Warnings/notes: Lara/Kurtis, sappy, corny, cheesy, ooc, set of two drabbled scenes.
Disclaimer: I don't own Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. In fact, I don't even own a copy of the game. -blushes-
written at 7th february 2005, by Misura, for a request made by Daimeryan Rei in the livejournal-community fic-on-demand.
A 'creperie' is a restaurant where they serve a thin kind of pancakes (crepes), for those who didn't know that already.
(Reunion)
"You," Lara Croft, adventurer extraordinaire and savior of the civilized world, speaks to Kurtis Trent, the last member of the Lux Veritatis, whom she last saw in the guise of someone who looked as dead as someone who is really, truly dead, before encountering him here, in Paris, in a cozy creperie at the foot of the Eiffel-tower that she only visits for the excellent coffee they serve, "are bloody late."
"And you," Kurtis replies, as pleasantly as ever, which is to say: in a tone sweet enough to make Lara want to shoot him, "sound like a girl who got stood up by her date. I'm not sure if I should feel flattered at that, or look around for the nearest escape-route."
"There's a corridor leading to an emergency-exit near the kitchen-entrance, in the back of the restaurant, to the right," Lara informs him. "Aside from that, there's always the small window in the ladies' room, if you get really desperate."
"Unfortunately, the emergency-exit has been blocked on the outside by a set of trashcans, and the small window might allow a cat to crawl out, if she's very lean." Kurtis grins. "I guess that means I'll just have to take my chances here, with you."
Lara snorts, shaking her head, wondering if she'll order another cup of coffee that will make her lose the excuse that she was just about to leave. Kurtis has always been smug, and having been near death only seems to have worsened that. If she stays, he'll probably see it as a sign that she likes him more than she does.
On the other hand, the coffee here is the best she's found thus far in all of Paris, and she'll be damned if she lets Kurtis rob her of the pleasure of one last cup before returning to her hotel, to get a good night's sleep in preparation of her early flight tomorrow morning. And, heck, maybe she's missed him too. A teensy little bit.
"Anything that you can recommend me?" Kurtis asks, accepting the menu from the waitress with a nod that's so casual it's nearly non-existent. In Lara's opinion, it definitely doesn't warrant the flustered look the girl throws in Kurtis' direction as she leaves. Of course, all french people are a little weird.
"No." Lara decides she'll order coffee. It'll keep her awake, which is a good state to be in while around Kurtis, even if she knows she's going to regret it later on tonight.
"I've heard the coffee is quite good here." Kurtis smiles. Lara wants to hit him. Or, possibly, ask him since when he's able to read minds. Kissing him might be nice too, maybe. Naw.
"That depends on whether or not you likes crepes, I guess," Lara responds.
"Hmm. With ice-cream, cherries and whipped cream for a topping, I've got good hopes that I can stomach them. I think I'm in the mood for something sweet." He winks.
"In that case, you've chosen the wrong company," Lara says tartly.
Kurtis laughs. "That depends on my plans for after dinner, doesn't it?"
Lara reflects sourly that just perhaps she should have moved those trash-cans out of the way.
(The element of surprise)
"You don't seem surprised that I'm still alive," Kurtis remarks musingly.
"You don't seem surprised that I'm not surprised," Lara returns.
Kurtis shrugs. "I expected you to be, so I knew you wouldn't be. You always do things like that."
"Hmm. So next time I should do what you think I'm going to do, to be able to surprise you?" Lara asks, her tone slightly amused.
"No, I don't think that would work." Kurtis shakes his head. "I guess we'll simply have to accept that our relationship's not going to be filled with surprises."
"What relationship?" Lara inquires.
"The one we're not in, 'cause we're both too fond of being as free as a bird," Kurtis answers.
"Ah." Lara nods. Normally, she'd argue Kurtis' point, but right now, she's not in the mood. Or maybe she just lacks the energy.
"So it looks like we're in for a rather boring life together." Kurtis reaches for the alarm-clock on the nightstand. Lara suspects she knows why, yet this too, she lets slide. Her plane-ticket will remain valid for another 56 hours after all. There's no need to rush getting home.
"Boring as hell," Lara nods drowsily. "What a depressing prospect."
"Isn't it?" Kurtis agrees, annoyingly energetic, all things considered. "I guess we're just going to have to look for the excitement and the adventure ourselves then, eh?"
"Sounds like a plan." Lara manages to resist the temptation to reach out to grab her gun and shoot him for refusing to shut up already. She prefers to think of it as a sign that she's got great self-control, rather than that she's going soft.
-the end-