A/N: hey guys its baewullf again. i know i posted last chapter, but i reallly wanted to write this chapter beacuse i created the plot for it. I'm raelly excited for you guys to read it UwU

This was not what Kirito expected.

Sword Art Online being a "full immersion VRMMORPG experience," it included a natural and flowing economy with exports and imports between cities, towns, and even floors. Entrepreneurial players could start then own business from the ground up, and hire other players for jobs like hauling, cleaning, serving, or cooking. These players were paid a wage just like in the real world. Most players took on these jobs as something to grind up gold for that new sword in the shop, or to increase more menial skills and stats such as potion brewing for alchemy, serving for stamina, hauling for strength, or a hundred other options for labor.

Kirito was serving. In a bar. The bar was named The Knight's Delight.

Kirito had done this before, in the beta, for the same reason as he was doing now. Selling the boar loot had been enough for an alchemy set, but not for the roots that he'd use to grind alchemy. With such a rigid task in mind, the anxiety of interacting with others (however brief their interactions were) became much less taxing when he thought of the people merely as objectives to complete so he could get to the next level. One by one, the ticker in his head rose as he served more and more, accruing more and more gold by the minute.

But that was in the beta. When his body was less... feminine. When he was a barman, not a barmaid.

Now, he could feel their leering gazes, he was under the ever-watchful eye of the lustful patrons, and he could no longer think of them as objectives to complete. Objectives don't flirt with you or send friend requests with lewd messages. His outfit wasn't even revealing, just the black shirt he wore under the duster with his black trousers and boots, accompanied by a pair of fingerless gloves that covered most of his hands. All in all, hardly a sliver of skin was showing, but the men hounded him nonetheless. It was just like school again.

Another notification popped in the corner of his vision, displaying his many, many "friend" requests that he hadn't read, and the sum of gold he'd been paid for his work. He was halfway to the sum required for the next step, and he was seriously considering going back to killing boars. At this level, that grind would be incredibly inefficient, but it would be more bearable than being fawned over by drunk men.

"Oi, girlie!" A voice called out from one side of the bar. A Scottish accent that Kirito recognized, he couldn't decide whether to be more scared or relieved.

He moved swiftly to that side of the bar trying to outpace the drunken gazes that raked over him. Horoki looked up at her with a soft expression, clearly trying to ease her of what must be visible distress.

Horoki gave Kirito a soft smile. "'Ave ye considered the friend request, lass?"

Kirito's eyes widened. "I'm— I'm sorry, I haven't been able to... There are just so many, y'know? Yeah."

For a moment, Horoki's face was one of intense doubt, but then he caught wind of the many licentious words and looks being levelled at Kirito. His face turned to one of concern, and he tried to change the subject, maybe drive Kirito's attention from the many patrons harrying him. "Lass, 'ave ye met my friend here? She's new to the game, scary lucky too, and pretty good."

Kirito's eyes drifted to the aforementioned person, and he felt his pulse quicken. Light red hair tied into a tight bun in the back, caramel orbs looking back softly at Kirito. Sharp, fierce features enrapturing Kirito, a moment of respite amongst the sea of clamoring admirers. He was lost, floating away with relief.

A voice broke the illusion, Horoki's voice. "I know, right? Looks just like a man. She had to tell me otherwise, and I honestly still doubt it."

She waved, her voice thick and silken, with a touch of familiarity that Kirito couldn't quite place. "Ohaiyo."

Kirito's hand raised and wiggled slowly, more of a slow spasm than a wave. "H-howdy. Ohaiyo."

They held each other's gazes for a few long moments.

"Oi, lass, I do want a drink, y'know."

Kirito immediately snapped out of it, blushing a fiercer red than he had when the men were leering at him. He coughed. "Oh, uh, yes, what'll you have? To drink?"

Horoki placed an order of ale, but his friend was pensively tapping her stong, sharp chin. She made a long sigh. "I've never drunk alcohol before..."

There was an opportunity, Kirito realized, to make a big tip. He'd seen it before, tried it a couple times and miserably failed, but maybe, just maybe he could get it right. Something about this person made it easier for Kirito to think, like the jumbled knots in his brain loosened, some maybe untying. Pulling this off might get him a tip that could get him the hell out of the awful bar, and back to the power-levelling grind that he revelled in.

Kirito had to flirt.

Kirito leaned forward slightly, and tried his best to school his expression into a more seductive one. With one hand, he slowly pushed his black hair away from his face, and hardened his resolve. He needed to do this. He needed to get out of here, or else he might just lose his sanity. He spoke slowly. "Well, I've not tried anything either," he leant further forward, supporting himself on the bar counter, "Perhaps we could try some different things, together."

Internally, Kirito slapped himself. Awful, awful, awful! He thought. He felt some part of himself die with the suggestion, and he tried to maintain his flirty appearance outwardly, but couldn't stop his eye from twitching. He could see it now, his potential ticket out of this bar would make the most disgusted face he'd ever seen, probably slap him, and then storm out while Horoki gave him the 'disappointed father' look. It was a certain outcome, and Kirito's chest was tightening in anticipation.

Her caramel orbs widened, then narrowed. A slap, definitely. Kirito screwed his eyes shut in anticipation. He deserved it.

"Well, I've never considered myself a lesbian," Kirito's eyes slowly opened as the expected strike didn't come. She leaned towards him, bringing her hand forward until hers and Kirito's touched, "But then again, I've never tried it."

Kirito was red. He could feel the blood pumping in his face.

She smirked, and gently rested her hand on Kirito's comparatively tiny hand. "Do you want to come over to my place?"

Kirito squeaked, the flirty expression completely forgotten. His mouth outpaced his mind with his response. "Uh, okay. Yes."

She smiled, no, beamed up at Kirito. It was new. Kirito had never seen someone look so genuinely happy at something he'd said. The hand around his was soft but firm, making him feel safe. "You sure?" She asked softly.

Kirito froze for a moment, but a squeeze from the hand around his kept his anxiety at bay. The voices around him didn't crush him anymore, and he couldn't feel their leering gazes. He could only feel her soft caramel orbs on his own pools of silver. He whispered, his voice reinforced by a certainty he hadn't felt before, "Yes."