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Loki didn’t quite know how they got back to the TVA headquarters. But what he did know, is that the only thing that was on his mind, even though he just met another version of himself with whom he escaped from a to-be-destroyed planet, was Mobius. He desperately tried to stop thinking about the Agent since he betrayed left him in the Roxxcart in Alabama, but the shorter man always came back to his mind.
Whether it was because of the conversation about love he had with Sylvie or the revelation that the TVA Agents weren’t working there by choice, Mobius never seemed to leave Loki’s mind. To be fair, Sylvie played with the timeline, resulting in many Nexus-Events, so Loki was sure that Mobius was out in the field, maybe even looking for him. He didn’t truly understand where all of that came from, but the god secretly admitted to himself that he was worried about the other man.
At first, he thought it was just the guilt eating him up, because he did betray one of the few people who actually gave him the benefit of trust but sooner or later Loki realized that he didn’t only feel guilty but worried. Worried about the Agent’s safety, that one of the many Variants, who were messing with the timeline, would hurt him in any way. But that wasn’t the only reason why. What also ate Loki up from inside, was what Sylvie had told him before. That the TVA agents were not there by choice but rather forced and kidnapped by some evil space lizards and he simply couldn’t stand the thought.
Loki always saw himself as a narcissistic loner, who didn’t care about anyone but himself. It was easier this way than to admit that he actually cares about other people and doesn’t handle them being hurt well. He protected himself and his feelings. But he was done only protecting himself and not his loved ones. He already lost his parents, he lost Thor. Loki was not going to lose Mobius. It was Sylvie who ripped him out of his thoughts by snipping with her fingers in front of his face.
„You need to focus. I can‘t destroy the TVA if you keep zoning out.“, she snapped at him, making Loki roll his eyes in response.
It was true what Sylvie said, that was their goal, that was the reason why they came back to the TVA. And even though it was his plan from the beginning anyway, his mind kept wandering back to Mobius.
„I have to do something else first.“
„What? Cleaning up the cute little desk they gave to you?“
It rather had to do with the person who gave him the desk in the first place, Loki thought to himself.
„Perhaps you shouldn’t have told me certain things if you wanted me to help you with your little plan.“
„First of all, I don’t need your help dumbass, you haven’t been more than a burden to me since we met. Second, perhaps I shouldn’t have told you what exactly?“
Loki hesitated for a second. Admitting that he needed to find Mobius, so he could save him from the life he believed to be his, that felt like admitting a weakness to Loki. Because that’s what love was. Weakness. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if love was what he felt for the other man, because he never truly felt it towards another person. Sure, he loved his mother and his brother but he never experienced romantic love before. Because he simply didn’t let himself. It was different with Mobius though. He trusted the agent, let his guards down, even cried in front of him. And Mobius didn’t judge him once but rather listened to him. Is it love? Who knows. But it’s also not indifference. He decided to tell Sylvie the half of it.
„I need to find one of the agents I used to work with. He deserves more than this depressing fake office life.“
„How touching. But why only one of them? Picking favorites?“
„I don’t see how that’s any of your business, but I need to leave now. We‘re just wasting time.“
„Oh dear. You are worried about your little Agent. Tell me, is he your would-be prince?“
„He is the one I left in Alabama so I could follow you, and I regret it every now and then you start talking.“
„You are so dramatic, no one forced you to come with me.“ Sylvie sighed. „So where is your prince now?“
„Mobius is probably trying to keep the sacred timeline from being destroyed, thanks to you, so I need to find out where exactly.“
„Your luck that I know more about the TVA than most people do. Each agent has a registration number and you can look up in which place and time the agent is currently. Way to find your Mobius.“ Sylvie said, emphasizing his name like she wanted to tease Loki with it. But to be fair, he accepts the teasing because Sylvie turned out to be pretty helpful.
Getting Mobius‘ registration number was easy, Loki may had read all the files about the agent he had access to, just trying to get to know him a bit better. It was only fair to him, since Mobius had watched Loki‘s entire life. Not that there were too many information’s about him since his entire life was a lie, but his registration number was A-M127.
The part that was a bit harder, especially since they couldn’t use their magic, was actually getting into one of the office rooms but Loki went for the obvious choice, the one he knew was definitely empty. Mobius‘ office. There weren’t too many minutemen moving through the TVA, thanks to the Nexus-Events, so getting in there was quite easy.
„You need a password. Really?“ Loki said to Sylvie who just shrugged
„Don’t look at me like that, he is your boyfriend. Just guess it.“
„He is not my boyfriend.“ Loki hissed, but he couldn’t stop himself from having a warm, cozy feeling going through his body. Boyfriend. He kind of liked the sound to that.
Getting into Mobius’ computer was, again, easier than it should be. Loki guessed his password - JetskiLover - at his second try. It reminded him of how simple humans were sometimes.
„He‘s currently in Toronto, 2003.“ Sylvie said after doing the computer stuff that Loki couldn’t be bothered to do. T
he upcoming reunion with Mobius suddenly felt so real, that Loki began to feel nervous. He didn’t even know if Mobius wanted to talk to him after what happened in the Roxxcart, or, if he would even believe him. After all, the TVA and the timekeepers were all that Mobius knew. But he had to try it at least, regardless of the outcome. Before him, Loki would have never done this; trying to do good if he will only experience rejection in return. It‘s still a puzzle to him, how in all of his years and experiences he made as a god, a simple man like Mobius could make him do such things.
Maybe he was in love with him after all.
Toronto 2003 was burning.
Loki couldn’t even begin to imagine how much damage the unknown variants have done here, but everywhere he looked people were screaming, crying and dying. He feared the worst for Mobius.
Sylvie probably felt his tension, because she looked at him with the most emphatic facial expression she has showed since the two of them met. Maybe she’s suddenly showing some sympathy because she kind of is him and feels his pain or because, and that seemed also pretty realistic, because the situation they stormed into just seemed batshit crazy.
They carefully started walking through Toronto‘s city center, keeping an eye on everything that seemed suspicious. Loki wasn’t that up to date with the midgardian history, and he especially didn’t know what was supposed to happen on the 27th of April in Toronto if everything goes correctly according to the sacred timeline, so he didn’t actually know what was suspicious.
So they did the only thing they could do in this moment: They kept walking. He knew they were on the right path when he spotted a Minutemen, so Loki immediately starting walking faster, taking every step forcefully because he was so desperately driven by the desire to get back to Mobius.
„I know I silently agreed to help you, but what I still don’t understand is, why exactly is he so important to you?“ Sylvie asked him, but before he could answer by telling her that it’s none of her business, he saw a grey mop of hair belonging to a slump, lifeless body lying face-down on the sidewalk.
Without a doubt, it was his agent.
„Mobius.“, he whispered, before running towards the unconscious man, now yelling the mans name. "Mobius!"
A streak of protectiveness rushed through his body, desperately wishing to hold the probably injured man in his arms immediately and to take care of him.
Carelessly, Loki dropped on his knees next to Mobius‘ unmoving body, carefully turning him around, so he could look at his face and start inspecting potential injuries. His arm looked awkwardly bend and there was blood on his forehead, coming from a big, deep gash. Apart from that, some smaller cuts adorned his face but at least he was breathing.
„Mobius, wake up. You need to wake up.“ He gently took the other mans face in his hands, caressing his cheek slowly with his thumb. He felt tears welling up in his eyes, slightly shaking the Agent while repeating like a mantra, that he had to wake up.
In that moment, Loki didn’t care what Sylvie or the rest of the world thought of him, if he seemed weak or too emotionally invested. The only thing that mattered was Mobius. He couldn’t guess how major the damage of the head wound was and his worrying began to get worse, when a soft moan escaped Mobius‘ lips and for the first time since they reached Toronto, Loki felt like he could breath again. Mobius slowly began to open his eyes, his head still in Loki’s hands and wincing in pain when he tried to raise his head.
„Shh, try not to move.“ Loki said softly and looked at the Agent with fond eyes. Mobius gave him a confused look in return.
„Loki? But…how? Is it really you?“
„Of course it’s me.“
„But why are you here?“ The pain in Mobius’ voice was unbearable for Loki, and he knew that it was not only because of the injuries.
„I couldn’t let you die.“
„So gracious of you.“ A smirk escaped Mobius‘ lips which also made Loki chuckle while shaking his head.
„Still trying to have the last word, even on his death bed.“
„I’m not actually dying am I?“
„Not while I‘m with you.“, Loki said, his voice fierce and protective.
„Then don’t leave me again.“ Mobius made a joke but it still contained the hurtful truth.
„I won’t. We‘re going to get you out of here. Together.“
„My head hurts.“ Mobius mumbled and his eyes started to close again.
„Yeah it’s because you‘re bleeding but it’s important that you stay awake now okay? You hear me? Because if you don’t stay awake, we can never go on that jet-ski together.“
„You‘re babbling again.“ Mobius mumbled, but with a fond smile on his face. „I‘ve missed you.“, he added and Loki looked at him as if he was the entire world and more. „
I've missed you too. And now lets go. Can you walk?“
„I’m not sure, my head is spinning. I can barley focus on your pretty face.“ Was Mobius flirting? Instead of replying, Loki slowly helped Mobius sit up and waited a second for him to get used to the changing positions, before slowly pulling him up.
As Mobius was leaning heavily into Loki’s side, the god put an arm around his waist. Mobius was holding his injured arm with the other arm, so he completely relied on Loki to steady him.
„Where are we going?“ Mobius mumbled, his head swinging around, landing on Loki’s shoulder once or twice, while the God was focused on carefully dragging the other man with him. He already spotted Sylvie who was holding the TemPad.
„Back to the TVA, so I can stitch you up and take a look at your arm.“
„They will kill you.“
„Oh yeah, they probably would but the TVA is empty. We can worry about the TVA wanting to delete my existence later, you‘re my top priority now.“
„You were only gone for a few days, how did you become so selfless in that time? Is it because of her?“ Mobius also spotted Sylvie now since they were getting closer to her now.
„Jealousy doesn’t suit you, dear. No she’s just another me. I will explain that to you later.“
That wasn’t the only thing he had to explain to Mobius, but his injuries came first.
When they reached the portal, Mobius slowly turned his head around, taking another look at the burning city behind him, watching the Minutemen running around.
„I shouldn’t just leave like this It’s my job.“
„You already did more for the TVA than you should have ever done. C‘mon now.“ Loki said softly, and went through the portal, his grip still tight around Mobius‘ shaking body.
They were hiding in Mobius‘ office, both of them slumped against the wall, Loki’s arm wrapped protectively around Mobius‘ shoulder.
The Agent didn’t look that banged up anymore, after Loki cleaned the dried blood of his face and carefully stitched the forehead wound. Good thing he learned how to do that, regardless of his magic. There were still some bruises on his face, and his arm was in a makeshift sling, but he would live, and that’s what mattered to Loki.
„You saved me.“, Mobius mumbled while giving Loki a soft smile.
„Thought I might do that to express how sorry i am for the betraying thing.“
„Cute. No but really Loki, thank you. I really trusted you so I was…I was kinda crushed about the entire situation.“
„I really didn’t plan on leaving you. But the curiosity of what another version of me was planning overcame me. And she’s actually not too bad. I probably would still be looking for you without her help.“
„Well, you found me. That’s what matters.“ Loki responded to that by pressing a soft kiss to Mobius‘ forehead. He didn’t knew what they were but they were together, and that was enough for now.
„But why did you even try to find me? You didn’t know that I was hurt.“
„There‘s something I need to tell you, about what Sylvie told me about the TVA. Something you really need to know. Mobius, they‘ve been lying to you.“