It was going to be a strange Christmas this year. For a few reasons. First, Asuna had planned a feast in the house on the twenty second floor (Kirito and Yui were responsible for the entertainment). That was the good part of the day, around lunch time. At dinner time though, the atmosphere wasn't going to be so good.

Asuna's mother had invited Kirito over. The girl couldn't believe what she was hearing at first but eventually nodded, saying she will tell the boy. He was as surprised as her but accepted the invite, thanking for it.

"I think she is warming up to you." Asuna commented as she prepared lunch in their house.

"Yes, she saw I could be used to clean the kitchen." Kirito said as he hung up a a few decorations here and there around the living room. "Maybe the whole house sometime."

Asuna laughed at the memory. "It was your fault. You started the 'food fight'."

"Maybe I should start another one today." Kirito said nonchalantly.

"Don't you dare! Then I'll have to marry a man of her choice." Asuna warned.

"I'm glad you care about me so much." The boy said sarcastically, running away as Asuna turned towards him with a spoon in hand.

Yui entered the kitchen in a minute, having a few windows opened, ready to show them to Asuna.

"Don't people find it creepy that an old man enters their homes? Every year." And after a brief pause. "Through the chimney."

Asuna let out a small laugh. "He is a good man though, leaves presents."

"Yes, about that." Yui said matter-of-factly. "It says here that he is watching us through out the whole year and depending on our behavior decides what presents to give us. This is even worse than entering through the chimney."

Asuna openly let out a giggle. "Wait till today is over, then you'll tell me if you like him." The girl said, glad she and Kirito had gotten the idea to make Yui believe in him. For now at least. Kirito had gone through a lot to block Yui's searches from finding results, saying that Santa Claus was made up.

Since everyone had to be with their family at dinner time, the friends were getting together at lunch. But, again, Kirito was going to log in later in the night to leave some presents under the tree they had in the living room. Soon enough the friends began entering the house.

Klein and Lis came first, Silica flying with Pina on her shoulder. Sinon following them with Agil.

"Wow, Asuna, it's very beautiful in here." The youngest girl said, her eyes running around the room.

"Kirito did it all. With Yui's help. I was only cooking." Asuna said.

"I tried some of the food though, it's really good." Kirito said, shrieking when his girlfriend poked him in the ribs. "It was only a bite!"

Everyone sat down, Asuna and Yui serving plates and meals. As always, everyone congratulated Asuna on her skills and said how good the food was.

"Silica, what do you want Santa Claus to give you?" Yui asked eventually.

The girl thought for a bit before answering. "I don't know what I want. I think I have everything I need. Maybe a new friend would be nice." She said thoughtfully.

"What, you don't like us anymore?" Lis asked, feigning hurt.

"What? No! I just..."

"She wants a different kind of friend." Sinon said calmly, sipping from her glass with orange juice.

"No!" Silica shrieked, her face turning red in seconds.

Everyone on the table either began speaking or laughing. Yui just turned her head around and around, not understanding what was going on, what was so funny.

Eventually the lunch ended, the talks and games after it too were over too and everyone left. The three left in the house cleaned up, washing the dishes and fixing everything. Then Asuna told Yui to go rest since Kirito and her weren't going to log in anymore. After that, Kirito told Asuna around when he would arrive at her home and everyone left, either logging on and entering sleep mode.

An hour later, someone rang at the door to Asuna's home. It was Kirito, the girl had seen him through her window. She very rarely had a chance to see him all pampered up and today was one of those chances. The boy was obviously nervous, he had been the whole day, even if he tried to hide it.

Asuna ran down the stairs and opened the door before someone else could. She wanted to talk with Kirito for a bit, calm him down, calm herself down.

"I didn't know what to bring. And I'm not good at choosing flowers. Or wine. So I bought both and hope they're good enough?" Asuna took the items from his hands, quickly giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"You shouldn't have worried about this." She said. He just shrugged, blushing a bit. Asuna let him to the room where dinner was normally server. Her mother was already there, waiting for them.

"Welcome, Kirigaya-kun." The older woman greeted, getting up to shake the boy's hand. After that was done, everyone sat at the table. Asuna across from her mother, Kirito to her right side.

"So. How are the holidays going for you?" The woman asked.

"Um... Good. I'm doing a project for school but other than that it's alright, I have quite a lot of free time." The boy answered.

"Free time that you spend playing games?"

Kirito nodded but then quickly added. "That and going out with Asuna and our friends. I even have something like a job... With this man..." Kirito realized that he couldn't exactly explain what he did for the government, it was a bit classified. Asuna's mother only lifted an eyebrow at him but didn't ask further.

"Mum, I've told you we don't only play games. We can study there, do our homeworks, help each other." Asuna decided to interject a bit.

"Yes. Asuna is a really good teacher, explains things really good. Silica and Yui would confirm that." Kirito added.

"Yui? That girl that speaks through your phone?" Asuna's mother asked. The couple sitting across the table nodded. "Wasn't she a pixie in this game of yours?"

"Well, yes. But not exactly. You see, she comes from old Aincrad, I managed to preserve her data. She is an AI, artificial inteligence, a lot more complicated than a normal program. She watches, listens and learns, evolves." Now Kirito was in his field. you couldn't shut him up. Asuna gave a small, proud smile, noticing how her mother widened her eyes, listening to Kirito explain in detail what was what and how it worked.

And so the dinner continued, with Kirito talking about computers and programs, showing Asuna's mother that he wasn't just a game but actually knew his stuff, was well educated. Eventually the trio moved the big living room, a gigantic tree taking one third of it. Asuna, Lis and Silica had decorated it themselves. Kirito remarked it was beautiful and Asuna's mother said her daughter had done a very well job with her friends.

Asuna was right. After showing her mother what the VR world, what SAO meant to her, the older woman had begun listening to her more, warming up to her friends and giving her a bit more freedom. She had seen her daughter had grown up, knew what she was doing, what she wanted from life at this stage. That she had found great friends who were always there for her, to help or have fun with. Her mother was understanding this now.

It got late, no one noticing the time passing as they were having a pleasant conversation. Once they did look at the clock though, Kirito jumped up, saying he shouldn't intrude anymore. But Asuna's mother did something unbelievable - she invited the boy to stay over. To sleep in her house. It was too late to go home anyway now. Asuna and Kirito looked at each other before the boy nodded and thanked the woman. She got out of the room, saying she was going to bed and that Asuna would show him to the guest room. Both the girl and boy blushed at the mention of it.

"So..." Kirito rubbed his neck, shy. "Your mother likes me?"

"I think so." Asuna said as she let him to his room for the night. "I think you impressed her with all the computer talk." She giggled.

"Could be." Kirito shrugged. Asuna went to a big wardrobe, taking a few sheets out before continuing on her way to the room.

"Well, you didn't start a food fight so it seems you're stuck with me for now anyway. She better like you." Asuna said.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that. Missed my chance." Kirito joked. Asuna gave him a stare and he got quiet.

They got to the guest room and Asuna fixed the bed for him. After a few wishes for a good night's sleep, Asuna left the room, promising that Santa Claus will find him here and deliver his present for Kirito to open in the morning. Kirito gave her a quick kiss and Asuna finally walked to her room, giddy from the night's events.

It was a merry Christmas indeed.