No Stars (Sif and Darcy, Saturday night)

[thelady_sif]

Sif had gotten quite handy with the coffee maker in her chambers, ever since she'd discovered how much she liked coffee. She'd tried it with all kinds of sweeteners and creams and flavorings, but had decided she liked the strong, bitter flavor on its own. Pouring out a large cup, she wandered out of her room and briefly considered dropping in on Thor -- she'd even take Loki at this point, if Thor wasn't around. In the end she decided against it this time. Sometimes, ever since what Thor'd told her back in Asgard, what he and Loki were dealing with seemed an intensely private thing she didn't want to intrude on. Instead, she took the elevator up to one of the few places in the tower she'd yet to explore.

The roof was vast and open, the first spot here that reminded her oddly of the desert where she'd landed in New Mexico the last time. There was some sort of glass enclosure on the far end, and a landing pad, but other than that she was quite exposed, and quite alone. After a quick check of her surroundings, she moved to the edge and sat, letting her feet, clad in the boots Pepper had given her, dangle over the side. She wrapped her fingers around her coffee mug and let her hair whip around her. The position reminded her of her familiar perch outside Heimdall's observatory, only there she'd looked out over an abyss much larger than this, lit with stars instead of street lights.

You couldn't see any stars here, above or below. It was curious.

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[agentdarcy]

One thing Darcy missed about New Mexico was the night sky. Out there, on the roof of the lab, she'd been able to sprawl in one of the lounge chairs they'd dragged up there and stargaze to her heart's content. The sky had been so clear, so wide open, and she'd spent many a night picking out the constellations she knew or dreaming up new ones when a particular pattern caught her fancy.

Here it was different, the light pollution blotting out all but the brightest stars, and half the time when she thought she'd spotted one it turned out to be a plane headed to or from one of the airports. There was still plenty to look at, but it wasn't the same. The city was alive with people, the noise and bustle barely slowing down at night. She liked it well enough, was growing to love it, but sometimes she still missed the stars.

The roof was still a good place to while away an hour or two, she mused as she stepped out the door. It was pretty windy up this high. She caught her hair as it whipped around her face, then from the corner of her eye spotted a familiar figure.

"Lady Sif?" She'd heard of her arrival, but Darcy had yet to have the chance to talk with her.

[thelady_sif]

Sif held her hair back long enough to see who'd called her name, then grinned at a familiar face she hadn't seen since she'd come back. "Darcy." Even if they hadn't exactly gotten to know each other, it was nice to run into someone she didn't have to introduce herself to.

"Join me?" She kicked her legs out carelessly over the drop. "I was beginning to wonder if the others were making you up. I've heard so much talk but never saw you."

[agentdarcy]

"Nope, I'm pretty sure I'm real," Darcy said as she lowered herself to sit crosslegged next to Sif. She was close enough to the edge to have a clear view of the avenue below, but with several inches separating her from the drop. "Of course, I've been so busy since I got here, sometimes I wonder that, too." She smiled. "I hope the talk about me was good, at least."

"It's nice to see you," she said, studying the other woman. "We didn't have much chance to talk out in the desert, considering everything that happened."

[thelady_sif]

"Let's see." Sif's dimple winked. "So far, you're a 'peach' and a 'good kid'. Both good things." She watched Darcy a moment and added, "not so much a kid, though, I think."

She took another sip of coffee before setting the mug down beside her. "We were both a bit busy. It's nice to have the chance, to be here without so much going on. I didn't think I'd be back," she admitted. "How are you faring?"

[agentdarcy]

She laughed. "You've been talking with Steve. Yeah, being a 'peach' is sweet, really. I kind of like it." Her smile turned wry, and she tried not to wince at the 'kid' label, but Sif seemed to understand. "I can't say I'm as fond of being called a kid," she admitted. "I know I'm the youngest person here, but I'm grown. I've made my share of mistakes, and I'll probably make more. Everyone does. But..." Darcy hesitated, wondering what made her pour all this out now. She shrugged, her voice turning thoughtful. "I don't want that to be everyone's image of me, the kid who needs protecting." She gave a faint smile. "Even if it's nice knowing they've got my back."

"Busy." Darcy couldn't resist a grin. "That's a constant state for me, I think. I've been busier than ever since I came here." She grew thoughtful again when Sif asked that most basic of questions. "I'm doing all right, I suppose. I've spent some time talking with Loki."

[thelady_sif]

"'Sweet' is a good word to describe Steve," Sif decided, smiling slightly. "We made Spam the other night, Spam and...some other things I can't remember. It was salty and very tasty and he was nice to share it with me." As Darcy spoke, she pivoted toward her a little so that only one leg hung over the side of the ledge, crossed over the ankle of her other leg. "Trust me, protective instincts are hard to keep down. But I can't believe anyone would think you incapable, with all the responsibilities you've been given."

She was quiet for a moment. "I know something of how you feel, though, wanting to prove yourself and change how others see you." It had been a desperate time, one she didn't want to repeat, and she felt a pang of sympathy for Darcy. She shook it off and grinned suddenly, teasing, "All humans are kids when you're immortal, so I try not to think of any of you that way. It's too awkward."

When Darcy brought up Loki, Sif looked at her with open curiosity. "I've spent less time talking to him than you. It's strange, I don't know what to do with him yet, what to say. I don't think Frigga would have trusted me with that magic word of yours."

[agentdarcy]

"It is," Darcy agreed. She'd had fun, shopping with Steve. "Spam's pretty good," she said with a nod. "One of those foods you can always have on hand." A strand of hair blew across her mouth and she reached up to brush it away as Sif replied. "I don't mind them being protective, I really don't. And I know they believe I'm capable, or at least the ones who know me well. The others will learn that." She would make sure of it, Darcy told herself.

She smiled at Sif then; a real smile. "It helps, knowing you understand. Thanks," she told her. Darcy took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "Just... if you notice me looking like I'm about to throw something, that might be why." She laughed at that quick, teasing grin. "I appreciate that thought. I guess we are all babies to you." She shook her head, shuddering a little. "It's even awkward just saying it."

"If you figure out what to do with him, please, let me know. I'm not sure if I've helped or not, though we've figured out that me using that magic word isn't all that pleasant for him." She hesitated. "I'm still not sure why she entrusted me with that. Maybe she thought I was the least likely to be tempted by it. That's all I can come up with."

[thelady_sif]

"You just have to be the best, until they've no choice but to see. That's what I did." For her it was very simple, if not always in practice.

"Oh but you should throw things! It's great fun. Also hitting things, have you tried hitting things? I'll show you sometime." Sif stretched her arms over her head a moment, relaxing, and when Darcy shuddered she gave a chuckle. "I just need to get used to being around you. And remember that you're the worldly ones, here. I've never felt so...green," she decided, tasting the word.

"I'd be tempted by it, but I've been told I hold grudges." She shrugged. "Perhaps he needs someone with a fresher perspective, someone like you. In any case, you realise Frigga literally knows everything? She can't possibly be wrong about you." Her smile was quick and faded fast. "He was good once," she said quietly, "or if not always good, he was always just...Loki. This has thrown me."

[agentdarcy]

"It's easier said than done," Darcy mused. "I suppose I just have to be patient. I'm not particularly good at that." The corner of her mouth turned up in a faint grin.

"I threw a water bottle a couple of weeks ago," she remembered. "It felt pretty good at the time." Darcy shook her head. "Green? I suppose I can understand that, being in an unfamiliar place. You'll learn, though. We can go out and explore the city some too, if you want. It'll be fun."

Darcy looked over at her. "Pretty much everyone in this building has the right to hold a grudge against him. Some more than others." She looked down, flushing a little at the compliment. "I hope for all our sakes that she's right about me, then." Darcy glanced back up. "I'm not sure Thor knows quite what to do with him, either. It must be hard."

[thelady_sif]

"A water bottle is a good start. Flipping tables is more satisfying, if messier. Though it would attract more strange looks on Earth, I'm sure." She perked up. "That would be fun. Perhaps the next time you aren't so busy. I've explored every inch of this tower by now."

Sif nodded as she toyed with her coffee cup. "It is. And if Thor doesn't know what to do with him, that's the scariest thing I can imagine," she admitted, deciding to find Thor and talk to him soon. Because she was worried, but also because she wasn't entirely sure he would take any time out to relax otherwise. "But Loki is-- I mean for now, since I've arrived at least, he's seemed calm. That's something. I don't know what, but."

[agentdarcy]

"Yeah, flipping tables isn't very popular here. But I can see how it would be satisfying sometimes," Darcy said. She smiled. "We'll do it, then. Maybe some of the other women would like to go, too. We can make it a girls' night out."

"I don't understand it, either. But calm... not always," she said, her brow furrowing as she remembered Loki's outburst. "He seemed genuinely worried about what might await him in Asgard. If this doesn't work..."

[thelady_sif]

"I didn't know that. Thor's said he's been calm, and I haven't spent enough time around him yet to know otherwise," she said, frowning slightly. Thor was pretty soft on his brother, though, and calm was relative.

"Well he should be worried," she said, though a small part of her that she didn't feel like listening to wondered what could be making Loki so afraid considering how easily he had escaped once. "Sometimes I don't know what Frigga and Odin were thinking."

[agentdarcy]

"What do you mean?" Darcy asked her. "Allowing him to stay here, or was it something else?" She could tell Sif was concerned, but wasn't sure exactly what had transpired in Asgard when Loki had escaped, or before.