Kirisuna Oneshots

A Bittersweet Feeling

Takes place somewhere in the Progressive timeline, after floors 1-6.

"I'm sick of this!"

The boss room fell silent after the shout rang throughout the vast clearing. The owner of the voice was Kibaou, leader of the Aincrad Liberation Squad. Who was he talking to?

None other than solo-playing temporary partners Kirito and Asuna. Keyword temporary.

Moments ago, the two had managed to take over and get the final attack on the boss. Amidst the celebration, Kibaou turned the cheers into aggravated murmurs in a matter of seconds.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Asuna turned and took a step toward the cactus-haired man.

Kibaou uncrossed his arms and pointed a finger and the two. "That damn beater always stepping in at the last moment and stealing all our hard work, and you helping him. I'm sick of it!"

The fencer stopped in her tracks. Her partner sensed the rising anger bubbling and grasped her arm.

"Asuna, don't—"

"Excuse me?" She snapped at Kibaou, yanking her arm away and taking a few more steps closer. "What gives you the right to ridicule Kirito? He wouldn't even have to step in all the time if you idiots would just cooperate instead of clashing all the time!"

"Don't you get started! Y'er just as bad as him, hanging around with him all the time! You're practically a beater yourself, if not just a plain cheater!"

"Quit it!"

Both Kibaou and Asuna stopped abruptly to turn to the source of the shout. Kirito stood just a few feet behind his partner, his hand clenched into a fist.

"Complain about me all you want," he called coldly to the ALS leader. "But don't bring her into it. She hasn't done anything to you guys."

"To hell with that!" Kibaou retorted. "As long as she's your partner, she's just as responsible for all the crap you pull!"

"We're not partners!" They both shouted back. He nearly popped a vein at that, his face turning visibly red with anger.

"And don't get me started on that! You two go stealing every kill and then say you ain't even partners. Y'er making a mockery of all our hard work! So make up y'er mind and either stop pulling that card or just end it already!"

Kirito held his breath. The last thing he wanted was to disband his and Asuna's party. But he knew as much as he cared for her, no matter how well they worked together, he couldn't let her become his official partner.

Because The moment they became a real team, his burdens became hers. All of the weight he carried since they defeated Illfang the Kobold Lord on the first floor would be shared between them. He couldn't let that happen.

Because she was the key to defeating this death game. Whether she knew it or not, he was sure of it. One day she would stand above them all as the light in the darkness. Just like he did for her every day.

Of course, there was another, more personal reason he didn't want to end things. But that was something even he wasn't sure of himself.

Likewise, Asuna felt guilty just like him. She was well aware of how much she depended on him—just thinking back to that time in the ruins was enough to realize. He always managed to save her. And she was sure he knew it, that Kirito had given her the will to live. He made her want to fight to survive, rather than to die.

So she had to become stronger. Until she was finally able to stand on her own, and thank him for everything he did for her.

"I..." I need him. The unsaid reason she refused to let their temporary partnership end. She inhaled sharply and opened her mouth—