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It was another sleepless night for Lara.
Of course, her body was plagued with fatigue, her movements sluggish as she rose from her bunk. Her mind, however, had about a million thoughts racing through, refusing to settle until they had all received one hundred per cent of Lara’s attention.
Lara could only sigh. So far, their voyage had stretched for fourteen days, yet not a single night had she been blessed with an uninterrupted slumber. She wondered if Roth was going through a similar plight, hunched over at his desk while analysing the map for the nth time, coming up with a new course of action to greet them with in the morning. Knowing him, that was likely, if not guaranteed.
At the very least, there was no doubt that Sam was getting a good night’s rest. Lara could deduce as much from one good look at her, resting on her side upon the top bunk. She had pulled the blanket all the way up to her shoulders, what with it being so cold, a peaceful expression settled on her features. And if Lara listened closely, she could just about hear the continuous and consistent sound of her soft breathing, just barely audible over the waves crashing against the ship.
With a small smile, Lara pulled the blanket further up her body so that Sam was more protected by its warmth. The filmmaker shifted then, but thankfully, she did not wake; instead, she appeared to be more peaceful than before.
Lara searched for the digital clock, grimacing upon finding that it was nearing four am. In just a handful of hours, the whole crew would be awake and ready to take on yet another full day of sailing. That said, Lara figured she should simply cut her losses and start her day early.
Leaving her shared room, Lara tried to be as quiet as possible, but it wasn’t easy to muffle the sound of her footsteps echoing down the metallic corridor and ricocheting back to her. Regardless, she moved with caution, wanting to avoid another earful from Reyes where she could. After all, it was just the other morning that Lara’s fellow crewmate threw a handful of passive-aggressive comments her way after making too much noise in the kitchen whilst fetching a cup of tea.
Upon ascending the small, grated staircase, the handrail freezing to the touch, Lara pushed open the heavy iron door. Now above deck, she was greeted by the smell of salt water carried by the humid air. The sky was pitch black, and a sudden rush of cold air told her she probably should have put on a jacket. Even so, she continued forward, sparing a glance at the handful of deckhands keeping things running smoothly at this hour. Among them was Grim, and, used to Lara’s peculiar sleeping habits, he offered her a wave that was returned in kind.
Fighting against the swaying of the vessel, Lara moved to the railings, far colder than the ones inside the ship, so much so that she winced when her hands came into contact with the metal. It was hard to believe now that they were scolding to the touch during the light of day.
Lara leaned over the railings, but in the darkness, there was little to see. She wondered just how many sunken ships they had sailed over, fascinated by the rich history and culture that had long since been consumed by the ocean- stories that were waiting to see the surface again. Maybe, after this, scuba lessons would be a worthwhile investment.
What Lara could see, however, was the reflection of the moon across the waves, shimmering like silver jewels. Then, casting her eyes up, she looked to the real thing, surprised that she hadn’t spotted it until now. It was big and bright, hardly dimming when the thick clouds passed under it.
Astrology was not her forte. Space was the epitome of nothingness, meaning no ancient civilisation to document, ruins to explore or culture to study, and she didn’t exactly believe in aliens. That said, she could still appreciate its beauty, how small it would all make her feel- a reminder of how important her work was, ensuring that these forgotten stories were not lost to time.
But that made her worry.
Truthfully, she had doubts about their course of direction. To her, it didn’t seem wise to follow in the footsteps of those whose efforts bore no fruit. Would it not make more sense to venture into undocumented territory? Well, even if she did have a point, it was unlikely that her crew would listen. After all, she was travelling with people who had decades of experience over her, something that they often reminded her of.
“Lara Croft. So mysterious, so calm under the moonlight. Just what is going through her head? We may never know.”
Turning on her heel, Lara found Sam standing behind her with her video camera running. When their eyes met, she grinned, an expression that Lara quickly mirrored, her prior brooding thoughts washed away. “Whitman won’t be very happy if he catches you wasting footage again, Sam.”
Sam shrugged yet turned the recorder off anyway, stashing it back into its case. “The opinion of a man with a failing TV show hardly matters to me,” she said, her brutal– but admittedly true– words making Lara’s eyes widen, she even looked around to make sure Whitman wasn’t nearby. “Besides, footage spent on you is hardly wasted, sweetie.”
Lara felt her face flush, and so she turned back to the void that stretched before her. The others may not trust the word of an inexperienced adventurer, but if anyone were to put their faith in Lara, it was Sam.
“It’s freezing out here,” Sam shuddered, wrapping herself around Lara’s arm in a desperate search for warmth. Lara hummed in agreement, resting her head atop of Sam’s. “So, what is going through that pretty head of yours, hm?”
For a moment, Lara considered telling Sam about her idea to change course, but she decided against it. Sure, it would be nice to earn the trust of her crew, but if she wanted that, Lara had to accept the fact that she needed to show trust in them, too. She’d hold her tongue for a few more days, and if nothing of note had been uncovered, then she would tell Sam about her theory.
“I was just thinking about Yamatai, what we’ll do if we find it.”
“Are you nervous?” Sam asked, and Lara could feel her scrutinising gaze.
She knew there was no point in trying to hide it from her. “A little,” Lara confessed. Then, after a beat, she requested, “Could you tell me the story of Himiko again?”
Sam laughed. “Seriously? I’ve told it to you about a thousand times! Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.”
“No, I just…” Lara began, and she struggled to fight the smile coming to her lips. “Want to make sure I know all the details. You’re the one who introduced me to the myth after all.”
Sam accepted her answer, needing little prompting to retell the tale. For that, Lara was glad, for she didn’t quite have it in her to confess that she simply enjoyed hearing Sam talk about it. Lara liked the story of Himiko, but more than that, she loved that Sam loved the story. How animated and dramatic she would be, leaving no detail undisclosed. Truth be told, Lara could recount the legend off by heart, but she would never grow tired of hearing it from Sam’s lips.
“So, the story goes that Queen Himiko ran things in Japan, ruling over everything that was touched by the sun’s rays,” she began. “She was ruthless and powerful, yet beautiful all the same.”
Lara listened intently, nodding along to the parts that even she didn’t quite believe, like Himiko’s army of samurai and her rumoured magical powers. Even so, Sam spoke with so much wonder that Lara almost did believe it.
In time, Lara’s apprehension about Yamatai turned into excitement. She couldn’t ask for a better partner to travel with, and she knew all would turn out all right if they stuck together.
That’s how it always went. Even when Sam would drag her out to nightclubs, a world completely foreign to Lara, they’d end up having the time of their lives simply because they were together. Sam kept her from losing her life to her studies, whereas Lara would keep Sam on top of her academics. It was safe to say they were a good balance.
Lara would do anything to stay at Sam’s side, and that, of course, came with the fear of losing her. They were so young, there was no telling what time would do to them.
“And that about sums it up. Hey, were you even listening?” Sam questioned, her eyes narrowing at Lara.
Snapping from her thoughts, Lara assured, “Yes, I was, I promise.”
“Then what’s with that face? You seem… sad. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I was just reminiscing was all.”
Sam didn’t say anything. Instead, she pulled away from Lara and paced across the deck. Lara watched her curiously, noticing that Sam had her sights set on something, and moments later, she returned with the radio. From there, she extended the antenna and began switching through the channels.
“There’s no way you’re going to catch a signal all the way out here, Sam.”
Sam looked up at her, a mixture of exasperation and amusement on her face. “Would it kill you to stop being a pessimist for five seconds?”
Lara put her hands up in defence. “Okay, okay, sorry.”
Sam returned to fussing over the radio, nothing but static buzzing into the air. After a minute or two, Lara was about to reiterate her point, but to her surprise, the faint sound of music filtered into the night, becoming clearer the more Sam turned the dials.
The song, whatever it was, had no lyrics. It was classical jazz if Lara had to put a name to it, a pleasant mixture of brass, woodwind and keyboards. “Not exactly pop music, but it will have to do.”
That was when Lara put the pieces together and figured out Sam’s intentions, staring hesitantly at her outstretched hand. “Oh, come on, Sam, you know I’m a terrible dancer.”
Sam huffed. “I’m not letting you stand out here in the cold moping until sunrise.”
“I’m not moping.”
A glare was sent her way, one that almost made Lara shudder, and she knew she had lost this battle. So, she took the hand that was offered to her and let Sam pull her in and out and in again.
At first, Lara would hardly call it dancing; their actions were more akin to swaying on their feet with their hands intertwined. However, once Lara grew more confident, the rest of her body adjusted to the beat. Her head bopped from side to side, her shoulders raised in alternating patterns, and her hips followed. Even so, she was sure she didn’t look half as natural as her best friend.
Sam’s movements were fluid like the waves they rode upon, somehow knowing exactly how to move her body to this less-than-conventional beat as though she had been rehearsing. The moonlight was working in her favour too. Just like the ocean, it reflected off her dark hair and shimmered in her eyes.
She was always talking about how beautiful Queen Himiko was, but Lara somehow knew in her heart that she did not hold a candle to Sam. Especially when she was like this, so carefree and happy. Maybe Lara was losing her mind for being at sea for two weeks straight, but she thought that Sam looked like a goddess in that moment. A goddess of the moon. A goddess that she wouldn't mind worshipping.
Lara knew she was probably doing more staring than dancing, but if Sam noticed, she didn’t say anything.
Unfortunately for the both of them, however, the Endurance rolled over a particularly big wave just as Sam pulled her in again. As a result, Lara stumbled and lost her footing, thus slamming into Sam with more force than she had anticipated. Together, they came tumbling to the ground with a synchronised yelp, but like instinct, Lara swivelled their bodies mid-air, ensuring that Sam would land on top of her as a means of cushioning her companion.
Lara hit the ground with a thunk, the harsh surface momentarily taking the wind out of her, but the feeling of Sam’s weight on her body made it hard to focus on the pain. In fact, it was completely forgotten when her best friend propped herself up, their eyes locking once Sam had caught her bearings.
They may have been out in the middle of the ocean, but with how hard it suddenly was to breathe, Lara could have been convinced that she was at the peak of Mt Everest. The deck was freezing, but somehow, Lara could not feel it. She felt warm, really warm, blood pooling in her cheeks while her eyes refused to leave Sam’s
Then, her trance was broken by the chuckle that filtered into the air. It took a moment to realise that the laugh had come from Sam, and once she did, the other woman was all but thrown into a fit of giggles, eyes closed as she clutched her stomach. It wasn’t long before Lara joined her- her own laughter mingling with Sam’s until they were cackling into the night. All the while, Sam stayed on top of her.
“Would you keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep!” Lara should have seen it coming, but it wasn’t long before Reyes burst through the door, a scowl on her face. But her expression changed when her line of sight found the duo. “Just what in God's name are you doing? Actually, I don’t want to know; just be quiet. It’s five in the goddamn morning.”
With that, she disappeared, slamming the door behind herself, informing Lara that Reyes would be holding a grudge against her for yet another day. Even so, she couldn’t bring herself to care in that moment, not when her eyes locked with Sam’s again and they shared one last giggle.
Sam rolled off of her not long after, and it was hard for Lara to ignore the cold creeping back in. They stayed in silence for a spell, but not because Reyes told them to; rather, to let the moment linger. Now, the sky was shifting, indigo slowly fading into pink, the calls of seagulls squawking over the tide.
“Thank you, Sam,” Lara finally spoke, her voice just above a whisper. “You always know how to cheer me up.” She turned her head and gave Sam the sincerest smile she could, hoping that her companion could pick up even a fraction of it. And, judging by how Sam interlocked their fingers thereafter and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, Lara figured she had successfully gotten her message across.
“We should probably head back inside before we freeze out here,” Sam suggested.
“Probably.”
Yet, neither of them made a move to get up, not yet, at least.
In fact, it was only when one of the deckhands needed to get past them that the two finally rose to their feet, their hands still together as they made their way back to their room. By now, the vessel was coming to life as the earlier birds, like Jonah and Roth, undertook their morning routines. Lara knew that Sam would most likely go back to sleep and would not wake for another few hours, and honestly, that didn’t sound like such a bad idea. Now, Lara could actually imagine herself falling asleep, unlike before.
However, when they slipped into their room, Sam flopped onto the bottom bunk with a content sigh. Lara looked down at her fondly and folded her arms over her chest. “I don’t believe that’s your bed.”
Sam gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “I don’t have the energy to climb up to mine right now. Let me rest here for just ten minutes,” she said, a yawn proving her claim.
Knowing Sam as well as she did, Lara knew those ten minutes would turn to twenty, then thirty and so on until the afternoon began to creep in. That said, she did not evict Sam from her resting place, for they could simply switch bunks for the night.
But Lara found she didn’t quite want that.
“Move over, then,” She prompted, and upon hearing her request, Sam opened her eyes and smiled, seemingly delighted that Lara would be joining her.
Sam pulled the blanket back and shuffled to one side of the bed, waiting expectantly. The bunk was in no way made for two occupants, and so it made for a rather close fit, but it didn’t particularly matter when Sam wrapped herself around Lara once more and drew the sheets over their bodies.
Lara was consumed by a warmth that she had never felt before. It wasn’t uncomfortable or stuffy; it was pleasant and soothing, one she could see herself becoming addicted to, and that was slightly alarming. However, her mind had finally settled and did not have the strength to analyse the feelings that caused her heart to thump in her chest.
Slowly but surely, Lara drifted off. When she did dream, it was often nightmares that haunted her slumber. Yet, here in Sam's arms, she could say with confidence that only the sweetest of dreams awaited her.