The morning sun cast long beams of light over the well-manicured streets of Piltover's upper district, bathing the ornate facades in a soft golden glow. Caitlyn Kirraman, dressed in a tailored coat and with her polished boots clicking against the stone pavement, arrived at Jayce's apartment. She knocked firmly on the door, her expression cool but her thoughts scattered.
She often visited Jayce at this hour, using the visits as an excuse to escape her family's stifling home. Jayce was a constant in her life—a friend outside the constraints of her family's influence. Ever since they were young, he had been the only person her parents tolerated outside of their tight circle. Whether they saw him as a potential suitor or simply a safe influence, Caitlyn couldn't be sure, but she appreciated his presence nonetheless.
The door creaked open, revealing Jayce's tired face. His hair was disheveled, and there were faint smudges of chalk and grease on his shirt.
"You look like you've been through a war," Caitlyn quipped, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Jayce groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "It feels like I have." He gestured for her to follow. "Come on. We're in the workshop."
"We?" Caitlyn questioned, but Jayce didn't answer.
The workshop was cluttered with books, tools, and notes scattered across every surface. A blackboard dominated one wall, covered in chalk-drawn schematics and equations. Standing before it was Tarren, furiously scribbling, erasing, and redrawing as though in a trance. His dark circles and messy hair gave him a similar, if not worse, worn-out appearance than Jayce.
"It's been two days," Jayce muttered, gesturing to Tarren. "He doesn't sleep. He eats barely a bite. He's like a machine."
Caitlyn blinked, unsure whether to feel impressed or concerned. "That doesn't sound healthy," she murmured.
Tarren, still oblivious to her presence, stepped back from the blackboard, tilting his head as he analyzed his work. His eyes lit up suddenly. "This is it," he declared. "We can start making the machine."
Jayce groaned. "How many times do I have to tell you, Tarren? We don't have the resources to build something this complex. The academy and the Kirramans can't know about this. It's an independent study, remember?"
Caitlyn cleared her throat, raising an eyebrow. "I'm standing right here, you know."
Jayce turned to her with a dismissive wave. "You don't count."
The comment earned him a scoff, but before Caitlyn could retort, Tarren finally noticed her. "Miss Kirraman? Didn't know you were here." He glanced at the clock. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough," Caitlyn replied with a shrug.
"Let's save the introductions for later," Jayce interjected, pointing back at the blackboard. "Look at this. The best I can do is piece together some scraps, but these designs…" He gestured emphatically to the intricate schematics. "They need custom parts, and we can't get those without drawing attention from the academy due to all the orders we're making!"
Tarren waved dismissively. "Don't worry about that. I've got connections back home who can make it."
Jayce froze, his expression shifting to one of unease. "Connections? Back home? You mean…"
"The Undercity," Tarren confirmed casually. He turned to the corner of the room, grabbing his bag. "Speaking of which, I need to head there anyway. There are things I need to fetch."
"You're going now?" Caitlyn asked, startled.
"Why not?" Tarren replied with a shrug. "No time like the present."
Before leaving, he glanced at the crystals on the table. "Mind if I take a few? They'll help test if the machine works."
Jayce's eyes widened in alarm. "Are you insane? Those things are unstable!"
Tarren raised a hand, cutting him off. "I'll be careful."
After a tense pause, Jayce reluctantly relented, taking a small pouch, putting a couple of crystals, and handing Tarren the small pouch. "Fine. But be careful. If one of those explodes—"
"I know, I know," Tarren said, tucking the pouch into his bag. He turned to Caitlyn, offering a polite nod. "Sorry to interrupt your visit, Miss Kirraman. You must've come to see Jayce. I'll leave you to it."
With that, he slipped out the door, leaving Jayce and Caitlyn in silence.
Jayce let out a weary sigh, his eyes drifting back to the blackboard. "He really is something…"
Caitlyn crossed her arms, her gaze lingering on the door. "You're not worried about him going to the Undercity alone?"
Jayce shrugged. "It's his home. And it's not as bad as you've heard, you just need to hide yourself."
Caitlyn's eyes narrowed. "Have you been to the Undercity?"
"Yeah, a couple of times," Jayce admitted.
"And you didn't think to tell me?" Caitlyn sounded more incredulous than angry.
Jayce waved it off. "Didn't seem worth mentioning. Why the sudden interest?"
She hesitated, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Just curious." She walked over to the blackboard, scanning the intricate drawings. "I don't understand a single thing on here."
"Neither do I," Jayce admitted with a grin. "At least, not all of it. Tarren's operating on a completely different level. I've just been trying to keep up these past two days."
Caitlyn sighed, plopping onto a nearby stool. "So, I'm guessing you don't have time to accompany me today."
"Not really," Jayce said apologetically.
"That's fine," she replied, though her tone betrayed a hint of disappointment. Her gaze drifted to the balcony, the city skyline framed by the window. After a moment, she glanced back at Jayce. "What about Tarren? Do you think he would accompany me around?"
Jayce smirked. "From what I've seen, he doesn't have any friends topside. I'm sure he'd be thrilled."
Caitlyn considered this. "Maybe I'll ask him to go somewhere sometime."
Jayce chuckled, already diving back into the blueprints.