Chapter Text
Sitting beside Loki at the conference table, their chairs angled armrest to armrest, Mobius thinks how easy it would be to move his fingers an inch to the right and brush Loki’s.
He doesn’t, of course, like he hasn’t any of the times before – when their elbows connect, standing very near in an otherwise empty elevator, or when Loki straightens Mobius’s tie and their touch lingers there a heartbeat, then two.
Instead, Mobius forces himself to pay attention to the meeting. Ravonna says they haven’t meet their goals this quarter. They’ll have to work extra hard to make sure the numbers go back up, to please the shareholders.
When Ravonna’s back is turned, the others at the table all share a look. Most have already been working overtime. Mobius can practically see them outlining their notices, and wonders if they plan on giving two weeks or just quitting outright.
“That’s outrageous,” Loki snaps. All eyes turn to them, including Ravonna, who swivels around from the whiteboard very, very slowly.
“Mobi–” Loki stops, clears their throat. “People are practically living here already. You cannot ask them to dedicate even more time –”
“We have a very generous overtime policy,” Ravonna says. It’s true, they do, but Loki just glowers more. There’s practically steam coming out of their ears.
This time, Mobius does reach out, placing his palm atop Loki’s forearm. He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to. They’ve been co-workers long enough now, a few years, for Loki to know what it means. Easy does it.
Loki shifts their gaze to Mobius. Fire burns there and, though it softens with Mobius’s reassuring half-smile, it doesn’t dissipate entirely. Loki still wants to fight.
Mobius shifts his head once, a subtle shake.
Loki’s frown deepens, but after a brief staring contest, they slump back into their chair, defeated.
Ravonna watches the entire exchange with a single raised brow. “If there’s nothing else?”
By some miracle, Loki doesn’t rise to the bait. Instead they move away from Mobius’s hand and cross their arms over their chest.
Mobius knows he’s in for an earful later.
*
“Mobius,” Loki says, .02 seconds after they’ve left the conference room. Mobius walks fast, hoping to get back to their shared office before they really get into it. “Why did you stop me?”
“You were about to get fired,” Mobius says, over his shoulder.
“I’d barely said anything at all.”
“No, you were just warming up.”
Mobius rushes down a hallway of cubicles. Their small, windowless office is just at the end. Almost there.
“Any verbal lashing I had planned would have been well deserved,” Loki says. Their long legs give them the advantage. Mobius practically has to run to make sure he can stay ahead. “The way you are treated in this place is absolutely atrocious.”
Mobius shushes him. Curious co-workers peek out at them from around their cubicle walls.
Finally, finally, they reach their office. Mobius stops at the door, holding it open for Loki.
Loki stops too. “We’re not done talking about this.”
“Okay, okay, I know.” Mobius waves them inside.
It isn’t until they are inside the office, with the door closed behind them, that Mobius begins to comprehend what Loki is saying.
Loki paces the three feet between their desks, hands moving from their elbows to their pockets to gesturing wildly to elbows again. “You already live in this office. You think I don’t know, but I know you often sleep under your desk. When was the last time you went home, hm? Do you even know where it is anymore?”
Loki sure is using a lot of you’s and not very many I’s.
“I’m not doing anything differently from anyone else in the office,” Mobius says. Even Loki’s put in many long hours. “What about you?”
“We’re not talking about me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m immaterial to the matter at hand.”
Mobius doesn’t like the sound of that. Loki is as valuable to this company as anyone else.
“Hey.” Mobius steps into Loki’s small path. “That’s not true.”
The lingering fire in Loki’s eyes softens for only a moment before flaring back full force. “This place has stolen too much from you already, Mobius. I would see that you have a happy life before I…” They look away. “Nevermind.”
“Before you what, Loki?” A sudden dread blooms sharp in Mobius’s stomach. When Loki doesn’t say anything, Mobius reminds them, “What’s said here, stays here. Are you…” He swallows hard. The words burn his throat the whole way out, “Are you quitting?”
When Mobius had looked across the conference room, wondering who was putting in their notice, not once had he considered that Loki might be among them. For three years, he and Loki had been attached at the hip, co-workers turned friends. Mobius couldn’t even picture what it would be like to come to work without seeing their face. How would he get through his day without hearing Loki’s latest scheme for revenge on the copier? Or looking up from his desk to find Loki asleep at theirs?
Loki doesn’t deny it. “I’ve already stayed much longer than I planned.”
The dread inside Mobius grows tenfold, thorns piercing his heart. But he can’t be mad. They all deserve better. Just because Mobius would miss Loki doesn’t mean he would ever want to hold them back.
“That’s great.” Mobius forces a smile. Not sure what to do with his hands, he pats Loki on the shoulder. “Congratulations. I didn’t even know you were looking for another job.” He’s only a little hurt that Loki didn’t tell him. One more tiny cut to the thousand within him. He could bear them all, no big deal. So long as Loki is happy.
Except Loki doesn’t look very happy.
Mobius withdraws his hand but Loki snatches it midair and holds it. Mobius stares at it, where Loki’s fingers wrap around the back, their thumb pressed into Mobius’s palm.
“I would take you with me if…” Loki’s words trail.
Mobius’s heart hammers against his chest, loud enough to ring in his ears. “It’s okay. Most places don’t work like that.”
“But if it did…” Loki says. “If I’m not…”
“You don’t have to worry about me.” Mobius shrugs. “I’ve always gotten along before.” He doesn’t want to tell Loki that they’ve been the one spark of happiness in his life for the past three years. He won’t say he doesn’t want to lose them, no matter how true. “And, the overtime pay really isn’t so bad.”
“That’s not what I…” Loki closes their eyes and sighs.
“I’m not going to ask you to stay if you have a better offer,” Mobius says. Loki’s shoulders slump, like the fight’s finally been torn from them. Mobius doesn’t like it, doesn’t want to hide all their feelings from Loki if it means hurting them. So he admits, “But I’ll miss you.”
Loki opens their eyes again and the fire there is gone, swallowed now in an ocean of open, bare longing. Enough to make Mobius’s breath catch.
Still holding Mobius’s hand, Loki steps closer.
“Mobius,” Loki says. “Have you ever heard of Asgard?”
“Is that a start-up company?”
“No, it’s –”
Someone knocks on the door, and they step apart. Loki releases Mobius’s hand.
It’s Ravonna. Her cool gaze slides from Loki to Mobius.
“I need to speak with you in my office, Mobius,” she says. “Immediately.”