November 27, 2024
Floor 22 - Forest House K4
After leaving Calanon, the new Commander of the Vanguard to replace the murdered Godfree, in charge of relaying her messages to the remaining members of the guild, Asuna and Kirito had immediately used their teleportation crystals. From the teleportation gate in Coral Village, it was a walk of twenty minutes to their destination - they made it in five minutes. Asuna nervously wrung her hands together as she stood before the door of their married home. Did they dare to believe Kayaba's words? Was Yui really there, waiting for them?
Their beloved Yui, taken from them far too soon. Asuna could still feel the hole in her heart that just wouldn't heal, no matter how Kirito tried to comfort her with his words. Parenthood was the last thing she had expected when she had placed the NerveGear on her head all those months ago, but she now knew that the feeling was irreplaceable and all-encompassing. Yui had forced herself into Asuna's heart, and now held it captive. She thought wryly that this must be the unconditional love of a parent that she had heard about so often, but hadn't expected to experience for many years.
"Asuna, you're shaking."
Kirito's words were quiet, but they were enough to startle her. She turned to face him, tears unashamedly rolling down her cheeks. Kirito absently noted that his wife never looked more beautiful than when she trusted him enough to share her emotions with him. "Can this be really happening, Kirito-kun?" she asked in a whisper. "Is she really in there, no more than a door away?"
Kirito took her hands between his. Looking into her eyes, he smiled. "Even if this is some cruel trick, I promise you, I will bring Yui back. I don't care how long it takes, I will never stop trying."
"I know you won't," said Asuna, gifting him a small smile. "I'm just afraid..."
"Don't be. We will be a family again." His words were sure and heartfelt.
Taking in a shaky breath, Asuna turned to face the door. "You're right. Still, hold my hand, Kirito-kun." He grasped her hand firmly in his and together they opened the door.
The house smelled the same as when they had left. The photos were still pinned to the wall. The beds were still neatly made. The only difference was the long shadow cutting across the wooden floor. Asuna sucked in a gasp as the tears flowed freely. A young girl with long dark hair stood on the balcony overlooking the lake. At Asuna's gasp she turned and looked at them. Her eyes were confused.
Releasing Kirito's hand - Kirito had gone into a silent shock - Asuna approached her slowly. "Yui-chan...Is that really you, Yui-chan?"
The girl nodded slowly, her big black eyes impossibly wide. "...Mama...?"
"Yes, it's me...it's Mama, Yui-chan," Asuna sobbed.
"Mama!"
Yui's cry was so joyful, Asuna couldn't help it. She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Yui, bundling the girl in her embrace as tightly as she could. "Yui-chan!" she cried over and over, not caring that she crying. Why would she care? It was Yui-chan! Her precious daughter given back to her.
When another pair of arms encircled them both, she knew that she had never been so happy before in her life. At that moment, she was where she belonged. There, in that log cabin in the woods, the lake sparkling, with her family.
"Papa!" cried a delighted Yui, snuggling further into her Mama's hug.
"Yui, you're home," said Kirito.
Such a simple statement, and yet Asuna could not help but feel that it was the answer to the meaning of life.
Yui nodded rapidly, her eyes bright with tears. "Papa! Mama! I'm home!"
"Welcome home, Yui-chan."
xOxOx
Twenty minutes and many hugs later, Yui and Kirito were asleep; Kirito in his favourite napping chair; Yui on her Papa's lap, his arms holding her tightly to him. Asuna stood over them protectively. No way would she be able to sleep, not for a long while yet. For her part, she couldn't take her eyes off the miracle wrapped up in her husband's arms. It was more than she could have hoped for, could have dreamed of. Ever since that terrible day that Yui had been revealed as an AI and subsequently deleted, Asuna had been a little...less, like a part of her soul had been simultaneously wiped out. There weren't words to describe it, but the loss of Yui had hit her hard. It had only been the necessity of focus as they had challenged the Skull Reaper that had allowed her to forget about the girl momentarily.
Never had she been more proud of Kirito than when he named Yui as his reward. It was in that moment that she understood that they truly were a family - certainly an unorthodox one, but a family nonetheless. I'll have to think of some way to reward him, she thought to herself, watching a smile form on Yui's face. "Papa," she whispered in such an innocent tone that Asuna felt herself beam in response. Slowly so as not to disturb them, Asuna gently ran her fingers through Yui's hair, watching the midnight strands fall softly back into place. "Mama..." ghosted the sleeping girl and Asuna's heart felt so light.
"I'll never let you leave us again, Yui-chan," promised Asuna in a gentle tone, her eyes shimmering with bright light. "No matter what comes our way, we'll face it together as a family."
"I like the sound of that," was the quiet agreement from Kirito, shocking Asuna into alertness.
"Sorry, Kirito-kun," she said sheepishly. "I didn't wake you, did I?"
"I never fell asleep," he answered, moving his right arm from around Yui to offer to Asuna. Taking his hand, she laced their fingers and squeezed it tightly. "It's a miracle, Asuna," he marvelled, his chest feeling tight. "After all the people we've seen shatter like so much glass...after Sachi...I think that...no, that isn't right." Asuna kept silent, knowing that he needed to say what he was thinking, to work through the feelings that were currently manifesting themselves within his soul. "Even though I promised you, time and time again, there was always an element of doubt in the back of my mind, telling me that it wouldn't matter how hard I studied, or how much knowledge I gained..." He visibly screwed up his courage before saying his next words. "I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to bring her back," he admitted, feeling ashamed of himself.
Asuna's hand squeezing his brought him more comfort than he'd care to admit. "Kirito-kun, you always try so hard to take on everything by yourself even when you don't have to. You trust me, don't you?"
"You don't have to ask that question. You already know the answer. I trust you with my life." Kirito's words were shaky, his shock at her question bleeding its way into his tone of voice.
"Why won't you trust me with your feelings as well? Did you think I was going to hate you?" When Kirito didn't answer, she squeezed his hand again. "Don't be afraid to tell me what you're thinking or how you feel. We made a promise, remember?" The sunlight glinted off the silver band on their joined hands. "We're in this together, forever. Your worries are mine, your pain is mine, your dreams are mine." She leant forward slowly and touched her forehead to his.
Kirito swallowed with great difficulty, his throat constricting painfully. "I'm sorry..." he breathed out, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his chest.
Pulling back, Asuna kissed his forehead - letting her lips linger, she spoke, "You don't have to be sorry. Just promise that you won't shut us out anymore. You, me and Yui-chan, we're a family. No other people, either in the real world or Aincrad, are more important to me than the two of you."
Staring into Asuna's eyes, her chestnut gaze filled with love, Kirito was overcome by impulsiveness - moving forward he claimed her lips with his. Asuna's surprise at the action swiftly gave way to the sweetness of his kiss and she responded in kind, pouring all her love, pride and respect into it. Several seconds later, they parted. With heavy breaths, Kirito leaned his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry," he said a little breathlessly.
"Don't be," Asuna replied, feeling her cheeks burning. "Letting us in is all the apology I will ever need."
Kirito nodded. "I will, I swear it."
It was at that moment that Asuna could feel another pair of eyes upon her. Looking down, Yui's eyes were shimmering brightly and her mouth was set in a huge smile. "Good evening Mama; Papa," she grinned.
"Good evening, Yui-chan," smiled Asuna, picking her out of Kirito's loose embrace and pulling her into a warm hug.
"Good evening, Yui. Hey, Asuna, you're spoiling her," said Kirito, a wicked grin on his face.
"Don't care!" she pouted.
"Don't care!" repeated Yui, her smile impossibly large. The two most important people in his life started laughing together and Kirito decided that it was one of his most favourite sounds.
Kirito's grin became mischievous. "Oh, is that a fact?" he asked, making his girls - coincidentally he loved the sound of that as well - nod imperiously. "In that case, I guess I have no choice but to spoil you as well, Yui." With that, he wrapped his arms around them, eliciting a yelp of delight from both of them.
"Kirito-kun!"
"Papa!"
xOxOx
After one of Asuna's exceptional dinners - Yui insisted on something spicy just like Kirito, although Asuna made it milder than the volcanic heat Kirito enjoyed - the family sat around the table, glasses of Asuna's fruit blend set before them. "Yui-chan?"
"Mama?"
"How much do remember after what happened in the Dungeon?" As Yui's eyes began to water, Asuna hated herself for asking.
"I was...in the darkness...again," she managed in broken words, holding her arms out to Kirito who bundled her against his side. She snuggled in, resting her head against his chest.
"I'm so sorry, Yui-chan," stammered Asuna. "Nevermind, forget I asked."
"It's okay, Mama," answered Yui. "I could feel you."
Asuna's eyes were wide as she scrambled to face Kirito. "Kirito-kun!?"
Kirito was already working through Yui's words, his face scrunched up in intense thought. Is it possible she could feel Asuna's emotions while she was an item? "Yui? What do you mean? How could you feel Asuna?"
"Hmm, it's hard to explain," began Yui, her mouth set in an adorable pout. "Even though I couldn't see anything, I could feel Mama's love for me. I could feel how sad she was. You don't have to be sad anymore, Mama," noticing tears sliding down Asuna's cheeks.
"I'm not sad, Yui-chan. I'm so happy," she smiled, wiping gingerly at her eyes.
"I'm happy as well," beamed Yui.
xOxOx
Thirty minutes later saw Yui napping in the chair to the side of the living room table while Asuna and Kirito sat on the long sofa. They were both exhausted, physically, mentally and, most definitely, emotionally. Asuna leaned against Kirito's side, her head on his shoulder, taking slow calming breaths while he absently ran his fingers through her hair. "I don't think I've ever felt this tired before," she said after a short spell.
"Me either," Kirito agreed, a yawn escaping his lips. "This has got to be the longest day of my life, bar none."
Asuna nodded. "It started off really badly, but it became so much better by the end." They both looked to Yui's sleeping face and smiled.
"That it did," said Kirito in the softest tone she had ever heard from him. He grew quiet for a moment. "Asuna?" he said finally.
"Yes, Kirito-kun?"
"What are we going to do about Yui?"
"What do you mean?" Her confusion was clear to see.
"She won't want to sit in the guild headquarters while we're out fighting," he explained. "She'll want to be right there with us. We were naïve, Asuna. We thought too highly of our own abilities and put her at risk. No longer can we afford to take such risks where her safety is concerned. I wouldn't put it past Kayaba to have made her level one." Asuna's eyes darkened dramatically as she saw his point. "Not only that, but there are those who would try to harm her to get at us. A sympathiser of Laughing Coffin, perhaps, or anybody associated with one of the red-player guilds. I'm sure the acknowledged daughter of the Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath and the Black Swordsman, a Beater, would prove an intriguing proposition."
"They would never lay a finger on her," swore Asuna darkly.
"Therein lies the problem. For our levelling we can afford to go with other parties so that one of us will always be with her, but when it comes time to challenge a Boss? You know as well as I that we will both be needed."
"We'll have to think of a solution," said Asuna finally, watching Yui stirring. "For now, I think Yui-chan needs to go to bed." Here she gave Kirito a pointed look.
"Right," he said, getting to his feet. "Up you go, Yui." With a quick lift, he had her held securely. Turning, he headed for the bedroom. Kirito laid Yui gently in her bed; pulling the covers over her, he knelt by her. "Goodnight, Yui. Sweet dreams."
Yui curled up as she whispered words that melted his heart. "I love you, Papa."
Suddenly, everything seemed that much more real to him. He was a father. He was responsible for this beautiful girl, his daughter. Without conscious thought, he kissed her forehead gently. "I love you, Yui." Her contented smile made his mouth set in a fierce, determined grimace. This is my most binding promise. I will keep you safe, Yui. I won't lose you again. I swear it on my life.
Getting to his feet, he felt Asuna slip her bare arms around his torso. She had gotten changed into her usual nightwear while he put their daughter to bed. "Being a father seems to agree with you, Kirito-kun."
"I think that's more to do with Yui than anything," he replied. "She's the most special girl in the entire world."
"Yes, she is," agreed Asuna with a soft sigh of contentment, leaning her head against his back.
"Say, Asuna...what would you think about...Yui having a younger sibling?"
Turning in her embrace he smiled nervously, but kept his eyes on her, unflinching.
Asuna's mouth opened in surprise and shock before morphing into a soft smile of acceptance. "One day, Kirito-kun, I'd like that very much," she said, a soft flush to her cheeks.
Scarce moments later saw the married couple under the sheets of their bed, both taking their designated sides, though they were both turned in the direction of Yui's bed. Asuna could see the sheet rising and falling in rhythm with the sleeping girl's soft breaths. "She's really here..." she said in a choked whisper, though Kirito heard her.
Moving over slightly, he pulled her back flush to his chest, ignoring her surprised intake of breath, and secured his arm around her waist. "She'll always be with us, Asuna, from now until forever. I swear it on my life. It's the very least I should be prepared to give to be worthy of being her father."
Asuna felt sleep creeping up on her with frightening ease, but allowed herself to fall into the blissful slumber, safe in the knowledge that her family was back together once more, and no force in any world would ever tear them apart again.