A/N: Ok again I'm super slow updating here…sorry…it happens…anyway I hope you enjoy this and thank you so much to all the wonderful people who have reviewed, favorite, or followed this story! Love you all! In advance: sorry the chapter is so short.

For those who are unaware: A.A. stands for Alcoholics Anonymous; it's basically a therapeutic group session where alcoholics can go to talk and support each other.

Chapter 3: Hate Parties

Kirito sighed as he stared pensively at a piece of paper set before him on the kitchen island. He frowned, he already said he wouldn't go…though they never really were good at understanding what no means, or at least that's how it seems to him.

He understands they are worried for him and how he's fairing in life, they worry even more since he isn't in a relationship. That in itself is, in Kirito's opinion, incredibly stupid. He's just not interested in having a relationship right now; this does not mean he's a social hermit.

Besides at the current moment he's busy trying to help someone recover from alcoholism.

The fact that a girl has been staying in his guest room for a month now is of course not a well-known fact…and he's trying very hard to keep it that way. Mainly because he fears the ridiculously suggestive comments and jokes his insane family will make on the matter…He tries not to think about how mentally unstable his family is, he really does. But alas they always find room to wiggle right back into his head.

The sneaky bastards.

"Kirito?" Asuna called from behind him as she walked up to try to read over his shoulder, she didn't get that far though as Kirito immediately folded the letter up and stowed it away in his jacket.

"What was that?" she asked eyeing him with suspicion.

Asuna has been doing better of late, not by much but for the past two weeks she's been able to pull off a day or two here and there where she can avoid drinking. In the end she always ends up drunk again but the fact that she's making effort and is gradually gaining moments in which she can function soberly is a vast improvement from the previously constant drinking.

Today just so happens to be one of those sober days, much to Kirito's relief.

He hates seeing her so sickly.

He attributes this improvement to the fact that three weeks ago he finally talked her into going to an A.A. meeting once a week. Surprisingly it wasn't as hard as he had previously predicted, but he quickly discovered this was because Asuna wants to get better.

He couldn't be happier with that fact, after all that means Asuna acknowledges that it's a problem, and that she has motivation to work on it. That's more than he ever got with…

Kirito shook his head to clear the thought away before he got any further; this was no time to start thinking about that.

"It's just a stupid letter from my family, that's all." He states calmly as he turns to meet Asuna's gaze with a smile. "How are you feeling today?" he asks in genuine concern.

Asuna smiles, there hasn't been a day this month where he hasn't asked that in some way or form. That might be annoying if not for the fact that every time he asks he really cares about the answer, or maybe it has something to do with the fact that no one else ever cared to ask her before.

"I'm doing ok today." She answered simply, and he rewards her with a smile of his own. Asuna calls it a reward for a reason; a happy Kirito is always a wonderful sight to behold for Asuna. Especially since he makes a point to always wear so much black.

"That's great, I'm really glad. I was thinking of going to the store, do you want anything?" He asks as he gets off the stool he was sitting on.

"Chocolate?"

He laughs, "But of course, I should have known." He says as he shoves his wallet in his pocket and grabs his keys before turning back to Asuna. "Don't do anything crazy, rash, or stupid while I'm gone." He states with a serious face.

Asuna frowns, "Yes ok mom." She responds sarcastically.

Kirito chuckles before heading to the door, all the while mumbling under his breath something that sounded vaguely like, "Wouldn't be the first time you did." With his hand on the door knob he turned one last time to glance at Asuna. "You'll be ok right? I mean-"

"Go Kirito." She cuts him off with a smile.

"Alright I'm going."

"Don't forget my chocolate!"

"Yes mam." He calls over his shoulder closing the door behind him, leaving Asuna officially alone to entertain herself.

She sighs as the thought of drinking brushes across her mind but she manages to fight off the temptation for the moment. If she drinks while he's grocery shopping again he will without a doubt never go again without dragging her along, and unless she's buying a boat load of junk food while she's there she has no interest in stepping foot in any grocery store. Shopping for food can be so boring.

Plopping down on the couch she attempts to find something on TV worthy of her attention for longer than five seconds and settles for some random chick flick. It's not like she has anything better to do with her life at the moment so she figures why not see if the cliché probably incredibly corny and stupid movie can manage to make her cry…

Forty minutes later the doorbell rings, and one teary eyed and annoyed Asuna swings open the door much to the person on the other side's alarm.

"Um…" the girl standing there begins hesitantly.

"Yes? This better be good because Landon was just about to kiss Jamie." Asuna cuts off as she wipes away a stray tear.

"Um…what?" the girl clearly confused stared at Asuna, looking both curious and slightly creeped out.

"It's nothing…nevermind. Just some movie I was watching." Asuna stated with a dismissive shake of her head and wave of her hand, like she's going to waste time to explain to this girl about a stupid movie that at the same time is almost adorable and incredibly depressing. She was not crying she was merely tearing up some…yep.

"Right, well I'm Suguha…" The girl begins with a strangely sly smile stretching over her face as she offers her hand to shake, Asuna raised an eyebrow…just a moment ago she looked so shy.

"Asuna, Nice to meet you" she answered back politely as she takes her hand in greeting for only a moment.

"It's nice to meet you as well." Suguha replied with that strange pleased smile still stretched across her face, "You wouldn't happen to be dating my brother would you?" the girl questioned obviously thrilled for the answer.

"Who?" Was all Asuna could think to say as she stared at the girl blankly. How was she supposed to even know who this stranger's brother was? Let alone be dating him…

"My brother Kazuto." Suguha's smile falters for only a moment at the supposed 'girlfriend' not having any clue as to who she was before it was back again in all its glory. 'They must not have been dating very long' she concludes to herself.

Asuna just stares at her blankly for almost a full minute before her eyes widened comically, "You're his sister?! He has a sister?!"

Suguha looks positively offended.

"He didn't tell you about me? Not even a little bit? How long have you two been dating?"

"Dating?"

"Yes."

"Eh?! I'm not dating Kirito!" Asuna practically yells in alarm.

"What?! Then why are you at his house? Answering his door?!" Suguha questions in similar panic.

"I live here!" Asuna shouts back with a hand pointing inside the house as if to demonstrate exactly what she means by the word 'here'.

"Why do you live here if you're not dating my brother?!"

"Um…"

Both girls whip their heads in the direction of the new voice which happened to be Kirito, groceries in hand and a fearful look across his face. He looks between the two girls for a moment before turning around to walk back to his car, "I'll just come back later." He states quickly and attempts to climb in the car and make his escape quickly; unfortunately for him both girls grab him by the arms before he can even close the door. He drops the groceries as he's dragged out of the driver's seat and back towards the door, to his growing horror.

Demanding answers and bombarding him with questions, they both seem equally pissed at not receiving such answers from the beginning. Poor Kirito can't even keep up.

"You have a sister?!"

"You have a girl living in your house?!"

"Why didn't you tell me this?!"

"As your sister I think I have a right to know when you're living with strange people!"

"Do you have any other family members I should know about?!"

"How long has she been living with you?!"

"Why didn't you tell me someone was even coming over?!"

"What is your relationship with this strange girl?!"

Somebody have mercy on this poor man's soul.

By some miracle Kirito had managed to calm the girls down, and answer all their questions.

Now at the current moment all three of them sat at the dinner table eating quietly as Kirito looks up at his sister with growing suspicion.

"So…why exactly are you here Suguha?" he questions as he takes another sip of his water.

"Can't a sister visit her brother without any particular reason?" Suguha responds offensively as she shoves her mouth full of food. For some reason a strange uncomfortable look passes across Kirito's face, but the expression was much too fleeting for Asuna to properly decipher.

"They can, but you never do." He answers simply with a roll of his eyes, completely at ease once again.

His sister sighed in defeat, "Mom wants me to tell you that she doesn't care if you don't want to go, you have to come and that's final. Her words not mine." Suguha answered as she meets her brothers annoyed scowl.

"I don't want to."

"Mom obviously doesn't care."

Kirito huffs in irritation.

"Um…what are you two talking about?" Asuna questions as she looks back and forth between the two siblings.

"We're talking about this family party that's coming up; there will be a bonfire and everything." Suguha answers with an excited smile. "Practically everyone in the family will be there."

"Oh, that sounds fun! What's the occasion?" Asuna continues to question excitedly, Kirito on the other hand just sighs exasperatedly.

"Occasion? Who needs an occasion?"

"Normal people, Sugu." Kirito answers quietly as he stabs a poor little carrot with all the annoyance and wrath of the world.

"Why are you so annoyed? It sounds fun!" Asuna smiles, "Can I tag along?"

"Sure!" Suguha answers smiling brightly, "Just make sure brother doesn't run away from the party as soon as no one's looking."

"Will do!" Asuna confirms excitedly.

Kirito stabs another carrot, "I hate parties." He mumbles as he glares at both the girls as they completely ignore his new found depression.

A/N: Ok so I know this chapter was a lot lighter than the last two, as will the next chapter be…probably…I might stray from my plans who knows. Anyway I did that to give you guys some comic relief. Can't have a story be nothing but dark dark dark… that's hardly realistic, life's a roller coaster it has both ups and downs.

Are you confused about Kirito's family? Good you're supposed to be.

Anyway hope you liked it, review if you have the time! Thanks for reading!