The Soldier

pretending

Beautiful. The black blade looked amazing and Tessa squinted her eyes because of the burning sun's reflection on it.

She liked that training spot, the green meadow and free field. It was easy to train here, no hiding spots, no danger coming from anywhere but her opponent. Well, there were these tricky uneven spots from time to time and she stumbled because of them way too often.

But she liked it here, wouldn't it be for the heat and smell of all kind of flowers mixing together. Tessa sneezed.

She was repeating that exercise of drawing x-patterns in the air with her blade for a while already, low-key enjoying the barely noticeable sound of her blade cutting through air. It almost sounded like a fast, frantic breath. Like it was alive.

„I told you to rest, Tess.", Loki ripped her out of her thoughts, appearing right beside her.

„I wasn't tired and thought I use the time until you come back.", she answered, not stopping.

It calmed her down, the sensation of controlling her hands. Like they were finally hers again.

She could almost laugh at herself for ever believing anything different. Her hands were her hands, and she was the one controlling them.

„I see. Try to attack me the way I showed you earlier.", Loki said and Tessa did.

Blade against blade, the clinging sound of it loud on that peaceful field.

„Would it solely depend on who is stronger, you would stand no chance. Use my force to your advantage.", Loki explained, pressing down her sword with his own.

For a second she held against it, forcing him to use more strenght, before she pulled her sword back. Loki almost lost balance. Tessa quickly hit his wrist, making him drop his weapon.

„Did I just... won?", Tessa smirked, picking up Loki's sword and giving it back to him, innocently patting his shoulder. It was the first time she was not the one trying to catch her breath, or at least not the only one.

„I let you. Motivational purpose, of course.", Loki explained, a cocky smile on his lips.

He took the sword and Tessa went back to her starting point.

„Sure.", she said sarcastically, getting ready. This was fun, and she slowly was getting better at fighting with a sword.

„Ready for another round, soldier?", Loki asked, gripping his sword properly.

„Always.", she smiled and made sure she stood stable.

Loki went for her shoulder. Ducking away, Tessa already aimed at his chest. He blocked it, using that movement to shove her back. She stumbled for a second, but stood her ground in the end.

„Good stand does not mean freezing, Tess.", Loki said, his sword on her throat now. „Move, but try to not lose balance by doing so.", he explained, lowering his sword for a second.

„You mean like you did before?", Tessa smirked, before blocking a stab.

„That was completely intentional, Tess.", Loki repeated, successfully stabbing her this time.

Luckily enough he only used a training sword, to not accidentally injure Tessa.

She sighed, raising her arms defeated and Loki put his sword away. Tessa frowned when she noticed his self-satisfied grin.

„Don't say it."

„You are dead.", Loki smirked.

„Asshole."

Tessa lowered herself, planning her next attack but -

Her shoulder. That hurt. Loki stepped beside her. Hard grip around her wrist, dull sound of her weapon falling. Trying to keep his sword away was all that mattered. His right foot moved. Loki pulling back her wrist. Grass, mud and flowers caught her.

„So you dreamed about falling yesterday?"

Tessa stood up, aiming for his chest, but he blocked her pretty well.

„Yes. Since that whole reality -", she jumped back to escape Loki's stab, „Reality switch thing.", she ended, trying to cut Loki's wrist so he would drop his weapon. Striking his blade instead. She pulled back, her sword quickly on his throat.

„I see. What else?", Loki moved her blade away with his own.

„Why do you care suddenly?", Tessa asked, letting her guard down for a second. Finding herself on the floor again.

„Oh, come on.", she sighed frustrated, gripping her sword a little tighter.

„Curiosity is in my nature. You are the first mortal I switched realities with. How Midgardians respond to it piques my interest. What impact did it have on you, Tess?", Loki asked curiously, sitting down beside her.

Tessa played around with her blade, not particularly interested in talking about her dreams with Loki after what happened yesterday.

Everything was fine, why going down that road again now?

„Just dreams, as you said.", Tessa answered, her voice trailing of.

Talking about them wouldn't make it any less bad. So she didn't.

Tessa's fingers found the ring on her necklace, not really paying attention to Loki anymore.

Poor immortal god not able to get anything out of his laboratory rat.

Why so bitter, sweetheart?

Tessa sighed, looking at him for a second, before answering him.

„There was this energy... in my hands. Like electricity. I don't know, it doesn't matter anymore, now everything is back to normal. I mean... as normal as possible. Sitting on a meadow with a god, talking about different realities and my dreams and stuff.", Tessa said, picking up her sword again, before Loki could answer.

She was not supposed to feel like this in the first place, but his spell worked and that was all that mattered.

„Ready for another round, sire?", she said, her last word dripping of sarcasm.

At some point she would need to call him something like that without making it sound so ridiculous, Loki thought.

Right now was no time for teaching mortals proper mannerism though.

„Always.", Loki answered, glad that everything was working out just as planned.