9847/Dinner for some Info

Dinner for some Info
Date of Scene:	30 October 2019
Location:	Suite A1 Grant Ward, The Triskelion
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Grant Ward, Lara Croft

---

Grant Ward has posed:
He had promised her dinner. It was not exactly a date, more like a get together business arrangement. He would make dinner and she would provide some company and a bit of information on something he has an interest in. At least that was how Grant Ward thought. It was all about the information, this information was just coming from a beautiful adventurer with a British accent.

Upon hearing the knock at the door, Grant makes his way over to it opening it and standing in the doorway. He is wearing a pair of jeans and a casual white t-shirt that hugs his body ever so slightly. "Miss Croft. Please come in." He steps to the side and gestures for her to enter. The place is immaculate. Everything seems to have it's place with nothing seemingly cluttered or out of place. There is apparently something in the oven and something else boiling on the stove. "Dinner will be ready shortly. Can I get you a drink?" He moves to close the door behind you."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara stands outside of the Triskelion apartment in a dark navy blue SHIELD jacket, with the agency logos on her shoulders. Beneath that she's weary a light gray tanktop and a pair of dark army green denim jeans, with dark leather boots on her feet. Her brown hair is tied back behind her head with the bangs loose about her forehead. She smiles to Grant when he invites her inside and she moves on in, a black messenger bag is around her shoulder, carrying likely work related stuff since they're still technically in the Triskelion after all and she likely just finished her shift.

"Lara is fine." She says, of the formalities of name usage. Once inside she looks around the interior of the spartan apartment. "Thank you for inviting me too, I don't get asked to do a lot by fellow agents within SHIELD." She shows him a soft smile then. "I think I'm considered to be a bit 'odd', but I'm not certain about it. I've had that experience my whole life however, so I'm fairly used to it." A soft smile remains on her lips as she stands there within the room's center.

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant seems a little off. I mean those that know him would be able to see that. The usually robotic Agent Ward seems a bit more welcoming and perhaps a bit nervous. "Please please sit. Just put you bag anywhere. Well, not anywhere. Over there would be good on that side table if you wish." Agent Grant Ward, everything has its place. "I was just finishing up dinner. I hope you like Chicken Kiev with a side of wild rice and garlic mashed potatoes." He looks over his shoulder and then back to her. "At least that is what it is suposed to be. We are going to find out in just a bit."

The refrigerator is opened and he calls out as he peers in, "I have some beer...a bit of wine. That may apple juice...cold be cider by now. I do not recommend the apple juice. Water...can I get you anything?" He pulls out a beer for himself and sets it on the counter. "I don't think you are ood are at all. You are just...well you are Lara Croft. World reknown adventurer and archeologist." He leans with his back to the edge of the counter. "I will have to admit. You may be one of the few people who have set foot in here. I do not entertain much. Kind a loner myself."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara gives the man a soft smile at the recommendation of where she could put the bag she had with her and she calmly walks over and lets it slide off of her shoulder to settle down there-in. On her way back to where he is in the kitchen she pauses the counter's edge and places her right hand on its outer corner then next to her hip. "A beer is fine." She states, motioning to what he'd pulled out for himself as well. "I don't want to be the one to brave the mysterious 'might be apple juice' container." She states with a slight grin.

Another look is given around the apartment interior. "Yes, I'm not one to entertain people much myself. I considered taking up residence here in the Trisk, but I felt it would be better for my sanity to step away from the job and have a bit of a reprieve from it..." Her eyes go back to him. "Or so thats what my friends encouraged me to do. I had originally bought a home in Greenwich Village, but I've sense ended up leasing it out to some of the other agents here at SHIELD, a cute couple. I've got a loft apartment now, its much smaller than the house was, but its all I really need for now."

Nevermind the Croft Manor back in London, which lies dark and empty today.

Grant Ward has posed:
Ward turns back to the fridge and pulls another beer from it, pulling an opener from a drawer and popping the top off both of them. The beer is then offered to her with a smile and a a slight nod, "I too have considered getting a place outside of the Trisk. Been looking fo a bit now. Yes, even Agent Grant War dsometimes likes to leave the job behind at the end of the day." He takes a small sip of the beer lowering once more and looking to the pot on the stove, reaching over to turn it down. "There is always take out if this end up inedible. I make no promises of my cooking ability. I live a bachelor's life of the Food Court and take out."

He looks at her a moment, a narrowed eye glance before speaking again. "I don't need much really. I mean, this works, but I would not be against something else." He motions to the couch with a small gesture, "The Chicken still has a few moments, please come sit and make yourself comfortable. He starts to walk towards the couch, "I wil be honest. I was not sure you would take me up on this offer. It is not like people are knocking on my door to talk anything but business."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara's eyes go to the food where it is being prepared and after he gives her a beer, she takes a sip from it and then smiles at him and his words. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Trust me, I'm much the same. Between ordering out and just cooking some kind of noodle in a cup thing... I am not that great with food. One of my best friends runs a restaurant here in the city. I helped him finance it, as... well as a bribe to get him to move here, but it worked so now I have him here and a place to go eat any time I need something with a bit more flavor."

Lara moves to the sofa as indicated and she sets her beer down before she removes that light outer jacket and lets it drape over the arm of the sofa before settling down onto it. She looks over to Grant then. "You seem to down on yourself a lot." She notes. "Not to point it out, but I take that is an insecurity... As though you're worried people don't like you, but you'd prefer it if they didn't know you were actually concerned about it." She shows a hint of a grin a second later. "I'm sorry if thats invasive... I had to do a lot of therapy sessions after, well after Yamatai. Court ordered in fact, I think some of that jargon has rubbed off on me in some ways."

Grant Ward has posed:
It would figure. The one person Grant decieds to invite over for dinner and conversation is the one person who would immediatly figure part of him out. It catches him off guard and he raises the beer to his lips to take along sip...a longer sip. Is he going to finish it? It was clerly him trying to think of a reply. The beer is lowered and he shifts on the couch slightly, furrowing a brow. "Invasive? No. No. Not at all. Why would you think that was invasive?" He pauses a moment and watches her a moment longer, "Grant Ward is not insecure. I am the most secure person you will ever meet."

A hand moves to rub across the back of his neck. "Look. This room here is a room of sanctity. Nothing said in this room leaves this room. It's like a black hole of secrecy." He offers a soft smile, one not often given. "I know what people say about me. It does not really bother me. I follow the rules. I follow the book. Protocl exists because it needs to. I keep my team alive because I do." He exhales softly. "I keep people at a distance...that's true. I have my reasons."

He reaches out and lightly taps her on the back of the hand. "I have had my share of therapy...it was not exactly court ordered and I am not sure they were trying to help me or just figure me out."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara watches his face as he replies and she just holds a faint smile. Slowly she nods to what he says and looks at the apartment around them as he indicates it to be a black hole of secrecy. "I see." She softly says before she looks back to him. After he taps her hand she raises her bottle up for another sip. "As a word of advice though?" She offers, gently tilting her head then lowering her voice to a near whisper. "Its best not to refer to yourself in the third person, thats when the straight jackets come out." She then flashes him a grin as she settles back into the sofa and crosses her legs at the knee, with the right over the left.

"Honestly, Grant." She continues. "If you're following protocol and doing things by the book, then you're going to be respected and considered a leader people will want to follow. One who does get their team home safe, is one people will want to be assigned to. The ribbing? Well, thats probably because everyone unwinds differently after stressful events. 'Blowing off steam' often comes in the form of silly jokes and macho one-liners amongst military-esque units, like SHIELD operates. I'm sure at the end of the day the agents who serve under you are very impressed with your abilities as a leader though."

And again she flashes a soft smile to hopefully show her sincerity.

Grant Ward has posed:
Ward cannot help but smile at her comment about speaking in the third person. It is something he often does and does not even realize he is doing. He takes another sip of the beer, peering out from behind it. "You think so? You really think they respect me that way? I mean I can see your point. On a dangerous mission, they put their lives in my hands, so there must be some level of trust and respect." The beer is lowered and he laughs lightly. "You are good. Real good. Months and months of therapy and I have learned more about myself from you in ten minutes than a doctor could tell me." His eyes fall to the crossing of the legs and then back to her glance. "So about you. You obviously do not see yourself as someone who can interact with people easily. I think you consider yourself weird because you do not fit in with the typical SHIELD agents. You are my complete opposite and yet for some reason I would trust you to have my back. Why?"

He slowly rises from the couch and makes his way towards the kitchen area once more. "I think dinner may be ready." He moves to take the chicken kiev out of the oven and actually laughs. "It's not burnt." He starts to bringit over to the table, a table that is set and even has an unlit candle in the middle. Thus guy clearly does not entertain much and has gone all out. "Join me Lara? Because if I have to eat alonr, I may never recover." He gives her a warm smile.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara shows a half smirk at Grant's admission that she's learned more about him than most so quickly. "I think its just the tip of the ice berg, Mister Ward." She kindly jests back to him as he rises to go check on the dinner. She leans forward then and sits on the edge of said sofa with her back straight and her eyes roaming the room again, she raises the beer up for another sip.

She elects to stand then, adjusting the hem of her shirt as she does so, and takes a step forward. "I think if you trust me, its because you see experience in me, and have likely read enough about me to know that I have enough experience to likely hold my own on most SHIELD missions, even if I'm not a typical agent, in the sense that you and your closest associates are. I have extensive weapon training skills, I have infiltration and espionage experience, I've... killed. I likely have more ability than some of your recruits--" A small pause. "If not some of your veterans too." She softly exhales then. "But, I think I'm not considered as such, more-so just... a relic finder, a 'nerd' with her nose stuffed in books about mummies. That manner of thing."

The Briton joins him at the table then and chooses a chair. "It smells wonderful." She says in that calming accent of hers.

Grant Ward has posed:
He will not sit until she does, moving over to awkwardly make sure she is slid in properly, then going to serve her plate first. "Now, typically I would ask you to sign a waiver just in case any type of food ilness is to befall you. However, given that you are adventurous type, I figured you would be willing to take the risk." The kiev is placed on her plate, a scoop of the rice anf then some potatoes. "Another beer?" He makes his way towards the fridge to grab to more, setting them on the table. Before he sits he goes to lght the candle, but for some reason it will not light. There is a sheepish grin given and he raises a finger. "Just a moment."

He disappears into his bedroom and dims the lights slightly, moving to put a small tactical flashlight in the middle of the table, the light shining upwards. "Improvisation. A true SHIELD skill." Sitting himself he stars to put some food on his plate. "I have read your file Lara. And your articles. I know what you have done, what you are capble of and what I could count on you to do. You see...and I cannot believe I am saying this. If there is one thing I am learning is that Protocol is but a basis, but sometimes you need to make calls and adjustments to complete the mission. You my dear Lara are in expert in that."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara softly thanks him with a little smile as he does the polite gentlemanly thing of helping her sit, a trait she hasn't seen out of a person in... well perhaps her entire life. Such things have somewhat died off in this world today after all.

At his struggles with the candle, Lara just grins and nods to the question of the beer. "Sure, that would be nice." She says calmly before she watches him return with the tac light which makes her laugh for a short moment. "Marvelous." She says of that idea. "I would've brought a chemlight had I known they would be needed, I have 'campfire' hued ones in my Jeep down in the garage." Its mentioned with a fair amount of amused humor on the edge of her words.

Her eyes drop to the food as she listens to him, gathering up the utensils then she spares a glance up to him. "Trial by fire..." Lara says in that British flavored voice, accentuating each of the syllables in the three words with a soft eloquence. She glances back down to the meal then. "I didn't desire to become what I've become, mind you. This job itself, isn't what I saw myself doing in life. It found me, point in fact. If I hadn't had the right teachers growing up, I never would've survived what I went through, and I likely would've perished many times since. But... I didn't, haven't, and do not plan to." She looks back up to him then.

"I've enjoyed my time in SHIELD thus far, and the challenges its presented me. But my passion is still in exploration, rather than... world politics... or... what super hero is dating which." She shows a faint grin then.

Grant Ward has posed:
If there was one thing Grant Ward was, it was a gentleman. Women were to be treated a certain way and that was something his messed up upbringing did nothing to alter. He peers across the table at her in the most romantic of tact lighting and offers a smile. "I would like to see that campfire one. There is something about a campfire and being alone out in the wilderness that has always been one of my favortie things to do." It was true, he spent many times simply of /surviving/ on his own just because he wanted to see if he could do it. "I don't think we ever truly end up where we think we will. I could never have imagined years ago that I would be sitting in an aprtment suite in the Triskelion of SHIELD having chicken kiev with a beautiful british archeologist."

DId he just blush slightly? He may havem but given the lighting it may be difficulty to see. "Every decision that we have made and every person we have encountered have brought us to this very moment, right here, right now. One different decision and I could be having dinner at a pizza pizza place in Omaha after my bowling league." He takes a bite of the kiev and makes a slight face, offering a grin. "It is edible. I am not winning an Ukrainian awards."

He sets the fork down and raises the beer to his lips, peering across at her. "World Politics. I know it all too well. I willnot bore you with my stories of my involvement. You may fall asleep and then the rumors start when you are spotted leaving in the morning." He mock winces and leans forward, poking at the potatoes. "I gave up trying to keep track of who is with who. I mean what is dating anways? Spending time with someone you enjoy spending time with more than the occasional basis? I owuld value your thoughts and opinion on this matter. There is no protocl or manual for that...is there?" He offers a charsiamtic grin and pops some rice into his mouth.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara enjoys the food as she listens to him speak, she comments on it too shortly after he had. "Its fantastic, don't sell yourself short." But then she sips the beer and just listens to him before she has to grin faintly at what he says. "No books on dating?" She asks him. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. There are absolute mountains of books on dating that would make even Everest quiver at the daunting sight of their tremendous height."

"But, no, I haven't really a lot of thoughts on dating." She states as she looks back to her food then, forking at it. "I've not really the time. I've never really had it either. After my father passed away, I was whisked off on trips with my mentor Roth... my schooling was always very busy and after college, well... thats whats lead me here. My work has been my life, as it had been for my father as well. Which of course lead to all manner of tension between he and my mother." She frowned softly then in thought of them both. "They were in a bad place when she died, I feel a great amount of sorrow for how it had left my father."

Her eyes skim back over to him though and she summons a smile. "Not to sour the mood, I'm just providing context to... to why I'm a bit of a reluctant dater, I suppose. We likely have that in common. Focus on our work, rather than... bowling and pizza." She raises her beer up and before sipping from it, she adds past its neck. "Though I do love a good pizza."

Grant Ward has posed:
"There are books on dating? WHo would write such a thing. I mean, no ill intention, but how can anyone even pretend to understand the woman mind?" He sips his beer and quickly adds. "From what I have figured out...is that it is impossible to figure out, but that does not make them any less capable or intelligent. If anything, that complexity makes them even more apt." He continues to eat, the food disappearing. "I bought dessert. I hope you like..." He struggles for the name. "Rapsberry layered chocolate cakey looking thing." A genuine smile is given.

"I am sorry for your losses. It must have been difficult for you growing up in a situation like that. My parents and brother just beat me." He goes silent a moment and says a bit softer. "It would appear we have that in common. I mean, in a sense we both eventually lost both our parents. Mine just gave up on me." He laughs lightly. "Well look at me bringing the dour to the party."

He peers at her plate and softly asks. "Dessert? What do you say I get that ready and you go make yourself comfortable on the couch again. I will bring it over. I can clean this later." He slowly rises from the table pausing by it. "Pizza you say? Well I know a good place. They do deliver if one does not want to go there. We could have it sometime. I mean...not a date of course."

Lara Croft has posed:
Once they both finish up with the dinner, Lara is rising up with her beer in hand and her other hand going into her pocket of her jeans against her hip. She watches him for a moment and smiles. "That dessert sounds lovely, thank you, Grant." She says before glancing back to the sofa as he offers her a chance to sit again there. She half turns toward it but looks back to him. "Well, please make sure to point your family out to me sometime if they're clsoe by, so I can deliver them all a firmly placed punch to their individual stomachs."

Lara slips back onto the sofa then and sets her beer down onto the table beside its arm where her jacket still rests. "One thing I've learned is that every single person in this world has some element of their past that has negatively effected them in, what seems to be at least, a terrible way. Man or woman. There hasn't really been a difference in gender specifics to me, I've found competence - and gross incompetence - in both men and women. Its individuals who shine brighter, with individual training, dedication and quality personality traits that have lead them to being 'the good ones' in life. For any given need. Be it a good doctor, or a good... computer repair tech." Lara places her right arm on the sofa's arm and rests her head against the palm of her hand.

"Its a wide world out there, with a wide variety of people. Sadly many of them aren't that great, while others? Are remarkable."

Grant Ward has posed:
Look at little Grant Homemaker. He pulls the cake from the fridge and cuts two slices, putting them on some simple white plates and returns. One of them is set down on the table in front of wher ehe will sit and the other is offered to his companion. "It should be good. I had nothing to do with it." He winks and moves to sit beside her, if not a bit closer this time, but not in proximity that would make her feel uneasy. Leaning forward, he picks up his plate and leans back, taking a small bite. "Mmmm. That's good raspberry chocolate cake type thing." He smiles over and watches her a moment, "I could not agree more Lara. I have sene those who come from the most difficult of background do great things, and those who have been given everything do nothing at all. Environment can shape you, but it does not define you."

He reaches to take a sip of his beer, holding it to his lips and speaking before taking a sip. "I have to be honest Lara. You have intrigued me since I read your file. You are one of those remarkable people. I consider myself lucky to be able to have this time to talk with you in such a manner." He takes a sip, loweringit and then softly adding. "So tell me Lara. And be honest. I am skilled in detecting lies." He winks. "Before this evening. What was your opinion of me? I mean based on what you had heard?"

Lara Croft has posed:
When he joins her on the sofa with the cake, she accepts it with a quiet 'Thank you' and then takes a moment to situate it before she uses the utensil to take a sampling bite. His own summation of its taste gets a nod from her as she glances over at him. "It is good." She agrees before enjoying more of it whilst hearing him out.

When he talks of reading her file and how it'd intrigued him, he pays her a compliment which makes her look up and over to him to smile again. "Thanks." She says again. "Thats very sweet." Her eyes go back down to the plate and she draws a light breath. "In truth, I hadn't thought of you much. I'd seen you around, a face amongst the other. I'd heard you speaking to some of your people before once, in the training center. You were being... loud, much bravado." A light grin is shown. "But you seemed to be fair and out for your people's best interests ultimately. It came across to me as a quality SHIELD agent, doing what he is meant to do."

Her plate is set upon her lap and her hand reaches over to grab her own drink, sugar and beer... always a strange combo. She takes a sip anyway to help clear her palette and then speaks again. "We in the WAND department, generally have our heads lost in magic books, and sinister relics that wish to harm our world through dark means... Its hard to think about whats going on in the rest of the 'more normal' corners of the Triskelion."

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant nods at her assessment of him. "Yeah, I tend to be like that sometimes. I do have an image to uphold and if I appear to be soft, they will stop listening. Every new recruit thinks they are going to save the world and has a certain bravado you have to carefully jeep in check without breaking them. My job, among others things, is to make sure htose I train and go on missions with stay alive. That's it. Bring them home." He takes another bite and nods once, lowering theplate to the table in front of him.

It is then in the dim light that he spies the slightest bit of cake on the corner of her mouth. He somewhat awkwardly leans in with an extended finger, stutters. "You have...um...a bit..of..here." He timidly goes to wipe the cake way with his finger if he is not swatted. His finger is gentle and not imposing at all. He slowly leans back. "There you go. Much cuter. I mean...not that you were not cute before. Cuz you were.." Shut up Grant, keep digging.

It is quite clear that he is somewhat embarassed and blushing now. He reaches for his beer and takes another sip. "WAND. Yes, we value them greatly I do not pretend to understand all that goes on in the world of magic and mystery. That's where you come in. Yes, you and your other WAND people who do their wandy things." He shifts and runs a finger under the collor of his shirt. "Is it hot in here?"

Lara Croft has posed:
"Well you certainly seem to be doing precisely what you were brought on to SHIELD to do, Grant." Lara says then. "So that much should be respected, and I'm sure it is, especially by those above you. And those below you? Well, they'll come to respect it once they see how much its helping them stay safer 'out there' in this wild world that we're all trying to survive within."

Lara pauses her words shortly after speaking that last one when he moves his hand in to help clear her of the icing. It makes her exhale a light laugh and otherwise hold still for him to accomplish it, after he does, and he fumbles with his flirting, she just offers him a soft and understanding smile when he does his collar tugging.

"You don't have to be nervous around me, Grant." Lara states. "I'm in my mid twenties, I've been all around the world already, and I've interacted with a wide variety of people. Ones who are far less bashful about their flirtatious advancements, believe you me on that one." She huffs out another laugh and sips again from her beer. It might be the beer thats making her talk so freely. "Its endearing, when its coming from someone who's been as kind as you have tonight." She pauses then has her beer and cake plate in her lap as she stares at him for a silent moment or two. "You're a good person, Grant Ward. I can see that in you, very clearly. You should be proud of it in fact."

Grant Ward has posed:
Her words obviouslymake him feel more at ease, relaxing a bit. I mean it is not as if he has never talked to a woman before. He has had his share of that. However, there is something different about her and for some reason he cannot put his finger on it. "Nervous? I am not nervous. It's more of a...don't mess this up kinda thing." He pauses in what he realizes he just said and takes another bite of cake. It is then he realizes she is sitting there staring at him.

He too puts his cake down and matches the glance she is giving and offers a warm smile. "You are a good person as well Lara Croft. I am sure you are a far better person than myself. Yet, let us not argue to that fact." He laughs lightly and continues. "Why would I not be kind? You are wonderful company. A beautiful woman...I am not even going to mention the accent. Alright, I am. It's adorable." Is it the beer loosening him up. He continues, when maybe he should have stopped. "You have made me realize that eating alone is not always fun and that coming home to paperwork and follow up reports every night is not the only option."

He tilts his head and softly asks, "May I see your hand? I picked up a little fortune telling skill in Romania by a rural band of gypsies."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara laughs lightly then at what he says, "Gypsies, you say?" She asks then at the hand reading part. She sets the plate and beer bottle aside, puts her hands atop her lap and then offers him her left, palm up. "Surely you knew already that coming home to boring work elements isn't the best way to come home. I... recently got a dog! To try to add a new, more... entertaining element to my own arrival back home. Now I have to take him out on a walk, feed and water him, make sure he's not terribly lonely. Its been, interesting?" She shows a faint smile then.

Her hand is soft but experienced, her fingers and palms show callouses that indicate her very knowledgeable level when it comes to things like rock climbing or wielding a variety of tools and weapons, she has a worker's touch, really, but there are signs of that in many places upon her, such as the scar on the left side of her face where she'd taken a hit from the side of a handgun from a Solarii mercenary while fighting for her life on Yamatai.

"So what does my life hold in its future?" She then asks with a faint smile.

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant takes the hand gently in his own. His hands are strong and firm, but are certaintly not showing that as he holds hers. One od his hands is below, while another traces a light finger over her palm. "I see you have a dog. You recently got the dog. I see you have had a difficult past, but have become an incredibe adventures and archeolgist I think." His finger continues to trac,e the one below it gripping a bit more, but gentle. "You have good taste in company. Very good taste. And...wait what's this? It says you are excited for the chance to get pizza with a dark haired handsome man." He raises his eyes to meet hers and plainly says. "I can't read palms. I just wanted to hold your hand a moment.

He makes no effort to pull his hand away, but also is not grippingit anymore. "I have been to Romania tho and spent al ot of time with a group of roaming gypsies. Wonderful people. I will show you sometime if you have never been there."

Lara Croft has posed:
Throughout his very talented hand reading, Lara has a growing grin and near the end of it she raises her dark eyebrows up and looks up to make eye contact with him. "My dog does love pizza, and does have dark hair." She teases him, obviously understanding his true meaning. She gives his hand an affectionate squeeze then for his silly, but endearing, come-on.

"I would be happy to go to this pizza place of yours and experience its quality." She says then in response. "And with as many as there are in this city alone, I'm quite positive that I've never been there. Its amazing food, devilishly delicious in fact, but thats how it gets you and... then you find yourself 'addicted'." She lets a serious expression grace her facial features, then she smiles again to show she was just being a little silly.

"I look forward to it though, and thank you for what you've done tonight too. Its been very good casual fun. Which is what I like. I'm not one for formalities or what have you." She nods again then and releases a light exhale. "So yes, this has been a good time."