Meeting the land lady (Sif and Pepper, Wednesday afternoon)

[thelady_sif]

Sif had stuck mainly to her quarters since arriving, mindful of her capacity as guest in the tower and not wanting to presume too much freedom. The situation with Thor and how she might fit into things had been occupying her thoughts enough until now, but she'd been glad for the chance to get out and speak to the other people who lived here--the ones who weren't her oldest friend and a pouty trickster.

The common area was deserted when she found it, which seemed odd to her for such a large building, and she moved over to examine some of the room's equipment while she waited for the landlady to arrive. She tugged uncomfortably at the collar of her shirt and wondered if the walls would speak again today.

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[pepperinapot]

Pepper cancelled her morning meetings and headed home. She wanted to get a feel for this guest in her home and frankly, she was exhausted anyway. The common area had seemed the easiest place to meet, so Sif wouldn't have to negociate the city to get to Pepper.

The common room yielded up a pretty young lady.

"Lady Sif?" She asked walking forward. "I'm Pepper, it's a pleasure to meet you."

[thelady_sif]

Sif turned on her heel and grinned at the woman who'd come in. She had pretty orange hair and an air of busy-ness about her. "My Lady," she said brightly, meeting her halfway in a couple of long strides, then stuck her hand out as she'd seen it done, though she couldn't resist inclining her head slightly towards the woman.

"You may call me Sif," she continued. "I'm given to understand you rule this tower. I'm grateful for your hospitality -- and do pass my thanks on to the Stark king, as well."

[pepperinapot]

Pepper shook her hand and repeated the tilt of the head. If she was going to be living in Asgardian central, she was going to have to learn a little bit of the culture after all.

"And you can call me Pepper." She grinned widely at the idea of ruling anything. "I don't exactly rule it and please don't call him King. He doesn't need a bigger ego. We're just very successful business people. And we're both thrilled to have you here. Have you been settling in alright? I told Thor we could provide you with your own room, but I wasn't sure you wanted one."

[thelady_sif]

"Pepper, then." It gave Sif a moment of discomfort to be so familiar, but she was beginning to grasp that things were different here. "Very successful, indeed. Your home is beautiful."

"I've been settling in well, thank you." It was the first Sif had heard about a room of her own, and she hesitated. "To tell you the truth, I've camped with Thor enough times when we've traveled in the past that it hadn't occurred to me. Though living with Loki is...new." It was the most delicate word she could settle on.

[pepperinapot]

"Thank you. We're still redecorating after the...incident." She had no idea how Sif felt about Loki, Pepper realized. Were they friends? Lovers? Did they loathe each other? Or were they barely acquaintances. She would have to tread lightly. "It's a work in progress."

"I had thought you might want to have a little space of your own." Pepper deliberately did not shudder at the idea of sharing a room with the megalomaniac creep. "The room I have in mind is just down the hall and has it's own bathroom. But it's your choice. It's open regardless."

[thelady_sif]

Sif's mouth tightened. "I'm sorry for all the grief he's caused you." She didn't know that it was even her place to do so, but this woman was very kind, and she should say something, if it hadn't been said. On behalf of Asgard, or maybe just on behalf the man she'd thought she'd known better. "To have him here again must be...well." She trailed off and rubbed at the back of her neck. Surely this wasn't a topic she should be getting into.

She thought on it a moment--she'd feel less alone living with Thor, and yet. "I think I'd like that very much," she said finally. He would still be close, and maybe without her holding up the other bed, Thor could take time to himself sometimes. "I'm not very used to Midgard--to Earth, yet, but I should learn. And the man in the wall seems available for questions."

[pepperinapot]

"It's not ideal." She agreed, not smiling because she didn't think Sif would appreciate that kind of false sweetness. There was something very frank about her right out to of the gate. "But we're making do."

"Technically the whole floor is Thor's really, I don't think that's sunk in for him yet. Please take the room. JARVIS, that's the man in the walls to you, will get you anything else you might need as far as furnishings.

"I can offer some help this morning though if there's anything more immediate. Sometimes just immersing yourself can help with a native guide."

[thelady_sif]

"Well, I'm here to help in any way I can--with the making do," she clarified. It occurred to her she'd just shown up without giving a reason for her stay. "Perhaps between the two of us, Thor and I can keep him out of your way." The girl Darcy too, she remembered.

She smiled slightly and thought of Thor's earlier confusion over the idea of having his own time. "There's a lot that hasn't sunk in, I'm sure. His whole world is his brother right now."

"I did venture into the city a little," she said, perking up. Her mouth quirked into a grin. "No choice but to immerse oneself among all those people. I met a very nice, very nosy man who introduced me to denim." She touched a hand to her thigh, "but I'm still a bit lost without my armor."

[pepperinapot]

"That would be appreciated." Something hard unraveled a little in Pepper's chest. "I can't pretend I'm not afraid of him. Everyone else living here is their own protection, but I'm a civilian for the most part."

Pepper thought of her sister, the money being spent on her education and the persistent cold quiet she got in return. She could understand dedication beyond reason for a sibling. "Yes, I can see how that might be. I haven't really met with him yet. Just exchanged letters."

"I would be lost without mine too." She ran her hand over her suit's lapels. "Protection from the world can be important. I'm glad you've gotten a few things though. Asgardian clothing is quite different and you don't want to stand out too much or the reporters will be all over you."

[thelady_sif]

"I won't let anything happen to you," Sif said, unthinkingly placing her fist over her heart out of habit, "you have my word." Even if Pepper's confession hadn't stirred her protective instincts, she had a perception of mortals as defenseless, even after the tales she'd heard of iron suits that would rival Loki's Destroyer.

Her smile widened. "Thor is the best person I know," she said, "when you meet him you'll see him as I do. And he takes this very seriously."

Sif eyed Pepper's suit speculatively. "You're a warrior as well, then," she said approvingly, then fingered the ruffles on her new blue blouse. "I'll get used to blending in. But I don't think this suits me. It tickles, to be honest."

[pepperinapot]

"Oh, I..." Usually her reponse to that kind of thing was 'I can defend myself, thanks very much.' But Sif wasn't a macho man trying to pull of the damsel in distress thing. She found herself smiling in response. "Thank you, Sif. That's very kind of you and much appreciated."

"He helped save my city, so he already has my gratitude. He's also a very kind correspondent." The letters had been both novel and genuine.

"It's a little...girly for you." Pepper decided immediately that that couldn't stand. "Look, we have a tradition here on Earth. Girls go shopping for clothes together. Maybe we could indulge in a little tradition and I can get you a little bit of a wider wardrobe? You can't really walk around in metal armor, but we can find you somethings that might make you feel more yourself."

[thelady_sif]

"Too girly, yes," Sif nodded briskly, pleased that Pepper could recognize that about her even while she wasn't wearing her armor.

She smiled again, tickled by the offer. "I wouldn't want to buck important Earth customs," she said, then stopped herself before gushing further about the kindness of Pepper's offer. "I'd be very happy to be shopped for. You've no idea how much I went through to be able to wear what made me comfortable in Asgard."

[pepperinapot]

"I can imagine. Not a lot of female warriors on Asgard, right? I mean I've been reading some of our stories about you all, but I've no idea what's fact and fiction." There had been the Valkyries, but Sif didn't seem to have wings.

"We're totally going to go shopping. I think if we start at a big store, we can get an idea of your taste and then go from there. Clothes are important, you need to be comfortable and still present the image you want." It had taken her a while to understand that and to accept that her too high heels might sent the wrong messages, but were a part of her comfort level. No way was she going to be too short to look any man in the eye. "You came back to Earth at a good time. Women can wear nearly anything they want these days."

[thelady_sif]

"We're a rare breed, though hopefully there are more following me as we speak." She couldn't help feeling proud about that. "I'd heard there were stories written about us. I'd like to see them sometime, and know what the stories say about me."

Sif nodded. She'd known from an early age the image she wanted to present to the world. She grinned. "My chainmail was earning me some odd looks earlier, so it seems we can't wear everything we want," she said. "Perhaps I should try one of your armored suits."

[pepperinapot]

"We have a thing called feminism here. I think you're going to like it. It sounds like you might have had a big part of inventing in on Asgard." And that was fantastic. "I can lend you the books I read. Mostly they indicate you were some kind of earth goddess, who bore one of Thor's children. Does he even have children?"

She couldn't imagine that the boyish smile was one of a father, but then again the Asgardians seemed to have very long lives and their faces showed no signs of aging.

"We can get you one if you like. Everyone should have a good suit. I think over all you might be happier with something more in the leather family, if I had to guess though." She could see heavy black boots being a winner.

[thelady_sif]

"Thor's--children?" Sif blinked, taken aback. They'd been close enough as children that the idea of a betrothal hadn't been a stretch, but the lines between them had always been murky--something more than siblings and less than lovers that neither of them ever really discussed, even when things had become...confusing for her, at points during their youth. "Ah, he hasn't got any, certainly none from me. It's hard to imagine him with children, and easy in other ways. Do you have any, with the Stark ki--with your companion?"

Sif hm'ed a bit. "I want to know more about leather, to be sure. Sounds...sturdy."

[pepperinapot]

"That's what I thought. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Humans have short life spans and a lot of time has passed. These things get distorted over the generations." The question twisted a little in her chest. She'd thought about it. What their children would look like, but... "Not yet. Maybe not ever. Tony's life is dangerous and he has a hard time committing to things. Kids are kind of permanent."

"I think you'll like it." Pepper grinned. "You've got great legs. We should get you a skirt or two just to throw the boys off."

[thelady_sif]

"Mm. We mainly pass our stories on by tongue, so I can understand distortion." She grinned suddenly. "I look forward to finding out what else I've done, though. Thor will be quite amused to hear of our child."

Sif nodded and noticed that Pepper had not mentioned whether or not she wanted children. "I haven't thought overmuch about children, myself. Though I've only faint memories of my own mother, so it seems children needn't be permanent, necessarily." Likely Heimdall had more of an idea where she was, but Sif had never asked him, even if it were in his nature to be open about such a thing.

"A skirt?" Sif looked dubious. Well, Pepper was the expert. "If you say so."

[pepperinapot]

Pepper beamed back. She couldn't help it. There was just something very charming about Sif's broad smile. "I'll get the book to you. Maybe you can read him the the highlights."

"We're pretty fixated on lifetime ownership here. Not that everyone does it." She thought of her own father, there and gone again before she was six. "But there's an expectation."

"We'll find one you like. Come on, I'll call Happy and get us a car."

[thelady_sif]

"It's true I don't see a point in having a child that one doesn't intend to keep," Sif agreed. "In any case, I hope eventually there's time for you to have everything you want with your Stark." Time must be altogether different for mortals to deal with.

She followed Pepper out of the room, her gaze flicking to Pepper's feet as her heels clicked on the floor. An interesting woman. Sif decided she liked her very much, for she was herself not nearly tough enough for shoes like that. "A car!" she grinned and latched onto the word. "I had fun watching them on the street earlier. The last time I was here I was busy bring thrown around on top of them, so I didn't pay much attention to how useful they are."

[pepperinapot]

"Thanks." She said because what else was there to say? At least the topic seemed to be over.

"You haven't gotten to be in a car yet?" Pepper smiled. "I'm so glad I can show you then. I'll drive. It's more fun being in the front then the back really. We'll take one of Tony's sportscars. Do you have a favorite color? That's usually how I pick."

[thelady_sif]

"Red," she decided, getting more excited about this trip by the second. She glanced sidelong at Pepper. "That's a lot of cars, to be able to sort them by color. Probably even more cars than I have daggers."

[pepperinapot]

"Good choice. The corvette then." She laughed. "Well, Tony loves cars and when Tony loves something, he tends to pursue it sort of single minded. We donate some of them to charity auctions every year, but there's a core ten or so that he always has. It's like a museum."