9005/En Passant

En Passant
Date of Scene:	08 December 2021
Location:	Greenwich Lofts
Synopsis:	Phobos has returned. Lara reconnects with her neighbor after a hiatus.
Cast of Characters:	Alexander Aaron, Lara Croft

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Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The first week back had taken a good chunk of time just catching up, seeing people, letting those who needed to be aware of the young Olympian's return. It had been enjoyable, touching base with friends and family, wandering in and out of the robust lives of so many exceptional individuals. Though through it all there was one thing that Alexander Aaron hadn't entirely been looking forward to. And that was finally making the sojourn back to his apartment.
    Not that it /really/ was his apartment. More accurate to say it was his fathers and he was allowed to use it back when he was attending Empire State, since the college was but a stroll down the road. Still, there had been some feeling of ownership that grew over time as people came and went in the young man's life.
    Yet now he had finally made the journey into Greenwich, taking the stairs up several flights until he reached the third floor and shouldered open the door that led to his hall. For those that might know him they likely would recognize him. Not /too/ terribly different since his departure a year ago. Though there were small things now, small differences.
    First, and most obvious? The beard, of course. It was neatly trimmed and it looked good on him, with his blond hair, and hazel eyes, complementary really. He also was a touch taller, an inch? Two perhaps. And he filled out the old pea coat he had been wearing last Winter, it fit to his frame easily enough.
    Though now his thoughts were less on the passage of time for him... and more on what state the passage of time left on his apartment.

Lara Croft has posed:
    Meanwhile, Lara was in the middle of her 'time away from home'. Her home was Surrey in England. Her time in New York was punctuated by phone calls with her butler and official Zoom calls to deal with things she had to back home. However, she'd been here long enough to have gotten into a rhythm. A rhythm that was always changing, especially with some of the extraordinary things that had happened to her since she'd come, but a rhythm nonetheless.
    As she moves along the hallway, she almost passes over Alexander. He's just different enough and has been gone long enough that he's been relegated to the back of her mind. Long term storage of people she once knew. However, the apartment hasn't changed hands, so as Alexander approaches it, Lara realizes who it is before her. She stops and looks toward him.
    "Oh," she says, keys dangling in her hand as she had readied them to unlock her own apartment. "You're back," she realizes aloud.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Footsteps faltering, a pause. The young man tilted his head to the side and met her gaze with that easy aplomb she might recall. He had always been so laid back, even when the most trying times passed. When there were break-ins in the building, or when there were the strangest noises coming in from the alleyway.
    Shifting his weight to the other boot, a smile spread across his features. "Ms. Croft." He greets her, hands still in the pockets of his black coat, proof against the Winter's chill outside and marked by the glisten of the remains of snowflakes on his shoulders.
    "I see you're still haunting the building. It's good to see you." A brief step back as those curiously pale eyes drift low and then up again, taking her in and what may have passed for her. "You're looking well. What all did I miss?"
    As he asks that his smile drifts a little wider, knowing it is likely an impossible ask, yet still making it all the same.

Lara Croft has posed:
    "Much," Lara replies. She pockets her keys again, assuming the conversation will be going longer than just a hello, it seems. She looks him over. "I assumed your time among us had come to an end. How long are you back for?" Turning, she squares off to face Alexander.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    There's a brief moment as the young man meets her gaze, then tilts his head subtly to the side, gauging her stance for some reason then quirking an eyebrow. Whatever observation is made is held to himself as he draws his lower lip in to worry at it a little with his teeth.
    "Mmm, for good. I'm hoping. Had a trip." He gestures with a slight nod over his shoulder, as if pointing out the place he speaks of when he does so. "Back to Greece. Was... interesting." But no good.
    "And you?" His brows raise. "All fares well back at the office?"

Lara Croft has posed:
    Lara considers how to answer in a public hallway for a moment. "I've had my horizons expanded," she says. "I'm going to be stepping down from teaching, so I'll have more free time to pursue my own interests." She nods as she goes over her words again. That was safe enough that even if they were overheard, nothing incriminating was said.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Oh?" The tread of his boot creaks faintly as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "Well that's... worthy of congratulations I hope. If not, well, hopefully you can kick all their asses." With that comment he gives a good single nod before he takes a step back and rests his hand on the door knob to his apartment."I'd invite you in, but..."
    He spares another glance over his shoulder, then tilts his head back to her. "Well, I haven't cleaned yet. Nor seen the inside, it might be horrifying and you'd run screaming."

Lara Croft has posed:
    Lara raises an eyebrow, then smiles. "Fair," she admits. "Similar situation here," she admits. She stands awkwardly for a moment before she says, "It's good to see you again." It's politeness from practice. It's pretty clear she's not sure how to feel about the situation.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Giving a nod, Alexander's smile returns to almost that easy neutral posture, "And you, don't be a stranger." He lifts a hand from his pocket and gave a small wiggle of fingers in the hint of a wave before he's turning back to the door of his apartment.
    There's the jangle of keys, the click of the lock, then the door opens. After that the youth disappears. Though a handful of seconds later there's a loudish, 'AUGH!' heard as most likely Phobos found something that... did not get cleaned up.

Lara Croft has posed:
    Lara moves to her own keys and is in the hallway just long enough to hear Phobos' exclamation. She smirks before unlocking her apartment and going inside. "And you," she says to the hallway as she closes her door. It clicks a few times as she makes sure it's good and locked.