Aha well let's bring things back down a notch after last chapter, shall we? This will be a 2-parter with chapter 11.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.

Chapter 10. Taunting

"Come on, Kirito-kun, let's go! Pleeease?" Asuna begged.

"No way! I can't ice skate for my life!" He protested.

"You'll never know until you try!" She reasoned.

"I have tried and I know I can't do it..." He grumbled back.

They were presently walking home from school on a Friday afternoon, both wearing scarves and jackets due to the wintertime chill. Asuna had gotten the idea of going ice skating with him in her head within recent days, probably from seeing advertisements on television or having heard her friends talking about it.

Therefore, she had been constantly pleading for him to take her, despite his arguments. Kazuto had mentioned to her, probably twenty times now, that he had attempted ice skating before with several friends at one of Suguha's birthday parties when they were very young. At the time, Kazuto could barely manage to stand, let alone move around like most of the other people could.

When he rejected her invitation yet again, Asuna puffed out one cheek.

"Come on, just for a little while. We don't have to stay long, I promise. I just want to go around the rink with you a couple times." She gazed up at him with imploring, auburn eyes. It was getting to see that irresistibly adorable expression on her face that made Kazuto play the villain. He had told her several times before that she could very easily go with any of her friends and leave him behind, but each time, Asuna had refused. "I want to go with Kirito-kun." She had said each time.

In truth, Kazuto had decided to accompany her the very first time she asked, but he assumed that the sadistic side of him just enjoyed seeing her pout.

"I'll carry your bag for you." Asuna bargained, swooping to the side to seize his school bag and slinging it over her shoulder along with her own. "And make you lunch and bring it to the rink with us. I'll make your favorite sandwiches."

"So you'll be my slave if I go with you?" He clarified.

"What? N-No, I'm just-" Asuna trailed off in a sputter of mumbles and pouts before she begrudgingly gave him his bag back.

They were approaching a bench on the sidewalk and an idea popped into Kazuto's head.

"Let's sit for a moment." He urged, and Asuna hesitantly followed. Apparently, she was in 'convince-him-to-go-at-any-cost!' mode and was in full-gear, for she kept fidgeting about with a determined look on her face. Kazuto hid his amused smile behind his scarf as he watched her; she was clearly confused and frustrated as to why he was refusing her so easily, and he could practically see the gears turning in her mind as she tried to concoct a method to win him over. He felt it was on-par with having a present for someone, and why taunting them about it up until their birthday was so unbelievably fun somehow.

"I promise you'll have fun." She decided to go with the 'you'll-get-something-out-of-the-experience' technique rather than the 'I'll-do-this-for-you-if-you-go' payback technique.

In response, Kazuto crossed his arms and closed his eyes, giving off the impression that he was thinking seriously about her offer. He could picture Asuna's determined expression as she clenched her fists before her chest, waiting on his reply.

At last, Kazuto opened his eyes and made eye contact.

"How about a kiss?" He suggested.

"E-Eh?" Asuna's instant fluster was priceless as her face turned pink. "R-Right now? In a place like this where everyone can see us?" She brought her fists to her knees and suddenly found great interest in the frosted ground. Kazuto bit his tongue to keep from laughing as she tried to calm herself.

"O-Okay." Asuna straightened up and faced him. "I'm- mmph!" She was cut off as Kazuto kissed her.

Having been rudely cut off mid-sentence, Asuna was left with no choice but to maintain her breath as best she could and kissed back. She began to hear amused whispers from passerby and quickly closed her eyes in an attempt to block them out.

The couple remained melted into the kiss for a moment before breaking apart. Asuna's face was flushed and she was gasping lightly. She remained silent for a moment, savoring the feeling of his warmth until she seemed to remember the issue at hand.

"W-Well?" She blinked up at him. "Are you satisfied now? Now that we've done s-something like that in such a public place, will you come ice skating with me?"

"Hah?" Kazuto tilted his head to one side. "I didn't mean if you kissed me, I'd go with you. I just suggested we kiss..."

Upon hearing such an outrageous statement, the blood that had been flowing back to its proper place rushed back to Asuna's face.

"W-What? Are you serious, Kirito-kun?" Mortified, Asuna instantly hunched forward and buried her face in her lap.

Kazuto chuckled madly to himself, desperately trying to muffle the sounds behind his wool scarf. He loved messing with her, but was unable to keep himself from reaching out to pat her back.

After a few moments, Asuna raised herself up again, her eyes still watery from embarrassment. She lost the determination in her eyes and heaved a heavy sigh. "Is there really nothing I can do to make you come with me?" She flashed one final-attempt, pitiful glance at him. At last, it seemed his time of messing with her was finally up.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kazuto asked sarcastically. "I was planning to come this whole time." He said.

Asuna then presented him with the most priceless, dumbfounded, and incredulous expression that Kazuto could not help but burst out into laughter upon seeing.

"W-What?!" She exclaimed. "But this whole time you were saying you weren't good at it! W-Why are you laughing?" She whimpered, confused.

When Kazuto had finally regained his composure, he landed his hand on top of her head.

"Come, on. Did you seriously think I was going to refuse going with you?" He continued to chuckle while ruffling her hair. "I never actually said "I'm not going", did I?"

"But... But..." Asuna blinked up at him with watery eyes as his ply came into focus. "Y-You're such a meanie, Kirito-kun!" She cried, batting his hand away. She crossed her arms over her chest and spun on her heel to turn away from him with a 'hmph!'

Kazuto grinned and let her fake her anger for a moment before asking, "So when are we going?"

Instantly, Asuna turned back to him with an excited smile. "Tomorrow." She beamed.

"Great." He smiled as they stood and commenced their walk home. "Ah, but that thing you said about making sandwiches was true...right?" Kazuto asked sheepishly.

Asuna merely shrugged her shoulders and gave him a wicked smile.

A/N: This was an idea from a reader. Next chapter, see if Kazuto gets his sandwiches or not!

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