Hey, everyone. I have not written a Tales story in the longest time. Since I've been playing ToS: DotNW lately, the ToS fandom caught up with me again XD.

So if you didn't understand the summary, here's the basic summary. Basically, this story is designed to be a collection of Sheelos one-shots, but all of them will be based on a phrase, quote, song lyric, etc., that involves the word "Baby" in it somewhere. This story is mostly in the view of Zelos (since it's very easy to see him saying "baby" to any girl), but occasionally, it could be switching to Sheena's side…though she'll never say it aloud, most likely.

Here in this first chapter, Zelos uses the phrase, "Baby, won't you smile?" This phrase comes from a game that is named just that, and the whole point of the game is for one person to make another person smile by saying that phrase over and over again, until they smile. So this chapter shows how Zelos uses the very game to tell Sheena a few things she didn't know.

Wow, that was pretty long. So I'll stop talking now, so you can all start the story!

By the way, I do not own Tales of Symphonia in any way.

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"Please, darling? For me?"

"No! Not for you! Not ever!"

"Arg, you do to other people…"

Sheena whirled around in distaste. "That's because they're not you."

"But why not to me?" Zelos asked.

"Because. You're using me as part of your stupid game."

He grinned and blocked her path. Facing down to her eye level, his eyes pierced hers with intensity.

"Baby, won't you smile?"

"Leave me alone, you stupid Chosen!" A loud whacking sound was soon heard after.

"Sheena!" He called, but she just kept running and didn't bother to look back.

The Mizuho woman ran as fast as her ninja legs could go. Wanting to block out that stupid Chosen's smiling face and piercing eyes made her go at a faster pace, and the mere thought of him including her in his little stupid smiling game sickened her even more. He had started the game because he wanted to see how long it would take each girl he knew (which was, unfortunately, every girl in Meltokio and possibly beyond) to smile if he kept asking, "Baby, won't you smile?" It pissed her off that she herself was included.

Nope.

She wasn't giving in that easily. Or at all, for that matter.

How dare he include her in his 'hunnies' bunch. That was the real reason she didn't want anything to do with him. She did not care to feel anything towards the red-headed jerk, nor did she plan on ever smiling for him at all.

Arriving at Mizuho in record time, she retired to her house to get some rest after the very lengthy run. All the thoughts of Zelos were pushing her over the edge, and as if that weren't enough, she thought she was hallucinating when she found the very same man she left behind in Meltokio.

"Hi, hunny."

"WHAT THE HELL, ZELOS?"

"Please? Just once?"

"I said no! And how did you get in here?!"

Zelos put on a sad face. "I went through the trouble to getting out my wings, flying here before your beautiful ninja legs could bring you here, and you still refuse?" He sighed. "Ok, if you won't smile for me, can you answer a question I have?"

"No."

"Why do you refuse to smile at me?" Zelos asked, ignoring her response.

"Because you're annoying."

He smiled. "Oh I know there's much more to that."

Sheena threw a padded pillow towards his head, which he ducked from very easily. "If you know already, then get the hell out of my house!"

"Sensitive, are we? You don't seem to be the same strong woman I've known for 22 years." Zelos squinted at her. "It's just a simple question, really."

Exasperated, Sheena put her hands on her hips. "Why are you even doing this in the first place?"

He smiled. "If I answer this, will you answer me?"

"Depends."

"You're no fair. But I'll answer it for you anyway, since you're my darling little ninja."

"Shut up."

"Ok, I won't answer then."

"Ok, you won't get you're answer then."

Zelos sighed. "You're hard to argue with, you know that?"

"And you're hard to get rid of, you know that?" Sheena shot back.

"Oh, really?"

"Because you're such a persistent little-"

"What's up with you today? You're more crankier than usual with me." Zelos cut off.

"You said you already know."

Zelos scratched his head in playful frustration. "Huh. I guess I have to answer your question then."

Sheen shrugged. "Go ahead and try to make an excuse."

"Why do you always think that what I'm doing is for bad?"

"Because you always twist the littlest things into something perverse."

"Hm. You kind of got that right."

Zelos paced around his area, looking as if in deep thought. Sheena, on the other hand, was on a short fuse and was quite annoyed by the 'deep-in-thought' Chosen whom was pacing around her house at that moment.

"So what?"

"Hm?" Zelos looked up to catch her eyes gazing into his own. Her eyes had calmed down quite a bit than before, and he took this chance to answer her. He chuckled. "You want me to answer now, don't you? Well, I've just been thinking about how, you know?"

"You? Thinking?"

"That's harsh, Sheena."

Sheena flinched at him calling her by her name in such a tone. It was either he was dead serious, or he was just mocking her…but it seemed to be the former.

She stood patiently. Perhaps if she stood at this composure, he would, at last answer her. But all at once, she wondered why she wanted to know so much. It had nothing to do with her that much…right?

Right.

Clearing her throat, she asked, "What's taking you? You usually don't take this long."

"Finally simmered down, have we? I wanted to tell you when rage wasn't blinding the truth you'll hear soon."

What's with the talk? Sheena was really suspicious of the Chosen, and she didn't like it either.

"I asked you so you could refuse to smile at me."

What the hell? "What in the world are you talking about?" Sheena inquired.

"I knew that if I played this little game with all the other women in Meltokio that every single one of them would smile on the spot. I wanted to see if you would smile on the spot or at all, and…knowing that you didn't kind of makes me happy." Zelos gave a small smile at the confused Sheena.

"You didn't smile at me. You fought with me and refused to do anything that I ever asked you to do. You're different…and that's what I like about you, Sheena." Zelos finished, at last. "You're different from any of the other women."

Sheena was at a loss of words. She definitely did not see that coming, especially from Zelos himself. But then again…

"So you were comparing me to the other women this whole time?"

"Ah, Sheena darling, don't take it that way. I've noticed you among the crowd much longer than anyone else for a really long time. I just wanted to see if you were interested in wondering why I was playing that game. And it seems you are, for some really, suspicious, weird reason." He seemed as if he were implying something along the last sentence towards her.

She could hardly speak. So did he figure it out…? "So…what are you saying?"

Zelos walked up to her and looked at her closely in the face. "For a spy, you're really dense." He chuckled, and quickly grabbed the oncoming arm that was about to hit his face and said, "I'm saying that I love you, little ninja."

"W-what?!"

"Oh, do you want me to say it again, then?"

Sheena flushed into a dark shade of red. "N-no! Just that-"

He smiled again. "Just that you feel the same way?"

"I-" She couldn't find the right words. After all that denying, after all that pushing away…she still found herself caught up in his act.

"…Why'd you tell me when you already knew?"

"Haha. Because you didn't know about me. Pushing yourself away isn't going to get you very far in love, m'dear. It'll bring you much closer than before. Just letting you in on some advice that you probably missed, dense ninja."

Zelos stood up straight and made a small pouting face. "Hm, that's not very fair, I practically answered my own question towards you from earlier…am I right?"

Sheena turned away. She hadn't spoken much since he had confessed, and she had no idea how to react either. "I-I guess so." She stammered.

"You know, for a spy, you're really easy to read too."

"Shut up. You've known me too long."

"Haha, well, I think you still have to do something for me, since I've done a great favor for both of us already."

"If that involves smiling, you're out of luck, that's for sure."

"Hm? Who said I wanted you to smile now? It could be more than a smile…"

Sheena whirled around and hit him on the head. "You're so sick and twisted, you know that?!"

Clutching his head, he said, "But you still love me, right?"

Sheena turned back around and started towards the door. "Stop asking me questions that you already know the answer to." In a rush, she exited, with a light tint of red still radiating on her cheeks.

"Aw, my little darling is blushing. Er, wait for me, Sheena!"

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One one-shot done! There will be more, so stay tuned!

The ending kind of died on me, I think. I lost it at the end, but I hope it's at least a little alright. The second chapter (or one-shot) will be coming soon!

Thanks for reading! And reviewing, if you do!