Prologue

(One week after the Mother's Rosario Arc)

The artificial air of the rebuilt 22nd floor of "New Aincrad" blew the Black Swordsmen's hair back. Kirito opened his eyes, and was met by the collage of orange, blue, and purple's as the sun was beginning to set. The boy exhaled while his eyes closed again. Figuring he might as well get comfortable, so he moved his hands besides his head so they could serve as a pillow. If he imagined it hard enough, the artificial grass underneath him could be as soft as his bed back home.

As time began to seem infinite, Kirito couldn't help but feel irritated. It seemed as if this was beginning to happen more and more to him. Even though he understood how important Yuuki was to Asuna, it seemed anything but fair that their relationship was sent to the back burner. First, the Death Gun incident, and then it was Asuna's involvement with the Sleeping Knights guild, what could it possibly be next? With another sigh, Kirito sat up and decided to call it a day. He turned around to start making his voyage back to the house Asuna and himself had previously purchased. The same house that gave him a reason to live when he was trapped in the "death game". The same house that made a small part of him miss being trapped in "SAO" with Asuna.

Kirito arrived at his in game house as the sun had just finished setting. The Black Swordsman had made up his mind on his walk "home" to sign out of the game and call it a night. As he turned the handle on the door the sound of an avatar signing in echoes throughout the living room. He crossed his arms, expecting it to be Asuna, he prepared himself for a heated argument. However, as the avatar fully formed in front of him he released that he wasn't going to have an altercation after all. The avatar that appeared in his living room wasn't his IRL girlfriend, but rather his new friend he made in the VRMMO Gun Gale Online, Sinon.

Taking in her environment, Sinon couldn't help but smile from pointy ear to pointy ear when she saw that Kirito was standing in front of her.

"Kirito! What are you doing here?"

Uncrossing his arms and putting his frustration of Asuna on hold, Kirito smiled and responded with a hand behind his head, "Hey Sinon. Nothing much besides the usual."

Sinon's ears twitched as she turned her head to side before she asked with a hint of concern in her voice, "Were you waiting for Asuna again?"

"Yeah, but she never got online. And to top it off I haven't seen her IRL in close to a week." Kirito walked over to the couch and collapsed. "It's frustrating, but I know she has a lot going on right now so I can't really get mad at her."

Sinon made her way to the couch and took the seat next to Kirito, "This is the third time this week though isn't it?"

"Yeah, but I was able to get in some more practice with skill connecting while having the Excalibur equipped so today wasn't a complete waste."

Sinon tuned her body to face Kirito, "So… did you keep your promise about the Excalibur?"

Knowing exactly what she was referring to Kirito couldn't help but to blush. While scratching his cheek, he fumbled with his words while he tried to apply, "Well… Yeah it's kind of hard to not to."

The blue hair archer smiled as her ears wiggled, "Good. Make sure you keep it that way."

After a silence that lasted for over two minutes, Kirito decided to break the awkward situation, "So what brings you to New Aincrad tonight?"

Sinon looked down at her lap and paused before she responded, "Lisbeth told me that you would be online tonight. And, I just didn't want to be alone tonight."

Ever since the "Death Gun" incident, Sinon had trouble being alone at night. She would either stay with her uncle in the next town over, or go to sleep with a video chat with Kirito so that she would feel safe.

Knowing that he needed to say something to comfort her, Kirito tried to give her some peace of mind, "We made sure that Death Gun and his accomplice were put behind bars, and it won't be long until the third accomplice is put behind bars as well."

Despite his words, Sinon couldn't shake the feeling of knowing that there was still someone left who was an ally of Death Gun roaming the streets.

With a weak and quite voice, Sinon spoke to Kirito from under her breath, "Kirito… Could you do what you did in the cave?"

Kirito's heart began to race in his chest as he recalled the time they spent in the cave during the "B.O.B." tournament. She needed him then, and she needed him know. He simply mustered a "mhmm" and adjusted his body so that Sinon could rest on his chest.

The room was overcome with silence. The fireplace glowed with a dancing flame on top of three pieces of oak. Snowfall had covered up the windows to prevent any moonlight from coming through the windows. The air had become so still Kirito was certain he could cut it in two with a blade. Sinon was being firmly held in his arms. He cheek was pressing up against his chest. While her hands were resting on his chest. Kirito took one of his arms off of her back and moved it to her head. Before he knew it, he was combing through her hair with his fingers. His hearts began to pound in his chest as his mind began to wonder. What would it feel like to embrace Sinon IRL in this same position?

A muffled voice emerged from the blue hair girl, "Kirito?"

Still combing through the powder blue hair, he replied, "Yeah?"

Sinon's face burned red as she gathered the nerve to ask what she's wanted to ever since the "Death Gun Incident, "Would it be okay if you came over tonight?"

-Thanks for reading! Next Chapter coming soon! Be sure to check out my Fairy Tale Fan Fic as well. I'll be updating both stories simultaneously! Favorites and comments are always welcome!