Nine Days Of Loki

Needless to say, Sif barely slept that night.
She had spent the entire day alone in her newly allocated 'chambers' and had flatly refused to leave, despite several attempts from Loki to cajole her into coming out.

The room was beautifully decorated and spacious, the bed comfortable, yet instead of sleeping she'd laid awake all night, thinking over her present situation and what she could do in order to rectify it.
She cursed herself several times for making the wrong decision, for leaving herself vulnerable. She'd underestimated Loki's abilities and was out of her depth, as much as it pained her to admit it.

Her mind had drifted to how disappointed the Allfather would be for having failed her mission. He had placed his trust in her, obviously believing her to be capable and now she had let him down. That got her to wondering why Odin had specifically chosen her for this expedition.
Whilst she was one of Asgard's most fiercest and bravest warriors, renown for her keen instincts and sharp mind, there had to be an ulterior reason. Every decision and action, he made and did with a purpose in mind.
Perhaps he'd mistakenly thought that Loki would surrender to her without resistance. She clearly recalled Loki implying that he'd be willing to put himself in her hands....
....And that was when a thought struck her, like a gift from the Norns and a plan began to form in her mind.

She was Asgard's only female warrior.
Perhaps, that could be used to her advantage. If she could use her 'feminine wiles' as it were, to somehow lull her captor into a false sense of security then maybe she might be able to gain the upper hand.
If she feigned submission, and...dare she even think it...attempt to 'seduce' Loki, then hopefully she'd be able to apprehend him.
It was risky, and very much a long shot but still worth a try.

Loki, despite all his charisma, charm and occasional use of sexual innuendo, was a very guarded, untrusting individual. So it would take patience and tact.
But he was still a man after all, with needs and primal instincts like any other.
So she was confident that with subtle temptation, it would be possible.

Of course, there was the moral principals of the matter to take into account. The notion of having to use herself in such a way, and especially in order to trap the mischievous one, made her blood run cold. This was more Amora or Lorelei's forte.
Sif usually prided herself on self respect and values and in any other circumstances she wouldn't even contemplate resorting to such unscrupulous, desperate measures.
But she was completely out of options.

Still, unlike the enchantress and her younger sibling, she wouldn't resort to engaging in carnal activities. The mere thought of debasing herself made her feel nauseous, so she'd simply use flirtation techniques.
Yes, she was capable of that. She would do it, for Asgard.
She would attempt to trick the trickster.

***************

Loki was sat at the large glass dining table flipping through the pages of a newspaper and sipping tea from a large mug, when Sif appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

She surveyed him for a moment. He was dressed in similar clothing as yesterday, minus the jacket and tie, and the top few buttons of his shirt were casually undone.

"You ought to know by now, that no one can sneak up on me..."
He spoke suddenly, without even looking up.
"...and it's rude to stare, one might have to question your upbringing."

Eyeing him steadily she joined him at the table, choosing to sit opposite him.
"I wasn't staring."
She insisted, her knees accidentally brushing his own, but he made no attempt to move them.
"I was merely contemplating how....different you look, in that attire."
She spoke carefully, emphasising the word 'different'.

Her remark had the desired effect and he lowered the paper slightly, eyes snapping to hers.
"Different? In what way?"

Casually placing her elbows on the table she leaned forwards slightly, making a point of eyeing him up and down.
"I am not entirely sure, it is difficult to describe."

Unsure of how to respond, he leaned across the table and proceeded to pour her a cup of tea from his antique teapot.
It was then she noticed the way in which his fitted shirt pulled tight across his shoulders, and she caught sight of a dark pattern that adorned his left bicep, visable through the white material.

"What is that?"
She demanded, indicating with a pointed finger.
"That blemish on your arm?"

"It's a tattoo, Sif."
Loki said evenly, turning his attention back to his newspaper disinterestedly.
"Have you never seen one before?"

"Only the ancient tribal markings I have seen depicted in books. Is it one of those? Was it done with a blade?"

"Not exactly. And no, it's done with ink and needles."

Sif blinked, her curiosity piqued as she digested this small revelation.
"And you subjected yourself to the discomfort? You couldn't have just cast an illusion on your skin?"

"I wanted a real one. At least that way it can never be said that I fear commitment."
He remarked dryly.

"May I see it?"

Taken aback by her request, Loki contemplated this for a moment and was about to oblige her when he suddenly noticed the time on his watch.
"Oh fuck. Maybe some other time. I'm going to be late!"
He grumbled, leaping to his feet and discarding his tea.

Sif made a disapproving face,
"Must you use that word? It's very uncouth, and vulgar ."

"I'm astounded that you even know what it means...."
He responded gruffly,
"...and yes I must, it's force of habit now. One has to adapt when living amongst the mortals."

"Well yes I am familiar with that particular term, but I fail to see how using it is necessary just because you've adopted the humans way of life. There's no need to use their expletives-"

"Bloody hell Sif, you sound like a mother chastising her wayward child!"
He interjected sharply, hastily slipping on his jacket,
"You wouldn't understand, it's imperative not to draw too much attention to ones self. I adapt to survive. When in Rome, you do as the Romans do.....you're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy."
He noticed her furrowed brow and blank expression, and rolled his eyes in exasperation,
"Look, I really don't have the time, or the patience, to explain the details of every reference I make."
He'd now retrieved a tie from somewhere, and was hurriedly fumbling with his shirt buttons.

"Then how do you expect me to adapt? If I am to adjust to life here, then I must learn..."
Seizing the opportunity, she hurriedly made her way over to him, and to his clear astonishment, gently grasped his tie and began readjusting it.
"It isn't straight."
She supplied simply.

He stared at her, askance.
She was stood very close to him. Very close to him indeed, and she purposefully allowed her fingers to gently brush against his neck as she turned his collar down, which didn't go unnoticed by him.

"I'll be needing clothes also, I have no desire to keep wearing this enchanted armour..."
She pointed out, keeping her tone deadpan, in spite of her palms becoming noticeably sweaty.
"...unless you expect me to go nude everywhere."

His eyebrows shot up so far they almost landed on the back of his neck, much to her amusement. Perhaps having him succumb to her wouldn't be such a challenge after all.

"Why the sudden change of heart, and interest?"
He asked, shattering her thoughts,
"Last night you dismissed my invitation to join me for dinner. You've shown no intention of wanting to adjust to being here."

She took a step back and stood with a hand on her hip, hoping to look both nonchalant and defiant at the same time.
"Do not misunderstand me Loki, I have no desire to be here....but being as I have no choice in the matter, then I may as well try to grow accustomed to it."

He remained silent for a moment, still eyeing her suspiciously.
An awkward few moments of silence passed, then finally he spoke,
"I can conjure whatever clothing you so wish-"

"I don't want your illusions, you have real clothing, so must I."
She argued.

"Then I shall find you some suitable attire from.....somewhere."
He replied dismissively, turning towards the door to leave.

"No! I wish to choose my own, if I am your 'guest' then you ought to oblige me on this occasion."
She persisted, following him.

Sighing heavily and against his own better judgement, he found his resistance wavering.
Damn this woman.
Having her around was going to cause him more problems than he'd anticipated.
"Fine! When I return, I shall take you to purchase some of your own choice....satisfied?"

She didn't smile, simply raised an eyebrow.
"It'll take more than your agreeing to my request on this one occasion, to satisfy me."

"Typical woman."
He snickered, as though to himself.,
"They rarely are ever satisfied."

"Perhaps in your experience....maybe you ought to ask yourself why."
She retorted pointedly, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her full lips.

"I've never received any complaints."
He countered, moving his eyebrows in a blatantly suggestive manner.

"You are vile!"
She replied, trying to not dwell on the unwanted thought of his prowess in the bed chamber.
She found herself temporarily recalling the rumours back on Asgard which had once driven most women wild with wanton curiosity, and the men wild with jealousy.
But Sif was not a typical woman.

Flashing her a flirtatious smile, he paused momentarily before opening the door,
"Do not deny that you secretly like it. All good girls love a bad boy."

His remark caught her completely off guard and she felt an inexplicable heat rise in her cheeks.
Curse him and his silver tongue.
Since when did his comical, flirtatious banter cause her to blush?
She had no time to think of an appropriate response, before he was halfway out of the door.

"Where is it you are going?"
She demanded hastily.

"By the Norns, this is just like being married!"
He huffed.

"Perhaps for you trickster, but it certainly isn't for me!"

"It is none of your damn business!"
His voice was raised now, a clear indication of his irritation.

Perhaps if she persistently nagged him, then he'd be quite willing to let her go.

"Remember your place, you have no right to question me. I shall return, and in the meantime why not amuse yourself by doing some research on the computer? You've no doubt seen one of those before whilst consorting with your new companions at S.H.I.E.L.D!"

And with that he was gone, slamming the door behind him.

***********************

Whilst Loki was out Sif decided to take his advice and do some research. She needed all the assistance she could get, in order to learn more about Midgard, its inhabitants and their customs.
She soon mastered the workings of Loki's computer with relative ease, and before long she was accessing and absorbing as much information and knowledge as her mind would allow.

The sheer amount of information to take in, was overwhelming. And despite being highly intelligent, she was still completely baffled by a lot of what she saw and read.
The humans were certainly an odd bunch.

Needless to say the time flew by and she'd just finished reading an article on seduction techniques when she heard the sound of Loki's key turning in the lock.
Hurriedly, she closed the page just as he entered the room.

He looked somewhat flustered, not even bothering to cast an eye in her direction.
"Hello honey, I'm home."
He quipped, his tone sardonic.

Ignoring him, she proceeded to turn off the computer.
"Are you taking me to buy new clothing now?"

"No.."
He replied flatly,
"I have more pressing issues to attend to."

"Such as?"
She didn't expect him to answer, but she thought she'd press him anyway. She couldn't resist the urge to irk him, in any smallest way possible.

Though this time he didn't even seem to notice, and when he replied his response flattened her.
"I have a date."

She spun around to look at him, not even managing to hide her surprise.
"A date? That is the practice of two couples courting isn't it?"

He noticed a distinct air of disappointment in her tone and expression, and had to bite back a satisfied smirk.
"Well that's one way of describing it I suppose. Why, is there a problem Lady Sif?"

"No. Of course not!"
She snapped, a little too vehemently. She saw the amused look on his smug face and quickly added,
"I was just eager to have some new attire, that is all."

It was true, she was desperate to acquire some clothing of her choice in order to assist in her seduction of him. It was all part of her plan.
But the date, the date could be a problem. It lessened her chances of being able to tempt him if he already had a woman to satisfy his.....needs.
A sudden chill swept over her as the unwanted image of Loki in a passionate clinch with some mortal, flashed through her minds eye.

"Well I wouldn't worry about it Sif, you can always walk around naked as you suggested.   I'm not adverse to the idea."
He sniggered, before disappearing up the stairs.

That was it!
In order to move her plan forwards today, she might have to resort to drastic measures.
His reaction would be an indication as to whether or not she still had a chance of him yielding to her. If he was serious about the human he was dating, then he'd spurn her advances.....therefore enabling her to begin working on an alternative plan, rather than keep wasting time.

Immediately she set about climbing the stairs; she could hear the sound of music playing now, so she followed it, her eyes scanning the landing in search of her captor and unwitting target. 
She saw the door to a room, presumably his, slightly ajar.

He was in the process of stripping out of his clothes in order to have a shower. He'd switched the radio on and was casually humming along to the tune, when he suddenly became aware of Sif's presence behind him.
He could sense her. He felt her eyes burning into his back.
He halted, plastering on one of his most charming smiles before turning to face her.
"You were determined to see my tattoo weren't you?"

She stood framed in the doorway, looking rather stunned, her eyes practically bulging at the sight of him bare-chested, and it rendered her momentarily speechless.

She reasoned with herself that it must be due to the shock of seeing the disgraced prince in a state of undress, which was completely foreign to her.
But she couldn't help noticing the rather blindingly obvious fact that Loki had a very fine body.
He wasn't overly muscular like Thor with his bulging biceps. No, he was, for want of a better expression, perfection.
Loki's body was lean, toned, sinewy, and with reasonably sized bulges in all the right places. His chest was smooth, his shoulders broad, and he also tapered very nicely at the waist.

And then of course there was the tattoo.
It was an incredibly detailed, elegant black serpent that boldly snaked around the soft skin of his upper arm. As distasteful as she thought such a thing would be, she found it oddly attractive. It added an element of danger, making him all the more sexually appealing and pleasing to the eye.
The impulse to run her fingers over it, tracing the design, was alarming.
Surely she couldn't be having lustful thoughts.....about Loki.

Acknowledging her dazed expression, his smile faded as they stood staring at each other in awkward silence, save for the song  on the radio.....which was actually making Sif feel even more awkward as the voice rang out, accompanied by crashing guitars...

            "....you, your sex is on fire....
....consumed with what's to transpire...."

The singers words coupled with Loki's intense gaze and shirtless body, caused a strange stirring within the pit of her stomach.
Her imagination ran wild without her permission, as she suddenly found herself picturing Loki naked, the pair of them in a passionate clinch, wriggling closer....his lithe body on top....
Ugh. That was quite enough of that!
She banished all such inappropriate thoughts from her mind, but an uncomfortable heat was spreading through her, making her feel prickly and her cheeks burnt with embarrassment. Betraying her guilt.
Hastily she averted her eyes, no longer daring to keep eye contact.

"That sounds.....painful..."
He remarked suddenly, forcing a tight smile and indicating towards the radio,
"....their sex is on fire. Perhaps they ought to seek medical assistance. No doubt there's a cream or something that should remedy the problem."

For once, she found herself almost grateful for his occasional ridiculousness and sharp wit. She even managed a half-smile. She couldn't help it.  She was relieved that he'd dispersed the strange tension that had just passed between them.

"I, I didn't mean to intrude on you. I just wished to ask your permission to bathe?"
She spoke quickly, choosing her words carefully.

Loki liked power. Her pretending to seek his permission would stroke his ego and please him no end, thinking he had such control over the Goddess of War.
Just as she suspected, it had the desired effect. She swore she noticed his impressive chest puff out slightly, regaining his dominant demeanour.

"There's only a wet room here..."
He informed her,
"...no bath...and I was just about to take a shower myself."

Had Sif been a lot more brazen, like Amora the seductive enchantress and renowned man-eater, then she could've flashed her most tempting smile and salaciously suggest they shower together. But that was a bridge too far.

And yet, whilst the very idea of it should have filled her with disgust, somewhere deep inside a very small, dark part of her, found the concept unexpectedly thrilling.....which disturbed her.
This was the wicked Loki, she reminded herself hurriedly. He whom she detested and found odious and irritating.

So instead, all she managed was a straightforward response,
"I haven't bathed in almost four days now Loki, surely even you can manage this simple act of gentlemanly behaviour, by permitting a lady to go first!?"
She pleaded, in a slightly mocking tone.

It was important to not appear too submissive, otherwise her sudden change in character and attitude would most defiantly arouse his suspicion.

Rolling his eyes and looking more than just slightly exasperated, Loki relented and led her along the landing to the wet room. He supplied her with soft, fresh towels and instructed her on how to operate the shower.
With that he left, barking orders at her to not take too long.

She stepped into the spacious room; floor to ceiling covered in natural stone tiles, save for one wall which was mirrored.
Then shed her armour and proceeded to shower and wash her hair as quickly as she could in order to move on to the next phase of her plan.

********************

Fifteen minutes or so passed, Loki was lay on his bed absentmindedly throwing his mobile cell phone up into the air and catching it again, lost in his own thoughts.
The sound of the wet room door opening distracted him briefly, causing him to misjudge his coordination and the phone fell with a heavy thud onto his face.

"Fuck!"
He winced, startled by the pain that such a relatively small, lightweight object could cause.
The adverse side effect of the mind gem rendered his usually superior race susceptible to pain, illnesses and injuries that wouldn't normally pose a problem.
Rubbing his nose and wondering if it would leave a bruise, he swung his long legs off the bed and sauntered out onto the landing.
The wet room door was slightly open and obviously the shower now turned off.

Returning to his room briefly just to slip out of his trousers, he swiftly wrapped a towel around his waist then made his way across the landing.
Pushing the door open, he was about to step inside when suddenly he halted.
Nohing on earth could have prepared him for the sight he beheld...
....Sif was still in there, her back towards the doorway, and although shrouded in steam, it didn't disguise the fact that that she was completely naked.

Unbeknownst to him she'd purposely opened the door and left it ajar in the hope that he'd presume she had returned to her room.  And it had worked beautifully.
She stood now, running her trembling hands through her long, wet hair. Her nerves jangling, as the door opened.
She heard his sharp intake of breath and her cheeks blazed once more, knowing that he was looking at her exposed body.
Still she feigned ignorance, acting as though she was unaware of his presence.
A few agonising moments passed, until she could bear it no longer. How long was he intending to stand there, peering at her?
He really was despicable.

She had intended to turn around and act surprised, when she suddenly remembered the mirrored wall; which in her anxious state she'd forgotten all about.
She cast an apprehensive glance towards it and her nervous eyes meet with his in the reflection.
A startled shriek broke the silence, and it wasn't an act.
The fact that he'd seen a lot more than just her naked behind, was horrifying.

Ripping a towel off the nearby rail, she covered her modesty and whirled around,
"Loki! What are you doing?!"
She gasped, registering the way his expression had altered.

His deep aqua eyes stared out at her through heavy lids and a slow, wolffish grin danced upon his lips.
"What are you doing, Sif?"
He shot back, his voice sounding much deeper than usual,
"Why are you loitering in here, with the door unlocked?"

Swallowing hard, and hoping that he might not notice her ferocious blushes, she couldn't manage a response.
Tightening the towel around her, she made to walk passed him.
But just as she drew level with him he unexpectedly reached out, clamping his large hands down onto her bare shoulders and pushed her up against the wall.

"I don't know what game you think you're playing, Sif..."
He spoke menacingly, his voice nothing more than a low, husky growl.
"...but if you keep playing with fire, you're going to get burned."

Her mouth went dry at a rasp, as she struggled to regain some coherent thought.
Her stomach was churning, and her heart thudded wildly in her chest.
Reacting as swiftly as possible, she boldly pressed her body against his, and allowed her eyes to fall to his lips.
"And what if...."
She whispered, unable to hide her hampered breathing as her pulse involuntarily began to race,
"....what if I were to crave the flames embrace?"

His eyes rounded, and as she brought her face closer to his she felt his own breath quicken; the smooth wall of his chest, rising and falling against her own.
They were almost nose to nose, and the feel of his skin on hers made her tingle all over.

This was all wrong. It wasn't supposed to happen like this.
She was meant to be seducing him, not the other way around!
Why was he, Loki, of all people, having this affect on her?
And she clearly wasn't the only one who was feeling this new and unnerving attraction.
Not only could she sense it, but as they stood with their bodies pressed tightly together, she could feel how shockingly virile he was.
The hardening, masculine column between his legs pressed into her thigh through the towel, betraying his excitement.
Knowing what lay beneath that scrap of material made every nerve in her body stand on end, and she felt the stir of arousal low in her belly.

She had to stop this, now.
She wasn't Amora. She wasn't Lorelei. And she had to diffuse this potentially explosive situation whilst she still had the will to do it, being as she seemed to be losing her senses.

"Tell me...."
She purred, placing her hands on his narrow hips,
"...do you often take your 'dagger' into the shower with you?"

To her surprise, his face coloured slightly and he put up no resistance as she gently shoved him away.  It took all of her willpower to do so, and she wasn't brave enough to look back after she slipped passed him, escaping to the safety of her room.
Leaving him to run a cold shower for himself.

"Oh, Gods....please, make it stop."
He groaned quietly to himself under his breath, willing his arousal away.
He cursed his own weakness. Was the sight of a naked woman and the feel of her body against his, enough to make him lose control these days?
Apparently so.
Although, this wasn't just any woman, he realised. This was Sif.

He groaned again in frustration, raking his long fingers through his wet hair. The urge to resort to satisfying himself in order to release his sexual tension, was tempting. But he resisted, deciding instead to turn to alcohol tonight to help him unwind and forget about his problems. Well, forget about Sif in particular.
He had been right earlier....it seemed she was going to cause him problems after all.
There was no doubt about it now.