Storm POV

"This tastes so bad.. we gotta hurry up and kill this boss and keep clearing levels." I mumble as I take a bite from the bun that almost tastes like tree bark.. feel like I'm eating tree bark too. I turn to look behind me when I hear a chuckle behind me.

"Kirito." I say smiling causing him to smile back.

"Mind if I join you?" He asks and I shake my head as he takes a seat next to me.

"You know, I have a trick to make these taste better." He says taking a jar out and placing it next to us.

"What is this?" I ask tapping the top and a light came to my finger. I look at him and he motions to the bun. I press my finger against it and cream came out Kirito offered some to Asuna as well who surprisingly accepted.

"Go on try it." Kirito says placing some on his own and I look at mine before biting into it blinking a little and eating the rest.

"It's good." I mumble.

"I got it from The Heifer Strikes Back that's the quest in the village before you get into this one, you want to know how I did it?" Kirito asks as I look at him and shake my head.

"No.. I mean we didn't exactly come here for good food." I mumble looking at Asuna.

"Sorry.. let's just do our best tomorrow alright? I just found you.. I don't want to see you die on me just like that." He says making me smile a little taking his hand in mine and placing my head on his shoulder.

"I don't want to see you die either." I say.

~After the battle~

"Why did you let Diabel die?!" I look at the guy.. of course it's him. Why am I not surprised it's him?

"Admit it, you knew the technique the boss was gonna use. You could've told us, then Diabel could've stood a chance, he wouldn't have to die!" I look at the dude, Kirito just knew that the attack pattern wasn't the same as the beta test because the weapon wasn't the same. If he had paid attention to the guide book he would've known that. But if Diabel wasn't after the rear item he would've survived as well.. so in a way it's Diabel's own fault.

"So you guys think I'm a beta tester, it's not cool to put me in the same class with those newbies." I look at Kirito tilting my head at him, what is he doing?

"You heard me. Most of the players that won a test slot on SAO were rookies they were so green they didn't even know how to level up. Hell even you guys are better than they were." I think I know what he's doing.. he's taking most of the credit in a way for normal players not to hate on beta testers as much... I smile a little but am a bit hurt.

"But me, I'm nothing like those guys man. During the beta I made it floors that are higher than any of the other testers. That's a fact, I knew about the boss cause I fought tons of other monsters with way more swords skills on higher floors. I know a bunch of other things too. More than you can imagine, more than any info broker." I shake my head at his words knowing it wasn't true.

"What the hell? If that's true then you're worst than a beta tester, you're a god damn cheater that's what you are!" I sigh as I watch Kirito smile.

"He's a beta tester and a cheater! He's a beater!" Someone yelled.

"A beater, yeah that's good. I like it. Ok you can call me a beater, just make sure you don't confuse me with those beta testers anymore." Kirito says as he goes to his item list and uses the coat he just won before walking away. When he was about to leave I run after him placing my hands around him hugging him from behind.

"I know why you're doing this.. I know those things you said before weren't true... but I also know you'll just leave and become a solo player again." I mumble and feel his hands being placed on mine as he turns around to face me.

"Storm.. I want you to do me a favor ok?" He says placing one hand on my cheek and looking me in the eyes.

"When someone you trust asks you to be with them in a guild.. don't turn them down.. because there are limits to what a solo player can do." He says caressing my cheek as I move my hand over his.

"But you're gonna become a solo player." I mumble looking in his eyes. He kisses my forehead sweetly letting his lips linger for a second before pulling away and going to his menu pressing the necessary buttons before a screen is in front of me to accept him leaving the party and I do.

"Goodbye Storm." He says turning around.

"Don't say goodbye.. please don't say goodbye to me." I say letting a tear out and he stops.

"See you later then." He says before walking away. I watch as the doors close and I bite my lip looking down. I know I'll see him again.. hell even when we go to sleep I'll see him like I always have. But there was something about this moment.. I mean even though we haven't really seen each other in person and these are just avatars that look like us.. it still felt like this is real.

His lips, his eyes, his touch.. I wonder how those feel in the real world.. outside of this game. How his lips feel on my forehead, how they would feel on mine. How his stare would feel, how his eyes on my body would make me feel. How his hands traveling all of my body, or his hand in mine, or his hug, or anything.. I want to see him in the real world.