Chapter Text
The humid, salty air fills Sam's nostrils as she walks across the deck of the Endurance. She, as always, has her video camera on her, strung around her neck. On a usual day, she'd be taking videos of her crew mates and their daily activities, but today... well today, the wind's just too strong. Her short black hair keeps on blowing all over the place and into her eyes. Taking videos today would just be no fun. Not only would her hair violate her eyeballs if she tries to focus her lens, Dr. Whitman would complain about Sam only ever catching him in his "bad moments" or "bad angles." What a pain in the ass.
Interestingly enough, her camera is what got her to this point in her life. Not just anybody gets to go on an exploration expedition these days you know? Even with the more.. difficult subjects, she was still grateful. It's funny really, how something that seems so insignificant can lead to something so.. important. Maybe that's not the right word, but her camera has brought so many valuable things into her life. It led to her choosing to attend UCL for college, led to her explore new art forms, and led to her meeting her now best-friend.. Lara Croft.
Oh Lara.. where to begin? Sam met her on campus actually, while she was going around taking pictures of the scenery, plants, and god knows what else. When Sam stumbled across a pretty brown haired girl sitting all by herself on the steps, reading a book thicker than the Federalist Papers combined (Sam’s American so suck it), she couldn't help but to snap a picture of her.
The memory's so clear, even now.
Sam leaned over, focusing her lens on the messy haired brunette and then.. a gentle breeze. It was like something out of a movie. The pretty stranger looked up, and stared straight into Sam's lens. She looked perfect, hair blowing softly in the wind, sunlight shining into her eyes in just the right way.
Her eyes.. that was the part Sam remembered the most clearly. Yes, those brown eyes were pretty.. and yes, Sam's heart might've skipped a beat, but the girl looked lonely.. so fucking lonely. Sam had never seen sadness like that before - so raw, so quiet, yet all-consuming. It sat in the girl’s gaze like an unanswered question, like something too heavy to carry alone. Sam wanted to ask - What happened? Who are you? Why...? Sam was intrigued, wanted to know everything, her story, what she liked and disliked, what she-
click
Sam almost forgot that she was holding a camera in the first place. After Sam took the picture, she walked up to the brunette, who gave her a confused, wary look in return. Sure, taking pictures of a stranger wasn't exactly most positive first impression that a person could make, but.. fuck it. Sam was going to make the best of what she could out of the situation. What Sam wants, Sam gets.
"Hey, I'm Sam. Sorry for bothering you.. Seriously though, can I shoot you-"
Well shit. That’s not the way she wanted it to come out. Way to play into the American stereotype huh..
"Ex-shcooze meph?”
The girl stared at her, wide eyed and confused. Hurriedly trying to chew and swallow the food that’s in her mouth. Cute.
"I just thought that it would be a nice shot- I didn't mean to.." Sam trailed off. "disturb you. You are..?"
"Lara.. Lara Croft"
Oh wow. She’s got an accent.. Also cute.
“Alright, Lara. How about this? You give me one of those.. uh..” Sam pointed to the open box and wrappers next to the brunette
“..Jaffa Cakes”
“Right.. Jaffa Cakes, and I’ll delete the photo and lay off hm?”
“...You don’t have to delete it, it’s not a big deal. Here” She offered Sam a Jaffa Cake.
Sam stepped closer, grabbed it, and sat down next to her. They sat in silence, not really knowing what to say, but weirdly enough, it was comfortable. After finishing off her snack, Sam rustled through her bag, ripping a small sheet of paper from her notebook. She rummaged again for a pen, and scribbled something down on the slip of paper. "...here's my number. I promise I'm not always like this, I just couldn't waste that chance, you get me? I owe you one for this photo op and.. I'd like to get to know you better. Something just tells me that we'll get along well. Text me!" Sam shot her a small smile and rushed off.
When Lara actually did end up texting her a few hours later, Sam was surprised to say the least. Lara didn't really seem like the type to socialize, but Sam wasn't complaining. They ended up going out to get coffee, and despite them both immediately realizing that they were polar opposites, they clicked. It was nothing like Sam had ever experienced before. This kind of never-ending conversation, this kind of instant connection. Sam couldn't help but to invite her out, again and again. Out to the park, the arcade, the movies, you name it. Lara was so introverted and reserved.. Sam had to help her. Sam took her shopping, and brought her along to clubs, parties, and bars.. something to really get that poor girl out of her shell. It wasn't necessarily one sided though, Lara invited Sam out too. They went out to eat, hike, climb, and study at the library. No, Sam wasn’t the fittest person in the world.. and studying at the library wasn't exactly Sam's idea of fun, but Lara seemed to enjoy it so she figured "sure, why not?."
The time that they spent together was.. frequent, to say the least. How they got to that point, Sam wasn’t sure, but there were no reasons to complain. It came naturally. Sam enjoyed Lara's company, and Lara enjoyed Sam's. They trusted each other. That's all that matters really.
Lara confided in her about her past. How her mother passed away in a tragic accident when she was young, and how her father.. how her father had killed himself. She told Sam all about how she came from a line of famous explorers and how she felt that maybe she wasn't meant for that kind of life, maybe she just wasn't good enough. She confessed how lonely she felt, growing up all alone, and how she learned to protect herself through isolation. Sam understood. Sam never judged her...would never judge her. Never Lara.
Sam confided in Lara too. She told Lara about how her family was always on the move when she was young, how she never got a chance to settle and make friends. How she always felt like an outcast no matter where she went, and how she never really fit in, even when she tried her hardest to. She confessed to Lara that her parents never had time for her through hushed whispers- and that when she acted out as a cry for help, nobody ever listened. Lara did though. Lara always did.
Lara.. oh, Lara. Never in her life did Sam think that she'd find someone that understood her like Lara did. Someone so kind, intelligent, beautiful. Sam's lucky that she found such a wonderful best friend. Sam loved listening to Lara talk. The way that she would go on and on about ancient cultures, artifacts, and things that Sam never truly understood. Sam didn't need to understand though, all she needed was to see how Lara's eyes would light up with excitement, and how her lips would curl into a soft smile as she explained to her. Sam loved how observant Lara was. The way her eyes would dart across the room, taking in her surroundings, and especially when those eyes landed on Sam. That stoic, reserved expression that never left Lara's face would melt into a gentle smile. It always made Sam feel so warm and bubbly inside.. so assured. That look told her that she was seen, that she was wanted. Oh.. how could she forget? Sam loved Lara's hair. How the soft fringe of Lara's bangs somehow always fell into the right position.. the way that Lara would brush it behind her ear. Sam could go on and on.. there's just so much to like about Lara Croft. Her mind, her wit, her passion, her work ethic, her-
Right. Back to more important things though, the reason she's on this boat in the first place is, yes because of her camera, but it's also because of Lara.. for Lara even. It's true that the trip was for Whitman's documentary of his search for Yamatai, but that old coot couldn't even afford it on his own. So when Lara, her Lara.. asked her so nicely to see if her uncle could help fund the voyage, she did. Her uncle agreed of course, but on the condition that he got a large portion of the profit from this expedition, and that Sam became part of the film crew.
So here she was, on the Endurance in the middle of the ocean, being thrashed by the wind.. all because she couldn't say no to a pretty-eyed brunette. Sam sighs. It can't be helped now... At least she could admit that this will help both her and Lara take their first steps into their chosen careers. Lara's gonna make it far, Sam knows it.. and she's more than happy to give Lara a bit of a head start.
Speaking of that lovely girl, there she is.. Standing alone along the deck railing.
“Sweetie!” Sam calls out brightly.
She looks over to Sam with a flutter of her eyelashes, hand coming up to take her wired earbuds out. “Hey, you.”