
She could feel her face turning pink at his compliments. “Um, thank you, Zelos.”
She brought her knees up and wrapped her hands around them as Zelos settled back into his former position against the tree.
After a moment, he asked, “So what brings you to chat with Zelos? Wouldn’t you rather be talking with your knight in shining red over there?” He nodded at where Lloyd was now speaking with Genis.
There was a hint of another question in his voice, one Colette, if she had been a more perceptive girl, would have caught.
Of course, she missed it entirely.
“I was just worried about you, Zelos,” she replied, looking into his green, green eyes. If she had known a little more about Zelos, she would have said they were guarded.
But of course she didn’t know.
“Worried about me?” he asked, sounding extravagantly surprised. “Whatever for, hunny?”
“Because. . . .” She folded her hands together in front of her chest. Her gaze drifted down to them, away from Zelos’ eyes. “Because—Kratos used to always sit just outside the firelight. Just like you’re doing.”
“Don’t compare me to that bastard.”
She looked up, startled. Zelos’ lips were a fine line and his eyes were narrowed. They held gazes for a moment before Zelos’ expression changed and he gave her his usual smile.
“Sorry about that, Colette,” he said, sounding just like he always did. “What he did, betraying Lloyd like that—betraying all of you like that . . .” —his expression changed slightly— “it really pisses me off.”
The way he said the last part almost scared her.
She swallowed. “But I’m sure he has his reasons! I mean, he’s Lloyd’s father! What father doesn’t have his son’s best interests at heart?”
“My old man sure as hell doesn’t.”
She had never seen him smile like that before. It didn’t almost scare her. It actually did.
“He ran off before I was four. I’ve never seen him since.” He was still wearing that scary smile. “For all I know, he’s probably boozing it up in Altamira.”
She started to reach out. Stopped. Reached out again, and put a hand on Zelos’. His frightening, cynical smile started to fade.
“But—I’m sure he must still think about you,” she said, trying to smile for Zelos. A better smile.
He yanked his hand out from under hers. The terrible smile returned in full force.
“If he ever thinks of me, it’s to wish I was never born.”
What could she possibly say to that? She stared at him. What parent (a thought of Remiel) —what real parent didn’t love their child?
He blinked then as he looked at her, seemed to recollect himself. “Dammit, Colette.”
“Wh-what is it?”
“You just look at me with those huge blue eyes of yours and listen and listen. Here I am, telling you shit you don’t want to hear and I don’t want to talk about.” He shrugged, let out a breath, looked away.
“. . . I want to hear about it,” she said softly.
He shrugged again. “There are better things for us to talk about.” He glanced back at her and the usual, easy smile came back. “Such as the fun you and I could get up to once everyone else has gone to bed.”
“Zelos. . . .” It wasn’t right. He didn’t mean it. He was just saying it.
“What?” The smile didn’t change.
. . . Was it a smile, or was he only moving his lips?
“You don’t mean it, do you?” she whispered.
“Why, of course I—”
She cut him off, shaking her head. “You don’t. You’re—you’re just saying that.”
He looked at her, seriously for once, head tilted slightly to one side. “Do you want me to mean it?”
“I. . . .”
Her gaze dropped again, this time landing on the Cruxis Crystal that sat below Zelos’ collarbones. She reached out and brushed it lightly with her fingertips.
“What are you doing?” he asked, sounding . . . she didn’t know what he sounded like.
She gave a soft, nervous laugh. “I was just thinking about something you said before. You said we Chosens had to stick together, right?”
“I sure did, hu—Colette.” Now he sounded curious and still something else she didn’t know.
She didn’t notice the change in how he addressed her.
“Well . . . I just—” She looked up at him again. “Zelos . . . could you promise me something?”
“What is it?” he asked her. Even she could tell he sounded wary.
“If you’re sad, could you . . . tell me? Talk to me about it? I don’t want you to be sad by yourself.”
He sighed again. “Do you promise to do the same yourself? You’re pretty bad for pretending things are just fine yourself, Miss Colette.”
She gasped quietly, then, a beat later, gave a nervous giggle. “No, I don’t!”
Zelos just shook his head. “Sounds like we both need the lies we tell ourselves.”
“Huh?” She didn’t understand.
“Never mind.” He got to his feet. “It’s past time I was in bed—and you too, Colette.”
“Okay.”
She looked down at her feet for a moment, listening to him leave. She had to make him feel better somehow. She couldn’t let him be alone like Kratos had been. What if something bad happened to him because of it . . . just like Kratos?
“Wait, Zelos!”
He turned. “What is it, my cute Colette?”
She looked around frantically; no one was around to see. Then she darted over to Zelos and stood on her tiptoes.
She kissed him gently on the mouth.
He didn’t move.
She stopped, and rested flat on her feet. “Zelos . . . you’re not alone. We care for you. I—”
She couldn’t say it. She turned and darted away.
This time, no tree roots tripped her up. That was good, because this time, there was no one to catch her if she fell.
kaiousei renewed my 100 userpics for me for an entire year on my main journal. ♥ ♥ I still can't believe she did that, even as awesome as she is.So anyway. Dawn wanted a Zelos/Colette, and so a Zelos/Colette she shall
Title: Oblivious
Fandoms: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Flangst, I guess?
Rating: PG
Words: 1384
Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia.
Summary: She didn't want him to end up like Kratos.
Author's Notes: I've not written this pairing before, so I'd imagine there are a few bumps. Still, I hope Dawn (and anyone else who cares to read) will enjoy.
“Good night, Lloyd.” Colette gave her childhood friend a small wave.
“Good night, Colette. Sleep well!” He grinned. “Dream some nice dreams!”
“I will!” Colette smiled at him as he left. Finally, after too long, she could do just as Lloyd asked! It was still a novelty, and one she enjoyed every night.
Still smiling at that, she looked around the clearing for a moment. There was Genis talking to Presea. He was so cute, stammering and blushing all the time. Regal had the first watch of the night, so he was somewhere in the trees, she guessed. Professor Raine was sitting by the fire, trying to read by its dying light. Sheena had already gone to bed for the night; Colette could see her curled up in her bedroll not too far away.
But Zelos . . . where did he go?
It took her a bit of searching, but finally, she found him, leaning up against a tree, his arms folded. One leg was bent and the other was stretched out straight in front of him. The firelight didn’t reach him, and in the dark, his brilliant red hair seemed dull and sullen.
She looked at him for a moment, her fingers twisting around each other, nibbling on her lower lip. There had been someone else in their group, once, someone who had always sat just outside the firelight. . . .
Her gaze slowly dropped to her hands. She took a deep breath, put on her best smile, and jogged over to Zelos.
As she approached, she tried to see his face. Were his eyes narrowed, or was it the light? He looked so serious. . . .
Her foot caught on an upraised tree root and she tripped with a quiet squeak.
Zelos, hearing her cry, moved fast and grabbed her shoulders, preventing her fall.
“Careful there, my cute Colette,” he told her as he helped her the rest of the way to the ground. He wore his usual easy-going smile. Had she imagined the other expression on his face? Had it just been the dim light?
“I don’t want you hurting your adorable self,” he went on, breaking into her thoughts. “Now that truly would be a crime.”
She could feel her face turning pink at his compliments. “Um, thank you, Zelos.”
She brought her knees up and wrapped her hands around them as Zelos settled back into his former position against the tree.
After a moment, he asked, “So what brings you to chat with Zelos? Wouldn’t you rather be talking with your knight in shining red over there?” He nodded at where Lloyd was now speaking with Genis.
There was a hint of another question in his voice, one Colette, if she had been a more perceptive girl, would have caught.
Of course, she missed it entirely.
“I was just worried about you, Zelos,” she replied, looking into his green, green eyes. If she had known a little more about Zelos, she would have said they were guarded.
But of course she didn’t know.
“Worried about me?” he asked, sounding extravagantly surprised. “Whatever for, hunny?”
“Because. . . .” She folded her hands together in front of her chest. Her gaze drifted down to them, away from Zelos’ eyes. “Because—Kratos used to always sit just outside the firelight. Just like you’re doing.”
“Don’t compare me to that bastard.”
She looked up, startled. Zelos’ lips were a fine line and his eyes were narrowed. They held gazes for a moment before Zelos’ expression changed and he gave her his usual smile.
“Sorry about that, Colette,” he said, sounding just like he always did. “What he did, betraying Lloyd like that—betraying all of you like that . . .” —his expression changed slightly— “it really pisses me off.”
The way he said the last part almost scared her.
She swallowed. “But I’m sure he has his reasons! I mean, he’s Lloyd’s father! What father doesn’t have his son’s best interests at heart?”
“My old man sure as hell doesn’t.”
She had never seen him smile like that before. It didn’t almost scare her. It actually did.
“He ran off before I was four. I’ve never seen him since.” He was still wearing that scary smile. “For all I know, he’s probably boozing it up in Altamira.”
She started to reach out. Stopped. Reached out again, and put a hand on Zelos’. His frightening, cynical smile started to fade.
“But—I’m sure he must still think about you,” she said, trying to smile for Zelos. A better smile.
He yanked his hand out from under hers. The terrible smile returned in full force.
“If he ever thinks of me, it’s to wish I was never born.”
What could she possibly say to that? She stared at him. What parent (a thought of Remiel) —what real parent didn’t love their child?
He blinked then as he looked at her, seemed to recollect himself. “Dammit, Colette.”
“Wh-what is it?”
“You just look at me with those huge blue eyes of yours and listen and listen. Here I am, telling you shit you don’t want to hear and I don’t want to talk about.” He shrugged, let out a breath, looked away.
“. . . I want to hear about it,” she said softly.
He shrugged again. “There are better things for us to talk about.” He glanced back at her and the usual, easy smile came back. “Such as the fun you and I could get up to once everyone else has gone to bed.”
“Zelos. . . .” It wasn’t right. He didn’t mean it. He was just saying it.
“What?” The smile didn’t change.
. . . Was it a smile, or was he only moving his lips?
“You don’t mean it, do you?” she whispered.
“Why, of course I—”
She cut him off, shaking her head. “You don’t. You’re—you’re just saying that.”
He looked at her, seriously for once, head tilted slightly to one side. “Do you want me to mean it?”
“I. . . .”
Her gaze dropped again, this time landing on the Cruxis Crystal that sat below Zelos’ collarbones. She reached out and brushed it lightly with her fingertips.
“What are you doing?” he asked, sounding . . . she didn’t know what he sounded like.
She gave a soft, nervous laugh. “I was just thinking about something you said before. You said we Chosens had to stick together, right?”
“I sure did, hu—Colette.” Now he sounded curious and still something else she didn’t know.
She didn’t notice the change in how he addressed her.
“Well . . . I just—” She looked up at him again. “Zelos . . . could you promise me something?”
“What is it?” he asked her. Even she could tell he sounded wary.
“If you’re sad, could you . . . tell me? Talk to me about it? I don’t want you to be sad by yourself.”
He sighed again. “Do you promise to do the same yourself? You’re pretty bad for pretending things are just fine yourself, Miss Colette.”
She gasped quietly, then, a beat later, gave a nervous giggle. “No, I don’t!”
Zelos just shook his head. “Sounds like we both need the lies we tell ourselves.”
“Huh?” She didn’t understand.
“Never mind.” He got to his feet. “It’s past time I was in bed—and you too, Colette.”
“Okay.”
She looked down at her feet for a moment, listening to him leave. She had to make him feel better somehow. She couldn’t let him be alone like Kratos had been. What if something bad happened to him because of it . . . just like Kratos?
“Wait, Zelos!”
He turned. “What is it, my cute Colette?”
She looked around frantically; no one was around to see. Then she darted over to Zelos and stood on her tiptoes.
She kissed him gently on the mouth.
He didn’t move.
She stopped, and rested flat on her feet. “Zelos . . . you’re not alone. We care for you. I—”
She couldn’t say it. She turned and darted away.
This time, no tree roots tripped her up. That was good, because this time, there was no one to catch her if she fell.
