Chapter 47

The journey to the harbour was uneventful except that Kazuya displayed some minor difficulties in handling the car with his wounded left shoulder. A couple of times he hissed in pain but Lara didn't dare to say anything. Kazuya was stubborn and wouldn't let her drive anyway. At least the bleeding seemed to have stopped or slowed down considerably. So Lara decided it was best to leave him alone.
Kazuya was in a really bad mood. He was angry about the damage to his car. He had complained about his ruined shirt and Lara knew that he was also in pain, which he was not willing to admit, as she could gather from the reactions she got when she had offered to bandage the wound.
Kazuya parked the car at the harbour and got out without saying a word. Lara got out of the car as well, while Kazuya examined the damage again. She waited for him to open the trunk, but he was still walking around the back of the car looking for further damage.
"They've only hit the window once. All other shots must have missed, at least there is no damage to the engine lid." he said while coming back to the front.
"At least that's good news." Lara commented.
Kazuya opened the trunk for her and she pulled out her bag.
"Are you certain, we are safe here?" Lara asked. "They seemed to have followed us all day; they could find us here as well."
"To tell you the truth: no, I don't think you will be safe here. There is nowhere in this town or even country where you will be safe, but we won't find a safer spot at the moment. I hope that after the incident in the park Heihachi's guys will be much more careful to come after us."

As soon as they were on board Kazuya took of his shirt and threw it on the floor. Lara watched him in silence and then decided to try it one more time.
"Let me have a look at your wound, before I go and have a shower."
Kazuya sighed again. "You will never give up, will you?"
Lara approached him and examined the shoulder closely. "At least the bullet is not still in there." she commented.
"Well then everything is alright." he said and pulled away.
"Let me disinfect and bandage it." Lara said.
"No."
"Why are you resisting it? It's no shame to let a wound being treated properly."
"That won't be necessary." he argued.
"I think it is." Lara replied angry. "Listen, you can be glad that I didn't suggest bringing you to a hospital, although you have lost far too much blood... so at least be sensible enough not to risk an infection."
He looked straight at her and narrowed his eyes, but he didn't say anything.
"Fine, if you don't want my help, I will go and have my shower." she continued and then walked away, leaving Kazuya standing in the living room.

When Lara came out of the bathroom, fully dressed in shorts and T-Shirt, her hair wrapped in a white towel she nearly bumped into Kazuya.
"I am going to have a shower as well." he said and pushed past her.

Lara returned to the living room and threw herself onto the couch. She sighed and pulled her legs up. Why wouldn't he understand that it was better to treat the wound? Lara was used to these kinds of wounds. She had been hit by a few bullets throughout her life and she knew what to do, she didn't expect him to go to the hospital, but at least he could let her have a look at it. She was a bit worried about the amount of blood he had lost. She closed her eyes and tried to think of something else, but she couldn't. A moment later she got up and stepped outside, but not without taking her pistols with her. She didn't know how the men had found them in the park and they might still be following and she wasn't going to take any chances.
Lara stood at the railing when something brushed past her legs. She looked down to see a grey striped cat circling her legs. The cat looked up at her and meowed.
"Hello, little pussy cat." she said.
The cat meowed again.
"I know what you'll need. How about a bowl of milk?" Lara addressed the cat. "Come along."
The cat looked at her curiously and followed carefully, when Lara entered the living room again. Lara walked to the fridge to fetch some milk. Then she took out a bowl from a cupboard. After filling some milk into it she crouched down and placed it on the floor. The cat approached it curiously and then took a few sips, when suddenly it stopped and turned around as if it had sensed something.
Lara followed the cat's gaze and saw Kazuya standing in the door frame. He had gotten dressed again and was now wearing a blue jeans and a dark purple shirt. Lara wondered if he had bandaged his shoulder or if he was risking to ruin another expensive shirt.
The cat walked towards him and sneaked around his legs.
"Hello neko." he said leaning down, stroking the cat.
"I see you are far better with cats, than you are with ducks." Lara commented.
Kazuya looked up at her. "Cats and devils go well together." He grabbed the cat and sat down on the couch with it. "Can you bring the milk when you come over here?"
"Sure." Lara said and took the bowl to the table with her.
She sat down next to him and looked at him expectantly. He took the bowl from her hands and held it out to the cat. Then he noticed that Lara was still looking at him.
"I'm alright; stop looking at me like that."
"I am just a bit worried."
"Well, don't be!"
He turned his attention back to the cat which had finished the milk and was licking its nose and paws. He sat the cat back onto the floor and it sneaked towards the door and a moment later was out again. Then he turned back towards Lara.
"Can I offer you something to drink, Lara?"
"I can help myself. You should better rest. To tell you the truth, I don't see you fighting with that wound tomorrow."
"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I will fight against Lee. At least he will get a fair chance." he added with a grin.
Lara just shook her head.
Kazuya got up and walked towards the bar. A moment later he returned with a drink in his hand. He looked at Lara for a moment. And then with an ironic undertone he said: "I would have brought you a drink as well, but I didn't want to strain my shoulder any more."
Lara tried hard to ignore his comment.
"So what can I get you?" he then asked her.
Again Lara did not reply.
"A water?"
Still no reply.
"Coke, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale, Orange Juice..."
Lara looked at him angry.
"Champagne...?"
"As I told you. I can get it myself, sit down and relax."
"Lara, please. Don't treat me like I'm fatally ill. I told you I'm fine. Let me show you..."
He placed his glass on the table and began to open the top button of his shirt.
"Now you think that's a good idea?" Lara asked him irritated.
He looked back at her confused and then shook his head. "I just wanted to show you my shoulder... What do you think?"
Lara's ears turned slightly red. "Nothing." she stammered.
He grinned in reply. "Well, if you insist..."
"Oh shut up and show me your wound."
Kazuya opened the rest of the buttons of his shirt and took it off.
Lara's eyes grew wide. "I expected you bandaged it." she said surprised when she realised he hadn't. She approached him and examined his shoulder once more.
"What have you done?" she said. "This looks much better than previously. I can't believe that happened two hours ago."
"I told you it's alright" he said and turned away, grabbing his shirt and putting it back on.
"Ok, I don't understand it."
"I didn't expect you would. That's one of the side effects of having him around. That's how I was able to survive that fall."
"I see..."
"Am I now allowed to get you a drink?" he asked her while buttoning up his shirt and walking back to the fridge.
Lara followed him slowly. "Sorry, I was just so worried. All the time friends around me die because of what I do... That's the life of a tomb raider."
"But you are forgetting one important thing. I am more like the dangerous artefact or evil spirit you have to hunt down and destroy."
"Right." she said grinning. "But I think it's better to get rid of your father. Because you are worth a fortune when he's gone."
"Tell me that's not true, I am going for a millionaire, or even billionaire... and she's still after my money."
Lara was about to protest but his kiss stopped her from saying anything. She hesitated to lay her arms around him, after all he had a nasty wound and she wanted to be extra careful not to damage his shoulder any more.
"What's wrong?" he asked her.
"I don't want to hurt you..."
"As long as you don't push against my shoulder I should be alright."
"You have a healing factor like Wolverine..."
"Like what?"
"Forget it. He is one of the X-Men."
"X-Men. That sounds like something Heihachi could come up with."
Lara had to laugh at his comment. "Probably you are right..."
Kazuya pulled her towards him. "And now stop this silliness! As I said, you don't have to be particularly careful. Lee won't have any mercy with me tomorrow either."
Lara carefully slung her arms around him and put them on his back. Then she rested her head against his unhurt shoulder. For a moment he placed one hand on the back of her head. Then he moved his hand under her chin and pulled her head up to kiss her. She closed her eyes and let it happen. When she felt his tongue brushing softly against her lips, she opened her mouth. She returned the affection by a careful touch of her own tongue. His hands had wandered back to her hair and he began opening her braid.
Meanwhile Lara's hands wandered up and down his back, pulling his body closer towards her. When he was finished opening her hair, he released her lips and began kissing her neck. Then he moved back up and they were kissing again.
Next Lara could feel his right arm grabbing around her and before she could react he had put his left arm under her legs lifting her up.
"Don't..." Lara began to protest "think of your shoulder."
"What shoulder." he replied seductively.
"Do I have to remind you that tomorrow is important?"
"That's why we are going to bed now." he replied.
Despite his bad shoulder he carried her with ease towards the stairs leading to the sleeping quarters. On the way out of the living room he turned off the light with his right elbow. He carried her down the stairs and towards his cabin.
"Shall I drop you off at the bathroom, Lara?"
"No, I have brushed my teeth and everything when I had the shower..."
"Good." he said and opened his cabin door. He slammed the door shut behind them and placed her carefully onto the bed. Then he bent over her and kissed her again.
She grabbed around his neck and pulled him down.
He kissed her; his hand touched her cheek and wandered to her hair, when she suddenly yelled in pain. He pulled back and then Lara pushed him aside.
"Idiot! Do you think it was a great idea opening my hair?"
Lara got into a sitting position and captured all her hair in one hand. Then she held out the other. "Hair band, please!"
"What?"
"I said: HAIR BAND, PLEASE!"
"Do I look like someone who wears hair bands to you?"
"No. But you look like someone who steals hairbands from girls to annoy them. So where have you put it?"
He shrugged.
"I bet you have just dropped it in the living room."
"Probably."
"Then go and fetch it!"
"Yes, Miss Croft. As Madame wishes."
"Thank you, Mr. Mishima." she replied grinning as he walked out.
As soon as he had left the room she ran to her bag and got out her white pyjamas. She changed into them quickly and then hasted back to the bed. She slid into it and pulled up the cover.
A moment later Kazuya stepped into the room again.
"Here is your hair..." he began "Now this is unfair, getting changed while I was gone."
"I thought we wanted to go to bed and I don't intend to sleep in Jeans and T-Shirt." she said smiling.
"So what do I do now?"
"Get out of your clothes." Lara suggested raising her head, looking at him expectantly.
"I can imagine you would like that. Please turn around." he said sounding very serious.
"Why?" Lara asked but held a hand in front of her eyes.
Kazuya walked over to the wardrobe and picked black pyjamas. He slowly opened his shirt while Lara peaked through a gap in her fingers.
"You are looking." he accused her.
"Sorry." Lara replied holding up her other hand in front of her eyes. Again she left a gap between her fingers through which she continued looking.
"I understand." Kazuya said turning around
Lara sighed disappointed, loud enough for him to hear.
"You are sweet." he said.
"No I'm not." Lara said annoyed, letting herself fall back into the pillows.
Kazuya used his chance and quickly changed into the trousers of his pyjamas. Lara raised her head again but too late.
"Now I've missed it. Damn."
Before Kazuya put on his shirt he tried moving his left arm around.
"Oh excellent." he cursed through clenched teeth. "Here goes my flash-punch-combo. I won't be doing any fast punches with my left tomorrow."
Lara looked at him worried. "Will you be alright?"
"Sure, it's just something I have to get used to. I guess that means a little extra training tomorrow, concentration on using mainly right punches. I guess I have to kick Lee's ass."
He then got into his shirt and went over to the bed.