#lokius fanfic

[aritks]

I bet he was crying inside of happiness.

[ibenology]

one thing I will say about the ending of Loki is that they truly made it super easy for fanfiction writers to go “Loki takes a day off, finds Mobius and they spend their time on this particular timeline.”

they really made every single AU canon in 20 minutes

[lokiusly]

OG s2e5: Loki observes timeline Mobius from afar, unsure of how to proceed. They make eye contact. Mobius walks to Loki & kisses their cheek. “Hey honey, what’s up? Where are the kids?” Loki’s cheeks redden for the first time in eons— mouth agape.

[virgil-upinthestars]

like a little prayer - chapter one

Pairing: Loki x Mobius, Deadpool x Wolverine

Words: 2,585

Summary: Mobius and Sylvie pull some strings to contact some of the only people who might be able to get to Loki, proposing a plan that could help them all.

Chapter Warnings: Strong language, somewhat insincere threats of violence, light shenanigans, angst, pining, gay bickering

header/ch 1

---

Into the sparkly sling ring portal, out onto a squeaky black marble floor. Wade’s forehead collided with it, which was less than courteous, and he made a mental note to ask Cassandra what the fuck if they ever met again, but he dearly hoped that would never happen. 

“Ugh, rude!” he groaned, getting his knees under him and grabbing Logan’s quite muscular arm to pull himself up. Logan promptly shoved him into what felt like a desk. 

“Hello,” said a dry, faintly raspy voice. “If you two could sit down and not knock over your drinks, that would be nice.”

Wade grabbed a chair, steadying himself and squinting at a frankly dumpy-looking middle-aged man in a brown suit. “’Scuse me?”

“We’re back,” Logan muttered, his eyes darting around the ceiling beyond the cubicle, and yep, that orange lighting was unmistakable. “She sent us back here. Why’d she do that?”

“Well, I’d assume it’s because you can go anywhere from here, but I’d like to hope it was because I asked nicely,” the man mused, sitting on the other side of the desk and pushing two paper coffee cups towards them. As per usual whenever someone else bought him coffee, Wade popped the top off to check the contents. Once he saw the whipped cream and sprinkles, he gave the drink an approving nod and lifted his mask to down half the contents.

Logan didn't touch his, as he apparently found much more joy in glaring at the man who had so graciously offered them caffeine after a fight. “Nicely?”

“Mm, yes,” The man took a sip of his own coffee, those eyes flicking between the two of them. “The TVA’s had a deal with Cassandra Nova, ever since a few of our operatives ended up in the Void. I’d be the first to admit that a large majority of the Void’s inhabitants probably don't deserve to be there, but unfortunately, that doesn't apply to everyone.” 

“Yeah, Nicepool definitely deserves to be down there," Wade snorted, wiping whipped cream off his face. "Not Mary Puppins, though, can we go get her?”

The man opened one of the orange files on his desk, and turned it around so they could see its contents. “Pyro. Decent kid, but he's taken a deal with your department head, Paradox, to kill Nova. Which I imagine went over fantastically.”

“Yeah,” Wade sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Remind me what this has to do with saving my universe?” Just to be nice, totally not because he felt guilty, he jabbed a thumb towards Logan. “Or fixing his?”

“Well, I've been watching the two of you for a bit, and . . . .” The man folded his fingers on the table. “I think you can help me.”

Immediately, Logan’s eye twitched. “Why should we?”

A smile just flickered on the other man’s face, and he looked up from Pyro’s file. Something about those eyes gave Wade pause, even though they were set in the face of what looked like a middle-aged dad. 

“Okay,” Wade sighed, and he decided that this guy looked like his name would probably be Phil. Or Kyle. Ooh, or John, or — “Owen. We’re on a bit of a mission right now, and unless you’re willing to help me save my universe from that Tom Wambsgans-looking guy — don’t get me wrong, I loved Succession, it was like watching a house full of sex offenders burn down, but —”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” the man said, closing Pyro's file and brushing it to the side. There was a hard light in his eyes, one that Wade recognized: desperation. “Yes, Paradox wants to destroy your timeline, but from what I'm guessing, Nova would be perfectly happy destroying all of them.”

“You people like your guesses,” Logan grumbled.

Wade sighed. “For the last time, peanut, it was an educated wish —”

“Call me that again, and I'll shove that double-whip diabetes bomb right up your —”

“Okay,” the man said loudly, now looking very much like a middle-aged dad. Possibly also a jet ski salesman. “I’ll just cut to the chase. Also, your coffee has Irish whiskey in it, so please do me a favor and drink it.”

��Really?” Logan muttered, lifting the drink. He took a hesitant sip, but it soon turned into chugging the whole drink in one go.

“Thank you,” the man sighed, then cleared his throat. “You two have been dealing with middle management this whole time.” His eyes flickered with a new sort of light, something like hope. “How would you like to go all the way to the top?”

---

Mobius M. Mobius had been having a very rough few months. First, he finally manages to catch a Loki, then fucks up by getting attached to him, then gets betrayed by him, which, honestly, what was he expecting — only for that Loki to come back, wide eyed and pleading with him. Then Sylvie went and committed some good old-fashioned murder, and the multiverse started falling apart, tearing Loki into pieces across space and time as he desperately tries to help, and eventually decides that the best way to solve it was apparently to go fuck himself off into oblivion without discussing it with any of them.  

Mobius could’ve killed him.

He also would've given anything to see him again.

He also didn't know whether Loki would feel the same, ‘I did it for you’ or not.

He also was about two inches away from ripping his own ears off so he didn't have to hear these two assholes keep going at each other in some kind of weird, extremely violent, seventy-two hour long foreplay. 

“So, it's a tree,” said Wade Wilson, holding his empty coffee cup like a drag queen as Mobius led them down the hall. Logan was trailing behind, silent for now, but still looking like he was debating whether to slam Wade against or through the nearest wall. “You fancy-pants time CIA bastards take orders from a tree?”

Mobius took a long breath. He could almost hear Loki snapping back that we used to take orders from three lizards who turned out to be robots, how’s the tree sound now?

It was making his heart ache.

“We don't take orders from the tree,” Mobius said, forcing himself to maintain an easy tone. “We protect it. It contains all timelines, all possibilities, branching out into infinity. We can't control it, it can't control us, we can only protect h—it. And if the tree were threatened, the fabric of space-time would start to unravel.”

“Oh, so that’s why you're open to stopping Tom Wambsgans from destroying my universe!” Wade laughed. “Finally, there's a threat big enough to the precious tree for you to acknowledge the fact that my whole life —”

“I didn't know about your timeline, okay?” Mobius sighed, shoving open a door marked NO ENTRY. He led them down a curving stairwell, to where Sylvie had agreed to meet him. “No one knew, until five minutes ago, when unsanctioned time-ripper activity was detected in your universe. B-15’s running through the normal channels to shut it down, but until then, I'm trying to arrange something that will help both of us.”

“Oh, both?” Wade said, tossing his empty cup into the abyss. He promptly sat on the railing and began to slide down it. “Do tell.”

“Yes,” Mobius said, gritting his teeth. The line between his thoughts and his words were quickly becoming blurred. “I get you to the guy at the top, you get him to sustain your world while we deal with Paradox, and then you get him to come the fuck out of his little self-imposed isolation hermit hole.”

Precious silence hung for a few seconds, only to be punctuated by a soft “ooh”.

“So,” Wade slid to Mobius’s side, somehow balancing like a goddamn French girl on the railing. “This guy at the top, huh? You two have a history?”

Mobius glanced back at Logan, who just snorted and rolled his eyes. “You’re the one who gave him coffee.”

“Couple of hand brushes?” Wade was saying, his voice needling into Mobius’s ear. “Lingering hugs? Old married couple banter? Maybe even a soft, gentle, unforgettable night on an office couch —”

“Like you two didn’t basically hate-fuck in that Odyssey!” Mobius snapped, making the white eyes of Wade’s mask go wide.

“Pervert,” he said at last. “That was a very private moment.”

“I will throw you down this stairwell,” Logan hissed, an honest-to-God vein popping out on his forehead. “Say another word, I fucking dare you — ”

“Fergalicious,”

Logan swung a fist towards Wade. Mobius barely had time to think the claws aren’t out, that’s an improvement before the Wolverine’s blow was stopped by a swirl of green light.

“Oh, my!” called a familiar voice. Mobius leaned over and caught sight of Sylvie on the landing below, her eyes fragile with a hopeless sort of amusement, like a man set for execution laughing because he had sixty-nine days to live. “This is them?”

“I’m afraid so,” Mobius called back, unable to hide the relief in his voice that he was now one step closer to getting these repressed disasters out of his sight. “Do you have it?”

“Of course I do,” she snorted, flicking He Who Remains’ TemPad out of her jacket pocket as she climbed the stairs towards them. “I held my end of the bargain. The real question is if they’ll hold theirs.” Her lips twitched slightly as Logan yelled for her to get your fucking magic off me, and directed his arm back to his side before releasing control. Her eyes flickered as she met Mobius’s gaze. “You really think this will work?”

“I hope so,” Mobius replied, forcing a smile to compensate for the slight shake in his voice. “I really hope so.”

“Right,” Sylvie muttered, turning the TemPad over in her hands as she surveyed the two men. “Wade Wilson and Logan Howlett. Gifted with extraordinary healing powers.”

Wade slid off the railing. “Among other things,”

“Good.” Sylvie’s eyes flashed. “We’ll be testing them today.”

“Hold on,” said Logan, the first time he’d really spoken without provocation. He shouldered his way past Wade to scowl at Mobius and Sylvie with equal force. “Whatever this is, I’m not doing it for free.”

“Oh, fantastic,” Mobius sighed, frantically running through a meager list of things the Wolverine might be willing to risk his life for. An overaged bottle of Jack Daniels probably wouldn’t count. Neither would another Irish coffee. Maybe —

“X-23,” Logan said, his voice brusque. “Laura. She’s in the Void. Get her out.”

Mobius blinked.

“Oh my God,” Wade whispered. “I knew the dad instinct was in there somewhere.”

“Shut up,” Logan snapped, before refocusing on them. “Get her out of there and I’ll do it.”

“Uh, sure,” Mobius glanced towards Sylvie, who gave an easy shrug. “Where, uh . . . do you want us to bring her here, or —”

“I don’t care.” Logan’s throat bobbed. “Take her to this idiot’s world if you want, just don’t take her to mine.”

“His is in danger, though —”

The man’s eyes hardened. “Well, it won’t be.”

For a moment, Wade was actually speechless. The Merc with a Mouth was staring at Logan like he’d just dropped out of the sky, white eyes of his mask wide and hands hanging listlessly in the air. 

“You got it,” Mobius said, pulling his TemPad out of his pocket. Ever since he’d come out of the Void himself, he’d tried to keep a closer eye on anyone who might be surviving down there. He hadn’t even been sure that X-23 was still alive until he’d caught word of her with these two, and now that she’d raided Nova’s place with her friends, they’d all be easy to find. “Sylvie, you wanna give them the speech?”

“Love to.” Sylvie held up the black and gold disc, shocking Wade out of his trance with a shiny thing. “This is a TemPad. With it, I’ll be sending the two of you straight to the trunk of the tree itself, where hopefully, you’ll be able to withstand the Gods-awful amount of temporal radiation long enough to get the attention of the annoying prick at the center. Sound good?”

“Ooh, temporal radiation!” Wade let out a whistle. “I’ve never experienced that one before. What does it do?”

Sylvie’s lip twitched, but there was no humor in her eyes. “Turn you into skin spaghetti.”

“Oh.”

“The levels around the tree would be very lethal to me or Mobius, but we’ve been hoping for a while that you two would be able to complete the job for us.” She twirled the disc in her fingers, and at a sharp look from Mobius, she rolled her eyes and continued. “And we’ll be sending this with you, for your way back.”

“Really?” Wade brightened, holding out a hand. “Yes, please — ”

“Not you.” Sylvie pointed at Logan. “You. You actually seem like the responsible type.”

“Oh, we are truly in catastrophic times,” Wade groaned, leaning back against the railing. “So, about this ‘annoying prick at the center’ —”

Mobius’s TemPad began to buzz. He flicked the notification away from the approximated map of the Void he’d been building, but then there was another alert, and then another, and the thing was nearly buzzing out of his hands. Over it all, highest priority, was a message from B-15.

If you don’t reappear sometime in the next thirty seconds, the whole multiverse is fucked.

Mobius’s heart shot into his throat as he scrolled through the hundreds of alerts, then dropped right down into his stomach.

“Shit,” he whispered.

“Mobius?” Tense worry spiked in Sylvie’s voice, nearly shocking him out of his haze. “Mobius, what’s happened —”

“It’s Cassandra Nova,” he choked out, fumbling up the stairs. “She’s — she’s heading for the Time-Ripper.” His heart pounded in his ears. “She’s — she’s going to —”

She’s going to kill him.

Sylvie hissed something in an old Asgardian tongue, flicking her TemPad and opening a door in front of him. “Get to the war room, I’ll make sure these idiots make it to the tree.”

“Just —” Mobius turned back to Wade and Logan, two men in bright primary-colored suits standing in a TVA stairwell, two men who were as likely to try and kill each other as they were to fuck, two men who were each certified mental disasters but as it stood, his only chance of ever seeing Loki again. 

He’d been watching them for more than a while. He’d gone looking for variants who could withstand the tree’s temporal radiation the second he’d gotten back to the TVA, since Sylvie had told him she could pinpoint the tree’s location, but he hadn’t been able to convince any to help him until now. Here were two men, just as desperate as he was, two men who were now looking back at him with that mirrored, last-ditch determination.

Because fuck it — if this didn’t work, nothing would. 

Mobius swallowed, managing to say, “Just — tell him I miss him, would you?”

If he’s even still alive when you reach him. If any of us are still alive.

Wade nodded. “You got it, Lightning McQueen.”

His lips twitched. “Mobius.”

“Oh!” The white eyes of his mask widened. “You’re Mobius! Which means the guy in the tree has to be —”

Mobius didn’t even care how Wade knew, he didn’t want to hear that name said out loud. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stand it. Instead, he turned and bolted up the stairs. 

Towards the one thing he could do.

header/ch 1

more here on ao3

[loki-is-my-kink-awakening]

Seven Sentence Sunday

Lokius. Loki and Mobius finally kiss and Loki is ecstatic.

They were kissing. Finally, they were kissing. After dancing around each other while the sacred timeline fell apart, Mobius' lips were at long last brushing against his right where they belonged.

Loki pushed Mobius back against the wall, chuckling as reports scattered onto the ground at their feet. Paper didn't matter. Nothing mattered except this.

Mobius pulled at his waist and Loki followed, pressing against him, trapping him in place. He could feel Mobius smiling, his lips curved up and they slid across his own.

Tags below the cut

Tagged by @elodiah @kcscribbler and @impulsemuppet 💕💕💕

@insert-witty-user-name-here @mirilyawrites @chaos-monkeyy

Passing onto fellow writers and artists if you wanna do Scribble Sunday

@cha-melodius @starport-seven-five @dewdropreader @lgwilt @dreamycloud

@lokimobius @thosegayoldmen @mystic-voyager @in-my-loki-feels @stillwanderingflame

@kusakichan15 @boredintjqueen @silentxsymphony @rins-love-wins @doomed-spectacles

@devilbearingtrouble @fauxvvounds @andthekitchensinkao3 @loki-tree-of-life @sparrow-the-tired-lesbian

@starrose17 @blackbirdofasgard @illiasha @primewritessmut @ceeceetv

@voulezvulcan @lettingtimepass @typewriterwolf @fibvlaa @lumintsu

@raynecreates @wolfpup026 @asoeiki @natendo-art @josketches

[sevenate-9]

Centuries Later: a Lokius finale one-shot

"Loki, what the shit are you doing?"

"I'm," he starts and stops. Sighs. 

Over the last few hundred years he's learned a lot. Besides what he’d set out to learn he’s inadvertently memorized his friends' responses to anything he says. 

Even if he says the same thing ten times in a row, any vocal or facial tic changed has a butterfly effect, and he's come to know literally all of them. 

It’s made reality go a bit wonky, made it a bit like a jetksi simulator game, at least from what he’s heard. His friends aren’t looking at him, they’re looking through him, and he’s begun to dissapear for it. 

In his efforts to save the universe he's become painfully aware of his insignificance in it and the simple role he plays. Because his life has become just that. A role. He'll hit the lines that get them the quickest results and he’ll hit them again and again. 

He’ll improvise from time to time, make jokes with his friends, and enjoy his conversation like he’s still there. But there came a point where he couldnt think of any new jokes to tell, and that might’ve been decades ago. He doesn't remember when time got away from him. 

He still tries to break out of his dissociative state though. God, he still tries. Because sometimes Loki breaks. Like now.

“I've been doing this for a very, very long time. Reliving this moment, learning everything I can, everything I have to. I haven't been outside the TVA and if I'm honest sometimes I think I miss the sun?" His voice cracks. He's in it now, and his skin feels tight with the embarrassing open show of emotion. He positions his hands on the console to square his shoulders and get himself together when-

"Aw man, come here." He's encircled by… warm arms. Tweed clad. Mobius' shampoo is… coconut? He's hugging him. This hasn't happened in any reset. "You're just tired, Loki. Everyone needs a break from time to time, even gods, alright?"

Ridiculous, cartoonish man. His best friend. The love of his life, not a simulation. Loki hugs him back desperately, and finds peace. Over the next century or two he wastes a lot of time with Mobius. He never remembers, but always looks like he does. Every minute is worth it.

[insert-witty-user-name-here]

Lokius Fic Recs

Less than 10K words, Season Two Edition

Admittedly, I am very behind reading all the fabulous fics that came out after season 2 so I’m sure I’ve missed some gems. Nonetheless, sharing a few of my favorite post-season two Lokius fics, less than 10K words.

See my less than 10K season one Lokius fic recs here. And Lokius multi-chapter fics here.

If you’re looking for…

Angst with a hopeful ending (aka post S2 reunions or near reunions)

Come back. even as a shadow, even as a dream. by harleygirl2648- Loki and Mobius, steal what moments they can together following the events of season two and eventually find a way to make it permanent.

time will pass, darling (but my feelings, they won’t) by burnthatbridge- Another! Loki and Mobius steal what moments they can together following the events of season two and eventually find a way to make it permanent. (Okay this one is just over 15K words).

Serendipitous by emilieee- Mobius dreams of all of the moments over the centuries that he had forgotten. Meanwhile, Loki tries to find his way back to Mobius.

auld lang syne by Mirilya- Mobius experiences the first New Year's Eve that he can remember… and finds something worth celebrating.

Purpose Shared by tishae- Loki hears Mobius across the timelines and finds his way back.

Dream of me by Tears_and_smiles- (explicit) Mobius falls asleep in his motel bed and disappears into his dreams to find Loki. When he gets there, they share a night of pleasure.

with, no withouts by dinosuns- Sylvie and Mobius deal with the aftermath of Loki’s decision and begin to make a plan to get him back. (I remain delusional/hopeful that this fic will be finished. Regardless, the first chapter is spectacular on its own).

Their Burden to Bear by PerpetualDaydream- listed as Sylkius but vague to ship whoever you like. Focused on Mobius and Sylvie finding Loki and deciding to save the multiverse together.

Tell Me Some Things Last by Tears_and_smiles- Sylvie and Mobius work through the aftermath of Loki’s decision. Lots of healing vibes (and Sylvie and Mobius friendship my BELOVED).

Angst with little comfort, but beautiful:

Off The Beaten Path by ChaosAndOrder- Mobius deals with the aftermath of Loki's choice and makes one of his own. No reunions here but a gorgeous character introspective with a hopeful ending.

After They Left by ebeatrice- told from an OC POV, a TVA agent reflects on how much quieter the TVA is now after they take over Mobius’ old desk.

Centuries by TheVulcanBobDylan- (explicit) Throughout the centuries, Loki seeks comfort in the arms of different Mobius variants.

I know what I want by beandogger- (explicit) During one of his timeslips, Loki shares one more moment with Mobius before facing his fate.

Season two finale canon divergent fix its:

Let Us In by DewdropReader- How it should have ended IMO. Loki is convinced that the only way to save everyone he loves is to carry the burden of the multiverse. Sylvie and Mobius aren’t willing to allow it. What if instead of sacrificing himself, Sylvie and Mobius were able to stop Loki and were able to convince him to let them help. (I’m a big believer in The Power of Friendship endings and will always crave them.)

Kissed You Atop The Ferris Wheel by kittyhazelnut- Loki accidentally freezes time. He and Mobius share (no spoilers) a ✨moment✨. The next time Loki timeslips, things are different.

Missing Scenes, Season Two:

Portraits of your fidelity by Aliencritters- After the events of episode S2, ep1, Mobius convinces a panicking Loki to calm down and take a much needed break.

remember me (for centuries) by bookinit- Loki and Mobius throughout his timeslips.

No Time to Rest by startingatmidnight- (explicit) After the events of S2, ep1, Loki and Mobius sleep together, literally and otherwise ;). (I am obsessed with Mobius’ characterization here. Snarky, manipulative yet deeply caring Mobius, my beloved)

once more to see you by thumbbird- canon divergent S2, ep5, a Don/TVA!Loki fic! Loki has lost TVA Mobius and is determined to make a life for himself with the only Mobius left—timeline Single Dad Don. But how long will Don remain ignorant of the strange circumstance that brought them together? Obsessed with this pairing!

Fluff:

Camellia by 19960821- Settled on the timeline with Mobius, Loki thinks about how far they've come while gardening.

The Veins and The Branches by Love_is_Green- Loki reflects on his and Mobius’ journey while listening to a thunderstorm.

Lokius Fluffuary by blackbirdofasgard- okay I technically haven’t read these ones yet but I adored blackbirdofasgard’s last Fluffuary fics so including their latest here too.

And that’s it for now! My to-read list is miles long so excited to dig in more to the fabulous post S2 fics.

Happy reading!

[ilaytrapsfortroubadours]

😴sleepy hug / falling asleep together for Lokius !

(I have no idea where in the series this takes place, just don't worry about it 🥲💕)

***

Loki and Mobius unceremoniously strolled back to their quarters, nary exchanging a word or even a glance.

They approached the elevator, Mobius hitting the button and waiting by Loki's side, hearing the subtle tick, tick, tick of the elevator approaching their floor.

It wasn't until after they entered the elevator that Loki shot Mobius a glance, to which the analyst returned the glance with a tired smile.

"We did good today," Loki said, trying to get Mobius to catch his eye.

"Yeah," Mobius said, eyes fixed to the floor.

"We did all we could've done."

"I could've done better."

"Mobius—"

"Just—" Mobius turned to Loki, about to snap at him, before taking a deep breath and letting it out. "—Don't. Please. Don't try to comfort me. I—" He sighed, exasperated. "I fucked up, okay? I almost got one of our guys killed, not to mention losing the variant without a trace."

"It wasn't your fault that the expulsion method backfired," Loki said, resting a hand on Mobius's shoulder. "I mean, who the hell could've known that this variant was immune to fire?"

"I could've known. I should've known."

"Mobius—"

"I should've checked his file, this is all my fault—"

"The responsibility of vetting our targets wasn't entirely on you. We had dozens of other agents that glossed over that. It was—" Loki paused, gathering his thoughts. "...An institutional failure, alright? And besides, beforehand, we were caught up in that surprise meeting with Renslayer, so you wouldn't have had time to check, anyway."

The elevator dinged, the doors opening. Mobius exited first, Loki following close behind him as they walked back to the agent's quarters.

"It wasn't your fault, okay?" Loki said, as Mobius fumbled with the keycard to his front door.

The agent nodded, staring into the door blankly for a moment before scanning the card and leading Loki in.

"Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?" Mobius said, shrugging off his jacket.

"I just need to sleep, I think," Loki said, slipping off his shoes and tie, watching Mobius as he did so. "Are you okay?"

"I'm— I'm fine. Just need to sleep, like you said." Mobius replied, struggling to keep the tremble out of his hands as he filled a glass with water.

Loki didn't believe Mobius's answer for a second, but decided not to pry.

"I'm going to go take a shower," He said.

"Okay," Mobius replied, absentmindedly.

...

Loki emerged from the bathroom, towel drying his curls when he saw Mobius. He was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands, struggling to stifle his sobs.

Loki's heart sank. His first instinct was to rush over and comfort his friend, though he knew that the second Mobius knew Loki saw him, he would clear his throat and act like everything was fine.

Instead, he set the towel down on the floor and walked over to Mobius slowly, hoping that the agent didn't hear him, as that would immediately make Mobius panic and shut down.

Mobius only lifted his head as he felt the couch beside him dip, looking up to see Loki looking at him with a concerned expression.

Damn it.

"Loki, I—"

"Mobius. Don't lie to me. Please."

Mobius was left with his lips slightly parted, mid-dismissal. Loki stared into his eyes, his gaze sharp and determined, almost frightening. Love is a dagger.

"Tell me what's wrong. Please," Loki pleaded.

The agent sighed, resigned.

"I just...I can't shake the feeling that it's all always my fault, you know?" Mobius said, his eyes flickering back down to the floor. "I feel like no matter what I do, it's never gonna be enough, and I just— end up being a failure. Putting everyone at risk. Not accomplishing the one task I was set out to do."

He sighed, rubbing his neck anxiously.

"It makes me think I'm the problem. And I feel like I didn't used to be. I used to be good at this. I used to be sharp, and clever, with an impeccable track record. And now, I just can't stop...messing everything up."

Mobius felt his eyes well up with tears again, to his dismay.

"...I feel like all I ever do is let people down."

It was like a knife to his chest, Loki hearing that from Mobius, who was, in his eyes, the most clever man he'd ever known.

"Mobius. Look at me," Loki said, taking the agent's hands in his. "You are not letting anyone down, and you are not a failure. You're the smartest man in this entire godforsaken place. And I mean that."

Mobius smiled minutely, still struggling to keep Loki's gaze.

"I appreciate it, Lokes. I'm just..." Mobius sighed deeply, his shoulders drooping. "Tired. I'm so tired, Loki."

The agent couldn't keep the tears in his eyes from falling at that. Loki gently placed his hand on Mobius's cheek, wiping a tear away with his thumb. "I know, my dear. But we're here. We're okay. Everyone is okay."

Mobius nodded, his head falling forward in exhaustion.

"Let's get you to bed," Loki said.

...

Loki pulled the covers up over Mobius's shoulders. The god bit his lip, hesitant to leave, but he turned to do so anyway.

"Wait," Mobius murmured.

Loki's heart leapt. He turned back.

"Would you— Would you wanna stay for a bit, maybe?"

Loki smiled. "Sure."

Mobius returned his grin and sat up, patting the spot next to him.

Loki crawled in next to him, feeling uncharacteristically giddy, albeit a bit nervous as well, his heart beating a bit too quickly.

He turned to Mobius, both of them sharing a bit of laughter over the absurdity of the situation.

Loki couldn't remember the last time he'd shared a bed with someone, and was unsure if Mobius ever had.

"Sorry if I'm not the best company, I'm pretty exhausted," Mobius said.

"It's no trouble. I'm quite tired, myself," Loki replied.

"Well. Guess we best get some rest, huh?"

"Agreed."

Mobius turned and switched off the lamp beside him, laying down and positioning himself so he was facing Loki.

"You know, you've been fussing over me all night, I feel obligated to ask—" Mobius said, his tone playful, albeit sincere. "How are you? You good?"

Loki felt the urge to respond as usual, with his typical "Oh, I'm fine," but Mobius had been so honest and vulnerable with him. It was only fair that he did the same, despite his instinctual reluctance.

"I'm, well—" Loki stuttered, "I've been— in an odd place, I suppose?"

"Yeah? How so?" Mobius asked.

"Well, when you found out your tormentor was at fault for your gory and untimely death, it makes one reexamine a lot about themselves," Loki said, trying to keep his tone light and joking, failing to hold back a nervous stutter at the end of his sentence.

"I can imagine," Mobius responded, concerned. "I feel a need to apologize for— well, the whole interrogation deal."

"Oh, please, Mobius, no apology needed," Loki said, dismissive. "You were just doing your job. And I'm fine."

"Are you?" Mobius said, returning the same sharp and prodding gaze Loki had given him earlier.

"...Maybe not," Loki murmured.

"That's okay," Mobius said. "You don't have to be. We can be 'not okay' together. How's that sound?"

Loki nodded, lest the tears in his eyes escape if he uttered a word.

"Hey," Mobius whispered, taking Loki's chilled hand. "It's like you said to me. We're alright. We're safe."

Loki nodded, squeezing his eyes shut at the onslaught of memories and emotions flooding his mind.

"Do you, would it help if I—" Mobius stuttered.

Loki looked up at him, inquisitive despite his distress.

Mobius lifted his other arm minutely, indicating his offer.

Loki nodded, moving to wrap his arms around the agent, his head tucked perfectly underneath Mobius's chin. He breathed in deeply, trying to replace the images in his mind with the agent's comforting scent.

Mobius smiled as he felt a sense of love and adoration flood through him, warm and syrupy sweet like honey. He wrapped his arms securely around the god.

"Thank you," Loki muttered, exhausted.

"Thank you," Mobius replied. "We're in this together, alright?"

Loki nodded, finding one of Mobius's hands and lacing his fingers with the agent's, giving it a gentle squeeze. "We are."

Mobius returned the affirmation, squeezing Loki's hand as he let his eyes fall closed.

"Sorry if I get your pillowcase wet," Loki said, indicating his still-wet hair.

Mobius chuckled. "Small price to pay."

[silentxsymphony]

Trick or treat💕💕💕💕💕🎃 🎃

A Mobius headcanon for you!! I’ve always thought that Mobius would be a lover of romance novels once he discovered what they were. He’s such a sweet soul and so empathetic that I think a happily ever after would appeal to him 🥹 And they’re a sweet little feel good treat, just like his beloved key lime pie and Josta. Here’s a snippet from the 5 + 1 fic I wrote about Loki sharing life’s little indulgences with Mobius 💚

As a lover of stories, Loki had taken to collecting various novels during their forays across different timelines. Despite their lack of magic, mortals really could be most imaginative. He started a small library on one of the quaint shelves of Mobius’ apartment not long after he moved in. Before long, Mobius had started pocketing some novels himself. But instead of the hefty, leather-bound volumes Loki seemed to favor, Mobius often wound up with flimsy paperbacks tucked into the inner pockets of his jacket. Loki would gently tease him for his fondness for the melodramatic, romantic Earth novels he would often catch him reading in the evenings. “You and I have both visited the so-called Midgardian ‘Regency era,’ and I think we can agree that the happy endings of these amorous depictions are not realistic, particularly between two male-presenting individuals given the overall homophobic nature of the time.” Mobius’ cheeks flushed in slight embarrassment. “Yes, well,” he began, clearing his throat in an attempt to bide time as he considered what it was that drew him into these novels that he’d taken to smuggling from various Earth timelines. “I know they’re silly and not at all realistic, but I like knowing that they’ll end happily. It’s comforting.” Loki’s gaze softened at the words, and he couldn’t help but consider the distinct lack of comfort Mobius had been afforded during his indeterminable existence thinking he was nothing more than a cog in the great wheel of the TVA. “You hopeless romantic,” he whispered and ran his fingers through his lover’s hair and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to his temple. He stepped away only long enough to pull a plush blanket from the closet before curling up next to Mobius and covering them both with it. “Read the next chapter to me?” Loki murmured with a smile.

[aritks]

They live happy together and have their own lil Key Lime Plants to make homemade pie's 💚

[demonicseries]

New fic alert?!

Summary: Deadpool is kidnapped and taken to the TVA. He spends the entire time flirting with Mobius (Loki HATES it).

ao3 link

[boredintjqueen]

WIP Wednesday

Thanks for the tag @lokimobius @thosegayoldmen !

From chapter 6 of Suit & Tie:

Mobius breathed in Loki's scent, wanting so much to bury his face in the curve of his neck. He smelt of clean linen and bergamot. Stepping around to face him, Mobius passed the measuring tape around his neck. “Tighter,” said Loki. Mobius pulled the tape tighter, using it to pull Loki closer. Their lips ghosted over each other, warm exhales mingling in the scant space between them. Loki leaned away before Mobius could kiss him. Becoming impatient, Mobius hurried to measure Loki’s arms, but it turned out that Loki was just as desperate. “No, not there,” he pleaded softly. Then more loudly, he commanded, “On your knees.” Mobius’ body obeyed before his mind processed the words.

Tagging @kcscribbler @impulsemuppet @loki-is-my-kink-awakening and anyone who hasn't been tagged yet.

[dreamycloud]

💚!!

Thank you, @mirilyawrites, for the prompt! The idea came fully-formed in my head and I just ran with it haha. You can’t tell me that a Wanda variant won’t try to get to Loki one day. Anyway, True Love’s Kiss / Magic Kiss / Healed feels like it was made for Lokius. I don’t make the rules. (Also on AO3).

Yggdrasil was red. Poisonous red, infecting the branches of the multiverse. Every TemPad in the organization emitted a beeping alarm. Mobius spit out his hot cocoa, spraying the papers on his desk, and had to cover his eyes as the emergency lights flashed on the floor.

The multiverse is in danger, came Miss Minutes’ voice over the intercom. No evacuation is required at this time, but y’all please stay alert for forthcoming developments.

Heart pounding, Mobius pushed back his chair. His plans for the day had been to fill his gut with processed sugar, and [maybe] get ahead of the Kang investigation on Branch 5089, but now?

“Damnit, Loki, what did you do?” he muttered to himself, making a run for the elevator. He used his boot to hit the right floor. His TemPad went off with a message from B-15 telling him to meet her in the old Temporal Loom control room. Of course. That was where he was already heading.

When he arrived, he hadn’t expected to see anything different from the soulless expanse of space beyond the gangway. The dead end, he called it, because no amount of squinting nor O.B.’s drone probes revealed the path to the multiversal tree.

“Mobius, you’re here!” O.B. said when the doors opened to the control room. He was sweaty, sleeves rolled up, but smiling just the same. “Can’t do this without you!”

“Funny, ‘cause I’m only good for moral support these days,” Mobius grumbled, ready to berate himself for not being useful enough to help O.B. beyond handing him a fresh piece of chalk for his equations—when he realized the room was awash in red.

His breath left his lungs in a rush when he looked out the window. No longer was there just empty space. The gangway stretched outward, abruptly ending, but there was a rip in the Space Beyond Time. Through the rip he could see Yggdrasil glowing red. They could simply walk right into it without a fuss—a terrifying prospect, considering Loki himself never dared open the door to anyone, let alone his friends. This was not the god’s intention. Something was beyond wrong.

“Get me a suit,” Mobius barked, his cheeks flushed with adrenaline. He ripped off his tie, giving himself more air. “I’m going over there.”

“We don’t need suits anymore,” B-15 said, showing up in full Hunter armor, with new embellishments to mark her as the Leader of the TVA. She grimly fisted her pruning stick.

“She’s right,” O.B. said, looking up from one of the consoles. “Once we’re all here, let’s go. We don’t want to delay.”

“Who else are we expecting?” Mobius asked. He shifted his weight, eyeing the rip in case it decided to close up on them while they stood around talking.

B-15 only smiled. Grim, determined, but in control.

“We” turned out to include Casey, arriving out of breath with a pack of gadgets O.B. cooed over, probably asked for by the genius. D-90 showed up in his armor and bearing a set of handcuffs. A TimeDoor opened, smooth as silk, and Sylvie stepped through, wearing her usual houndstooth coat, knives twitching in her fingers.

“You owe me,” she mouthed at B-15, who huffed in response, and Mobius fought hard not to roll his eyes.

They gathered, eyeing each other as O.B. opened the blast doors. No temporal radiation. The air was cool. No breeze. A whole lot of nothing if you didn’t count the glowing red tree beyond the rip. The sound of their hurried steps across the gangway rang in Mobius’ ears. There was no gap between the end of the gangway and the stony, gold-fissured ground at the End of Time.

Sylvie went first, stepping over the glowing rip and planting her right foot on the stone. “Safe,” she said, stepping all the way in. They followed.

Mobius was sure Yggdrasil was a glorious sight when it was healthy. But red was never a favorite color of his, and it made his eyes water as he looked up and saw the branches twisting and stretching over his head. Whatever infected the branches hadn’t put Time at a standstill, but it was still wrong. “Loki’s lost control,” he said, offering Casey a hand as he crossed over.

“Seems like it. Loki’s magic is green,” O.B. said.

Mobius gasped. Right. Right. “That’s it, O.B.! This is someone else’s magic. And I know exactly who.”

Sylvie turned in a slow circle. “Share with the class?”

“The Scarlet Witch. Wanda Maximoff. She’s the only magic user I can think of who could go toe-to-toe with Loki. She’s bent reality to her will before. She’d do something like this to get what she wants.”

“What does she want?” B-15 asked.

“What else?” Mobius muttered. “Her boys.”

They made quick work heading for the center of the tree where the branches thickened and gathered together like a trunk. And just as Mobius suspected, they found the Scarlet Witch treating the branches like pull n’ peel Twizzlers, checking each one for the variables she wanted.

“Stop,” B-15 shouted, twisting the pruning stick on. “Put down the branches!”

The Scarlet Witch did no such thing. Her eyes were luminous, half-crazed with want, her mouth twitching like a tick. “Why won’t you leave me alone? I only want my family back. It’s just such a little thing. Who are you to come between a mother and her children?”

Mobius shoved his way to the front of their group. “Where’s Loki? What have you done with him?”

The witch released a toneless laugh. “He wouldn’t give them to me, so I pulled him off the chessboard.” She flicked her hand and the branches in the trunk parted.

Loki, God of Stories, sat on a throne in the center of the trunk. His arms were spread, fingers curled on nothing, because the branches he must have been holding prior to his confrontation with her had twisted around his wrists and forearms, binding him rather than the other way around. His horned crown hung crooked on his head. His skin, dyed red from the lights, looked sickly. His chest rose and fell, but he looked like he was sleeping. Not a peaceful sleep. His cheeks were hollow, his body slumped like melting wax on the throne.

“He is powerful, and he is clever,” The Scarlet Witch said with a curious little smirk, “but everyone has a weakness. I saw a pain like mine in him. He’ll never unbind himself from my spell.”

Mobius felt a fury like never before boil under his skin. “What. Did. You. Do?”

“It’s cute,” she said, peeling away another rejected branch. “He’s alone at the End of Time. No friends. No family. No one who would choose him first. Call me cliche, but I put him to sleep forever. Only true love’s kiss will wake him.”

“Fiction,” O.B. whispered, lowering the gadget Casey had handed him.

Mobius shuddered. This wasn’t science. This was magic, and the laws that the witch used to bind Loki had to be obeyed to free him. But how impossible was that? Did Loki have a true love, or was he as alone as he always thought? Mobius felt sick, seconds away from bending over to vomit his hot cocoa.

“We don’t have time to play your games, witch,” Sylvie said, putting her knives away only to summon green flares of magic at the tips of her fingers. “Back away from the tree. Slowly.”

The Scarlet Witch’s eyes glowed red. Her smile turned into a snarl.

Fear crawled up Mobius’ throat. All his research, those mindless hours spent in the Archive, came back to him in a flash. He remembered what she was capable of. He watched the footage of another variant of the Scarlet Witch mow down the Illuminati. He couldn’t handle seeing his friends die the same way. He wouldn’t let it happen.

“Wait,” Mobius said, stepping in front of Sylvie, his hand out, pleading. Reasoning. “Wanda, listen to me. We work for the TVA. The Time Variance Authority. We study time. We protect it. O.B. can run an analysis of the branches faster than you can search them. We can find a branch for you.”

Her eyes still glowing, fingers claws, she yelled, “The hell you can!”

“You’re looking for a branch with two orphaned boys, twin boys. Billy and Tommy. They need their mother. We can unite them with you,” Mobius said, breathing hard, hands shaking, though his voice was soft and calm as ever.

Something about Mobius knowing their names broke the Scarlet Witch. A cry burst from his lips. The red glow in her eyes gave way to tears.

“I understand you,” Mobius said, slowly approaching her, his eyes never leaving her face. “My boys were taken from me too. Sean and Kevin. Good boys, mischievous scamps. I’ll never see them again. Can’t even recall what it was like to be their dad. But you, you’re different. You could never forget. I want you to have them back. Can you trust me? Trust us? We’re not your enemies.”

Wanda took loud, gasping breaths. She collapsed to her knees. She looked up at him with her tear-streaked face. “Who are you?”

“Loki’s friends,” Mobius said with a soft laugh. “His family.”

Mobius wasn’t sure how much time passed, and how long it took for D-90 and B-15 to cuff Wanda and pull her to her feet. Mobius just remembered resting his hand on the small of Wanda’s back, whispering comforting words, sharing her pain, borrowing it to properly mourn the loss of his own boys in the moment.

“We’ll take her back, put in her in holding cell until we find her a new branch,” B-15 said, her grip firm on one of Wanda’s arms.

“You’ll see them real soon,” O.B. promised, bending down so he could look in Wanda’s eyes.

Wanda went quiet, pliant, as B-15 and D-90 walked her back through the rip and to the TVA.

“Tree’s still red,” O.B. said, standing next to Casey.

Sylvie scrunched her nose. “Loki hasn’t woken up either.”

He wouldn’t. Not with that damn magic kiss hanging over their heads. Mobius felt something hard and splintery grind together in his chest. “Looks like Sylvie’s up now,” he said flatly.

Sylvie startled. “Me? Why me?”

“You’re his girlfriend,” he said, stabbing himself with his own words, even as he flung them at Sylvie. This wasn’t something either of them had discussed, mainly because Sylvie kept to her chosen branch and wasn’t all that talkative when she got dragged into TVA emergencies. But he remembered how she and Loki’s hands linked in the fight against Dox, how easily they read each other with just a look across a room. There had even been a kiss at the End of Time, which thinking about always made Mobius’ gut squirmy. But this wasn’t about him. Waking Loki up was the goal, his own heart be damned.

“Eww!” Sylvie’s face screwed up like she’d sucked on a lemon and she dry-heaved. “I’m not his anything. Let’s be clear on that. I made the mistake once of kissing him and it won’t happen again.”

“Do you want him to stay sleeping forever?” Mobius yelled, losing his cool.

“Do you?” O.B. said, gently, breaking the tension.

Mobius narrowed his eyes, confused.

“It’s your turn, Mobius,” O.B. said. He made it sound like a fact.

Casey smiled behind his hand. Sylvie crossed her arms, waiting for Mobius to catch up.

Mobius stepped backwards. Threw up his hands. “I’m not… I can’t be.”

“Who else, if not you?” Sylvie said, impatient.

Who else? Mobius looked at his friends and found no escape. They all expected him to kiss Loki. A vicious ache he’d buried long ago came crawling to the surface. Kissing Loki. The big dream, the delusion he never acted on before. Even now, rescuing Loki with a kiss seemed like a role written for someone else. But he had to try. How he wanted to try.

With a sharp nod, Mobius turned on his heel and made his way up the jagged steps leading to the throne. His heartbeat drowned out his thoughts. He licked his lips nervously. It was second nature to cup Loki’s jaw with shaking fingers. The god’s skin was hot—not a good sign—and his breath stirred Mobius’ mustache as he leaned close.

Loki was hollow-cheeked, hot as a fever, limp as if someone had cut the strings above his head.

“Please,” Mobius whispered, squeezing his eyes shut in a prayer, and pressed his lips to Loki’s. The kiss was brief, polite. He drew back, only to find a pair of green eyes looking back at him.

Loki drank him in greedily. His voice cracked with disuse. “Mobius?”

“Hi,” Mobius said with a small, kinda insane laugh. He pressed his forehead against Loki’s.

“Hello,” the god said back.

Mobius shivered when Loki gripped his shoulders, fingers spreading and stroking him through the fabric of his jacket. But he was savoring Loki too, rubbing his thumb along the underside of the god’s jaw, brushing his ink-dark curls away from his sweaty face. “You were under a spell,” he said, forcing himself to explain, just in case—

“Ah, yes. True love’s kiss,” Loki said with tired amusement. “The witch told me all about it before she cast. Something about movies and fairy tales. I couldn’t follow. Midgardians.”

“You don’t look surprised,” Mobius swallowed, suddenly nervous, “that it was me.”

Loki dragged his hungry eyes over Mobius’ face. “It could only be you, love.”

Mobius whimpered. Love. He called him “love.”

One hand slipped through his silver hair and curled there, bringing their mouths closer. “You were kissing me,” Loki said, a gentle reminder.

The tree was still red. The god’s skin, feverish as a soup pot boiling. Mobius rested one knee on the edge of the throne for leverage and pulled their mouths together. The kiss was so sweet it gave Mobius a toothache.

But just as fast, it turned ravenous, pulling at each others’ hair and clothes, tongues searing as they met inside the god’s mouth. Loki’s skin slowly cooled under Mobius’ hands. The hollows filled. He came beautifully to life under him. Loki sobbed into his mouth, grabbed him harder. Mobius wasn’t about to let go.

Behind his eyelids, Mobius saw the red melt away to green.

[loki-is-my-kink-awakening]

WIP Wednesday

Lokius. Avengers Loki gets together with Don in his garage. Mildly suggestive.

There was a flash and green and then the machinery whirred closing the garage door. It shut with a clink, then left them in mostly darkness except from a line of sunlight on the ground. With another flash, the light above them came on and that smile on Loki’s lips returned. Don put his beer down and hauled himself up onto the front of the jetski, spreading his legs. Almost immediately, Loki stepped into the space, free hand running up one of his legs, squeezing. The cold metal of the specter pressed against his other thigh. “So?” he said, watching those green eyes darken. “You are delightful." “That’s been said before.” Loki’s eyes flickered. If Don had any reason to think so, he’d say it was jealousy. Whatever it was, he didn’t have much time to think about it because Loki’s hand slipped up his body, sinking into his hair and pulling tight. He made a small gasp, and then Loki’s lips were on his, claiming him in a bruising kiss.

Tags below the cut

Tagged by the ever lovely @elodiah @kcscribbler @lokimobius @thosegayoldmen @impulsemuppet 💕💕💕💕💕

Passing the tag onto @natendo-art @wolfpup026 @cha-melodius @starport-seven-five @dewdropreader

@lgwilt @dreamycloud @insert-witty-user-name-here @mirilyawrites @mystic-voyager

@in-my-loki-feels @kusakichan15 @boredintjqueen @silentxsymphony @rin-love-is-green

@devilbearingtrouble @starrose17 @blackbirdofasgard @scifikimmi

[andthekitchensinkao3]

Okay, so. On the official soundtrack for the Loki TV series there's a track called "Lokius", and it's the most hauntingly gorgeous, hopeful yet despairing track I think I've ever heard.

Add to that the fact Loki tried to fix the Temporal Loom for literal centuries.

That's a long time to love someone. That's a long time spent desperate to save one's found family.

[tallseaweed]

Temporal Meltdown CXXXIV

A prequel to Relinquish Your Burden

Summary: It all becomes too much for Loki during his 134th attempt at fixing the Loom. Mobius takes notice.

Pairing: Loki x Mobius

Warnings: angst, description of a panic attack, bittersweet fluff, bittersweet ending

Word Count: 1.6k

Temporal Meltdown CXXXIV - tallseaweed - Loki (TV 2021) [Archive of Our Own]

gif by @zehiiro

"TVA Code 1127. All personnel report to your nearest time door evacuation point."

"Total Loom failure imminent."

Loki could hear the announcements echoing down the R&A corridor. It was making it nearly impossible to focus on what O.B. was saying. The incessant reminder of the impossibly high stakes was making him feel like he was suffocating inside the Gizmo he'd used on X-5.

Seemingly unaware of Loki's rising distress, O.B. continued to prattle on emphatically. "So you see, the proton-to-electron mass ratio…" What were they even talking about? Loki stole a quick glance at the mobile chalkboard. Casey's tidy scrawl had spelled the words 'Dimensionless Physical Constants' across the top. His jaw tightened. This was the fifth time he'd asked O.B. to teach him this particular lesson, and he still couldn't seem to fully grasp it. He was about ready to rip his own hair out from frustration.

Loki glanced toward the gaudy orange chairs along the wall, his eyes immediately locking onto familiar pale blue ones. Mobius sat there watching him, one hand wrapped around a cup of hot cocoa. The sugary drink was much to the delight and distraction of Victor Timely, who had a seemingly endless line of questioning about it. Mobius didn’t seem to even notice.

He was often like this, after reading the letter.

After his 15th attempt at fixing the Loom, Loki had decided to shift his approach. Repeating the same 6 hours and continually explaining his actions to everyone had become extremely tedious and a waste of his time. To fill in their knowledge gaps, he'd begun carrying a letter with him. At the top was a tally of how many times he had gone back. Underneath was an explanation of his time slipping, the Loom's imminent failure, and his individual instructions for each of them.

This routine worked quite well for most of them. All except Mobius.

The agent always seemed more concerned about Loki's well-being than the Temporal Meltdown. He'd ask when Loki last slept, when the last time he'd eaten was, and if he needed a minute to 'take a breather.' Keeping himself composed under Mobius's barrage of questions was a feat in itself. Each time Mobius showed concern over him, he felt one step closer to collapsing into sobs. He couldn't afford to take care of himself these days—outside of the occasional 4 hours of sleep to keep his mind sharp. The fate of the multiverse rested on his shoulders. So why did Mobius seem concerned about him?

"Loki? Are you still listening?" O.B.'s voice floated toward his consciousness.

Loki snapped back from his introspection, painfully aware of the continued weight of Mobius's gaze.

"Total Loom failure imminent."

It felt like the announcement was mocking him. His breathing came in shallow.

"I apologize," Loki muttered shaking his head, "I think I need to step out for a moment. I—I'll be back shortly"

He staggered toward the door and into the cramped hallway. The flashing alarms and flickering lights had all become so horribly familiar. He'd spent a little over a month reliving the same 6 hours before the Temporal Meltdown. Is this how Sylvie had felt? Reliving the same apocalypses over and over again? Suddenly, he couldn't find it in himself to blame her reluctance to be here. He raced up the black spiral staircase and into the corridors above.

"TVA Code 1127. All personnel report to your nearest time door evacuation point."

"Total Loom failure imminent."

He vaguely realized his hands were trembling. He felt lightheaded, his heart hammering so fast he couldn't breathe. He was trapped, trapped, trapped—

He collapsed against a wall, vaguely realizing that he'd somehow made it into the open-air hallway that overlooked the entirety of the TVA.

"Total Loom failure imminent."

He pulled his knees into his chest, and everything but his gasping breaths faded into the background.

~

Distantly, Loki realized someone's hand was resting on his shoulder. Mobius's familiar voice sounded as if it were coming from deep underwater.

"Deep breaths, Loki. Deep breaths."

He gasped painfully.

"Hey, hey, you're okay sweetheart. Can you look at me?"

Loki took another shuddering gasp, but managed to lift his head.

"There he is," Mobius smiled. "Let's take some deep breaths together, okay?"

Loki nodded feebly and tried to slow his breathing. Had it been anyone but Mobius, he would have chafed under the infantilizing words.

"That's it, you're doing really good," Mobius encouraged. A fresh wave of tears spilled down his cheeks. He was failing, everyone was going to die…

"Hey, hey," Mobius said gently, peeling a strand of Loki's tear-soaked hair from the side of his face. "It's gonna be okay, Loki. It's gonna be okay."

Loki practically melted into Mobius's hand on his shoulder, and Mobius seemed to take notice. He shifted to sit on the wall next to Loki and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I'm just gonna hold you for a bit, is that alright?"

Loki nodded wordlessly, slumping into Mobius's embrace. Face buried against Mobius's neck, his breathing eventually began returning to normal. The comforting scent of Mobius's cologne surrounded him, soothing his panic. It made him feel safer than he had in centuries.

Loki pulled back slowly to look Mobius in the eye, close enough to feel the agent's warm, cocoa-scented breath fanning across his cheeks. "You astounding creature," Loki whispered reverently. "What did I ever do to deserve your kindness?"

Mobius blushed, and Loki's heart rate kicked up for entirely new reasons. Mobius pushed a stray curl behind Loki's ear and smiled earnestly. "Nothing, Loki. You've always been worthy of kindness."

Loki felt another tear slide down his face, and Mobius gently wiped it away. His breath caught. How hadn't he realized it before? Every time Mobius touched him felt electric. He clung to the agent's every word like a lifeline. This man had done the impossible, had seen every inch of who Loki was, and embraced it all without question. How had it taken him so long to realize what had been in front of him this entire time? 

Under different circumstances, Loki might have pulled Mobius close and kissed him with all the tenderness he deserved. But the thought of Mobius not remembering any of this had Loki pulling away. Mobius seemed to read something of this in Loki's eyes because suddenly he was taking Loki’s hand. He brought it gently to his lips before letting their hands fall between them. Loki's chest heaved with emotion. He forced himself to look away.

The two of them leaned back against the wall in silence, the flickering lights casting strange shadows across their faces.

"One day, I'll show you," Loki murmured, his eyes fixed on the distant flashes of red.

"Show me what?"

Loki swallowed against the lump in his throat, turning to face the man beside him. "Just how much you mean to me," he said thickly, hoping the gravity of the words shone through his eyes as they held on to Mobius's. Before he could help it, they drifted down toward his lips, but Loki didn't let himself linger.

"Loki," whispered Mobius, his eyes lined with silver. He reached out for Loki's other hand and squeezed them both tightly. "You mean everything to me."

Loki took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Fresh tears escaped their corners as his shoulders began shaking with restrained sobs.

"Mobius, I—" His voice broke. "I can't do it anymore, no matter how many times I go back, it's never enough—"

Mobius pulled him into a seated hug and began stroking his hair. "No one would blame you for stopping, Loki. I still can't believe you've been through all this 134 times."

"It's nothing, I've gotten nowhere near fixing the Loom—"

"Shhh, hey, hey. Let's just take this moment to relax, okay? I believe in you. We all do. But you won't be able to solve this unless you rest. You've gotta take care of yourself, Loki."

Loki's fingers dug into Mobius's suit jacket. They sat in silence for a few moments, finding solace in each other's arms. Letting out a shaky breath, Loki whispered, "I don't want to lose you again."

Mobius took a long, steadying breath, his grip on Loki tightening ever so slightly.

"I'll always be here for you. No matter what. I promise." His tone left no room for uncertainty.

Loki's heart constricted, and he slowly raised his head. This close, he could see every fleck of blue in Mobius's eyes. Loki gently cupped his cheek, allowing himself to relish in the sensation, committing the gentle rasp of the stubble against his palm to memory. The announcements had stopped. The Loom wouldn't hold out for much longer.

"It'll be any moment now," Loki whispered defeatedly. At Mobius's panicked gaze, his eyes softened. "Thank you, Mobius. For everything." Mobius ducked his head, a lone tear slipping past his eyelashes as he leaned forward to adjust Loki's tie.

"You're the bravest, most stubborn person I know, Loki. If anyone can fix this, it's you."

"I will," Loki vowed. "I promise." For you. For us.

A blinding flash of light erupted in the distance, barreling toward them at a blistering speed. Loki felt Mobius's grip tighten on his jacket, and he squeezed back in reassurance. The last thing Loki saw was Mobius's frightened eyes, stark against the searing white light pressing in around them.

The next moment, he was back in O.B.'s workshop.

"TVA Code 1127. All personnel report to your nearest time door evacuation point."

"Total Loom failure imminent."

He took a deep breath. Again.

-----

Notes:

Thanks so much for reading! If you want to see these two get a happy ending, I encourage you to keep reading my Relinquish Your Burden series if you haven't already 💚

Reblogs and comments are always appreciated 💞

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Chapter 1 | Masterlist