Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia, and all of its related characters. They all belong to Namco.

Genis ran a hand over the smooth, wooden curves of his new teddy bear. For a split-second, he wanted to cuddle it, but then promptly remembered that it was made of wood and, therefore, would be uncomfortable to cuddle with. Genis sighed.

The party had only recently arrived in Flanoir, and they had, originally, been planning to head straight to the Temple of Ice and form a pact with Celsius, but night had already fallen by the time they had arrived, and the party decided that they would spend the night at the inn.

As the party traveled through the city, looking for inn, Lloyd had proclaimed that he wanted to see the city, and, with Colette's insistence, had managed to convince Sheena to join them, with Regal acting as their tour guide ( He had mentioned traveling to this place once before ). Genis had declined, not one for the cold weather. Raine had declined for the same reasons, and Zelos, having set his sights on Raine as his Woman of the Day, announced that he would accompany her to the inn.

As for Presea, the girl had, surprisingly, agreed to see the city with the others; an obvious sign that her old self was, slowly but surely, returning now that her Exsphere was stabilized. But, before she had left with the others, she had given Genis a gift: the wooden teddy bear he was holding right now.

"Genis... wait," said Presea.

The young mage stopped and turned around. "Presea...? What's up?" he asked. The taciturn girl walked up to Genis, and handed him a wooden bear. Genis frowned, and looked at her. "Presea...?"

"It's... for you, Genis," she said, "I want to thank you for being so kind and loyal to me, even when I wasn't myself." She placed the wooden bear into his hands, and clasped her hands behind her back. "It's yours, Genis... take it."

Genis blushed furiously. It was like a dream, seeing his one ( and only, so far ) crush hand him a gift! He had to do something to repay her – his own gift for her!

There was only just one, tiny problem: he didn't know what to get her.

Genis hung his head and sighed.

"Ah, the wonders of young love..."

Genis frowned, and looked up to see a black-gloved hand set a mug of cocoa in front of him. His gaze bored into the speaker's eyes, obviously a tad irked at his arrival. "Zelos. It's you."

The red-haired Chosen of Tethe'alla gave one of his self-assured grins and plopped down in one of the chairs at Genis' table, a mug of his own cocoa at hand. He took a long swig from the mug, set his down, and gestured at the mug he set down for Genis. "C'mon," he said, "it's good; it'll warm you up. Trust me!"

"I'm a little busy right now, Zelos, so could you please leave?" he asked.

Zelos chuckled, and raised his cup up to his mouth, his lips just barely groping the cup. "Now, now, Genis, my favorite little brat, no need to get so hostile at a caring offer from your friendly neighborhood Chosen."

Genis rolled his eyes. "Raine tell you off?"

"Damn, kid, you're smart for a reason. That easy to tell?"

"Well," said Genis, smirking, "Raine and I are the only ones here at the inn right now, and it doesn't seem like you want to follow Lloyd and the others right now –"

"Hey, I get chilly in this outfit," he pouted.

"– and I'm pretty sure that Raine gave you a few slaps to the face and a conk with her staff to your head if she made you want to go talk to me."

Zelos chuckled, and took a sip from his cup. "You're a smart kid."

Genis reached for the mug Zelos had brought him, and raised it to his own lips. "Well, I did get a 400 out of 400 back at the Palmacosta Academy," he smirked. The half-elven mage took a sip from his cup, and set it back onto the table. Then, he placed his teddy bear – which had been seated on his lap – next to the mug.

Zelos, mug in hand, made a gesture to the bear. "That's from Presea, right?"

Genis blushed madly again at the mere mention of his crush's name. "Y-Yeah..."

Zelos let out a small laugh. "Ah, young love... beautiful thing, that it is..." he said, a whimsical air in his voice. Genis raised an eyebrow questioningly. Zelos laughed again, and placed the mug back down on the table. "What's the look for, brat?"

"Don't call me that," he mumbled, gaze averted to the bear. He lifted his eyes up to Zelos, and gazed at him questioningly. "What was that "young love" comment for, anyway?"

Zelos smirked. "Genis, Genis, Genis, my dear brat," he started, "I'm not sure if you know this or not, but it is quite obvious that you have a widdle cwush on our dear little rosebud."

Genis gulped, and then blushed. His breathing quickened, and his face felt hot. "Is it... that... obvious?"

Zelos crossed his arms and nodded. "Preeeeeeetty much."

Genis sighed. So much for secrecy. Oh, well, I guess this is what Raine means by nothing is sacred anymore.

"Seriously, though, Genis," began Zelos, "everyone knows about it, or at least can guess as much. I think the only one who's pretty much oblivious to it all is Presea."

Genis brightened up. If that was the truth, then maybe, just maybe, she didn't think he looked like a huge dork around her! "Hey, really?"

"Yup. Either that or she just ignores you completely."

Genis' eye twitched.

Zelos scratched his head, and laughed nervously. "Hey, hey, no need to get all uptight, right, my man?"

Genis sighed again. "I guess so, but..." another sigh.

Zelos shook his head. "You really like her, don't you?" Genis nodded. Zelos leaned back into his chair, and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "So, have you thought of getting her anything?"

"Well... yes, but I'm coming up with a dead end."

"'Dead end'?"

"Yeah... I... I, um, don't know what to get her."

Zelos stared. "Let me get this straight. You like Presea. You want her to know how much you like her. And... you don't even know what to get her."

Genis grinned sheepishly, and Zelos smacked his forehead. "Argh! Are you that foolish in the ways of love?"

Genis raised an eyebrow. "And you aren't?"

Zelos smirked. "Of course. I'm a hit with ladies over in Meltokio, but I'm sure you already knew that."

Genis groaned. "You're not helping, Zelos. Go back and hit on Raine, or something."

"Hey, that's not being very fair at all, brat. See, I want you and our little rosebud to get together." Genis raised an eyebrow at this statement, but Zelos ignored him completely, and continued, "This group needs something to liven it up! Like the love, affection, and sexual tension of two twelve year olds in love!"

When Zelos finished his "speech", he saw that Genis was staring at him. Zelos chuckled a bit, and scratched his head again. "Well, you know, except for that last part."

"Yeah, yeah..." Genis gulped. He looked across the table to meet eyes with Zelos, and took a deep breath. "I'd hate to admit it, Zelos, but could you please give me some advice? I have absolutely no idea what to get her."

Zelos cracked his knuckles, and grinned wolfishly. "Sure thing!" Genis internally grimaced. He had just unwillingly opened a Pandora's box.

...Or, well, something like that. Genis shook his head as Zelos began his so-called Lecture of Love.

"So. Thought of flowers? Chocolate? A teddy bear?"

"...No, no, and no," came the reply. Zelos smacked his forehead.

"Man... so inexperienced. So inexperienced." He shook his head. "Genis, you really don't know what she might like?"

"Well... yeah, pretty much. I like her, but... well, to be honest... I... don't really know anything about her, other than what she's told us."

"Well, what do you know about her?"

"Only that she is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Zelos nodded and turned his head forward. "Yeah, you're smitten."

"Gee, thanks."

Zelos smirked. "Anyway... yeah, now I can see where you're coming from. Tough break, huh?" Genis nodded, and stared down at his feet. Zelos looked at his young ally. "Damn, that really sucks. You either bring her something she'll totally love, or totally hate. Man, what a bummer."

"You're still not helping..." Genis muttered.

Zelos shrugged. "Way I see it, just go with your gut."

Genis lifted his head up, and frowned at the older man. "My gut? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Eh, well, for a cheesier version – follow your heart. Just do what your gut tells you to do."

Genis looked down at the table. "But... how do I know if it'll be the right thing?"

"I can't tell you that," said Zelos. The red-haired Chosen stood up from the table, and headed over to the inn's bar for a good drink. He turned his head towards Genis, and looked at him straight in the eye.

"You'll just know what to do."

Genis could only nod in response.

It was a few hours later when Lloyd and the others returned from their tour. Genis had been impatiently waiting for his pink-haired beauty to return, so that he could present her his gift.

He had never been so nervous in his entire life. Genis tried to shrug it off, but to no avail. Did women just have this power over men, that they could make them worry over them like crazy, and obsess over their very being?

Well, it would certainly explain why Zelos is such a player, thought Genis.

Genis sat at the top of the stairs, fidgeting like mad. He had taken Zelos' advice about following his gut when it came to Presea's gift, but couldn't find enough self-confidence in his decision to stay relaxed and assured, hence the fidgeting.

And then, he saw her, at the foot of the stairs. She was talking with Regal, who seemed to be asking her a question. She politely shook her head, and turned to climb up the stairs.

Genis' heartbeat went into overdrive. Hershecomeshereshecomeshereshecomes... is... is my hair okay? S-Stop sweating, Genis! C-Calm down! It'll be fine... it'll be fine...!

"Genis?"

The boy in question nearly jumped; that was Presea's voice! Indeed, while he nearly had a panic attack over his appearance and self-confidence, Presea had climbed her way to the top of the stairs, and was standing next to Genis, a worried expression on her face. The pink-haired girl tilted her head, and her expression remained puzzled and worried. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah! I'm f-f-fine!"

"Are you... sure? Genis, you're stuttering..." Genis mentally cursed, something he rarely ever did. Damn those women and their ability to know what men are thinking! Damn that!

"Oh, I'm fine, Presea! Ehehe... really!" He smiled goofily, trying to cover up the brilliant red that was his face.

"...Okay," came the uneasy reply. Presea started to turn towards the girl's room, and it was then that Genis realized that he still had to give her his gift. Argh, why does this girl drive me crazy!?

"Presea! W-Wait!" Presea blinked, and turned around again to face Genis.

"Yes, what is it?" Silence. Uneasy and embarrassing silence. ( For Genis, anyway. )

"...Uh... I just... I just wanted to say... umm."

"You wanted to say...?" Presea continued.

"Right! Um... I wanted to say... thanks... for the gift."

"Oh," Presea smiled, "you're welcome, but you really didn't need to apologize, Genis. I wanted to thank you for all of your help; really, it was nothing."

"But I want to give you something, too!" he managed to say in a single breath. When he saw Presea's head tilt again, displaying her obvious curiosity, Genis gulped. Follow your heart, follow your heart, follow your heart, follow your heart... He just prayed that she would like his gift... He took a deep breath, and, in one single breath, he blurted,

"I like you."

Presea stared at him. "...You do?"

"...Yeah," said Genis, "...I do. I... really, really like you, Presea." He lowered, his head, and prepared for the worst. Being Raine's brother had prepared him for such things; normally, when he did something awkward or stupid, he was rewarded with a slap, spanking, or a conk on the head.

But when nothing came, Genis couldn't help but lift his head up to see what Presea was doing. Instead of the customary scowl or glare he usually got from Raine, what he got was totally different.

She was smiling. "Genis..." she began, "that's really sweet of you."

"Y-You think so?" Genis blushed, his spirits already on the rise. Presea nodded, and Genis' spirit rose to never before seen heights, and he felt like he was the king of both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. Presea took a step forward, and she smiled again.

"You're... a really sweet kid, Genis." She took another step forward, and Genis continued to revel in the enthralling feeling that was coursing through his body. "You have a big heart, and I trust you, Genis."

And she placed a kiss on his cheek.

Genis, engulfed by the sheer bliss, joy, and love for every thing and person in the world, promptly fainted in shock and bliss. Presea smiled a bit, and headed over to the girl's room, shutting the door behind her.

And at the bottom of the stairs, Zelos chuckled. He smirked, and his eyes darted up to the unconscious Genis, dreaming of peace and love and happiness.

"Man, some guys get all the luck..."