Texting #9: Goblets, Part 2

Tower Universe - Short

While Gwen is working at her desk in the greenhouse, she looks at the goblets she took from the kitchen that morning. She pours her Diet Coke into one and snaps another picture of herself sipping from it. She sends it to Loki.

Text from Gwen: "These are especially good for making my Diet Coke feel fancy."

Loki glances at his phone just in time to get the new photo. It's so absurd and so her.

He can't help laughing out loud as he types out a response.

Text from Loki: “Are you trying to ruin these goblets with that disgusting 'Diet Coke' of yours?"

Text from Gwen: "What am I supposed to use them for? I don't usually drink expensive wine or Asgardian mead, Your Highness. I suppose I could use it as a cereal bowl..."

His eyebrows shoot up as he reads her message—cereal in a golden goblet? What has he gotten himself into, associating with this mess of a woman?

He types out a response with feigned disdain.

Text from Loki: "Cereal in a golden goblet? Absolutely not. They're for wine, you uncouth menace."

Gwen laughs out loud. She loves pushing his buttons. The gold snake wrapped around the stem, its green jeweled eyes gleaming, is gorgeous but… she takes another photo of herself looking sideways at the goblet.

Text from Gwen: "I feel like this snake is judging me. Must be your doing."

Loki snorts, enjoying the absurdity of Gwen’s little game. The idea of the goblet snake judging her is just too funny.

He types back quickly.

Text from Loki: "That’s exactly what it’s doing. And it's right to judge—you’re using a priceless artifact for Diet Coke."

He wonders if she’ll ever stop amusing him. Hopefully not.

Text from Gwen: "If it is so priceless, why leave a cupboard full of them in the tower kitchen? And why let me take a couple? Not that I'm complaining. I'm going to use it for everything."

Then—

Text from Gwen: "Stuart and I are going to be great friends. I've named the snake Stuart, by the way."

Loki stares at his phone—Stuart? She named the snake goblet? He should be insulted, annoyed, frustrated... but instead, he just bursts out laughing.

Text from Loki: "Stuart? You can't just name priceless artifacts random Midgardian names."

But secretly, he loves it. And now he's never taking those goblets back.

Text from Gwen: "Sure I can. I didn't see a list of rules accompanying my stolen goblets."

She sends another photo of the two cups side by side.

Text from Gwen: "I've named the other one Sage."

Loki chokes back a laugh at the photos of the two goblets, Stuart and Sage. He can almost hear them judging Gwen with an air of superiority.

He types back, trying, and failing, to feign annoyance.

Text from Loki: "Of course you didn't see a list of rules. You don't even care that you stole gold goblets. And what's with these names? Next you'll say you named your couch and car."

Text from Gwen: "Of course not. That would be ridiculous. And I named the snakes, not the goblets. Naming the goblets is silly."

Loki rolls his eyes, but he's still smiling. This woman is utterly ridiculous. Of course, she named the snakes and not the goblets. Why did he expect anything different?

He types back, doing his best to sound irritated.

Text from Loki: "Right, yes. Naming the snakes makes much more sense. Why not name your plants too, while you're at it. Just to complete the madness."

Text from Gwen: "I did. This one is named 'Loki'"

She sends him a photo of a beautiful but poisonous plant with dark flowers—black hellebore.

Loki almost falls off the bed laughing at her photo. She named a toxic plant after him? It was the most Gwen thing she could have done. And his heart does a strange flipping thing.

He sends a text back, trying to compose himself.

Text from Loki: "I don't know whether to be offended or delighted."

Text from Gwen: "I say delighted. I work with poisonous plants, so pretty much everything in here is dangerous. Besides, this one fits being named after you. Can't you see the resemblance?"

Loki looks at the photo again, studying the dark, elegant petals, the sharp contrast of its beauty against its lethality.

A slow smirk spreads across his face.

Text from Loki: "Alright, I'll allow it."

He loves it.

Text from Gwen: "Good. Not that your approval matters, because I'm not changing it."

Loki rolls his eyes. This woman was incorrigible. He debates responding, but instead, he grabs his phone, a marker, and some paper.

Five minutes later, Gwen receives another photo.

It’s a hastily scribbled label—"GUINEVERE"—taped to a random potted fern in Loki’s chambers.

His text follows shortly after

Text from Loki: "I’m not changing mine either."

Gwen laughs out loud again at Loki's retaliation.

Text from Gwen: "A Cretan brake fern? I don't think that fits me. At least ‘Loki the Hellebore’ looks like you. But good job taking care of it. Your fern looks healthy at least."

Loki stares at the fern, then back at her text. She recognized it? He huffs, half-amused, half-annoyed, before texting back.

Text from Loki: "Fine. Maybe I’ll find something more fitting. Perhaps a thorned rose. Pretty, but sharp enough to draw blood."

He’s already mentally scanning his bookshelf for botanical guides.

Gwen pulls out a book from her shelf and flips through it. She knows about the properties of plants but gets rusty with the traditional meanings.

She types out another message.

Text from Gwen: "Actually the fern isn't too bad...ferns mean 'resilience, hidden strength and sometimes secret love’ Are you sending me a message?”

He didn’t think she knew the meanings of plants. Loki is thoroughly impressed and, if he's fully honest, charmed. He's never been around a mortal who could keep up with him like this. 

He types out a new message. 

Text from Loki: "Well, not exactly...but I’m still naming the fern 'Guinevere.' For amusement."

Text from Loki: "That's fine. I'll take it."

She can't help but smile thinking about Loki naming the fern after her. Gwen continues to flip through the book, and it gives her an idea.

The next day, she grows some black tulips and sends them to Loki's door. She wonders what he'll say about that.

Loki receives the flowers and stares, stunned. Black tulips? The meaning isn't lost on him—power, strength, supreme elegance. He feels seen and, for reasons beyond his comprehension, it doesn't unsettle him the way that it usually does.

He can almost imagine her grinning as she dropped off the flowers. What is this woman doing to him?

He texts back a simple, but sincere, reply.

Text from Loki: "...Thank you."

Gwen's heart absolutely skips a beat at his text.

Text from Gwen: "You're welcome."

For once they are both capable of being sincere with no teasing or jokes to make the vulnerability easier.