umbrellajackassery | Fate has a way of playing games and I've been keeping score

Fate has a way of playing games and I've been keeping score

The last time Lara saw Diego, they were in Peru and they'd just saved the world. That was almost half a year ago and they'd kept in contact since. There'd been fighting people and animals (And Lara, herself, had downed a cougar out to kill her, with just her bare hands and some arrows), solved puzzles and discovered a hidden civilization. It had been probably one of her better adventures.

But she'd missed Diego. That wasn't something she was going to lie about. So when he'd texted her asking for help, she jumped at the chance. Booking her flight as they spoke, packing while they texted. She was in this more for seeing Diego than she was helping an old woman get her jewels back, though that had been a close second. And she'd thought she discovered members of Trinity on the Gala guest list, but that had been wrong. That was fine. She wanted a break from that insane group, anyway.

Her fight had one long layover in Ireland. Seven and a half hours, to be precise. And Lara didn't have it in her to wait that long. She could spend those seven and a half hours sleeping, but no. She didn't. Instead, she asked to be put on a waitlist for a flight that left about two hours sooner and lucked out.

She arrived in New York two hours before she'd planned, and she didn't tell Diego at all. Why ruin her fun?

The academy wasn't hard to find at all. Any and all Uber drivers know where it is. She had her Uber driver let her out a couple blocks away, tipped him well and made her way to the academy on her own, arriving at the gate just as Diego stepped out the front door.

She's just gonna wait and see how long it takes for him to notice her.

[ ooc: For

excessed and eventually

ouiking_ouija. I'll open it up to others later. ]

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Maybe he could have found another way into the gala. Something where he wore a monkey suit with a tray, or climbed in through a skylight. None of them though were as appealing as something that gives him an excuse to hit up Lara and see if she wants to tag along. Maybe it won't be as exciting and dangerous as Peru had been, but it means having back up he trusts. More than that, back up he really wants to see, even if he wouldn't be quick to admit it.

Going to the airport meant not wearing his weapons, at least not the obvious ones, though he had strategically placed several of the stone knifes as a test for the Gala itself. It also meant taming down his clothes so he didn't strike people as a terrorist, wearing black jeans and a black Henley without the leather and straps that were his every day wear.

He is currently creeping out the door, making sure that no one notices that he's leaving. Closing the door as quietly as he can, he turns to head down the walk... and realizes he's not alone.

"Lara? What are you doing here?" He winces. "I mean, here this early. Why are you here this early?"

She watched him try to exit quietly, almost laughing at the sheer delight of seeing him but keeping that tucked away. When he spots her, her grin widens and she gives a small wave. And then he speaks, and him visibly cringing at what he said does in fact get a laugh out of her, before she composes herself somewhat.

"Oof. Ouch," Lara says jokingly, free hand going over her heart as if what he'd said had wounded her. Her other hand wraps tighter around the handle of her bag as if she's just going to turn around and leave right then. "And here I was, convinced you were looking forward to seeing me, but if that's the way you want to be, Diego Hargreeves, you can give my apology to the owner of this mansion and I'll find somewhere else to be."

So, there.

"I found an earlier flight during my layover in Ireland and asked to be put on the wait list, just in case a seat opened up. One did. I'd have told you, but I wanted to surprise you."

"You know what I meant." Giving her a glare, which is ruined by trying to hide the smile as his lips curl up, looking her over. In truth, he isn't sure that he might ever see her again, and now she's standing here outside the Academy. "I stripped off all my leather and buckles and knives," he points out, waving a hand down the length of himself as if to prove it. "All to come meet you," he adds, shaking his head as he comes down the lane towards her.

"I've definitely been looking forward to seeing you. I took off some five pounds of steel to come meet you. What does that tell you?"

Grinning at that as he snorts, glancing back at the place. "Yeah well, that's me? I guess? Damned if I know. The old man died," he says, making a face. That's a way to word it. "And so I guess it's ours. I don't think any of us asked."

And now he knows he's going to, though who to ask? Mom might have a clue.

"Well you surprised me." It takes him a moment and he remembers his manners. "Come on. Before we're seen and then I have to do introductions. Or well, I guess you know who they all are."

"Good. That was the whole point of coming early. Seeing you," Lara replies, dropping all behavior that might suggest she's going to leave early and stay somewhere else. When he says he was definitely been looking forward to seeing her, her grin softens and she feels almost self-conscious.

"Even after everything in Peru and Paititi?" She still has to ask, Diego. She knows full well who he is, what he's capable of. But it doesn't hurt to make sure. She had to do a lot of terrible things to terrible people, they both did, and none of it scared Diego off.

Somewhere, in the back of her head, her butler Hillary is saying in his stuffy voice that Diego might possibly be a keeper.

A faint 'lead the way' gesture from Lara and she starts moving towards the house, looking up at it and noting movement behind one of the curtains.

"We might have been seen already." She doesn't sound bothered.

"I have to admit, I thought we'd eventually lose contact and never see each other again. You've no idea how glad I was when you texted me about the Gala. I was practically packing my things while we spoke."

She wasn't wrong about having been seen already.

Really, Klaus had been alerted due to Diego's being intentionally and pointedly quiet instead of his usual kind, it made him suspicious. But because Klaus knew that he was the opposite of subtle and quiet, especially when he was trying, he'd waited until he heard the front door before skidding down the stairs himself to see what was going on.

It took him a moment to recognize her, but he made a badly-stifled squeak of glee when he did, because she was the one who hadn't been put off by his demanding text, and had ended up teasing him back, which was always a plus as far as he was concerned, and by the time the two of them were coming back up the stairs he pushed the door open, just lounging against the doorframe with one shoulder, contentedly munching a bag of snack mix

"Sooo, when's the wedding? Are we thinking spring fling? Fall formal? Ooh!" A gleeful clap, somehow managing not to scatter his snacks everywhere, "I know, Winter wonderland!" He shook his head, "Don't tell me summer, no one gets married in summer because it's a horrible season and summer marriages do not last." Did he have any idea if that part was true? Absolutely not, but that wasn't going to stop him, tucking his bag of snacks into the crook of his arm so that he could close one eye and frame them both with his hands as if setting up a picture, "And color scheme, we'll have to find something that works with both of your complexions."

He nodded, stuffing more snack mix into his mouth apparently in an attempt to keep himself from talking, and one that didn't work in the least, as he continued with: "And guest list! Who's invited, who's getting the patented Hargreeves Family Nonvitation, and seating charts! Oh my god seating charts."

A grin followed, turning more fully to Lara, "But seriously, thank you for making sure he has backup while he's doing something dumb, we all appreciate it."

"I'm glad you did though. Both in agreeing to come, but also that you came early. Even if this could get ugly." He's smiling though, not as bothered by what the future might bring because it comes with seeing her again. "And Peru made it that I was definitely glad to see you again. Not everyone I've known could do the things you did. Very impressive, Croft," he says, giving compliments poorly, even if they are heartfelt.

If he was honest, and he doesn't want to be, but if he was honest, he knew that there was a chance he'd never hear from her again. That he'd played those games, nervous about texting her first hadn't helped either. But they're here now. No matter how odd this could get.

"I'm glad. I mean, that you were glad. I should have called sooner because while I could really use your help on this? I just wanted to see you a..."

It was a pipe dream hoping that they wouldn't be seen. Wishful thinking on his part. But he just kind of a stops, slowly turning red as his brother goes on... and on and on and on.

Diego merely stares, his jaw actually hanging open. Not even finding words for a minute even as his hand crept to his waistband.

"You are aware I'm still armed, right?" He knows it might not look it, but he is. Not that threatening Klaus is the best thing, or even a good threat all things considered. "Also, I know where you keep your snacks."

That might be a vaguely more promising threat.

"Croft, this is my brother, Klaus. Klaus this is someone you never need to know."

What she wants to tell Diego, more than just subtle hints at exactly how much she wants to be around him, is interrupted by the appearance of Klaus. Lara listens to the brother go on and on about weddings, watching Diego turn red at what Klaus says and Lara reaching for the hand at his waistband. It's unnecessary, Diego, the gesture says. She's right there and everything is fine, even with as ridiculous as Klaus is being.

"I'll have you know that my parents were married in the summer and were in fact quite happy until they died," Lara replies with a teasing grin at Klaus, leaving off that her mother got sick and her father was murdered. But that's mostly because anything and everything about her family was in the news. Lord Richard Croft and his wife and child were big names back home, and occasionally, some of it got overseas and to other countries.

Turning to look at Diego, one eyebrow raised slightly, she simply states; "I'm going to be here for a couple weeks, he can at least have my first name and not just my last."

With that, she extends her hand to Diego.

"Lara Croft. And you're welcome. He helped me out several months ago in Peru. This is the least I could do to thank him."

He made an indignant little noise, clutching the snack mix closer, because that threat was far more viable than threats of injury, which hadn't really worked since the broken jaw, because whatever Diego was threatening would have to hurt more than that, and they both knew he wasn't likely to do something that bad.

He did, however, smile warmly, pocketing the snack mix so that he could clasp Lara's hand between his own, "Pretty sure they were the exception to the rule, every rule's got to have one, and it's great to actually officially meet you instead of making demands via text." He shot Diego a look before lifting a hand as if to hide the fact that he was whispering, and even then it was a stage whisper at best, "It's just that sometimes he bites off more than he can chew and he'll never actually admit it."

He did step back a moment later, shoving the door the rest of the way open and cocking his head towards the interior, waving them inside, "But enough about that, get in here you crazy kids."

Both brows jerk as Diego tenses as he gives Klaus a hard look, glancing to Lara and back to him. "I get we have a house full but I can't get even a little privacy?!" Rolling his eyes so hard it's likely that he sprained something, not happy about this at all. It means that not only is all privacy bets off, Lara was already known of before she came here. Great. Just great.

Diego knows he has enough trouble maintaining a relationship - ie the one and only one he'd had that had gone three kinds of sideways before the world ending shit happened - without adding this to it. God, he's fucked.

But he gestures for Lara to proceed him. "Obviously he already had your name," he points out. "Besides, I don't remember yelling Lara in a jungle," he adds, knowing that just because he finds more comfort in a surname, his own excluded, doesn't mean that's how most want to be referred to by. "So who else was up there peeking through the window?"

Lara walks into the house, suitcase in hand, keeping the eyeroll she wants to do to herself. Diego, if she were being honest, is a bit ridiculous, but she's just barely gotten to know this family. All she has is what Diego's told her about them, so she can't really determine if this is typical sibling stuff or something she's missing entirely.

"He does," Lara replies, nodding slightly as she takes a look around the foyer before turning her focus to the brothers.

"No. That was reserved for Jonah, but he also called me Little Bird, so I'm fairly used to not hearing my first name." But please, Klaus, Lara is fine. She'll be happy to hear it.

"Etzli says hello, by the way. He did months ago, at least, when I stayed behind to help him rebuild Paititi." That poor kid had been through so much in the short time they'd known him. Losing his mother, stepping in as ruler of Paititi at such a young age. Lara had half a mind to head back to Peru to make sure he was alright, even if she's sure he was. Maybe Diego'd go back with her?

She finally turns to look at Klaus, giving him another smile. "Thank you for the welcome. And I appreciate you texting me to make sure I'm not out to harm Diego, or anything ridiculous. I thinK I'd do the same, if I weren't an only child."

Klaus smiled, mostly because she'd agreed with him which was something that only rarely happened in this family even when he was right, which happened more often than the rest of the family wanted to believe, but he'd gotten used to it. But a nod followed, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's how most siblings are, threatening to kill each other one day, defending one another from a bear or something later, there's got to be some kind of 'this one's mine, nobody else can play with it' psychology at work, but that's not my area of expertise."

He just shrugged at Diego's question, transitioning smoothly from one answer to another with: "And can't confirm if there's anyone up there watching, I mean I can only vouch for myself." Which didn't mean he had been the only one, but just like he'd been prepared to protect Diego from a potential Black Widow, he was also going to protect any siblings from potential retaliation, because that was just how it worked.

Despite his nervousness over his family meeting Lara, and really more about Lara meeting his family - especially as it's become in this house - he can't help but smile when she mentions Etzli. "And it's all good? I probably should have stayed,' he admits, definitely looking sheepish then. He'd bailed for a lot of reasons. None of them good enough though for leaving Lara to cope with the clean up on her own. Well, not on her own but without him.

"You been back to check since? I mean, couldn't hurt to maybe go have a look," he notes, caught up in Lara for a moment, and thoughts of more time in the jungle. With her. "Also please do not be disturbed by anything Klaus just said. Please," he says, looking at his brother, not even sure what to think of that. "In fairness, I haven't tried to kill any one of them, outside of the apocalypse, since we were maybe nineteen," he points out. Because that makes it all okay, right? And even then it was expected between him and Luther at the time and he wasn't trying to kill him. He just could have.

"But do try and defend me from Lara. She'll kick your ass and I will laugh. A lot. Laughter. Actually laughter from me."

"You had things to do at home. I didn't really have anything pressing to get back to." Not since they'd taken down Trinity for good and stopped all their plans indefinitely. But, she wouldn't have stopped him if he did say he was staying, now that she thought about it. "Etzli's good. Doing his best for his people. Teasing Jonah about his girlfriend."

All is well, Diego. She grins some at him worrying about checking on Etzli again.

"I have plans to go visit in a couple months. I told his mother I'd keep an eye on him as best as I can." And Lara keeps promises. At what Diego says about Klaus being disturbing, she shoots him something close to a look of disbelief.

"I don't really think anything he says will be disturbing," she replies, shaking her head. "I've dealt with far worse."

There were tunnels filled with dead people, Diego. And she had to crawl over them. This was horrifying and disturbing. She doubts Klaus could ever come close.

"And for the record," she adds, finally, pointing at Klaus. "As much as I'd like to hear Diego laugh, I'm not going to kick anyone's ass unless I have to."

There was a flash of a grin at Lara's response, giving an easy, jovial shrug, "I did say threatening to not actually trying, he definitely hasn't done that in a while."

He did angle his head, thinking for a moment, "And I don't know, that asskicking might almost be worth it." But he was quick to add, "But D, I said a bear." He gestured to Lara with both hands, an oddly emphatic, unsurprisingly flappy sort of thing, like some sort of truncated, caffeine-fueled game show prize presenter, "Have you ever actually seen a bear, Diego? This is clearly not a bear."

Besides that, he had already, sort of, defended Diego from her, or at least demanded to know whether or not he'd actually have to, which he liked to think had worked out in his favor. He did take a half-step back then, "But I should let you two get on with whatever you're doing, I'll stop holding you up from the grand tour or the short version or whatever version you're getting up to."

Diego is not the most settled of people, and he hasn't been great about the fact that he finds Lara to be amazing, and positively enchanting, and not having a clue how to tell her how he feels. It's why he's so thankful for this chance to spend time with her, to see her and see if he could pull himself together finally.

Apparently not though in how he's nervous about his siblings around her, and the stories that could come out of this.

He rolls his eyes. "You would be better off facing a bear," he says. "Though speaking of taking on animals, if you want company," he says, looking at Lara. "I'd love to go," he says, pausing a moment. "Hopefully we'll have things settled here and won't have to worry about the world, well, falling apart." Literally. Yeah, he's not funny.

He snorts. "The one where I introduce her to Grace," he says, because to him that's the most important. "I mean, she already met you so..."

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Fate has a way of playing games and I've been keeping score

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