Chapter Text
They shouldn’t be doing this. He shouldn’t be doing this. He was breaking every rule in the book and then some.
If Ravonna ever found out she’d prune him, then she’d find out a way to bring him back, just so she could prune him again. If anyone could figure out how to do that, it would be her.
He couldn’t help it, though. Not when Loki had him pressed up against the wall of some unmarked supply closet, lips grazing his jawline, hot breath against his skin.
Loki was so gentle with him. And while it wasn’t unlike him per se, it wasn’t his usual behaviour either. The god of mischief had a reputation that preceded him, especially when it came to hook-ups.
The way that Loki treated him was different from how he'd treated others he was intimate with. He was slow with Mobius; each kiss was soft and deliberate as if he were committing each part of Mobius to his memory.
Loki seemed to melt when they were alone together, his tough exterior softening, begging for Mobius to be close to him.
He loved it when Mobius held him; whether it be his hips, shoulders, or arms, it didn’t matter. Loki craved his touch, and Mobius was more than willing to give him that.
This led Mobius to think, somewhat presumptuously and self-indulgently, that maybe, just maybe, Loki might have some kind of feelings for him. Feelings that at least made Mobius more important to him than just being someone he could kiss when he was bored.
He’d been collecting evidence for and against the possibility of Loki having romantic feelings for him. It was his own foolish secret mission—something that he thought about way too much when he was able to get time for himself.
A green, leather-bound notebook sat in the drawer of his bedside table, hidden under a vast collection of colourful, patterned socks that were definitely not up to TVA dress code.
He wasn’t sure why he hid it; no one would ever find it. It’s not like he had any guests in his bedroom, either. And during the few times that Loki visited his apartment, he was on his best behaviour. In fact, he almost seemed a bit shy and awkward, which was yet again unlike him.
Outside the quiet of his apartment walls, however, he tested Mobius’ patience daily. He always pushed the limits of Mobius’ very obvious fondness for him and often got into places he absolutely shouldn’t be, such as the closet they were in now.
The first time that they kissed, Loki had taken him by his elbow and guided him away from his desk under the guise of wanting to show him something that pertained to the case they were working on.
They’d weaved their way down busy hallways full of unsuspecting TVA workers, through multiple doors, down some stairs and... did they get in an elevator? Mobius wasn’t sure. He didn’t know where they were heading, but he knew the god of mischief was up to something, and he was intrigued.
He followed Loki silently, listening to him talk about whatever simple task had annoyed him that day, anticipation growing in his chest.
They reached their destination just as Loki finished his third rant. Something about how, considering the one token rule that applied to the canteen, the size of the juice boxes was inexcusable.
The door in front of them was inconspicuous. It blended into the teak wood panelling of the wall. There was a rectangle of discoloured wood in the middle of the door where a sign used to be.
Loki had opened the door, pulled Mobius inside and pushed him up against it. His eyes searched Mobius’ for any unease before kissing him deeply. Mobius had reciprocated it eagerly.
Ever since then, the closet became their go-to meeting spot. It was strange; Mobius had never even noticed the door before. It blended in so well that it seemed like something that Loki had conjured with his magic. But it was so obvious to him now. He’d never be able to forget what had gone on behind that unnoticeable door.
Now, Loki hummed against his ear. He pressed a gentle kiss behind his ear and ran a hand through his hair, stroking at the short silver strands.
He shivered as Loki grazed his fingernails across his scalp, carefully taking a handful of his hair in his hand and pulling it slightly to insinuate that he wanted Mobius to tip his head to the side.
He obliged and tilted his head, allowing Loki further access to his neck.
“Thank you,” Loki whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek.
The moment was so affectionate that it made his heart pound. He yet again became consumed by the possibility of Loki reciprocating his feelings.
He imagined being able to hold Loki’s hand as they walked the hallways of the TVA; being able to run his foot up Loki’s ankle as they tangled their legs in the cafeteria; and being able to hold him close as they slept.
It was overwhelming to be the subject of a god's desire. And it was even more overwhelming to be the subject of a god's desire when you’re harbouring romantic feelings for them. Especially if it’s to the point that it hurts his heart to look at him, unable to discern how long they would be able to do this before they’re either caught or, worse, Loki leaves.
His heart sank as he realised how silly his thoughts were. Even if there was a small chance that Loki felt the same way, he would never stick around. Not when all he’d been trying to do since they met was leave.
As if trying to bring him back into the present again, Loki nipped at his jaw hard. His head was upright again, and his eyes flicked to Loki’s for just a second. There was a question in Loki’s eyes, one that, if he looked any longer, might come spilling out. So, he tipped his head back, hitting it against the wall behind him, baring the kiss-stained skin on his neck for Loki’s pleasure.
He could see Loki smile from the corner of his eye, and he slowly lowered his lips to Mobius’ neck again, pressing heart-flutteringly small kisses to his skin before settling close to his collarbone. He kissed harder, and Mobius knew it was going to leave a mark, but he didn’t care. He wanted to be reminded of this moment every time he saw himself in the mirror. He would hold on to it for as long as he could, just in case it was the last time.
He reached out to grip his hands on Loki’s waist, moaning at the pressure that was building against his neck. He wanted so much more from Loki, but he didn’t know how to tell him that.
Aside from the fact that Loki seemed quite happy to give Mobius all of his attention and receive nothing in return, they never took their meet ups further than kissing.
It was one of the main reasons that Mobius believed that there might be something more to Loki’s feelings. He had written this point down in his little green notebook, highlighted it in orange, and underlined it, noting underneath: “Test this theory out – try going further.”
He could feel his composure slipping as Loki licked against his skin. The attention he gave him was all-consuming, and he only just realised that Loki was holding on to his waist.
It was becoming all too much. So, in an act of bravery, he gripped Loki’s hips hard and pulled his body close to his.
Loki gasped and pulled away from Mobius’ neck to look him dead in the eyes.
Mobius let out a breath he’d been holding. It was now or never.
“I want you, Loki,” he said simply.
Loki’s eyes widened and then softened. “You have me, Mobius.” He leant back down towards his neck, but Mobius stopped him with his hand.
“Wait, hang on. I do?” He asked, genuinely surprised.
Loki stepped back from Mobius completely, confusion evident on his face. Mobius thought he saw a flash of hurt in his eyes, too. But he hid it quickly, replacing it with a curious look.
Mobius wanted to step forward and hold him, but he was rooted to the spot, his breath caught in his throat.
“What do you think we’ve been doing all this time, Mobius?”
“Uh, well, I thought that maybe you were bored?” He laughed awkwardly, shifting his eyes away from Loki’s.
Good job, Mobius, he thought as he looked at Loki’s perplexed face. Outstanding work at testing your theory. He was just about to apologise when Loki put his hands on his knees and shook with laughter. He had no idea what to do in this situation, so he stood there tongue-tied.
“Well,” Loki said after calming down a bit. “I suppose communication has never been my strong point.”
That broke Mobius out of his daze. “You think?!” He exclaimed. “God, Loki, you could’ve said something!”
Loki put his hands on his hips and asked, “Why else do you think that I’ve been stealing you away so often?”
Mobius mirrored his stance and tipped his head to the side, exasperated. “Like I said: boredom.”
"Well, that definitely plays a part in it.” He smirked, stepping closer to Mobius again. “The work here is mind-numbing at best.”
He returned his hands to Mobius’ hips, pressing him flush against the wall.
“So, this is real, then?” The words spilt out of Mobius’ mouth before he could stop them. “You like me?”
“Yes, you’re the most interesting person here, Mobius.” He responded truthfully, then, “I’m sorry that shoving you up against a wall and kissing you wasn’t obvious enough.”
Mobius rolled his eyes fondly, “Have you met yourself?”
“I have, actually. Yes.”
“Ok smart-ass,” He pushed himself away from the wall, kissing Loki softly on the lips. He took Loki’s hand in his and turned him towards the door and paused before asking, “You wanna come back to mine?”
Loki’s eyes crinkled as he smiled, and butterflies returned to his chest at the sight.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
On the way back to his apartment, Mobius thought again about his green notebook. He made a mental note to destroy it as soon as possible. Things were about to change drastically, and he could not let Loki find it.