Packless Monsters

Chapter 42

  "Darling, are you sure about this?" Loki asked as you were finishing getting ready for the fight. You were in the living room of the tower surrounded by the team. You weren't really actively doing anything to get ready, you were already dressed in comfortable yoga pants, a sports bra, t-shirt, and hoodie, plus your gym shoes. You had to sit quietly while Nat and Clint finished working on your hair. They had done some excellently awesome braiding with your hair so it wouldn't fall in your face or be a handhold for Jareth during the battle. They were also spraying it with so much hairspray that there was a snowball's chance in hell that your hair was ever moving again.

While they worked, you were thoroughly distracted by a very smug god who was purposely distracting you so you didn't worry over the fight. Smug bastard. He was doing it so...innocently too, since he was just finishing getting dressed. He had donned the shirt, pants, and shoes of his favorite all-black suit with magic, but he was enjoying teasing you, as he put on the rest the mortal way. His long, strong fingers fastened the cuff links with the fluidity of a long-practiced movement. He smirked as you watched him expertly tie his tie. Damn smug Trickster knew your love of him in formal wear and could somehow look nearly as sexy putting it on as... the other thing that you couldn't think about right now.

"Lo, you know I have to do this now," you reminded him, forcing your focus on things other than your boyfriend's physique. You could see that he was more worried than he wanted to let on. "Samuel will be there to ref, but if I don't fight Jareth now, he'll challenge me in a less controlled way later,"

"I know, darling. I still worry. I dislike that you will be in danger I cannot help you with and likely injured," Loki told you as he shrugged into his suit jacket. Damn sexy distracting god. At least you weren't stressing about the fight, which had been his intention.

"Brother, why are you dressed as a witch for this event?" Thor asked, concerned.

"Hey!" Loki protested grumpily. "I am not dressed as a witch," he grumbled. Your hair was finally deemed done, so you stood and went to Loki. You couldn't help yourself after his teasing and grabbed his tie, pulling him down so you could kiss him. Somehow he hadn't expected it and you heard his soft moan as your mouth forcefully met his.

You could tease him too.

You kissed him for a long moment before you finally let his tie go and let him straighten. You straightened his tie and smoothed out his already perfectly smooth suit jacket. You felt like a ragamuffin next to him in your sweat pants.

"It's a power move," Nat supplied. Loki inclined his head, looking impressed with her assessment.

"What?" Cap demanded.

"Werewolves are obsessed with dominance games. Loki is showing he isn't afraid for Y/N's safety. He's not wearing his battle armor. He's giving her an edge in the dominance game," Nat explained.

"You can't really expect Jareth to believe your literal god of a protector isn't worried, or going to jump in if things go horribly wrong," Clint protected.

"Of course not," you replied, buttoning Loki's suit jacket for him. He gave you a knowing smirk and you stuck your tongue out at him. "But he doesn't look like he'll step in and fight either. He'll stand on the sidelines and look like a slightly worried mate. It's what's expected. Stop worrying," you added for the benefit of the team. You still had to hug them all before they'd calm. "I feel underdressed," you whined as you took Loki's arm. He chuckled and kissed the top of your head.

"I will take you out somewhere nice after this so you can dress up too, little wolf," he promised kindly.

"You may have to wait a few days," you reminded him, getting worried again. You weren't going to get out of this fight without any injuries. There was no way.