The game is absolutely loaded with this between Sorey and Mikleo. They're childhood friends and rivals, tend to be very touchy-feely with each other, and it becomes quite apparent as the game progresses that they are each other's most important person.
Mikleo actually falls into the majority of scenarios that would usually be reserved for the love interest.
Mind you before continuing that unlike most Tales series, there isn't a 'set' heroine for Zestiria.
Hell, the two get into an argument early in the game because Mikleo wants to form a pact with Sorey so that he can fuse with him, but Sorey refuses because he doesn't want Mikleo to get hurt. All this does is cement how protective they are of one another, and when they finally make up it's with a tickle fight. The whole thing sounds a lot likesomething else.
There's a skit where Zaveid tries to convince Sorey to peep on the girls in the sauna, by trying to appeal to the beauty of seeing their "hot skin, glistening with sweat". Mikleo enters the scene, sweaty after exerting himself in some manner, and Sorey asks Zaveid if that's what he meant. Looks like Sorey's into a whole other form of beauty...
The English version of this skit actually manages to make it even more obvious.
Zaveid: Sorey... Let's go hunting for babes.
Mikleo: (entering the scene, sweaty and with his collar undone) Whew, that sure was therapeutic! Why don't you guys step in as well?
Sorey: You mean like this?
Zaveid: That's not the kind of babe hunting I'm talking about!
Another skit reveals that while Sorey was unconscious after becoming the Shepherd Mikleo did nothing but sit beside him and read for the entire three days, when he could have been out doing better things with his time. He also declined hearing an explanation from Lailah about the requirements of the job, preferring to wait until Sorey woke up so they could hear it together. When asked why (and after Sorey brings up some embarrassing childhood memories), he reacts predictably.
Near the end of the game the two share a scene on a balcony (does that sound familiar?) where Mikleo reveals that he knows Sorey will have to disappear for a few hundred years at the end of the game and is quite broken up about it, but says that he'll wait for Sorey to return no matter how long it takes. Sorey for his part, vows to find Mikleo once he's able to.
To top things off, in the post-credit epilogue an older Mikleo is exploring some ruins and triggers a pitfall trap. Mirroring a scene from early in the game, someone catches him before he falls. It's heavily implied to be Sorey, and once Mikleo realizes who it is his face softens into a tender smile before he grasps Sorey's hand and the scene cuts to black, followed by the ending card. It could be argued that Mikleo, of all people, is the game's heroine in that regard.
It's only seen for a few seconds, but in the epilogue Mikleo is wearing a feather tied around his waist. You get no points for guessing who it's a memento to.
Earlier in the game, it's explained that when a human becomes a seraph, they lose all of their memories of their human life except those they consider most important to them. In light of this, the fact that Sorey returns to Mikleo after becoming a seraph makes it crystal clear that he values Mikleo over all else.
In the Alisha DLC Mikleo's been spending his time trying to secure the area where Sorey is sleeping to keep him safe. Aww.
In the credits picture of the Alisha DLC, Mikleo can be seen with a longing look on his face. What is he looking at ? Sorey in his light form, still asleep with Maotelus. Note that he's the only party member to do that, emphasizing on how deep his relationship with Sorey is.
Let's not forget some of Mikleo's titles in the japanese version of the game: "One Heart in Two Bodies", "Like Water to Fish" and "One and Only". They are all talking about his relationship with Sorey.
The English version's description of the water armatization is "The armatized bow gives you good piercing capabilities - just the thing for a tight hallway. Weaknesses? ...Well, it can be hard to cope with attacks from behind. But the first step toward dealing with this drawback is acknowledging it." The localization team really had a field day.
And then one of the after-battle skits gives us this:
Zaveid: Women in battle are gorgeous. Ain't that right, Sorey?
Sorey: Sure!
Zaveid: C'mon, man!
Mikleo: Don't expect too much out of Sorey on this.
In a sub event to get Mikleo's second mystic art the two are standing on a cliff near Elysia when Sorey asks Mikleo if he had something to tell him. Mikleo then claims he forgot promising him to tell him if he remembers. This ends up making the whole scene sound like an Aborted Declaration of Love while further cementing that Mikleo will wait for Sorey.
Adaptations
The author of the novelization and the artist of the official manga are both fujoshi, so it's unsurprising that their adaptations have some implications not shown in the game.
In the first chapter of the novelization of the game Sorey spends a lot of time waxing poetic about how beautiful he finds Mikleo, steals glances at him, stares at him, gets caught staring at him, and then laments the fact that no one else can see Mikleo because he wants them to know how pretty he is.
At the end of the manga Mikleo appears to kiss Sorey on the cheek while in the form of a ball of light.
The OVA special Dawn of the Shepherd includes a fair bit of shipping fuel as well. When Sorey catches Mikleo after he triggers a pitfall, Mikleo can be seen smiling to himself before asking to be pulled back up. When Sorey and Mikleo are leaving the village, Sorey tells Mikleo that he's glad they'll be together, and Mikleo responds with a Luminescent Blush and some Tsundere line about Sorey being hopeless. Boys...
This carries on in Tales of Zestiria the X. Sorey looping his hands around Mikleo's waist as they go swinging, Sorey clutching Mikleo tight when the malevolence is hurting him, then switching position to guard Mikleo away from the hellion, Mikleo once again blushing when Sorey appreciates him tagging along, etc...
Episode 7 of the anime adapts Sorey and Mikleo's Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario, although on better terms than the game. Mikleo worries about Sorey distancing from him now that he's the Shepherd and ultimately leaves in the middle of the night to find the Divine Artifact for water armatization so he can help him. Lailah notes that Sorey "must mean a lot to you", to which Mikleo says that they were "just stuck together". However, the French dub adds Dub Text, where Mikleo describes himself as Sorey's friend and partner and instead of getting Tsundere, simply says that they were always together.
Their reunion in Episode 9 involves a different Big Damn Heroes moment for Mikleo, where while fighting a drake that flies out of the reach of Lailah's sword and Edna's gauntlets, Lailah tells Sorey why Mikleo left and that the Divine Artifact could help them take down the drake. Sorey says he knows Mikleo is coming, he can feel that he's nearby. Indeed, Mikleo shows up to save them, and has the usual response to giving Sorey his true name: "He already knows it!" "You bet I do!" Once again, the French dub adds to this episode with Edna's remarks, where she reacts to Mikleo's appearance saying "So this is the famous 'friend'?" and in the ending dialogue when Sorey and Mikleo insist the other missed them more, walks in with "Tell us if we're interrupting you lovers".
While the game doesn't show Sorey and Mikleo reuniting, the anime does, finally giving us this hug◊.
In Tales of Berseria it's implied that when a Seraphim reveals their true name to someone outside of their pact maker or close comrade, it is as good as a confession of love. When Lailah asks for Mikleo to reveal his true name, Sorey states that he already knows it, Lailah only giving out an "oh my" in response.
Escort Titles
In Tales of Asteria, there's a scene before the final battle where the two are talking and Zelos asks if they were on a date. Neither of them deny the accusation.
In another skit, Lailah is dressed up as Mint, and suggests giving those clothes to Mikleo. Sorey approves, to Mikleo's indignation.
When Mikleo realises Sorey is still Fighting from the Inside, he uses his full smiling portrait for the first time when telling the rest of the party he's found hope to save Sorey once more. That said, his plan is to seal Sorey again, and spend even thousands of years to try and find a way to save him. Undying Loyalty indeed.
Alisha & Rose
Video Game
During Rose and Alisha's first meeting in the game, Rose can be seen staring for quite a long time at Alisha and then being very flattered by her praising her. This is then followed by them bonding quickly, almost seeming rather like how Mikleo and Sorey act.
The Alisha Story DLC offers up some Alisha/Rose Les Yayship-teasing. The whole DLC heavily focuses on Alisha's growing friendship with Rose. This manifests in a passionate slap-fight that ends with them rolling around on the floor while Lailah and Edna remark on how much they care for each other.
After the slap fight, Alisha wanders through town thinking about how Rose was only mean to spare Alisha's feelings r.e. the truth about Sorey. Then it turns out Rose was following her to make sure she wasn't jumped by hellions. Alisha tries to keep Rose out of the fight, but Rose offers to make Alisha her squire.
After becoming Rose's squire, Rose teases and emphasizes to Alisha that she made a pact with her much to Alisha's initial confusion because it wasn't with Sorey this time, but she accepts it.
Many heartwarming and teasing moments ensue as they travel together, with Edna and Lailah acting like a pair of shippers.
Towards the end of the DLC, Alisha pins Rose to the floor long enough to talk sense into her. They share another bonding moment once Rose has calmed down, then finish the boss hellions together.
Adaptations
The anime adds more fuel to this ship by having Alisha ask Rose to help her stop a war. Plus there's the arc when they take on a whole fortress together and Rose cradles Alisha after she gets stabbed and curses the people who did so while Alisha tries to assure Rose that she's fine despite bleeding out all over the place.
It seems that, whenever the two are in the party at the same time, they spend all of their time together, leading to several more Ship Tease moments throughout the later half of Season 2.
The finale doesn't outright confirm them as being romantic, but comes pretty damn close. When Rose falls in the final battle, Dezel's ghost appears to catch her, but Dezel's face fades to show it was Alisha instead. She smiles and grasps Alisha's hand. Later, after the battle is over, she is constantly brushing up against Alisha (who is the Queen at this point) showing how close they are. When Eugille says that the two will never get married because they can't cook, Alisha blushes and looks away while Rose just shrugs.
And in the scene right after the two are shown snuggling up against each other while reading the Celestial Record, Rose tells Alisha that she's still the princess she likes, to which Alisha says she likes Rose too, though this is omitted from the English dub.
Lailah & Rose
In one skit, Rose admires Lailah's long hair, and Lailah comments on how Rose has lovely hair too.
Also in the pre final battle scene between them Lailah claps Rose's hands and says that she's grateful for the twist of fate that brought them together.
, Mikleo can be seen with a longing look on his face. What is he looking at ? Sorey in his light form, still asleep with Maotelus. Note that he's the only party member to do that, emphasizing on how deep his relationship with Sorey is.
