Unfortunately I don't own these characters, I just play with them occasionally :)


They had spent the last three days out hunting in the wilds of Asgard, and although she would die before admitting to it, the exercise had taken a toll on Sif. There wasn't a single part of her that didn't ache in protest with every step she took. Exhaustion was slowly spreading through her, consuming her until all she could think of was the comforting seclusion of her bed chambers.

Her fellow warriors were suffering from no such complaint as they made their way back to the palace, looking forward to wine and merriment as reward for their efforts. When they finally reached their destination, they must have sensed her fatigue as they made no attempt to talk her into joining them, instead bidding her goodnight as she set off for her chambers.

With night having fallen and celebrations in full swing the corridors were all but abandoned and Sif was grateful that her journey was uninterrupted. When she reached her chambers, she pushed the heavy doors with a shove, kicking them closed behind her with a click. Her sanctuary, at long last.

She would bathe first, scrub away the dirt and grime of the past few days, then she would go to bed clean and fresh. As the tub filled with steaming hot water she set about removing her hunting gear. Finally sinking beneath the water, she almost moaned in relief as she felt her muscles relax.

A little while later she rose gracefully from the lukewarm water, pushing her wet hair back from her face. She wrapped a towel around herself and padded back towards her bed. Despite the darkness of her chambers she could still make out the figure sitting on the edge of her bed. Loki.

It would only be Loki. No one else, man or God, would have the audacity to enter her chambers uninvited. It was no secret that she could better practically any man in battle, a fact that served her well in keeping unwanted guests from her door. The God of Mischief, however, had no such concerns.

"What are you doing here?" Somewhere in the back of her mind it registered that he had probably been in her chambers almost as long as her, just waiting for her to finish bathing. It didn't concern her that she had failed to notice him before now, not only was she exhausted, but this was the God of Mischief. He could slip in anywhere unnoticed.

"You seemed quiet on our journey home." She noted with some satisfaction that he too sounded tired, his voice not quite as sharp as usual.

"Your concern for my welfare is touching, Prince Loki" There was a teasing lilt to her voice and she was pleased to see his lips curl into the slightest of smiles.

"I am always concerned for your welfare, Lady Sif. If some injury were to befall you, I would have no one to irritate so frequently".

She felt Loki's sharp emerald eyes sweep across her skin, accompanied by the familiar tingle she felt in his presence. Her desire to crawl beneath the soft welcoming sheets of her bed was as strong as ever but she was no longer in such a rush to sleep. If she had her way, she would remain there for the rest of tonight and preferably most of tomorrow as well. Thor and the Warriors Three would carry merriment long into the night and would, she knew from experience, be of little use to anyone tomorrow so no one would question her absence also.

In a few steps she was across the floor and standing before him in all his dark finery. "Loki, what..."

He silenced her with a kiss, his lips surprisingly soft against her own. Her initial jolt of shock caused her mouth to fall open slightly and he took opportunity to slip his tongue past her teeth, playing perfectly against her own. Sif felt herself melt into his embrace as his arms encircled her waist, pulling her close to him, tight and secure. Her own fingers wound themselves in the strands of his long, dark hair and she was rewarded with a moan when she tugged slightly.

He pulled away just slightly to look at her, his eyes on every inch of her face all at once. She noted with some satisfaction the way his bright green orbs had glazed over slightly, he was just as affected by her as she was by him.

"Loki, as you can clearly see, I am perfectly well. Merely tired and a little bruised. There is no need for you to worry". Her voice was soft in the darkness of her chambers and if he weren't standing so close, he most likely wouldn't have even heard her.

He didn't speak; merely let his eyes travel the length of her body while his hands gripped her waist tightly. Sif felt herself weaken a little under his heady gaze. No other man in all of the nine realms could provoke such a reaction in the Warrior Woman. Then again, no other man in the all of the nine realms was like Loki. She pressed herself against his leather clad body, fingers slipping beneath his long, green cape to push the heavy material down over his shoulders.

"It has been a long day, do you not agree?"

Loki smirked, digging his fingers into her hips. His mouth pressed close to her ear, breath hot and wanting at her neck. "Indeed it has, yet I think it may be a long night also".

Sif smiled, the exhaustion she had felt so acutely earlier ebbing from her body as if by magic. A long night with Loki was one of life's great pleasures.