The two stared longingly at the stars and their hands grasped one another. For the moment the two individuals found a sense of peace that eluded them when they were apart from each other. One had green hair and expressive brown eyes, she slender form normally stood in a rigid posture and this was due to the many concerns that normally weighed down heavily on her shoulders. She had struggled with her feelings about 'The World' and all of the people in it and sometimes her allies took things into their hands as an unofficial police force. Sure her friend would log on from time to time to check in on her but those brief instances served to worsen her considerable load as his very existence was a stain on her guild's reputation as far as they were concerned.
Then she had learned of a rumor there was a boy who was stuck here, in this world where reality did not exist. Initially the woman ignored and outright dismissed the rumors as surely no one could be stuck in a game forever. It seemed like someone got bored one day and decided to post on the message board about this 'mysterious player' that was always seen on 'The World' but could never leave. That was until her allies, the Crimson Knights, finally cornered and captured the boy. He had the same build as her though only half a head taller and instead of her teal clothing that accentuated her slim figure he wore tan and grey robes that complimented his silver-grey hair and dark grey eyes all the while hiding any other distinct characteristics. Remarkably instead of the same innocent like eyes the game had given to nearly everyone, this boy had eyes that seemed to reflect that he had seen much pain and much sorrow in his life.
Without conscience thought she reached out and placed her hand on his knee which made him jump back. Taken aback by his reaction she stepped back as well. The last thing she wanted to do was to scare the poor boy.
"What is it you want from me?" He asked in clipped sarcasm. "Did you come to hurt me too?"
She gasped as the thought of actually feeling pain while in 'The World' went against all logic and yet his body language spoke that he did indeed feel actual sensations in the game. Her interest peaked, she took step forward tentatively while he would have stepped back if he hadn't been leaning against a rock wall. "Is it true you can't log out?" A strange feeling of longing came over her. Not in the romantic sense but rather something about this boy called out to her.
"What if it is," the young man asked defensively.
She felt her own heart shatter at this confirmation. Her problems bothered her sure but here is this boy who felt everything in a fictional setting and couldn't even leave it. What was supposed to be a game was this person's very own hell as far as she knew. Compared to that she realized her problems, while not desirable by any means, weren't too bad. "What is it you wish," she asked sincerely.
"To be left alone," he all but yelled in defiance.
"Very well, in return may I ask two things of you?" She responded.
He looked at the woman before him and saw no deceit in her being. "If it means you letting me go then sure."
She expressed her thanks in a small smile and bowed slightly. "The first is that you do not harm any other players." The boy stood motionless for a moment before giving his word that he wouldn't hurt anyone else. "The second thing I ask is if I have your name." Once again the boy thought for a moment before giving out his name. "Thank you Tsukasa, in return you may call me Subaru."
She escorted him half way to the exit of the cave that the Crimson Knights imprisoned him in when he was kidnapped by a deranged Twin Blade PKer by the name of Sora. Months have passed by and the two began think about one another and only to miss each other several different occasions. Subaru even discovered that her own knights had a hand in keeping the two separated as they deemed it tarnish their reputation. The Crimson Knights were becoming more of a problem to her and the people of 'The World' to where it got to the point she disbanded the organization because they were no longer assisting other players but rather imposing their will and becoming the very thing she sought protect others from.
During her most trying time she was cornered by a Subaru imposter. It was thanks to this fake Subaru that she remembered who she was and what she wanted to do in 'The World.' Torn and broken, she made her way to the dungeon the disbanded knights placed the mysterious boy under arrest all that time ago. Much to her surprise he was there, leaning against the same wall he was last time. "Why are you here?" She managed to rasped.
The young man looked at her with eyes full of sorrow and some other emotion. "Something told me I needed to see you," Tsukasa answered honestly. He had been searching for her as he too was suffering still. The boy interacted with a busy, and nosey if someone were to ask for opinion, heavy blade and an older man named Bear from time to time but he often felt out of place with them. He only felt comfort from their one conversation from so long ago. So when the two finally reunited he didn't expect that the green haired female to fling herself at him. "What are you..."
"Please don't say anything," she requested as she held onto his frame for dear life.
Unsure of what to do, he nodded and gave an awkward embrace. Thankfully she relaxed into him as he held her close. After a moment pure silence minus the stray hiccup from her crying he asked, "hey Subaru? Do you feel this?" He placed one of her hands on the place his heart would be.
"Yes," she rasped. She felt as though she was really there with this boy whom she had never really met save on the game that meant nearly everything to her. Tsukasa smiled as he too found actual joy since he found he was stuck in the game.
Now the two were nearly inseparable as they gazed at the sky. Subaru would have to log off soon but she always stayed as long as possible because of him. She saw him tense up and she began to become concerned. "Subaru, lately I have been remembering things about myself and I want to meet you on the other side..." the woman's heart was beating faster than it had in over a year. "But I'm afraid," he said with a frown which made her look at him in concern.
"Why would you be afraid?" She asked caringly as she placed on top of his and made soothing circle like patterns in an effort to calm the grey eyed male down.
"What if I am a girl?" Tsukasa asked in earnest. Fear told hold as it was common in the world for same sex couples. Tsukasa in the game was male but what if he was actually a she in real life? Would the person who became the center of his world accept the person that he was?
She smiled at the grief stricken youth. "It wouldn't matter to me, Tsukasa. You are you and I fell for you not because you're boy. I fell for you because of your soul," the green haired woman replied. "We're the same because without you I am lost." The grey haired individual stared at her and finally returned her smile and the two's lips met for the first time.
Somewhere at a hospital in Japan, a patient on life support had a tiny but genuine smile appear on their face before it fell back to its natural state and a man sighed as he tried to piece a puzzle together with the few facts he acquired about the patient and a certain character on a popular MMO.