The rickety farmhouse stood at the far end of the field, though a sudden gust might've changed things. Even then, calling it a house might have been generous. It instead looked like a showroom for everything that could go wrong with a home. The wood played host to a termite buffet beneath strips of peeling paint that made the exterior look like a bright blue river birch tree. The front door hung on valiantly by a single remaining hinge. Nearby, a family of Canadian geese hissed at the interlopers from behind a broken window.

"I know what you're thinking. Needs a lot of work, right? That just means you can restore it however you like!" The shorter of the two realtors adjusted his tie and ran a hand through his tangled mop of sandy blonde hair. He'd introduced himself as Caine and if he ever stopped smiling, he made sure to schedule it when no one was looking. "It's begging for that personal touch!"

"If it's begging for anything." Asuna muttered, "It's to be put out of its misery."

Though Yuuki stifled a chuckle at that, she decided the farmhouse could've been charming in a previous life. With some hard work, a bevy of repairs and a less garish paint color, it might even approach cute. At the very least, it could be livable. Eventually.

"Maybe..."

Asuna couldn't have spun around on her faster if she'd been an army of kobolds, her face a potent blend of confusion and horror. Yuuki looked right past her, digging a toe into the dry soil as she considered the farmhouse.

"Maybe it... has potential...?"

"Potential to be the setting for a horror movie." Asuna swept her hand toward the structure. "Pretty sure if that place had a television, Sadako would immediately crawl out of it."

"So... I could skip buying a TV?"

The other realtor stepped forward. Unlike his partner, Aidan came across as more subdued. He kept his voice even, with a smile a fraction of the brilliance of the other realtor. If Caine targeted the heart, Aidan attacked with logic. Or at least attempted to, sometimes to middling results.

"And don't discount the extras. You'll notice there's a sunroof."

Yuuki followed gaze to the roof, where she indeed she saw a hole casting light into the living room. The jagged edges and lack of glass, however, suggested that it was not in the original blueprints.

"I think I prefer the last house we saw," Asuna said. "It had personality."

Yuuki blanched. "And only three walls."

"A unique architectural decision."

"And the noise from the train?"

"I'm sure you get used to it."

"Asuna. The house was flooded."

"Better flooded than taken over by a family of demon birds."

"Actually," Caine said, walking over, "The geese own the home. You'd be their tenants!"

"He's joking!" Aidan said, but then the slight grin faded from his face. "You are joking, right?"

He shrugged. "I'll just say... I don't judge what people play in the game, okay?"

"Some days? I really despise you." Aidan took in a deep breath, turning his attention back to the prospective clients. "If you want to avoid restoration hassles, the first house we looked at had no structural issues, nor any pests."

"Or space," Asuna shot back. "I've stayed in inns that had more room to move around."

"There's hardly any land either!" Yuuki added." How are either of us supposed to start a farm with a plot that small?"

"Sadly, those are the only three houses we have in town that fit into your starter budgets," Aidan shrugged. "They're not ideal, but you'll each have to choose one of them... if you want to move in, that is."

"Or you could always try another server!" For some reason, Caine's smile didn't fade even then. "You might have better luck in another town."

Yuuki's cheeks puffed out. "But this is the town where Siune and Tecchi are playing. We have to buy farms here."

Their fellow Sleeping Knights had recruited them only two days earlier. The pair showed up late for a strategy session, earning them a nasty look from Asuna. She'd impulsively made a bet with Kirito and his new guild over which one could clear the most floors solo. Beyond only increasing their rocky relationships with the other guilds in Alfheim, it committed the Sleeping Knights to yet another seemingly impossible goal.

But they wouldn't back down. Though everyone in the guild remained friendly with Asuna's ex, none of them wanted to lose to him either. Least of all Asuna. While she never approached the laser focus of her Vice Commander days, she approached the task with a dedication that almost scared Yuuki. The day Siune and Tecchi arrived late, she could've sworn Asuna's stare alone sliced off a little HP.

Her annoyance faded when they started to describe the just launched Stellarmist Canyon. While it featured combat and occasional quests, the game focused on building up a farm and exploring the variety of environments just outside town. Something about it caught Asuna's fancy.

However, her excitement paled in comparison to Yuuki, whose smile only grew as they described the different elements of the game. Harvesting plants and minerals. Exploration. Building up and customizing a house. Siune even mentioned (with a disgusted shudder) bug capturing!

It sounds so close! She was practically bouncing with excitement by the time they finished. She needed to take Asuna to that world. It sounded like the closest she could come to reliving some of her fondest memories with her dearest friend.

That left only the floor boss, and Asuna barely managed to talk Yuuki out of assaulting the labyrinth instantly. The next morning the Sleeping Knights assembled for the raid, and the Absolute Sword fought like a woman possessed. She cut down random mobs in an instant and dashed past other players with a swift apology. When they finally reached the boss chamber, she took out Inapius the Ghoul-Centaur almost single-handedly.

A two to zero lead over the Integrity Cats secure, Yuuki practically grabbed Asuna's hand and dragged it to the logout button. The pair left ALO and headed for Stellarmist Canyon with a promise to meet up with Tecchi and Siune at the blacksmith shop he'd opened in town.

Their friends had neglected to mention the rotten choice of starter farms.

"I guess... we could try and earn some money and fix up the last two houses we saw?" She tried (and failed) to hide the disappointment in her voice. Sure, she felt confident the two of them could tear through the game's mining dungeons with ease. But that wasn't the experienced she wanted. The one she needed to share with Asuna.

"It might take some time, but it's certainly doable," Aidan confirmed. "You could also take on odd jobs for the NPC villagers. You wouldn't be able to borrow money from your friends here, though. It's a balance feature."

"And there's no other way to get a better starter farm?"

Caine's brow furrowed. "Well. There's one other option-"

Yuuki practically launched herself at both of them. "Really"

"If the two of you combined your resources and shared a farm, that would give you better starting options."

"Way better," Caine added.

"But you just said we couldn't borrow money from friends. And when we started, you said we each needed a starter farm!"

"Yeah, but there's a way around that," Caine's smile took on a bemused edge.

Yuuki grabbed them both by the shoulders. "Tell us!"

For the first time, Aidan chuckled. "The two of you could get married."

"You told them you wanted to think about it? Why?"

"You know why!" Yuuki balled her hands into fists and thrust them toward the ground, eyes shut tight, face red and bright enough to guide Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. She paced the floor of the restaurant before stopping in front of her friend, bending over and arms dangling in front of her. "I can't. I just can't do it!"

Whereas Yuuki wore her emotions with all the subtlety of a thunderstorm, the expressions of Siune's avatar could be as hard to decode as a military cipher. She pursed her lips, the slight tilt of her head and raised eyebrows betraying nothing of her thoughts. When her response came, it was as calm and nuanced as ever.

"It's just a game mechanic. It doesn't have to mean anything." She paused. The head tilt exaggerated, her lips flirting with forming a smile. Yuuki knew that look all too well. She braced herself for the teasing that would surely follow.

Siune didn't let her down. "Besides, didn't you already ask her to marry you once before?"

"I-I managed to play that off as a joke. Besides, she and Kirito were still together, and I wasn't even sure I'd..." She trailed off, biting her lower lip. "You know. But I wanted to say it just once, to know what it would feel. She'd never say yes, so I told myself it didn't matter. Then I recovered, she and Kirito broke up and..."

"Now it could actually happen?"

"I was gonna say I lost my shield." Yuuki finally slumped back into the chair on the opposite side of the table.

"Shield or not, your feelings aren't going to just go away."

"It's a silly crush, that's all. I'll get over it eventually." Siune probably believed the answer as much as Yuuki herself did. The crush came early, but the feelings only grew the more they came to know one another, the more they shared of their lives and experienced together. But she'd never allowed herself to say that word.

It would make the reality that much harder to cope with.

Siune reached across the table and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You'll have to tell her someday."

"I don't know that I can." She slid down further into the chair, looking off to the side. "What if she tells me no and it makes things awkward? She might stop spending time with me! Or... just laugh in my face, or get grossed out or-"

"Yuuki. Does any of that sound like the Asuna we know?"

"Well... no." She started to fidget with her hands. "But I... I don't wanna ruin what we have, y'know?"

"The longer you wait, the more it will hurt you in the end." Siune finally broke into a warm smile. "Besides, as your friend, I have to be honest. You are lousy at keeping your feelings hidden."

"Guess I kinda wear them on my sleeve, huh?"

"They're written in bold," Siune replied. "In the loudest colors imaginable."

"Gee, thanks for telling me now."

Siune chuckled. "It's not as though you have to drop to one knee and make a big production of it. Just tell her you think it's a good idea for getting a better place in the game."

"Guess that makes sense," Yuuki said, then added in a mutter, "Still gonna feel really awkward, though."

"Maybe so, but that's just another reason why I think you should tell her." Siune took of a sip of her tea, then peered at her over the top of the mug. "We both know you fight better without a shield."

Yuuki frowned as the slime monsters vanished with only a few hits. Behind her, Asuna won with similar ease, collecting a few items that then appeared in their shared inventory. Plenty of low-grade gemstones, a plethora of building materials and even a few geodes they'd need Tecchi, the local blacksmith, to break open for them.

"The combat engine's really basic, isn't it?"

"Compared to ALO, a lot of games would feel that way." Still, Yuuki looked at her generic sword, then gave it a few experimental swings. No matter what she tried, it could only do the most basic directional swings. "But yeah... not much to it. Good thing that's not the point of the game, huh?"

Asuna nodded, then swiped her hand to call up the in-game menu. "Speaking of, I think we have enough money to go into town tomorrow and buy some decent crops to get our farm started. My stamina's in the red, but I have a few items to restore it if you want to keep going."

Yuuki sheathed her blade. "Nah, I'm good. Besides, Hineko will get lonely if we don't hurry back."

"Probably. I found some apples in one of the crates. She should like those, right?"

"Pandas mainly eat bamboo in the real world, but I've seen videos where they eat apples too. I bet she'll love them!"

The nearby elevator made the trip back to the top floor easy, and within a few minutes, they were outside. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, replaced by a vivid field of stars stretched out about them. Old habits died hard however, and it took them a while to lower their guard and enjoy the casual walk back to their new farmhouse. Asuna eventually turned her attention to the stars, in awe of the sights above her.

Yuuki was similarly enamored, though she never turned her gaze skyward.

They'd both chosen to dress the part of farmers. Yuuki opted for overalls and a large floppy hat. She'd even made her friend burst out into a fit of giggles by posing with a piece of straw hanging from her mouth. Asuna went practical as well, with blue jeans and a fancy western shirt, but she pulled it off with effortless grace and glamour. Her long hair, which remained the same blue as in Alfheim, was tied into a long braid that draped over one shoulder.

But most important, Yuuki saw that beautiful smile that Asuna first graced her with when they faced off with the clearing guild back in ALO. Before that, every smile felt brittle, every moment of joy tempered by reluctance. All that vanished during that fight. Though she wasn't formally inducted until months later, Nori later described that as the day Asuna truly became a Sleeping Knight.

And then... then came that moment right before the boss fight itself. When she felt Asuna's hand on her shoulder. When their eyes met and her pulse started to race. When she told Yuuki she wanted to know all about the Sleeping Knights. No, she wanted to know all about her. Those words caused an almost unbearable heat in her cheeks, yet she craved more all the same.

Everything else faded away. The guild outside. The boss. Even the other Sleeping Knights and their ultimate goal. Only Asuna existed, and Yuuki longed to spend more time gazing into her beautiful eyes, hearing her sweet voice. The tiny flicker of her crush exploded into something more intense. Something undeniable.

Into a word she still wouldn't allow herself to say.

"It's really pretty, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Yuuki said dreamily, still looking at the fencer.

"The light pollution is so bad in Tokyo you never got to see the night's sky like this. Even in the other games, it's not quite so stunning."

"Everything in this game is beautiful." She finally tore her gaze away from Asuna and refocused it on the scenery around them. "It's just what I was hoping for."

"Now that you mention it, you seemed really excited to play in this game when we first heard about it. Is there a particular reason why?" She ducked her head nervously. "I-if you're okay with telling me, of course."

The Absolute Sword slowed down, caught off guard even though she knew this question would come eventually. She wanted to visit the game with Asuna partially out of curiosity, to see if they could replicate the joy Siune and Tecchi shared here. A world without boss raids and rival guilds sounded appealing, a respite when they needed a break from the manic pace and politics of Alfheim.

But there was one other reason the description of this world excited her, and why she wanted to share it with Asuna. She cleared her throat as she looked across a nearby citrus grove.

"I came here because... it's the closest I can come to keeping in touch with a part of my past.." She paused there, no longer able to tamp down the emotions that roiled toward the surface. "This world is a lot like Serene Garden."

"...oh," was all Asuna could muster.

They'd talked about the world of the virtual hospice before, with Yuuki grinning as she shared tales of her adventures with her sister and new friend Merida. Rather than design a complex game system, the designers focused on creating calming experiences set in beautiful environments. The trio experienced almost all of them, and even now she'd revisit places in the game connected to those fond memories.

But now...

"I'm getting better all the time. Dr. Kurahashi even says I'm progressing faster than he expected." She ran her hand along a nearby wooden fence. "I could even be released from the clean room in a couple of weeks. But... when that happens... "

Her hand closed around the fence slat, squeezing it tight enough to chip away some of its durability. She fought to blink away the tears.

"I won't be able to log into Serene Garden anymore. I won't be able to visit the place where I caught the Royal Triton and gave it to Merida, or the shop where we all got those amazing crepes or even the house where the Sleeping Knights held their first meeting."

Tears now blurred her vision, and she wiped them away with her shirt sleeve.

"I miss them so much. Mom, Dad, Sis... Merida and Clovis... I know they'd want me to live a full, happy life if I could. But even so... saying goodbye to this last little piece of our time together... it's not easy."

"I know. But you'll always have your memories of them. And everything they did played a part in making you who you are today."

"Yeah... they're never really gone as long as I hold them in my heart." Yuuki turned back to face her, leaning on the fence as though she needed it to hold her up."The other thing is... you wanted to know about the worlds I visited, but I never could show you the most important one. This... lets me get close at least.."

Yuuki wasn't surprised when arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a tight hug. Her head came to rest on Asuna's shoulder, hat tumbling to the ground. For a time, nothing else needed to be said.

"I'm honored that you wanted to share that with me. All of it." Asuna gently stroked her hair. "Thank you."

"I know it probably sounds kinda silly, to have such a strong attachment to a game-"

"It's not silly in the least." Asuna pulled back so she could look into Yuuki's eyes. "It's the same way I feel about the cabin in New Aincrad. My grandfather told me once that we all need a place to return to."

Asuna wiped the tears away from Yuuki's face. The tender contact made the shorter girl shiver. They were close. Closer than the day in Alfheim when her infatuation became something more. She felt Asuna's breath brush across her face. And this time, Yuuki had no excuse to slap her face to redirect her focus elsewhere.

There was, in fact, nothing to interrupt them this time.

No enemy to defeat, save her own rapidly fraying nerves.

She could tell her here and now.

"Asuna..."

But before the words reached her lips, fear roared to the surface, bringing every nightmare scenario with it. She'll push you away. She'll log out. She'll never answer your messages. She'll never feel that way. She'll hate you. You'll be alone.

You're lucky to have this much. Don't press your luck and lose it all.

"We... should get back to the farmhouse."

"R-right."

Asuna picked up the hat and Yuuki bowed in gratitude. She needed it more than ever now. She hid behind it like a buckler, shielding herself from having to look at Asuna and risk her noticing the embarrassment.

A few feet down the road, Asuna's hand slipped around Yuuki's, connecting them once again. The soft, familiar comfort helped slow her breathing. The cool metal of the in-game wedding band brushed against one of her fingers and she smiled. If nothing else, she could cling to that feeling.

Maybe this is enough.

Hidden as she was behind the hat, she never saw that Asuna wasn't looking at the stars anymore.

The farmhouse they chose was an old colonial style home, larger than any of the others with a small kitchen and plenty of land to develop the farm. The house even came with a small attached coop for future additions. They'd bought it without setting foot inside, as they needed to dash to their meeting with Siune and Tecchi before moving on to the mines.

Their new home also came with the russet and black blur that zoomed down a nearby tree the moment they stepped through the gate. Their little pet twittered and snorted in excitement, only getting louder when Asuna pulled the apple from her inventory. The wah lifted a paw into the air, but Asuna help it back.

"Uh uh. Can you stand, Hineko? Staaaand?"

The red panda grunted and swatted Asuna in the leg with her long striped tail.

"No. Stand!"

With a final huff of resignation, Hineko stood on her back legs while her front paws reached for the apple. Asuna ruffled the fur between her triangular ears before handing it over.

"Who's a good panda? You are!"

Hineko followed her two owners to the farmhouse, pausing a few times to nibble on the apple before skittering in the front door behind them. The pair split up, with Asuna taking food items to the pantry while Yuuki volunteered to sort through all the loot into different storage boxes. She'd just finished cataloging all the wood and stone when Asuna appeared in the living room. There was a look of panic on her face.

"We have a problem."

"Huh? Was there something Caine and Aidan didn't tell us about?"

Asuna nodded emphatically.

"...there's a nest of scorpions in the bedroom, isn't there?"

"Just come and see for yourself."

A hollow feeling welled up in Yuuki's stomach as she walked past the pantry and kitchen and through a small side door. Once in the room, Asuna gestured at the bed.

"I don't see anything," Yuuki said, then her eyes went wide. "Wait, did they program bed bugs into the game? That's gross!"

Asuna replied with a blank stare. "Wait, what? No! Don't you see the problem?"

Yuuki looked again, but nothing about the bed struck her as odd. It wasn't elaborate, just a plain bed with a nondescript headboard, a pair of lumpy pillows and thin sheets. She walked closer, hoping to catch some sign of the issues that Asuna spoke about but saw nothing. It was a perfectly ordinary-

Bed.

Not beds.

Bed.

"Oh." Yuuki felt an all too familiar warmth creep across her face, this time stretching all the way to the tips of her ears. "Oh."

She couldn't be sure if the house came with a single bed and the realtors left out that important detail, or if the game generated the single bed since they were married. Either way, they needed to lie down before they signed out or risk a few stiff penalties and find themselves respawned somewhere else on the map. But with only one...

Ever the strategist, Asuna had already found a solution. "You can go first. Going one at a time shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Unless our avatars just stay in the bed until we sign in again, Yuuki thought but decided against articulating the idea. "Guess now wouldn't be a bad time, would it? We need to get an early start on those crops."

"It sounds good to me," Asuna said, her tone faster than usual. "There's no school tomorrow so I'll have plenty of time to play.

Yuuki sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled. "Guess I'll see you then?"

Asuna smirked and rolled her eyes. "Like we're not gonna end up texting each other a couple dozen times before we go to sleep."

Yuuki giggled. "Yeah, I guess not."

All she needed to do now was lie down and the logout prompt would come up. Then she'd sign out of the new, smaller version of the Medicuboid. Maybe she'd page a nurse and practice using her walker to reach the new chair near the window. If nothing else, she could fall asleep in the machine, replaying the earlier moment with Asuna.

Except she did none of those things.

Instead, she remained at the edge of the bed, fumbling with her hands again, replaying another moment in her mind.

Dr. Kurahashi appeared in their virtual meeting place early one morning. He rarely showed up unannounced, and she feared the worst. Instead, he shared the news she never thought she'd hear.

"You're going to make a full recovery," he'd told her. Though a multitude of emotions and thoughts clamored for her attention, she articulated one in particular first.

"Can you tell Asuna?"

"I already texted her. She's on her way."

They had logged into Alfheim and rushed to the place they'd first met and embraced one another. Asuna told her she believed they'd share a long journey together, and visit many more places. Now they'd have the chance. They'd already shared so much more than Yuuki could have ever dreamed.

She felt the ring on her hand, then looked at its mate on Asuna's finger. Her mother believed in signs and portents, little slivers of communication with a higher power. In a way, Asuna answered that question she'd posed. She'd said they'd share a long journey together. Together. And in this place... in a way, she'd said yes. Perhaps that meant she could dare to dream a little more,

"Hey... Asuna?"

The words came out almost of their own accord. She was tempted to play them off again, But she recalled what she'd told Asuna that night in front of her old home.

I can't help but feel that whenever I interact with someone else, I'm wasting my time by holding back and trying to ascertain indirectly how they feel. It would be better to just throw myself directly at them.

Asuna looked at her quizzically. Nervously, even.

And if they decide they don't like me, that's fine.

She caressed the ring.

It won't change the fact that I was able to get very close to their hearts.

"When you talked about having a place to return to..." There was no turning back now, "Maybe... for me... it's not a specific place.

Her voice wavered. Her hands shook.

"I think... for me... it's wherever you are."

Asuna's eyes went wide.

"Um, I mean. It's just." Yuuki's chest grew tight. Those words now spoken, she couldn't find any others. "I... um."

She turned away. Her face felt like it was on fire, yet the rest of her body went ice cold. Footsteps crept closer. Asuna sat on the bed next to her. For what felt like an eternity, nothing. Then she laced her fingers with Yuuki's.

It felt different than before. Normally Asuna's touch calmed her nerves. Now it only stirred the tempest just below the surface. A storm that raged from the moment they met and grew more intense with each moment they shared. No matter the outcome, she could no longer hold it back.

But to her surprise, Asuna broke the silence.

"My world was falling apart the day I decided to challenge this impeccable fighter. I thought maybe if I could beat them, I'd find my courage again. Instead, I ended up meeting the most amazing woman I've ever known. You helped me realize the person I thought I was in Aincrad wasn't just an illusion. Because of you, I believed I could be something more."

Her voice trembled and the words came slower. "When you told me about your condition... when you told me you might not have six months left... nothing's ever hurt me that badly. I wanted... I needed to share more with you. You were my light in the darkness."

"And then you gave me a second miracle, Yuuki. You beat an enemy no one expected you to. You stayed with me. And so...I made a promise. I stayed with you through all the treatments, and I'll be with you during the recovery. No matter how hard it gets, I swore I'd be by your side. It was my turn to act as your light. And... no matter what... I'll always be here for you."

The words hit Yuuki like a tidal wave, forcing air from her lungs. They were perilously close to three other words. Those words. She struggled to find her own.

"I... I just don't want you to feel-" she began.

Asuna's fingers glided across her chin, coaxing Yuuki to look back at her. When she did, the same hand gently cupped her cheek. Her touch burned like fire. Color drained from the rest of the world as their eyes met, conveying emotions they'd both kept at bay so long. The space between them shrank. When Asuna spoke, it came out as a whisper.

"I know exactly how I feel about you."

Yuuki tried to speak. Couldn't.

Asuna closed her eyes. Inhaled. Exhaled. Only a heartbeat separated them now.

"Can... can I show you?" she asked.

The previously unbearable warmth lost its edge. Now it felt safe, like sitting by a fireplace on a cold winter's day. She knew what Asuna was asking, and she'd never wanted anything as much in her life.

"Yes."

Asuna lifted her lips to Yuuki's, and everything changed.

The kiss lingered several seconds as their arms closed around the other in a gentle embrace. In spite of her racing pulse, Yuuki's nervousness melted away. Whether in this farmhouse, the forest cabin or side by side in the real world, she held onto a new blissful reality. No matter where their journeys went from here, her heart would always remain with Asuna Yuuki.

Reluctantly, they pulled apart. Their faces bright red, they took in jagged breaths, held hands and savored the moment. For the first time, Yuuki could finally so those words she'd so long denied herself.

But Asuna beat her to it.

"I love you Yuuki."

"You have no idea how long I've dreamed of hearing you say that."

"It's only fair I helped a dream come true for you." Asuna beamed. "Because you're my dream come true.

"You're too sweet." She leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on Asuna's cheek. "I love you too... my angel."

Asuna's blush deepened.

"Thank you for the best day of my life," she finally managed.

"With you, I bet tomorrow will be even better."

They never logged out. Instead, they held one another close and blissfully drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

Tecchi beamed as the message popped up on his menu. The look on Siune's face told him she'd received the same news in the form of a three-word message.

SHE LOVES ME!

"It's about time, huh?" he asked.

"They needed to sort it out on their own,"

"It was pretty obvious to us too," Caine said from across the table. "From the moment we started showing them houses."

"I appreciate your help," Siune said. "You both did amazing work."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but won't they get mad if they find out what you did?"

Siune shrugged. "I doubt it. They might even thank me."

Tecchi frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Your healer's quite devious when she wants to be," Caine said. "Asked me to show them the three worst houses in town, and stay away from all the decent ones on the other side."

"Wait a minute. What happened to them figuring it out on their own?"

"My role in the party is support," she said, pausing to take a sip of tea. "And if you ask me, I pulled it off to perfection this time."

"I believe wherever dreams dwell, the heart calls it home. So may you untangle yourself from the twist of melancholy and let your thoughts carry you back to the birthplace of your truth." -Dodinsky

A/N - This story began life as a drabble in response to being told that the YuuAsu stories I'd written previously were "gross" by a random anonymous commenter. I've been blocked on the latest chapter of Reconfiguration, and due to a lot of life and work stress I just wanted something similar and cute. Then it evolved into something a little more, and I wanted to push myself a little further. I've never written something with such a strong romantic slant before. I wanted to try and capture the emotions as best I could. Then as I started revising it, I realized there was an interesting throughline about homes and saw how it could be connected to Asuna's story about the home of her grandparents from Mother's Rosario. Then I started delving into Yuuki's insecurities and the loss of her family and it started going to an even more personal place. The characters of Cain and Aidan are even from a long-in-progress novel project. I've put a lot into this story and in some ways, it made me kind of scared to share it.

We're all looking for the home of our heart, the place where we belong and where we can always return for comfort and release when we need it the most. Over the past few months, I've been fortunate enough to start meeting some really great people who are helping me find that place for myself. They're helping me rediscover the passion and joy of my creative work, encouraging me to find my voice and not be ashamed of what it says. It means the world to me, and I sincerely hope that's something everyone can eventually find for themselves.

I'm dedicating this story to my home: My insanely talented partner in crime Straya, my fellow RPers (including an insanely talented Yuuki whose writing inspires and intimidates me), my friends who always encourage me to keep creating, a wonderfully supportive and talented fan community on Tumblr and everyone who's taken the time to read these stories and share kind words. Life's never easy, and that support means more than you know on many days.

Thank you for reading, and I hope to have even more to share with you soon!