All I Need Book 2

Our Day Off

"You know what I wanna do?", she asked.

"What?", I asked.

"I wanna get on ALO.", she said.

"Ah. I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that. It says on the warning tag not to use it if you're pregnant. You fit that description.", I said apologetically.

"I know. It just drives me mad that I can't do all the things I used to be able to do. Used to, I could put on tennis shoes and run, or use the Amusphere. Now, I feel really limited.", she complained.

"Well at least it will all be worth it.", I said.

"I guess.", she said.

"Don't tell me you're regretting this?", I joked.

"No. I'm not. I just wish that kids didn't come with so many requirements. Especially before they're born.", she said.

"I've heard that's the easy part.", I said, thinking back to all the talks that I heard my mom give Sugu when she was being rebellious.

'I carried you for 9 months and to think that that was the easiest part!', she'd yell. Sugu would just groan and roll her eyes. I laughed at the memory, then put my book down on the bed. I scooted over next to Asuna and put one arm around her shoulder and my other hand on her bulging stomach. I leaned in close and laid my head on the top of hers, pulling her into a hug.

"Thanks. I needed that.", she said, leaning into my embrace and putting her hand over mine.

"Any time you need me, I'm here.", I said reassuringly.

"I love you.", she said.

"I love you, too.", I said.

We sat in silence for a moment, then I recalled the song that had been stuck in my head. It was a song called So Ist Es Immer. I didn't know where I'd heard it, but it was stuck in my head. I began humming the slow tune and tapping the beat with my fingers on Asuna's shoulder.

"When do you think we'll be able to go back to that cavern and explore? The one in the lake?", Asuna asked.

I thought for a minute or two. I really didn't know.

"Well obviously after the babies are born, but then there's the problem of them being here for us to take care of. We won't be able to get much free time.", I said.

" Yeah, I thought about that. I was thinking that maybe when they get old enough, we could get a babysitter and have a date doing that.", she suggested.

"I wouldn't have thought about that. It's definitely a possibility.", I said.

"Man, I wish I could use the Amusphere.", she said.

"I know, but it uses microwaves in order to create the virtual reality, which is harmful to the babies. I don't want to lose them and I know that you don't either. That's a risk that you take if you use it before they're born.", I explained.

"How do you know all that?", she asked.

"I read the manual for the Amusphere when I bought one. I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't get stuck in another game.", I said.

"Oh. Aren't you thorough.", Asuna laughed.

I started humming again and closed my eyes. I thought about Asuna, the first time I ever saw her face. It was the middle of the first boss battle in SAO. I'd seen from her nose down, but until I saw her face, I wasn't completely sure she was a girl. She was just a figure in a cloak that happened to agree to partner with me.

I remember being momentarily mesmerized. The whole world seemed to slow down and stop as she came into view. I remember thinking that she was way out of my league and that I would never be good enough to get a girl like her to even look my way. Now that I had married her, it seemed surreal.