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It took a moment for Mobius to understand what was going on.
He was sitting in his favorite armchair, - which, for the record, did absolutely not make him look like an old man, thank you Loki - with a shiny new jet ski magazine on his lap, when he walked in. Mobius barely raised his head, just a tiny movement to acknowledge the god, and didn't even say or think anything weird of his appearance at first glance.
Loki was shirtless, which wasn't weird per se, seeing how it was the middle of summer and their AC had decided to break just the day before.
He was wearing a pair of pants - not shorts, never shorts, something about the article of clothing looking "hideous and absolutely not fit for a god king", and on top of his head rested his golden horns.
Mobius had never seen them up close, in real life; he only had the change to observe them through the unflattering recording the TVA provided.
He didn't know how much he was allowed to do, how long he was allowed to look, so he simply decided to move his eyes away after a few seconds of lingering stares.
Loki had boundaries, strict ones at that, and Mobius certainty wasn't going to cross them for a shiny piece of jewelry. He was better than that.
He resumed his reading, now a little more distracted than he was, and waited for something to happen. And just like he had predicted, after maybe a minute or so of waiting, Loki went and sat down next to his legs, just barely brushing the fabric of the shorter man's pants with his naked shoulder.
Mobius put down his magazine, keeping a finger between the pages, and cast his eyes down towards the man sitting at his feet.
Loki looked up at him, expression unreadable, and gave him a tiny smile.
«You know, we should really buy a new armchair,» he said, following Mobius with his eyes as he put down the magazine on the floor «I don't even know why I let you keep this thing in the first place.»
«Because it's my favorite,» he slowly moved his now free hand, gently raking his fingers through Loki's hair, careful not to knock into the headpiece. «And I am your favorite.»
«Hm, I suppose that's enough of a reason.»
The god once again looked down at his feet, moving his head just slightly to give Mobius more room. The man started braiding a little strand of hair, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
it kind of was, for them - Loki always complained about it, saying that his hair would get all tangled and then it'd be annoying to brush, but he never really tried to stop the other man, or took the braids out, so he just kept doing it.
It was like a little ritual, every time Loki seemed nervous or on edge for whatever reason, mobius would braid his hair, and it would help him ground himself to the present. They never talked about it in a serious note, but Mobius knew it reminded him of what was once his home, of Asgard. Of Thor, Frigga, and all the things and time he had long lost.
«Hey, what's with the horns? I thought you didn't like wearing them anymore.» he tried to make the question sound as casual as possible, carefully brushing one of the golden points with his finger. It felt cold, and smooth, and not exactly real.
«You don't like them?» Loki paused for a second, like he was considering something, then shook his head lightly,
«I don't know, I felt like wearing them» another pause, this time shorter, «I can make them disappear if you'd like.»
Mobius bent his body down, reaching for the other and pressing a light kiss on his forehead.
«I like them, they make you look like a prince,» a smile, from both of them, then: «look at you, my little prince.»
Loki smiled again, this time a little shy, and lifted his head up to brush his lips against Mobius' cheek.
He then sat down again, resting more of his weight on the other's leg, and even put his head on the man's lap, making himself comfortable. He sighed, then closed his eyes.
«You know, when i was a kid, i used to do this all the time.»
Mobius hummed a little, just to let him know that he was listening, and started braiding another lock of hair.
«I used to sit next to Frigga, next to the throne, and I never felt small, just...» he took a pause, like he was searching for the right word but couldn't exactly find it. After a second he snuck a glance up at Mobius, then closed his eyes again, «safe, protected, even, like i was allowed to be inferior to someone without it being a bad thing.»
The other man hummed again, this time with understanding, and put a hand on Loki's cheek, softly dragging his thumb across his cheekbone.
«Is that why you're sitting on the floor instead of the incredibly expensive couch you insisted so much on buying?»
Loki snorted, suppressing a laugh, but kept his eyes closed. Even afterwards, his lips were still slightly curved upwards.
«I guess so,» he moved his head a little, as if trying to hide his face «I haven't felt that safe with someone in a long time.»
Mobius took a moment to reply, and fully understand the weight of Loki's words, his actions.
He barely talked about his past, even more rarely talked about Frigga - the god was never one for opening up and letting people really know anything about him.
So, for him to let him know something like that so easily, like he really trusted Mobius enough to let him peek into whatever was left of that little boy he once was - it made his chest warm up with fondness.
Mobius smiled, that kind of funny smile that Loki tried to deny he loved so much, and pulled a little on his hair.
«Is this a contorted way to let me know you feel safe with me?»
Loki scoffed, feigning hurt, «Oh please, as if I would ever entrust a mere mortal to make me, the rightful king of asgard, safe.»
Mobius laughed at that, his chest swelling even more with a sentiment scarily reminiscent of love. He bent down to press another kiss to the god's hairline, almost hitting the side of his face against the horns.
«If there's something you're the king of, my prince, is being dramatic.»
Loki sat up, actually looking up at him, and - dramatically - put a hand against his chest, right above his heart.
«Me? You're calling me dramatic? I don't know what you're talking about,» he then turned around again, making his hair woosh on purpose, and laid his head back down, «now, if you'll be so kind, please stop talking to your king and braid this god's hair.» he did a tiny movement with his wrist at that, probably trying to hide the smile that was slowly spreading on his face.
Mobius laughed, murmuring "alright" under his breath, and actually started braiding Loki's hair again, with even more care than he did before.
After a while, when the god's shoulder looked totally relaxed, void of their usual tension, Mobius started to notice his skin slowly taking a different hue.
It had happened before, maybe just one or two times, but the man didn't need to ask to know what was happening.
After all, Loki still had Jötunn blood running in his veins, and from time to time he'd be tired or relaxed enough to show his true form.
Mobius knew he was ashamed of it, - something he personally didn't understand, since he found it so pretty, as everything the god did - so he kept his mouth shut.
When Loki blinked his eyes open again, he looked down at his hands, and bit down a curse. He quickly cast the glamour back, hiding every patch of blue skin that was showing, and nervously looked up.
Mobius smiled at him, trying to convey as much comfort as he could into his eyes, «You know, you don't have to do that, I like every one of your forms,» he put his hand on the god's shoulder, caressing the skin there «I must say, im even particularly fond of the blue, makes you look .. hm, regal.»
«Mobius, that's ridiculous.» Loki's voice sounded uncharacteristically small, making something in Mobius' chest twist.
«I'm serious, I like it,» he moved his head closer to the god's, taking his face into his own hands, and put their foreheads together despite the angle being a little awkward, «I like you, eveything about you.»
«Even the blue skin? Even if I look like a monster?»
«Loki, my prince, I promise you that you'll never look like a monster in my eyes, you're beautiful,» he pressed a soft kiss on the corner of the god's lips, feeling his stomach twist in knots, «You're so beautiful, and I love you so much.»
Was this really what Loki thought about himself? He knew all of the struggles he had went through, damn it, he studied all of Loki's life like his own depended on it - but it never stopped hurting. If he could go back in time, and take revenge upon all of the people that hurt this lovely, lovely creature in front of him, he would with no hesitation.
Loki sighed, a tired little thing, and forced a smile on his lips. It wasn't a grin, but it was still something.
He whispered, «thank you» like he was afraid of breaking the blanket of quiet comfort that had wrapped around them.
Mobius wiped his cheek a couple times, until his eyes stopped looking so watery, and then pressed their lips together. Neither of them tried to deepen the kiss, just basking in each other's warmth, and they both smiled when they broke apart.
Mobius got up, dragging Loki with him by the hand, and smiled up at him once they were both standing.
«C'mon now, let's go take a swim, shall we? I'm sure the beach is gonna be more comfortable than the floor, hm?»
And if Loki's skin did change color while no one was looking, under the rays of the setting sun and the sparkling ocean, none of them said anything.