Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Oh, c’mon Loki, it’s really not that bad.” Mobius sighed, leaning this way and that to keep up with the god’s preening over him. “‘S just a couple of scrapes, it’s not like I lost a leg or something.” 

Loki pulled back from where he was cleaning a gash on Mobius’s face to look him directly in the eye. “If you don’t look after yourself, I’ll be the one chopping your leg off.” He said dryly.

“Oh, ha ha, ” Mobius rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping off his words. “You’re quite the jokester.” 

Loki just smiled at him, flicking his nose before leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to his forehead. 

They sat in comfortable silence for a small while, Loki flitting back and forth between Mobius and the small first aid kit sitting next to him on the bathroom counter, dabbing at cuts and scratches and rubbing in all different types of creams and balms. He wasn’t exactly used to this Midgardian-style of medicine, more accustomed to the more natural practices of Asgard, but with Mobius’s help and a good read of all the labels, Loki found himself with a pretty good grasp of what everything was used for. 

“Uh huh, that one’s for muscle pain.” Mobius pointed to a blue tube, handing it to Loki so that he could read the label to memorise. “Works really well if you’ve had the shit kicked outta you.”

Loki smirked, raising an eyebrow and looking Mobius up and down. “So you need this one?”

The beaurocrat just laughed fondly, starting to unbutton his shirt. “Yeah, asshole, I do need that one. I don’t have a youthful twenty-something body anymore.”

Loki brushed Mobius’s hands out the way, his deft fingers taking over and undoing the rest of the buttons. He carefully pushed the fabric off his shoulders, mindful of the bruises littered over him, and pulled the shirt from his arms, draping it over a hook on the back of the door.

He eyed Mobius’s torso up, red, purple, and black marks all over him. He let out a sad sigh, looking at him with sympathetic eyes and being met with a sheepish grin from the other man. Gentle fingers traced over his skin softly, caressing anywhere where it wouldn’t hurt and avoiding the painful areas.

“I told you to take care of yourself.” Loki murmured under his breath, frowning at his lover’s hurt body. “Why do you keep putting yourself in these situations?”

“Sweetheart, it’s my job. ” Mobius reasoned, sagging where he sat as Loki started to rub the cream in. “If I didn’t go out there and fight then what would be the point?”

Loki frowned, pursing his lips as he leant over Mobius’s shoulder to rub some into his back. “The point would be that you’d be safe. ” 

“C’mon, and sit behind a desk all day? How boring.” He handed Loki a towel after he’d washed his hands, letting him dry them before taking it off him again and draping it over the bathroom counter. “I wanna see things, Loki! I wanna know life outside the TVA; live through history and find out the future. How many people can say that they’ve met Shakespeare’s Swedish speaking variant?”

Loki shook his head, smiling fondly as he packed away the first aid kit. “Darling, I don’t even know who that is.” 

Mobius barked out a laugh, flapping his hand at the god in mock dismissal. “Just some playwright from Earth. Wrote maybe the most famous pieces of theatre of their history, but it’s no big deal I’m sure.”

The god rolled his eyes, holding open Mobius’s shirt for him and pulling it back on once he’d thread his arms through the sleeves. One by one, he buttoned it back up, taking care not to knock into him. “Well, Mobius, if you really must go and see your Midgardian plays, could you do so without getting your arse kicked next time?” 

He just grinned up at Loki, jumping down from the bathroom counter and tucking his shirt in his trousers, flinching slightly when he pressed too hard against a particularly painful bruise. “I don’t know, kinda makes the whole thing more fun. Plus, I get to spend time with my pretty nurse afterwards.”

Loki scoffed, trying to hold back a smile in mock annoyance. He quickly tied his hair up out of his face before folding his arms and looking down at Mobius expectantly. “And does this pretty nurse get a ‘thank you’ for his work?”

Mobius wasted no time in going on his top toes to press a kiss to Loki’s lips, humming sweetly and caressing his cheek, his thumb dancing over sharp cheekbones.

Pulling back, he met Loki’s flushed face with a cheeky wink. “Thanks, nurse.”

Chapter Text

The archives of the TVA were dull and dim, the only lighting being the soft glow of the golden coloured lamps dotted around the place. It made for a surprisingly relaxing atmosphere, and one that made it particularly hard to keep your eyes open if exhaustion had already been tempting you in.

Loki was tired. Understatement of the century, but he truly needed a break. After being forced into New York by Thanos, the stress of arriving at the TVA, having absolutely zero footing on your life anymore… it drained you. He’d never asked for all this. He never wanted to be some cosmically significant being thrusted into danger and fear at every corner. No, all he’d ever wanted was to be respected. To be given affection. To be believed in.

“Hey,” Mobius said quietly, swimming through the sleepy fog that Loki’s mind was currently in. He was much too drowsy to react, though, so remained where he was: resting his head on his folded arms in front of him. His back was aching from the awkward position, but the god was almost certain he’d slept in worse situations than hunched over a desk. 

“Loki,” Mobius tried again, prodding a finger into the flesh of his arm. Loki frowned, shuffling away from the attack and nuzzling even further into himself. He heard a fond chuckle from somewhere in front of him, and then the scrape of a chair on the floor. “Alright then, suit yourself.”

Footsteps came around the desk and, before Loki knew it, a warm blazer was being draped over his shoulders. 

Mobius’s.

A soft kiss was pressed to his hair.

“I’m gonna go get a drink. You stay here,” Loki heard the sound of Mobius stretching, quiet grunts escaping him. “I won’t be long.”

Loki was never really one for doing as he was told, but he reasoned that, just this once, he would comply. He let himself fall asleep in the warmth of Mobius’s jacket and the sweet feeling the kiss had left in him.

Who knows how long later, the god shifted in his seat and stretched out all his muscles, not so different to how a cat would. Slowly, he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, blearily blinking a few times before focusing on the room around him again. 

Mobius was sat in front of him still, but now had a cup of what used to be steaming hot coffee in front of him, and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he worked. His hands moved across the page at a leisurely pace, pen scribbling out a report on whatever case Mobius had been assigned in his barely legible chicken scratch. 

His head was resting on his fist, eyes looking tired as he stared down at the paper. He obviously hadn’t noticed Loki waking up yet.

The god kept looking, eyes moving until he focused on a thermos standing just to the right of him. Squinting at it, he reached out a hand to pick it up, using his other to hold the blazer steady over his shoulders. Mobius looked up at the sound, giving Loki a small smile when he met his eyes.

“Hey.” He said simply.

“Hello.” Loki replied, voice thick with sleep.

Mobius let out a breathy laugh, putting the pen down on his desk and putting all of his attention to Loki. “That looked like a good nap.” He commented, scratching at the stubble on his face. “It seemed like you needed it.”

Loki just nodded, carding his fingers through his bed head. “Just a little.”

Mobius gestured to the thermos next to him, indicating Loki to open it. “I got you some tea. I didn’t know how long you’d be sleeping so I found a little thermos- I hope it’s still hot.” 

Loki smiled gratefully at him, a warm flush falling over his cheeks at the kind gesture. Deft fingers screwed open the container and he was met with steam rising in front of him, dancing up into the air. The smell of the herbal tea was instantly soothing, reminding him of days spent back home on Asgard. He didn’t want to get too lost in his emotions, so tucked that memory back away for a later time, shaking himself slightly to clear his head.

“Oh! Here,” Mobius hadn’t seemed to notice his little blip, and instead threw some small containers and sachets at him from across the desk. “I stole a couple of these for you. Milks, sugars, I don’t know how a god takes his tea. I hope the god likes tea, because he just didn’t seem like a coffee guy.” He smiled sheepishly, suddenly nervous over the beverage. He just pointed towards the packets of sugar and went back to his work. “Help yourself.” 

Loki decided that no, this wouldn’t do, and pushed himself up from the chair. Mobius watched as he walked around the desk, coming up behind the grey haired man and enshrouding him in a hug. 

Long arms covered him completely, and Loki gave him a small squeeze. Mobius paused for a moment as if he didn’t expect the gesture of affection, but he soon brought his own arms up to cover Loki’s and gave him a squeeze back. 

“Thank you, Mobius.” Loki kissed his cheek. “That was very sweet. And I do like tea; quite a lot, in fact.”

Mobius smiled so genuinely it made Loki’s heart thump. “Gods aren’t so different from us then, huh?”

Loki pretended to think through it, even tapping his chin with his index finger. “I don’t know. More powerful, thousands of years old, just all round superior…” He playfully shoved Mobius. “But yes, we do like tea, too.”

“Asshole,” Mobius laughed, shoving Loki off him and poking him in the stomach. “I do one nice thing for you to say ‘thank you’ and this is how you repay me?”

Loki frowned, standing up straight and looking down at Mobius. “Why are you thanking me? I’m not the one who brought you a tea.”

“Oh, y’know,” Mobius shrugged, talking like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You’ve been a big help round here- or, to me at least.” He laughed fondly, to which Loki rolled his eyes. “If it weren’t for you we’d probably still be blindly chasing that variant round like a headless chicken. I’m so proud of you, y’know? You’re as smart as you say you are.”

Loki’s face was flushed red, not expecting to be praised so soon after just waking up. His mouth opened and closed like a fish, words getting caught in his throat as he couldn’t quite figure out what to say. Loki rarely ever found himself speechless.

Mobius grinned, a few fingers coming up to cover his mouth as he laughed fondly, eyes practically sparkling as he looked up at Loki’s red face. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so quiet for so long.”

“Well!” Loki started, deciding on simply sitting himself down on the chair next to Mobius. “It was unexpected, is all.”

Mobius gave him an endearing look, tucking a strand of jet black hair behind his ear. “I’m always thinking it. Maybe I should say it more often.”

Loki felt his cold Frost Giant heart warm up, somehow blushing across his cheeks even more. Even the tips of his ears felt like they were on fire. 

Leaning forward, he caught Mobius’s lips in a quick but sweet kiss, pulling back and shuffling his chair closer to Mobius’s, wrapping his hands around his arm and resting his head on his shoulder. His fingers caressed the skin of his forearm, up and down in a gentle pattern.

“Thank you.” He mumbled, squeezing his arm, hoping it would convey all the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

He felt Mobius chuckle before he heard it, and felt a kiss falling on his forehead.

“Anytime, sweetheart.”

Chapter Text

“Jeez, this planet is so warm.”  Mobius was practically sagging where he stood, feeling like a melting puddle of mush in the sweltering heat. He had a finger in his collar, loosening his tie in an attempt to get some air flowing through his shirt. “These damn TVA uniforms. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to wear thick blazers in whatever super summer this is!?”

“At least you’re not a bloody Frost Giant,” Loki, standing next to him, was somehow even more flustered and sweaty, jacket long discarded and his hair tied up as high away from his face as possible. “I feel like I’m dying. This could be it, you know; I could just drop dead right now. Plan my funeral well. I want a proper Asgardian one, flames and all.”

“Oh, shut up,” Mobius laughed, finally getting rid of his tie and shoving it into his trouser pocket. “Always so dramatic. I’d like to see you drop dead- with your track record you’d be up and walking around again within the hour.”

“First of all,” Loki started, holding out a finger like he was checking off a list. “I’m the god of mischief. What kind of trickster would I be if I didn’t fake my death every now and then? Second of all, have you seen Jotunheim, Mobius? It’s made of ice! I doubt it’s ever gotten anywhere above ten degrees!”

“Take us there, then!” Mobius looked right in Loki’s eye, playfully challenging the god. This kind of banter between them wasn’t uncommon, and mostly just served to help pass the time on mind numbing missions like these where the cases served no entertainment purposes to them. 

Loki arched his brow at him, a scheming looking falling upon his face, and Mobius instantly pointed a finger at him. 

“No- no, don’t pull that face,” he started, a warning tone in his voice. “That face always means trouble’s coming—“

Loki quickly grabbed Mobius by the wrist and pulled him away from public view, dipping down an alleyway and pushing him up against a wall. Mobius’s eyes were wide, suddenly feeling very small compared to the 6 foot god.

“Are you blushing?” He teased, slowly bringing one hand up to rest on the wall next to Mobius’s head, crowding him in and keeping him in place. His other hand caressed his cheek, staring down at him with a mischievous sparkle in his eye.

“No,” Mobius insisted, trying not to let his breath hitch. “It’s just the heat. I can’t help it if I’m hot.” 

Loki hummed, moving his fingers from his cheek to his jawbone, dancing down until he was toying at his chest.

“You know,” he carried on. “You’re actually quite lucky.”

Mobius stared at him dryly. “And why’s that?”

The god’s lips came close to whisper in his ear, his breath fanning over the agent’s skin. “I have my powers here.”

Loki leant back slightly and closed his eyes, and with a glow of green light that washed over him, his eyes snapped open again.

Red.

Mobius gasped. 

He had always found Loki’s Jotun form so beautiful. The raised white lines looking elegant draped over his skin, falling in stunning patterns that left the man entranced. His skin, the deep sea blue that it was, astounded him, the colour always taking his breath away at just how strong it was. And his eyes. His powerful, fire red eyes that made him look so different to his usual green. Mobius’s heart always leapt when Loki looked at him with those eyes.

“Loki…” He trailed off, not even knowing how to begin. He could feel his cool skin without even touching him, a cold aura surrounding him due to the ice within. 

“Isn’t this better?” Loki smirked, getting close to Mobius but not enough to be touching him anyway. He toyed with him, teasing the overheating man with cool fingertips, but never delivered on anything. 

“Yeah, it is.” Mobius found himself subconsciously following Loki’s teasing dances, trying to lean into his touch but not succeeding. “You’re so pretty. I ever tell you how pretty you are like this?”

Loki smiled at him, the teasing facade dropping for a moment to give way to a genuine fondness. “Maybe once or twice. It’s not like you say it every time I look like this.”

“Well it doesn’t happen often!” Mobius said with a doting grin. “You can’t use magic at the TVA and it’s not like we have time to bum off that often when we’re out on cases. Not like that stops us, anyway.” He added on under his breath. “I just wanna appreciate you. I want you to know you’re appreciated.”

“I do know.” Loki promised. He was always too embarrassed to tell him just how much the reassurances meant to him, but they always sent his heart thumping. It was nice to be told nice things.

Mobius smiled at him before looking at Loki expectantly. The god looked down at him wordlessly, simply raising an eyebrow at him. 

“So…” Mobius kept looking at him, the flush on his cheeks getting redder as the heat seemed to get worse.

“So..?” Loki echoed, the teasing tone to his voice returning once more.

“Are you gonna do it?” 

“Do what?” He feigned innocence.

“Cool me down?” Mobius asked dryly, eyebrows lowering into a straight line across his face. 

Loki eyed him up for a moment before succumbing, raising a hand up to Mobius’s face. At the last second, he pulled away again, lowering his face to smirk at his partner. 

“Say please.”

“Oh, come on,” Mobius was laughing, thumping his head back against the wall. “Can you please just hold me?” 

“Alright, alright,” Loki chuckled, smiling down at his partner. “Say if you get too cold.”

And with that, he pulled Mobius into an encompassing embrace. He wrapped his arms around him completely, one resting around his waist and the other coming up to cradle the back of his head, threading his fingers through his hair.

Mobius gasped at the first contact, the drastic difference between the sweltering heat and his ice cold skin sensing a shock through him, but he quickly melted into the touch. He nuzzled his face into the crook of Loki’s neck, rubbing his cheek into Loki’s skin and sucking as much of the coolness as he could from him. 

“ Ahh, that’s good,” Mobius practically slurred, body going limp in Loki’s arms. “That’s real good. Like hugging an ice cube.”

Loki rolled his eyes, pulling away for a second to roll his sleeves up to allow more access to his skin before bringing Mobius back into his embrace. “I practically am, I suppose.” 

“Mm.” Mobius was beyond words, just grunting in agreement. “Prettiest ice cube I know.”

“You’re sweet. It’s like you’re drunk.” Loki found the whole affair rather amusing. “Do you want a kiss?”

“Always.” Mobius pulled his head away from Loki’s neck, pressing a peck to the cool blue skin there before waiting expectantly. Loki happily obliged, cupping his face and leaning down to meet his lips. 

Mobius’s breath hitched, not quite used to the low temperature being involved in their kisses, but he appreciated the help cooling down nonetheless. Especially when Loki did it like this. 

“Now,” Loki pulled back, flicking Mobius playfully on the nose. “Go get back to work.”

Chapter Text

Loki moved the hairbrush through his jet black locks at a leisurely pace, tired eyes staring back at him in the mirror of the bathroom. It had been a long day with an early start, being shaken awake by Mobius, dragged to the archives for the most tedious file search ever, a field mission that turned out much too violent for his taste, and then the pleasure of having to write up a report afterwards. 

The god was really not set out for office work.

He set the hair brush down on the counter, picking up his toothbrush and toothpaste and squirting some out on the bristles. He hummed out a little tune as he brushed his teeth, a traditional song from Asgard, when he heard the door click open and saw Mobius step into the bathroom.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he smiled at him in the reflection of the mirror, standing behind him and wrapping his arms around his waist. He rested his chin on his shoulder, moulding perfectly into the shape of Loki’s body. “I changed the bed sheets, they’re ready to go.”

Loki smiled at him gratefully, patting one of Mobius’s hands in thanks before leaning down and spitting into the sink, rinsing his mouth a few times before reaching for the towel. 

“Good, I’m exhausted.” Loki said, sagging into Mobius’s touch. “I could sleep for a thousand years. Probably more.”

Mobius squeezed him lightly, bringing a hand up to pull Loki’s gaze towards his with a gentle grip on his chin. “How’ll a couple of hours do? We’ve got a meeting in the morning.”

Loki rolled his eyes, letting out a dramatic sigh and pulling away from Mobius to give him access to the sink. “Seriously? What could we possibly have new to discuss; we all spoke yesterday, I have no news for them. Do you mortals have nothing better to do with your time?”

Mobius smiled around his toothbrush, spitting and rinsing before coming back up to look at Loki, the back of his hand wiping his mouth dry. “Not really, no. Eat, sleep, meetings. That’s a common guy’s mantra.”

“How dreadfully boring.”

Mobius just laughed, unbuttoning his shirt and draping it off the back of the bathroom door, grabbing the t-shirt already hanging there and pulling it over his head. He leant up to press a kiss to Loki’s lips, opening the door and gesturing for him to walk through. “After you.”

“Oh, what a gentleman.” Loki teased, bowing in a princely manner and stepping through the doorway, flipping off the light switch as he went. He made a beeline straight towards their bed, flopping down as soon as he was close enough to the mattress. With a groan, he melted into the sheets, grabbing a pillow and taking in the fresh scent. He would never admit it out loud, but he much preferred the smell of Mobius’s cologne on the bed sheets.

“Budge over, your majesty,” Mobius prodded his back, waiting for Loki to scooch up before sitting on the bed next to him, pulling his socks off and swinging his legs up onto the mattress. “Jeez, I’m gonna sleep well tonight.”

“Mm,” Loki hummed in agreement, his hand coming out to grab Mobius’s t-shirt and pull him down to lie next to him. “Come here, then.”

Mobius happily obliged, resting his head back onto the pillow and wrapping an arm loosely around Loki, bringing the god closer to him so he could rest his head on Mobius’s chest. Loki nuzzled in, draping an arm over his stomach and going practically boneless against him. 

“G’night, sweetheart.” Mobius mumbled, kissing the top of Loki’s head.

Loki kissed his chest, repeating the phrase he said every night to Mobius. “Goodnight, darling.”

They both fell into an easy silence, steady breathing filling the room and the slow rise and fall of Mobius’s chest. Quiet snores came from the man not long after, Loki rolling his eyes fondly as he felt the rumbling vibrate through him. 

Sleeping never came to him as easily as he’d like, often lying there for hours until unconsciousness came over him; tonight was no different. He’d tried many things to help- different herbal remedies, a potion his mother had made him once, even the Midgardian tradition of counting sheep. But nothing ever worked.

This often lead to him getting trapped in his own thoughts. Staring into the darkness meant he could practically picture things in front of him as if they were really there. Sometimes they were happy memories; images of him and Thor playing together when they were younger, running around the throne room with wooden swords and chasing each other silly. Other times, the memories brought nothing but sadness. His father leaning over him clinging on to the side of the Bifrost, looking into his eyes as he let the grip loosen on his hand, falling away into the nothingness. 

Today, however, Loki’s already half asleep mind had decided to conjure up something new. 

He and Mobius were standing side by side, holding hands and carefully running a thumb over worn knuckles. 

“I mean, just in case anyone ever told you different.” Mobius’s voice faded in, distorted slightly in a dreamy haze.

Loki was looking at him with a soft smile, gentle eyes trained on the greying man. Mobius gestured in front of him, inviting Loki to step through the time door standing just to the left of them. 

Walking through, their eyes practically locked onto each other’s, they stepped back into a room at the TVA, ready to set off on whatever journey they were going on. In front of them, however, was a faceless figure. Tall and looming over them, its minions lined up in front of it poised and ready to attack. 

“I think you have something of mine.” The figure uttered, its voice sounding like several people talking at the same time. It seemed to grow darker by the second, its powerful aura taking over the room. 

Before either of them could even open their mouths, one of the minions shielding the figure leapt forward, Loki noticing too late the weapon it was brandishing. 

The orange glow touched Mobius before he could jump in front of him.

“ No! ” Loki yelled, starting awake and hyperventilating where he lay on top of Mobius. He quickly pulled himself up, sitting against the headboard and bringing his legs up to his chest, arms wrapping around them for comfort. 

Mobius grumbled awake next to him, confusion written all over his face. 

“Wha-?” He pushed himself up, coming to sit next to the god. “Hey, Loki? What’s wrong?”

His warm arms came to wrap around his shoulders, bringing Loki in and hugging him to his side. He saw his chest heaving up and down and hushed him, pointedly breathing in and out deeply for Loki to follow, smoothing his hair out while he did so. 

“They pruned you.” Loki gasped out, eyes not focusing on anything in the room, a hazy look clouding over him. “They- I saw you just- just fade out of existence, you looked-- you were in so much pain--”

“Hey, shh, sweetheart,” Mobius held him close, rocking the two of them slightly in what he hoped was a calming way. “I’m here, see? Perfectly safe. Not in any pain at all.”

His heart panged when he heard Loki let out the smallest whimper, pushing the duvet away from them and pulling Loki to sit in his lap, legs tangling together. 

“You can’t go, Mobius-” Loki’s voice was desperate, a vulnerable side of the god that Mobius had never seen quite like this before. “I can’t be alone, you can’t leave me alone.”

“Loki? Loki, look at me.” He gently spoke, not wanting to make the god jump in surprise if he spoke too loudly. His finger hooked under his chin, nudging him slightly and patiently waiting for Loki to look him in the eye. “I’m not going anywhere, okay? I’m never going to leave you, I promise.”

Loki could do nothing but nod, hoping and praying to anyone that would listen that Mobius was telling the truth. 

“I’m gonna be right here, by your side, for as long as you’ll keep me.” He softly joked, his thumb caressing Loki’s cheek and dancing over his soft skin. “Even if you can be annoying sometimes.”

Loki sniffed, a small smile forming on his face as he tried to playfully frown at him. “You love me for it anyway.” His voice was uncharacteristically small, meekness not suiting the powerful god. 

“I do.” Mobius promised, angling his head so he could capture Loki’s lips in a kiss, lingering there for a few moments so that the god could really feel him. “I do love you.”

Loki gazed up at him for a few seconds, looking into him with a wide expression in his eyes. Slowly, he let himself shuffle back into the bed properly, pulling Mobius down with him as he lay back onto the pillow. 

Mobius followed his wordless instructions, letting himself be pulled into Loki’s arms and holding him tight, bringing up one of his legs to drape over his thighs. 

They fell into easy silence once more, Mobius forcing himself to stay awake this time to keep an eye on Loki. He’d wait until the god fell asleep until he would allow himself the pleasure. 

“I love you too.” He heard Loki mumble from above him, the vibrations of his voice in his chest. He snuggled into the god’s embrace, tracing gentle patterns over his stomach while a warm flush grew over his cheeks.

The last thing Mobius heard before falling asleep was Loki’s snores.

Chapter Text

“This is-“ Achoo! “Completely-“ Achoo! “Unnecessary-“ Achoo!

“Oh, yeah? Then stop sneezing.”

Loki was standing in their shared kitchen with his arms folded over his chest, nose stuffy yet running, a numbing headache tingling in his brain, and a hoarse throat. He was well and truly ill.

He’d be the last to admit that, though.

“It’s not like I have an on-and-off switch for it!” Loki’s voice was nasally, croaky and weak compared to his usual smooth words. “If I had my magic I’d be able to stop, but nooo, the bloody TVA doesn’t know how to have fun. Boring bastards. I mean, really, depriving a god of his magic? It’s borderline sin—“

“Quit your yapping, would you?” Mobius tugged at his arm and sat him down at the dining table, patting his shoulder as he walked behind him for good measure. “You’re gonna lose your voice if you keep blabbing on like that.” 

“No, I won’t, because I’m not ill. We’ve already been through this, Mobius.” 

“Nah, you went through it. I just had to sit and listen ‘cuz there was no way in hell to get you to shut up.” Mobius smirked at him, turning around to turn on the kettle and get two mugs out of the cupboard above. He opened a draw and retrieved a couple of spoons out of it, dropping one into a mug and setting the other on the counter. “I don’t know what constitutes ‘ill’ on Asgard, but by my standards, you’re sick.”

“Gods don’t get sick.” Loki practically sneered. 

“So you’ve used up a box of tissues blowing your nose, what, just for fun?” 

Loki just rolled his eyes and growled under his breath, but with the way that his nose was flushed red he had all the intimidation of a kitten. Mobius chuckled as he poured out the now boiling water into the two mugs. “That’s what I thought.”

He brought the two mugs over to the table, being careful not to spill the water, and Loki quickly set down coasters before Mobius could put the mugs down. He gave him a sheepish grin as he said thank you, knowing full well the coffee rings adorning all the surfaces through their apartment were solely his fault. He just had more pressing things on his mind than what surface his cups were sitting on!

Regardless, he grabbed a jar from the counter and popped open the lid, grabbing the spoon in the mug and scooping out a big dollop of honey, dropping it into the hot water and stirring it well. He did the same for the other mug, and when he was done he scooped up a smaller, more modest spoonful of honey. With his other hand, he tapped at Loki’s cheek. “Open up.”

“I’m not a child.” Loki pouted, though he complied anyway.

“I know.” Mobius said, before unceremoniously shoving the spoon into his mouth. “Suck on that for a little while, it’ll help while you wait for the water to cool down enough to drink. Feel free to help yourself to some more.”

He placed the jar in front of Loki on the table and smiled at him fondly before turning to the stove. He busied himself with emptying a tin of soup into a saucepan and started to heat it up, fetching a bowl from the cupboard in the process. He could feel Loki’s eyes watching him, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. It was quite comforting, actually.

“My mother would approve.” Came a quiet voice from behind him.

“Mm?” He looked over his shoulder to glance at Loki, who had a soft expression lingering over his face. Mobius could tell that he was lost in thought. “Approve of what?”

“You, bustling around to take care of me.” Loki’s gaze fell towards the mugs in front of him. He let out a breathy chuckle, sniffing back a sneeze before speaking again. “She used to force honey on me, too. It tastes different on Asgard, did you know? I doubt that we have the same bees, but- just interesting, is all…”

Mobius looked towards him sympathetically, knowing this was coming from the deep sense of homesickness that Loki had never really grown out of. He could say he hated his family and past life as much as he wanted, but judging from the way he’d cried watching his TVA files in the time theatre it was clear it all still had a place in his poor heart. 

Mobius silently sighed to himself, scornfully wishing there was some way that he could give Loki everything he wanted and more, but he knew that it would never go well. Every bad plan here at the TVA ended with a pruning stick.

He supposed he’d have to settle with comforting him as much as he could. He could do that for him. He’d do it until the end of time.

Mobius took the saucepan off the heat and poured the soup into the bowl, careful not to splatter it everywhere, and took the spoon that was sitting on the counter to drop it into the bowl. The steam rising up from the hit liquid danced in front of his eyes, and it smelt delicious, even if only from a tin. 

He woefully thought that Loki would probably much prefer homemade soup, similar to the kind he would have had when he was younger, but Mobius knew he’d never live up to the expectations of Asgardian soup. This would have to do for now.

He set the bowl down in front of Loki and pulled his chair so he would be sitting right next to the god. His hand fell into Loki’s, intertwining their fingers and squeezing him firmly, hoping it would convey all the care he had in his heart for him.

“Tell me more?” He asked softly. 

Loki gave him a small smile and leant forward to press a kiss to his forehead. 

“Your honey is far sweeter than ours. Or maybe it’s just you.”

Chapter Text

“No- look, like this,” Loki put his hand on Mobius’s wrist to get him to stop moving, waiting for him to step out of the way slightly so that Loki could take the lead again. “Watch me.”

They were hidden away together on some unfamiliar planet, not even half an hour away from an impending apocalypse. They’d found that coming to these locations hidden away by Nexus events were the perfect chance for them to just be together- plus, Loki could actually use his magic freely here without being held back in any way. 

It was rather liberating. 

“I’m watchin’...” Mobius murmured under his breath, eyes trained on Loki’s feet to try and figure out how the hell he was supposed to be doing this. The TVA weren’t particularly known for having parties, and Mobius had never had any urge to teach himself to dance, so when Loki had romantically held out a hand to take Mobius into his arms the grey haired man had just smiled sheepishly at him. ‘I don’t know how.’ 

Obviously, Loki instantly took it upon himself to teach the man how to actually waltz, and of course the literal prince could do it as easy as tying a shoelace. Mobius felt extremely out of his depth. 

“So, first,” Loki began, his posture as perfect as it always was when he was standing. “You have to stand like this; your feet apart, about a hip’s distance away from each other, yes?”

Mobius nodded, correcting the way he was standing and throwing a thumbs up towards Loki with a grin. Loki rolled his eyes, but was smiling anyway.

“Good. Then, you step forward, leading with your left foot, mm?” He demonstrated, a slender leg coming out in front of him followed swiftly by the other one. “Make sure you land softly. Don’t go stomping around like a Bilgesnipe, you want to be delicate .”

Mobius laughed, a confused look spreading across his face. “That reference is completely lost on me.”

“You’ve never seen a Bilgesnipe?” Loki asked, seemingly genuinely surprised. He motioned for Mobius to mirror the move he just made and Mobius complied, taking a step forward as lightly as he could. “Big, scaly things. Don’t ever piss one off.”

“Roger that. Don’t piss off the Asgardian dinosaur.”

“Smart man. Now, move your left foot so it’s next to your right. See?” Loki slid his foot over to the right so it was just touching with his other, standing tall with his legs completely straight. “Your turn.” 

Mobius rather enjoyed seeing Loki like this. Not only was it heartwarming to see him do something that he was obviously so comfortable in that reminded him of home, like his magic, but it was also incredibly attractive. He knew exactly the right way to move over the dance floor (or, rather, the grassy field they were currently standing in) to make it seem like he was floating. It was downright ethereal. Mobius could only hope that one day he’d get to see him dance on Asgard at a royal ball, the whole princely get-up adorning him. What a sight that would be.

But, for now, he was happy to sway with him under the stars surrounded by the multicoloured fireflies dancing around them. It was rather romantic.

He moved his foot to the right, looking up at Loki to get his seal of approval. He received it in the form of a fond smile, which was plenty enough to get his heart beating just a little faster. 

“Then we step back. Lead with your right foot this time, then your left, and then move your right foot over to meet your left, like the opposite of what we just did. Understand?”

“Think so. I’ll be a pro by the end of the week if you keep this up.” Mobius winked at him, then did as told and moved his feet along the earth until he was stood with his feet together again.

Loki watched him, nodding slightly as he went, then threw his arms out to the side with a grin once Mobius had finished. “There you have it! Agent Mobius, master of the box step.”

Mobius reached out to capture Loki’s hands in his own, squeezing them a little as he intertwined their fingers together. “Can’t believe they never went over this in basic training. We had hand-to-hand, strategic planning, yet no waltz? Unbelievable.”

Loki huffed a laugh out, swatting at Mobius playfully. “See? The TVA is completely useless. Who cares if you can land a punch if you can’t even dance.”

Mobius just snorted, tugging on Loki’s hands until he took a step forward to land comfortably in his personal bubble. Mobius swayed the two slightly, swinging their hands between them as he went. This was more his speed when it came to dancing. 

But he wanted more.

“Can we do it together, now?” He asked, having to crane his head up a little to look Loki in the eyes. The dim evening light made it seem like Loki’s green eyes were glowing- Mobius wouldn’t be surprised if they actually were. The god was just special like that.

Loki hummed in response, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to Mobius’s forehead. “You’re taking the lead. Don’t step on my toes again.”

“Not making any promises, sweetheart.” Mobius chuckled, hesitating for a moment before pulling his hands away from Loki’s. “How do I- uh- hold you?”

He held a single finger up at Loki’s cheeky smirk, absolutely certain that whatever was about to come out of his mouth would be something far too obscene for the situation at hand.

“Spoil sport.” Loki pouted. He quickly recovered though, obviously realising how romantic things were about to get. “Give me your hands?”

Mobius silently held his hands out in front of him, waiting for Loki to place them wherever he needed. Loki’s right hand took Mobius’s left and tangled their fingers together firmly, raising them both up into the air until their arms were out at shoulder height. Mobius took the chance to gently rub his thumb up and down on Loki’s soft skin, warmth seeping between them both.

Mobius felt Loki’s fingers hovering over his free hand, then he was being guided until his big palm made contact with Loki’s waist. His fingers splayed out as he held him, treating him as if he were the most precious thing in the world until it was too much and his fingers clung onto the material of his shirt. Mobius knew that Loki didn’t need delicate treatment, and he wanted to be as close to him as possible. 

Mobius could have sworn that he heard Loki take a sharp intake of breath when he gripped into his waist. 

“One more thing…” Loki murmured, eyelids low as he looked down at Mobius. With his free hand, Loki’s fingers swiped through the air. Mobius saw a glow of green quickly rising up from the ground before he heard a gentle shimmering noise, and before he knew it he was standing there looking like a… like a… prince. 

His eyes raked up Loki from his feet upwards, first noticing the perfectly tailored shoes now standing in the grass. He had what looked like leather trousers on, showing off all of the sharp lines and muscle in his toned legs, and there were gold chains hanging off the waist line that drooped around his hips. His shirt was tucked in, a poofy white garment that was unbuttoned to his chest, showing off his collarbones and the peek of his chest. A long cape was draped across his shoulders, cascading down his back all the way down to his legs. It was covered in the most beautiful embroidery, greens and golds and silvers all catching in the dim light in the stunning patterns they created. He was wearing gold jewellery, rings and necklaces and earrings all jingling slightly as he moved, Mobius catching the black nail polish perfectly painted on his nails. Then his hair. Flawlessly curled and falling around his shoulders, half of it braided back and creating a halo around his head. Small gems and decorations had been incorporated into his soft black locks, and an elegant circlet with small horns was sitting atop his head.

Mobius’s heart was struggling to keep up. 

It was one thing to look through Loki’s files and watch him in the time theatre, but having him here , standing centimetres away from him, sharing the same air, feeling his warm breath fanning over his face, having him look down at you like you were the whole universe. 

All Mobius could do was remind himself to breathe as he pulled Loki down to kiss him. 

He felt Loki chuckle into the kiss, a fond thing that sent butterflies into Mobius’s belly. 

“You’re not too bad looking, yourself.” Loki practically whispered, resting his forehead against the other man’s. Mobius’s eyebrows furrowed slightly before realising that he hadn’t looked at himself yet.

He glanced down to see that he looked just as royal as the god. 

It didn’t surprise him that a great sense of pride washed through him when he realised he was wearing Loki’s greens. His lover’s colours. He would never get sick of saying that.

“God, Loki…” He couldn’t think of anything else to say. It was either that, or ramble on for several hours running his mouth with every thought he had. 

Loki just simply said, “I know.”

They shared their moment together for a small while, enjoying embracing each other and being able to just love. Not long after, Loki hooked a slender finger under Mobius’s chin and arched his neck back to look him in the eyes. He searched his face for a moment before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his lips, taking his time with it before pulling away just enough to speak.

“May I have this dance?” His voice was low, intimate and serene and everything that made Mobius’s heart thump. The grey haired man just nodded, carefully placing his hands back onto Loki like they had been standing before.

He took the opportunity to pull him by the waist until there was no room between them at all. 

“Just like before, mm?” Loki asked, making sure Mobius knew what he was doing. He nodded, remembering all the steps he had learnt earlier, and rested his forehead against Loki’s.

Their feet started moving, this time in perfect synchronized steps, and they practically glided across the grass beneath their feet. 

Some may put it down to a new found skill.

Mobius would put it down to the faint green glow surrounding them.