Disclaimer: Don't own Sword Art Online (I or II), or any of it's characters.

Rating: T

The day of Christmas, with our family celebrating

RL

December 25th, 2030

Very faintly, the sounds of running water could be heard stopping, from further inside the house.

Beside her, Kazuto hummed a little, with a slight smile. "Seems Yui's finished her bath" he noted.

"Yup" she breathed softly, adjusting where she sat. "Won't be long before she comes down, though it might seem strange at first when she finds us here."

In her peripheral vision, she saw him glance behind them, at the Christmas tree they sat under/just in front of.

It was decorated as it had been the past month, though it remained empty underneath. They'd decided that, since this was Yui's first Christmas, they'd wanted it to be a small family event; to express their love/support for each other, rather than focus on the gift-giving. There would still be a gift after everything else, to help ease her into the tradition, but she knew Yui would love the two of them more than the gift. "Still, I can't wait to see Yui's reaction" she thought, happy just thinking about it. It was a moment later when she realized Kazuto squeezed her hand, even more than he'd already been doing, and she smiled, squeezing back.

"Which reminds me-"

She looked at Kazuto, slightly confused.

"-maybe next, we should introduce showers to Yui" he said gently. "Baths are fine, but she's big enough for them."

She glanced up, before nodding. "Okay, but this time it's my turn" she said, a little playful. "After all, I can personally teach her all the little tricks involved with washing long hair."

He smirked back at her, also playful. "Oh, is that all?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "Because I thought you might reference my 'barely acceptable' comments the first time around."

"Hey, you're the one for tasteless jokes; not me."

"Mmh-hmmmm."

She opened her mouth, but before she could, Kazuto kissed her, hard - after the surprise, she either half-struggled, or half-got into it; she wasn't sure which. When he let go though, her cheeks were red, and his look was softer than she'd been expecting.

It took her a few seconds, but her answer was to bump his shoulder with hers, keeping up a sorta-severe look - at least for a few seconds, before she softened. Just then however, they heard Yui's footsteps, along with "Mommy? Daddy?"

Kazuto looked back at her, smiling, to which she returned after a moment.

From where they were sitting, Yui came into view two rooms away, lightly + absentmindedly scratching at her arm. She opened her mouth to call again, but at that point, Yui saw them sitting there near the tree, really surprised. Blinking a little, she came closer to them, slowing a few feet away-

"Why are you two sitting there?" she wondered, curious, before she jolted a bit, looking at the tree. A minute or so passed, during which she glanced at Kazuto, and he nodded a little; they were thinking the same thing.

Then Yui's expression softened, and she held her hands together. "Today's Christmas, isn't it?" she whispered, entirely soft and happy.

"That's right, Yui" she said, just as soft. "Your first Christmas with us, in the real world" she continued, holding out her hand, which Yui took willingly.

"We wanted it to be a small party" Kazuto said, content. "A celebration of you being here with us, rather than focusing on presents."

Yui's eyes began to sparkle slightly, even as she sat down. "I'd like that" she breathed, happy, lightly scratching at her arm again.

The exact same spot...

"You okay?" she asked, despite herself.

Yui was a little surprised, but she smiled. "Yeah, I think so, mommy" she said gently. "It's just a stubborn 'itch' - a very distracting sensation, hehe."

That made her smile a little, as Yui's learning was endearing, but something made her reach out. Yui made a little sound as she took her arm, looking closer-

"Mmh" she breathed, sighing a bit. "That's no normal itch, Yui; that's a mosquito bite."

Yui jolted, slightly confused over 'mosquito', but mostly worried over 'bite'. "I-Is it bad?" she asked, worried, fingers moving over the spot; slightly raised, circular, and reddish.

Kazuto moved closer himself, getting a look. "It's not really bad, per se, just very annoying" he said. "It'll heal on it's own, but if you scratch at it, you slow the healing rate."

Just like that, Yui yanked her fingers away from her arm, worried. "O-Okay" she breathed, before glancing around her, as if worried the mosquito was still around; very likely was too. Still, it was annoying, because winter is when bugs were supposed to hibernate or something... having one slip inside, while a reality, was one she'd hoped Yui would avoid until spring (when they'd start 'swarming' into the house, as they tended to do). She glanced at Kazuto, giving him a look of 'Keep an eye out', to which he nodded.

"It'll be okay though" she assured their daughter. "It'll heal on it's own, and right now, we have a holiday to celebrate."

Yui smiled again. "Okay."

"Now, how about we go make cookies?"

"Huh?"

...

A little later

Yui giggled, pressing her cookie cutter into the dough, forming a reindeer shape in it. "I really like this tradition" she said happily, very carefully digging her shape out of the dough. "It's so fun!"

"I'm glad you like it, Yui" Asuna added, to Yui's quick little nod. "And well, I don't know if everyone does this, but I like it myself; cooking should always be fun" she continued, pressing her own cookie cutter (a bell shape) into the dough.

"Well, I think they should."

On the other side, Kazuto watched with a smile (they'd decided she + Yui would cut out, while he rolled out the dough; switch roles next year). "Hmm, not much dough left" he said, observing what they had. "I can roll it one more time, but you won't get many more cookies out of it."

"I want to, daddy" Yui breathed, picking another cookie cutter. "I'd like more of these 'crescent' moon shapes, if you don't mind."

He chuckled a little. "Alright" he said easily, then gestured. "Start packing again."

Yui giggled, taking the dough and pulling it together, packing it with her hands (and getting flour everywhere). Then she held it up, further 'balling' it up, while Asuna took that opportunity to pour some extra flour, laying out a thin layer for this last dough rollout. Of course, when Yui was done, that was his job, so he got rolling - and yes, he did just make that massive pun, hehehe. Then of course, Yui and Asuna got what shapes they could out of the remaining dough, and that was it for the stuff.

"Alright" Asuna breathed gently, picking up one tray full of these cookies, while he carefully collected the remaining 'raw' dough - delicious until it's taste wore thin. "That should do it" she continued, taking them to the oven (and putting them in one-by-one on separate 'tray-holders').

"Yeah, but once they're cooked, they'll be delicious as everything else" he said, mild but soft.

Asuna gave him a backwards glance, but she was smiling.

"We're not done yet though, Daddy."

Surprised, he looked at Yui, vaguely hearing Asuna's surprise - he quickly saw she was holding a bit of flour in one hand, as if curious about it. His daughter giggled, looking at him. "You don't have any flour on you" she pointed out, before getting a little grin, "So here you go!"

"Ahh! *cough, cough*"

Yui just giggled again, very teasing and playful.

Covered in flour a bit, he stared at her in surprise... before he grinned, taking his own small fistful. "Okay, now it's on!" he called, before throwing it-

-Yui squealed as he pelted her with it, before returning fire, both of them laughing the entire time.

"Guys! Come on, this is- Ah!"

He had a brief 'Uh-oh' moment when he realized their flour war pelted Asuna (who'd run in to half-stop them), she blinking several times - luckily none got in her eyes. Then she grinned herself: "Alright, you wanna play that way? Then have this!"

Yui cried out in surprise, having been splattered again. "I didn't even hit you, mommy!" she called out.

"No, but you started this" Asuna said, very playful, even as he laughed (both at the situation, and the flour leaving streaks in her hair).

"She's got you there" he added, before he promptly splattered both girls with flour again, to their little cries (squeal in Yui's case). Then they both looked at each other, then took up more flour with 'evil' grins-

"Oh boy- GAH! Ahahaha!"

/

Little by little, Yui moved the hand-sized vacuum cleaner, cleaning away the flour that was everywhere.

"Hehehe" the little girl had said afterward. "That was so much fun!"

She remembered Kazuto just chuckling, while she smiled. "You know that you're gonna have to clean this up though, right Yui?" she'd asked, soft, yet firm enough to show she meant it.

Yui nodded, still smiling. "I know, mommy" she said softly. "But it was worth it."

Yui had been worried though, about how long it would take her to sweep it up (but she was probably thinking about ALO, which might have done something similar). However, once she'd introduced Yui to the (small) vacuum cleaner, their daughter had been very curious - the way it sucked everything up so easily had her curious, even as she'd covered her ears. So even now, they'd cleaned up the residue on her clothes (the sucking action gave her very weird sensations), then she'd cleaned what she could off theirs, now working on the kitchen itself. She glanced back at Yui, who was working determinedly, but with a furrow of her brow.

"Yui must not like those kind of noises" she thought after a moment. "Or maybe it's just the volume."

When Yui encountered the louder rock musics, or any kind of music that was inherently loud, that might turn her off to them... hmm. And except in emergencies, she might object to riding with Kazuto on his motorcycle, even with the muffler. But whether they were true or not, these would develop into quirks of Yui's personality. Quirks that she only could have realized growing up this world, and all three of them would be here for them. It made her mouth curve a little-

"I think you might be corrupting her" she said, playful, even as she turned to walk away (so they could talk). "Not only is that something I'd expect you to do, that furrowed brow is exactly like yours."

Kazuto raised an eyebrow, smirking for a bit... then to her surprise, took her hand, walking together in silence for a bit, until they came upstairs (where Yui's vacuuming was a dull background noise). "And yet, Yui takes after you mostly" he said gently, sitting down on the bed. "When she's happy, her eyes sparkle the same way yours do, and her smile's the same."

That made her blush, and touched, she sat down beside him. "What's wrong with that?" she asked, still a little teasing.

"I didn't say it was wrong" he breathed, fingers lightly toying with hers.

His sincerity further made her smile, then she kissed his cheek. "She's not exactly like us though, Kazuto" she whispered, staying really close to him (he didn't mind). "She's her own person, as she's always said."

"Of course" he whispered back, kissing her on the lips (even better). "I wouldn't have it any other way, Asuna. Yui may look up to me, as the teasing and awesome parent-."

"Hey, I'm an awesome parent too!" she half-whined, even if playfully.

He chuckled. "I know" he whispered, very inviting. "Yui knows too-"

He barely finished those words, as she kissed him again, hard - so hard in fact, they were 'thrashing' about on the bed, and minutes must have passed. The only thing that stopped them was when they rolled off the bed by accident - "Ahhh!" Breathing heavily, really surprised, she felt her back on the carpet, Kazuto laying on top of her, and her lips tingling. They just looked at each other, a little stunned, before she slowly breathed out sheepishly- he slowly joined in, then he offered his hand, still on top of her. She took it, and then they worked to get up-

-they still had to go back downstairs after all: Yui must be close to done, and she had to keep an eye on the cookies after all.

But it didn't stop them from lingering together, feeling warm.

Hours later

"Mmh!" Yui cheered, giggling, having bitten the head off her cookie reindeer. "It's so good, just like I'd expect!"

"You could say that again" Kazuto agreed, nibbling his; Asuna just gave them both soft looks.

"But of course, we're not eating all of them today" she added, faintly playful, arms crossed (in the friendly way). "After all, too much dessert can ruin your appetite - plus I planned on these cookies lasting us into mid-January, at least."

Their daughter giggled a little. "For that, we'd only need to eat one or two a day, and three would be pushing it" she said softly, tilting her head. "Isn't that right, mommy?"

"Mmh-hmm."

"If we do something bad though, then you take away cookie privileges" he said, smirking.

Asuna gave him this dual look, one in reaction to his joke, and two that she might briefly enjoy seeing his suffering, if she were forced to pull that stunt (and yes, he would actually 'suffer', despite his own joke). At the same time, Yui smiled a bit at the idea, giggling, "Well, I won't do anything playful bad, and take that away" Yui breathed gently, continuing to eat her cookie.

"Well, if you did do something playful bad, I'd merely threaten it; not actually do it" Asuna breathed gently, stroking Yui's hair. "Actual bad, and I'd definitely take it away."

Yui blushed a little at the hair-stroking, but blinked, apparently thinking what on Earth could get her to do 'actual' bad.

"Yeah, that's a foreign concept to Yui" Kazuto thought, but glad for it internally. "She's seen many bad things, but she's remained pure of heart.

"Not that I think you would" Asuna continued to Yui, smiling. "It's just how things would be. Your dad though-"

"Hey, don't exaggerate."

Both girls giggled, leaving him to grumble for a moment, eyes closed - he teased, sure, maybe did a few small things that crossed normal lines, but that was as far as he went. However, just as he opened his eyes, he thought he saw a brief flicker at the edge of his vision. Carefully, he looked in that direction... something was moving...

"Hehehe, daddy wouldn't do anything bad either" Yui said sincerely. "Unless he had a good reason, and no other choice."

Asuna nodded slowly, but she continued smiling. "Yeah, that's who he is-"

SMACK!

Startled, both girls looked at him - carefully, he opened his hands, before smirking a little; got the little sucker.

"Ah! Daddy, you're bleeding!"

"Not really" he said mildly, moving to the sink, washing the blood + carcass away; apparently that thing hadn't yet returned to it's babies. "I just killed the mosquito that got you earlier today."

Behind him, Yui jolted, looking at her arm's mosquito bite. "Well, I'm glad you're okay daddy, but the blood I lost" she breathed, worried. "Do I get it back?"

Asuna put her hand on Yui's shoulder. "The body constantly makes new cells" she assured. "Blood, muscles, you name it - you'll get it back on your own, don't worry."

Yui was intensely relieved-

"And now that we've had ourselves a little late dessert" he said gently, done with washing. "All that's left is the gift."

"From both of us" his wife added, but teasing. "It's a small family event this year, after all."

Chuckling a little, he nodded, while Yui looked between them with excitement.

...

A little later, again

"Okay, here we go" he said gently, holding their present back his back-

Yui sat there, happy even as she toyed with her necklace; their gift at her birthday - beside her, Asuna was just as soft.

-he sat down, before offering it.

Yui took it eagerly, and began tearing with only some hesitation, quickly unveiling a big box. She was slightly confused, until she saw it was easy to open, before doing so- then she was surprised.

Slowly, he rubbed his head. "I feel like this should be a lame gift" he admitted, sheepish. "But, I brought up to Asuna how you were always at home, going through picture books... and that eventually, those wouldn't be enough."

"Hey, it was a good observation" his wife said gently, taking his hand. "An important one too."

Their gift in question was a large number of books, each the start of separate series: one involved a boy with glasses riding a broomstick; another with a golden compass on the front; yet another with a boy standing in the ocean, holding a sword and a horn, facing the city of New York City with lightning in the sky; and more than a few other titles.

"They're stories?" Yui breathed, her tone full of wonder.

"Yeah" Asuna whispered gently. "Games like ALO aren't the only way to tell a story, Yui - people have been writing them for centuries now, opening doors to whole other worlds of possibilities. Things that make you react any way you could imagine, and reading is a great way to develop your imagination."

"Oh, I hardly know where to start!" Yui squealed. "Are they just single books, or they do continue in others?"

"Well, some are single book length" he admitted, chuckling. "Every book in that box though continues the story they start, with some even having sequel series - however, each book has an ending, so if you don't like it you don't have to continue the rest of the series."

"Ahh! That's so cool!" Yui continued, still excited, before a thought struck. "Wait, if I finish one, will I have to wait for the others?"

"Well, not exactly any unreasonable waiting" Asuna said gently. "If you like a book enough that you really want to read more about the world, we can do what we can, when money permits of course."

"And the quality of your chores" he added, teasing; Asuna elbowed him 'slightly'. "Ow."

"I said we weren't gonna have her do those just yet; it's still only been a month."

"I know, but she deserved a head-ups-"

After a moment, Yui just giggled. "Well, it seems that's how the real world works, just like VRMMO's" she said softly. "You work, you get rewarded, and then you're free to do what you want, within reason of course. Still, a little waiting and work will do me good, and get me into the habit; I wouldn't want to become 'spoiled'."

"Impossible" he said mildly, ruffling Yui's hair, much to her squeaking indignation; but soon it turned to laughter, on all sides.

After Yui had smoothed her hair though, she just softened, pulling the box close to her. "Thank you mommy, daddy" she breathed, entirely soft and gentle.

Asuna gave the little girl a hug, who returned it easily - for his part, he smiled warmly, before he joined in himself.

A little dose of reality, a family tradition + playfight, and a present that should be lame (but is one way to foster imagination hehe) - just about business as usual for this family :P