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He was on the couch, guitar across his lap as he played those unhurried notes, and somewhere along the way, I drifted across the cushions toward him. My head ended up in his lap, his fingers in my hair.

And then my mouth opened, wanting to be filled.

I thought it was my idea.

Heat floods my skin. It starts at my collar and climbs, burning my ears, my cheeks, and the bridge of my nose under my glasses.

I’m on my feet, the carpet beneath my socks, though I don’t remember leaving the bed.

I shuffle over the carpet as I turn to a new section.

Games.

There are titles I know, but they aren’t sorted by genre or platform or whether I stream them.

They’re sorted by purpose.

Cardio / Movement

Dance game: ★★★★★ Optimal. Sustained cardio without resistance. Competition improves duration. Bypasses exercise-aversion.

VR combat games: ★★★★ Effective for upper body. Will extend session past planned duration if chasing score.

Walking games: ★★★ Requires collection objective or rare spawn. Interest wanes without external goal.

I stop.

Bypasses exercise-aversion.

The dance pad in the gym.

I didn’t ask for one. He came home with it one day because he’d found a game he thought I would like, then spent an hour setting everything up while I complained that rhythm games were better with a controller.

Three hours later, my shirt was soaked through and my legs were shaking.

I was arguing that I could beat his score if he gave me one more attempt.

Kain had laughed and handed me a bottle of water.

I thought he’d found me a game.

He found me cardio I wouldn’t refuse.

My thumb moves down the page.

Mobility / Recovery

VR exploration: ★★★★ Will keep moving for rare items. Best after long desk sessions.

Stretching: ★ No. Bored within five minutes.

Handwritten notes fill the space beneath them.

— Do not call it a walk. Ask if he wants to hunt.

— Doesn’t register distance if there’s an objective.

— Rewards work better than timers.