A/N:Okie! Finally finished this! So this chapter was kind of easy to write for the first 1,000 words. Then I had Sinons section and damn its hard to write er emotionally. Kirito is always easy cause hes either angry, serious, or aloof. Not hard to write for him.

Anyway onto IRL issues that delayed this. My h button is stuck (I dropped my chromebook) and I haven't fixed it yet (School charges $50, and its almost christmas so I'm broke from gifts. To top it off my family kicked me out thanksgiving cause I'm the only one around people so they thought I had big bad covid

Anyway I digress. Chapter, read.

Beta: N/A

"Ahhh! That hits the spot." The bottle hit the counter with a slam, Klein raising his hand for another. Kazuto looked on with a raised eyebrow as Agil place another cheap beer on the counter, sliding it to them.

"You realize thats your third bottle, right?" Klein gave him a grin as he popped it open.

"Eh, what can I say, I have a high tolerence." I doubt that. Kazuto noted the slight sway in Kleins demenor, as well as the light blush colouring his cheeks. He might not be drunk, but he was getting there.

Kazuto had ended up staying in the hospital for three days. After the first, Asuna and his friends were notified of his location, as well as a watered down version of what happened. Asuna was pissed and worried in equal measures, although that argument was much shorter and less heated. After the third day he was discharged and Kleined claimed a guys night out was just what he needed for recovery. For that, Kazuto was greatful. It gave him a full night of blissful peace from the girls. However the trade off was having to stay at Dicey's Cafe with an intoxicated Klein. Another bottle slamming down broke his train of thought, though this one thankfully not empty.

"So Kiri-dude, when you gonna tell me whats bothering you?" Kazuto blinked, not expecting the sudden subject change.

"What are you talking about. I'm fine." He sipped on his own beer, cringing at the taste.

"The hell you are. You've been a sour puss ever since you woke up. What happened? You and the missus get into an argument?" Kazuto lightly punched Klein in the arm, causing the man to laugh and take a swig. He put it down a moment later, content to wait for an answer. For a few moments all that could be heard was the dull chatter of others in the full bar, and some American song playing on the jukebox.

"Ugh ok. Fine I'll tell you. But promise me you won't tell Asuna any of this." Klein waived the air with his hand

"No worries, you're my bro. My lips are sealed." Heh, yeah Klein is loyal like that.

"Ok first off, its about Sinon." Kleins grin grew to shit-eating proportions. "Hey, no wrong ideas" Although not exactly wrong. "The main thing is what heppened at the waterfront." Kleins face grew serious, concerned even. That alone was enough for Kazuto to tell him the full story. The version they heard was from Kikuokas official report, as such it had voided some of the more personal and grusome details. He told Klein of the rage he felt, as well as the fear. Klein stayed silent through all of it, the only sounds from him being from shock. He then told him about the few days of him and Shino living together, and the events that occured during. After a good fifteen minute explanation, he finally sat back with a sigh, taking a swig while Klein gathered his thoughts.

"Well, as shocking as most of that is, I don't really see the problem."

"The problem is... I think I'm falling for Shino." Kazuto waited for words, perhaps of damnation or just dissapointment. Instead he got Klein blinking stupidly, before a sly grin took his face once more.

"Wait thats it? Thats your big problem?" He started laughing, like a dam breaking it all came out leaving Kazuto to sit in minor annoyance. "I thought it was gonna be some big reveal, and you have a crush?! This is priceless!" He continued to laugh, even attracting the attention of some other patrons. Kazuto wited for him to calm down before continuing, the laughter finally trailing off.

"Its not just a crush. And thats not the problem. I'm engaged to Asuna. I can't have a crush on another woman, thats like cheating on her!" Klein gave him a look that was a strange mix of pitying and deadpan.

"Seriously Kirito? Thats naive, even for you. Level with me, You're about eighteen right now, right?" He waited for Kazutos nod before continuing. "Exactly. Most boys your age have already been in tons of small relationships. Hell, on average most men don't marry till their 30's. Meanwhile here you are, engaged to the first girl you dated and barely coming out of high school. Honestly with how you and Asuna are I'm suprised its lasted this long." Kazuto started at that, hock reaching his face.

"W-what do you mean? Why would that be suprising?" Klein took another swig before continuing, the look on his face suggesting he was trying to figure out how to word it.

"Look, I'm not gonna mince words here. You and Asunas relationship is a glass house, and tiny rocks are getting thrown at it constantly. Don't get me wrong, you two definatly band together well during crisis or traumatic events, but thats not exactly something to base a whole relationship on." He took another drink, reading himself to explain further. "Heres a good way to put it. Whats the biggest romantic thing you two did in SAO." Kazutos mind flashed back to the night of Kuradeels death, and red coloured his cheeks.

"Well it wasn't, uh, romance per say." He coughed in his hand, embarressment clear. "We had some, erm, physical...relations..." Kleins eyebrow went up, an unimpressed look on his face.

"You know you can say sex right. Its just the two of us." Kazutos face resembled a tomato, and Klein finally broke down in laughter. "Ahhh thats perfect. But I'm suprised you guys figured ou how to do that. But anyway, the point I'm making is ever since you came back to the real world, has anything like that happened since?" Kazuto shook his head furiously

"N-no of course not! Not even in game. The most we've done is a kiss here and there." Klein snapped his fingers and pointed at him.

"Exactly. Now on the other hand if what you told me about little Miss Asada is true then even out of the game, you two are still all over eachother. Do you see where I'm going with this?" Kazuto nodded

"Your saying that with Asuna the relationship was more pronounced in SAO, and is now more null. Whereas with Sinon the closeness and comfort around one another is the same no matter the situation." Klein made a click with his tongue

"Got it in one" Kazuto hesitated, not very sure of what he was saying anymore.

"But...I'm engaged to Asuna, and I've been with her for years. I can't just throw that away." Klein called over another beer to replace Kazutos, who didn't even realize he finished his.

"I'm not saying you should. I'm just saying you need to put more thought into this. You can't just say 'Well I'm engaged to Asuna so its obviously true love' and leave it at that. You need to consider which one you really wanna be with." Kazuto took a swig of his new drink, considering Kleins words. He certainly was gonna have a lot to think about tonight.

Shino was still fuming from the thorough dressing down Kazuto had given her. At the same time her mind lingered on the parting words between them. It was for that reason that Sinon didn't notice the cabin was occupied when logging into ALO. She turned to find Leafa there, studying for an upcoming test. The girl noticed her there and smiled brightly, giving sinon a wave. She sheepishly returned it, before walking over to the oppisite couch and sitting. Sinon slowly got lost in thought, the argument still fresh on her mind.

"Sinon?" She looked up, slightly startled. Leafa was looking at her with a concerned.

"Yeah? Whats up?" The girl seemed to hesitate, but found her resolve easily.

"Are you alright? You look really mad." Sinon wasn't suprised Leafa noticed her mood, as obvious as it was. But that didn't mean she wanted to spill everything that happened then.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a little argument, nothing to worry about." There; short, simple, and no room for interpritation. No way she could figure ou-

"It was with Kazuto, wasn't it?" Well there went that plan. Leafa seemed to have a considering look on her face. "You...care about him, don't you? More then a friend I mean."

"W-what?! N-no of course not! He's engaged, I would never." Leafa gave Sinon a deadpan look, reminding her of Kirito. "Okay, okay. I don't know. I can't tell what I think about him. How did you know though?" Leafa paused between sips of tea

"Simple, your a girl and friends with him." Sinon raised her hand in protest, but stopped and considered it a moment later.

"Okay, fair. What is with that by the way? He's a great guy but geez." Leafa gave a small chuckle at that, setting her drink down.

"Kazuto is certainly living every mans dream, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me."

"Awww wanting more time with your big brother?" Leafa went red at the words.

"S-sure, something like that." She shook her head, before speaking again. "Now, whats going on with you and him." Sinon gave some hesitation before speaking, wondering if she really should be sharing it. After a moments thought she told her the full story, from all the way back to BoB to the argument. She told her about the near kiss in the bunker, and how she just wanted more. After she finished, Leafa took a moment to think. After a few minutes she finally spoke.

"So your upset because you wanted to kiss him?" Sinon nodded "Your an idiot."

"W-what?!" Leafa held up a hand.

"Your upset that after what happened you wanted more. Really? I mean damn, if you describe it in anymore detail I'd get hot and bothered." Sinon blushed at that, speaking a moment later.

"W-well, it wasn't just then. I think about him all the time, I wanted to sleep in the same bed as him. I think I'm falling for him!"

"So what are you going to do about it?" The question startled her, as she really didn't know the answer. It was clear from her expresion, and Leafa sighed. "Look, if you want my advice you should talk to him about it. Tell him what you've been feeling and maybe he can help you come to terms with it."

"But what if he hates me because of it?! Or becomes awkward around me?" Leafa looked at her with a considering expression, like she was looking for a way to word wat she wanted to say.

"Liz told him, back in SAO. And she's not the only one. If he doesn't get awkward around his own adopted sister after she confessed to him then you should be fine." The meanings behind her words didn't click in Sinons head till a moment later, and she looked at Leafa with a shocked expresion.

"You...wait, adopted. What?!" Leafa giggled at Sinons expresion, as well as her confused rambling.

"Yeah, me and Kazuto are actually cousins, his parents died when he was younger. He knew before I did, and alienated himself because of it. When he came back from SAO I was so happy, and then he started interacting with me again. Mom told me the truth, and I started falling for him. After a... misunderstanding... I ended up yelling my feelings at him. He accepted me anyway, and never treated me any different. If he does that for me, then he will for you as well." Sinon was silent for awhile, a lot of information running through her head.

"I'm sorry, I just had no idea." Leafa gave a smirk

"Well it wouldn't be much of a secret if I wasn't good at hiding it." She stood up suddenly, pulling up the menu. "Well anyway, I need to log off to make dinner. Kazuto is gonna be back soon, and apperently he's bringing a drunk Klein with him. But hey, think about what I said okay?" Sinon gave her a nod, and Leafa logged off with a flash of light.

Either way, Sinon certainly had a lot to think about tonight.

Just to be clear, yes the sentence between each scene was ment to be the same.

So I tried to present two very different conversations here, but I'm not sure how well that worked out.

So just a warning, Idk if any chapters will be early anymore. I only really planned up to the hospital scene when I first started writing, but I have an ending planned so don't wory.

In other news, episode 3 of dub came out. And I swear one of the jap fighters looked like Eiji. Maybe wishful thinking but I always wanted more of him.

Okie Okie, I'm done now I swear.

Next chapter: December 11th