Her hand tightens on the hilt of her sword, pulling it free of the scabbard as torches flicker to life down the corridor. It's our third time battling this boss, The Wicked Facade, at the end of the thirty-second floor's labyrinth. Where nuance and strategy failed before, Yuuki's determined to take it down with pure brute strength. She looks back at me over her shoulder, a wry smile crossing her face. She's going to show off again, I can tell.
"We've got this," she says. "You and Siune just heal us while we beat the heck outta this thing!"
Her bony fingers clutch the handles of her crutches as she hobbles toward the parallel bars. I could have pushed the wheelchair to the very edge, but she waves me and the therapist off. She wants to walk to them. I insist on clutching her arm tight, guiding her across the floor of the rehab center. Her emaciated legs tremble with each step. I see the tension in her jaw as she presses forward, but the smile never leaves her face.
Just like in New Aincrad, I'll hold back to offer support.
Unlike most of the game's bosses, the Wicked Facade doesn't spawn in the middle of the room. Instead, a bulbous head and long arms ending in serrated claws emerge from the wall at the opposite end. The wall itself slides forward as the beast trapped within attacks. During the first encounter, the powerful spells and physical attacks defeated us, the second time the wall itself smashed us flat. So maybe there's something to Yuuki's hard-charging approach.
I still catch myself watching her in awe, moving so fast she becomes a blur of color, parrying strikes with ease then transitioning into a powerful sword skill. I barely have to worry about healing her. Jun and Tecchi get a share of the credit, drawing most of the Facade's attacks. Every so often I catch Yuuki's gaze lingering on me, usually just before she unleashes a devastating combo. Definitely showing off.
Yuuki discards her crutches and takes hold of the parallel bars, dragging her body forward. Each step is tenuous, her body uncertain on legs that saw no use for three years. My breath catches in my throat as she sways, sweat trickling down her brow from the effort. But each time she inches forward, she turns back to me. Even though I know she can't see me, she knows where I am, where to direct that grin. Even in the real world, she wants to show off.
Her smile, charming enough in Aincrad, is breathtaking in real life. No simulation could capture its warmth and joy, the way it enhances her ethereal beauty. I remember the first time I saw it, the day Dr. Kurahashi texted me with the news Yuuki had recovered enough strength to leave the Medicuboid. I entered that familiar room in the hospital to find Yuuki not in her bed with the machine enveloping her, but in a chair by the window. She couldn't stand on her own so I knelt next to her, pressed my hand against hers through the glass.
"Soon," she told me later that day, "I'm gonna be able to hold your hand for real!"
I roll away from one of the Wicked Facade's claws, hide behind Jun's shield as I chant the words to revive Talken. The wall's traveled halfway across the room, and the all-out assault has taken its toll on our mana potions. The boss just unleashed a new attack, a lightning spell that peeled away out health and took down Talken. Only Yuuki's health was still in the green, with Nori and Tecchi in the red. None of this phased Yuuki, who charged forward with renewed energy.
"If it's busting out new attacks, we're getting close!"
She's right, but we can't withstand too many more of those spells. Maybe we've finally met out limit, encountered the boss that the Sleeping Knights can't defeat solo.
Yuuki's halfway across the parallel bars now. The strain is etched on her face as she keeps willing her body forward.
"Today's the day I'm gonna make it across," Yuuki boasted when I pushed her wheelchair down the hallway toward the PT room. "Just you wait!"
Her therapist tells her it's okay to stop but she shakes her head. She's white-knuckling the bars, clinging with every ounce of strength she can muster. Another step, another glance, another smile. That familiar tightness returns to my chest.
I felt it the day Dr. Kurahashi told me Yuuki could take visitors in her room. Anxiety built as I approached, reaching its crescendo when I opened the door and saw her in front of me, for the first time without glass in the way.
"Asuna," she said as I entered. Her voice quavered, hoarse and uncertain from lack of use. My hand trembled as I reached out for her, our fingertips gliding across one another, the contact lingering until I took hold of her frail hand. My breath quickened as she turned in my direction, even though illness claimed her eyesight long ago.
"Yuuki," I whispered, all other words failing me. I tried to tell her so many times during our adventures or during the quiet times at the forest house in New Aincrad, but it caught in my throat each time. "There's… something I need to tell you."
But even as I struggle to articulate the feelings that had welled up inside of me over all these months, Yuuki squeezed my hand with a strength that belied her delicate form.
"I know." She offered me one of her dazzling smiles. "And… I feel the same."
"Just keep healing me, Asuna!"
The chamber's a quarter of its original size and the manic attacks from the Wicked Facade has taken down Talken and Jun. Siune is struggling to keep the others upright. Our last hope is for me to focus my efforts on Yuuki so she can attack more recklessly, abandoning parries and dodges for more potent strikes. I've only just taken my last mana potion, Siune has one left in reserve.
She revives Jun. A wild swipe of the Facade's clawed arm reduces him to a remain light an instant later.
Another strike pushes Nori into the red.
The Facade's close enough to lash out at me and Siune now. It targets her first. One attack is almost enough to drain her HP completely.
"Fourth time's the charm?" Tecchi jokes.
"I've got PT in another hour, we won't have time for another try!" Yuuki grunts. "That clearing guild beat us on thirty-one, and I bet them a five-course dinner we'd get this one before them!"
I freeze in my tracks. "…you mean you bet them a meal in a restaurant. Right?"
In spite of the intensity of the battle, she grimaces. "Um. They insisted you make it. Did I forget to tell you about that?"
"Yuuki…"
I turn to Siune. She recognizes the look in my eyes and sighs in resignation.
"Yes, of course. I'll handle the healing from here," she says.
With that, I open my menu and trade wand for rapier.
There's only a quarter of the parallel bars to go, but the time between steps is growing longer. Her whole body's trembling, her arms struggling to keep her upright. She pitches forward so violently with the next step I expect her to fall, but she refuses to give up.
"Yuuki, you don't have to—"
"I… got this," she manages between deep breaths. My whole body tenses as I watch. Her progress has been remarkable, with little milestones marking every step of the way. Her first solid meal, the first time she sat up in bed, the first step with her crutches. Each time she waited to share those moments with me, and it's only increased my desire to share the special moments of my life with her as well. My mother asked if I intended to support someone for the rest of my life. The blessing of Yuuki is that we will support each other.
Another step.
This time, her body fails her, dubious balance finally lost. Her hands wrench free of the bars, sending her tumbling forward. Though the physical therapist is closer, I cover the distance faster.
Somehow I catch Yuuki before she hits the floor.
"What are you doing?" Yuuki stares at me incredulously, barely managing to parry an attack away from us both.
"We're running out of time," I say, though I can't fight off a smile. "Want to try it?"
"If it doesn't work, we'll be vulnerable. Bet it takes us out with that lightning attack."
"Well, if you're scared—"
"I never said that!"
The debate over, we both settle back into a fighting stance. Our swords start to glow at the same time.
"Three," I start.
"Two," Yuuki continues.
"One!" In unison this time.
We charge forward in sync, our strikes a perfect mirror. Her five strikes begin left then go down to the right, mine to the right and down to the left. We pepper the boss with five more strikes in the opposite direction. Then we rear back at the same time and plunge our blades forward in a final strike. On its own Mother's Rosario, Yuuki's original sword skill is devastating. Two in tandem should deliver a crippling amount of damage.
I don't notice the claw barreling toward us until I'm locked in the cool down. I close my eyes, brace myself for the fatal blow.
It never comes. Instead, I open the eyes again to see the whole wall glowing and pulsing before shattering. A massive CONGRATULATIONS banner appearing in front of us. Before I can react, Yuuki has thrown herself at me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug that sends us both tumbling to the ground. It's become our trademark.
"We did it!" she exclaims.
"Yeah, we did!"
"Ahem," Nori says, taking a step forward. "That looked cool, but you'll notice neither of you got the last attack bonus. You're welcome."
"Oh. Uh, thanks Nori!"
"If you two are done being unfathomably adorable, we have a new teleportation gate to unlock."
"I was so close."
Yuuki buries her forehead into my shoulder. She won't cry but I can feel the way her body trembles, sensing the frustration and disappointment radiating from her. I stroke her hair and wrap my other arm around her in a gentle hug.
"You did great," I whisper.
"I wanted to make it today." She takes in a sharp breath. "I promised I'd make it today."
"And you can try again tomorrow."
"And if I don't make it?"
"Then I'll be here to catch you and we'll try again the next day." I brush a few loose strands of hair away from her forehead.
"We have plenty of time. The house will still be waiting for you."
Her trembling fingers reach out, glide with feathery softness along my face. I cup them in my palms, thumbs rubbing the back of her hands. Eventually, the camera that once resided on my shoulder will let Yuuki see again. For now, though, she uses her hands. I savor every second of the contact I never dreamed we'd share. I lean forward, my lips brushing against her forehead. Her cheeks turn red. Even the gentlest kiss still makes her blush. It's adorable.
"You're wrong," she says after a moment.
"About what?"
"About the house." She leans forward. Our forehead and noses touch.
"It's waiting for us."
A/N - This was originally intended to be a quick drabble for the first day of the SAO Pride Week on Tumblr. As these things often do, the story took on a life of its own and I followed where it took me. It's clearly a slight AU but I didn't want to worry about the details of how Yuuki recovered or what happened between Asuna and Kirito, and instead focus on the relationship itself. I didn't think the story needed it, and I hope you'll all agree! As always, comments and critiques are welcome!