Title: Wishes With Promises
Author: Spinny Roses
Fandom: Tales of Symphonia
Rating: PG
Warnings: Angsty fluff?
Spoilers: Zelos's family situation and if you chose Kratos at the Flanoir doctor scene Disclaimer: Don't own

For all the Seles fans.

Well, after Seles gave him a piece of her mind about being left alone most of her life.

Wishes With Promises
By Spinny Roses

"Hey, Seles, wanna see?"

The young girl tugged on a short red curl, eyeing the mud and water. "Big brother, I dunno..."

"Nah, it's okay. Your mama won't be angry with you. Come closer..." When the girl didn't step up, a filthy head popped out from under the fallen log. "You're missing the coolest thing ever, Seles."

"Big brother, Mama didn't want me to get my dress dirty..."

A huge grin crossed her brother's face. "You always get your dress dirty anyway." He held up his hands, indicating the small and squirming thing inside of them. "C'mon, Seles..."

"Hey! Big brother, I'm a good girl! And... is that a frog?" The girl stumbled closer only to have a frightened amphibian released onto her face. "Augh! Big brother, that wasn't-"

Seles slowly opened her eyes, cursing the fact her room faced the east. She was never able to sleep as long as she wanted with the sun merrily wreaking havoc with her dreams.

Ever since Zelos had shown up to use his Cruxis Crystal, the buried memories of their childhood together resurfaced in her dreams. Meals, pranks, the time she managed to get Zelos into a dress and try to put makeup on him (She still didn't want to know how he knew how to put on mascara)... She grunted, running her tongue over the fuzz that had built in her mouth overnight.

It hadn't been the worst of childhoods, she admitted. Zelos always took care of her, despite the fact they had different mothers. He always protected her fiercely, teased her...

And any day now, Zelos would show up and demand that she be taken out of the abbey. Tethe'alla and Sylverant were reunited. No need for a Chosen now. They could live together as brother and sister again.

Well, after Seles gave him a piece of her mind about being left alone most of her life. She knew that because he was the Chosen that he had to pretend that he didn't know most of his family. Easy hostages, after all. And stopping the mana lineage after knowing who shared the same blood as the Chosen... simple. But that did not excuse him not visiting her more often. Or at all. Or just showing up one random day and demanding his Cruxis Crystal.

Oooh, yes, she was going to give him a good verbal smackdown.

"Big brother?"

"Hmm?" Zelos stretched slowly, and tossed shoulder-length hair behind him. "Getting tired?"

Seles shook her head slowly, enjoying the feeling of being curled up next to her brother. "Papa said... that he's sending me away."

"Yeah. I heard."

"Be good, big brother. You won't have me around to keep you safe."

"Be good? You're the one that gets me into most of the trouble!" Zelos laughed, and tugged on his sister's short hair. "I'll be good, Seles. I promise."

"Mm." Seles pointed suddenly, face glowing. "Big brother, look! A shooting star!"

"Didja make a wish?"

Seles screwed up her face. "You're supposed to do that? Well, I wanna wish that..."

"Hey, hey! You're not supposed to tell someone or else it loses it's magic."

Seles yawned, and nodded. "Magic, like the elves?"

"Yeah, sis. Just like the elves."

Days passed into weeks into months, and Seles found herself snapping angrily at priests and priestesses over the littlest of things. She had a good reason, though. Her brother must be spending too much time with that Mizuho floozy. The one that he cared too much about. He was with that ninja and forgot all about his little sister.

Which was so wrong. He should have come by to get her.

Two months passed before someone new came to visit Seles. While she vaguely recognized the hideously red outfit as someone who had traveled with her brother, the name escaped her.

"Seles, right?" The boy cleared his throat awkwardly, one hand constantly resting casually on the hilt of one sword. "Hey, um, you're Zelos's little sister, right?"

"I'm not stupid," she spat out coldly, watching him jump.

"Oh. Eheh." He reached up, scratching spiky hair. "Well, the house in Meltokio is free if you want it. Or you can go wherever now, just let me know. And, um, Seles..."

"Don't you dare say you're sorry," she managed to spit out. Seles saw the look of relief out of the corner of her eye, and her jaw tightened almost to snapping. How dare they be relieved. Her brother wasn't here, and the only reason he wouldn't break her free was if the star hadn't granted her wish.

The liar. He lied to her about stars and the promise.

He lied to her.

The End