Christmas Special - A Knight's Christmas...
December 25th, 2022 - Floor 1, Town of Beginnings
''YAAAAWWWWWNNNN!... oww-rghhh'' - Last night had been... well, he was still working that out. Rain had kissed him, and that had thrown him into a spin, whilst he was still trying to work out his own feelings for his partner, and her feelings towards him. For all his faults, he had noticed some hints that Rain liked him... he was oblivious, not completely thick, thank you very much. But having that made completely obvious caused more problems than it solved. To summarise the infinite number of thoughts currently twazzing through Jet's mind, like boy racers and housing estates at 2am, Rain was nice, she was really nice, and kind, and he meant that, and he did think she was attractive... just that he wouldn't date her. Could he tell you why? No, but then again, he couldn't really answer that question in his own head either... which made it all the more of a problem that, at some point in the near future, he'd have to tell Rain that, and give her a reason, reassuring her that he still liked her as a friend, but nothing more. ''I feel like an absolute arsehole now...''
Then you had the other elephant in the room; his partner. That was a comparison he regretted making, even mentally... Last night had given him a chance to talk it over with people who'd been in the same situation before, and surprisingly, Strea was a decent person to do that with. Even at her most immature, she had been through all of this before, and so had the others... even if Klein's advice was probably a bit too risqué. He was pretty sure the Harassment Code would've sent him to Blackiron instantly if he did that...
Regardless of all of that, it was a new day, and for the first time in a few years, Christmas Day didn't feel awful. Well, once he drew a line under everything he'd discovered last night anyway. Just a nice, peaceful day, with people he cared for... that was the one feeling he did understand about Koharu. He cared for her, and that would never change, even once they escaped all of this! Getting out of bed, he looked out of the window, and to his surprise, snow was blanketing the Town of Beginnings. It made for an amazing scene, literally something you'd expect to see on a Christmas card, even down to the Robins on the fountain... It was stuff like this that made Jet actually accept that this world wasn't all bad after all...
Changing into something more suited for winter than his usual gear, or the bartender's get up he was still in, Jet went over to his partner's room, as he usually did, before the duo would head over to the restaurant for breakfast, and then over to the Teleport Gate, and up to the front lines on Floor 4. The usual, even if the weather was a bit more arctic than normal. Still, he had no doubt about his partner's mood today - so cheerful and sweet that you'd need a trip to the dentist afterwards, to deal with the inevitable cavities that would ensue. In fact, he'd been so sure of that fact that he'd bet a tenner on it. Unfortunately, he'd also made that bet with himself, so it held precisely no value whatsoever.
He was, in fact, spot on about the cheerful and sweet bit. What he hadn't expected however, was for his partner to open the door dressed in a Santa costume that left exactly the right amount to his imagination... which had now gone into overdrive. Unlike the connection between his brain and his mouth, which seemed to be running about as well as a Wi-Fi box in a blizzard... in Antarctica. What he thought, finally unraveling his feelings, was ''Holy crap, I'm in love with you, and want to spend the rest of my days with you.''... what came out however, was what could only be described as a stream of syllables. Individually, they'd make sense... combined, however - not so much. - ''Kuh... haa...''
''Not often I see you speechless!'' - Koharu grabbed her partner and pulled him into her room, before taking out a Record Crystal - ''Smile!'' - She leaned into him, pulling him into a hug, to fit into the fairly narrow frame of the crystal, whilst the still non-functional Jet stared slack jawed, at the crystal.
A few minutes had passed by, and Jet had at least regained some of his motor functions, including his ability to speak, a blessing or a curse, depending on who you asked...
''This is payback for all the teasing, isn't it?'' - Jet looked at the crystal, and the picture it generated. Koharu was as beautiful as ever, possibly more so given her outfit, the red suiting her perfectly, whilst Jet was... apparently missing the top of his head. Being tall was more trouble than it was worth sometimes, he thought.
''I'd be lying if I said it wasn't brilliant for that too, but no. I got this as a reward, and well... I thought it looked cute on me! What do you think?'' - His partner did a little twirl to show off. Jet, the teenager he was, really couldn't say what he was thinking. Not without triggering the harassment code, anyway. - ''Very cute... hang on, what quest gave you that!?''
''Oh, you know that quest I did yesterday? That delivery quest?'' - She winked towards him, as he remembered exactly what she referred to.
''Ohh, the one to deliver presents to the orphanage, that one?'' - Jet quietly ignored that that wasn't actually a quest, and was in fact a request by Rain, for him to do it, but due to being... ahem, requisitioned, by Strea, was taken on by Koharu instead.
''Yep, this was the reward! I think it changed for the person who uses it, and well, this is what it did for me!'' - Jet made sure to keep his eyes above the horizon, as his partner was now posing for him. He secretly wondered if Koharu had ever thought of modelling... although, he kept that particular thought to himself, in a place full of other thoughts that were likely to get him impaled with a blade if they were ever spoken.
''You know I'd have helped you if I could...'' - Dressing up as a fat bloke in a red suit again honestly sounded more fun than last night had been.
''Thought you were busy with Strea?''
''Define busy.'' - Jet had spent the entire night sat there, listening to everyone else, barely saying a word himself. His sister's nature as a social butterfly had made her very popular back home... whilst he spent the vast majority of his time people watching. Watching as the world went by, so to speak. - ''It was basically all of them trying various drinks, seeing if any of them were alcoholic.''
''All of them? And were they?''
''Agil's guild, and all of Furinkazen, and well, they came back as sober as I am, so...'' - Needless to say, the adults experiment had proven a bit of a failure. They'd not found any alcohol, but they had discovered that Jet had an innate knack at bartending. Maybe a career in catering would await him when he got home... that thought made him shudder. - ''ET! Jet!'' - his partner's voice shook him out of the nightmare that was working in a pub in Bristol. - ''Just out of curiosity, what's with the coat?''
''It's snowing outside, so I figured wrapping up warm was a good idea. You know, levelling in what is practically a hoodie and thin coat didn't sound like a particularly great idea.''
''Levelling? It's Christmas Day! You don't want a day off?!'' - Koharu asked in surprise.
''Well, it's not so much that as- Wait?! We get a day off!?'' - Jet asked in a slightly greater surprise.
''If even Kirito is taking a day off...''
''Lemme guess... does the reason begin with an A, and end with the same letter? Because if it does, I'm fairly certain that wasn't voluntary on his part...''
''Says you!''
''So... what do you want to do first?''
''I have your present here, by the way... sorry it isn't wrapped.'' - Jet handed her a bracelet. A small golden chain, with very little in the way of detailing on it, but still quite pretty in it's own right.
''No, it's fine... it's really pretty. Not my usual style, but...''
''I know. I figured that, one day, you'll overtake me by far, and so, for when that day comes, you'll have this, to look back and remember all the good times we had...''
''No, I won't...''
''Won't what?''
''I won't move on from you, I... I want to stay with you. Even when we clear this world, we'll still be us, right?''
''Yeah, yeah we will.''
''What's this actually made of, anyway?''
''Oh, my old shield.''
''The one that Wythege practically destroyed?''
''Yup, turns out there was enough left to make that.''
''It's beautiful, thank you! I got you something as well...'' - Koharu pulled a jacket from her inventory, and handed it to Jet, who equipped it. A slightly more blue coat, with two armoured shoulder pads, and two small chains for decoration, replaced Jet's thick winter coat, and Jet began grinning. Needless to say, Koharu got the impression he liked it...
Since moving to Japan in late 2021, Jet had only experienced a single Christmas in Japan, and he admitted that it didn't really feel any different to the ones back home. Maybe that was because he was still spending time with the same people as he did at home, maybe that was just him not liking Christmas, and filtering out details that were relevant. In spite of this, one of the first things he started doing in his downtime was levelling up his Cooking skill, mainly to make meals that he recognised, rather than the... umm, whatever it was that SAO itself generated. He'd managed to replicate some things fairly well - beef burgers, steaks and mincemeat from the cow monsters on Floor 2, and somehow, he'd come up with something that looked, and tasted relatively close to spaghetti. Christmas dinner though, was a very different beast - turkey, for one. He'd not really come up with any way to replicate turkey... so beef it was.
Jet thought back to the times as a child when he'd been watching Gabby help their mom and dad with preparing the dinner, on the rare occasion that his dad was actually home for Christmas. It happened about as often as a white Christmas did in his earlier years, but by his teenage years, it had become the norm. That hadn't stopped it from being just as hectic, but it had made Christmas even more awkward for the family, given their parents propensity for reading each other the riot act...
''That looks good! Like, really good, too good!'' - Again, damning with faint praise, but he'd accept it. She meant it in a nice way, after all.
''This cooking skill really is a lottery...''
''I don't know, this is gorgeous...''
''No, I mean it is literally a lottery. You don't necessarily get a good meal, even if you're the highest level of it, you get a far higher chance of doing it well. Really annoying!''
''Well, if it helps, I think you're lucky...''
''Nah, I'm not. Only good luck I've had is finding you, everything else is just, eh.''
''Can I ask you something?''
''Sure, what's up?''
''What were your Christmases like? I mean, I've seen stuff mentioned, but never heard it first hand...''
''Hmm, honestly? A bit boring, we'd wake up early, mom would do us all breakfast, and we'd go to open presents. That usually took till lunch time, so we had sandwiches to tide us over, then mom and Gabby would usually do the turkey for dinner, with us all playing games until then, and we'd all sit and watch whatever specials were on that year. Honestly, nothing too out of the ordinary, really...''
''Sounds nice...''
''Ehh, Monopoly was completely off-limits, after the, umm, Pall Mall debacle.''
''Huh?''
''Let's just say my sisters get very competitive, and getting to A&E on Christmas Day was a challenge when you can't drive...''
''Do I want to know what actually happened?''
''No, no you do not...'' - Jet shuddered, recalling where some of the pieces had nearly ended up... and how much velocity that a small metal car can take on when lobbed by someone.
As it turned out, Sword Art Online did not have any board games in it. Which was annoying, but probably for the best, as Jet wondered precisely how long the Guild War would last if Monopoly was introduced into the mix... ''It's strange. I actually really enjoyed today, and not just because I had a gorgeous girl in a slightly revealing Santa costume hanging off me for half of the day!'' - Jet watched as his partner glared at him, eyes narrowed. - ''Just the two of us, actually getting to act our age... it was fun. Nice to see a side of you I don't get to see too often. I always see Koharu, my partner on the front lines... I don't get to just see Koharu, the teenager most of the time.'' - Jet had quickly scrubbed the image that had just popped into his mind. The image in question being that of a side he did wish to see, but definitely not one he'd admit to her! 'Damn hormones, take a day off already!' - he thought to himself.
''I got to see you speechless, so I'd say it was worth it. But... yeah, it was nice, no expectations for a day.''
Before Jet left, his partner reached out, and grabbed his arm - ''Hey, Jet?''
''Yep?''
''You know you said the only thing you wanted for Christmas was me? Did you mean it, or...?''
''I did, yeah.'' - Koharu was smiling from ear to ear, although she was also blushing.
''I'm glad we got to spend it together, I- I kinda miss home. But it was nice to spend it feeling... I dunno, wanted?''
''Koharu, as long as I'm here, you'll always be wanted!'' - ''More than you realise...'' - ''You have express permission to kick my sorry arse if I ever make you feel unwanted.''
''I'll hold you to that, you know, mister!''
''I don't doubt it.'' - Jet laughed - ''Hey, Ko? Can I ask you something?'' - Well, this was now or never. He steeled himself, trying to ignore his mind racing through every possible option that could occur after he asked her...
''Sure!''
Jet hesitated, trying to think how to phrase the next question and statement - ''Do-Maybe later on? Perhaps, uhhh- maybe you'd like to-uhhh...'' - Apparently the connection between mouth and brain still hadn't quite rebooted.
''Umm? Jet?'' - Koharu had a hunch she knew what he was trying to say, and maybe, just maybe, her partner had finally gotten the hint!
''Oh for the love of- why the hell is this so difficult?! I like you, and after all of this, do you want to go on a date!?'' - Jet spat out as fast he could, lest his brain attempt to stonewall him- again.
''Yes, can I say something too?''
''Please do, lest I tear my hair out again.'' - Jet tried not to laugh like a lunatic, at his partner's answer...
''Thank you for asking first... I might actually have been waiting for you to take the first steps, because... well, I may also have been a little scared that it wasn't mutual, and that I'd ruin anything that we'd have between us. Well, until last night, when I was going to... (mumbling)'' - Koharu went slightly quieter towards the end, and Jet struggled to understand what she'd just said...
''Koharu?'' - Jet looked up at the door frame randomly, and - ''Huh, when was that mistletoe there?''
''Oh hell with it!'' - Now, a little bit of a note. Koharu was only 5ft 2, meaning she was nearly a complete foot shorter than her partner... which made the current scene quite entertaining to see, as she yanked her partner's face down towards her, and their lips connected. Jet's eyes went wide, comprehending what was going on, and decided to lean into it. The one thing he could tell - Koharu had prepared for this. Either that, or her lips tasted of cherries perpetually. Moments passed, and the two eventually separated, as Jet went back to his full height, without his partner holding his collar.
''Huh.'' - Jet's brain still hadn't fully rebooted.
''I-uhh, if that was- oh god, I shouldn't have done that!''
''Koharu...'' - Jet leant down again, and kissed his partner again, hoping it would calm her down. It may have, or it may have just caught her off guard... either way, she fell quiet. ''I've... look, I've had feelings for you for a while now. Since, I really can't pinpoint it. But, you didn't do anything wrong there, because well... we both know how we feel, right?''
''You aren't as oblivious as you look then!''
''I really am. Just, I've been thinking a lot about it all day. I kind of had time to prepare a big speech.''
''Really? I guess we both had the same idea then...''
''Wasn't my first plan... actually, wasn't my plan at all till last night, but yeah. Great minds think alike, hey?''
''So, umm... what do we do now?''
''I haven't the faintest clue.'' - Both of them began quietly laughing at their own inexperience.
''Umm, we could... you know... sleep together.'' - The cogs in Jet's head disintegrated, and his faculties ground to a halt. Surely she meant something else, right? ''I mean, we've done it before, so it's not like we've not stayed in the same room, and well...'' - Luckily, Jet had just caught the wrong end of the stick, and was now blushing himself...
''Not sure why I expected your room to be any different...''
''What were you expecting?''
''I kinda thought you'd have... actually, no. Sorry, ignore me. My head's still all over the place.''
''You know you don't have to stay here if you don't feel comfortable, right?''
''After everything that's happened today... I guess I just want someone with me. I've spent years feeling like a burden on Christmas, and now...''
''You're not a burden, definitely not to me anyways. You're my partner, my best friend, and as of now, my...umm..''
''We have to work out what we actually are, don't we?''
''Yeah... that is a conversation I could do with having when I'm not tired - so, next year, perhaps?''
''Tomorrow. As of now though...'' - If Jet had the faculties left to protest, the sight of his partner in her underwear had rendered them completely absent, as she changed into her nightwear. Jet was really glad that the NerveGear didn't monitor his heart rate, else he'd probably have a heart attack just seeing the numbers currently. Of everything he'd faced... the girl he was fairly certain he loved being in his bed was apparently the thing that scared him the most. That, and that his teenage mind was currently running a million miles a minute with that image...
The pair retired to the single bed, and considering Jet's somewhat larger frame, it was unsurprising that she'd be snuggled against him. Not that his chest was a particularly comfortable place for her, as she mumbled - ''Six packs aren't good pillows...''
''I have a six pack?''
''Do you... Jet, genuine question. Do you actually know what your own body looks like?''
''It's bad if I say no, isn't it?''
''Hehe, never change please, my knight in shining armour...'' - Koharu giggled into Jet's chest.
''Heh, I won't, don't you worry, my... erm... yeah, I've got nothing. Princess, maybe?'' - And for the second time today, the chimpanzees in Jet's head drew a blank. It's not like they could all have been Hamlet...
''Twice I've got you speechless today... you're slipping!''
''Yeah, I slipped alright... I fell for you.''
''Awww-YAAWWWN.'' - Koharu smiled at her... well, they'd figure that out in the morning, but for now, her pillow for the night.
''How are you cute even when yawning?'' - He mumbled, before continuing - ''I... yawwn... night, Ko.'' - Jet dropped off, ending his first Christmas in Aincrad, and hopefully, the first day of the rest of his life. His partner looked up at her sleeping hero - ''Hehe, night Jet. Sleep well.'' - It hadn't been exactly how she'd expected to spend her first night in bed with someone, but... well, she wasn't complaining.
December 26th, 2022 - Floor 1, Town of Beginnings
For the first time in a very long time, Jet woke up without needing to repeat his mantra. Unlike usually, his bed was lovely and warm, but rather than the suffocating humidity it usually gave off, it had changed to a summer breeze. He thought back to the days in reality - the days when he could barely find the energy to get out of bed, and do anything. The entire months he'd gone without shaving, because he didn't have the energy or drive to. Those days and weeks had been hell for him, knowing that he'd be judged, not least by society, where he was already an outcast, thanks to his height, and foreign appearance, but by his own mother too, who'd just assumed he was beyond bone idle. The days when video games had been an escape from all of that, just to feel... wanted, by someone, anyone. Even if it was a pitiful replacement for actually having friends, leading his squadron had been something he was immensely proud of... at least, until he fell out a window, and found himself on the news. Needless to say, his family hadn't been pleased at Gabby for that one. Those days when that mantra had been the only thing that helped him get out of bed, just belting out ELO at the top of his voice.
Perhaps some things had changed - perhaps he'd changed even. He'd gone from possibly the least confrontational person in his friend group, someone his sister had described as a complete doormat at times, to someone whose reputation had become that of a noble... if abrasive member of the frontlines, willing to spend free time helping out an orphanage. How he'd done all of that in only two months, he wasn't entirely sure himself, but if he had to wager anything... he'd say most of it had to do with his partner.
A girl who'd started a complete newbie, and become a hero in her own right, someone who always tried to do the right thing, even if it was the path that hurt her the most... someone who hadn't let the crushing weight of the world drag her down. In a way, someone who was his antithesis, and yet, she'd stayed by his side... he had to wonder if she saw something in him, that he perhaps didn't, or if she'd stayed with him out of a sense of familiarity. Still, even when she'd had her doubts, she'd always kept an upbeat attitude, and constantly surprised him. Even just learning little things about her, like her knowledge of music, or just little snippets about her life made him proud, in a strange way. It felt like watching someone grow into themselves, into the person they're supposed to become. All of that though was made her... well, her. His partner, the beautiful girl who'd never played a video game in her life... and now thrust into this whole new world, and who'd somehow kept herself upbeat... looking at it from that perspective, he could understand why he'd fell for her.
Jet looked down and smiled, as his partner, the girl he'd fell for, lay there, still holding onto him, with a smile on her face... but still asleep for now. As things would stay for another hour yet... until Jet checked his menu, and realised it was nearly lunchtime. Some traditions never change...
{Author's Comments}
This was literally the hardest chapter to write. It's current 23:50 on Christmas Eve as I write this, and I've now been writing this chapter for over two months now... I've lost count of how many times I've rewritten sections of it, but hopefully, you enjoy it!
So if you did, Follow, favourite, review, PM, etc, and Merry Christmas Everyone!
Midland 2541, signing off!