Training
Kat followed Valkyrie down to the gym where there were a couple treadmills, various weight machines and a few punching bags. She led Kat over to a matted area and stood across from her.
“I know I’m probably not the best person to teach you hand to hand, but from what I’ve been told, half the team is otherwise missing at the moment, so I’ll have to do.” Valkyrie told her. Kat gave her a confused look. “But, you’re a Valkyrie.” She told the warrior. “An Asgard defender, who better to teach me combat than you?”
Valkyrie smiled at her. “You know of me? Of Asgard?” Kat shrugged. “There are books, and I like to read.” Valkyrie nodded and moved closer to Kat. “Okay, so I want you to come at me, and try and hit me, with everything you’ve got.” She said.
Kat nodded and blew a breath out, keeping Dr. Cho’s warning about not overdoing it in the back of her mind. She put her fists up by her face, like her last foster father had taught her. He had been a boxer, so whenever he went to train, Kat would go with him to watch, or man the desk at the gym he owned. Kat spaced her feet out, then came forward with her left foot, throwing her right fist at Valkyrie. She dodged it of course, grabbing Kat’s hand and bending it behind her back, holding it in place.
“That wasn’t bad, honestly, but the spacing in your feet is off just a little bit. Also, don’t hesitate. You did just for a millisecond before you swung, and that’s all it takes for someone to dodge a hit. Kat nodded, getting back into position, fixing her feet like she had been told. This time Valkyrie came at her, and Kat ducked down, dodging the hit, swinging her own fist into Valkyries side. The warrior stumbled, caught off guard and took a deep breath in, having the wind just knocked out of her.
“Okay, wow, that was good Katherine, well done.” Kat smiled at her, proud that she had caught this amazing Asgardian warrior off guard. It probably wouldn’t happen again though. Kat thought.
They sparred like that for another half hour, and while Kat got in two or three hits to Valkyrie, she also ended up on the receiving end of quite a few hits, and ended up on the ground once or twice. Valkyrie helped her up and winced when she noticed the bruise on Kat’s jaw. “Oh, damn, I’m sorry.” She said, pointing to Kat’s face.
“It’s okay, not the first time I’ve had a bruise on me.” Valkyrie frowned at that. Had this girl been beaten all her life? She was about to ask when Tony and Loki walked in the room and she couldn’t help but to grin at the way Kat got shy around the Norse God.
“Hey Kat, you were looking pretty good in there.” Tony told her. She laughed. “If what you mean by ‘good’ is me getting my ass beat, then yes, I’m doing fantastic.” She said sarcastically. Loki cracked a small smile at her and she blushed.
“Well, I mean, for someone who isn’t trained to fight like we are, I think you did pretty good.” He told her.
“Do you think you can show reindeer games here what you’ve got magic wise?” Kat tilted her head at the nickname Tony had given Loki. “Long story.” He said. She nodded, looking down at the ground. She wasn’t sure she wanted to use her powers, after what had happened in the alley.
Loki took a step toward her. “You can’t hurt me Little Dove.” He said softly. Something stirred inside her when he called her that. She nodded and he led her outside, so they wouldn’t accidentally break anything, which was bound to happen when she used her powers.
“Okay, so what I want you to do is just relax. Focus on your magic, and try to make an orb in your hand.” He instructed. She shook her head. “Ive never tried to use my powers on purpose before. It’s always just happened.” She told him. He thought for a minute and then nodded.
“That’s okay. That’s what I’m here for. Just clear your mind, and try to tap into it. Go as slow as you need to. We don’t need to rush here.” Kat closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. She tried to just feel out her powers. She held her hands out and slowly let the magic seep in. When she opened her eyes, there was a black orb in between her hands. She cracked a small smile, and looked up at Loki to find him doing the same.
“That’s perfect darling. Well done.” Kat froze at his words. Sensing something was wrong, Loki carefully walked up to her. “What’s wrong Kat, are you alright?” He said. She shook her head slowly. “I just, don’t remember the last time someone sounded…proud of me. If anyone ever was.” She said, looking down. Loki’s face fell. What hell has this beautiful girl endured?
“Oh Kat, it’s alright.” He told her, placing his hand on her arm. Once again he felt a pull toward her from her magic. She gasped and looked up at him. “What is that?” She asked softly. Loki looked down at her for a moment before stepping back, removing his hand. “I’m not quite sure. But, I would like to try something else if that’s alright with you?”
Kat nodded and Loki backed up a few paces. “Now, I am going to attack you with my magic, and I want you to protect yourself.” Kat shook her head. “What do you mean protect myself?”
“Whatever you feel is right. If you want to attack me back, so be it. If you feel the need to throw up a shield, do that. Whatever feels right to you.” He told her. She nodded and lifted her hands, signaling she was ready for Loki’s attack. He threw an energy ball at her and she pushed her hands out, taking control of it and throwing it back at Loki, knocking him on his ass. She covered her mouth with her hand and ran up to him, using her other hand to help him up.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even know I could do that!” She yelped. Loki started laughing. Why was he laughing. “It’s okay darling. I’m impressed. It’s not often that that happens.” He told her, throwing her a smirk that made her blush and look away.
“Alright, one more thing and then we’ll call it a day and head back inside okay?” He asked her. She nodded and took a step back. “Lift me up.” She tilted her head, confused. “Uh, what?”
“I want you to use your powers to lift me up in the air.” He told her. Kat’s eyes widened and she shook her head. “No, I could hurt you.” She told him. He took her hands in his and brought them up in between them. “No, you wont. It’s alright. I trust you.” Her eyes snapped up to his. He trusted her? He didn’t even know her. He didn’t know how dangerous she could be. She nodded and stepped back, letting her hands fall back to her side.
He nodded for her to begin and she raised her hands, trying to focus on lifting him in the air, and maybe not blow him up. A black light emitted from her hands and surrounded Loki, lifting him a few inches off the ground. She pushed just a bit further, and he was hovering a couple feet off the ground. He smiled down at her and she slowly lowered him back down.
“Perfect. This was really good Kat. I know it may not seem like much, but for someone who never uses their powers, you’re doing quite well at controlling them.” He told her. “Well, I guess you could say I have a good teacher.” What the hell was that? Was she flirting with Loki? She couldn’t even stop herself, it just came out. Like word vomit. Yeah, that’s what that was.
He smirked at her again and her legs felt like jelly. He really needed to stop doing that. He held out his arm for her to take and she did, letting him lead her back into the compound.
Tony had lunch waiting, takeout from a local deli. Kat sat down next to Valkyrie, and across from Loki. Rhodey had also joined them, as well as Tony’s fiancé Pepper. Kat thought she was the sweetest woman she had ever met. She had offered to take Kat shopping after lunch, and even when Kat refused, thinking that Pepper was doing it because she felt guilty for her, Pepper reassured her that she really did want to, that they would make a day out of it, and even invited Valkyrie along with them, seeing as she didn’t really have anything other than Asgardian clothing.
“Just let her do it, don’t argue, or else she’ll give you a million reasons why you should.” Tony joked. Pepper kicked him from under the table.
“Tony argues with me on purpose though. My voice is probably the only one he likes to hear other than his own.” She shot back. Tony’s mouth dropped and Kat covered hers so they wouldn’t see her smiling.
Kat headed back to the room she had been given, taking a quick shower and looking through some of the clothes Tony left out for her. They had belonged to someone named Wanda, who didn’t live at the compound anymore. She chose some plain black leggings and a long sleeved crème colored shirt that hung around her thighs. She put her boots back on and ran a brush through her hair, deciding she was presentable enough to be seen in public.
She met Pepper and Valkyrie back in the living room as they said goodbye to Tony, and Kat didn’t notice they was Loki was looking at her when they made their was outside.
“See something you like reindeer games?” Tony teased the God. Loki rolled his eyes and whacked Tony on the arm. “There’s something about her, she’s different. My magic feels drawn to her.”
Tony looked at him like he was crazy. “Uh, sorry, what? Your magic what?”
“In very old history texts, it is said that soulmates can be drawn together by their magic. It’s not a common occurrence anymore, but it has been known to happen. Magic can mate with other magic. Binding those people together. If I’m not mistaken, that’s what I feel. My magic is trying to mate with hers. It believes she is my soulmate.” He told Tony.
Tony’s mouth hung open as he listened to Loki. How was that even possible? “Are you sure?” He asked. Loki shook his head. “I don’t know. In the thousand plus years I’ve been alive, I’ve never felt anything like this, toward anyone.” He said quietly. It scared him more than he’d like to admit.
“Well, I do know one thing. Don’t you dare hurt her. I have a feeling she’s been through enough.” Tony told him. The trickster nodded.
“I don’t plan to.”