I hate everyone except you

17. Met your match

Venus woke up to Loki's arm around her waist and the other on her thigh. The position she went to sleep in was the same she woke up in. She smiled at the thought and laid with her back against his chest. The hand on her thigh made its way to her waist and pulled closer to him. Loki hummed at the girl in his arms. "Hi, dear." Venus gently turned when greeting him. "I know you're awake, Loki." He peaked out one eye and smiled.

"No. I am not. Not yet." Venus decided to just stay in his arms until he wanted to get up. But he didn't want to get up. Not anytime soon; so he just kept her wrapped in his arms. No one sent for them to come to breakfast so they got to sleep longer. Venus sat up and pulled the blankets up off him.

"Loki, I have to meet Thor at noon." Loki rolled his eyes at the mention of Thor.

"Or you stay here. With me." Venus stayed sitting up, looking around the room. Loki's hands snaked around her hips and rested low on her abdomen. Very low. He leaned up to press kisses into her back.

"Nope. Can't." She crawled forward and off the bed. He looked defeated. But Venus had plans for the day; no laying around all day. "Let's go." She was off to the washroom.

He stared blankly. "Venus." Loki fell back in the bed and wiped his eyes. "What could you possibly have to do today?"

"Fight you!" She had the shower running.

-

Their conversation of training with each other had totally lost its place in his mind with the events that unfolded yesterday. But soon enough, Venus was out of the shower and out the door. She didn't have to tell him to follow; he'd known to get dressed and meet her there.

-

"Venus! I missed you and my brother at breakfast." Thor smiled as she entered the same room she'd fought Sif in a couple days before. She walked over before responding. How did his voice boom from hundreds of feet away?

"Loki wasn't at breakfast?" Venus lied, dryly.

"I assumed you overslept and he was off causing trouble somewhere." He smiled as she walked up.

Venus talked to him about what Loki and her had talked about before. About fighting together. Thor was unsure at first but once Venus explained what Loki told her about him only using equal skills.

"What if he changes his mind about the 'equal skills' agreement? Him doing that could end very badly on both sides." Thor was still a little on edge about it.

"He won't." Venus didn't like that Thor doubted Loki but she didn't let that show.

"Venus. He's the god of mischief. He does the exact opposite of what everyone wants or needs." Thor took a deep breath. "You trust him?" She nodded. "Well, it's your fight. I guess that's fine then. But if he does anything unfair I'll stop him there." That was an agreement.

Loki walked in moments later and Thor put on his smile and welcomed him. Loki got a similar greeting as Venus did. He didn't respond to Thor but walked to Venus. "You know you're in a dress, right?" Venus smiled and nodded.

"Okay, Brother. You only have as much power as Venus does." Thor was standing next to Loki, looking at the mat. "If you do anything that.." Loki cut him off.

"I won't." And he walked onto the mat. Thor sat on a bench along the wall and gestured for them to go.

Venus smiled at Loki. "You know, Sif made a comment on me fighting in a dress."

Loki looked pleased that she wasn't just fighting but also talking. He nodded at what she said, asking for more.

And then Venus drew a knife behind her back. Thor had seen it and smiled at the two. "And I beat her ass." As she said that she threw the knife at his head. She figured he'd be caught off guard but his head jerked to the side and caught the knife gliding passed him. She stood still.

Thor realized, this is what Venus meant when she was fighting Sif. When she said she wanted someone who would put up a good fight. An equal fight.

"Well, dear." A staff appeared in his hand. "Try me." Venus smiled at his words and threw one more knife that he let pass by with a small movement.

Venus waited for him to lead the fight. But he simply didn't. God. He walked towards her but before he could say a snarky remark, her leg swung and kicked him in the side. He doubled over for a moment and took the staff to her next punch, blocking it. Her right arm was pushed down by it. Venus grabbed the staff with her left but he twisted it as she held onto it. Her hands were now behind her back with him behind her. "Try harder." He whispered from behind her. She could hear the smile in his voice.

Loki pushed her forward, letting her turn back around. Damn. She had worried he'd go easy on her but he was really being her equal. He smiled wickedly as she looked at him.

She threw punches that he blocked. Until he ran out of hands and she managed to get two shots to his stomach. She quickly put her leg between his and pulled one forward. Loki fell flat on his back. Too easy, she thought. But Loki jabbed the staff to her stomach and then behind her own legs, imitating exactly what she'd done to him. But, she only fell to her knees, as he was still fully down. When he saw her land, he rolled to his stomach to try to get up. She was stepping on his back before he pushed up; her arms wrapped around his neck. Her lips met his ear as she knelt. "I'm trying, love, why don't you do the same?"

Loki's breath quickened and pulled her thigh in front of him. He used her as leverage to get on top again. His left hand pushed her neck, lightly, and the right held a dagger to her chest. They looked at each other; both smiling at the competition. The dagger pushed at her skin. Thor had stood up, he worried at his brothers actions. But so far, Loki had kept his word.

"Yield?" Loki asked. As he said that, Venus formed a dagger and held it to his side. When they were training, they'd been taught to put the flat edge of the knife to the skin so no one was hurt. At the moment, they both had knifes set in places that would injure them in a real fight.

"I yield for both of you!" Thor smiled from the side of the mat. They had forgotten he was there. Not only him, Sif had walked in during the fight. And the worriers three. And some soldiers that had been passing by. "Please, brother, off the girl who just met your match." Thor was impressed at the both of them.

Loki stared at Venus for a moment before smiling and taking his weight off her. He liked how Thor had worded their battle. They were equal.

Venus sat up and fixed her dress as it had been pushed to her upper thighs. Loki's hands had wrapped around her wrists and pulled her up with out thinking. She pulled them away and gave him a look.

"I am very proud of the both of you. I'll have to tell father and mother; they'll be happy to hear someone is challenging Loki." Venus was sweaty and still catching her breath but lightly acknowledged Thor's words.

Loki had left before Thor was done speaking, leaving Venus there.