Chapter Text
It was a rare day in the English countryside: The sun was shining brightly with nary a sign of rain to come. Birds were chirping, the wind was blowing just so. Warm but not too hot. Tranquil serenity hummed from the very earth itself. It was a perfect day to spend outside.
Which is why a rowdy group of boys were walking through the field outside of Croft Manor. Set loose from the orphanage, they were permitted to go on hikes when the weather was nice. Anything to get them to blow off their excess energy. They were a loud and raucous bunch, yelling and laughing and monkeying about.
"This is the place!" One of the boys, gangly as if the only things to grow on his body were limbs, suddenly yelled. His eyes locked on the sprawling manor that lay before them. "What place?" asked the largest of the boys, stocky and thick in more ways than one. "Isn't this where that Croft bird lives?" asked another, short but with a rotundness to him that could no longer be called baby fat. "Oh, from the Playboys?" mused the smallest of the group. His pale face turned almost as red as his hair when he recalled the salacious photos the beautiful woman had taken.
"Yeah, her!" shouted the wiry boy. "This is where I told you about! Where I saw her havin' a shag!" The smallest boy rolled his eyes, "Not this rubbish again, Andy." Andy, the gangly one, jammed his finger into the smaller boy's face. "Fuck off, Keiran! It's not rubbish! I saw 'er! She was up against tha' window!" He pointed to a mid-sized window on the third floor. It was hard to make out any details of it from their position. If he had arrived at the same time of day, the sun would have prevented him from seeing anything.
Kieran huffed. He hated being dragged along by these twits. But, as they were the only four boys in their age range, the workers at St. Joseph's Orphanage always made them do group activities together. No matter how many times he tried to tell them he was being pushed around and bullied, they always waved him off. Boys will be boys. He hated that. It was just an excuse to make him the only one who had to deal with it.
"She's got knockers bigger than my head!" Andy continued despite the rest of the group's lack of belief in him. "Rich birds always get themselves big fake tits," said the round boy. The largest boy stopped in his tracks. "Wha-" the round boy tried to ask, but the large one stuck his hand out to silence him. "Quiet, Martin," he whispered, suddenly very intense. Martin, the fat boy, listened hard until his eyes lit up. He heard it too.
"What is it, Danny?" Andy whispered, moving closer. The four boys listened intently, waiting intently for whatever this mystery noise was. A splash of water echoed from beyond the wall. Smaller, more rhythmic splashes followed. All four boys came to the same conclusion: Lara Croft was currently swimming in her pool.
"D'ye think she's skinny dippin'?" snickered Andy, fantasizing about the body he had only seen in magazines. Never fully nude, but she got oh so close. "It's 'er 'ouse," Danny mused. "She could be doin' anything behind those walls." The four boys stared, feelings of need stirring within them. They had to know.
"Maybe," Martin was the first to break the silence. "Maybe we should find out." The other boys nodded their agreement, and set about finding a way to sneak through what amounted to a heavily entrenched fortress. They circled the walls of the manor, searching for anything to help them out. A low hanging tree, a climbable part of the wall, something outside for them to stack up, anything. It was on their third pass, right when they were about to give up, when Danny lurched forward, shoving Kieran out of his way.
"There," he pointed to the bottom of the wall. Almost imperceptible, hidden behind a bush, was a small hole. Had the wind not been blowing exactly as it had, exactly when they walked by, they never would have noticed it. God himself was showing them the way. Danny crouched down and peered inside. His eyes burned brightly at what he saw.
"It goes all the way through!" he hissed, waving the other boys over to look. The four of them saw the light shining on the other end of the hole, their young, excited minds imagining it as a wide expanse. A perilous tunnel with a bounty of treasure just on the other side. In reality, the wall couldn't have been more than eight inches thick. The hole, on the other hand, was rather narrow. Much too small for any of them to squeeze through. Save for...
"Go on then," Danny pushed Kieran forward. "Why me?!" the thin boy protested. The larger boy ripped the knapsack off Kieran's smaller frame. Digging around inside, he pulled out his prize and thrust it into the boy's hands. The red-haired boy looked down at his prized possession: a worn and severely outdated camera. Photography was a budding passion for the boy, but this ruddy old camera was the best he could get his hands on.
"Get in there," Danny instructed. "Snap a photo, and get out." Kieran tried his best to stand up for himself. He stood defiantly against his tormentors who glared back at him. "Do you want to crawl in yourself?" Danny asked, eerily calm. "Or would you prefer to be shoved through?" It was three on one. The thin boy would have never stood a chance. Rather than risk his camera being destroyed in the scuffle, he knelt down with a growl and wriggled himself into the hole.
Crawling through was a fairly simple, if dirty task. Keeping his camera raised high and safe, Kieran dragged his body to the other side of the wall. Pulling himself out and breathing the clean air again, he hunched down. He was officially trespassing now, and he was not going to risk getting caught. Kieran had heard tales of the British Youth Justice system and wanted no part of it.
The opposite end of the hole was also hidden behind bushes, though much more extravagantly maintained. The boy listened closely for the sounds of water they had heard before, but could hear nothing. Either he was much farther away from their original position, or she wasn't swimming any longer. He wasn't going to risk breaking into the manor, so he had his goal in mind. Take a picture of the pool, with or without Lara Croft. That way he could at least prove she wasn't there and avoid a beating caused by his failure.
Peering through the bushes, Kieran looked from one end of the other to find the direction he needed to go. A sliver of blue on his right side told him the pool was in that direction. Keeping low to the ground, the small boy crept closer to his goal. He tried to stay in the shadows hanging off the manor, but they were narrow and out in the open.
Rounding a corner, Kieran found his prize. Long and rectangular, Lara Croft's swimming pool sparkled in the afternoon sun. The water lapped at the edges, but sat mostly still. It was empty. Pool time was clearly over, and Kieran had missed his window. He breathed a sigh of relief. This was a much less risky option, and he was glad to not have to put his neck out for those bellends.
As he raised his camera to take the shot, he froze. While pool time had ended, the lady of the house was not finished with the area. On the opposite end of the pool lay Lara Croft, flat on her stomach on a lounge chair. Her hair was in a neat ponytail, and the side of her head showed him the large sunglasses she was wearing. That was practically all she was wearing as well. Thin lines of a bikini top stretched across her firmly muscled back. The same fabric plunged between her shapely ass cheeks, only a whisper of it could be seen peeking out the bottom to cover her mound.
She was a thing of beauty, a goddess of erotic grace descended from on high. Kieran could feel his cock stiffen against his pants. He had to get out of there, and quickly. But first, he had a job to do. Trembling hands raised his camera. Looking through the viewfinder, he lined up his shot. From his perspective, he had a view of her well-defined thighs, her entire flexible ass, one of her breasts bulging out from under her, and a wonderful glimpse of her stunning face. Kieran held in a shaky breath as he pressed the button and immortalized her image.
The loud shutter of the lens made him gasp. Lara whipped her head around, directly towards him. Leaping from her lounge chair, she sprinted towards the boy. With a yelp, Kieran ran like his life was on the line, and it very well may have been. He tore up the lawn as he ran, his ratty shoes leaving chunks of sod flying through the air.
Kieran wasn't fast, and Lara was a trained explorer and gained on him almost immediately. She reached out for his shirt, but right then, he tripped over his own feet. Tumbling to the ground, all Kieran could do was cradle his camera to keep it safe. Lara jumped over the falling boy, but her momentum now carried her away from him. With his head tucked and his arms over his chest, Kieran accidentally rolled through his fall and sprang back up on his feet without missing a beat.
Adrenaline coursed through Kieran's veins, making time around him seem to slow. He chanced a glance at his pursuer. Lara was skidding to a stop, her bare feet digging into the grass. The muscles in her legs flexed hard as she prepared to lunge at him. If Kieran had been able to process thought at that moment, he would have seen the hint of a smile pulling at her lips.
Without wasting a further second, Kieran dove into the bushes. He raced for the hole, desperately clawing his way through the thick branches, leaving them snapped and torn in his wake. Finally reaching the wall, he dropped to the ground and wriggled his shoulders through the gap. On the other side, knelt the other boys excitedly urging him forward. Camera outstretched to keep the even more valuable prize safe, Kieran crawled onward to safety.
Until a firm hand grabbed his ankle and yanked him back. Kieran fumbled his camera and fiercely tried to pull himself free. But he was no match. He was a light boy, and she was deceptively strong. With a shriek of pure terror, Kieran was dragged back through, into the huntress' clutches.
Lara left him on the ground and knelt down to peer through the hole. She watched as one of the boys on the other side snatched up the camera. He didn't give her a second glance and ran off, the other two in tow. Standing back to full height, she towered over the boy on the ground. His body shook with fear as tears rolled down his face. Crossing her arms, she said her first words to the boy who was about to open a major new chapter in her life, "Quite the mess you've gotten yourself into, isn't it?"
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Kieran sat in the parlor of Croft Manor, his fingers almost tearing through his pant legs. Lara had marched him inside and told him to wait. They were to discuss what was to be done with him, but first she had to change. No good in punishing a pervert while half-nude. She left him there, and the terrified boy had not moved an inch. His mind was racing with all the possible consequences he was about to face. She would call the police, and they would send him to prison for the rest of his life! He had no one to help him! No way out of this situation. All he could do was sit and sweat and face the music.
Lara watched Kieran squirm from down the hall. She had rushed to her room and hastily thrown on a tank top and some shorts. Now she was letting the boy stew. He had done wrong by her, and she was going to make him sweat. For at least a few minutes more. She wasn't heartless, but you have to teach children early that their actions have consequences.
Deciding he had waited long enough, Lara strode into the parlour. The poor boy was so lost in his despair spiral that he didn't notice her approach. She cleared her throat, and then again more harshly. Kieran finally snapped to attention, ripped out of his woes. Lara stared down at him impassively. The boy kept his mouth shut. He knew better than to dig a deeper hole. "You have trespassed upon my home," Lara broke the silence by listing Kieran's infractions. "Caused damage to my property, and provided knowledge of a hole in my security to the accessories to your crimes." The boy winced at every indictment. He was in trouble and there was no getting out of it.
"Personally, I consider those to be minor transgressions at best," Lara continued, letting an air of playfulness enter her voice. Kieran furrowed his brows at that. She was up to something. "Considering the nature of your... shall we say, 'visit'? A harmless prank played by boys enjoying the lovely summer weather." Kieran looked around the room, his mind racing. Trying to figure out her ploy. "But you took something quite valuable, and that I cannot abide," Lara dropped any lightheartedness from her demeanor. "You took a photograph of me in a rather personal state of undress." Kieran swallowed down a heavy lump in his throat. "I should phone the police right now for what you've done!"
"Please, no!" Kieran begged. "I don't want to go to prison!" Lara had never intended to get the authorities involved in this matter, but it felt good to twist the knife a little. She huffed at him and said, "Fine. But I will need to have a serious talk with your parents. Phone them for me."
"I-" Kieran looked away from her. These words were never easy to say. When he was able to, they came out as barely a whisper, "I don't have any." Lara blinked. She took a careful look at the boy, watching his body language. There were some troubling memories rushing through his head. He seemed to shrink into himself, trying to hide away from not just her. He wasn't lying. And that changed things. "Where do you live?" Lara asked, much more gently. "St. Joseph's," came his quiet reply. Lara knew that orphanage, it was right down the road! She had donated to that orphanage! Her heart broke at the state of him, and she took a deep breath as an idea formed.
"I will make you a deal," she said calmly. Kieran looked up at her, wary. "I will not contact the authorities, and in exchange you will work to repair the damages to my property and my self." Kieran would be stupid to take the option that leads to the police, but she could be up to something. "Damages to your self?" He asked. Lara nodded, "Yes. The photograph you took would normally run a photographer a quite large sum of money. You will work under my employ until you have repaid that sum." It was a good deal. Better than he could have hoped for. But there was one last question still burning in his head.
"How much?" Kieran asked. Lara looked off thoughtfully as she did the math in her head. "For my last centerfold they paid me... Adjusting for inflation..." she tapped her chin as she worked. "And I will be generous and round down..." A spark of hope? "That would bring your total to £1560," Lara concluded with a sickly sweet smile. That spark of hope was quickly snuffed out, and the only sound that came from Kieran's throat was a strained whine.
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Kieran accepted her offer, and the next day showed up for work. He was greeted at the door by Lara's butler Winston. He was a man of advanced age, somewhere in his 60s. His suit was handsomely tailored and completely spotless. He stood straight and tall, too high for Kieran to see the thinning white hair atop his head. In his youth he was built like an ox, but time wears down even the most powerful of men. His shoulders were still broad and his chest still firm, but his face carried wrinkles and his gut hung low.
The butler looked down at the red haired boy with passive disdain. The last thing he wanted on the manor grounds was a troublemaker, but he would abide by Miss Croft's decision. "Where's Lara?" The boy asked, looking around the entryway. "Miss Croft," Winston replied with heavy emphasis. "Is currently indisposed. You will remain in my charge for the duration of your employment."
Kieran followed the old man out to the yard, where his duties began. His immediate task was to patch the hole he had used to trespass in the first place. In Winston's words, "One hooligan is enough." It was a simple, if time-consuming job. Boarding up the hole on the outer side, mixing and pouring the concrete to fill the space, sealing off the inner end so the concrete would stay in place. While that dried, Kieran was tasked with re-sodding every part of the lawn that he and Lara had torn up during their chase the day before.
And so the day went. One job completed would lead to another and yet another. On longer tasks, Winston would leave Kieran by himself to tend to his own duties. It was during one of these moments of solitude that Lara stumbled across the boy. "Nice work," she complimented him. "Thank you, ma'am," Kieran wiped a stream of sweat from his brow. Looking towards the bushes, Lara asked, "Is the hole patched?" Kieran nodded. "Then let's get you some water and out of his heat." Kieran hurried in after her, eager to finally quench his thirst. As he drank greedily from the glass Lara poured for him, she passed the boy a hand towel. "I think that's enough yard work for today," she said with a nod.
Kieran wiped himself down and was about to ask if he could have a look around, Lara continued, "Let's find you something to do out of the sun." He sighed. He was there to work, not to sightsee. Following behind Lara, he took notice of her apparel for the first time. She wore a similar outfit to her post-pool getup, a tank top and shorts. But this time, her top clung much tighter to her chest and her shorts were practically devoured by her ass.
The only times Kieran had been close to her before were when she was chasing him down and when he thought he was going to prison. He hadn't had a good chance to take in her appearance until now. The muscles in her back flexed and bent with every motion she made. Her toned arms gestured around as she showcased the curiosities of her home. When one arm or the other was lifted enough, he could see the swell of her breasts from the other side. Andy was right, they were bigger than his head! Kieran wondered if the rumors were true about their authenticity.
But from behind, they weren't much to marvel at. That honor went to her thick thighs that stretched and jiggled with each step. And her ass. Good lord, this woman's ass. Narrow hips and round, bulging cheeks that screamed to be slapped. They shone in the light of Lara's halls, a beacon of peace and tranquility. It bounced as she walked, but was still so incredibly firm. She was so incredibly beautiful in ways that made his pants strain. Lara Croft was built like an Olympic pornstar.
There were no girls at St. Joseph's Orphanage. All of their caretakers were men. Due to the absence of femininity, Kieran had become a tad girl crazy over the last few years. With no outlet for his newfound affections, save for the Playboy he kept under his pillow, the boy was desperate for female attention. And when his favorite centerfold was practically shaking her ass in front of him, he had to fight to keep from drooling.
Realizing that he had been ignoring her for the last several minutes, Kieran took a quick look at his surroundings and tried to catch up. Lara had led him to a room filled with stands topped by glass. He saw various pieces of ancient metal and stone, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. Rather than guess wrong and prove his lack of attention, he kept quiet and continued to look around. "I would consider this to be the main stop of a tour, were I to ever hold them publicly," Lara continued. She was fully aware of the boy's gaze on her body. Frankly, she found it flattering. She knew the kid was a little perv, but as long as he stayed in line she didn't mind a wandering eye.
"Winston calls this the Trophy Room, but it's so much more than that. This is a collection of memories. Not only mine, but of everyone who has once beheld them." Kieran walked around, trying to admire the artifacts. He was never big into history, but he could admire the artistry that went into crafting each one. He came across a desk off to the side where a small stone orb sat uncovered. "What's this?" he asked his employer. "That," Lara explained with a smile. "Is the Orb of Charis. A Greek goddess of grace and life, and one of the Charities from Homer's Iliad. It is said that whoever holds it can sway the hearts and minds of whoever hears their voice."
Kieran picked up the small stone and raised it to the light. "Does it work?" he asked, admiring the way the light bounced off it. "Ancient records say it does, but I've yet to figure out how," Lara admitted. The boy couldn't keep his eyes off it, an odd feeling of power coursed up his arm. He turned to Lara, holding the Orb aloft and commanded, "You want to forgive my debt." She smiled passively, "Of course! I think today's work should suffice." Does it really work? Kieran pushed harder, "You will not contact the police about me." She crossed her arms, "Why would I? Nothing but a bunch of bastards."
If it really worked, he had to try. It was an opportunity he could not pass up. His voice was shaky when he commanded, "You want to kiss me." A sultry smile spread across Lara's gorgeous face. Her gaze became smoky as she stared down at him through lidded eyes. She stepped forward, a sensuous swing in her hips as she approached. Kieran's eyes were as wide as saucers and his mouth dropped open. Running her hands up her sides, she accentuated her generous curves. Her fingers reaching up, Lara fluffed her hair, letting him see just how long and silky it was. She stopped a mere few steps away from him. Bending at the waist, she lowered her face to his level, giving him a perfect look down her top at her ample cleavage. She ran a hand over his cheek and he jumped at her touch. Alien sensation flooded the young boy, a primal need stirred within him.
"Close your eyes," she whispered. He did. With his vision blocked, his other senses screamed to life. The feeling of her hand slowly slipping around the back of his head intensified. Every individual hair tingled at her touch. A fruity aroma radiated off her. Some combination of hair and skin care was making his head spin. He could hear her breathing, quietly through her nose. It got louder as she got closer. Her mouth opened, and he felt her hot breath pour into his own. She was only inches away. Her beautiful lips were so close. Begging him to claim her. He tried to lean forward, but she held his hair tight. She was in control, she was going to kiss him on her time. He could feel her getting closer and closer. Her breath getting hotter. His pulse was racing! She was so close!
And then she flicked him right on the nose.
Kieran jumped back with a yelp, more surprised than in pain. His eyes snapped open, and he saw Lara up close, an amused smile on her face. Very, very deliberately, she removed the Orb from his hand and placed it on her desk. "There's a duster in the closet by the door," she explained without standing up. "For that cheek, I expect this room to be spotless." She tousled his hair in good sport and gave him a quick peck on the forehead. Rising to full height, she left the room, not giving him a second glance. Kieran took a few minutes to steady his pounding heart before he got back to work.
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The sun gleamed off his shears, causing the boy to wince. It was a few days later and Kieran was wrapping up the repairs to the topiary he had damaged in his failed escape attempt. He was by no means a professional at the matter, but he had a good eye for aesthetics. And at the very least, it looked a great deal neater than he had left it. The red-haired boy wiped the sweat from his brow and stretched his back. A bell rang from inside the manor. Winston's signal that lunch was ready.
Carefully stowing his tools, Kieran hurried inside. The last few days had seen the orphan boy eating the best food in his entire life. While normally anything would be better than the slop they served at St. Joseph's, this was actual fine dining! Winston had served something called whore derfs the day before, and they were incredible! Today's lunch was a simple platter of finger sandwiches with a tea that wafted a hearty aroma through the dining hall.
Having been reprimanded about his table manners already, Kieran made sure to not gobble down the meal before him. Winston eyed the boy, more out of concern than contempt. In the few days since he had arrived, the old butler had warmed up to the sudden arrival. While his initial apprehension was understandable, Kieran quickly proved himself an able hand and undeserving of Winston's scorn. "I trust everything is to your liking?" he asked the boy. Kieran firmly swallowed down his current mouthful, wiped his face, and answered, "Yes, sir. Thank you."
The sound of a door closing down the hall grabbed both of their attentions. Lara walked towards them, her face flushed and her breath returning to a normal pace. She must have just finished a work-out, considering the sheen of sweat that covered her skin. A towel hanging around her neck showed that she was aware. She wore a pair of yoga pants so tight that every muscle in her legs could clearly be seen. But what Kieran was laser focused on was her sports bra. It appeared to be a size or two too small, based on how her heavy breasts were bulging out of it.
Winston glanced at Kieran and chuckled at the boy staring mouth agape at his mistress. "Miss Croft," he said to her. "I have taken great lengths to correct young Kieran's table manners." Lara looked to her butler while mopping up the sweat from her forehead. Fatigued confusion was the only face she could make. "One such of which was to prevent him from devouring his meals," Winston continued. "And yet here you are, providing something else he wishes to devour."
Lara cocked an eyebrow. She was tired, and it was taking her a moment to catch up. Winston nodded in the direction of her chest. Looking down and seeing just how much her tits were spilling out of her top made the adventurer's face darken to a further shade of red. "Oh!" she stammered. Hastily rearranging her towel to provide herself a sliver of decency, she asked her butler, "Would you please fetch me something to cover up with? Preferably something light."
"At once, Miss Croft," Winston dutifully obeyed and made for the cloakroom. Lara gave an uneasy smile to Kieran who was looking away from her so hard she feared he would snap his own neck. She nervously cleared her throat and moved to the kitchen to fetch herself some water. Remembering just how well her current pair of pants made her ass look, she hurried around the corner. While she had been flattered by the boy's gaze previously, having Winston point it out made her feel like a naughty schoolgirl. And not in the fun way.
Once she was hydrated, Lara returned to the dining hall at the same time Winston did. Her butler handed her a light jacket. Lara took it with a grateful smile and slipped it on. Zipping it up went quickly, save for a brief struggle at the peak of her chest. Lara huffed a quick laugh, "Now that the show is over, I wanted to discuss something with you, Kieran." The boy swallowed his last bite of sandwich and asked, "Yes, ma'am?" Winston cleared the table as Lara sat down on the other end of it.
"I must acknowledge that you have accomplished a significant amount of work for me within an impressively short period," she declared, exuding all the poise and elegance she lacked a few moments ago. "I have gone over the numbers, and I believe you have already more than paid for your troublemaking. Honestly, patching up the wall alone would have covered it, but you have gone above and beyond." Kieran nodded. He was beginning to like it here. It was a respite from his torment at the orphanage. But all good things must come to an end. Like every other positive thing in his life, this was going to be pulled away from him as well.
Winston returned and handed Kieran an envelope. "That is why," Lara continued, "I wanted to offer you a permanent position." Kieran blinked. That's not how these things go. He's supposed to be thrown to the curb without so much as a wave goodbye. "Winston has just provided you with a... Let's call it a sign-on bonus," she smiled at him. "Compensation for your additional work and incentive to continue going forward." This was a lot to take in. "That's- I-" Kieran stumbled, his body wracked with so many unfamiliar emotions. "Thank you!" he finally cried.
"Wonderful!" Lara beamed. She stood from the table and offered the young boy her hand. "I think we can call off work for the rest of the day. Shall I walk you home?" The orphanage Kieran stayed at was fairly close to the manor, and she wanted to enjoy some fresh air anyway. Kieran took her hand and held it tight. His other held the envelope with a ferocious grip. The made for the door, but Lara suddenly stopped.
"Winston," she turned over her shoulder to address her butler. "Please prepare the carriage for when I return." Winston nodded. "At once, Miss Croft." The two groups left in opposite directions, the butler deeper into the manor, and the lady of the house escorting the young lad out the door. "You have a carriage?" Kieran asked as they stepped outside. "Oh yes," Lara said, wistfully. "It's an old, rickety thing but it's so fun to ride." Kieran nodded. Rich people get all sorts of fancy things, he figured.
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Lara left Kieran at the door to St. Joseph's with a wave. He lingered to watch her go. Once her ass was no longer clearly visible, the boy sighed and stepped inside. Heading for his room, he held onto his envelope of money tight. He had yet to count it, but he knew better than to flash money openly. No need to get the other boys sniffing in his direction. He hoped it would be enough to pay for a new-
Camera! He had completely forgotten about his camera! Every day he returned from Croft Manor he was so worn out that he would go straight to bed. He had never gone back to the other boys to retrieve his camera! Kieran rushed down the hall to the communal room they always loitered in. Slamming the door open, there they were. Gormless gangly Andy, feeble fatty Martin, and the leader, big bruiser Danny. "What ye slammin' around fer?" Andy barked, annoyed at the interruption. "Tryin' te listen to the footy match!" His radio blared an announcer's excited call.
"I want my camera back," Kieran said, firmly. There was no pussyfooting to be had around these boys. You had to be direct with them to get anything done. "Where's our photo?" Danny asked in return. "You're the ones who had my camera!" Kieran rebutted. "How could I get it for you?" Danny nodded, "True. Martin, you said you could get the photo out. Where is it?" The fat boy thought for a moment, and then he nodded in recollection. He stood from his spot on the floor and shuffled over to a nearby closet.
When Martin returned, he handed the camera to Kieran. Or what was left of it. Shattered pieces of plastic and glass tumbled into the red-haired boy's outstretched hands. The casing had been smashed and cracked open. The lens was completely gone, the flashbulb destroyed. A spool of film was unwound and torn. Kieran looked down at it in dismay. "Wha-" he stammered. "What did you do?"
"Couldn't find the photo," Martin explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Where is it then?" Danny asked, forcefully. "Rather unfair if you're the only one who got to see that Croft slag starkers." A flurry of emotions surged through Kieran's body. Primarily outrage and fury. His prized possession was a pile of scrap. A perfectly kind woman was insulted for no reason. He was trapped in this hell of a life. It was a wonder he hadn't snapped years ago. With a growl of rage, Kieran flung the shattered pieces of his former camera at Danny, making the larger boy have to cover his face lest he be cut by the glass. The red haired boy charged in, his fist cocked and ready. With all his might he flung it forward, catching the Danny right across the chin.
Unfortunately, Danny was several weight classes above Kieran and barely felt a thing. Indignant rage flared in the large boy's eye and, with a grunt, he planted his boot into Kieran's chest. The boy stumbled back and bounced against the wall. Danny followed up with a right hook of his own, and also hit his target. His big, meaty fist crashed into Kieran's face, sending the boy sprawling to the ground. In a daze, he tried to stumble to his feet, but Danny stomped down on his back. And again. And again.
Andy was quick to follow, hooting and hollering as he kicked the small boy while he was down. His radio screeched an announcer calling a goal and Andy only kicked harder. It seemed his team was losing. Martin huffed as he joined in, a cacophony of ratty old boots now pounded into the boy. Stars exploded in his vision when one slipped through and got the side of his head. He slumped down at that. The three of them left him there in a heap. Once his faculties returned and the pain rushed back, Kieran curled in a ball. Blood and tears pouring down his face.
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The next day, Lara sat fidgeting by the entranceway. Something was wrong. It was his first official day of work, why would he show up late? Had he taken the money and ran? That would be quite foolish of the boy. Not only did she know where he lived, it also wasn't in his character. Just as she was about to phone the police, she heard a knocking at the door. Rushing past Winston, she opened the door herself. What she saw wasn't pretty.
Most of the bruises were easily covered up. Almost all of them went to his arms and back. A long sleeved shirt took care of that. But the bright purple shiner on his left eye was a bit harder to hide. "Kieran!" Lara cried, dropping to a knee. "What happened?" When the boy spoke, he was barely audible, "Nothing. Walked into a door." Lara reached for his face, but he flinched away from her.
"That is not nothing!" Lara insisted. She was a smart woman. It was easy for her to piece things together. "Did the other boys..." she began, dreading the words she knew were correct. "Did they do this?" Kieran's silence spoke volumes. Standing tall and with determination in her eyes, Lara grabbed her boots and marched out the door. "I am going to have a talk with the caretakers," she pounded her feet into the boots, not bothering to tie them. "This is unacceptable."
"No!" Kieran lurched forward and grabbed her hand, pulling her to a stop. Lara turned back, confused. "You'll only make things worse." He understood the cycle. If you bring attention to it, it only provides more fuel. The best thing to do was keep quiet and avoid them. Lara's heart broke as she came to understand Kieran's acceptance of his misery. She knelt down and pulled him in for a tight hug. He trembled against her, both at the comfort of it and because of all his other bruises.
"Alright," Lara whispered into his hair. "But they've seen the last donation from me, I can assure you that." That earned a small laugh from the boy, and she walked him back inside. Lara explained the situation to Winston, and the two of them agreed that Kieran's duties for the day were to rest. While he lay in a guest bed, Lara formulated a plan. If she couldn't do anything about the orphanage or the people within it, she would do something about the boy she could get her hands on. The next day, she explained to Kieran that she was going to teach him how to defend himself. But when he took off his shirt to change for it, Lara saw the rest of his bruises. He was placed on further mandatory rest for the rest of the week.
Once he had fully recovered, Lara took the boy to her home gym. She explained how she was going to teach him self-defense, and for a boy his size the best bet was to go with a grappling based martial art, Jiu Jitsu. No need to worry about out punching a larger boy when you can use his mass against him. As before, Lara had him change into athletic gear, but she had none in his size. Instead, she offered her own martial arts gi while she wore her adventuring outfit: Khaki shorts over a teal unitard.
"I apologize for the ill-fitting attire," Lara began. The gi hung loose on his thin frame, several sizes too big for the young boy. "You're a few sizes smaller than me, it turns out. But we'll make do for now." He felt silly wearing her clothes. "We'll start with a few simple holds and some fundamentals for you to start learning." Kieran nodded, but didn't say anything. He appreciated her willingness to help, but he couldn't find any enthusiasm to get into another fight with those boys. "Alright, turn around," Lara instructed. Kieran did as he was told. "This is a rear naked choke," she wrapped her arms around his neck, catching his chin in the crook of her elbow.
"If you succeed in getting behind him, the battle will almost be won," she stated confidently as she exerted some force to demonstrate, although it was insufficient to inflict any actual harm. What it did do, however, was press the boy's head tightly against her soft, pillowy breasts. Kieran's eyes lit up as he was suddenly much more interested in this class. Her bosom enveloped him, a warmth spread through his skin. It felt like home. While he had no concept of the difference, at once he knew the rumors about her chest were false. There was nothing fake about the heaven that pressed against him.
"Moving on," Lara said, her voice cutting through Kieran's haze. Spinning around to his front, she directed the boy to the ground. Lying down, she pulled him on top of her, but dragged his arm up by her shoulder. She wrapped her legs around his neck, locking them together behind his back. "This," Lara explained. "Is a triangle choke. You remove one of their arms from the equation and stretch out their neck." Again, she applied no real pressure, just demonstrated the maneuver.
Kieran didn't hear a word she said because she had planted his face directly into her crotch. His face was red, and his breathing was ragged. Every inhale carried a smell that pierced directly to the primitive part of his brain. The scent of her womanhood was flooding his mind, making him dizzy. He grew limp, breathing deep of her essence. Her words had devolved into a buzzing sound. His body had shut off every sense that wasn't related to the need pulsing through him.
What finally snapped him out of his dreamlike state was a wetness that formed in his borrowed pants. Realizing what was happening, Kieran struggled out of Lara's grasp. She felt him begin to wriggle and quickly dropped the hold, fearing she had accidentally hurt him somehow. "Are you alright?" she asked, reaching out for him. "No, don't!" Kieran tried to stop her, but he was too slow. As he fumbled to his feet, she rolled forward onto her knees. Her hand outstretched, she had tried to grab his arm but missed and tugged at the gi. The too large garment slipped from his shoulders and the loose belt faltered, causing the pants to drop. Unfamiliar with martial arts clothing, Kieran had not worn underwear when he dressed himself.
Lara sat on her knees in stunned silence. Kieran stood before her, his shirt open. His pants around his ankles. And his cock standing rigid and tall. It twitched with his every heartbeat. Gleaming drips of precum pulsed from his tip. It was so close to her face. Kieran shook when he felt Lara's breath reach him down below. Neither of them said anything. They just sat there and stared. Kieran and Lara's gorgeous, reddening face. Lara at Kieran's aching cock. She felt her hand begin to rise towards it.
The door popped open behind them. "Your water, Miss Croft," Winston arrived as dutifully as ever. Lara sprang to her feet to accept Winston's salvation. She may have been about to do something she wouldn't have been able to take back. Kieran fumbled with his clothes, covering himself up before the old butler ever noticed his state of undress. Lara gratefully drank down the water, her flush face perceived as athletic strain and ignored. Winston left the two of them, nonethewiser.
Returning to the gym proper, Lara found Kieran sitting on the floor. His hands dug into his pant legs and his face was beet red. She struggled for a moment to find the right words, before saying, "You did nothing wrong." It didn't stop him from feeling that way. "That was a perfectly natural reaction to our proximity. There is no need to feel ashamed." He didn't say anything back. She could understand. He hadn't been the most talkative boy when he first arrived, but she felt he had begun opening up to her.
When he arrived after the fight, he was practically mute. The boy had barely spoken a full sentence in the last few days. The least she could do was allow him to maintain some level of dignity. "I believe that will be all for today," she said, cleaning up what supplies she had brought to the gym. Kieran hurried to his feet and made for the door. "But before you go," Lara stopped him. The boy froze, his head hunched down defensively. There was one other thing she could do: Provide the boy with a much-needed boost of confidence.
"Before you go, I need to apologize," Lara said, circling around the boy to look him in the eye. "Earlier, I said you were a few sizes too small." She let a bashful smile peek at her lips. "It appears I was wrong in that regard." Kieran raised a suspicious eyebrow. He wasn't sure where she was going with this. With a small flourish, Lara daintily pointed to his crotch. "Very impressive," she whispered. Kieran's face turned a deeper shade of red than his hair and he sprinted from the room. Lara laughed to herself. She was going to have quite a lot of fun with that boy.
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The next day saw Kieran returning to his duties, albeit with a lighter workload. Lara and Winston agreed that gradually integrating him back in his routine would be the wisest move, as opposed to taking any chances that might aggravate his injury while he was still recovering. His job was in the library, placing scattered books back onto their shelves. Winston had a very specific placement system. Shelves were sorted by the books' contents and then arranged in alphabetical order by the author's name. It wasn't the most strenuous work, but Kieran still found it tiring.
Lara sat at a desk in the room with him, pouring over an old tome and a corresponding map. While some details in the book didn't align perfectly with the map, it's possible that differences resulted from environmental changes over the centuries since the book's creation. As she worked, she was keenly aware of Kieran and his deliberate avoidance of her. He had yet to say a word to her since her compliment the day before. There was a ring of books on the tables in front of her that showed the clear distance he was keeping.
But Lara had not come into this unprepared. There was just something about that boy. Something that drew her to him, made her want to see him squirm. She already knew he found her attractive, so getting his attention back was rather simple. That day she had worn a tight, low-cut, off the shoulder blouse and sadly could not find a bra. So she had gone without. Leaning back in her chair, Lara raised her arms and made a big show of stretching her back. Her breasts strained against the fabric, her nipples clearly visible and stiff. She watched Kieran stumble for a moment, but the boy quickly returned to his work.
Her first shot fired, and Lara prepared her second. Pretending to find something interesting on the other end of the map, she leaned all the way across her desk to look at it. Her breasts spilled out of her top, the cold wood of the desk sending a shiver up her spine. She couldn't see Kieran at that moment, but she heard his footsteps come to an abrupt stop, so she knew he was looking. Lara held the position for a few more seconds before returning to her seat. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kieran looking at her. Then he shook his head and got back to work.
It was time for the final salvo. Standing up, Lara stepped around to the opposite end of the desk to read through the documents she had deliberately placed on the far end. Bending at the waist with her back arched, she felt a brisk wind spread across her plush rear as her short skirt rode up her ass. Lara put a passive wiggle into her hips, a subtle enticing motion. She stood like that for a moment, letting the boy have an eyeful of her. Slowly, she turned her head, not wanting to startle him. Just yet, anyway.
Kieran had come to a complete stop and was openly staring at her ass. She stared directly into his eyes, waiting for him to notice her. It only took a few seconds for him to almost jump out of his skin. "I'm sor-" he began before Lara cut him off. "I don't mind if you look," she said, turning back to her documents. "In fact, I rather like it." Kieran blinked. "Really?" he asked. She liked when he looked at her? Did that mean...?
"I didn't do all of those modelling sessions for the money," Lara explained. Oh. Right. She didn't mean him specifically. "I know that I am a beautiful woman, and I like when people admire me." Standing from the desk, she turned to face the boy. "Kieran," she said to him. "You have my permission to admire me as much as you wish." He blushed a little and stammered, "Um- Okay. Thank you, ma'am."
Lara smiled at him and returned to her work properly. Kieran also resumed his duties and straightened up the farther ends of the library. He reached an old desk that looked like it should have had a much larger amount of dust on it. There were no books, but some old writing materials. And a framed photograph. Kieran took a closer look. There was a man, smiling to the camera as he held a young girl. He had dark brown hair and a weathered but still handsome face.
"Who is this?" Kieran asked. One glance at the desk told her exactly what he was talking about. "That is my father," Lara answered, her voice having gained an air of stiffness to it. "Oh," Kieran said in response. He took a closer look and realized that his employer was the young girl. "Will I get to meet him?" he asked. Lara let out a small sigh, "No. He passed away some time ago." Kieran carefully placed the photograph back down. "I'm sorry," he said as he walked back over to her.
"It's alright," Lara said, suddenly downcast. "I... I can't say that I have fully come to terms with the loss." She sighed again. "But it is an old wound. One that has done a great deal of healing over the years." She looked down at the maps and documents before her. "He's the whole reason I started doing this. Some of my expeditions are simply to generate funds, yes. But at the core of it all, I'm still trying to solve my first mystery."
"I was devastated when he passed," Lara had closed her eyes. The memories were taking all of her attention now. "I could hardly pull myself out of bed." Her face lit up as she recalled the end of her tale. "Do you know how I managed to pull through?" Kieran shook his head. With a small smile and her eyes on his, Lara said, "It was Winston. As far back as I can remember, he has always been there for me. Helping me with whatever I need. A shoulder to cry on." She smiled wistfully. "He's become a second father to me. I wouldn't be here without him."
She looked down at Kieran with slight apprehension. "I know you live at the orphanage, but..." Kieran answered before she had to ask anything uncomfortable. "I never knew my parents," he explained. "I've been at St. Joseph's my whole life." Lara stood from her chair and knelt before the boy. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "It's not quite the same," she said. "But I do know how you feel." She thought for a moment and said, "What do you say we make a deal? If you look out for me when I'm feeling down, I'll do the same for you." Kieran smiled, the first genuine smile he had made in a very long time. "I like the sound of that," he said. Lara gave a small chuckle and pulled the boy in for a hug. Holding him tight, she felt his thin frame against her. She stroked his back, letting her fingers trail across his body. It was nice. A small piece of affection that the boy didn't even know he was starved for.
Kieran melted into her embrace, comfort pulsing into him. It was nice. A warm, familial bond chipped away at the cage he had crafted over his heart. Little by little, this woman was breaking through his shell. The air that he put on to keep people away. Because if he turned them down first, there was no risk of him getting hurt. With her arms around him, he felt like he was finding a place he could call home. Of course the second thing he felt was the feeling of her heavy breasts pressing into his chest. And she had just a few minutes earlier given him permission to look at her. The next natural step would be...
Lara stiffened when she felt Kieran's hands cup her ass cheeks. She pulled away from the boy and stared down at him blankly. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked, flatly. "You said I could admire you," Kieran answered matter-of-factly and gave her ass another squeeze. He took careful notice of the fact that she had yet to remove his hands from her body. "Admire with your eyes, you little perv," Lara said, finally pushing his hands away. Teasing time was over. She returned to her studies and Winston came by shortly later with a new task for Kieran.
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In the coming days, Lara made another decision. She had taken a liking to Kieran, and wanted more access to the boy. She offered him a room in her manor, the same that he had rested in previously. The thin boy jumped at the chance to get out of the orphanage, even if only for a few days. His things were packed quickly, as he didn't have much in the first place. Unpacking went quickly; his borrowed wardrobe hardly filled.
Before he could leave the room, he heard Lara and Winston's voices from down the hall. Kieran was not usually an eavesdropper, but he heard his own name echo through his door, so he stopped to listen in. "Tell me again why you insisted we play host to Young Kieran?" Winston asked. "As I mentioned earlier," Lara emphasized, "I strongly support him exploring new life experiences outside his stagnant environment. And the boy is sorely in need of a proper source of confidence."
"On that, we agree," Winston said. Kieran shrugged. While he wasn't happy about being talked about, he couldn't say that they were wrong. But the conversation continued. "His continual presence would also be a good opportunity to take the carriage to the shop," Winston continued. "It's getting rather worn down." Kieran heard Lara laugh. "Oh no, you old codger," she said, playfulness in her voice. "The carriage will be working as normal. That's what Daddy's Den is for." Winston grumbled at that, "Miss Croft, you know I dislike when you call it that!" Lara only laughed again in response, and Kieran heard their voices trailing off down the hall.
Kieran shrugged. Regardless of how odd that conversation was, it was none of his business. He was there to work and sleep some place that wasn't the orphanage. That was all he was concerned with at the time.
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As the sun beamed down the next day, Kieran was tasked with cleaning Lara's pool. There weren't many trees in the immediate pool area, so fishing out the leaves was a rather simple task. While focusing on his work, he made a conscious effort not to gaze at his employer who was basking under the sun wearing what he thought was an even tinier swimsuit than the one she wore when they first crossed paths. The boy kept his breath steady as he worked, thinking of anything but how incredible her ass looked.
Lara had other things in mind for the poor boy. "Kieran!" she called out lazily. The boy froze, turning to her. "Would you be a dear and apply the tanning lotion to my back?" He gulped. Already feeling things stirring down below, he decided to get it done as quickly as possible. He froze when she undid the strap to her bikini top, but he knew that was standard practice for sunbathing. Completely forgetting how she had not done so when he had done his trespassing.
Kieran slathered his hands with lotion and rubbed them over Lara's back. His fingers glided across her taut muscles, feeling just how smooth her flawless skin was. He worked against a knot he found, earning a small moan from Lara that shook him to his core. He had to make her do that again. Rubbing his hands all over, he looked for a similar spot. Once her back was thoroughly covered, Lara asked, "Would you get my legs as well?" Not thinking particularly about what that entailed, Kieran applied more lotion and rubbed his hands down Lara's long, firm legs.
He found a new knot in one of her calves, earning another one of those delicious moans. "You could be a masseuse when you grow up," Lara mused. "Thank you, ma'am," Kieran said, absentmindedly. "I hadn't thought of that. I've got a preference for photography." Lara laughed, "I'm well aware." So focused as he was on her legs, the reminder flew straight over the boy's head. As he rubbed the lotion into the back of Lara's thigh, she instructed him, "Higher."
Kieran complied, his hands rising to the flat plain where her ass connected to her leg. The situation was beginning to properly sink in for the boy, as he realized he was straddling her legs now. But that was okay. She had given him permission to touch her, and he was going to get his money's worth. In fact, she was paying him! "Higher," Lara instructed again with a sigh. Kieran froze. Going any higher would mean he would be doing a lot more than cupping her ass during a hug. Looking down, he saw just how hard his cock had gotten. The small wet stain at the front of his shorts made it plainly visible how his cock had begun to weep.
"Higher," Lara repeated herself, and Kieran had to do what he was told. He slowly slid his hands up to his employer's ass, feeling the supple flesh of her cheeks. It was different than in the library. There she was kneeling down, the muscles flexing at odd angles. Here, she was on her stomach with her ass relaxed. And presented just for him. No! Not for him! This was a job, and he had already begun to slack. Applying more lotion, Kieran slowly rubbed it into her skin. Fearing retaliation, he was very careful to keep his hands within reasonable zones. Nothing that was underneath the bikini bottom, or anywhere near it. He rubbed circles around the centers of her cheeks until Lara sighed again, "You're missing some spots." She shuffled around, and Kieran had to move as well to not hinder her. In his adjustments, his shorts slipped low and his cock sprang out. But he was so intently focused on her ass that he hardly noticed.
Now able to raise her hips, Lara slowly dragged the fabric of her bikini bottoms down her ass. They rolled up as they moved down, pressing into her flesh. Her ass rippled back into place as it was disturbed by the removal of her clothing. Kieran stared, mouth agape as Lara Croft bared her naked ass to him. With the bottom bunched up below her ass, she laid back down. "Please continue," she instructed, resting her head on her hands. She had undone her bikini top and taken down her bottoms. She was practically naked! And he was straddling her legs! This was a dream, it had to be! But it was one Kieran never wanted to wake up from. He slapped his hands down, earning a small grunt of surprise. Now fully invested, Kieran manhandled the perfect cheeks before him. If this was a test or a prank, he was going to get his fill before the rug got pulled out from under him!
Lara smiled into her hands. If this wasn't a confidence booster, she didn't know what was. And his hands really did feel good. She felt him kneading her flesh, working his fingers into her. Getting bolder with each circular motion. She was acutely aware that he had stopped bothering with the lotion and was fully groping her now. But the ball was in his court. Time to see how far he was willing to go.
Kieran panted as he ran his hands over Lara's ass. Her moans were constant now, and she was rolling her hips with his motions. He was doing something to her, making her feel good. The boy spread her cheeks apart, exposing her most private of areas to the shining sun. He could see her pussy glistening with desire. Her asshole winked as she moved her hips. Kieran slipped his thumb down and brushed it across her rim.
The girlish cry of surprise that came from her lips shocked them both. Lara because of just how bold that move was. Kieran because of the shockwave that sound shot through his young body. It smashed through him, making his heart race and his body shiver. All at once, his hips jerked and a thick white rope shot out from his exposed cock. Kieran's cum splashed across Lara's back, and he could only stare in horror. He stumbled off the lounge chair and fixed his shorts. She was going to kill him! He took this way too far! "I'm sorry!" he yelled as he ran for the safety of his room.
Lara sat up and watched him go. She lifted her sunglasses to make sure she was seeing things right. Did he really just run away after spilling tanning lotion on her back? He got upset about the weirdest things.
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The first night Kieran spent the night, he couldn't sleep. Back at the orphanage, there were always so many sounds. Other children staying up past light's out. The old building creaking and settling in. Croft Manor was a much better place to live, but the nights were so quiet. Rubbing his face, he hopped out of bed and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water.
Downing the glass, he returned to his room, but stopped in the hallway. A loud scraping down echoed from down the hall. Curious as to what could break the silence this time of night, he crept in to investigate. The sound had come from the study, and he could hear voices inside. Peeking inside, he watched as Lara and Winston walked out from an open space where a bookcase once sat. As they entered the room, the scraping sound came back. The bookcase moved back into place and settled with a click.
Lara's eyes looked a bit heavy, but otherwise she appeared to be the same as always. Winston was covered in a thick layer of sweat, and he dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief. "Would you tuck me in?" asked Lara, her hands clasped behind her back. "Of course, Miss Croft." Winston replied, as dutiful as always. They exited through the opposite door, and Kieran followed from the shadows.
The pair reached Lara's room and left the door ajar behind them. Kieran peered through the crack and, sure enough, Winston tucked Lara into bed. Covers and all. She quickly drifted off to sleep and Kieran snuck away from the door before Winston caught him. Returning to his room, he knew there was no chance he would fall asleep that night. What were they doing? There was a secret room in the study? Those questions and so many more bounced through his young mind. But at the core of it all was a plan. A mission. He was going to find out what they were up to, or die trying.
He probably wouldn't die, but that made it sound exciting, at least.