TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

XXXXX

Chapter Five: Uncertainty

[Floor Twenty-Seven] [Labyrinth, Terazin the Rogue Metalloid's Lair] [March 25th, 2023] [1:21 PM] [DaTa]

Pain; that was all I felt as I laid slumped against the hard, craggy wall of the [Boss Room]. I glanced up at my [HP] on my [HUD]. I was in the yellow, and it was falling. I noticed Asuna run beside me, crying. I tried to smile. I tried to make her feel a little bit better. I reached up, wanting to feel her skin just one last time. I was in the red now. I wanted to tell her that I loved her. That she meant the world to me. But my lips simply wouldn't obey me. I knew what I wanted to do, but my body was going into shock. For once, I cursed the realism Kayaba had implemented into the game.

"Heal!" shouted a voice that was not Asuna's. I saw my girlfriend in her [Inventory], but there was also a now shattering [Health Crystal] being shoved into my face. I looked up, just beyond my girlfriend, seeing that is was Lilly who had been holding the [Healing Crystal]. Her eyes were wide with worry, tears pooling just a bit. Asuna was looking at the young woman with a shocked expression. If it had been Asuna who tried to heal me, I would have died. She simply would have been too late.

"L-Lilly?" Asuna gasped as the blonde pulled her hand away, before lunging at me and hugging me.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Lilly wept. "I should have known b-better!" I grunted, feeling my strength returning to me.

"Ah… It's fine…" I wheezed out, pushing Lilly away as I shakily stood. I grunted, watching the battle ahead of me. Kai had once more drawn the attention of [Terazin], but they had just hit its third [Health Bar].

"Skreeeeeee!" the [Boss] shrieked as its right front leg was finally sliced off. It began extending, its body growing longer and more serpentine. While it still stood on only six legs, its upper torso was now long and waving in the air, like a snake had sprouted from its body. Its second form.

"Back up!" Kai shouted, herding everyone to one corner of the room, which now buzzed with electricity. The ceiling was a flat metal top with various tubes wired to the walls. In the center was a large crystal jutting down, connected to all of the tubes. While empty before, the tubes now shone with electricity.

Kai glanced over at me. "DaTa! I need you!" I nodded, understanding. I was back to full strength thanks to that crystal. I gave Lilly a smile.

"Thanks," I patted her shoulder before dashing into the fray. Immediately, I drew my blade, immediately slashing through [Terazin's] weakened legs, eliminating them completely. It began crawling towards the other players with its claws, tail reared up to strike as well. I leapt onto its back as It swung at the [Tanks], with Kai taking most of the blow. The front lines were now so close to the [Support] that the healers could restore the [Tanks'] [HP] as they took damage. They'd created a 'U' shape around the front of [Terazin], trapping it and keeping it from turning around to reach the [DPS] players attacking it from behind.

"It's back, stab the joints!" I called out, others repeating what I had done and raising their blades high, before stabbing in between [Terazin's] joints. The beast took another swing, but MechManiC used the shockwave produced to his advantage, flying high above everyone. Like a lantern, his mace glowed with an unholy pink light. He raised it to the sky, unleashing his one and only [Expert Skill]. The weapon glowed, encasing his weapon in a massive avatar, extending and growing until it became a great war hammer the size of [Terazin's] head. As he fell, he swung down.

"[Hephaestus Drop]!" he yelled, the massive avatar slamming into [Terazin], hammering its head into the ground with a huge shockwave. It was an [Expert Skill] that could only be used from large heights, ones that nobody could jump at.

As if it were a cue, the floodgates broke forth, every player unloading damage unto the unsuspecting [Boss]. While its [Health] had been draining at a crawl before, it was now siphoning away at a good pace. It was when [Terazin] hit his last [Health Bar] that the game changed again. He threw off everyone on his back and slithered to the center of the room.

"Everyone, stay back!" Heathcliff shouted. It was a good thing we all ran back to the edges. Not a second after he shouted those words, lightning descended from the massive gem on the ceiling, striking [Terazin]. It began to shriek once more, with something growing from its back. Forth they sprung, two massive, metallic wings. The ceiling exploded, with rocks crumbling from above. Everyone dodged and maneuvered their way from being crushed, and we realized that the [Boss Room] had just become taller. While it was massive enough in terms of width and length, now it was tall. The ground was also littered with boulders and pillars, remnants of the falling ceiling.

"Group up!" I heard Kai's voice shout from across the room. I immediately leapt up the side of a particularly tall boulder, watching [Terazin] flying around the room, circling us.

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath. I glanced around the floor, watching as groups of players fearfully came together. Normally they would be fine, but separated like this? The saying was true, 'To kill a snake, take off its head'. They had no leader to turn to. Not even Kai could reach all of them. [Terazin] swopped down, swinging its claws into a group of players. It was too fast for me to warn them, not that they would have heard me. With loud screams, four more players were gone from the world. "Fuck!" I growled, immediately taking command.

"All Commanders, top and center!" I yelled as loud as I could, leaping over the pillars and boulders to a particularly large and flat piece. It was large enough to hold a single [Party] of players, and would provide a good foothold. I watched as MechManiC was the first to arrive to it, stopping when I'd landed beside him. Next was Noire, who stood beside me, once more giving me a hard look. I'd deal with that later. Kai was next, looking exhausted, but still toting a huge longsword and kite-shield like it was nothing. Finally, Asuna arrived. She still looked worried about me, but knew that now wasn't the time to deal with that.

"This thing is becoming a pain in the ass," MechManiC grumbled, watching as the flying [Boss] was once more circling the room.

"It comes down too quickly and retreats, nobody would be able to get a good hit on it," Noire added. "This [Boss] is impossible!" I frowned, glancing at Asuna.

"When dealing with birds," I started.

"Clip its wings," Asuna finished. I nodded, looking at Kai.

"Kai, I need you to get its attention. Keep it stuck down here long enough for Asuna, Mech, and myself to get on top of it," I told him. He seemed unsure, but nodded anyway. "Asuna, you and I will do exactly that, clips the damn wings. Mech?"

"Whatcha need, dude?" he grinned, liking this plan apparently.

"Do you know how to work a joystick?" I asked. He nodded in response. "And your mace has a spike at the head, right?" His smile grew even more. "When that thing comes down, let's not cause any more deaths, got it?"

"Aye, aye, captain!" he yelled.

"It's coming in for another attack!" Asuna shouted. I glanced at Kai, who nodded.

"Roar, fox!" I commanded of him. Kai took a deep breath, grinning. "Roar, and let this bastard know who to fear! Let it know that foxes triumph over all!" I could see his grin become vicious. Bloodthirsty. While Asuna was rolling her eyes, I had the desired effect on Kai.

"ROAAAAAAAAAAR!" Kai howled, grabbing the attention of [Terazin]. It twisted in the air, immediately aiming to crush Kai. Hatred burned in its eyes. "C'mon you sack of metallic shit! Come at me!" Kai beat his sword against his shield, creating a metallic drumming sound. Then, all across the room, the sound echoed as the other [Tanks] repeated the action. "ROOOOOAAAAAAAAAR!" Kai let loose once more.

"ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAR!" echoed once more in the room, the other [Hopeful Foxes] returning the cry of their [Guild Master]. Wha-BAM! The sound of [Terazin's] massive claws slamming into Kai's shield echoed throughout the chamber. Kai skidded back, but was growling as he held the [Boss] back.

"Now!" I shouted, leaping up onto [Terazin's] back. Asuna and MechManiC followed suit. Noire was pelting the beast with throwing knifes as the three of us began attacking. I started to hack at [Terazin's] left wing, and Assuna began impaling its right. It started to thrash, screeching loudly as I shoved harder against Kai's shield, finally breaking through and taking off into the sky once more. "Gotta make this quick!" I roared over the howling wind towards Asuna. MechManiC was making his way to the flying creature's head. I unleashed everything I had onto the metallic wing, completely slicing it off. It was messy, but the wing exploded into polygons. I watched as Asuna essentially drilled holes into the wing. As it tried to flap downwards, it couldn't take the stress of such an action and broke off, exploding as well. "Mech!"

"Gotcha dude! Hurrah!" With a swift motion, MechManiC slammed his mace deep into the beast's head, shifting it to direct the fall away from the others. It seemed like forever, but I dug my blade into its body, knowing Asuna had done the same. I may have screamed like a girl as we fell from the sky, before grunting, feeling the wind knocked out of me as we landed harshly onto the ground. Immediately, [Terazin the Rogue Metalloid] began to explode into colorful polygons. We all fell to the ground. Asuna and MechManiC on their feet, and myself on my stomach. I groaned, rolling over onto my back. I left my eyes closed for a few minutes as I heard the others cheering and celebrating. Upon opening them, I was met with the faces of Kai, Mech, Asuna, and Noire.

"Not bad, bud," Kai chuckled. "That was pretty smart. How'd you figure that would work?" I sighed and closed my eyes, suddenly exhausted. I hated taking charge, a habit of my first life, but if it was necessary than I would.

"I didn't," I replied. "I just guessed." Kai grinned widely. He grabbed my hand and yanked me up, making me grunt. "Ack, jackass," I grumbled, but I really didn't mind. I checked my [Menu], realizing I'd gone up two [Levels]. I smiled. I was now [Level] thirty-nine. I was interrupted from my musings from a commotion. I looked up, seeing a certain blonde pushing her way past the crowds, a worried expression on her face. "Lilly?" She slammed into me, sobbing as her arms wrapped around me. She was strong, for the frailty that she seemed to exude.

"You… you idiot!" she cried loudly. "How could you be so stupid!? You had only just healed before you went and threw yourself into danger once more!" I looked around, a bit taken aback. Kai was trying his hardest not to laugh, but Asuna looked a bit uncomfortable. To be honest, I was too. Still, I didn't want to push her away in front of everyone, especially if she was crying. "I was… worried about you," she finally whispered. Kai and Mech were both trying to run damage control, getting everyone to keep moving on. I appreciated that he was trying to get everyone out so we could deal with… whatever this was, in private. It took a few minutes, but finally it was just myself, Kai, Asuna, and Lilly. Hisao and Hanako had tried to stay, but Kai had managed to assure them that we'd join them afterwords. It wasn't long until Lilly finally released me. Her cheeks were a flaring red, and dried tears lined her cheeks. She stood straight, however, hands clasped in front of her as she prepared to face the music.

"Are you ok?" was the first thing I asked. She nodded wordlessly. Asuna beat me to the punch.

"Just what was that?" while she didn't sound angry, she certainly had a hardness in her voice that did not suggest happiness of any sort. "Well? I'd like an answer, now, please." Lilly turned to Asuna's voice, her eyes shut tightly.

"I apologize, Asuna," she replied in a soft voice. It was polite, quiet, and laced with a hint of fear. "But it appears that I've… inadvertently fallen for your boyfriend." Asuna grit her teeth, and her hands were clenched. She didn't want to make a scene, but she wasn't going to let this slide. "I apologize once more, but…" Lilly's eyes opened, and I could see her determination. "I deserve to be loved. And I will not stand idly by again. I will fight for his heart as hard as I possibly can." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I will indulge my selfishness. Please forgive me for doing so, but I will not let love slip from my fingers this time."

I groaned, slapping my hand against my forehead. "I've got too much of a headache to deal with some love triangle…" I grumbled, heating towards the staircase. "Asuna, don't murder the sit out of her. Lilly…" I paused, but didn't look back. "Please… Please don't do anything outrageously stupid." I allowed myself to ascend the stairs, leaving the three of them behind.

XXXXX

[Floor Twenty-Eight] [Rechsole Town, Outer Alleyways] [March 21st, 2023] [10:40 PM] [Asuna]

I tried to keep myself from scowling, though my arms were crossed as I waited for her. I couldn't believe I'd let her talk me into this, but it proved that she was going to actually be a problem. Still, I had my own honor to think about as a woman. I couldn't simply back down, now, it would make it look like I was afraid of losing him. While I knew that DaTa wouldn't blame me in the slightest, it was my own pride keeping me from telling the blonde off.

Somehow, she'd made the subtle suggestion that if I was so confident in how much DaTa loved me, then I would have no problem in allowing her a date with my boyfriend in order to give her a chance to sway his opinion. I had been outraged, and thoughtlessly stepped up to the challenge. He was mine, and no blonde bimbo of a woman could take him from me!

Still, that lingering doubt had growing in the back of my mind. I was by no means the ideal candidate for a long term relationship. I had far too many skeletons in my own closet, as well as an arranged marriage in the real world. Even if we made it through this game, DaTa and I would still have to face up against my mother and her own plans. As confident as he was in-game, I wasn't sure how he'd be in real life. People acted differently online then in person.

I was driven from my thoughts as I heard the soft clacking noise of heels walking on the cobblestone path. I looked up, instantly noticing the soft smile on Lilly's face as she approached me. She was dressed in a bright red gown that sparkled in the moonlight, and her hair was tied back with a velvety red bow. Her eyes were shut in eased concentration, and her hands cupped together in front of her. She looked relaxed, and sure of herself. It pissed me off.

"Well?" I growled, unable to keep myself from snapping at her. "Did you enjoy trying to butter up my boyfriend?"

"It was quite the enjoyable evening, in fact," her voice was laced with amusement, probably enjoying my irritation. "We took a stroll around the market, and sat down for a quite exquisite dinner. He insisted on paying the bill." While to most that would seem romantic, I knew DaTa well enough to know that he loved to pay for dinners. More often than not he'd shoulder the cost of everyone after a Council meeting at some restaurant after a particularly long meeting. Still, the thought of him paying for her meal made my blood boil! "We spoke of many different topics. I was quite surprised to find that he's well educated on many subjects."

"Yeah, well, he's just special like that," I grumbled, not really able to disagree with her. "Well to me it sounds like he's just trying to be a buddy to you." She nodded, her smile wavering just a bit.

"So it seems," she replied. Her eyes opened, and I could see a sadness in them. I could tell she really had no hope in any of this working, but was pressing on through sheer stubbornness. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of myself. We stood in an awkward silence for a moment, neither of us meeting the other's gaze. "Asuna," she spoke up, breaking the tension. "What was it that attracted you to him?" Immediately I was on the defensive, but from what I saw of her expression, it wasn't meant to be insulting.

I took a moment to think before I answered. "I like his view on life," I finally told her, a curious expression appearing on her face from my answer. "He sees things in such a unique way. It's like he actually lives here. Like he loves this place." I pause, looking for the right words. "When I'm around him, I can feel everything. Everything seems so much more real. It's indescribable… I can barely tell the difference between here, and real life." I smiled a bit. "He's a puzzle as well. He always acts in similar ways to certain things, you just have to find it. Yet, at the same time, he's so unpredictable. He's mysterious, and I want to know more about him." I thought a little bit more about DaTa. "He's also very compassionate. He understands that I am who I am, and he doesn't look to change me to fit his perfect ideal woman. Sure, he tries pressing me to improve myself, but they're all things that I know I need to work on. He does it even if he knows he won't like it. He actually looks out for my wants and needs, making sure I can take care of myself, and not what he wants me to be." Lilly hummed thoughtfully, nodding once more.

"He is quite wise for such a young age," she added. I couldn't help but agree with her. "It's as if he has experiences that men could only dream of. His words are quite… inspirational, so to speak." She sighed, taking another step towards me. "He was the one to advise me to seek what my heart yearned for, even if it meant being selfish." Her eyes lingered on me. I felt my jealousy returning. "I apologize once more, Asuna. This wasn't what I had intended." Excuses. That's all her words were. "But I cannot deny that I've found his presence and his outlook on life to be quite enthralling. I would leap at the chance to be in your position."

"Yeah, well, you can't," I retorted, frowning at her. "I don't know if you got the memo or not, but he isn't interested in you."

"I beg to differ," she replied. I froze. "He told me tonight during dinner, that had he not met you, he would have been content on accepting my proposal." I could feel my anger starting to rise. I wasn't sure at who. Myself, for letting this stupid date happen. DaTa, for even saying such words. Or Lilly, for daring to interfere in my relationship, which had been going swimmingly until recently. I glared at the somewhat smug look on her face. A frown soon followed, however. "As enticing as it is to draw such emotions from you, I feel I must also state that mostly expressed heavy annoyance towards the both of us." She sighed gently. "It appears that he finds both of us... rather childish for doing this."

"It's annoying and boring, yes," a voice called out from above us. I looked up, spotting DaTa sitting lazily on the edge of the building, feet handing over the side. I felt my eye twitch. He noticed that. "Don't get me wrong, Asuna, I like the both of you. You both have interesting qualities about you to make you both unique. Any guy would be lucky to have either of you as a girlfriend. But hear me out one second." He pushed himself off the side of the roof, landing between us. "Imagine you're me. You've got a pretty good life. Not perfect, but you like it. Suddenly you're thrust into a death game and no way out. Taking life as it comes, you just go with it. Still, the stress of potentially dying at any moment from sheer luck and whim is hammering at you. A while after you start having some responsibilities as a leader for a [Guild]. Build that up to being suddenly thrust into a leadership position of the entire [Clearing Party], where dozens of lives lay in your hands and your ability to make sound decisions." With every word, his voice got louder and more agitated. If I wasn't already frustrated, it would have frightened me. "Add to that a girlfriend who is, while incredibly relaxing to have, also adding more pressure on you to act appropriately not only with her, but the people around her. Now, out of nowhere, she and some other girl who's also quite interesting start having some stupid argument like petty schoolboys trying to have a dick measuring contest!" There was a scowl on his face. While Lilly seemed ashamed, I was furious. After all this, he was blaming me!?

"Well if you're so upset with me, then why don't you leave me!?" I yelled at him. No! I didn't mean that! I didn't want him to leave me! But everything was happening too fast, I couldn't stop the words before they left my mouth. "Just leave me alone!" I stormed off, trying to calm myself down. It felt great to say those words, but I knew I'd regretted them. I really didn't want him to leave me. I didn't want him to start dating Lilly. I didn't know what to think. But he was just so infuriating! He'd always been so understanding, and always seemed to be on my side. What changed? Why was he just now so against me? Just where did everything go so wrong?

XXXXX

[DaTa]

I sighed tiredly as I watched Asuna run off. To be honest, that was probably the best case scenario. Worst case would have been her officially breaking up with me, but it was thankfully only some shouting. However, I had a more immediate issue to deal with. I turned to Lilly, who wouldn't look me in the eyes.

"You know I can't date you, as interesting as it would be," I told her. She nodded slowly.

"I understand," was her whispered reply. "I apologize for causing you such an inconvenience."

"Don't be," I said. "This had to happen sooner or later. Better she sort through her feelings now, then further down the line when it would hurt even more." Lilly looked at me with surprise, probably from my lack of a distressed reaction.

"You planned for this?" she asked slowly, cautiously. I shrugged in response.

"Asuna… I think is unsure of why she wants me," I informed Lilly. "She loves me, of that I'm sure, but I'm not sure it's for the right reasons. What it looks like to me is a case of hero-worship. I saved her from a particularly bad spot, and now she's putting me on some pedestal. Like I'm her saving grace or something." I sighed. "This ought to shake her up a bit. Make her realize I'm not as… ideal as she wants to believe." Lilly's face morphed into a mix between angry and understanding.

"That's… rather cruel," she accused.

"I know," I admitted to her, slightly putting her off guard. "But It has to be done. I don't want her going further with this, then regretting it further down the line. It wouldn't be fair to either of us." I turned to face the blonde. "I'd suggest the same to you. Take a good long think about why you want to be with me, and what you'd be willing to give up to do so." I gave her a stern look. "As much as I would love to say the opposite, falling in love with me requires some bit of sacrifice." I walked past her, leaving her to her thoughts. That night I avoided Asuna's room, instead staying with MechManiC. I wanted Asuna to reflect over what had happened.

XXXXX

[Floor Twenty-Eight] [Rechsole Town, Starry Sky Inn] [April 9th, 2023] [7:43 PM] [Asuna]

"It's been quite a while since the last [Boss Raid] meeting," spoke my date. I tried to make my smile seem less forced. He didn't even notice it.

"It has," I replied. He took another bite of his salad. DaTa had hated salads. No, it wasn't the salad he hated. He just hated vegetables in general all on their own.

"I guess it's to be expected, what with Kai taking his time," XxHiro18xX complained. Most just called him Hiro, though. "He's been taking forever on vacation! I wish he'd finish up already and get everything moving again. We don't have forever, you know!" I nodded as he spoke. He had a few points. DaTa knew it was important to spend time with one's lover, though. He would be patient with Kai. He had been, with me. He was always patient. It was like he had all the time in the world.

"Aya's been brushed aside enough times as it is," I tried to defend them. "If he'd done it any more, she'd have left him."

"Like you left DaTa?" Hiro rolled his eyes and scoffed, not noticing my grimace. I regretted that decision, but I needed time away from him. It was like he'd once told me, distance only made the heart grow fonder. As much as I missed him, I knew this was good for us. Still, it hurt to know how quickly he had rebounded and started dating Lilly. He didn't even seem bothered by me telling him that we needed time apart. It made me angry, but he was almost never upset about what happened to him. I shouldn't have been surprised. My heart started to hurt, though. I felt the sinking feeling in my gut return. He looked so happy with her. So at ease.

"That was uncalled for," I told Hiro, trying to hide the emotional turmoil going on inside me. He didn't notice. DaTa would have noticed. He was always good at spotting those sorts of things.

"Sorry," was Hiro's reply, but he didn't seem to care. I sighed gently, picking at my food. Hiro was only here for comfort. A warm body to sleep beside at night, and the occasional stress relief. I hadn't even let him get close to me naked, but I let his hands touch me, as grabby and greedy as they were. I hadn't even let him see me naked. Nobody but DaTa was allowed to see me unclothed like that. Besides, his hands weren't even that good. While DaTa seemed to know what he was doing, Hiro was only in it to satiate his own lust. In a way, we both were fulfilling our own wants. I needed someone to keep my mind off of my hurt, and he wanted a girl he could grab and not really complain about it. I still felt sick after the relief, though.

"Hiro," I muttered softly, not looking him in the eyes. My heart was hurting again. I needed a distraction. He seemed to get the memo. He paid for the food, which was gentlemanly of him, and we headed upstairs. The door became locked, and our clothes came off. My gut hurt even more as we laid in bed. I felt his hands grabbing at me, touching me. I let him, trying to imagine he was DaTa. Trying to picture the man I loved touching me, like he'd done so many times before. Then he talked.

"You like that?" he whispered in what I assumed was an attempt at some sexy, husky voice. Any pleasure I had been feeling immediately faded.

"Don't talk," I told him. He immediately shut up. Maybe he thought I considered it intimate or romantic. I just didn't want to picture it was him and not DaTa. After what seemed like forever, the touching started to feel good. His fingers were penetrating me, forcing me to feel… something. Something better than the hurt I had been feeling earlier. I could feel my mind slipping away, like it had the night before. And the night before that. I felt my inhibitions start to slip away again. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I knew it was some horny teenager touching me. Making me feel false pleasure. But I didn't care. As long as I didn't have to think about what I'd done, I could let myself feel pleasure. I tried not to think about the lewd sounds leaving my lips for what was essentially a stranger. I tried not to think about how many times I'd felt my release over his fingers. But that night I just wasn't strong enough, and I lost myself to the pleasure he gave me.

XXXXX

[DaTa]

I sat up in bed, reading the book in my hands. Beside me sat my blonde girlfriend, though calling her that was still a bit odd. At best, she was keeping me company until Asuna decided to return to me, if such an event ever happened. I was there to give Lilly some comfort, and grow stronger. Together, we became lovers of sorts. It was hard not to, not with her obvious affection for me and the different experience she gave me compared to Asuna. While it was similar, relaxing with Asuna was quite different than with Lilly.

First off, Lilly seemed quite adamant on doing things herself, despite my offering to help her. Hisao had informed me that she was quite independent in the real world before the game, so I figured that she wanted to do as much as she possibly could before returning to such a limited world.

Secondly, Lilly's idea of relaxation was quite different from Asuna's. While Asuna like to be more proactive and go places, Lilly was content on sitting at home with a cup of tea, and reading. Normally, we would also listen to soft music as we read. She'd also gotten into the habit of asking me to read before bed. While I felt a bit silly reading a woman older than me bedtime stories, she really seemed to like them.

Intimacy was a touchy subject, however. While we'd gotten so far as light petting, not much more had proceeded from it. I was still certain that Asuna would sort out her thoughts and return to me with her answer. I didn't want to betray her trust if she decided to return to me. Still, I'd been hearing from Noire that she'd taken up another boyfriend, though her enthusiasm behind it was rather… lack-luster. Noire had respected my decision at first, but as soon as I'd gotten close to Lilly, she became rather hostile. A friend lost, she had put it.

"Ah… DaTa?" Lilly spoke up, glancing over at me. I lowered my novel, looking her back in the eyes. Her cloudy blue orbs were filled with uncertainty. "What will happen if… Asuna does not share the same feelings she once had?" I could see this question coming. She'd been trying to bring it up a few times, but had dropped it suddenly. She seemed to have worked up the nerve.

"Then I'll go on as a solo player," I replied simply, watching the frown cross her face. She was disappointed. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be with you. Well, that's a bit too strong a phrase. It would be nice, but I'd feel…" I sighed. "Guilty. That I'd bounced right from Asuna to you." She seemed to understand that. While the frown still remained, I could see the pressure being lifted from her shoulders. I resumed reading in silence. It was only moments later, however, when I felt Lilly's hand rest on mine, pushing them both down onto the bed. Her fingers traced my hand, as if memorizing every inch. Her eyes were shut, and her book was closed neatly on her lap.

"DaTa?" she asked softly.

"Hm?"

"May I… touch your face?" she requested. From anyone else, it would be a rather weird question. But for someone blind…

"But you can see it," I pointed out, making her giggle a bit.

"Even still, it is the way I'm used to… 'seeing' others," she replied. I sighed, relenting. I squeezed her hand gently, allowing her to raise her hands to my face. My instincts were screaming at me to stop her. Bat her hands away. I shook them off, certain that she wasn't about to try and snap my neck or do something to kill me. This wasn't a shinobi world.

I have to say, it's strange, feeling two soft, fragile hands brushing across your face. Tracing every crease, memorizing the sensation of you. Who you were. Who you are. And how you got there. Yet it was strangely intimate. Something that I knew was the pinnacle of friendly intimacy for Lilly. And it felt… relaxing. It took her quite a while, but finally I felt her hands leave my face. I kinda missed the feeling.

"You're quite handsome," she told me. I had to laugh. I watched her face scrunch up in slight annoyance.

"You've seen me how many times, and just say that now?" I pointed out to her. After a moment's thought, she let out a soft laughter lasting only a few seconds.

"My, my… someone's quite picky," she teased me. "I'll have you know, that while the gift of sight is quite a miracle for me, I will always appreciate my own way of seeing, in a manner of speaking." I shrugged, getting what she was saying.

"Eh, I get it," I replied to her, getting a soft smile. I sighed softly, laying back in bed. "I hope Asuna is doing alright…"

"It's quite rude to mention another woman in the presence of your girlfriend, DaTa," Lilly chided me. "But yes, I understand your point… I'm sure she's handling this entire situation in a decent and proper manner. I hope she hasn't gotten herself into trouble."

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[Asuna]

"F-Fuck!" I cried out, burying my face into the pillow, gripping the sheets underneath me as the boy's fingers buried deeper inside of me. "H-H-Huuuuuuuuh!" I couldn't stop the moans, not that I really could. This feeling was addicting. I knew what I was doing was betraying DaTa's trust, but it hurt too much. I could still feel the welling in my gut, letting me know how much it hurt to be away from him. But this feeling was slowly eroding it. I was starting to forget. The scary part was, I wanted to. I wanted to forget about DaTa. I wanted to forget about this game. I just wanted to be home, in bed, experiencing this pleasure the entire time. No worries. No stresses. Just… this. I whimpered, feeling his fingers hit my tender spot again. I came. I screamed. And it felt… better.

"Yeah, that's good," Hiro grumbled. My eyes flew open and I scrambled away from him, pushing myself off the bed. I threw my pillow at him, furious.

"Get out!" I screamed.

"What the hell!?" he shouted back, standing up. I equipped everything, feeling the tears coming. "Are you crazy!?"

"Get the fuck out of my room!" I screamed in return, drawing [Lambent Light +5]. I pointed the blade at him. While he wouldn't take damage in a [Safe Zone], it would still hurt like a bitch. "GET OUT!"

"You're fucking insane!" he yelled back, putting his clothes on and rushing out of my room. As soon as the door slammed shut, the tears started to fall. I screamed in agony, trying to forget the shame I was feeling. I'd let some horny stranger touch me with his dirty hands, and had enjoyed it! I was such an idiot! I fell into bed, crying. How could I be so stupid!? I screamed into my pillow, trying to sort the jumble of stupidity going through my head. I just laid there for a good hour, trying to think of what to do next. No, I knew what I had to do. I was just too afraid to do it.

I finally gathered the courage to get up and leave my room. I [PM'd] Hisao, asking where DaTa wand Lilly were staying. I… had some explaining to do. I instantly got a reply. They were staying at the [Bell Tower Suite], a fancy hotel only found on this floor. It was expensive, but rooming was permanent until the end of the game. Of course DaTa would stay there. He hated flaunting his [Col] around, but he loved using it. Somehow his [Mega-Col] had only increased in number.

I looked at the floor and room, and immediately made my way there. I took my time, though. I was in no rush. Still, I found myself in front of his door all too soon. I hesitated. Maybe he'd already moved on… Maybe he and Lilly were happy now, and I'd only be intruding…

No! I had to do this! I knocked on the door before I could think. There was nothing for a good minute, before it opened. In front of me stood the man I loved more than any other, dressed in a white shirt and long white sweatpants. His hair was neatly groomed, tied back in a small tail. He stood just shorter than me, but that didn't matter in the slightest. His eyes sparkled with quiet joy upon seeing me. I felt sick and ashamed.

"Asuna," he spoke my name, and I couldn't bear it. Before I could run, though, he pulled me into the room and shut the door. He knew me too well. "Please, make yourself at home." Shakily, I sat down at the small dinner table in front of me. I barely took in the lushness of the room, trying to calm myself before I made an idiot of myself.

"DaTa, is it Asuna?" I heard Lilly's voice coming from another room. The bedroom. My heartbeat quickened. I could feel my lungs trying to escape through my mouth. I was suffocating! She entered the room, dressed only in a pair of DaTa's sweatpants and a rather generously filled bra. God, did I interrupt them!? "Ah, hello, Asuna." She seemed so at ease, with the stupid smug smile of hers! They'd had sex, hadn't they!?

"Asuna," DaTa's firm voice broke me out of my thoughts. It was firm. Hard. Commanding. It was the same voice he'd used when training me. When I knew everything would be alright. When things were simpler. I looked up at him, and immediately regretted it. I thought he'd have a stern face on. He'd be disappointed in me somehow. But instead, his eyes were filled with love and adoration.

"I let someone else touch me!" I burst. I couldn't keep it from him. I couldn't bear to hold it in and hide it from him. I expected anger. I wanted him to be angry. I wanted him to scream, shout, anything!

"I know," was all he said. I wanted to cry. Because he was still looking at me with those eyes. Those happy eyes that spoke volumes about what he felt for me.

"Hate me!" I screamed. "Be angry at me! Do something!" He shook his head, his eyes now betraying some sadness. Maybe now he realized how awful I was. "I betrayed your trust," I continued. "I made a mockery of something sacred. Something special. I-"

Smack! I sat there, stunned. I looked at DaTa, who looked just as shocked as I did. He was looking at Lilly, who was fiercely glaring at me, her hand outstretched. Without a word, her hand returned to her side. Her lip was quivering.

"You don't deserve him," Lilly spoke harshly. I suddenly felt… angry that she'd said those words, even though I knew they were true. "Here he is, giving you chance upon chance to return to the way things were, and you simply refuse over and over." Her voice was shaking. "You should be ashamed of yourself. He couldn't care less what you have done, but to be so foolish as to-" She cut herself off, turning away and heading back to the bedroom. I watched her in stunned silence. It was a few minutes before either DaTa or I moved or spoke.

"I just want you to come back to me…" DaTa whispered, looking down at me. He had a distant look on his face, as if he wasn't really looking at me. "You will, won't you…?" He was… asking me to be with him again… Even after everything I did… After essentially spitting on his face… He still wanted me?

"I-I…" I couldn't find the words I wanted to say. Yes! Yes, dammit! I want you back in my life! I can't imagine being without you! And yet… Lilly hadn't even come close to hurting him… She was much better suited to be with him. But I want him! He's mine! "I want you… but… Lilly…" He gained a contemplative look on his face, before taking my hand. He helped me up and led me to the bedroom, pushing me in before closing the door. I froze, only able to stare at Lilly, who was sitting on the rather fancy bed. She was sitting stiffly, probably knowing exactly what DaTa was trying to do.

"So it's come to this," Lilly sighed, seeming just as excited about trying to figure something out as I was. "I can't say that I did not expect this. DaTa seems to be the type of person to eliminate problems as quickly and efficiently as he can." Her practiced smile returned to her face. "He reminds me of my father in that regard." I nervously shuffled to the desk not far from the bed, sitting back in the ornately decorated wooden chair. I didn't really know what to say. Lilly let out a hollow laugh. "My, my, it seems almost as if I'm speaking to myself. I'm afraid this is quite awkward for myself as well, if you don't respond."

"How are you so calm?" I asked her, bewildered. After an outburst like that, and this whole thing, she was still reserved like this. How!?

"I've simply come to accept that whatever happens, will happen," she explained herself. "At this point, I feel it is safe to say that only one of us can leave this room happy and satisfied." Lilly let out another sigh. "How cruel fate seems to be. Do I pursue my own selfishness, and condemn an innocent girl to unhappiness, or do I give in and experience said unhappiness for myself?"

"You've really put us in a hard place," I told her, feeling myself pout. Lilly's eyes opened, just slightly. A sorrowful smile graced her face.

"I have been a burden," she told me. "For that, I apologize. However, you of all people must understand how hard it is for me to simply stand up and leave." I nodded in response. "I'm afraid I truly wish for him for myself, as I'm sure you feel the same."

"I do," I replied, staring her down. There was an uneasy silence between us. While I didn't like her for trying to steal DaTa away, I had to admit that she was a very polite and nice woman. I'd feel bad just shoving her out and saying 'get lost'.

"I'm alike in mind with DaTa," she finally spoke. "I'm quite simply tired of worrying about who he will choose, between the two of us. He's irritatingly open-minded, making no move to favor either of us."

"I know, right?" I agreed. "He really expects us to figure this out by ourselves, it's annoying! We have no idea where to start!" Lilly's smile became a touch more genuine.

"I concur," was her reply. "There doesn't seem to be a way that we both can be happy." I thought for a moment.

"We could… share him," I suggested slowly. Lilly's calm expression broke as she tried to process my words.

"I'm… sorry?" she asked slowly. "I believe I misheard you. Did you suggest… sharing DaTa?" I nodded. "I see… While it would eliminate a few of our issues… I'm afraid it would raise many more."

"I really want him all for myself, but I'm not willing to risk losing him. He could go either way, and I think this will satisfy us both in the long run," I pressed the idea. While I didn't really like it, it began growing on me the more I spoke of it. "Maybe… it would be best to figure out specifics as we go along." Lilly was silent for a moment. I could tell she was still trying to think on the pros and cons of my idea. To be honest, I was doing the same. But what was most important to me was that I'd get DaTa as my boyfriend again. While it wouldn't be just with me, I could accept that as long as it was him. I needed him, but not to such an obsessive degree that I had to have his attention all day, every day. I needed my moments to myself as well.

"I will… agree to this idea of yours," she started off. "But let it be known that I'm not confident in it." I nodded in agreement, standing. I took her hand, gingerly, and we both walked out of the room. DaTa was sitting at the dining room table, reading his book. To most he would seem at ease, but I could see the tenseness in his body.

"We've come to a decision," I told him, making him look up at us. He looked tired. "We've decided to… both be your girlfriends." I expected him to relax. To seem happy.

"No," he replied, standing. I was in shock for a moment.

"W-What?" I stammered.

"I said no. I'm not…" his expressions shifted between emotions so fast that I couldn't pick one out. "It's not happening. I'm not going to try and…" He was fighting with himself, I realized.

"Please, DaTa," Lilly spoke up. "It must seem rather perplexing, but this is what we've decided."

"I don't care!" he shouted, reaching up to grab his hair. His face morphed into one of slight panic. "It… no, it's not going to work, I know it!" He was hysterical. His face… almost looked like Kai's when he, Aya and I had all had dinner some time ago. Frantic. But angry. Almost feral and out of control.

"DaTa!" I shouted, making him stop. He looked at me as if I were a wild animal. Lilly immediately stepped forward and embraced him, not even giving him time to react. I did the same, although a bit slower. Both of us held him, and I could feel him shaking. After a moment his shaking stopped. After two moments, he spoke.

"Sorry, that you had to see me like that," he told us. I let him go, as did Lilly. His face was red, and tears were pooling up in his eyes. "Just some bad memories, is all." He laughed bitterly. Nobody spoke for a minute. Lilly and I were both waiting for him to speak, and he looked like he was trying to find the right words. "I… haven't been completely honest with you girls," he finally said. My heart skipped a beat. Was he… seeing someone else as well? "I'm not exactly who you think I am." He looked us both in the eyes. "Before I go on… I want both of you to look me in the eyes and tell me that you want to stay with me. That you want to be my girlfriends, and you won't give up on me."

I was about to speak, but he cast us a sharp glare. There was more to his request then he was saying. He was asking if he could trust us completely, and in turn, that we trust him without question. No more doubts. No more worries. Not between us, anyway. No more walls.

"I promise you, DaTa," Lilly spoke aloud before me. "I'm quite smitten with you. You'd be hard pressed to push me away, even after an… episode like that." A soft smile graced her lips. "Believe it or not, I'm not unused to seeing such breakdowns." With PaperGirl18 as a friend? I didn't doubt her. Their eyes were resting on me, now.

"Me too," I promised. "I wouldn't want anyone else to be with me." Lilly and I shared a glance before DaTa spoke.

"Since I know both of your names, you should know mine," he announced. "I've gone by many names, but these days I'm known as Suzuki Keito." He paused. "But that isn't what you need to know. What's important is that I'm a distant reincarnation of a dear friend of ours, TheKaiSenpai. I've lived through multiple lives. I've been married three times, and have had several children. I died first in a cave, alone and hungry. I died secondly at the hands of my best friends. I officially died a third time at a lovely old age. Now, here I am, living as a young man names Suzuki Keito." My eyes were wide with shock. He was…

"That's absolutely ridiculous," Lilly stated firmly. I had to agree with her. DaTa, or Keito as he called himself, was a reincarnation of Kai? IT was completely insane! But the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. How Keito would make obscure jokes about past friends and quickly move away from the subjects. How he'd have intimate knowledge of things already forgotten, and obscure that no guy his age should know, but would make perfect sense if Kai knew them.

"I assure you, that I'm not lying," his face was set in stone. Even if he was crazy, he absolutely believed his delusions. Still, we did just promise to trust him no matter what. That, and he would gain nothing by lying about this. Could it really be true?

"If you really are some kind of reincarnation…" I asked slowly, "how come you didn't warn Kai not to start playing this game? Or anyone, really?"

"Would you believe a fifteen-year-old kid if he told you that playing this game would leave you trapped in a cycle of death?" he asked with a completely straight face. Hearing it aloud, it did seem silly. "You two and my parents are the only ones who know of this," he told us. "Kai knows that I'm… reincarnated, but he doesn't know I'm him. I'd like to keep it that way."

"Why?" Lilly asked. Despite her calm demeanor, her fists were clenched. "Why keep this from us until now?"

"Because I needed to be sure I could trust you both," Keito defended himself. "I'm sorry, but until now… both of you I considered flight risks. You didn't really need me around. To be honest, you two still don't need me." My heart sunk as I could see where this was going. "I could have died at any moment, and neither of you would be… too terribly affected for the rest of your lives. You would grieve, move on, and I would be forgotten."

"That isn't true!" I protested, grabbing his right hand in mine. "I love you with all my heart, Da-Keito… Don't you ever doubt that. Reincarnation or not, I'm right here because I love you. Right, Lilly?" I looked over at the blonde, who was looking at the floor with half lidded eyes. She let out a sigh, taking Keito's other hand in her own.

"Fool or not, I suppose it does not matter now," she spoke. "As I said before, you've caught my heart. Whether what you speak of is truth or not, it does not matter to me. You will always be Keito in my eyes, just as I hope to always be Lilly, in yours." A light, true smile began to form on my boyfriend's face. He leaned forward, giving me a light kiss before giving Lilly one. While I felt a pang of jealousy echo in my heart, it wasn't as bad as I'd thought it'd be. Maybe, just maybe, this could work.

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A/N: Chapter done! Oh wow, I hit a few roadblocks here and there trying to keep everyone in character, and all the reactions realistic. I realize in the last scene that it throws realism a bit of a far stick, but I tried my best. Everyone has very stubborn and defined personalities, one of them had to break. I just wasn't sure who would, first.

Also, in the case of Asuna finding what basically equates to a fucktoy, here's my logic on this. She has never had any real romantic experience before Keito. Being with him is basically the best thing for her in the world, and she gets lost in it. So much so that, as soon as things start to fall apart, she panics. She wants to keep everything the way they were, but life doesn't work out like that. So she snaps. She yells at Keito and pushes him away, thinking it'll make her feel better, but knowing it'll only make things worse. Now she blames herself, and falls into depression. That angry feeling in her gut is telling her that she deserves to be unhappy because she messed everything up. So she finds something to try and make that feeling go away. And let's face it, that's pretty damn hard. I had a friend that was like that, and she turned to sex and alcohol. She still does. If you're lucky, you can do what Asuna did in the end and wake up and try to make things better for yourself. Or if you're not determined enough, you might end up like my friend did and continue that self-destructive lifestyle. So here's a shout out to her, in hopes that someday she snaps out of her funk and starts living a happier, healthier life.