Title: Merry Christmas, Big Brother
Fandom: Tales of Symphonia
Pairing: Hints of Zelos/Kate.
Rating: K
Spoilers: Post-game.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia.
Author's Note: This one, I'm afraid, doesn't strictly fit within the ToS-verse. It mentions Christmas, which a holiday that doesn't technically exist in Symphonia. However, I took some liberties and incorporated said holiday into the story nonetheless. Written a while ago but part of a batch of fics that I never got around to posting. Was originally a giftfic for Sabriel41.
Merry Christmas, Big Brother
Zelos stood with his back to the door. No! This wasn't right at all. But he couldn't quite figure out what was missing. Oh! Of course, how could he forget the mistletoe? Grinning to himself, he headed back out onto the porch where various boxes were piled everywhere. Outside it was beginning to snow, and a light dusting of white already covered the ground.
"My…Chosen, is that really you?"
A tall, pretty looking half elf was standing in the path. Her stark blue hair was wound up into a knot on top of her head, and a pair of spectacles was balanced on her nose. Zelos recognized her at once.
"Well, I don't know about Chosen," he said amiably. "After all, that lot was ended with saving the worlds and such, ya know? You can just call me Zelos."
"All right Cho- I mean, Zelos," the woman replied, strolling over and joining him on the porch. "I…I didn't know you were in this area."
"Surprising isn't it? But now that I'm here, I guess Ozette isn't so bad as I first thought, even if it is out in the middle of nowhere and people have left it for ruin…" Zelos trailed off. "So, you're still here then? Kate?"
But the half elf researcher was no longer paying attention. "Zelos…did you…do all this?" And then Zelos remembered what he had been doing before his old acquaintance had appeared.
The porch that they were standing on was that of a house that had once belonged to the local woodcutter. He had died, leaving behind a living daughter, but she no longer took up residence here, and the place had fallen into disrepair. At least - until Zelos got hold of it.
Now it looked brand new, with a fresh coat of paint and a shiny-clean interior. The floors were washed, the furniture dusted, the windows scrubbed, and the old, threadbare rugs replaced with new, thick and brightly colored ones. But the former Chosen hadn't stopped there – he had decorated the place for Christmas. Lights were threaded along the edge of the roof in whimsical patterns and a wreath had been hung on the door. In the windows candles were lit and on the windowsills sat freshly potted poinsettias. Inside, a lavishly decorated Christmas tree stood in the corner beside a merrily crackling fire in the fireplace. Stockings were hung and tinsel dangled. Zelos reached up to add the final touch – the mistletoe, in all the doorways as Kate looked on in wonder.
"Did you forget what day it is?" Zelos asked, smiling lightly as he settled into an armchair by the fire. Kate shook her head.
"No…it's Christmas Eve…but I don't understand…" she murmured, still taking in the room's appearance.
"…Why I would do something like this for Presea instead of staying home by myself in a dark, lonely mansion filled with less than happy memories?" he finished for her, looking at her thoughtfully through his fingers. At some point he had put his face in his hands, and he suddenly looked very tired…
Kate looked back at him knowingly. "You know, Zelos, you really do care about people more than you pretend to…"
Zelos laughed dryly. "Do I? Yes, I suppose so. I was arranging a Christmas party for all of us anyway, so I thought I'd go out of my way to make it special for Presea. Since…she hasn't had a proper Christmas…in a while…"
Kate crossed the room and sat down next to him, leaving the door open behind her. Snowflakes fluttered in the doorway, but she wasn't concerned. "Is that all?"
He did not meet her gaze. "What else? I'm kind of new at this giving thing…"
"Do you know what I think?" Kate asked, leaning forward. She did not wait for an answer. "I think that you care about Presea, but I think that you're also fooling yourself if you think that you can turn her into your sister."
"No…why would I? Not, Seles, I…" Zelos sputtered helplessly. Kate smiled gently.
"You're putting all your energy into caring for Presea to try to fill in that space that you would otherwise use to brother your own sister. I know you two haven't seen much of each other in the course of your lifetimes, but it's very apparent that part of you wants to be that older brother, and I know that your sister really wants an older brother…"
"I doubt that…" Zelos snorted. "Last time I checked, Seles hated me."
"Do you really believe that? What I hear is a lonely young girl who is afraid to admit that she cares about her brother because she is scared that he won't love her," she said softly. "And maybe a brother whose afraid that his sister won't love him…"
Zelos looked at Kate with slight admiration in his eyes. "When did you become so wise?"
Kate shrugged. "I spent my life trying to please a father who never loved me. But you have a sister who needs you. It's almost Christmas, and she's probably by herself like you were before you came down here to try to be a brother for Presea. You already have a sister. I can stay here over the night and greet your guests when they come. I know that Presea will be touched by what you've done for her…and understand if you were with your own sister."
Zelos stood up, and Kate followed suit, following him to the door. The former Chosen turned to the woman that he had once saved even though she'd been a half-elf, and embraced her.
"There are cookies and other goodies in the other room," he whispered. "And - thanks."
Kate returned the embrace hesitantly. "She'll love you, I promise. She will."
Zelos laughed, pulling away slowly. "I hope…so…"
He glanced up at the doorframe where the mistletoe hung, winked at her, and then swept down and planted a quick kiss on her lips before stepping out into the snow and beginning the walk to his rheaird. Kate stood in the doorway watching him fly away into the fading light, a small smile creeping up upon her face.
"You'll make a fine big brother, I think," she whispered.
-
Zelos landed in front of (what he hoped) was the right Abbey, but of course the part of himself that thought that was only kidding. As if he could ever forget where Seles had been imprisoned…
The redhead entered the building with mounting trepidation. What if Kate was wrong? What if Seles really didn't like him? What if she didn't need a big brother as much as he needed a little sister? His legs seemed heavy and awkward as he walked up the steps to Seles' room, but when he reached his destination the sight that met his eyes made all his own worries float away.
Seles sat curled up by the window, looking out at the falling snow, crying silently. Tears rolled slowly down both cheeks and for once she looked nothing like her prideful, stubborn self. Zelos melted.
"It's okay…S…Seles, don't cry…" he stumbled his way towards her as she turned sharply in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" Seles snapped, and Zelos recoiled slightly. Then, he shook his head.
"No! Not this time…" he said to himself, and then: "To spend Christmas with my little sister, of course. I may be a few hours early, but I like a good countdown. C'mon, life's too short to sit here moping all the time."
He didn't wait for her reaction; Zelos just grabbed the shorter redhead by the arm and dragged her toward the door. "We have a bazillion years of snowball fights to catch up on, sis, and I don't think I can wait any longer." And with that, a bemused Seles allowed herself to be dragged outside, into the snow-world that the land had transformed into.
Zelos was walking ahead, looking for a good spot with plenty of snow to build forts and the like with, when a cold, hard ball of snow hit him just off one shoulder. He spun around to see Seles grinning almost hesitantly at him, the fire returning to her expression. He grinned back.
"Everyone for themselves!" the former Chosen shouted, ducking behind a snow drift and letting out a loud whoop, immediately grabbing whatever snow he could get and hurdling it at Seles without bothering to pack it up properly.
Time lost focus and laughter rang out in the cool air as the half-siblings submerged themselves in their play and let their cares slip away. Tears dried and hearts were swept away in a flurry of snowflakes. Light danced. Stars twinkled. Somewhere the strains of people caroling floated by.
The snowball fight had morphed into a war, with forts and castles, garrisons stockpiled with ammunition, determined fighters, pausing only to recover from giggle attacks. It was only later when the two siblings, collapsed, exhausted, on the ground.
"Merry Christmas, big brother," Seles said in a very soft whisper, but Zelos caught it.
"Merry Christmas to you too, little sister," he replied, smiling. She frowned at him.
"I didn't wish you a Merry Christmas! Why would I wish such…" Seles paused. Zelos gave her a look, and then began to move his arms back and forth. Seles watched him quietly.
"Such a lazy, disrespectful excuse for a brother a Merry Christmas? I guess I deserve that, but I hope that you do. Have a Merry Christmas," he said sincerely. Seles frowned at him, but he could have sworn he saw a twinkle in her eye.
"Um…what are you doing there?" she asked haltingly, but Zelos recognized it as her way of trying to make amends.
"I'm making a snow-angel, want to try? It's really easy; just move your arms like this, that's it… Did you know that I knew an angel once…?"
The moon rose high among the falling snowflakes, casting its silver-golden glow down upon the land. Lights were coming on in the windows of the houses far below, and as each person shared the Christmas joy with their loved ones, two siblings lay in the snow, finally at peace with one another in their own way.
Merry Christmas.