Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Sword Art Online, its characters, or the franchise.
Story: Labeled as a hikikomori, Kazuta has had a hard time going outside her home and interacting with people. But somehow she attracts the attention of Akihito Kayaba, even at the beta stage. What happens when he parties with her during SAO's launch?
Set as an AU genderbending fic.
Spoilers: Most definitely for all seasons, even if this is an alternate take.
Warnings: Age disparity, cursing and violence for now…hm, just in case since I'm usually writing it, bit of crazy humor, perverted humor, morbid or sarcastic humor, and maybe some sexual situations…
Pairings: Main Kayaba Akihiko/Fem!Kirito, Kikuoka Seijirou/Kirito, probably tilt-your-head Suguo Nobuyuki/Kirito, either Agil/Asuna or Suguha/Asuna…

The Shadow Noir Nexus
Chapter Seven: Status Update

After her morning login, Akihiko figured he could take Kirito out to eat and see how she handled it. His plan was to take her out twice that day and observe how well she'd take the outings. She seemed progressively better in some situations and some took him aback by how adverse she'd taken them. He had to be careful about these things.

"Where are we going?" she asked him, obviously nervous.

"Lunch," he told her. Still looking nervous, he sought to calm her with more information. "We'll be ordering through the Drive-Thru at Wacdonalds. Is there anything you particularly like there?"

She looked thoughtful and only just slightly less tense. A marked improvement, even if a small one.

"Chicken Nuggets is fine with me," she finally replied. "And some fries please."

He nodded and turned into the lot, heading for the Drive-Thru. He ordered for her and then got himself a simple salad, and then drove on to pay and receive their food. Then he parked in the parking lot. Her nervousness came back and she'd started wringing the bottom of her shirt.

"We're not going back?" she asked him hesitantly.

"We will," he reassured her. "But first I'd like to just eat here with you. We don't have to even eat inside the restaurant."

She swallowed, but nodded slowly. He handed her the bag with her food and then started to eat in silence for a minute.

"I'm a huge fan of Go," he started first, causing her to startle. She dropped a fry in surprise, but he just continued talking. "I don't play a lot, but I like playing it myself for fun. It is a good hobby."

"Do you have any favorite players?" she asked curiously.

"My favorite is Ogata Seiji," he shared. "I'm also fond of Shindou Hikaru and like most fans of the game, I'd admired Touya Kouyo."

"I know them," she said. "I don't play, but sometimes I run across their names on the web. I've seen pictures of Shindou-san and Ogata-san together. They're cute, though she's much younger than him."

Akihiko's lips twitched. "Yes, they're quite the odd couple."

"I don't think they're odd at all," she mused. "I'd say sweet. The differences seem rather complementary in a way. They're just like my favorite chef and her husband."

"Oh?" he asked, this time the one curious. He was also glad that she seemed to be opening up and also distracted enough from their talk to not be tense about where she was and get anxious about it. "And who's that?"

"I really love the food from Cantina!" she beamed at him and he was actually struck by the happiness on her face and her whole countenance. It made her already youthful and beautiful appearance staggering, and he mentally frowned at himself and shifted in a mix of confusion and discomfort. "Chef Kitazawa Najika is in charge of that restaurant and I love all of her recipes. I've seen her with her husband, the Director of Seika Academy, and like I said, they're like Shindou-san and Ogata-san."

"I know Director Kitazawa actually," Akihiko hmmed. "And I've met his wife a few times, as well as sampled her cooking. It is quite delicious."

"Really?" she asked, completely excited. It made him actually smile back at her, pleased with her reaction.

"Yes. I was introduced to them by a friend, who's a big name in the film industry —Producer Kuresaki? If you're not familiar with him, you might be familiar with his wife, the actress Mogami Kyoko."

At that, to his surprised but clear pleasure, her face lit up and she was completely excited at that.

"I love Kyoko-san! She's my absolute favorite actress and Dark Moon was my favorite show."

"I'm a fan of hers as well," he agreed. "She's very passionate about her work."

He did note that she was still not totally okay by the wringing of her hands, but she was otherwise doing rather really well in this situation and he concluded that it had been a successful outing.

They finished up their meal, continuing their conversation in the meantime.

Akihiko idly noted that this was also practically the most comfortable he'd felt around someone, and the most he'd ever talked to another person…

[O\\\\\[========================-

He'd delivered her back to her room, where she was now probably clearing out levels like a professional. It was both entertaining and rather impressive. To be honest, he hadn't anticipated his attachment to Kirito or the level of attentiveness he'd given to her. He wasn't sure what he thought or felt about that, but he did know that he knew he couldn't leave her or her situation well enough alone.

That also made Akihiko remember and think about his ideas for his world; a real world that all the players could live in and not be a player but be part of it. And they could —if he went and pursued his idle dreams of bringing his world into an actual reality that all who went in would find themselves a permanent resident.

Kirito would actually be happy and she would actually not mind that at all, living in a virtual world that was as real as the one they actually lived in. It made it so much more tempting…

But then he'd think on the progress he was making with Kirito in this world and how well she was doing and steadily growing, and then think how she would latch onto Aincrad and all that progress they'd made would disappear into thin air. Maybe she would or wouldn't regress. Most probably, she'd thrive in Aincrad and use the idea of it becoming real as a way to avoid this real world and not having to deal with it and everyone in it, use it as a cheat even.

Akihiko did not want that for her.

If he was truthful, he wanted her to live in the here and now and live in the moment for once, and learn to deal with the people out here and not in some virtual world where she could hide herself.

Maybe he could wait on Aincrad's true potential for now, if not rethink of the world he really wanted to see fruition in.

[O\\\\\[========================-

As he escorted Kirito from her room and eventually out of the building, Akihiko kept note of everything as usual. She was obviously tense, as had been what she was whenever she had to go out of her room and her testing room. But he was pleased to note she wasn't walking slowly and clutching onto him like normally.

She walked by him at a casual pace, calmer than she usually was. She still held firmly onto him, but it wasn't a death grip.

Progress, yes.

"We're going to eat out again?" she asked him.

"Yes," he answered. "After this morning's successful venture outside, I was hoping to see if you could handle another outing on the same day. For dinner, I was wondering if you would like to try a restaurant this time? There's a private room I've booked, so it won't be filled with people."

"I guess?" she looked uncertain but willing, which was good.

So he drove them to the restaurant and held onto her as she held onto him, quietly noting her stiffer posture. But she was still walking beside him and not straining to tug him away, back towards where they came from. Nor was she slowing her pace, showing reluctance in continuing. To him, this meant good things and showed more progress.

Then they got to the room and sat down, and he saw her go completely frozen, looking around the room slowly and then gazing out the floor to the ceiling glass doors leading to the outside.

"Kirito-san?" he asked, feeling alarmed.

Kirito bit down on her lip and started to curl in on herself, pulling her knees up and whimpering. He shot up from her chair and towards her, grasping her shoulders.

"Kirito-san, what is wrong?" She hadn't had such a bad reaction since the café.

"I —!" she gasped out. "Too much space…Just…It's too much!"

He winced and took her face in hand, making her gaze directly into his eyes.

"Watch me and breathe with me, okay? I know you feel like you have no control. I know the open space is scary for you and there's too many exits for you to keep an eye on. But I am here too and I'll be here with you. Remember clearing this like a level? You can do it. You can do it and this room is your next Boss. Come on, Kirito."

Her breaths dragged on heavily, but she made herself breathe in and out slowly until she'd stopped hyperventilating. She didn't tear her gaze away from his, but he was proud and pleased to see her regaining a bit of her composure and even relaxing a bit. Even though she seemed to have more problems there than in his car that morning, he saw that she had actually managed to get her panic attack under control.

"Let's try this again?" he asked gently.

She searched out his eyes before she tentatively nodded.

"Then I'll say this is a level cleared," Akihiko announced with a soft smile.

It made her smile just as softly back, making an odd thrumming in his heart happen.

Started 3/1/20 – Completed 3/9/20

A/n: Whoop! Two more chapters until I get to the main arc! Then we get to live happily ever after in Aincrad lolol. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and the progression of these two's relationship! As well as Kazuta's progress :D Please leave some feedback and let me know how you're digging the story so far and what you'd like to see~