While Luke showered, Lauren went into the kitchen and prepared something light for him.

She warmed a bowl of soup, sliced some bread, and added a few vegetables to the plate. Halfway through, she caught herself humming under her breath.

It had been a long time since she had prepared a meal at home for anyone other than herself. Her daughters called whenever their schedules allowed, but their work as sidekicks already kept them busy. Some assignments lasted several days, and even when they returned to the agency, training took up most of their time.

Lauren was proud of them. They had worked hard for the chance to become heroes, and she had supported them every step of the way.

That did not make the apartment feel any less empty without them.

She carried the food into the living room, passing the family photographs along the hallway. They showed birthdays, vacations, school events, and ordinary afternoons that had only become precious after her daughters moved away.

The sound of running water reached her from the bathroom, and Lauren paused near the table.

Most nights, the apartment became quiet enough for her to hear the pipes creaking inside the walls. Now someone was moving around behind one of the doors, and soon he would sit at her table and eat the food she had prepared.

The apartment already felt a little less empty.

Lauren set the bowl down and turned on the television before she could dwell on that thought.

The first channel was showing a report about another clash between heroes and villains in Canada. Several buildings had been damaged, and emergency teams were still searching the area after a criminal lost control of his power.

Lauren immediately raised the volume.

Her daughters were working in Canada.

She listened for the name of their agency, but the reporter mentioned a different team operating several cities away. Neither of her daughters appeared among the injured.

Some of the tension left Lauren’s shoulders.

She reminded herself that her girls were strong, that experienced heroes supervised them, and that the agency would never send its sidekicks into the field alone.

It did little to stop her from imagining everything that could go wrong.

Before the report could feed those thoughts any further, Lauren changed the channel.

Dramatic music filled the room as a warrior in shining armor leaped through a wall of fire. A masked sorceress followed him, sending blue lightning into the chest of an enormous dragon.

An advertisement for an immersive virtual reality game appeared on the screen.

Are you an ordinary, powerless human?

Lauren’s thumb stopped above the remote.

Have you ever dreamed of possessing incredible strength, wielding magic, defeating monsters, and becoming the hero of your own story?

The warrior raised his sword and released a wave of golden energy that tore through the dragon.

Then enter Powerforge Online!

The advertisement shifted through scenes of players exploring ancient ruins, fighting their way through enormous dungeons, discovering hidden classes, and resting beside a campfire with their companions.

Enter dungeons alone or with others. Defeat powerful enemies, unlock legendary abilities, and experience limitless progression. Beyond the dungeons lies a vast world where you can become anyone and pursue whatever fantasy you desire.

The promise of power caught Lauren’s attention more than she expected.

Her daughters could fly into danger and face enemies she could barely imagine, while she remained at home watching the news and hoping their names never appeared on the screen. Even inside a game, the chance to wield magic and experience that kind of strength sounded tempting.

Then the final words of the advertisement settled into her mind.

Whatever fantasy you desire.

Everyone had fantasies. Some people dreamed about flying, defeating villains, or becoming famous.

Other desires were better kept private.

Lauren had spent most of her life being responsible. She ran the café, raised her daughters, paid the bills, and kept everything around her in order.

None of that changed the fact that she was still a woman who had been alone for a long time.

The shower stopped running, though the bathroom door remained closed.

Lauren glanced toward the hallway and pictured Luke stepping out with wet hair and a towel wrapped around his waist.

The image came to her with enough detail that she immediately looked away. She adjusted the spoon beside his bowl even though there was nothing wrong with where she had placed it.

Luke trusted her. He was injured, vulnerable, and depending on her for a place to stay. She could not let his gratitude blur the line between them.

Still, he was an adult man, and she had eyes.

Lauren picked up her phone and searched for Powerforge Online.

She told herself she was only curious, but the official page held her attention longer than she expected. Players could choose from countless classes, explore a massive world, and develop almost any kind of character they wanted.

Inside the game, Lauren could become someone stronger and bolder. Perhaps she could even become the kind of woman she would never dare to be in real life.

The price of a single virtual reality system made her hesitate.

A promotional partner package containing two linked systems cost only a little more.

Lauren stared at the offer.

She did not need two systems, but the thought of entering an unfamiliar world alone made her nervous. Her gaze drifted toward the hallway as she imagined Luke joining her.

After everything he had been through, he could probably use something that allowed him to forget the real world for a few hours. Giving him something enjoyable did not seem unreasonable.

Besides, buying the package did not mean they had to do everything together.

Before she could examine the decision too closely, Lauren completed the order.

A confirmation appeared on the screen.

She read the message once, locked her phone, then immediately unlocked it and checked the total again.

"What did I just do?" she whispered.

The bathroom door opened down the hall.

Lauren quickly placed her phone facedown on the table.

Luke appeared a moment later wearing an oversized café shirt and a pair of loose drawstring pants she had left for him. His damp hair hung over his forehead, and although he still looked exhausted, the dirt and chemical smell were gone.

He noticed the food waiting on the table.

"You made that for me?"

"It’s only soup."

Luke looked at the bowl as though she had placed an entire feast in front of him.

"Thank you."

Lauren pulled out the chair beside him. "Sit down before it gets cold."

He obeyed without arguing, which told her more about his exhaustion than anything else could have.

As Luke began to eat, Lauren glanced at the phone resting beside her hand.

The order confirmation was still waiting beneath the dark screen.

—

Over the next two days, Luke made himself useful around the café without needing to be told twice.

He came downstairs before opening, swept the floor, wiped the tables, restocked the napkins, and carried boxes out of storage. His bruises still bothered him whenever he bent too quickly, but he never complained about them.

Lauren had to stop him from lifting anything particularly heavy on the first day. By the second, he had learned to choose work that would not leave him doubled over afterward.

She found herself watching him more often than necessary.

Sometimes it was simply because seeing him there made her happy. The café felt different with someone helping her prepare for the day, moving between the tables while she worked behind the counter.

Whenever she turned around and found him already handling something she had meant to do herself, a quiet warmth settled inside her.

She had forgotten how comforting it was to share the ordinary parts of her day with someone.

When the weekly supply delivery arrived, Luke was already moving toward the entrance before Lauren could call him.

He returned carrying a box against his chest. His freshly washed hair fell over his forehead, and the sleeves of his borrowed shirt were rolled above his elbows.

"Where should I put this?"

"Storage room," Lauren said. "Set it on the floor. You’re still bruised."

"They barely hurt now."

"That isn’t the same as being healed."

Luke seemed ready to argue, but he thought better of it.

"On the floor," he agreed.

He carried the box into the back and returned for another, though he chose a smaller one this time.

Lauren noticed.

The deliverymen usually lingered after finishing their work. Some asked personal questions, while others found pointless reasons to remain near the counter.

Today, they kept their conversation brief.

Luke did not confront them or try to act intimidating. He simply stayed nearby, carried the boxes they unloaded, and returned each time there was more work to do.

His presence alone was enough to discourage the usual questions.

Lauren watched him cross the café with another crate held against his chest. There was something deeply satisfying about having him there, working beside her as though he already belonged.

Then Luke bent to set the crate down.

The fabric of his borrowed shirt stretched across his back, outlining the movement of his shoulders beneath it. When he straightened, his sleeves pulled tighter around his arms.

The warm feeling inside Lauren changed.

Her gaze traveled over him before she could stop it, lingering on his arms, his shoulders, and the light sheen of sweat along the side of his neck.

Heat gathered low in her body, startling her with how quickly it came.

Luke was lean rather than muscular, but there was something undeniably masculine about the way he worked. Knowing that he was doing all of this for her only made the sensation stronger.

Luke glanced toward the counter.

Lauren quickly lowered her eyes to the receipt in front of her. She had already checked the total twice, but she read it again while waiting for the warmth in her cheeks to fade.

Having him around made her happier than she had expected. The way her body reacted whenever she watched him work was becoming much harder to ignore.

A second delivery van pulled up outside before she could find something else to occupy herself with.

The driver climbed out carrying two sleek black boxes marked with silver emblems.

"Package for Lauren?" he called.

Luke set down the crate in his hands while Lauren froze behind the counter.

The driver brought both boxes inside and placed them in front of her. Large silver letters stretched across the packaging.

POWERFORGE ONLINE: PARTNER SYSTEM

Luke examined the boxes, then looked at her.

"You play virtual reality games, Miss Lauren?"

Lauren opened her mouth, but no answer came out.

Luke leaned closer and read the label again.

"Why does it say ’partner system’?"

Heat crept into Lauren’s cheeks.

She smoothed the front of her apron and avoided looking directly at him.

When she finally raised her eyes, Luke was still breathing hard from carrying supplies. His sleeves remained rolled up, and a thin layer of dust covered his hands.

"Well," Lauren said, trying to sound casual, "I suppose one of them is yours."