AN: Whatever spurred me to write a romance fic, I'll never know.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia. ToS belongs to Namco. I just own my pathetic first attempt at romance. _

Missing Heart

"Doesn't it bother you?"

Sheena looked up from the pot she had been cleaning. The group had stopped for the night a few miles from Meltokio. Sheena was in charge of dinner that night, and while her Mizuho-styled Miso Stew was delicious, it was taking a long time to clean up, which was her duty as the chef.

Zelos had gone to bed early, saying that he needed his sleep to "make himself look fine for his hunnies." Lloyd and Colette had gone for a walk together; Regal and Raine were talking about some complicated philosophical thing that made Sheena's head hurt, and Presea lay down on the grassy ground, staring at the stars intently as if contemplating something. Genis had been watching the campfire die out, but now he faced her, waiting for the ninja's response.

"What?" "You know…Lloyd and Colette? Those two always spending time together alone?"

Sheena felt a wave of jealousy overcome her, but kept her voice steady as she said, "No, not at all. If they want some privacy together, then that's their business, not ours. None of us have a right to pry."

"Yeah, suuuure, whatever." His words had a mocking tone Sheena didn't like.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, Sheena. I know you wanna be in Colette's place right beside Lloyd, don't you?"

Sheena nearly gasped out load (Had she really been that obvious? She had been trying extra-hard to make sure no one found out), but managed to keep her tone nonchalant. "What? Where did you come up with a ridiculous idea like that?"

Genis grinned triumphantly. "Your face is all red! See, it's true, isn't it? You can keep denying it, but I know I'm right."

Sheena turned her face away. "Ah…um…don't you have a bed time or something?"

Smirking, Genis started to speak when Raine came up from behind him (Sheena was never happier to see the devious witch). She grabbed her younger brother's ear and yanked him away, starting a lecture in a rather tired voice. "She's right, you know. You're very young; you need your sleep…"

"Aww, but Sis- OW!"

Sheena gratefully returned back to her dirty pots, but what Genis had said left an unwanted echo in her mind. She really did want to be the one who was in Lloyd's arms, the one he would sit next to, the one he would talk to, the one he would walk next to. She had nothing against Colette at all; in fact, she was her first human friend outside Mizuho and Sheena appreciated her friendship, even if they did start as enemies. It was just every time she saw her together with Lloyd, she couldn't help but be envious…

"Hey guys, we're back!" And there he was, in all of his glory, standing with Colette who was clutching his arm in an affectionate way. Even after a day of hard traveling, Lloyd still had an inviting glow about him that looked almost holy, even holier than those "angels" above them, and the comforting aura around him had a magnetic tug on Sheena's heart. The way his chocolate brown hair drooped down and partially blocking his face, making him look even cuter (if that was even possible), his deep russet eyes had a entrancing pull that made you want to look deeper, the warm smile he gave that made anyone feel special; all of it could make Sheena's heart melt if it only was directed at her. No wonder the blonde Chosen looked so content all the time. Sheena would die happy if she could switch places with her just for one day, just for one minute of his time.

"Buuuuuuud!" Zelos' drowsy voice whined, "Pipe down! I'm trying to get my beauty sleep here! Do you realize how upset my precious hunnies would be if I didn't look my best?"

"Oh, shut it." That response earned Lloyd a giggle from Colette, and they walked together to the most isolated corner of camp. They both sat down, Colette resting her head on Lloyd's shoulder as he lovingly encircled her in his arms.

Sheena could feel Genis smirking at the back of her head from where he should have been sleeping, as if daring her to do something. She turned back to the pot, scrubbing it harder than ever. So what if Lloyd liked Colette? It wasn't any big deal, not at all—no, that wasn't true at all. Sheena unwillingly felt a small tear escape her eye; what did Colette have that she didn't? Sure, she may be prettier than herself, and she did know Lloyd longer than she had herself, but…but…

She felt a sigh escape her lips. She really shouldn't be beating herself up over this. If Lloyd didn't like her back, then that was his loss. There were plenty of other people in the world who could be just like him. Sheena kept telling herself this over and over again to reassure herself, but no matter how many times she repeated it, there was still a part of her, that missing piece of her heart that belonged to Lloyd never to be returned to her, that refused to believe it.

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