To See You Smile

By: Hieinokoishi

All was quiet in the Wilder mansion. The party, weary from their recent fight with Yggdrasill, had stopped in Meltokio for a much needed break. It wasn't for long, they were planning to travel to Heimdall and confront Kratos in the morning.

Rustling and quiet shuffling met finely attuned angelic ears. Colette sat up in her bed, curious as to who would be awake at this hour. Quietly exiting her room, she took a few steps down the stairs until she could see who the culprit was.

"Zelos…? What are you doing awake?"

The redhead looked up. "Huh? Oh, Colette! I could be asking you the same question." Although his voice was light, his deep blue eyes were guarded, unreadable.

"Ah…I heard some noise and…"

"Oh, I'll have to be more quiet then." He chuckled, smiling. "go back to sleep, little angel." He winked.

Colette hesitated. "You need your sleep too."

His smile turned into a grin. "Don't worry, I'll be going to sleep in a bit. I promise."

"…Okay then. Goodnight, Zelos.

"Night."

When the blond hair disappeared over the stairwell and the last of the footsteps faded away, the Tethe'alla Chosen strode back over to the one portrait he had in his house. He had other pictures in his house, but this was the only one he had of another person.

The woman had long blond hair pulled into a bun with a pink ribbon. She wore a long white sleeveless dress with a salmon colored vest covering her shoulders, the gold trim weaving around the edges of the cloth and around her stomach and waist to secure it. Her delicate hands were clad in white gloves, the large cuffs made of the same salmon and gold-trimmed cloth. Simple, elegant jewelry decorated her neck and ears, a tasteful finish to her attire. But what was most prominent about this woman was her eyes. Her deep icy blue eyes.

Zelos' eyes.

The woman in the portrait was Mylene Wilder, Zelos' mother.

Zelos stood before the portrait, his expression unreadable. "Well…" he chuckled wryly. "You must be rolling in your grave, huh? Sorry I couldn't give you what you wanted this year…:"

---

Zelos loved this time of year. It was one of the few times he could do something extra special for his mother, a chance to see her smile. He'd tried in the past, but it never really seemed to please her. But determination filled his six year-old mind and he promised that he would try harder this year.

He woke up early that day to prepare. Something simple, he had decided. Last year he had tried a big event, but it never really panned out. He remembered the astonished look on his mother's face when she woke up that morning to find her son covered from heard to toe in flour and water with the kitchen a complete mess behind him.

So this year he got his scissors, glue, colored paper, and a few flowers he had picked, and got to work.

-

"Morning, Mommy!" these two words and a bounce on her bed brought Mylene back to a half-conscious state.

"Mmm…? Zelos…?"

"Guess what today is!" his short red hair bounced along with him and his bright blue eyes sparkled with the innocence only a child could have.

"What?" her lips curved.

"It's Mother's Day!"

She winced. "Oh no…don't tell me that you tried to make me breakfast again…"

He shook his head vigorously. "Nuh-uh. Sebastian was really mad at me after that. But!" he grinned and reached over the side of the bed to grab his gift. "I made you this!"

In his hands he held two small bouquets of flowers, the ones he had picked and a replica made of colored paper. They had the craftsmanship of a six year-old but were nonetheless beautiful in their own way. Mylene took them and her lips curved a bit more. "Thank you, Zelos."

"Hehe, I woke up early so the flowers would be fresh." He looked pleased with himself. "Sebastian told me not to get you that white one, but I thought it was pretty." He pointed to the white lily.

Mylene gazed at it and a smile slowly bloomed on her face. "It's beautiful."

Zelos' grin was brighter than the sun when he finally saw his mother smile. "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!"

---

"You should have never been born…" Zelos closed his eyes and quietly repeated the words his mother had spoken to him that winter right before she died, a mere seven months after that day.

He sighed deeply and opened his eyes once more, focusing on the portrait in which his mother's urn of ashes were hidden behind. "Sorry Mom…but if I died now, a lot of people would be upset with me. I can't disappoint them now, can I?" Another wry smile tugged at his lips. "Sorry I can't give you what you wanted this year, but here."

He placed a single white lily on the table in front of the portrait. The flower that symbolized death.

"Happy Mother's Day."

Okay, how was that? I've moved into the Tales fandom…but I'll still finish my YYH story so don't worry, fans! I know it's a day late, but better now than never, ne? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. I was a bit iffy about the flower thing,(I read it as red poppies somewhere) but I'm pretty sure that it's right. I hope so…(sweatdrop) let's just say it is, okay? My little sister told me to write a Mother's Day about Lloyd and Anna, but I couldn't think of anything! -.- I know I'm gonna do a Father's Day one with Lloyd and Kratos (Or maybe Cless and Miguel).

I'd like some feedback on this idea I had, so please review! 'Till next time!