Chapter 33 – A Path of Recovery
The gentle hum of the workshop filled the air as Steven worked tirelessly on his inventions, the usual hum of machinery surrounding him. But today, his mind was not fully on the designs in front of him. Instead, his thoughts kept drifting to the broken pieces inside himself, the fragments of grief and rage that he was struggling to put back together after the loss of Sera. It felt like something was missing, something that could help him rebuild not just his body, but his spirit.
"Steven?" A voice broke his reverie. Caitlyn's soft yet determined tone pulled him back to the present. She stepped into the workshop, her usual composure softened by the concern she always seemed to wear when around him these days. "You've been distant. Everything alright?"
He looked up at her, offering a small, strained smile. "Just thinking."
Caitlyn raised an eyebrow. "About?"
His gaze shifted to the blueprints scattered across the workbench before him. He had to speak, to let someone else in. "About the next step in my recovery," Steven said, his voice steady but tinged with uncertainty. "I think it's time I get back into shape—physically and mentally. I've been too focused on the tech… maybe it's time to focus on me."
Caitlyn crossed her arms, considering his words. "What exactly do you mean? You've already been training your skills and working on your devices. Is there something else you're not telling me?"
Steven hesitated before meeting her eyes. "There's someone I know… an Ionian martial artist. Banyu. He's… well, he's the real deal. And I think he could help me. Not just with training, but with understanding my own limitations, my mind, my spirit."
Caitlyn's brows furrowed in confusion. "An Ionian martial artist? You're not planning on disappearing off to Ionia, are you?"
Steven shook his head. "No, he's here, in Piltover. I've been keeping track of him. He's a little mysterious, but I think he might have the answers I'm looking for. I need to learn how to control the power I have, Caitlyn. The trauma, the stress, everything that's happened—it's all weighing on me. I can't keep running from it."
Caitlyn's expression softened. She took a step closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I don't understand all the details, Steven. But I know that whatever path you take, you don't have to do it alone. We're here. If you need to talk or if you just need someone to lean on, I'm here. Always."
Steven's heart warmed at her words, a small sense of relief washing over him. He hadn't realized how much he needed to hear that. "Thanks, Caitlyn. I appreciate it more than you know."
There was a quiet pause between them, and then Caitlyn looked at him with a questioning gaze. "So, when do you plan on meeting this Banyu guy?"
"Tomorrow," Steven said. "I'll get in touch with him and see where we go from there."
She gave him a small nod. "Just… be careful, okay? You don't know what you're walking into. Piltover may be a city of progress, but there are still dangers lurking. Don't go into this blindly."
"I won't," Steven assured her. "I've learned the hard way that I need to be more prepared. But I think this is the next step."
As Caitlyn turned to leave, she paused at the door and glanced back at Steven. "And, Steven… keep me in the loop. I want to know how this goes for you."
He gave her a small nod, watching her leave the room. The words echoed in his mind, a reminder of the connection he'd started to build with her. Maybe there was a way forward after everything that had happened.
With Caitlyn's support, Steven felt the first stirrings of something new within him—hope, perhaps. It wasn't much, but it was a start.