Before we begin, I'd like to say thank you for the reviews. Also, sorry that this took so long.

-Arrow

PART TWO

"Life isn't so bad. It's not so bad." -Nishida

xxx

The night was cold.

At least, Kazuto admitted, it was colder than usual. Suddenly, he wasn't walking down a street in Japan. He was on the mountain, with Lisabeth—the snow was freezing him to the bone, the soft flakes below him that had collected over time soaked through his boots. In the distance, there was a roar, the telltale sign of a dragon. He had to get the ore for his new sword, he decided. Even with the petite girl slowing him down, he'd have to get it. Tugging at his black coat, he trudged on through the snow storm, and suddenly he was falling, falling into blackness that would he knew would eventually swallow him whole.

Kazuto shook his head, attempting to force the images from his mind. This was not Aincrad, this was Japan. This was not a mountain, it was the familiar path to Asuna's home. This was not a fight for his life, rather, it was a fight to live his life.

He recalled the voicemail Asuna had left for him earlier that evening. He had been in the bath when she called, and whilst listening to it he thought he'd need another one just to ease his nerves. "My parents won't be home this weekend; they're traveling to America for a business meeting regarding the closing of my father's company. Something about signing the rights over to Americans? I'm not sure. I was curious, if perhaps you'd like to spend the night with me? Come over any time, I'll be awake." Her soft voice had said in to the phone, "I'll see you soon."

It was obvious that Kazuto and Asuna had been much more physical in their relationship since escaping the virtual world. They simply were never sated, obsessed with the idea that they could actually touch each other. While Asuna had been able to caress Kirito in Sword Art Online, it was nothing compared to the real thing. The gentle touch of her fingers against his skin was enough to set his every nerve on fire, and he always managed to cause a shiver down her spine. They were meant for each other, he knew this. Their bodies reacted towards each other like it was what they were programmed to do. Maybe they were, and he'd get the same reaction from any other girl. However, it was nicer to think otherwise.

Regardless of their newfound love for exploring each other's bodies, Kazuto and Asuna had yet to have sex whatsoever within the two years of their escape. When Kazuto's eighteenth birthday rolled around the corner, Asuna tried to surprise him by sticking her hand down his pants, but Sugu had walked in to his room before they could really continue. On the same note, Kazuto had managed to slip his hand up Asuna's shirt and tease her supple skin many times, but they always seemed to get interrupted by a family member, friend, or some other annoyance. This invitation was an opportunity, one Kazuto was currently shaking over. It wasn't like Kazuto wasn't used to his girlfriend's body—he'd seen plenty of it virtually and in the real world—he just simply didn't want to mess anything up. He knew Asuna was terrified of this sort of thing, and didn't want to break the fragile mentality she had built up around this topic, especially after the events of her rescue from Alfheim. If he shattered what mattered most, there'd be no point in anything anymore.

In Kazuto's mind, sex was extremely similar to a survival skill in any video game. You built up speed and stamina before you could gain a level, and you couldn't experience the rest of the game the way you wanted to until you did. Your skill could drain, but once it regenerated you could always try again. While admittedly it obviously did not work that way in real life, Kazuto found it easier to compartmentalize information like this in to similar categories until he discovered a way to deal with it. Unfortunately, he didn't really have time for that sort of thing.

Upon reaching the door to Asuna's home, a memory forced itself into the front of Kazuto's mind. He and Asuna, in her home, surrounded by artful interior and good food. He watched the vision warp into a boss battle from Sword Art Online, and suddenly Heathcliff was there. Everything appeared fragmented, like his experience from Sword Art Online and Alfheim Online had been stitched together to torment him. Asuna being raised by chains, her top torn off by a horrible man he'd wish he'd never remember. Asuna smiling as she disappeared into a thousand tiny pieces of data. The door, he realized, looked like the one that had been the entrance to Asuna's home in Selmburg, and it reminded him of every memory tied to Asuna. Despite intense mental rehabilitation, he still relapsed now and again. It just so happened that one of those times was now, outside his girlfriend's house at midnight. No big deal.

It was so cold, Kazuto could see his ragged breath in the air. Trying to steady his shaking body, he reached for the door for support, accidently hitting it much harder than intended. He finally gave up before sliding to the ground, his head in his hands and in between his knees. The images were too violent, too frightening, and too much to weigh on his nineteen year old shoulders. He didn't notice the door open, and barely registered the pale fingers curl around his own.

"Kazuto..." Asuna's voice floated gently above him, something that was much more magnificent than his worth. "Kazuto, come inside, this is real. We're real." The agony in her voice easily told a story that said she had seen this before, and probably wouldn't be the last time she saw it again. Her chestnut hair fell past her shoulders and whipped around her as she led her boyfriend inside her warm home, making him sit on a couch that was too soft and velvety for Kazuto to ever afford. His episode had not yet subsided, so Asuna took his black jacket off of him, laying it on the side of the chair across the room. Her footsteps on the hardwood floor barely made any noise as she padded over to him, once again taking his hands into hers. "Kazuto, look at me."

Kazuto could barely muster enough strength to lift his head, let alone meet Asuna's eyes. Sighing, she placed a palm on both of his cheeks, causing him move towards her. "Asuna," Kazuto whispered, leaning in to her. "You're here."

Asuna smiled, stroking his charcoal colored hair. "Yes, I'm here."

Kazuto sighed before recovering from his episode. This was not out of the norm for the two, Kazuto forgetting that he was actually still human and in the real world. Sure, both still indulged in VRMMOS from time to time, but Aincrad was still a fresh wound in the back of their minds. While Asuna usually just ended up staring off in to space in her own little world, ending her sequence in tears, Kazuto forgot about the real world all together. It was quite tragic, really, putting each other back together, while the threat of shattering all over again loomed over their heads. It was if surviving in Sword Art Online wasn't enough, because they had to do it in the real world, too.

"I'm sorry." Kazuto managed to sputter, his head spinning. "This has been happening too often."

Asuna smiled and shook her head. "I'm here for you, you know. I'm always here for you."

Her response caused Kazuto to rest his forehead against hers, a gesture not unfamiliar between the couple. "You're cold," Asuna stated, breaking the silence. "You're so cold."

"I'm sorry." Was all Kazuto could manage, pulling away from his girlfriend. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

The situation, in Kazuto's mind, was unbearably awkward. Here they were, alone in Asuna's home, and she was commenting on how cold his pale skin was. Kazuto clenched his fist. He still had trouble communicating the right ideas to his girlfriend, even after everything they'd been through. In the end, Kazuto was just like every other tongue tied teenaged boy. He barely even noticed that Asuna had moved from the sofa and was standing above him.

"Come on." She commanded, tugging at his hand. "Follow me."

Kazuto didn't even bother putting up a protest, knowing it would be futile. He simply followed his girlfriend to a white wooden door. She used her free hand to open it, leading him inside. While it didn't surprise him, Kazuto could easily admit that he didn't understand why they were in her bathroom. The white porcelain and ivory painted walls assaulted his eyesight, but the one thing that pulled his attention away from the modern décor was the gigantic bath tub in the middle of the room. The walls on either side of it held windows that overlooked the garden courtyard inside the walls Yuuki compound. Small candles adorned the sides of the tub, varying in different shades and colors. A few were lit, but most weren't. Asuna turned around, but didn't quite meet Kazuto's eyes with her own.

"You're cold, so I thought that maybe… we could bathe together."

Kazuto's eyes widened, and suddenly his heart began hammering in his chest. Every inch of his body screamed at him to say yes, and hands ached at the prospect of his girlfriend's pale skin under his. "Do… do you want that?" He breathed, silently hoping her response would be positive.

"I've wanted something like this for a while," Asuna's thin cheeks painted themselves a collection of reds and pinks before continuing, "I've wanted you, really, for a while." She lifted her arms above her head, and Kazuto didn't hesitate for an invitation. He gently removed her cotton sweater from her body, revealing nothing but a bright pink, lacy bra underneath. "I just need to know if you want me in the same way."

Kazuto's breath hitched in his throat as Asuna's fingertips made their way under his tee-shirt and teased his abdomen. Her skin glimmered in the bright lights reflecting off of the porcelain in the room, causing a darker side of him to stir. He had never wanted another human being so much in his entire life. Suddenly, he grabbed her so forcefully that the small braid in her hair came undone, not losing a step in the momentum. He attacked his girlfriend's neck with kisses, devouring every inch of skin she allowed him to. The action was a bit out of character for him, but right then, in that moment of weakness, it didn't matter.

In the middle of things, Asuna managed to wriggle her hands between their bodies, undoing the buttons on Kazuto's jeans with ease. The action alone caused chills to run down Kazuto's spine, forcing him back to reality. He paused his attack long enough to reach over and switch the tub's jets on so it would fill with water, and looked back towards at Asuna, who had a devious look on her face. Before he could ask, his girlfriend took the opportunity to remove his shirt as well before smashing her pink lips onto his. Kazuto smiled into the kiss before tugging at Asuna's leggings, which she promptly removed. "Now this. Hardly. Seems. Fair." She breathed between kisses. This caused Kazuto to roll his eyes and finish Asuna's handiwork from earlier, earning a quiet sigh from the petite woman. She then turned around, lifting her hair from her shoulders. "Here, c-could you help me out?"

The sight before him was nerve-wracking. Asuna's naked flesh faced him, covered only by her matching undergarments. Hesitantly, he forced his fingers to unclasp her bra. Asuna's shoulder blades were extremely clear now, the small piece of fabric finally removed from her body. Kazuto forced himself to continue breathing as Asuna slowly descended into the bath, the water enveloping her. He swore all the blood in his body ran cold when she gestured for him to join her.

Discarding whatever was left of his clothing, Kazuto slid into the hot water, the liquid making a satisfying "swish" sound as he settled on the side of the tub. A very pink-faced and bright-eyed Asuna looked him up and down, causing it to be his turn for his face to flush. Nonchalantly, he averted his eyes and sighed. "Hi."

Asuna smiled, raising a hand near her mouth and giggled. "Hi, Kazuto."

Kazuto felt his knees grow weak and his fingers twitch with anticipation, but swallowed back his anxiety. "I got a new job."

Asuna's expression changed, her eyes growing wide. "Really, doing what?" She knew what he had hoped to do, but Kazuto didn't really share his career aspirations too in depth with her.

A small smile plastered itself on Kazuto's face. "I-I work in the virtual intelligence branch of Japan's—"

He didn't have time to finish before Asuna threw her arms around him, floating slightly above his very bare lap. He nuzzled her lips in to his neck. "That's great, Kazuto! I'm so proud of you." She pulled away ever so slightly, enough so Kazuto could see the honeyed look in her eyes. "We should celebrate."

At this point, Kazuto forced himself to stop looking at the window and the wall it adorned to meet his girlfriend's eyes. "What do you mean?"

It was Asuna's turn to not meet his gaze. "There's no real way to avoid saying it bluntly, so I suppose I'll just show you."

In Kazuto's mind, sex was extremely similar to a survival skill in any video game. You built up speed and stamina before you could gain a level, and you couldn't experience the rest of the game the way you wanted to until you did. Your skill could drain, but once it regenerated you could always try again.

That idea itself was nothing compared to actually slipping in to Asuna, feeling her tighten around him. That idea itself was nothing compared to how warm the bath became, or the sound of their ragged breathing echoing off the marble floor. None of Kazuto's fantasies would ever live up to this. Sex with Asuna was, without a doubt, a new, and wonderful experience.

And, he found, it was much harder to run out of stamina in the real world than in the virtual one.