Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Zestiria. All affiliated characters are the property of Bandai-Namco. No copyright infringement is intended; no profit is being made.

"Hey, Mikleo?"

"Hm?"

"Can you throw up a bubble?"

Confused, but willing to humour his friend, the water seraph shrugged. "Sure. Call the others in closer." They were out in the Pearloats Pasture, and all four seraphim had elected to walk, enjoying the sunny day, now that the rain had broken. It would be a strain to get it over everyone, but he was almost eager for the challenge. Anything to test his strength.

"No, not them. Just us."

Now thoroughly mystified—if this wasn't about testing his power, then what was it about?—he obliged. The cool, damp embrace of the light-twisting bubble wrapped around them.

"Now, wha—"

He cut off sharply as Sorey leaned in, pecked the corner of his mouth, and then strode out of the bubble, effectively popping it. Mikleo was left blinking in surprise, staring at Sorey's retreating back.

After a moment, he hurried after the group, ignoring Edna's sceptical look as he did.

Lailah had been sending him 'secretive' looks all morning, and it was starting to grate at Mikleo's nerves. He had absolutely no idea what her deal was, but it was...frustrating.

Dammit, she was doing it now! He met her eyes, frowning.

Lailah's cards came up to cover her mouth, effectively hiding the coy smile and the flush on her cheeks.

"What on earth..." he muttered. Lailah turned away, hailing Rose as she did so. Mikleo sighed after her, his annoyance only growing when Rose glanced at him, and then the two women turned away, tittering together.

A familiar hand closed over Mikleo's elbow. "You okay?"

"Yes. Just frustrated," he admitted.

"Want to talk about it?"

He shrugged. "Just...women." Those knowing looks. He didn't even know what they knew!

"Put up a bubble."

Shrugging, Mikleo obliged, throwing them into the relative coolness of the shielding water.

"Is Edna teasing you again?"

"Lailah and Rose," he admitted, "though I don't know how..."

"Well, I can fix that," Sorey said, stepping close enough to tickle Mikleo. By the time the bubble broke, he had a flushed and laughing water seraph clutched to his chest.

It did absolutely nothing to help with the looks, but it did improve Mikleo's mood.

"How long can you hold that bubble up, Mikky-boy?" Zaveid asked one day, arms folded behind his head as they walked.

Mikleo sent him a glower over the nickname, shrugging as he did so. "A few seconds, why?"

"You can't...hold it longer?"

"What? You know I can't!" he griped. Honestly, would Zaveid never tire of picking on him? It got old.

"Too bad. I bet that could be fun."

"I think Mikleo's ability is really great as it is!" Sorey, precious Sorey, exclaimed cheerfully. Mikleo was certain he was the only one who saw the playful, less than innocent gleam in his gorgeous eyes. "Why don't you show him, Mikleo?"

Mikleo could smell the trap, but he also could not say no to that face. Damn Sorey and the hold the human had on him! With a sigh, he threw up the bubble—

Sorey wasted not a second, stepping forward and grabbing Mikleo by the hips. A quick jerk brought their bodies flush together, hips grinding against one another. One hand trailed to Mikleo's rear, pinching it playfully.

Sorey's lips found his at the same time, kissing hard and fast and possessively. Mikleo replied in kind after only a moment, hands reaching up to tangle in those unruly locks.

As quickly as it had started, Sorey stepped back, disentangling from him just as the bubble popped, and leaving Mikleo flushed and bothered.

Zaveid cast a critical eye over them both, taking in the dishevelled hair and flush faces. "Right. Long enough..."

Perhaps Mikleo could see the appeal in longer.

"Let's slip away," Mikleo suggested to Sorey one evening, as they lounged about the inn in Lastonbell. After days of heavy travel, they all needed some alone time, and Mikleo was no exception.

Sorey didn't count, though.

"Sure," the shepherd agreed, standing. "Where do you want to go?"

"Let's go to the park."

"Sounds good. Just let me tell Rose we're leaving."

While Sorey did that, Mikleo tidied a few things in the room, then went to the door to wait. Sorey appeared a moment later, and they headed out.

"So, what's with the sudden need to go for a walk?"

"I spend all day in your head. Sometimes it's nice to walk with you," he admitted, staring ahead.

Sorey was silent for a moment—Mikleo pointedly did not meet his gaze—before he laughed softly. "You can walk anytime."

"But I can do this without everyone staring," he muttered, taking Sorey's hand in his.

The brunet sent him a warm smile. "You can as far as I'm concerned."

Mikleo found himself helpless to resist that smile. "You really are something else," he said, returning it.

Sorey chuckled, tugging Mikleo's hand as he led the way up the stairs into the park.

"You probably look really weird to those people," Mikleo pointed out, gesturing to the few people wandering the park. It was just before sundown, and seemed to be a popular haunt for couples at this hour.

"So? It's worth it for you."

Mikleo found himself blushing lightly. "You're..."

Sorey chuckled, smiling that winning smile...

On impulse, Mikleo threw a bubble around them, not even caring how it looked to the people around them. Then he kissed that smile. Sorey did not hesitate to kiss him back, arms folding around Mikleo's waist and pulling them together.

"That bubble comes in handy," Sorey said against his lips. Mikleo had to agree.