Taboo Online

Luke usually returned to the apartment after Lauren in the evenings.

He would enter the apartment, drop his training bag beside the wall, and stand there for a moment, too tired to remember what he had planned to do next. Then he would hear the shower running, and knowing Lauren was already home always made him smile.

One evening, she stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel wrapped around her body. Her damp black hair rested over one shoulder, fatigue softened her expression, and faint red marks covered her temples where the medical sensors had been attached.

Luke sat on the edge of the bed, slowly unwrapping his bruised hands.

Lauren stopped in front of him.

"That looks painful."

Luke glanced at her temples.

"So does that."

"It is only irritation."

"These are only bruises."

She reached down and took one of his hands. Luke winced when her thumb passed over a swollen knuckle, and her lips curved in response.

"Only bruises?"

Luke looked toward the bathroom.

"I should shower."

"You should."

Neither of them moved.

Lauren continued holding his hand while Luke’s eyes drifted toward the towel covering her chest. No matter how exhausted he was, his thoughts always woke up quickly around her, and naturally, Lauren noticed.

"Too tired to speak," she murmured, "but not too tired to stare."

Luke looked up.

"I’m not staring."

"Of course not."

Her smile warmed as she leaned down and kissed his forehead. The movement brought her cleavage directly in front of his face, and Luke forgot whatever excuse he had been about to make.

Lauren straightened before he could take advantage of the opportunity.

"Shower."

Luke groaned.

"Yes, Miss Lauren."

Her expression softened at the familiar form of address. He had been getting better at calling her Lauren, especially when they were alone, but exhaustion often brought back old habits.

That night, he barely dried his hair before climbing into bed. Lauren joined him a minute later, and Luke immediately moved closer. He slipped one arm around her waist and settled his face between her breasts, where he seemed to fit far too naturally.

She rested a hand on the back of his head.

"How was training?" she asked.

His answer came out muffled.

"Terrible."

"Did you learn anything?"

"That I’m terrible."

Lauren laughed quietly, and Luke felt her chest move beneath his cheek.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I held a clear vision fourteen seconds ahead."

"That sounds good."

"I nearly fainted."

Luke lifted his head, but Lauren gently pushed it back down.

"Dr. Cole stopped me."

"Good."

"I did not enjoy it."

"I’m sure she didn’t enjoy arguing with you either."

Her fingers tightened slightly in his hair, and Luke smiled against her skin.

"Mercer hit me with a spear."

"That sounds more painful."

"He does it every day."

"Perhaps you should stop giving him reasons."

Luke tilted his head enough to look up at her.

"You sound like him."

"I doubt Mr. Mercer lets you sleep with your face between his breasts."

Luke froze.

Lauren’s lips curved with tired amusement.

"That was unfair."

"It was accurate."

"I’m too exhausted for this."

"And yet you still found the energy to complain."

Luke lowered his face again, choosing the safety of her cleavage over attempting another answer. Lauren stroked his hair while his breathing gradually slowed.

Within a few minutes, he was asleep.

Lauren stayed awake longer. Her head still hurt, and she knew the pain would return the next morning, but Luke’s warmth and the weight of his arm around her waist made it easier to relax.

She looked down at him and found his face pressed comfortably against her chest. Despite his bruised hands and aching body, he appeared more peaceful than he had when they first met.

The sight brought a quiet warmth to her expression.

Training had been difficult for both of them, but Lauren understood why Luke pushed himself so hard. He remembered how helpless he had once been and how close the café attacker had come to hurting them both.

Luke never wanted to find himself powerless while Lauren was in danger again.

He did not seem to understand that Lauren already felt safer simply because he was there.

She rested her cheek against the top of his head and closed her eyes.

Most evenings followed the same pattern.

They returned exhausted, checked each other’s bruises, complained about Mercer and Cole, and tried to stay awake long enough to talk. Sometimes Luke described the newest way White Pike had thrown him onto the floor. On other nights, Lauren admitted how far she had pushed Oracle’s Glimpse before the doctors stopped her.

Neither approved of the other’s recklessness.

Luke told Lauren not to risk damaging her mind. Lauren reminded him that broken hands would make holding a spear considerably more difficult.

Neither listened particularly well.

Eventually, Luke buried his face in Lauren’s cleavage, she wrapped herself around him, and they fell asleep.

The week was painful, but those quiet moments together made it bearable.

Their rest day finally arrived.

Luke woke much later than usual with Lauren pressed against him. Her long hair covered part of his chest, and one of her thighs rested over his legs.

Neither seemed willing to move.

For the first time in days, no one expected them in a training room. Mercer would not be waiting with a spear, Dr. Cole would not be preparing another set of electrodes, and no Bureau employee had ordered them to appear anywhere before noon.

Luke tightened his arm around Lauren’s waist.

She responded by pressing closer.

"This is better than training," he murmured.

"An impressive observation."

Luke considered whether they could spend the entire morning in bed. The café employees could handle the early customers, and neither of them had enough energy to do anything ambitious.

He was beginning to drift back to sleep when his phone started vibrating on the nearby table.

Lauren sighed.

"Do not answer it."

Luke opened one eye and looked at the screen.

"It’s Red Hound."

Lauren stirred beside him.

"That is unfortunate."

The phone continued ringing.

"He might be calling about the evaluations."

"He might also be calling to ruin our morning."

"That sounds like something he would do."

Luke reluctantly reached for the phone and accepted the call.

Red Hound’s face appeared on the screen. He looked far too awake for that time of the morning.

"You both alive?"

Luke glanced at Lauren.

"Barely."

"I heard the training has been going well."

"Who told you that?"

"Your instructors."

Luke frowned.

"Mercer barely speaks."

"He said you haven’t quit."

"That counts as going well?"

"For White Pike? Probably."

Luke leaned against the headboard.

"He has hit me with a spear at least two hundred times."

"Then you’ve given him two hundred opportunities to correct you."

"That sounds exactly like something he would say."

Red Hound smiled.

"Maybe he’s rubbing off on me."

Lauren sat up beside Luke and pulled the blanket over her chest.

"What about my evaluation?" she asked.

Red Hound’s expression turned more serious.

"You both passed the preliminary evaluation."

Luke straightened, while Lauren’s hand tightened around the blanket.

"Dr. Cole’s team believes the risks can be managed under supervision," Red Hound continued. "Your training teams also confirmed that you cooperated, so you’re cleared for a supervised return to Powerforge."

Relief hit Luke so quickly that he almost laughed.

They could return to Powerforge and continue growing stronger. He would not have to give up the power that had allowed him to protect Lauren, and the week of being beaten across a training hall had not been for nothing.

Beside him, Lauren slowly released the breath she had been holding.

"Well done," Red Hound said. "I know doing everything legally is slower, more complicated, and probably more annoying than either of you expected. I’m glad you didn’t disappear somewhere and practice on your own."

Luke’s relief twisted into guilt.

Lauren kept her face composed, but her fingers tightened around the edge of the blanket.

Two additional headsets were still hidden elsewhere in the apartment, and they had allowed the authorities to believe they had surrendered every Powerforge headset in their possession.

Red Hound had defended them, arranged their evaluations, and helped them gain official permission to return. His sincerity made their secret feel heavier.

"All that’s left is some paperwork," he continued, unaware of their reaction. "You’ll sign the medical agreements, confirm that you understand the risks, and meet the team assigned to monitor your bodies while you’re connected."

Luke cleared his throat.

"Monitor us how?"

"They’ll track your brain activity, heart rate, muscle responses, ability-related energy output, and any physical changes caused by the connection. They’ll also make sure your bodies receive water and nutrients if you stay connected for too long."

"So they’ll be able to see what happens inside the game?" Luke asked.

"No," Red Hound said, shaking his head. "The headsets still don’t give us access to Powerforge. We can’t watch what you do in there. The medical team will only see what happens to your real bodies while you’re connected."

Lauren tilted her head.

"And if something changes?"

"They record it, assess the danger, and intervene if they need to."

"What exactly does intervention mean?"

"Depends on the problem. Medication, emergency treatment, physical restraint if your body starts moving, things like that."

Luke frowned.

"What about disconnecting us?"

Red Hound’s expression hardened.

"Only if there’s no other option. We still don’t know what a forced disconnection might do to a player, so nobody is going to rip off your headset just because your pulse rises."

That eased some of Luke’s concern, though the possibility remained unpleasant.

Red Hound leaned back.

"I’ll spare you the full lecture about the dangers. I’m sure Miss Lauren has already given you several."

Lauren smiled faintly.

"Not enough, apparently."

"Then give him another one after the call. For now, come in this afternoon and finish the paperwork. Your next dive is scheduled for tomorrow morning."

Luke and Lauren looked at each other.

The guilt over the hidden headsets remained, but excitement rose beneath it.

By the next morning, they would finally return to Powerforge.