what is real anymore?

chapter six: Kirito

It was late when I got home from hanging out with Klein, he had been by far drunk - it's strange that a person could even get drunk in this game.

When I walked inside, I found Asuna curled up on the bed. The twins were wearing poorly made onesies, and were sleeping next to her.

Giving a smile, I went into the living room and laid on the couch. It had been a long night, and I was ready to get some sleep. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep quickly.

...

As I opened my eyes, I saw Asuna smiling down at me, her own orange orbs shining happily.

"Guess what? Yui and the twins fell asleep with each other again. They're curled up together in the chair over there."

I got up to see where she was looking, Yui sat in her light pink nightgown, her black hair falling softly in place. Her bangs brushed the tops of her eyes as her head gently fell forward. Kokoro was sitting at her left, curled up and using her left arm as a pillow. She was wearing a plain black long sleeved shirt and black sweat pants, her little feet didn't even reach the end of the chair. Hikaru was positioned similarly, and was wearing a white shirt with dark red sweat pants. Both of the twins' feet were bare, and it surprised me at how quickly they had grown up. It seemed just yesterday that they had been "born" and yet they were big enough to start walking any day now.

I smiled along with my wife, Asuna, and we each picked up a twin and carried them to the bedroom. Laying Kokoro onto the bed gently, careful to not wake her, I went back for Yui, who looked to be ready to fall off the chair.

Within a minute or two, all three children were curled up on the bed, sleeping soundly.

"Well, what's for breakfast?" I asked Asuna as my stomach growled.

She rolled her eyes and responded with, "Whatever you want."

I grinned and walked to the kitchen, and she followed me.

"Pancakes?"

"Only if you help."

I groaned, but didn't resist... surely my cooking skill was high enough for pancakes, right?

...

As I woke up, Asuna was hovered over me similarly to how she was in my dream, but now now she wasn't smiling - in fact, she seemed a little annoyed.

"What's wrong?"

"Where were you last night?"

"With Klein," I said yawning and sitting up.

"Doing what?"

"We went grinding and then he got drunk at one of his favorite bars. I walked him to his place and came home."

"You went grinding? I thought we agreed to take a break!"

"We did, but who broke our promise first, Asuna? We agreed to protect each other, I can't do that when you run off for half the day!"

"I was worried! I'm not strong enough to protect the twins and you yet," she admitted, sitting next to me and burying her face in her hands.

"Asuna, you're plenty strong, but how do you expect to be able to help keep us safe if you're always out trying to fight?"

"I'm not meant to be kept up in a house like this, I'm supposed to be our fighting for all of our freedom!"

"Asuna," I spat, "you have more important priorities right now! You're the mother of two, and they need their mom! If you die out there, fighting, then what?"