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[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

Characters: Tyr and Sif, Guest-starring Tina Shin
Date/Time: Friday, July 22th, starting around 7 p.m.
Location: Frosted Fancies, Chicago
Rating: TBD, but probably no more than PG.
Warnings: Possible eye-rolling cuteness.
Summary: Tyr and his daughter, Tina, go visit Sif over the weekend.


Kevin had to admit he was anxious as they got closer and closer to their destination.

His ever perceptive daughter caught on quick. "Are you sweating, Daddy?

"What? Oh yeah, a little, hon. I'm just a little hot."

"But you have the air conditioner on." She seemed to think a minute. "Are you worried about seeing your friend?"

Sometimes she could be way too perceptive. He sighs. "Yeah, honey. I am a little."

Again she seemed to think. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Kevin nearly coughed in surprise. "What? No, Tina. Amber is an old friend who I haven't had a chance to sit down and talk with for awhile, that's all."

Tina raised a screwed-up eyebrow at him, totally not convinced.

Comments

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

Sif gave Tyr a curious look, but decided it wasn't the time to pry.

"It's okay," she said, "I like to eat a lot sometimes, too. But, we can always eat the rest tomorrow if we don't finish it tonight. Now... let's get you an apron, and get this pizza going! Have you ever done any baking before, Tina?"

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

She seems to take Sif's words in stride and nods a little.

"No, not Mommy or Daddy can cook very well. I eat a lot of takeout."

There's an almost inaudible slap as Kevin smacks his head in embarassment of his domestic ineptitude.

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

Sif grinned.
"Not in my kitchen, you won't. Don't worry--I'll teach you. First, we have to make sure our hands are clean, so come here and we'll get washed up." Sif quickly washed her hands.

"Now, we're already preheating the oven, so that's taken care of. So, we'll start with the crust. Flour comes first. Why don't you help me measure it?" Sif handed her a measuring cup. "This is how much we need, so go ahead and fill it up there from the container..."

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

"Okay," Tina said putting her mind to what was before her.

Tyr looked a little wistful. Wow, they're getting along pretty good. Maybe, no, no, damn it don't start that again! But you never know, but she'd, stop, just stop! He frowned at his inner monologue. He tried to focus on what was happening in front of him.

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

Sif seemed wonderfully content guiding Tina through the rest of the pizza dough ingredients, not seeming to mind at all if a little got spilled here and there.

"Now comes the really fun part," she said, "We need to roll out the dough so it's nice and thin for the crust." Sif sprinkled a little cornmeal over the rolling sheet. "We take our rolling pin and try to turn the ball of dough into a pancake, ok? You want to try?"

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

One thing that had clearly passed from father to daughter, was a willingness to get one's hands dirty. She gave a nod and was handed the pin. She looked at the dough as if gauging a potential adversary, her tongue sticking out a little as she strategized. Tyr discreetly pulled out his cellphone to take a picture of her face. It was too cute. She even took a few steps back and forth, studying it from all sides.

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

Sif smiled.
"Okay, almost thin enough. Now, just to get it the last little bit..." Sif smiled and picked up the dough. She tossed it into the air like an expert pizza maker, spinning it. "There we go. Perfect. Now it goes into the pan... And we prick it with a fork. Why don't you go ahead and make lots of fork holes in it for me? All over."

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

Her little face lit up as if the sight of pizza being tossed into the air and caught was the best thing ever. "Yes, Miss Amber," she answered as she began to poke holes in the crust.

Kevin had walked up closer and whispered: "Don't look now but I think you have a fan."

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

"The magic of the joy of cooking," Sif whispered back, lightly touching his back as she looked back to Tina.

"You're doing a great job. Now, we put the sauce on... Make sure it's nice and even. Not too much..." As the sauce was put on the pizza, the kitchen was soon redolent with the aroma of it: tomato, garlic, herbs...

"The cheese goes on next. We'll just grate it on. Lots of it, of course, and let's do some different kinds. Mozzarella... Romano... Asiago... Parmesan..."

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

Okay, he tries very hard not to visibly react to her touch.

She was following said directions until she looked up at Sif. "They're different times of cheese? How are they different?"

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

"Well, they're made a little differently, so they have flavors and textures that are different. Why don't you taste each one and see?" Sif suggested.

"Meanwhile, we've got some pepperoni to put on here too... Kevin, why don't you help us?"

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

"Wait, you want me to help? Are you sure about that?" He tries not to look at his near-useless right hand.

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

"Of course. You're going to be eating it too, aren't you? It's simple. Just arrange the pepperonis there on top of the cheese," Sif said.

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

"Well..okay, I'll give it a try.," Tyr replied as he came forward. It wasn't something he said often, but the loss of functionality in his right hand was a constant source of feelings of inadequacy and uselessness. Sure as a warrior god he adapted, but as a mortal man living an everyday life? No.

Tina, having long learned to read when her dad was becoming sad about his hand, scurried over. "Here Daddy, like this," she said as she showed him how to do it using her own left hand.

He almost felt like crying. If he had been alone, he would have. "Thanks, hon," he said with a feeling of pride as he mimicked her movements.

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

"You're both doing a great job," Sif said in approval. "Now, we just pop it in the oven and let it bake. It'll be about twenty minutes or so. While it's cooking, why don't I give you a tour?"

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

By that time, Tina had her father's good hand in hers. At first she looked a little annoyed at Sif for inadvertently making her daddy feel bad, but she lightens up upon hearing her say he did good.

"That'd be nice, Amber," Kevin replied.

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

"Sure."

"Obviously, this is the kitchen, and the dining room is through there. Living room... den... bathroom through there... My office..." She led them around the main floor, and then headed upstairs.
"Craft room... Guest room--where you'll be staying. It just has the queen-sized bed--I hope that's okay. If not, I can sure make up the couch for one of you. Guest bath... Linen closet... Laundry room. The master suite is here, where I sleep..."

"The basement's finished too. It's my game room," she said. The house was generally simple and comfortable in its color scheme and furnishings, but there was a definite flavor of the old Norse culture pervading it.

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

As Sif guided them along, Kevin defitely got a feel of the Norse style in the place. It made him a feel a primal aura of nostalgia.

"Tina will sleep on the bed, I'll take the couch. Don't worry sweetie, I'll be close by." His words seemed to hold off whatever protest she'd been about to make.

[amberwaveograin.insanejournal.com]

"Ok. Don't worry--it's really comfortable," Sif promised.

"Our pizza should be about ready. Let's go check on it." The cheese was bubbling and the crust a rich golden-brown color. Sif deftly took it from the oven and sliced it up.

"Who's hungry?" she asked, serving it. "And, is there anything I can get you two to drink? I have milk, juice... Some soda in the garage fridge... ...something a little stronger for you, Kevin?"

[lefthandofwar.insanejournal.com]

"Me! Thank you," Tina said happily as a piece was put in front of her. "Milk, please"

Kevin waved a hand. "I'm alright, well, maybe a soda. Whatever you have is fine."