book two: trapped || sword art online

Chapter 3

Published: 10/13/2016; Saturday; 10:35pm; Unedited

Short, but here's something before all the shit starts. :D

•~•~•~•

I hate this.

I hate that I'm trapped here, taken hostage by slim chance, by the man I despise the most. A man who has been trying to get to my, and Asuna's, family's fortune for years. Apparently, his high status does intrigue our parents, but I had told them unless I was near death, or in a death-like coma, I would never marry that scum.

And that's exactly what I'm in right now, still.

I rubbed my eyes with my palms furiously, sitting on the bed oh-so-generously given to me by that scum. Constant fear of him appearing while I attempt to let my mind rest in this place haunting my conscious, which ensued days without sleep. Tears slipped down my cheeks, eyes glaring at the endless sky, and hands gripping the fabric of the sheets. I have never felt so utterly...

Useless.

•~•~•~•

Kazuto looked at the photos around the hospital room, for once, not accompanied by Asuna as she was too busy to come with him (sending words for Ume of course) and once again found the picture of Ume staring emotionlessly at the camera. It was just her, around her was what looked to be a party, but she wasn't thrilled by it at all. He snorted, that didn't seem like the girl he knew at all.

He looked over to the other table, and noticed a new frame, his eyes narrowed when he saw it was Ume with another guy, taller than her, black hair and hazel eyes, his arms wrapped around her and grinning cheekily at the camera. What surprised Kazuto was, unlike all the other pictures, there was a small smile on her lips, her hands resting on his arms, eyes closed peacefully.

For some reason he couldn't figure out, his heart clenched, despising the man in the picture instantly. He looked back at Ume, taking a seat next to her bed, and hesitantly took her hand.

It was usually Asuna who did this, not him.

He cleared his throat, "Hey, Mue--" he paused, "sorry, force of habit. Everyone still calls me Kirito, too, so..." He trailed off, squeezing her hand slightly, face twisting in pain as he watched her breathe evenly. "I don't know how Asuna does this every time we come here, it's so painful to not get a response, to not see your eyes--" he stopped, eyes widening. Why does he yearn to see her eyes, to see the sparkle with something he recognizes but can never recall...

He shook his head, and gave a reassuring squeeze, "I'll find out what's going on, and if you're really in that game...I'll get you out."

•~•~•~•

A sensation made me look up from the table, having long since taken my seat again, standing and walking over to the edge of the cage where I am held captive. One hand clenched the dress's fabric where heart was, the other gripping a single bar, eyes wide as my heart fluttered in a familiar way.

I breathed out, "Kirito."