Summary:In which Sif gets a new Starkphone and Loki gets tea. Or Darcy pulls through on the tech. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Mid afternoon deliveries at the Embassy. Darcy took over the mail distribution, because she got completely frustrated at the person doing it putting mail in the stupidest places and her missing important things like invitations to random events for Prince Loki. Not that he really went to all of them, but she made it a point of keeping up his good name by responding with a polite thank you and a non-commital. Politics. All about keeping people thinking that you're thinking of them. Today's package had the mortal bouncing happily and calling for Sif to meet her in her office, which is the room right outside Loki's. She'd left the door open so the prince could call for her without needing to raise his voice or send a magic missile at her butt.
Loki is, of the last few days, rather sullen. Everyone is entitled to be in a mood, but he has definitely embraced this one. "What…are you so happy about?" he asks, grimly, looking out his room at the mortal servant.
Double trouble: Sif is in a mood also. It's VERY recent, though, as just a day or two before she seemed entirely herself. A few minutes after Darcy called for her she appears at the doorway to the Midgardian woman's office, looking like a human who had a very poor night's sleep.
"I am here, Ms. Lewis. What did you require?" Grumpy Sif is grumpy.
"Sif's new phone is all charged up, and it's ready for her to try to break it. Even got a badass case!" Darcy chirps happily to Loki. Sullen mood noted, she hopes to break it when Grumpy Sif makes her way in and the mortal realizes that Operation Happy-Gardians has to happen, stat.
"Sif! I need you. And Loki can join us too, if he wants to? Here, sit," she tells the aesir, moving to the little sofa that's there for visitors needing to wait for something.
"Either of you two want some tea? I want some tea. I'm going to get some going. I'll pour you some," she rambles to give them time to get settled on the sofa. Tea and tech will happen shortly!
Loki comes out and sits down with the promise of tea. he can be bought with drinks he does not need to brew himself. He eyes Sif up and down. "I got the friend you sent my way. I appreciate the effort, though…I am building a steady reserve of friends, and all are so dedicatedly taken."
Sif hesitates for a moment, watching Darcy bustle about, then moves to sit on the sofa as well. She doesn't seem in any perturbed by Loki, just more generally moody. She's not even fussed either way about the tea.
"You said you need me. What is this about?"
Loki says, "She's giving you a phone. Odin's beard, just use it." Loki fusses."
Sif turns a frown toward Loki. "One of those tiny boxes Midgardians seem unable to function without?" She looks back to Darcy. "Why?"
Darcy got the embassy an electric kettle. Because boiling hot water in like a minute. It's as good as magic! While the water comes to temp, she pulls down three mugs and three saucers. Then sets about dropping in two bags of ab herbal tea into each mug.
"Because Loki told me to. I took weeks to find jus the right one AND the right case so hopefully you don't break it. Just… don't try to beat anyone over the head with it, okay?" Darcy quips over her shoulder, grinning. Hot water poured, the sacuers are set on each mug and they're brought out and set on the low table in front of each before she presents the phone to help distract them both into NOT trying to drink scalding hot and still steeping tea!
Sif at least knows enough to not grab at the gently steaming cup immediately, and anyway she's distracted by the phone being handed to her. Yup. One of those tiny boxes. Of course, Darcy's explanation has her looking at Loki again. "You had Ms. Lewis purchase this? Why?"
"Because you are intelligent as these Midgardians and it makes you look backward to them, that you cannot use one." Loki insists to her.
"And because now he can send you silly cat memes," Darcy adds. Because she's helpful! The case is sleek black with red accents, but heavy duty and made to withstand a tank rolling over it. Or at least, that's what was advertised. Darcy settles on Sif's other side.
Sif narrows her eyes at Loki, mostly because as scathing as his comment was, it's true. "I understand the concept of the device perfectly." She doesn't mention that it's written words that she hasn't studied yet.
As if to prove this, she presses this button and that until the phone wakes up, then swipes past the lock screen. Of course, now she's faced with looking at all of the little symbols on the display and the words attached to each.
"Its very obvious. Small children operate these." Reading definitely helps, but its not a must. Loki may be aware of her situation."Darcy will program in all the numbers of Asgardians, with pictures, and also the police, and various others you might need to call. Its terribly backwards, but…their society has not figured out how to train birds well enough."
"The little green one at the bottom left is the PHONE option. See how the picture looks a little bit like the part of the phone that I pick up on my desk over there?" Darcy starts helpfully, not leaning in to point, but describing the one she means so that Sif can see it and then touch it.
"I've already added- Birds?" Loki derailed her. Bravo! "Are you fucking kidding me? Carrier pigeons are like… ancient dude. and messy. Poop everywhre!"
Loki disappears back into his room!
Sif huffs in annoyance as Darcy's explanation is derailed by Loki who then takes his teacup and flees back to his own office. She looks from the device in her hand to the phone on Darcy's desk and back. "They are not identical, but I understand." She doesn't tap at it.
Darcy rolls her eyes at Loki and just barely refrains from showing him a bird. Shaking her head and turning back to Sif, Darcy is all smiles again.
"Awesome. Like he said, I've already put numbers in there for you. Everyone but mine, because I thought that'd be a good way to should you how to add a contact. You wanna try it?"
Sif stares at the phone for a long moment, takes a deep breath, then admits honestly, "Not really, no." She sets the phone on the table next to her still steeping tea cup and sits back. "I … am out of sorts today, Ms. Lewis. My apologies."
"It's okay," Darcy says, watching Sif carefully. Her head is on tilt, giving her a faintly fox-like appearance.
"Wanna rant about it? Or go do something… girlie?"
Sif shakes her head no. "Neither, but thank you for offering." She seems listless, or some old fashioned word like that. She stares at the phone for a long moment, then with a glance toward the door to Loki's room, offers more quietly, "I cannot read the sigils and words of Midgard."
"Yet." Darcy states simply. Midgardian..mortal hope riding high in that single word.
"You can't read, yet. But you will. One of the apps on the homescreen, the bright green one that sort of looks like an owl's face? That's DuoLingo. It's an app designed to help you learn a new language, reading, speaking, writing. All of it. I've already made you an account, and I've got English ready and waiting for you. That way, you can learn when I'm like asleep and not around to help you out," she says with a warm and caring smile.
Sif looks at the phone, then picks it up again and taps on the green owl.