Work Text:
Asgard 2013
"You're not the Thor I know at all, are you?"
Thor tried to put on a brave face, "Yes, I am."
Frigga continued, her tone filled with compassion,
Thor denied, "I didn't say I'm from the future."
Frigga shook her head and answered, "I was raised by witches, boy. I see with more than eyes, and you know that."
Thor attempts to hold back his tears and fails miserably, "I am totally, totally from the future."
They both hug each other.
They continued to talk, Thor recounting everything that had happened, Loki's death up until Thanos' death and what followed.
Frigga said softly, a hand on his shoulder, "Everyone fails at who they are supposed to be, Thor. The measure of a person, of a hero, is how well they succeed at being who they are."
Thor replied, a trembling smile on his lips, "I really missed you, Mum."
"I miss you too mother... I miss you both."
Mobius entered the time theater and his throat tightened as he heard Loki's last words. He had been aware all along of the sacrifice Loki had made in order to preserve the main timeline. But hearing the words from his mouth broke his heart.
He walked over to Loki sitting in front of the screen and put his hands on his shoulders. Loki leaned his head against Mobius' arm.
Mobius simply said, "I'm sorry Loki."
Loki waited a few seconds before answering, "I'm not going to lie to you and say that I don't miss them, I miss them every day and I regret that my mother died thinking that I didn't consider her my mother. But what I regret most is not being able to introduce you to them, tell them that I am happy, and that you are part of the reason for that happiness."
Mobius kissed the top of Loki's head, and they remained like that for a few moments in silence, in front of the still image of Thor and Frigga embracing.
Then Loki stood up, took Mobius' hand and said softly, "Let's go home."
Mobius nodded pensively.
As they walked hand in hand, his other hand in his pocket, Mobius felt the tempad under his fingers.
When they arrived home, after closing the door behind him, Mobius walked over to Loki, took his hand, and made him sit with him on the couch.
"Mobius? Is everything okay?" asked Loki, surprised.
Mobius nodded, looking serious, "Loki, how about a chance to see your mother and brother, to tell them what you need to tell th-hpmph!"
Loki had thrown his arms around Mobius' neck and was kissing him passionately. Mobius tightened his arms around him, responding to the kiss with the same passion.
After a few moments, they parted and Mobius continued, again serious because the subject required it, "However, I want you to be aware that this is not something we can repeat. You understand why don't you?"
"Oh Mobius, I understand, but just once will be enough for me, if only to maybe lessen that feeling of unfinished business between me and them. I...I-thank you."
Mobius wiped a tear from the corner of Loki's eye with his thumb and replied softly, "If I can make you happy, even just a little, that's enough for me. You can choose for yourself when and where you want to meet them. The important thing is that we don't do anything that might disturb the space-time continuum, okay?"
Loki nodded and hugged him in response.
"Now?" asked Loki next, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Yes. Just take some time to think about where and when you want to go."
Loki had watched the lives of his mother and brother several times. He just had to find the perfect time to talk to each of them.
"Can I see them each on a different date?"
"Yes, of course."
"Very well, then let's start with Asgard in 2013, just after Thor leaves my mother and returns to 2023."
Mobius abruptly raised his head, "Loki? Are you sure? That's right before your mother's-"
"Yes Mobius, I'm sure, I promise."
Mobius, passed his knuckles on Loki's cheek before taking the tempad and entering the date.
The timedoor opened. Just before crossing it, Loki stopped Mobius. "Wait, I think it's better if we go like this."
Mobius felt the now familiar sensation of Loki's magic flow through him and found himself dressed in Asgardian attire.
Loki looked at him with a smile, "If I had known what you would look like in an outfit from my realm, I would have dressed you in it long ago."
Mobius chuckled slightly, enjoying the sight of Loki in his prince's clothes before grabbing his hand and passing the timedoor.
They found themselves in the hallway of the palace where Thor and Frigga were. As the door closed, they had time to see Thor grab his hammer and disappear before their eyes. They had just enough time to hide behind a column.
Loki was frozen and refused to move. Mobius pushed him gently.
"I just told your brother that you know how to sneak around better, but that doesn't stop me from knowing that you're here... Loki." came Frigga's voice.
Loki slowly stepped forward, and whispered with a broken voice, "Mother..."
"Mother?" asked Frigga, "Didn't you tell me I wasn't your mother?"
Loki stopped, unable to take another step, unable to say another word.
Frigga continued to move closer, until she arrived in front of Loki. She approached her face to his and scrutinized his eyes.
"But you're not that Loki, are you?"
"No, Mother I-"
Frigga put a finger to Loki's lips, "Your brother just tried to deceive me the same way, you both have a tendency to forget that I was raised by witches."
Then, with a welcoming and fond smile, she opened her arms and Loki threw himself into them. "Mother, I have missed you so much."
"I miss you too, my son..."
She stepped back a little, took his hands, led him to a stone bench and made him sit with her. She kept his hands in hers and asked him, "Tell me more."
Like Thor, Loki told her everything that had made up his life since he had seized the Tesseract. When he finished, she put her hand on Loki's cheek and said softly, her eyes shining, "I always knew, Loki, that you could do anything, no matter what you set out to do. I'm glad I don't see that shadow in your eyes anymore. You look...dare I say it...happy?"
Loki nodded, "Mother I miss you in ways you can't imagine, believe me, but yes, I am... happy."
Frigga, a knowing smile on her lips, added in a slightly louder voice, "I have a feeling that the person behind the pillar over there is no stranger to it, is he?"
Following the direction of his mother's gaze, Loki turned his head just to see Mobius emerging from the shadows.
He rose to join him, took his hand and led him to his mother.
"Mother... you are right, I present to you the man who is one of the main reasons for my happiness, the man who now shares my life, Mobius."
Mobius, who remained true to himself, extended his hand in a straightforward manner, "Your highness..."
Frigga did not grasp Mobius' hand but instead embraced him, whispering in his ear, "Thank you." then tightened her hold before releasing him.
Seeing Loki move closer to Mobius as if he couldn't stay away from him, Frigga smiled fondly.
The three of them stood in silence, savoring the moment.
However, the sweetness of those few seconds was interrupted by troops running just below them, reminding them of the ephemeral nature of their situation.
Frigga nodded and said, "I think it's time for all of us to go our separate ways."
Loki, knowing what would happen to his mother, "Mother, I-"
Frigga shook her head, "Don't tell me, things are as they should be. I am so delighted to know that you are happy, nothing could have fulfilled my mother's heart more. I love you Loki, my son."
Loki threw his arms around her, "I love you Mother."
Meanwhile Mobius had made the timedoor appear, and was patiently waiting for Loki.
"Go, my son. I am proud of you."
After taking one last look at his mother, Loki walked over to Mobius, unable to stop his tears from flowing, Mobius took him in his arms, his gaze meeting Frigga's in which he could read the gratitude. He simply nodded and Frigga turned away and left.
Mobius asked Loki in a whisper, "Loki, sweetheart, I need you to tell me where and when we are going now."
Loki wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and told him with a hoarse voice, "New Asgard in 2023."
Mobius nodded, knowing exactly what moment it was.
He programmed the tempad and they both walked through the timedoor.
They arrived at a cliff above New Asgard, a few feet away from Thor and Valkyrie.
As they walked, their conversation came to their ears.
Valkyrie asked Thor, "What will you do?"
"I'm not sure. For the first time in a thousand years, I- I have no path. I do have a ride, though."
Thor began to turn away to leave and froze when he saw the two men advancing toward them.
"What sorcery is this?!!!" he cried out as he reached up to call his hammer.
Loki, seeing where this was going to lead, began to shout, placing himself in front of Mobius in defense, "Stop Thor, stop! I come in peace! Stop my brother!"
Thor lowered his arm and continued to move forward but less sure, eyes narrowed, until they were face to face.
"Ouch!"
Loki buckled at Thor's blow to his abdomen. He made a move to stop Mobius from rushing in and putting himself in danger. "That's... well... Mobius... that's normal... that's even standard as a way to greet each other between my brother and me-mmph!"
Loki found himself caught in his brother's crying embrace. "I thought you were dead!"
Loki pushed Thor away slightly, "Thor, listen to me, I am really dead, it is important that you understand this, I will be leaving again later but here I will always be dead."
"But what? How-..." Confusion was written all over Thor's face.
Loki pulled him to sit on a grassy mount not far away.
"Come brother, I will explain."
Mobius and Valkyrie stood there while the two brothers caught up.
After a few moments, Valkyrie, breaking the silence, asked, "So you and Loki..."
Mobius stared at her in surprise, "How did you...?"
"I hesitate between the fact that you rushed to save Loki from the God of Thunder, you a human with no power, or the fact that Loki who only cares about his own little self stood between you and his brother to protect you."
Mobius smiled and held out his hand, "Mobius, nice to meet you."
Valkyrie took it and replied, "Valkyrie, likewise."
Mobius continued, "And you and Thor...?"
"To think I was beginning to like you."
They were interrupted by Thor's thunderous laughter as he looked up at them.
"You... and him?!"
Thor stood up as Loki looked on in horror, and rushed to Mobius, opened his arms and exclaimed, "Into my arms my brother!"
Mobius, amused, found himself caught in the embrace of the god of thunder.
Loki breathed a sigh of relief as he approached them.
"So you're the genius who finally made my idiot brother see reason?" asked Thor, mockingly.
"Thor!"
"If by that you mean I was the one who made him see that he was better than what people wanted him to believe, then yes it was me, but the rest he did on his own." Mobius had said this, in a firm tone, with a defiant expression on his face.
Thor nodded with a knowing smile, "I can see how you won his heart."
"Thor!" exclaimed Loki again, annoyed.
Thor turned to Loki, a mischievous sparkle in his eye, "Loki, don't pretend, you're the one who told me just before that Mobius was-hmph."
Loki had thrown himself at Thor, putting his hands over his mouth and Thor burst out laughing. All this under the amused eyes of Mobius and the exasperated one of Valkyrie.
Thor pulled away from Loki and approached Mobius again, putting his arm around his shoulder and leading him away, "It's time I take my role as big brother seriously and do what the midgardians call the shovel-talk."
Loki raised his hand in protest, "Thor, no..."
Mobius turned to Loki, shook his head and gave him a smile that was meant to be reassuring "It's okay Loki."
Loki let them go.
After a few moments of silence watching them, making sure Thor wasn't hurting Mobius, he turned to Valkyrie, "So you and my brother...?"
Valkyrie rolled her eyes and muttered, "I really wish your brother had hit harder before..."
Loki raised his arms in surrender, "Pretend I didn't say anything." He paused and resumed more seriously, "Shall I congratulate you, your majesty?"
"You have a problem with that?" replied Valkyrie in a defensive manner.
Loki shook his head and smiled amusedly, "Not at all, I know you will look after the people of Asgard as well as I or Thor would have. Probably even better."
Valkyrie just nodded once in recognition.
Loki continued to watch Thor and Mobius in the distance, curious about what was being said.
After a few minutes the two men returned to Loki and Valkyrie.
Thor clapped his hands together, "Well my friends, I think it's time to leave. I have a ship to catch," he pointed to the ship behind him, "She has a kingdom to rule and you two need to return to your time, past or whatever."
He walked over to Mobius and shaking his hand, he said, "Take care of my little brother, I know he makes people want to hit him sometimes, but he's a good person, I always knew that."
Mobius nodded, "He is. Take care."
Then Thor turned to his brother and hugged him, "Brother, I know nothing has ever been easy between us, but never doubt that you are my brother and that I love you." Loki tightened his arms around him, " I love you too brother." They remained in each other's arms for a few more seconds before parting ways.
Thor turned to Valkyrie, "Come my friend, accompany me."
As he walked away to the ship, Thor turned and called out, "Be happy!" he paused, and a mischievous gleam in his eye continued, "And invite me to the wedding, whenever and wherever!"
"Thor!!!" shouted Loki.
A thunderous laugh answered him.
Mobius and Loki watched them go away for a while. Then Loki turned to Mobius and said, "Take me home."
Mobius opened the timedoor and programmed the tempad. They walked through the door that led them directly home hand in hand.
As soon as the door was open and disappeared behind them, Loki leaned forward, closed his eyes and put his arms around Mobius' waist. He pressed his lips to Mobius' and kissed him, putting all his emotions into the kiss. Mobius' hands wrapped around Loki's waist in turn and they explored each other's mouths, their tongues dancing together in a loving rhythm. After a moment, the kiss ended and they simply stayed there, wrapped in each other, listening to their breaths settle. When Mobius caught his breath, he asked, "Are you okay Loki?"
Loki replied, his lips against his, "Yes love, better than ever."
**********
The next day in the archive room, Loki was putting away the various films in their respective boxes when Mobius joined him.
He was putting away the last one titled, Thor- New Agard 2023, letting his hands linger on the edge of the film case before closing the lock on the box and turning to Mobius.
"Aren't you going to watch them anymore?"
Loki shook his head with a smile, "No, because now I have other memories here." while patting his head before adding, "thanks to you."
He pressed his lips to Mobius' in a tender kiss before taking his hand and pulling him behind him without a backward glance.
Once outside, he asked Mobius, curious, "What did my brother tell you?"
Mobius looked at Loki with a smile, remembering the scene.
"I'm only going to ask one question, Mobius."
"Go ahead!"
" Do you love my brother?"
Mobius had replied tit for tat, "More than my life."
Thor stared at him for a few seconds and replied, "That's enough for me."
He paused for a moment and continued, "But... if you hurt him..."
In his eyes, Mobius read all the love he had for his brother and replied, "Never, I promise."
Thor continued, smiling mockingly, "Well, we'll wait a little while, so my little brother will get anxious.
Mobius chuckled and replied, "You may not be blood brothers, but you sure are a lot alike."
"Mobius?" Loki's voice brought him back to reality.
Mobius placed his hand on Loki's cheek and smiled fondly as he replied, "Your brother didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, that you're worthy of all the love in the world."