Late morning light streamed through the Kiramman dining hall, illuminating a lavish spread of pastries, fruit, and delicate teapots. Despite the elegant surroundings, a hint of tension clung to the air. Caitlyn sat at the table, picking at a slice of bread while her parents, Tobias and Cassandra, observed her from across the polished surface. Cassandra's refined gaze flicked toward her daughter with gentle concern, while Tobias leaned on an elbow in quiet thought.
Caitlyn shifted, sensing their scrutiny. "Is something wrong?" she finally asked.
Cassandra tapped the table softly. "Not exactly wrong, dear. We've just noticed… well, you and Orion seem very close as of late. More than just childhood friends, perhaps?"
Heat rose to Caitlyn's cheeks. "We've always been close. He's practically family," she said carefully, avoiding their eyes. "But it's not—there's nothing more."
Tobias folded his hands. "If you say so. But we see the way you look at him, and how he looks at you."
Caitlyn tried not to bristle. She was used to her father's frankness, but it still ruffled her. "He's been working so hard on his inventions," she replied. "I'm just helping him keep things balanced."
Cassandra's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Your father and I recognize that expression, Caitlyn. We're not accusing you of anything improper. But, darling, you two have an unmistakable bond—one that could grow complicated."
Caitlyn set her cup down with a soft clink, her voice gaining a slightly defensive edge. "He's my friend, mother. Nothing else. Right now, we're both focused on the Piltover Innovation Showcase."
Her parents exchanged a glance. Eventually, Tobias sighed. "Listen, we care about you. And we respect Orion greatly—he's an exceptional young man. But emotions can muddy judgment, especially when you're both pursuing high-stakes endeavors. All we ask is that you be mindful."
Caitlyn's cheeks burned, but she managed a polite nod. "Thank you for the advice. I'll… keep it in mind."
Jayce's Workshop: Greater Ambitions
Meanwhile, across the city at a private workshop near the Academy, Orion hunched over a cluttered table, tinkering with a small Energon engine. Beside him, Jayce paced back and forth, occasionally leaning down to inspect the device from different angles. The workshop was a testament to Jayce's developing style: half-finished prototypes in one corner, carefully arranged tools in another, and diagrams pinned to every free surface.
"So if the core's output stabilizes at around seventy percent," Jayce mused, tracing a finger along Orion's schematic, "we might be able to ramp up the harness's potential to safer extremes. That means a more robust demonstration at the Showcase without risking a meltdown."
Orion nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "That's the idea. But we have to be sure the regulator coil can handle sudden surges. If it breaks, the entire demonstration could blow up in our faces—literally."
Jayce paused, gaze intense. "True. Which is why I'm doubling down on protective casings for my device. We need safety checks. If the crowd sees anything that suggests risk, they'll reject our technology outright."
Orion swallowed, tension tightening his shoulders. He remembered how often people warned him about radical changes in Piltover. Sometimes, tradition overshadowed innovation in ways that could stifle progress.
Jayce caught the anxious look in Orion's eye. "Look," he said, placing a reassuring hand on Orion's shoulder. "We keep going. It's not just about impressing the city—it's about proving that new ideas can work. Believe me, I understand that drive."
Orion mustered a small smile. In the short time since they'd met, Jayce had already revealed a determined personality reminiscent of Piltover's best visionaries. He wanted success, yes, but he also wanted to uplift the city with truly transformative technology. Orion respected that.
"All right," Orion said, exhaling slowly. "Let's finalize the next test. We have two weeks before we show all this off, so let's make every day count."
Jayce grinned. "Now that's the spirit."
Caitlyn's Return
That evening, Caitlyn arrived at Jayce's workshop, hair pulled back in a practical style, a small satchel slung over her shoulder. She found Orion scanning a set of readouts, mechanical arm propped on the table. Jayce was drafting a new diagram in the corner, brow furrowed in concentration.
"Hey," she greeted, setting down the satchel. "Brought some dinner—figured you'd both forget to eat otherwise."
Orion looked up with relief. "You're a lifesaver. We've been at this all day."
Caitlyn started distributing wrapped sandwiches, then paused, noting the tension creasing Orion's forehead. "Everything okay?"
Jayce swiveled on his stool, wiping ink from his fingers. "We're at a critical point. The synergy between my harness device and Orion's Energon engine is there, but finicky. We nearly had a blowout earlier, but we managed to dial it back."
Caitlyn frowned, glancing at Orion. "You're not pushing yourselves too hard, I hope. My parents would chew me out if they knew you were on the brink of collapse."
Orion chuckled softly, though his exhaustion was evident. "We'll manage. How're things on your end?"
A flicker of discomfort passed through Caitlyn. She remembered the conversation with her parents that morning, their insinuations that she and Orion's relationship was something more. "Fine," she said quickly, then forced a small laugh. "You know, typical parental fussing. They're worried about the Showcase—and about me, apparently."
Orion raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Worried about you? Why?"
Caitlyn brushed off the question with a shrug. "Oh, you know them. Overprotective. They think I'm a little too involved in your projects."
Jayce, perceptive, caught the slight strain in her voice but decided not to press further. Instead, he gestured to the sandwiches. "Shall we eat? We can run another test once we're fueled up."
A Shared Past (Orion's Perspective)
Orion often reflected on the way Caitlyn, despite having no real desire to invent anything herself, had picked up a surprising amount of mechanical knowledge simply by being around him all these years. In the workshop, she'd ask pointed questions about gear ratios or wiring setups—not because she was interested in designing gadgets, but because she genuinely cared about understanding his world.
Yet from the start, Caitlyn had made it clear her real ambition was to become an Enforcer. Orion recalled a heated exchange she'd once had with her parents, who dismissed her interest in patrolling Piltover's streets and investigating crimes as a fleeting phase. They just couldn't fathom why a Kiramman daughter, with every comfort at her disposal, would choose such a dangerous career.
Still, her resolve never wavered. She treated mechanical concepts like a language learned out of necessity rather than passion, but it allowed her to lend a hand whenever Orion needed an extra set of eyes—catching a loose bolt or pointing out a misaligned gear. He'd teased her a few times about turning into a part-time inventor, which she always denied with an eye-roll, insisting her path lay in law enforcement.
Through it all, Orion admired how she balanced her parents' expectations with her own beliefs, even if it meant they clashed now and then. She might not share his inventor's spark, but Caitlyn's pragmatic mind and moral compass made her contributions invaluable—and gave Orion an unspoken assurance that, no matter where his experiments led him, she'd be there to watch his back.
Conversations Over Gear Ratios
Midway through their makeshift dinner, Jayce studied Caitlyn with a contemplative look. "So, if your parents are nervous, is it about the technology? Or the fact that Orion's, well… Orion?"
Caitlyn nearly choked on her sandwich. "Excuse me?"
Jayce lifted his hands in surrender. "Sorry, I just notice the way you two… never mind. I'm not trying to pry, truly."
Orion, meanwhile, had gone quiet, eyes darting between them. A faint blush touched his cheeks, though he tried to hide it by fiddling with a gear.
Caitlyn's ears burned. She set her sandwich down and straightened. "My parents might have questioned if there was… something more," she admitted, letting out a resigned sigh. "I told them we're just friends."
For a second, neither Orion nor Jayce spoke. Then Orion forced a light laugh. "Right. Just friends."
Jayce shrugged, smiling with gentle amusement. "It's not like it's a crime if it's more than that. But hey, not my business." He turned back to the harness blueprint, letting the conversation drop.
Caitlyn caught Orion's gaze, and for a heartbeat, tension brimmed between them. She broke it off quickly, focusing on a half-rolled schematic pinned under a weight. "So, about the next test," she said, voice hurried. "Do we integrate the second regulator coil or keep it simpler?"
Moving Forward
Night draped the city by the time they finished. Orion powered down the workshop's overhead lights, leaving only a soft glow from a few desk lamps. An exhaustion-laden hush fell, the three of them mentally depleted from hours of delicate adjustments and hypothetical calculations.
Standing by the door, Caitlyn stretched her arms, her jacket rustling. She could feel Orion's eyes on her, yet he didn't voice whatever question simmered under the surface.
"Tomorrow, we'll do a final calibration," Jayce announced, rummaging for his notes. "Then maybe a full test if everything looks stable. Let's get some rest now, yeah?"
Orion and Caitlyn both nodded. They stepped out into the quiet corridor, parting ways with Jayce, who headed off to gather more materials. Left alone, they meandered past closed classrooms and unlit labs, the Academy strangely peaceful at this hour.
Caitlyn cleared her throat softly. "I'm not sure how to say this… but my parents are just being protective. They see us together a lot, and they suspect… things."
Orion gave her a sidelong glance. "Do they disapprove?"
She shook her head, sending a small smile his way. "No. They actually like you a lot. They just… want me to be sure about what I'm doing. About how it might distract me from my own goals. And they're worried about your focus, too, especially now that the Showcase is so close."
Orion let out a breath, part relief, part something else. "I appreciate the concern, I guess."
They paused before an ornate window overlooking the city lights, shadows flickering across their faces. Caitlyn's chest felt tight. She wanted to say something—explain the swirl of emotions that even she didn't fully understand. But words escaped her.
"Your parents are good people," Orion added, trying to break the silence. "And I value their support. I'm—" He faltered, glancing at her intently. "I'd never want to be a burden or pull you away from your path."
A trembling exhale left her lips. "You're not a burden," she said firmly, her voice almost a whisper. "Sometimes I feel like we're in sync, but there's all this pressure from every side, you know?"
He nodded, and a soft smile tugged at his mouth. "We'll figure it out. Let's focus on our immediate goals: you with your budding training, me with the Energon engine. And Jayce, well, he's got that harness."
Caitlyn swallowed, returning his smile. For now, it was enough to let the moment settle. They parted ways at the Academy entrance, each weighed by unasked questions but also buoyed by the knowledge that their bond—whatever it was—remained unbroken.
Progress Under the Stars
Back in her family's estate, Caitlyn found her parents reading in the drawing room. She hesitated in the doorway, remembering the morning's conversation.
"How was the workshop?" Cassandra asked, setting down her book.
Caitlyn forced a casual tone. "Productive. Orion and Jayce are close to a breakthrough. They'll do well at the Showcase, I think."
Tobias nodded thoughtfully. "And you, dear? Are you also well?"
She sighed inwardly. "Yes, Father. I'm just… busy. And tired."
An understanding look passed between her parents, tinged with subtle relief that she'd returned safe and sound. "We trust your judgment," Cassandra said softly. "Just don't lose yourself in the swirl of someone else's ambitions."
Caitlyn nodded, murmuring a quick goodnight. As she retreated to her room, her thoughts churned: her father's words, Orion's uncertain gaze, and the unstoppable momentum pulling them toward the Showcase. With a flick of her lamp, she settled into bed, half-eager, half-anxious for tomorrow.
Far across the city, Orion likely wrestled with the same swirl of emotions, the same looming sense that something bigger than any of them was about to unfold. Their projects advanced day by day, and so did the quiet undercurrents binding their fates together.
In the days to come, Piltover would see innovation and alliances that neither tradition nor personal confusion could halt. And if Caitlyn's parents didn't quite believe her protestations of "just friends," well… perhaps they were simply seeing the truth from a vantage point Caitlyn herself wasn't yet ready to acknowledge.