Sword Art Online: I will Protect your smile

by comanche123

[Loosely based in the SAO canon plot] Kensuke Minamoto is betrothed to Asuna Yuuki, but under the surface of an outstanding kendoka is an insecure boy, who fell in love immediately with Asuna, though she doesn't share the same feeling for him. Neither in real world nor in Aincrad, for Hitokiri (Kensuke's avatar in SAO). (It's a story of unrequited love, action, fights, and angst)

1. Chapter 1

Sword Art Online: I will protect your smile

Prologue

[Three years after Aincrad release, in the 100th floor boss' dungeon]

The boy in samurai-syle avatar, with a helmet with a golden crescent moon saw to his right, who was called Hitokiri [slayer] in the death game found that Kirito was barely able to stand on his feet, his own legs were also shaking of the exhaustion, but Kayaba was still defiant in front of both of them, although the efforts of the best players of Aincrad trapped in the 100th boss dungeon, there was not a single scratch on Kayaba's armor. It was the final battle, the battle that they needed to win to escape from Aincrad and from SAO, and ironically the battle they were clearly losing.

-If you had just killed Kayaba in the 75th floor, we wouldn't be here- recriminated Kirito to Hitokiri

-Don't feel so stressed, after all, none of you will leave this game, you will all perish here- added Kayaba almost enjoying the tension between them.

They knew that since his humiliating defeat in the 75th floor Kayaba had changed for worse, now he was decided to impede anyone could beat the game, and therefore he was decided to kill everyone in there.

-Kill us, kill of all us?-

Thought Hitokiri, he had grew up a lot in the 3 years that Aincrad had lasted, and had never felt fear of dying, but in that moment he turned his head back to see Asuna, badly wounded, hold by Artemis who desperately attempted to avoid Asuna's life bar reached zero, but for everyone she was merely delaying the inevitable, Asuna will die in matter of minutes.

Hitokiri still didn't fear to be killed, but he then understand that he did feared to see Asuna dying, then he felt ashamed, he understood he had never been in love with Asuna, he had simply nurtured a desire to possess her, he felt ashamed of the many times he had said he loved her, but he had only interfered with the relation of Kirito and Asuna, and now he felt even more ashamed, he was standing there while Asuna was dying.

A hit on the floor took him back from his thoughts, Kirito had fell heavily on the ground as Kayaba had rejected another attack once again. Hitokiri then understood why Asuna loved Kirito so much, he knew that it was impossible to attack Kayaba but he was still trying.

In that moment while Kirito was still trying to stand up again, Hitokiri grabbd his shoulder as if he were trying to help him, Kirito was surprised since they were sworn rivals, but then he felt how Hitokiri clawed a pin on his arm, leaving him paralyzed.

-What are you doing?!-

Asked Kirito angry as he didn't understand why Hitokiri had done so, precisely in the moment when they needed every one to help. But Hitokiri didn't reply, instead he walked calmly towards Kayaba.

-Kirito- san, please take care of the smile of Yuuki-dono-

Kirito was surprised that Hitokiri didn't referred him despectively, surprised that he was asking to take care of Asuna, and most surprised of the calmness of Hitokiri's voice. With an expression of confusion he saw that Hitokiri had a sad smile while walked.

-Are you going to fight me frontally?, haha I guess you have become finally insane or you are hopeless and want to die already- said Kayaba with arrogance, as it seemed that Hitokiri was truly going for a suicidal charge, and indeed he was.

In that precise moment, while Hitokiri advanced towards Kayaba he closed his eyes for a second, he thought in the death of his parents and older brother, the years of harsh training kenjutsu with his grandfather, the three years he had fought in Aincrad going from a casual player to a feared swordsman, he remembered the how begun his longstanding grudge with Kirito the brief months when he and Asuna were dating until she discovered the horrible things he had done, and the day he defeated Kayaba in the 75th floor.

But above all, he remembered the cold rainy day of January when he met Asuna Yuuki in the real world, the same day that he knew that girl with hazel eyes and red brownish hair was his fiancée.

He remembered with a tear the first time he said, the same phrase he wanted whisper before dying:

-I will protect your smile Asuna Yuuki hime [Princess Asuna Yuuki]… with my life-