The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 107

After getting some cereal and toast in my stomach, Steve pushed his luck too far and tried to get me to the shower.

"Nope. Not happening. I'll change into some workout clothes, but I'll just get all sweaty if I shower now. I can give you nose plugs if you can't stand the smell."

"You don't smell." Steve muttered.

"That depends on who you ask." Thor commented thoughtfully.

"Shut up. You don't exactly smell like tulips, you know."

The Tower had a top-of-the-line gym, with all kinds of weight lifting equipment and cardio machines, as well as a twenty by twenty sparring floor. On one side of the mat was a rack of just about every short range weapon I could think of. As I evaluated each one, I realized that I didn't really have a staple weapon. I carried a sword and daggers, sure, but I relied primarily on my shifting in combat.

"No guns?"

"The shooting range in just down those stairs." Steve pointed to a tight spiral staircase that wound out of sight.

"How are we doing this? Weapons?" He hesitated a moment.

"You know what, let's go without for now. Is that cool with you?"

"Sure. Shifting?"

"I thought you wanted to remain unrecognized."

"Touché." We stepped out onto the mat and began to circle each other. Almost instantly, I realized that Steve was going to be a difficult opponent to best physically. While he and Thor had similar, muscular builds, where Steve lacked in muscle compared to Thor, he made up in agility. I was strong for my stature, and just as agile, but he had the serum on his side. After awhile of us waiting for the other to make the first move, he stopped.

"I don't know if I can do this."

"Do what?"

"Hit you. I can barely spar with Nat, and I care a lot more for you."

"I appreciate the respect, but I doubt HYDRA agents will have any qualms about harming me." I took advantage of his lowered guard, swinging my arm wide to collide with the side of his head. He countered it easily, reflex kicking in as he grabbed my arm, yanked me in close, and flipped me over his shoulders. I landed hard on my back.

"Oh, my God, Peggy, are you–" I swung myself around, delivering a sweeping kick and taking his legs out from under him, "Oof!" I rose and offered him a hand.

"Just pretend I'm the one person standing between you and Bucky." As soon as I said that, the fight really began. He'd accepted my hand, so he used it to flip me on my back again, this time pinning me to the floor by my shoulders. I reached up and scratched his exposed forearms, just enough to lacerate the skin. He cried out and let me go. Both of us sprang to our feet and we began circling again. Suddenly, I charged him, looking to meet him head-on, but I jumped at the last second. Not quickly enough, however. A hand closed around my ankle, throwing off my flight. Steve stumbled, but regained his balance and maintained an iron grip on me. When we stilled, he was holding me upside down, my head inches from the floor. There was a split second of hesitation, but then he let go. I got my hands under me just in time, teetering a bit, but not falling.

"How–?" Thor was not alone in his astonishment, I myself was wondering how I'd managed the handstand. Steve, however, did not stop. He shoved my legs, trying to bring me down, but I used the momentum to spring to my feet and get some distance from him. I charged him again, but instead of jumping, I slid. Going right between his legs, I delivered twin blows to the backs of his knees. I thought that would be the end, but it only caused a scuffle on the ground. I wasn't sure where I'd made the mistake, but somehow it ended with me on top of him, an arm around my neck, and my arms immobilized by his legs. I went slack, conceding defeat, and he released me.