Back when SAO Pride Week was ongoing, I wrote a draft for the Free Day prompt that I never posted. It was kind of a queer reading of SAO? Meta Essay Thing? Anyway here’s a self-indulgent, casual analysis of why I think some of SAO’s themes can resonate with LGBT youth under the cut
Sword Art Online is... not exactly the sort of work I expect to see people who are LGBT gravitating towards. Despite that, I’ve seen people say SAO helped them come to terms or reflect their own identity, and if not that, then at least serve as a comfort show. Which is unexpected to me; SAO is, in many ways, still a shounen series aimed at a traditionally masculine audience, and as much as I love it and the characters and how many cool girls with swords there are in it, I still wouldn’t exactly call it a Super Progressive Woke piece of media
So why does the idea of Sinon being trans feel so fitting, yet vindictive to me? Why does that mere thought bring me more satisfaction than seeing even some canon trans characters do? I feel like there’s something about SAO’s narrative that feels mirroring of my own story, specifically as a LGBT person. “I like these characters so I want them to be like me” does play a part into it (I’m not that oblivious lmao), but I think there’s a little more there
SAO can be described as a story about a bunch of mentally ill, ostracized teens and young adults, some of whom suffered intense bullying, familial abuse or neglect, finding comfort in each other — a comfort that, in part, comes from being the only ones who can understand their situations. And they only get to meet those peers with similar experiences due to the internet! The show doesn’t always focus on this communal aspect, but it’s there! And I’m not trying to say, by any chance, that this is an exclusively LGBT experience, but I’d argue that is a relatable narrative for a lot of modern LGBT people, at least
Both as someone who went through similar experiences, knows other people who have, and also studies minority mental health, it’s pretty easy to see how such a narrative could speak to LGBT youth. Hell, I made the SAO confessions blog back when I thought I was a straight, cis and a guy, and I turned out to be none of those things! I guess the idea of those characters also growing into discovering themselves in similar ways and finding community, at least to me, sounds incredibly appealing, ties in to some of the show’s themes (such as isolation, transhumanism and meeting expectations [all other things I’d love to ramble about lol]) and would make more sense in explaining some of their dynamics. Listen, I’m just saying compulsive heterosexuality answers a lot about how the girls interact with Kirito if you ask me but I DIGRESS
The books even dips their toes into some more direct queer themes? Like, there’s an actual line that by itself fuels the Aroace Sinon headcanon, and while not the most positive examples of representation, Dakira from Alicization and Pitohui from Gun Gale Online are like, explicitly WLW
Of course this is an incredibly personal and biased opinion but SAO feels like a more cohesive, relatable story to me when you look at those characters while keeping in mind that, hey, maybe they’re gay and/or trans and/or poly and you just allow yourself to be like. yeah why the hell not
Pride Week Day 1 - Real World VS Virtual World (Lisbeth x Leafa)
My piece for Pride Week Day 1! It’s not the best, and there’s a million things I’d change. I totally forgot to write anything (oops...) but I’m starting on tomorrow’s prompt now so hopefully it’s better! ♥ - Lizzy
The real world and the virtual world; the two realities that they knew better than to mix. They’d hide behind avatars, mask their feelings and lock their hearts in their little golden prison cells. The feelings weren’t real if the world wasn’t - right?
So they’d hidden away in that virtual world, where the days passed by in a blur of adventuring, laughter and falling in love. Being themselves in the only world the felt free to do so. The only world where they wouldn’t worry about consequences, or scandals, judgement or rejection.
They’d spent the morning doing their mundane activities in the real world such as chores and homework from the week, but once afternoon rolled around they’d excitedly rushed to their bedrooms and logged into ALfheim Online.
Suguha felt the familiar feeling of switching realities before she opened her eyes in the back of Lisbeth’s blacksmith shop. She’d logged out there with the hopes of surprising Lis the next time she logged on. Of course, Lisbeth was already online, busily working on a new sword for who Leafa could only assume was her brother. Slowly, she walked up behind the pink haired girl, wrapping her arms around her lovingly.
“Miss me?” She asked sweetly, stepping back so Lisbeth could turn and see her properly. She first noted the anxious look on the smith’s face, then her slightly shaking hands. Immediately Leafa panicked, her emerald eyes filled with concern. “What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did someone hurt-”
“What are we?” Lis interrupted her. Her face fell and she looked down to the floor. The silence was laced with tension, questions, and expectations, though neither girl quite knew what those expectations may have been. Lis took a shaky breath before continuing.
“In the real world,” she clarified, “what are we? Because I have feelings for you, strong ones,” she hesitated, “and I want to know if those feelings should only exist here,”
Leafa stepped back, leaning against the wall as she thought, arms crossed with one finger tapping her chin thoughtfully. What were they? In ALfheim, they were lovers. They hadn’t felt a need to label anything, or at least Leafa didn’t. But Lis had a point, the feelings they shared in-game were started to trickle into the real world. It was getting harder to hide, and it was a stress Leafa was uncomfortable thinking of. What would her family think? What would her brother think? Would he still accept her? She couldn’t bear the thought of him pushing her away when they’d just began to get close again.
“I… don’t know,” she sighed, “I want to be with you, it’s just…” she thought for a moment, carefully considering her words, “it’s difficult. I want us to be together, I want us to be able to walk down the street holding hands like we do here, but in the real world, there’s no guarantee of that,”
Lis nodded her sadly, taking a step forward to lean against the wall next to Leafa. They both knew it, the real world was harder, more difficult. The real world had people who judged you, rejected you. Were they willing to take that risk?
They held each other, Lisbeth running her fingers through Leafa’s long blonde hair. That was something else different here. Here, they weren’t Rika and Suguha, those two girls people were slightly intimidated by, the ones that were friends with Kazuto. Here they were Lisbeth and Leafa, two incredibly powerful warriors in their own right, the ones who didn’t care about what people thought of them.
“Maybe,” Leafa began, clearing her throat, “we could start small. You know, tell one or two people and see how they react. Because I want to be able to do this in the real world, too. I want to be able to hold you like this in the real world, I want to hold your hand and scream it from the rooftops that I’m dating you-” She froze, not realising how the words slipped out of her mouth until it was too late.
“Dating?” Lisbeth asked, smirking. Leafa blushed, which only make Lisbeth more playful, “My my, Princess!” She gasped, pulling away from her, “Whatever have I done to deserve such a beauty requesting my hand?” She knelt down, kissing Leafa’s hand before looking back up at her, grinning.
“Meet me at my place at five, okay?” Leafa softly kissed the top of Lisbeth’s head before logging out. While Lisbeth had been busy being embarrassing, she’d been coming up with a plan to carry their relationship into the real world, just like her brother had done with Asuna.
A few hours later Suguha was in her room, changing into a nice dress and talking herself through everything she wanted to say. Her thoughts and nervous pacing were interrupted by a knock at the door. She took a deep breath before hurrying to answer it. As expected, Rika was standing there, just as nervous as Suguha was. Suguha pulled her into a loving hug, squeezing her tighter than probably necessary, moving her mouth to Rika’s ear.
“Ready?” She whispered. Rika nodded her head and pulled away, linking arms with Sugu as they walked inside. Suguha could hear her heart beating loudly, and the few steps from the front door to where her brother was lying on the couch felt like the longest walk of her life.
Finally, the pair reached the couch, and Kazuto looked up from his phone to smile at them. He opened his mouth to greet Rika when he noticed their hands. At some point during their short walk, Rika had moved her arm and instead tightly held Suguha’s hand, their fingers intertwined in a way that was more than Kazuto thought normal.
“We have an announcement…” Suguha trailed off nervously, looking her brother in the eye. He sat his phone on the coffee table, sitting upright.
“Proceed,” he said suspiciously. The girls locked eyes for a moment and Suguha squeezed Rika’s hand protectively.
“Rika and I,” she looked up at Kazuto again, voice shaking, “are dating. It’s been happening for a while, I started spending more time with her in ALO and then the feelings kinda… didn’t go away…”
The room was silent for a few moments until it was eventually broken by Kazuto’s laughter.
“You think we didn’t know?” He asked, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye,” You’ve been staring at each other constantly, holding hands, and, and, and-” he stood up and placed his hands on his sister’s shoulders, “- I’ve been through this before, remember?”
Suguha let go of Rika’s hand, instead, wrapping her arms around her brother. Kazuto hugged her back, resting his chin on her head while she held him tightly.
“And Rika?” He eyed the girl suspiciously, “if you break her heart I break every sword in your shop,”
-----
Hi! Lizzy here! This is… yeah. I completely forgot to write anything, so this is all I have for today. It’s not great, but it’s something at least. Slightly inspired by my own coming-out story with my own brother. Anyway, if you made it this far - hi! I appreciate it! Go check out what others did for this prompt because I’m sure they’re all a lot better than my rushed little piece. Love you! ♥
I did some kinda amateur arts to go with my one-shots for this week!! (I am new to digital art this was literally my first try at it, this very piece x_x) This goes with my Day 1 one-shot, The Bridge Between Realities
Title: First Shot
Pairing: Sinon/Asuna\Kirito
Fandom: Sword Art Online
Word Count: 1,123
Summary: Sinon wonders why Asuna chose that place as a first date.
Notes: Made for SAO Pride Week 2019 - Day 3: First ___. I went with First Date. I knew I wanted to do at least one poly piece for this week, and Kirisunanon seemed the most fun. Thanks to @thegayfromrulid for beta reading.
AO3 Link
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I must have something for dark and broody, Asuna thinks, watching as her dates bicker. Dates. She’s besides herself at how she’s been given the privilege of plural.
Asuna doesn’t mind holding hands with the both of them, even as a part of Sinon still says don’t let her touch you, you’re a murderer. Asuna’s hands, however, warm and pristine, don’t seem to mind handling the weight of ichor the other two’s hands carry, as she interlinks her fingers with theirs and sways them gently, proudly and guiltlessly.
Yet, again, she can’t help noticing while projecting their real world figures in her mind, that she clearly has somewhat of a type – their heads of hair charcoal and jet-black, eyes obsidian and onyx, and perhaps a bit tired, even if one bespectacled and the other not.
… Would Kirito look good in glasses?
Given a few swings of swaying, Sinon unlinks their fingers. Asuna checks and knows she is fine from the upkeep of Sinon’s smile, genuine and warm (well, by Sinon Standards).
Asuna always found Kirito’s affection had somewhat of a feline nature – an intense attachment covered in occasional aloof distance, and then she started dating Sinon as well. If Kirito was a domestic cat, close at a safe distance, then Sinon was a stray going through rehabilitation, slow to approach and quick to dart away, but with a clear want for warmth.
She saw no problem in providing it, as needed.
“Asuna, can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, Sinonon?”
“Why did you pick… here, for a first date?”
**
“I like you, is what I’m saying. I have feelings for you."
Asuna confesses, voice soft, and Sinon’s everything is sent into disarray.
“You’re dating, uh, you’re dating Kazuto, right? Did you guys break up or–“
“No, no, not by any chance!” Asuna corrects her, hands flailing in front of her.
“I understand this might come as a bit sudden, Sinonon, but I’ve just… the time I've got to spend with you in the past few months was really special, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t develop feelings for you. I consider you a dear friend, so I figured being honest with my feelings would be the best choice here…”
“But Kirito–“
“Knows about it, don’t worry. He is okay with it. If you are.”
The world goes sideways, both in her vision and in her mind.
Shino Asada is, by no means, a romantic at heart. The idea of romance still puzzles her in ways she can’t quite describe, and she can’t remember crushing of any sort as a part of her childhood– breaking boys’ noses during elementary school notwithstanding. She figured it was just one of the many things girls like her, cursed and defective, didn’t have the capriciousness of considering.
She’s not sure about that, however, hearing Asuna’s words. The same girl who accepted her with open arms despite knowing of her past, who gave her the silly nickname of Sinonon, who invited her to come over for a sleepover–
Who is looking at her right now, eyes pleading and eyelashes fanning, rivers of chestnut hair falling symmetrically from her shoulders, her expression so genuine and honest…?
Perhaps that seemed like such an impossible dream she didn’t dare to dream it, because the quickening of her heartbeat and the flushing of her cheeks seem to be telling her something. Maybe, if Kirito doesn’t mind, and Asuna is so willing, then...
“… Please let me think this over.”
**
Shino stares up at her hands as she reaches towards the ceiling of her apartment, sinking softly in her mattress. These hands, once covered with the blood of someone’s expired life, are something she decided without thinking that no one should touch, as to not soil someone she holds dear. That’s never been a problem before, as she never held anyone dear, nor was held dear by anyone since the incident at the postal office.
She’s a product of a dead father, an absent mother, and distant relatives, none of whom left her with the social graces to reach out to new people.
And yet, Asuna offers affection. To her.
A killer.
Her outstretched hands dye red in her vision, splattered maroon caking pale fingers. She shuts her eyes tight and blinks roughly, repeating the motion until the scarlet clears when she opens them again.
Her breath is ragged, but she’s grateful. These tricks played by her mind would generally drag on much longer, before BoB, before meeting Kirito, and Asuna, and everyone else.
Before, when she was alone.
She’s not sure if she is worthy, or if there even is such a thing as being worthy of being by someone’s side, but she can’t bring herself to care. More precisely, she urges herself not to. She figured all this time that running from others was her being strong, when it was nothing but a result of a masked fragility.
Asuna, her best friend, beautiful and resplendent, wants to be with her, and she won’t be running away again.
**
Ever so perceptive for a teasing opportunity, Asuna feigns ignorance.
“What ever could you mean, Sinonon?”
She sets a finger to her cheek, head cocking slightly.
“… She means why you wanted a date in GGO, right?”
Kirito, either out of pity or ignorance, fills in for Sinon. She’s not sure on how to feel about this, considering their pseudo-rivalry.
“I mean, you even invited me, too. Isn’t this the sort of thing you’d do just the two of you at first?”
Asuna bumps shoulders against him, her expression a mix of amused and indignant.
“I’m surprised you of all people would stop me. But fine.”
Asuna walks ahead of them towards the entrance to the shooting range, her standard issue avatar clothing betraying her status as a new convert account.
“I felt a bit left out, being the only one out of the three of us to never have experienced this game. So,” she excitedly splays her arms to the sign, “I want you two to teach me how to shoot!”
Sinon and Kirito exchange a look.
“This really doesn’t seem like a two-person job,” Kirito points out.
Sinon points at him, smirking as she averts her gaze.
“And he can barely aim. Trust me, I’ve been on the receiving end of it.”
“What?!”
And just like that, the two start their bickering, all playful jabs and shallow cuts. There's a lot of love there too, Asuna is sure of it, judging from the way they have to keep their laughter contained as they disparage one another. Asuna watches them intently, so, so enamored, and unlike them she doesn't suppress her giggling.
And to her, this is perfect, because they’re perfect.
Virtual world vs Real world
Fanfiction under the cut! ^_^
Kazuto closed the door behind him and sat on his bed. His room, an androgynous grey to his design, surrounded him with comfort. He didn’t even need to look when he reached for the amusphere, which had been sitting in it’s familiar spot on his bedside table like always. Setting it on his head and closing the visor over his eyes, he closed them and welcomed the split second of darkness before he could say “Link Start!”
Whenever Kazuto closed his eyes, he couldn’t help but remember the hours that came before. Usually the most interesting thing that happened at school came to mind. Other days’ topics were things like dinner. Today was different.
He could feel himself wince as he reminisced on the most spotlight-worthy interaction of today.
“You look like a boy,”
Mixed reactions filled his head. What would’ve been considered an insult on regular terms made him filled with joy. But what followed...
“Yeah that’s actually really weird. Why do you do that?”
He remembered the feeling of being at loss for words. He remembered being alone like always and praying that a stranger would come and interrupt the situation. It’s not that they were intentionally singling out. Or maybe they were. It was just an incredibly difficult question. Why?
Why is it such a difficult thing to do. To dress and act the way I truly am? I’d say it’s far more stranger to put on that stupid mask every day and act like I’m happy. Truthfully I can’t stand it. I don’t know how you guys can. For as long as I can remember, it’s made me feel awful. I’ve finally made the choice to act for myself. Is that so bad?
Kazuto sighed as he regretted not saying those words in that moment. If only he could’ve frozen time in that moment to give himself enough time to think about something cool like that to say.
Realizing almost 5 minutes had passed of him sitting in complete darkness making faces to himself, he said the command to boot up the amusphere.
“Link start!”
Kazuto loved the virtual world. He had since he was a kid. His virtual name, “Kirito” was the first masculine name he chose for himself, and it felt so strange, but so good. When he first put it in the system, it felt so different compared to his given name. Every time he put his given name on anything, it felt like there was a sickness ready to make his brain collapse in on itself.
This is normal, he grew up thinking.
But why does he have to settle for what he’s handed? What’s the matter about taking matters into your own hands and fixing what’s broken? Is it so “weird” to find happiness for yourself?
“Kirito...?”
He looked up to see his only friends looking at him. Their vibrantly colored elven avatars crowded the living room of his virtual home.
“What’s the matter? You look upset.” Silica said to him.
“Oh, sorry. Don’t worry about it, some girls just got on my nerves today. No big deal.”
“Wow look at you, chick magnet!” Lisbeth smirked. “You must be so popular to have enough girls on you to get annoyed about it!!
“I-”
“Bad news for them! You got the best girlfriend in the world sitting right here!” she exclaimed, pointing at Asuna, sitting on the couch just a few inches away from Kazuto. She had somewhat of a worried look on her face, staring straight at him.
“Girl, you gotta be tougher on him.”
“No she doesn’t!” Kazuto managed to inerject, remembering their time in early Aincrad. Asuna may seem like too much of a sweetheart for her own good on the surface, but when it comes down to it she can, will, and has kicked Kazuto’s ass.
“You know what Kirito, I don’t blame them. You really are a cutie.” Asuna said.
“Get a room.” Sinon joked.
“Eeh...”
“I’m serious Kirito!” Asuna began to get upset. Half joking with a side of concern.
“Yeah, listen to your girlfriend, Kirito. You’re a hansome boy!” Lisbeth added. “Everyone knows this!”
“That’s not funny. I’d never compliment Kirito. It’s against my moral code. I’d compliment anyone but Kirito” Sinon joked again. Kazuto let out a quiet chuckle at her teasing.
“I don’t blame you. He looks like a boy who’s just discovered punk music and is dipping his toes in the water. Like, he’s not dedicated enough to the genre, but he wears black in appreciation.” Lisbeth began the tease session.
“That was weak. He looks like he washes his clothes in nothing but coal because he spilled the detergent and is too nervous to go out and buy a new bottle.” Sinon followed up.
“Oh, oh!” Silica chimed in, “Kirito looks like a wannabe manga protagonist!”
“Please. He IS a wannabe manga protagonist”
The room erupted in laughter, but nobody was wheezing nearly as hard as Kazuto. He was nearly tearing up.
“Stop it you guys!”
He was grinning ear to ear, and his face red from laughing. As his laughing fit calmed slightly down, Asuna leaned over and looked him straight in the face. She had that terrifying, dead serious, determined look on her face that she made all the time in Aincrad.
“If people are giving you trouble, you tell them that your incredibly powerful girlfriend is on her way to get them with her intense gaming skills.”
The room interrupted in laughter yet again.
“I love you guys.” Kirito said when the laughter died down. “I’ve never met any of you in real life, but I want this to be my world so bad. Is that weird of me?”
“We spent two years in Aincrad. Those were undoubtly the best years of my life, because I could spend them with you guys. If i could be completely honest, I want more than anything to drop my real life and live in this world forever.”
Silica, Sinon, Lisbeth, and especially Asuna were listening attentively.
With this confession, Asuna knew just the slightest bit more about Kirito’s life in the real world. That it wasn’t as fortunate as hers. Although it made her feel slightly bad, she became determined to help and support Kirito even more.
“Kirito,”
“Hm?”
“Let’s meet up in real life.”
Sinon, Lisbeth, and Silica lit up in unison. The three were now excited to hear more about this plan.
“We can save up money and the whole gang can vacation to some place fun together!” Asuna said.
“Maybe a weekend in the summer somewhere? We could go some place like Osaka!” Silica added.
“Oh my gosh, yes! And maybe-” Lisbeth was suddenly interrupted by a saddened Kirito.
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can...”
Kazuto truly wanted to be able to meet his only friends in the real world. You could see it on his face. But he was being held back by something.
“If you aren’t comfortable with it it’s totally fine, we don’t have to go this summer!” Asuna reassured. “Is everything okay?”
“Don’t worry about me. It’s getting late where I live. I should go to bed.” Kazuto said depressingly.
Everyone worriedly wished him goodnight and watched his avatar dissolve out of their virtual world.
“I really do hope everything is okay,” Asuna started. “I don’t want to pressure him to open up when he isn’t comfortable with it. I just want to be able to be there for him. I wish I could just teleport to his home in the real world and tell him everything is alright. Whatever he’s going through, I don’t want him to be alone in it.”
Kazuto removed the amusphere and looked out at the dusk sky. With the rollercoaster of emotions that today was, he was exhausted. Or at least that’s what he told himself.
He let down his ponytail and hid under his covers, wishing he could just skip trying to fall asleep and teleport to the next morning. Kazuto dreaded the thoughts that would flood his mind while he would try to fall asleep.
Closing his eyes harder didn’t prevent the floodgates from opening as he hoped.
In his time in aincrad, Kazuto was himself. He was Kirito. Although the Black Swordsman identity wasn’t exactly his cup of tea, he rest assured knowing that at least everyone saw him as he truly was. Male.
Kazuto remembered the moment Kayaba switched everyone’s avatars to represent their real selves. His stomach dropped as he saw his hair flow down his shoulders. As soon as the spectacle was over, he ran into an allyway, took his beginner sword, and sliced the length clean off. In that moment, he felt the literal and metaphorical weight off his shoulders. It wasn’t the best cut, but it got the job done. The rage and anger of the unfairness of it all manifested in that one cut. If only he could do that in the real world.
That’s when Klein found him, and where he left him. Part of the reason he left was so he wouldn’t feel guilty about lying to him, and he knew that. But what was he lying about?
Had he been lying to Asuna for those two years? Building their relationship off of a lie? Kazuto tried to stop the thought train from going to the place he dreaded, but it kept on rolling.
What if I told her and she hated me?
I wouldn’t blame her.
No. He has been living the truth. It just wasn’t the truth that reality wanted him to live. But it was the truth that he was. If Asuna hated him forever, then they weren’t meant to be.
But then two years wouldn’t have been wasted. If you told her in the beginning and she hated you, you wouldnt waste two years with her.
Tears started to manifest in his eyes, one slipping away into his long, tangled hair. What an awful way to think of his girlfriend. What an awful reality. He wished for nothing but to slip back away into the virtual world in that moment, just to be able to distract himself from this torture. But he had already told his friends he was going to bed. He would be caught with another lie on his hands.
Why not bring the virtual world to here?
Something, some force, made Kazuto shoot up out of bed. He wiped his wet eyes on his blanket and stormed to the bathroom. His footsteps echoed through the empty house. His sister and only other person in the house, was gone on a kendo trip. But even if she was home, nothing could stop his forward force. Nothing could stop his mysterious determination.
No. It’s not mysterious or weird. It’s what has to be done. It’s what has had to be done for a long time.
He opened his sister’s drawer and located the scissors, and grabbed the length of his hair with reddened knuckles and a furious grasp. Just like that, years worth of agony were draped on the bathroom floor. He swing his new, light head to the left and to the right. Not an unfamiliar feeling thanks to the likes of full dive, but surely it was different. It was new and refreshing, and it felt beautiful. Kazuto looked straight back at himself in the mirror and for the first time in what’s felt like a lifetime, he smiled. And with that, uncontrollable tears came flooding down his face.
This wasn’t the same crying that he’d been doing for years. This was liberation. He swept his own hands through his new look, and grinned ear to ear through his swollen, tear-stained face, and proceeded to make his way back to his room. With the weight of what felt like the world off his shoulders, Kazuto proceeded to sink into the most comfortable rest with a genuine smile on his face.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Konno Yuuki | Yuuki/Yuuki Asuna | Asuna
Characters: Yuuki Asuna | Asuna, Konno Yuuki | Yuuki, An Si-eun | Siune, Sleeping Knights
Additional Tags: SAO Pride Week 2019, Real world, Virtual World, Recovery, Supporting Couples, AU
Summary:
A "Yuuki Lives" AU. In New Aincrad, Yuuki and the rest of the Sleeping Knights try to take down the boss of the thirty-second floor alone. Outside the game, Yuuki is taking her first steps after three years in the Medicuboid. In both worlds, Asuna will always be there to support her.
Day One of the SAO Pride Week, for the prompt Virtual World vs. Real World. This started as a drabble and got a little longer. Oops. Kinda played around with my narrative technique, hope everyone enjoys it!
