#lokius reunion when?

[boredintjqueen]

Mobius' fear of losing Loki is greater than his fear of death 😭

LOKI S02E01 “Ouroboros”

[eddiewithcat]

for personal reasons i am not believing a word that loser says and going to continue to live my best life in a world where loki and mobius are in love thank you <3

[insert-witty-user-name-here]

Lokius Fic Recs

Less than 10K words, Season One Era

Thought I’d share a few of my favorite Lokius fics. These from the season one era, season two and multi-chapter recs coming soon. (Edit multi-chapter recs here! Season two fic recs here!)

If you’re craving hurt/comfort or angst with a happy ending:

Thin Ice by Lydiagwilt- Ravonna deprives Loki of his Æsir glamour after a routine mission gone wrong. Mobius picks up the pieces.

Let’s Brave This Winter Storm Together by DewdropReader- Loki awakens in his Jotunn form, Mobius is there to help him through the panic.

honey, you're familiar, like my mirror years ago by preach_electric - Mobius takes Loki to visit Frigga.

Incredible by Ailendolin- Loki revisits a childhood memory with Mobius (more Frigga reunions).

For the Hope of it All by DewdropReader- Loki POV during Mobius’ pruning in season one and their Hug In The Void ™.

At The Doors of Valhalla by FistsForHire- Loki gets injured on a mission, briefly visits Valhalla and reconciles with his mother and father.

Close to Perfect by LoveThyEnemy- (Explicit) Loki sleeps with an almost-his-Mobius while searching for His-Mobius. Okay, okay this one is hurt/ no comfort, usually not my choice of reading material, but it’s so (heartbreakingly) beautifully written I had to include it.

If you’re craving sweetness:

Lokius - 30 Days of Domestic Fluff by Mimisempi- Collection of domestic fluff, can’t go wrong with Mimisempi.

Lokius Fluffuary by blackbirdofasgard- More fluff collections! Also can’t go wrong with blackbirdofasgard.

In your arms, I feel infinite by VagaryLove- Loki and Mobius spend a quiet day in bed, safe and tucked away from the outside world.

I'll Keep Your Secrets by LoveThyEnemy- (Mature) Loki and Mobius keep each others secrets, reflections on their love during their first time together.

What is love by Love_Is_Green- Loki reflects on the meaning of love (and how perhaps a dagger wasn’t the best metaphor; another gorgeous reflective piece).

Baby’s First Yuletide by Tears_and_smiles- Loki, Mobius and baby Frida spend their first Yuletide with Loki's family surrounded by love. I’m a sucker for a Lokius baby fic and this one hits all the surrounded by love feels.

stumble into love like a challenge above by RunnyYolk- Loki is distracted by Mobius’ cologne… first kiss and romantic declarations follow. (This fic is gorgeously written; more than my silly one sentence summary can describe)

Post- Season One Reunions

I will never tire of stories where Loki and Mobius find each other across universes or Loki returns Mobius’ memories.

You or Your Memory by Chamel- Loki works to restore Mobius’ memories.

when you love somebody till the end of time by thumbbird- Mobius finds His Loki (with the help of all the other Lokis).

Beneath the Stars by Tears_and_Smiles- Loki finds His Mobius.

Drømde mik en drøm (I dreamed a dream) by Mirilya- Mobius finds Loki also a Thor and Loki reunion fic!

our way, no take backs by dinosuns- Sylvie, Mobius, and Loki in the immediate aftermath of S1 (okay this one is just over 20K words).

I feel like these fics are only a sliver of the excellent fics I read in that time between season one and two. There are simply too many incredible stories to fit into one post! Speaking of, I tried really hard to only pick my favorites but honestly I could recommend the entire works of the authors listed here.

Happy reading!

[percheduphere]

LET'S TALK ABOUT "HE'LL MAKE IT BACK"

Special thank you to @mmobiuses, @starrose17, and @stevenrogered whose gifs make-up the lion's share of this post. Thank you to all the other amazing gif artists as well, without you, my metas won't be possible.

This might come as a surprise to a lot of people, but I actually wasn't big on Lokius until Season 2. I thought Loki and Mobius made a cute ship in Season 1, but that was the extent of it. In truth, I lost interest in the Loki series by the S1 finale and had 0 interest in watching S2. I didn't give the series another try until I saw positive reviews on Tumblr. I therefore started watching S2 when S2E4 dropped.

LOKI SEASON 1

Enjoying the potential love story between two characters is a deeply personal and subjective experience. So take what I say as my personal experience observing Loki and Mobius's relationship.

I fully believed Mobius loved Loki in S1 in the platonic sense. Tom Hiddleston has given a few interviews on Loki's and Mobius's relationship and seems to believe in this sentiment as well [see 5:30-7:30 and 10:57-11:00]).

That is to say, in S1, I didn't feel, "Oh, my god ... he loves him." It was more, "Yes, he loves him", there is no question, his actions prove it.

There is wiggle-room for unrequited love in the S1E4 interrogation scene, but the jealousy Mobius exhibited could have just as easily been a combination of anger on behalf of his murdered colleagues and platonic jealousy.

However, I felt the first hint of unrequited love from Mobius occurred during his goodbye scene with Loki in S1E5. Specifically, this look:

I had no expectations for that look to pay off in any way. Season 2 surprised me.

LOKI SEASON 2

S2E1 is amazing episode because, through subtext, it reframes how Mobius's S1 emotions may be interpreted with stronger evidence for romantic motivation. In this episode, there appears to be a subtle, gradual build-up to the moment that Mobius's love for Loki may be viewed as fully romantic. Let's break down the episode and look at the progression:

First, learning that Loki is at the TVA: *sigh* I can't find the "Loki's here?" gif.

Second, and perhaps the most infamous, the reunion and whole-body support Mobius provides Loki in the TVA War Room (physical comfort):

Third, Mobius bringing Loki somewhere safe and quiet, assuring him that "it's okay" (emotional comfort):

Fourth, Mobius insisting that Loki's condition must be fixed, not once but twice, in two different scenes. A third (writer's magic 3s!) instance occurs in the Heart of the TVA, just before the gangway scene (prioritizing the other):

Fifth, Mobius's admission that Loki's timeslipping looks horrible, and he can't look at it anymore. He repeatedly stresses to Loki how serious this is (emotional and physical empathy):

Sixth, Mobius taking Loki to exact right person who can help. This is particularly significant, because Mobius is the only person in MCU canon who has verbally expressed concern for Loki's physical well-being and took immediate action to stop the pain (act of service):

Seventh, the third time Mobius prioritizes Loki's wellbeing. He scolds Loki and reminds him they have only one shot at getting his timeslipping corrected before the temporal radiation becomes too high (prioritizing the other):

Eighth, Mobius interrupting Loki, insisting that he will make it back. The subtext here is that no other outcome is acceptable or thinkable for Mobius (emotional comfort):

Finally, Ninth, the clincher: "He'll make it back." (self-comfort)

This scene is everything to me. Moments 1 through 8 build-up to this singular moment. Let's do a micro-analysis on it.

After Loki timeslips, the camera stays on Mobius. It tracks him as he kneels down to pick-up the time sick, the last thing Loki touched. The camera then pans up as Mobius rises.

@stevenrogered, THANK YOU for this gifset. It's literally the only one I could find that captures the camera tracking Mobius after Loki disappears, and this is my all-time favorite Mobius scene.

Mobius stands for a moment, motionless, and the camera holds on his facial expression. He's staring at where Loki WAS for extended period of time (keep this in mind for later). He's holding his breath. He's worried, scared, and hopeful, not for himself and the danger he faces on the gangway, but for Loki.

Finally, he exhales as he says to himself, "He'll make it back".

This entire sequence--particularly the moment when Mobius picks-up the time stick and holds it in silence--made me feel, "Oh ... Oh ... he loves him."

The camera stays with Mobius, capturing his reaction to this high-stakes situation for a significant amount of time (@loki-us, maybe you can get this timed starting from the moment Loki disappears and Mobius starts to kneel to pick-up the time stick?). Cinematographers don't do this type of hold unless they want to illicit a strong emotion from the audience regarding the character we are focusing on in the moment.

My insides swooped, which rarely ever happens when I view film or television.

And this camera hold, this pregnant pause, is mirrored by Loki's stare in S2E5:

[trutrustories]

STUDY IN LOKI ROMANCE Part 1: Ouroboros

Since we're only a few days away from the last episode, I decided to COUNT DOWN everything we´ve got so far ( that can be interpreted very easily as romantic ) and discuss what the actual fuck is going on with second season. Because even though I shipped lokius practically from S1E2, I absolutely did NOT expect this kind of development. (Not that I´m complaining) Warning: This is gonna be LONG post, lots of screenshots, lots of SPOILERS, lot of "oh-my-god-they-so-cute" language, and little bit of meta. I originally thought that this post would be everything at once, but since I have just too many screenshots this time around, I´ll have to split it. so every post will be one episode. Color coding means:

IIIIIIIIII = anything, that coud potentialy be just acting choice.

IIIIIIIIII = everything else (tzn.: whatever was written, and/or carefully prepared by filmmakers. )

side note: I already wrote, about how amazing it is, that Mobius is unable to fight but fights anyway and how beautifuly, and ridiculously brave he is HERE. But this is about Loki/Mobius interactions, so I´ll try my best not to talk about THAT. (Even when I´m really happy, that s2 continues with this formula and Mobius is still his completely defenseless while aggressively brave self. I love him, btw.)

Soooo EPISODE 1, le´t go: 1)"Mobius It´s me!" few second in and we have slowmo chasing scene with detail on Loki, and Mobius and then THIS Loki´s heartbreaking look on his face here.

2) "Tell me, you recognize me!" (Loki trying to desperetly find Mobius, and then running towards him) Also If this Time slipping didn´t triggered anything external, but It´s just his own, unlocked power - I honestly don´t know, how they will explain that - does that mean, that he unknowingly unlocked this power, because he was send by Silvie into the past, and then he was simply desperete and Mobius couldn´t recognized him so his body reacted by time slipping to place and time, where Mobius would know who he is???

3) this very unexpected exhibition of touches (meaning Mobius practicaly glueing himself to Loki for this entire section)

I´m sorry, but my man here is like "no, I´m not about to let you have a personal space. NOT. AN. OPTION. let me hold you some more" xD

4) This scene in in an elevator first of all, that was a second time, he slipped and was RIGHT back with Mobius, the very next second. secondly: Mobius being scared for Loki and insisting he needs immediate help thirdly: Loki reassuring Mobius, It´s not that bad.

also this "we just had sex in a cabin" shot:

and lastly...

Big thanks to the film crew for this shot to give us an idea just HOW MUCH OF AN UNUSED SPACE was in the elevator! 👌

5) Mobius and Loki talking to OB. being perfectly coordinated team and smoothly working together, while standing on a same spot, but in a completely different time.

poetry... just poetry!

6) Distressed God and his Happy Face just so we know: how long is it, since their reunion? Because I would swear that not even five minutes ago Loki was in state of complete panic, and look at him now:

Look at him smiling, enjoying view at struggling mobius 💚

few minutes with this man, and HE forgets all about his trauma and just vibing.

me too, Loki. Me too 🥲

btw, this thing over here?!!!!

7) bickering, like married couple, part 1

8) "Mobius if I don´t make it back" and "You´ll make it back". What was it, what where you about to say Loki? It sounded important! next time TALK FASTER!

9) Mobius risking his life SKIN for loki and refusing to give up on him.

10) Loki saves Mobius in an epic fashion and they end up in a hug: also they roll around the floor together

I mean... this whole scene was absolute TOP! So yeah. That was a first episode. before the premiere I was litteraly hoping, that I will see our Loki and our Mobius together at least ONCE, before first end credits. I actually couldn´t believe my own eyes, holy shit!

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Five Fics Friday: July 19/24

Happy Friday everyone!! It's been a long week, so let's settle in cozily and check out these fics on the radar this week! Enjoy!

RECENT MFLs

Responsible Adults by J_Baillier (M, 16,279 w., 9 Ch. || Post-S4, Family, Illness, Suicide, Grieving John, Fatherhood, Injury, Psychological Trauma, Angst, Guilt, Substance Abuse, Major Character Death) – After the events at Musgrave Hall, those affected are trying, and struggling, to move on with their lives. And life is hardly going to stop throwing new challenges at them.

The Scientist's Method by spacemutineer (T, 26,607 w., 7 Ch. || ACD / Granada Holmes Canon || Angst with Happy Ending, Hurt / Comfort, Time Loop, Blood / Injury, Doctor John, Developing Relationship, BAMF John, Temporary Character Death, Guilt, Drug Use / Addiction, Grief / Mourning, Friendship / Love) – Sherlock Holmes has always known the world through the straightforward lenses of evidence, logic, and reasoning. But when Watson is caught in a tragic preventable disaster, his trusted clear lines of reality start to shift and blur, and the scientist detective begins to piece together a grand discovery far beyond even his exceptional imagination. Detection is a way of learning and science is a way of knowing, but as Sherlock Holmes is about to realise, love is a way of understanding.

Tango Between Broken Hearts by curlyjohnlock (E, 38,333+ w., 10/25 Ch. || WiP || Post S4, Slow Romance, Slow Burn, BAMF John, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Grief / Mourning, Angst with Happy Ending, Gaslighting, Possessive Behaviour, Unhealthy Relationships, Heartbreak, Flashbacks, POV Alternating, Bearded John, Depression, Drunk John, Hurt John / Sherlock, Denial of Feeling, Miscommunication, PTSD, Drug Addiction / Abuse, Family Drama / Secrets, Christmas, Cuddling / Snuggling, Hand Jobs, Protective Greg, Parenthood) – Fate brought Sherlock and John together, but a terrible incident tore them apart. A decade can feel like an eternity when you're forcibly separated from the person you've been desperately in love with. Now that fate is giving them a second chance, unpleasant memories resurface, and the heartbreak they both share is taking more than just time to heal. Will they be able to overcome the past, or will a higher power keep them forever apart?

RECENT LOKIUS BOOKMARKS

Moribund by sticks_and_souls (T, 2,884 w., 1 Ch. || LOKI SERIES || S2 Deleted Scene, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Time Slipping, First Kiss, Making Out, Kissing, Time Looping, Heavy Angst) – Everyone keeps talking about how in all the infinite replays that Loki did, he would have taken time to make out with Mobius. So I manifested a version of that (with just a wee sprinkling of angst).

only looking for a little peace by RunnyYolk (M, 57,051 w., 5 Ch. || LOKI SERIES || Season 1 Divergence, Alternating POV, Developing Relationship, The Void, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Loki Variants, Flashbacks, Protective Loki, Protective Mobius, Action/Adventure, Referenced Torture, Canon-Typical Violence, Betrayals, Reunions, Grief/Mourning, Trust Issues, Self-Hatred, Jötunn Loki, Catharsis, Touch Starvation, Mutual Pining, First Kiss, Affection, Implied Sex, Jealous Loki, Love Confessions, Crying, Emotional First Kiss, Emotional Love Making, Arguments Leads to Kiss, Hugs) – "Nothing in politics is 'quite' peaceful." "Well, I did no worse than any of the politicians opposite me, I can assure you." "No, that's true," Mobius concedes. "And you did great, really excelled at the game. You laid all the groundwork to be a very successful president. Maybe you would've turned that into more, after a while." "Perhaps." Part 5 of where the edge began

[mischiefprincess]

Being on lokius tt was fun for some time

So, when Loki s2 came out I was hanging out w some lokius shippers bc I thought some of them had some cool analysis about the show and about Loki as a character, however as time passes I realize they're getting more and more lost in their own interpretations and their own headcanons that they consider to be canon at this point, I'm being honest, I have nothing against lokius but let's face reality: they're just not happening, it'll never be canon and that's okay, the timing for Loki to find a romantic partner is gone, if it was going to happen it had to be on his show bc I don't think marvel will use their avengers movies to focus on any romance between any characters, let alone lokius that it's not even a thing in canon lol

But the thing is, they seem really convinced that not only lokius is already canon (yeah, some of them are just like that) but they also think their reunion is a big thing that marvel is building up to, and i'm not saying Loki and Mobius will never see each other again but if they do it won't be this big thing they're expecting it to be, the brodinsons reunion is way more expected and I'm not even sure we'll get it lol

And i'm really not trying to be mean to lokius shippers but I feel they're going down the same path the sylkis went after s1, they got what they wanted from their ship (lokius not so much but still) and then they started to get more and more deep into their analysis and hcs and started to forget what's canon and what's not, when the next movies drop and Mobius doesn't show up in it and when Loki shows up and has a plot that has nothing to do with romance they'll lose it, they'll act just like the sylkis did with s2 and they'll say marvel ruined the greatest love story they ever made (lol), they'll say they don't care about Loki and Mobius separately and they just want them back if they get together in the end, they'll say marvel did a MASSIVE build up after s2 just to throw it all away as if it was nothing simply bc they are just too deep into their hcs and can't separate canon from fanon anymore and they'll say marvel ruined their lives and also ruined their only source of happiness ever, they're developing a toxic dependance on their ship and when things don't go the way they want they'll freak out and hell will break lose on their side of twitter

I really wish people would just interact normally with the stuff they consume, but it seems like everyone who likes a ship suddenly loses all senses and can only see things from the perspective of the ship and every little interaction between the two characters is read through the shipping lenses, it goes to a point where if Mobius doesn't lie to Loki about timeslipping being terrible is not because Mobius as a character just has no reason to lie to his friend at that point, not to mention he was trying to calm Loki down from his anxiety attack, ofc he wouldn't just say right to Loki's face how bad timeslipping really was at first, but no, Mobius didn't lie because they're on a point in their relationship where they simply can't lie to each other anymore bc their love is so strong and pure (lmao), it may sound like i'm nitpicking but really, it starts with these little things and slowly they start to live in their own bubble where everything must be analysed with the shipping glasses on and then the characters are reduced to being half of a ship and nothing more

Not to mention how they're placing all their bets on a tva spin-off that probably is just the comic they announced last week or so, again, I'm not trying to be mean but who the hell would watch a show about the tva and only the tva????????? What else is there to tell about them? They're going to show them working in their little cubicles and eating pie in the automat? If Kang was still the big bad I could see them expanding more on the tva but with him gone I don't think there's that much to explore about the tva anymore, I don't see them having that much protagonism in this saga and if they appear it will just be something small and in the background like Deadpool and Wolverine, watching them recruit heroes to fight the multiversal war seems pointless now that there won't be one (I know Doom will be a threat but I don't see him inheriting the multiversal saga plot from Kang, they'll give him his own thing imo) anyway, I think the tva is likely to stay irrelevant in this saga (and that doesn't mean that Loki will be irrelevant, some people think that somehow Loki depends on the tva to stay relevant but lol, just no) and if they appear it will just be something small but they're getting their hopes so high for this hipotetical spin-off that I fear how their reactions will be when they realize it's just not happening (but idk, marvel could announce it in d23 and surprise everyone, still, I doubt it)

All this to say that it really seems like shippers can't enjoy things normally, they have to make everything be about their ship (hipotetical or not) and they slowly loose grip on what's canon and what's fanon, they isolate themselves in their bubbles where they only get positive reinforcement thanks to their delusions and sooner than they realize they have a whole made up version of the characters and the show in their heads that doesn't align with what the show was in the first place, sadly the tendence is for them to only get worse and I really wish that wasn't the case but now they even seem to think that everyone involved in the making of s2 including Tom Hiddleston himself is a lokius shipper (???????????????????) And that lokius was confirmed canon in what they call the og s2 ep5 that was scrapped early in filming or so, the fact that they stalked the crew and their likes when s2 was airing only made them more certain of it, if Rafael Casal likes a post talking about Brad it's not bc he's happy they're talking about his character, no, is bc he endorses their view on the show and he's validating them and their interpretations, same thing as Eric Martin or some random editor that liked what people were talking about the episode he worked in, to them a like equals validation bc they desperately want to cling to any crumbs they can get of it

I'm not making this post to say people should stop shipping lokius or anything, I just wish the shippers could separate canon from fanon and that they would stop reducing a show that had so many themes to being a love story that didn't even happen in the first place, I still enjoy lokius and read fics of them every once in a while, I'm not here to police what people ship or not, I just wanted to write this bc some of these thoughts have been stuck in my chest for months now and I really needed to let them out.

At the end of the day I wish the Loki fandom in twitter wasn't split between those two ships and was more focused on Loki himself but unfortunately that's not the case, I can only hope that when Loki shows up again they don't find a way to reduce him to being part of a ship bc he always was and always will be so much more than that.

[art-ro-vert]

Uh, another angsty Lokius thought 😫

Everyone writes about post-canon reunion, where Loki comes back and he and Mobius declare their feeling for each other. And they live happily ever after!

But let me present a version where that does not happen..

They get Loki back and they have an emotional reunion with Mobius, hugging each other and crying, but what if no one shares how they really feel ? (I personally think it is more in character)

The last things Mobius knows is that Loki took Sylvie’s side in the argument and then disappeared into the tree. He has no idea that Loki defended him, that he cared for him and that he wanted to give Mobius a choice.

So, Mobius has a very good reasons to suppress his feelings. He might think that Loki is still into Sylvie. And he values their friendship so much that he will never put it at risk. So basically he won’t say anything if that means that they could be at least friends.

On the other hand, we have Loki. Who has been watching and hearing Mobius, seeing his grief and pain. I highly doubt though that Mobius ever directly declared that he loves Loki even when he was alone. But even if he did, that does not mean Loki would immediately make the first step when he is back.

A few reasons:

1. Loki is still insecure, he might think that he is not the best end game for Mobius. And that would be enough for him to stay quiet, giving Mobius the chance to find someone else, someone better.

2. He might think that if he initiates anything with Mobius it will be like taking the choice from him. He wanted to give Mobius the right to decide about his life, he might want Mobius to be the one who decides if they are friends or lovers. And he would be patient with it for internity.

3. Depending on how fast they get Loki back, Mobius might start to move on apparently. What if a lot of time passes and Mobius starts to enjoy life little by little? Meeting people, traveling, eating pies? If Loki gets a chance to see that Mobius is moving on without him, he might want to keep his distance even when he is back. Again, to give Mobius the opportunity to live the life he chose.

So, yeah. They would have an emotional reunion. But I think after they will keep the distance and not really know how to approach each other.

Mobius might continue miserably living on the timeline to give Loki space with Sylvie in the TVA. While Loki would avoid visiting Mobius not to be pushy and let him choose his life.

A lot of pining and self-loathing as you might imagine…

Loki taking Mobius’ old room in TVA, smelling his forgotten shirt and thinking that he is doing the right thing even if it hurts.

And Mobius being sure that Loki is with Sylvie, while trying to make himself enjoy life with a broken heart.

I think it would be Sylvie who will drive them together in the end, cuz she will get enough of their misery.

Thoughts?

[sparrow-the-tired-lesbian]

if/when Lokius kisses, I think I’ll be able to see it before it comes.

imagine it the way it’s always been done. A tearful reunion. Saying each other’s names before embracing. Climactic music.

my instinct starts going off. “Something is going to happen!”

then they kiss. A tender, loving one, free of any manipulation or ill intent. Just love. Protective instinct.

AND THEN I DIE :D

[in-my-loki-feels]

Title: Where You Belong Rating: M (E when complete) Fandom: Loki (TV) Relationship: President Loki/Don (Mobius Variant) Some Additional Tags: President Loki POV, Don POV, Long-Haired Mobius/Don, Loki Variant, Supportive Frigga, Actions Have Consequences, Family Reunions, Loki is Bad at Feelings (and communicating), (eventual) Porn with Feelings. Word Count: 7.2k [2/4 posted, 16.5k by the end]

Summary:

Loki was uncharacteristically silent as he stared at Frigga.   “Mother?” someone else spoke up.  Don’s heart stopped. He knew that voice. It lacked the gravelly quality he was used to but there was no mistaking it. He spun around.  The person behind them bore an unmistakable resemblance to Loki except for one glaring difference: his skin was blue. 

With the pieces of his plan finally coming together, Loki intends to claim his place on the timeline. But nothing is ever that easy for this particular variant.

-

This is my fourth Lokius bingo fic! (And second completed bingo, as I inch closer to a blackout...👀) Bingo details under the cut.

Prompts included are: “technology malfunction”, “stranded off-world”, “I didn’t know it could be like this” and “restraints”. Woo! @kcscribbler @lokiusbingo

[greywolfheirs]

Lokius procrastination part 3

Ok this one I can't blame on NaNo but it's been in my head for a while. Anyway, Lokius reunion ft. Thor. From Thor's POV because I love "Avengers meeting Mobius and wondering wtf he's got going on that makes Loki go crazy for this old man"

~~~~~

Thor watched as Darcy’s machine slowly revealed the silhouette of a person. As the details slowly filled in, he realized he recognized this silhouette.

“Loki?” he shouted incredulously as, indeed, his brother manifested before him.

Loki took a second to scan his surroundings before his eyes landed on Thor. “Brother, is that you?”

“Of course it’s me,” Thor said, hope blooming in his chest. “Is that really you? Are you actually here?”

“I-I’m not entirely sure,” Loki said, patting his chest as if to check. Thor turned to Darcy who shrugged and nodded. Thor didn’t need more. He strode across the room and swooped his brother up into a tight hug, lifting his feet off the ground.

Loki chuckled and pat Thor on the shoulder after they parted. “You have no idea how good it is to see you, dear brother.”

“I could say the same,” Thor responded. “I no longer question your ability to cheat death.”

Loki made a face. “Well, that’s a long story.” He shook his head though. “But we don’t have time for it. Look, I need to go back–the timelines will start to fall apart if they’re left too long without my care.”

“They should be stable!” Darcy called from behind them. “That’s how we were able to bring you here in the first place. Of course, we didn’t realize it was you we were bringing here.”

Loki tilted his head and walked towards the scientist. “Are you certain?”

Thus began a conversation Thor was entirely unable to follow, until Loki gave a grim but satisfied nod.

“Right, then I suppose I’m available for the next ten minutes,” he said definitively.

“I mean, if we can streamline the formula, I might be able to bring you back for longer next time,” Darcy said, distracted by her computer.

Loki smiled suddenly and sighed wistfully. He put his hands on Darcy’s shoulders and kissed her forehead when she turned towards him in surprise. “I truly never appreciated you Midgardians the way you deserved. You’re brilliant.”

Darcy looked uncomfortable. “Uh, thanks?”

Loki turned from her and walked back towards Thor. He clapped his hands in excitement. “Well, then, brother, shall we catch each other up? What have you been up to?”

Thor thought about it. “Not much. Chopped off Thanos’ head. Spent time with the Guardians. Oh, and adopted a daughter.”

“Really?”

“Long story. What about you, brother?”

Loki opened his mouth to answer but Thor was distracted by the sound of footsteps running down the hallway. No one else should have had access to the lab, so Thor stepped around Loki and braced Stormbreaker. As the footsteps came into view, they revealed another Midgardian. He was wearing a brown suit, and had a gray mustache to match the hair on his head. He didn’t look like someone capable of breaking into labs. Thor kept his stance but relaxed fractionally.

Loki let out a choked sound, and Thor turned to see his brother with one of the most devastated expressions he’d seen since their mother died.

“Loki?” the intruder asked, as if he wasn’t sure.

“Mobius!” Loki cried, brushing past Thor to slide into the Midgardian’s arms. Thor had never seen his brother this emotional over someone so…plain.

Even more shocking, it was the man–Mobius, apparently–who seemed to be soothing the God of Mischief. As Loki slumped in his arms, Mobius cradled his head with his hand, speaking soft soothing words into his temple. It sounded an awful lot like, “I’m so glad I found you again.”

Thor glanced at Darcy, who looked shocked, but she didn’t know Loki well enough to understand the full extent of just how bewildering the scene was. To Thor, much as he couldn’t believe it, it almost seemed like Loki was reuniting with a lover. A Midgardian lover.

Loki stood back with a sniffle, and Thor’s suspicions were confirmed when Mobius reached up to wipe a tear from Loki’s cheeks. His own eyes looked reddened.

“How did you get here?” Mobius asked.

Loki seemed to remember where he was and showed Mobius to Darcy’s computer, explaining with slightly less complicated but still confusing words how he’d gotten there. As they turned around, Loki spotted Thor again, and brightened. He grabbed Mobius’s arm and walked him over, sweeping a hand at Thor.

“Mobius, I’m sure you know this is Thor,” he said, then turned to Thor. “Thor, this is Mobius. He—well, it’s hard to explain, really.”

Mobius stuck out his hand. “Agent for the TVA, Time Variance Authority, which you won’t know about but which I’ll explain when we’re not on a time crunch.”

Thor took the man’s hand. “Pleasure. And you know Loki how, exactly.”

“He arrested me,” Loki answered, smiling like he was proud of it.

“Well, that wasn’t me,” Mobius said, turning back to Loki, who waved it off.

“Details,” Loki said, his tone light with amusement. Thor was in awe.

“Anyway,” Mobius said to Thor, “I can catch you up on everything while Loki goes back to managing the timelines. I’d like to offer my help, if I can.”

“Of course,” Thor said, looking to confirm Darcy’s agreement as he said it. “It seems there’s a lot we don’t know.”

Mobius nodded and turned back to Loki. “So I guess we’re saying goodbye again?”

Loki nodded sadly but put a hand to Mobius’s shoulder. “Hopefully not for long this time.”

“It won’t be,” Mobius said confidently. “I’m dragging your ass back here one way or another.”

Loki smiled, and was about to drop his hand when Mobius stepped forward suddenly, pulling Loki down by the lapels. They crashed together in a passionate kiss, which Loki seemed to return enthusiastically. Thor turned both to give them privacy and to share a look with Darcy.

When they were done, Mobius whispered something Thor could barely hear but seemed to be along the lines of regretting not doing that earlier. Loki seemed to agree.

Darcy cleared her throat and announced apologetically, “One minute left, Loki.”

Mobius stepped away with embarrassment. He swept a hand towards Thor, who grabbed Loki in another tight hug.

“You have much to explain, brother,” Thor whispered in his ear.

Loki laughed. “I do.”

He stepped back, looking to Darcy, who simply nodded at him before sweeping last longing glances at Thor and Mobius. In moments, he faded away.

“Okay, agent,” Thor said after a moment of silence, “explain.”

Mobius nodded. “You guys want to talk over some pie?”

[sunflowerdigs]

Imo, Deadpool 3 is way too soon for any kind of Lokius reunion, but (unpopular opinion) I would love to see more of Mobius trying to find a new purpose after Loki's huge sacrifice for him.

And when Deadpool tries to flirt with him or get close to him, he just says he's waiting for someone and Deadpool backs off. Honestly, it might be kind of cathartic to hear Mobius talk through his feelings about Loki with Deadpool, who lost Vanessa in Deadpool 2 and had to work through that pain.

[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!

[thevulcanbobdylan]

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

I love this idea!! Thanks for the tag @virtualtaleinternet. I'm probably gonna play a little fast and loose with the definition of "line" lol. These are all Roslin/Adama unless otherwise specified

Know You Anywhere: tour-of-the-multiverse AU fic

It took all of Laura’s energy not to sway on her feet.

Whatever It Takes: the babyfic nobody wants, now with Chamalla Visions ™️

The snakes were, perhaps, the worst of it. Bad enough to bear confessing. There were other visions, less terrifying, more familiar, and these she kept to herself.

Insomnia: smut 😁

Laura stretched one foot backward, seeking the edge of the blanket and a breath of cool air.

Standstill: (Fringe) Peter/Olivia angst

He’s waiting on the steps when she pulls in. The headlights sweep over him, sitting forward with his elbows on his thighs, watching her.

The Bond: Spirk smut and angst

The emptiness was shocking in its completeness. The last time Spock had been this isolated within his own mind, he had been a child of seven, barely aware even of himself. Then, T’Pring had been there

Looking Through Glass: post-canon BSG fix-it with OCs

Bal had skinned both his knees on sharp stones. The pain had brought big tears to his eyes, and they'd rolled down his cheeks before he could stop them, leaving tracks in the dust that had settled there.

Another Dance: (the Sopranos) Carmela/Furio smutttt

Furio had never made a habit of considering the aftermath.

Things Seen Clearly: five times Bill borrowed Laura's glasses, and one time he didn't

The coffee table was a mess.

The Only Home Left Anywhere: post-mutiny reunion angst

Laura was weeping. Not brushing away stubborn tears, nor welling up with closely held feeling, but falling apart, body racked with breathless sobs.

As a treat, the 10th one is my unposted, almost finished Lokius fic:

Centuries: during the centuries-long time jump, Loki seeks comfort with variants of Mobius from time to time

Slipping back to Mobius was so natural, Loki did it almost without thinking.

Lol my pattern is, like, pathologically short, abrupt sentences. Taken all together, I hate it 😂

Ok now the hard part, please don't hate me if I somehow make this weird or cringe 😅😅😅🫠 tagging @allatariel @cryscal @mimine666

[sparkplug02]

This is the Best Part to Play (Lokius fic)

Word Count: 6,393

Lokius Oneshot

Diverges from Season 2, Episode 4 of the Loki (2021-?) series. Some backstory:

After the Time Loom destroyed itself, Loki came to with six Avengers in his face in New York, 2012, after the Temporal Loom overloaded. He panicked, spilled the beans about Thanos, and realized he had just set his timeline on a crash course to branching without the Endgame time travel even interfering yet. Sure enough, the TVA came to prune the branch, but B-15 was one of the hunters again. Loki restored her memory and got the other Minutemen off their backs, but Loki realized that if he wanted to go back to the TVA and try to stop He Who Remains again, his timeline has to be pruned. He did so, warning the Avengers to take the Tesseract and run from Alioth, then left with B-15 who set a reset charge.

Back at the TVA, B-15 bypassed him through processing and made up a lie about Loki being so uncooperative that she just pruned him to save time. During a more proper reunion, B-15 explained that she essentially went through the same thing: she woke up in her timeline, right before it branched, was arrested, had her memory wiped, and was made into a TVA hunter.

Loki and B-15 find O.B., whose memory was left intact, and Casey, who was grateful that he was brought back. O.B. and Casey are working on crafting new tech so they can try again, and B-15 is making sure that no one has caught onto them. Sylvie is unaccounted for. Now it's time to get Mobius back.

"Excuse me?"

Excuse? Like Mobius needed an excuse for a break. He had been staring at paperwork for too long. 

He looked up and saw a tall man peaking around the walls of his cubicle. An analyst, but not one Mobius recognized. 

"Agent Mobius, right?"

"That's me," he affirmed, letting the file he had been reading fall to his desk and facing the analyst. "Something wrong?"

"I was wondering if I could... run something by you," the analyst requested, gesturing behind him away from the desk. "I was just transferred here, so I'm still new to this sector, but I've come across something that I'd like to take higher up. Before I do that, though, I'd really like to get a second pair of eyes on this. I've been asking around and everyone says you're the person to go to."

If Mobius could hear the voice screaming in his head, he didn't pay attention to it. "Well, I'm flattered. Not sure if I'm your guy, but I can take a look." He rose from his chair and went with the analyst back down the aisle. "What did you say your name was again?"

"Loki, Agent Loki." He held his hand out to Mobius to shake as they walked.

Mobius didn't hesitate to shake it. "Huh. Nice to meet you. You know, there's this guy on the Sacred Timeline with the name 'Loki,' too," he said, tilting his head. "A real troublemaker. You heard of them?"

"A couple times," Loki said, glancing over his shoulder behind them. "A real piece of work, if you ask me. We've gotten so many of their Variants recently."

"I know, that's what makes it cool. I mean, come on. How crazy do you have to be to keep branching like that?"

"Pretty crazy."

"Yeah." Mobius wondered why he hadn't met this analyst yet. He seemed like a nice guy. Easy to talk to. It was like they had already known each other for years or something. "So what's this thing I'm looking at?"

"It's, uh..." he looked around again. Mobius couldn't tell what he was looking for, but he didn't ask either. "I think there's a weakness in our strategy."

"A weakness? Like what?"

"A loophole. A way for Variants to hide on the Sacred Timeline without being detected. This way," he said, pointing Mobius down a hallway that was less crowded. 

"That's, that's impossible," Mobius argued. "Variants set off a Nexus event everywhere they go. You can't take five steps without creating a branch down there."

"Unless you know where to go," Loki explained, "and more specifically, when to go there. I know it sounds crazy, but I promise this will make sense."

Mobius shrugged. He wasn't sold on this yet, but that's why he was here, right? "Okay, so... what am I looking at?"

"I think it'd be easier if I showed you." He pulled a TemPad from his pocket and held it up. "May I?"

Well, that certainly didn't clear anything up, but he didn't object. Loki opened a time door and held a hand out. "After you."

"Do I need a field vest for this?"

"No, no need for that."

"...alright." This new guy was... interesting, to say the least. Maybe that's why he got transferred. Mobius walked through the door with no idea what to expect on the other side. 

He tried to ignore the growing headache he felt. It was like there was someone trapped in his head, banging on the wall separating them, screaming to be let out. To do something. It was all... muffled, and if Mobius was honest with himself (which he didn't let himself do) it had been going on for a while. It hadn't been this annoying until now, though. Maybe he needed to get it checked out. 

On the other side of the time door, Mobius found himself standing in Pompeii in the year 79 AD. He took a look around at the people milling about, all of whom were calm and unbothered and, most importantly, alive. Mount Vesuvius hadn't blown yet, but Mobius had a feeling it would soon. After all, there's only one reason why Pompeii was so important in the grand scheme of history. 

"I'll say this much, you definitely know how to pick tourists spots," Mobius said. Behind him, Loki stepped through the time door right before it closed. "Not sure what this has to do with your loophole theory, but-"

A hand grabbed his wrist. Anyone standing in front of Mobius would have seen his eyes begin to glow green. 

Loki exhaled, breathing a sigh of relief. Getting Mobius away from the TVA had been the risky part. Now that they were in an apocalypse, they were undetectable, but he could still feel his heart racing in his chest. Restoring B-15 and Casey's memory had been quick and easy, but for some reason, Loki couldn't just trust that it would work a third time. As long as he held on, though, as long as he didn't let go, there was hope. As soon as he retreated out of Mobius's mind, there was a chance that Mobius would still not know him and everything was about to fall apart.

But not yet. Not yet.

"Mobius," he said, his voice low despite the lack of present danger. "I hope you can hear me. I hope you're still in there, somewhere."

No response. There wouldn't be a response until Loki let go, but he couldn't yet. He couldn't let go of his hope yet.

"I don't know what they did to you," he went on, lowering his gaze. "I don't know how long it's been, but I'm almost sure it's been longer for you than it has been for me. All I know is that I found my way back. I'm back, Mobius." Loki let out another shaky breath. "We can try again. I don't know what we did wrong last time, but we can figure it out and fix it, but we need you back, Mobius. The others are back, too. B-15, Casey, O.B., they're all back again. We have another chance."

All he could do was stare at the back of Mobius's head, but it was better than looking him in the face and risk seeing an empty, blank, unrecognizing stare in return. "I hope you're still in there, somewhere. We need you back, Mobius." That wasn't it, though, was it? Not all of it. "I need you back. Please," he whispered closing his eyes. "Please, come back."

Moment of truth. Either pruning his own timeline was worth it for this exact moment, or everything was about to fall apart again, except maybe even worse than the first time.

Loki let go of his mind. He felt Mobius relax and regain control of his body, and he heard his breathing quicken and stagger. He couldn't look. If Mobius turned around and still didn't know him, he didn't know what he was going to do and he wasn't ready to face that reality yet. Loki looked down instead, and he slowly released Mobius's wrist.

Except Mobius was quicker than him. Just as Loki was about to pull his hand back, rough fingers caught his and clutched onto them. 

His hope was back, and it was shining all the brighter now. He looked up, daring to take a chance on hope.

He saw Mobius staring back at him, staring like he had just woken up from a nightmare. Staring like he was afraid. Staring like the world was crashing down around him (and in his head, it might as well have been) and he was looking at the last thing still standing. "Loki?"

"Mobius!"

And then everything was okay. It was impossible to tell if Loki pulled Mobius in for a hug or if Mobius pulled in Loki, but it didn't really matter in the end, did it? 

The wall separating Mobius's memory from his consciousness had been shattered the moment Loki enchanted him, but that also meant the screaming voice was let loose too. Along with a flood of memories crashing into place came the gut-wrenching realization of what all of it meant. His Nexus event. His sons, who were both gone along with his timeline. The memory wipe. The transition to being an analyst and... Mobius's eyes shot wide. The work. The targeting. The pruning. Hundreds of years of it.

"Mobius?"

I did that. I did it all over again.

His legs were buckling underneath him, and the only thing keeping Mobius upright was Loki, dropping to his knees so he could catch Mobius as he lost the ability to stand. Somehow, his hands still worked, and now he was gripping Loki's jacket in his fists so tightly he was half-dragging Loki down with him.

"Mobius, are you alright?"

"Oh, god," he mumbled, but it was only just beginning. "It happened again. All of it, all over again. The Sacred Timeline... it's back. It's all back, and nothing- nothing happened, we're all back at the beginning-"

"I know, it's okay-"

"They didn't do anything! They didn't even know and we just sent them to the End with nothing and we didn't care!"

"You couldn't have known, this isn't your fault-"

"I did."

The screaming was only getting louder. It wasn't just Mobius panicking internally (though that was certainly happening as well).

No. No, that was too easy.

"I knew," he said, just barely above a whisper. He pulled back off of Loki just enough so he could think. "I knew when I got back. I was punted right back to my Nexus event, right before it, and I knew it was coming. The Minutemen came in and I knew who they were, I knew what they were going to do."

The screaming wasn't just because Mobius realized what horrors he helped the TVA commit. It wasn't just because his mind was being flooded with memories of the previous loop. It wasn't just because they failed to modify the Time Loom before it overloaded and the TVA had been destroyed.

"They wouldn't listen. I tried to tell them we were all Variants but they wouldn't listen. I was trying to get back but I didn't know how and I didn't know where you were, nobody would listen to what I was saying, they wouldn't listen-!"

His only comfort in that moment was Loki, hugging him tightly and blocking out everything else, but not even that could silence the storm in his head. He knew. He knew what was happening as he was dragged before a judge-before RENSLAYER-and there was nothing he could do about it. The voice in his head wasn't just screaming.

It was mourning.

It was finally giving a voice to the last remnant of Mobius who knew what he had lost, who knew what the truth was, and who knew what was coming. It had been silenced for so long, but now it demanded to be heard.

I LOST MY FRIENDS! it shouted to the wind. No one heard it, but better to shout at nothing than to be eaten alive by it. I LOST THE ONLY CHANCE WE HAD TO SAVE THE MULTIVERSE! I LOST THE ONLY THING I KNEW, THE ONLY THING I HAD LEFT! I LOST MY BOYS AGAIN! MY SONS, THEY WERE SENT TO THEIR DEATHS AND ALL I COULD DO WAS WATCH! I LOST EVERYTHING I KNEW ABOUT THE TRUTH! I LOST MY MEMORY! I LOST MY COMPASSION FOR VARIANTS, I FORGOT THAT I WAS ONE! I LOST EVERYTHING I WAS FIGHTING FOR! I BECAME PART OF THE PROBLEM AGAIN AND I NEVER WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED BUT! I! KNEW!! I KNEW AND I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING!!!

Vesuvius might have blown up then and there but Mobius wouldn't have been able to move. His guilt gutted him, leaving his chest hollow like there was something missing. The TVA didn't just take his memory. It took away his understanding, his autonomy. It took away the fight from inside him, the desire to fix what was broken and hurt. I wasn't ME, Mobius finally realized. That was the worst part of it all. He had become a shell of the person he had become when the Time Loom overloaded.

What did I do?

The voice in his head, having finally been able to have their say, fell quiet, but the memories didn't. Everything he had done came back to him. All the Variants he had seen pruned, all the cases he had analyzed, all the timelines that had been destroyed... he saw all of it. 'I've seen the horror waiting for people when they get pruned, and there's nothing necessary about that.' Hadn't he said that? How could he have forgotten that? How could he... how could he have stood by and let that happen to anyone?

It was too late now. They were gone, or at best running around with a bunch of Loki Variants trying to dodge Alioth. Everything was back to the way it started. The TVA, the Sacred Timeline, and probably the Loom, it was all where it had been when they started putting the pieces together. All their work, all their sacrifices and their risk amounted to nothing in the end. Nothing had changed, no one had been saved.

Until now.

Loki had found his way back. No doubt, he had caused some mischief in order to retain his memory and masquerade as an analyst long enough to get Mobius here where the TVA couldn't detect them. They couldn't detect that Mobius had his memory back, and they definitely couldn't detect that Loki was hugging him, shielding him from the rest of the world.

He didn't know what Mobius was thinking, but he didn't have to. Mobius was shaking so hard that, if he hadn't been clinging onto Loki so tightly, it felt like he might fall apart at the seams. It was as if Loki was the only thing keeping him in one piece. Loki held still, grounding him like an anchor at sea (that was, if somehow the ocean could be inside the ship).

If he was honest, he needed to hold Mobius together as much as Mobius needed him to do the same. The TVA couldn't possibly notice them here, but that didn't alleviate the fear that someone would barge into 79 AD and rip the two of them apart again. If that happened, who knew how long it would be before they could regain their memory and find each other again. Loki didn't want to think about it, so he cradled Mobius's head with one hand and held him closer, hiding him from the powers that be. Don't take this from me. Not now. Not when I've just got him back.

Slowly, the shaking slowed. Mobius was still holding on, but it was less like a drowner holding onto a lifeline and more like a sailor hanging onto a mast. "It's okay," Loki whispered, hoping his voice would further ground Mobius in the present. "It wasn't your fault. They took that choice from you. This isn't your fault."

"But I knew," he cried, blinking away tears. "I knew it."

Loki wanted to erase all of Mobius's guilt, to relieve the pain of the truth, but he would have to take Mobius's memory again and he refused to do that. "I wish it wasn't true. I wish I could wipe it all away and tell you something better, but I can't. We couldn't stop it."

We couldn't stop it.

Saying it out loud made it real and irreversible, but it also made it seem a little smaller. They didn't do this. Mobius and Loki hadn't brought this to the multiverse willingly, and neither had any of their friends. They failed to stop it, but they tried. Oh, how they tried, and it hadn't been enough. Somehow, putting into words made it an easier reality to face.

No, they couldn't stop it, but now they knew. Now they could confront their failure and maybe, just maybe, do something about it.

Finally, finally, Mobius seemed to find some peace. The tension in his body slowly released, and he melted into the embrace. Loki bowed his head, shutting his eyes and just enjoying the touch, nothing else. Mobius was back. He was hurting and shaken, but he knew Loki again and that was enough for right now. Loki leaned his head against Mobius, and if he noticed that Loki's lips were brushing the side of his head, Mobius didn't say anything about it.

~

The solution to all stress was food. It was foolproof.

Pompeii fast-food restaurants looked nothing like their twenty-first century equivalents, but the owners let the strange men in strange clothes order and take a seat with only mild suspicion. It was the best Loki and Mobius could hope for, really.

The soup was decent too.

It kept them busy so speaking wasn't really necessary. The volcano still had a while before it was set to erupt, so neither of them were in a rush. Sitting together again felt so familiar, so mundane. How many times had they done this before?

Mobius was nearly done with his bowl when he finally asked, "I'm guessing you enchanted the Minutemen when they came to your timeline?"

Nodding, Loki scraped up the last of his soup. He had eaten fast than Mobius had. "B-15 was one of them again. When I saw her but she didn't recognize me, I realized what was happening. It was a last-ditch attempt. I still can barely believe it worked."

"So she's back too?"

"Yes. She's covering for my case. I assume she's going to make something up about how I was an unruly prisoner and she decided to prune me to save everyone the trouble."

"Did you manage to salvage your timeline?"

His face fell as he shook his head. "There was no way to protect it without raising suspicion. Of course, by that time, I had already done too much."

"What do you mean?"

"I panicked. I tried to explain what was about to happen to the Avengers before I realized what I was doing. Just telling them about the TVA and the multiverse was enough to cause a branch." Loki's eyes unfocused as he looked at the ground. "I gave them the Tessaract before we set the reset charge. Told them to stay away from Alioth. It was all I could do."

Mobius's face quickly adopted the same glazed-over look. "Yeah. I mean, who knows? It might be enough to give them a fighting chance."

"We'll know soon enough. If they do survive, I have a feeling we'll see them before long."

They fell into silence again. Loki was done with his meal, but he didn't make any motion to rise from his seat.

"I had kids."

Loki stared at Mobius, but his eyes were unfocused, staring off into space. "Two boys, little kids. Their mom was long gone, it was just us, and..."

He didn't need to go on. They were variants. They knew perfectly well what had happened to their timelines and everyone in it. If those children were pruned, they were gone.

"Did they understand what was happening?"

Mobius shook his head. "I told them to go in the house and close the curtains. Didn't want them to see it, but the Mintutemen said they were under arrest too."

"Even if you were the Variant?"

"That's what I tried to tell them. They were just kids, they had no idea what was wrong. They didn't even do anything. It was my Nexus event, not theirs, but they still..." Mobius sighed, shoving away the rest of his food.

They sat there for a moment, until suddenly, Mobius stood up without warning and walked off.

Loki blinked, then rose and followed him. "Mobius?"

No response. The restaurant staff, who had been trying to learn more about their strange guests but couldn't understand their language, watched one lead the other down the street, away from the center of town and out of sight. Oh, well. There went their free entertainment for the day.

"Mobius!" he called again, weaving around other people passing by. "Mobius, where are you going?"

"I don't know, anywhere!" he said defeatedly, throwing his hands up. "Not like it really matters, does it? Nothing matters in an apocalypse!"

He knew he wasn't going to get away from Loki, he could catch up eventually, but he needed to get away from... something. He had to. He couldn't bear to sit still because if he did that, he could hear his sons screaming for him to help them all over again.

Just as quickly as he had started, Mobius abruptly stopped walking in the middle of the street, his head hanging low. Loki just barely stopped in time, nearly plowing right into Mobius.

Pompeii moved all around them like a river coursing around a stone in the middle of the current. Smoke was rising in the distance. Loki and Mobius were in this world but not part of it, and if their suits didn't give that away, the distance between them and everyone else did. You might have thought they were on fire by how no one else was willing to come close to them.

Loki reached out and touched Mobius's arm lightly, just to tell him he was there. It helped. Mobius made half a turn, then finally spoke again: "How many times do you think we've done this?"

No answer came, but Mobius didn't wait for one. "How many times do you think I was held back while I watched my sons get pruned? How many times has B-15 pruned you? How many times has someone, maybe us, found the truth about the Timekeepers and He Who Remains?"

"You think it's a loop?" Loki asked. "Time isn't supposed to exist in the TVA."

"Then how did we end up back here?"

"Maybe when the Loom overloaded, it reset everything."

"How many times?" Mobius asked. "How many times has the Loom overloaded? How many times did the people who figured out the truth get reset and wiped? Or worse, pruned?"

"We can change that," Loki said, infusing as much certainty into his voice as he could. "You're back, I'm back, B-15 is back, and we'll find the others before long. We can skip the bit with the Timekeepers and be one step ahead this time."

"And then what? I mean, should we kill He Who Remains again, or will that just reset the loop again?"

"I don't know, but we'll figure it out."

"How? And what if we get it wrong?"

"We'll try again!"

"And then what?"

Loki searched his eyes for an explanation. "What do you mean?"

"What if we try again, and again, and again?" Mobius asked. He looked around at the street surrounding them, his shoulders falling. "What if this is it? What if there is no way to break the loop?"

"No," Loki said, mostly just being stubborn at this point. "No. I don't believe that. There is an ending to this, one where the multiverse is set free, and we're going to find it."

"But what if we don't?" Mobius asked. "What if you keep saying that we're going to find it and we keep coming back together and we keep trying something different but it ends the same every time? How long before something goes wrong?"

Loki grabbed Mobius and pulled him gently but firmly to an alley between two buildings. No one was watching them, but this wasn't for these people to see. They didn't need to listen to them worry in their last minutes.

"This has happened before," Mobius went on. "Maybe not with us, specifically, but this can't be the first time someone has gotten to the bottom of this whole mess. They probably tried to the same thing we did."

"But they're not us," Loki argued. "We were close. We were so close! If we can just figure out where we went wrong-"

"What if there is no right way?"

"Don't say that!"

"If it all gets destroyed anyway, then nothing matters, right? Just like in an apocalypse. One way or another, it all gets destroyed in the end. We get destroyed in the end. We're just going to lose over and over again, and I can't do it!"

"Mobius-"

"Losing the kids twice was bad enough. Losing you and all the others at the Loom was bad enough! How are we going to just keep doing this if we can't-"

Loki grabbed Mobius's shoulders and stared him straight in the face. "Maybe you're right!"

It was the only thing that stopped Mobius's spiral. Loki only said it so he would listen. Mobius couldn't give up, not now. Not when Loki had given up everything just to get him back.

"Maybe we're in an endless loop," Loki admitted. "Maybe we're trapped in this game with He Who Remains and we can never win and we're doomed to repeat this over and over and over again. I don't believe that," he said, pausing to make sure Mobius knew that much. "I don't believe it. There is an end to this and I'm going to keep fighting until we find it, but if this is a loop..."

Mobius was calm enough to listen now, but he was clinging to every last word Loki said. Was there any good in this? If anyone could find the light in a loop this dark and this terrible, Loki could, but was it even there? Had he found it?

"If this is a loop," Loki repeated, "if all we can do is resist but never win, if the Loom will overload and send us all back to the Sacred Timeline every single time, if we have to do this again, then this is the best part to play."

He tried to think, tried to find the words to say exactly what he meant, because without any explanation, it was insane. How could any part of a loop this horrific and constricting be 'the best part?'

Loki couldn't think of what he needed, and he was about to just blurt out something, but he looked at Mobius first, and that stopped him. This is the best part to play.

"It matters," he said. It was such a simple way to say something so important, but it was true. "It matters that we want to give people a chance to escape the fate of the Sacred Timeline. It feels pointless, because if all of this is just a loop, then it doesn't feel like anything we do will change the outcome, but it's not about that. It's, it's like an apocalypse. Nothing matters, right?" Somehow, Loki found himself echoing the same words he told Mobius the first time they came to Pompeii, but oh, how time had changed the meaning. "In a few minutes, all of this will be gone. All of these people, everything they care about, all gone. That's what every apocalypse does, and that's why the TVA can't detect anything that happens here, so nothing matters."

"Yeah, except when someone finds a way to use an apocalypse as a smoke screen for something bigger," Mobius pointed out. At least he was calm enough to make quips again. "It doesn't stop the apocalypse, but it mattered to us."

"Exactly. It was still destroyed in the end, but it still mattered."

He looked down. He didn't know how to make this make sense, but it did to him. Loki relaxed his arms, but he didn't let go of Mobius's shoulders. Mobius didn't seem to mind that.

"If this is all a loop," he started again, "if nothing we do can stop He Who Remains, and if all we can do is delay the inevitable, then we're just cogs in a machine we can't change. There are parts to play, and if we don't try to do something, someone else will eventually, and it will all just happen anyway. Either we can pretend like we don't know anything and hope for the best, or we can fight the hopeless fight. We can resist He Who Remains and try to give people free will and a chance to live outside the Sacred Timeline, and we can fight for the TVA agents who have already lost everything. That fight, even if we can never win it, matters. It matters," Loki insisted. "It matters that we choose to fight for something better than what is. If we have to be part of this loop, then I would rather be part of the side that stands for hope and freedom. I would rather go through this loop a thousand times and lose over and over again than be part of the problem."

Mobius let his gaze fall. He had been part of the problem. Not willingly, but he had, and so had B-15, and Casey, and everyone else at the TVA. He could go back and just go through the motions again, but what kind of person would that make him?

Loki wasn't done. "I would rather us be sabotaged by Renslayer than to follow her. I would rather us take chances on Variants like Timely than trust He Who Remains. I would rather us brainstorm and plan and fail than to not try at all. I would rather us work together, knowing that we trust each other and that we're fighting for something worthy of a fight, and lose it in the end than not have it to begin with. I would rather risk coming here to get you back, and to get all our friends back again, and watch that Loom overload and start all over again than to not have come back again. This is the best part to play," he said, and Mobius looked up again. "Our part."

Our part. The part where they cared more about actual, real people than they cared about a bureaucracy and fake gods. The part where they had their real memories and real friendships and were allowed to mourn those for the lives that no longer were. The part where, even if branches were dying, their conscience was clear. The part where they were allowed to choose which side to stand on in this war on loop. 

The part where they faced the death of hundreds, if not thousands, of branches together. The part where they hunted down traitors like X-5 and Dox together. The part where they faced the destruction of the TVA together. The part where they knew what was coming but at least they would do it together.

Maybe that last bit wasn't what Loki meant, but it was reason enough for Mobius. That screaming voice in his head was out now, content now that it knew Loki knew he knew who Loki was. Everything was set right again. Loki was back, having managed to evade the TVA's attempts to prune him in true Loki fashion, and Mobius was his entire self again. Sure, if the Loom blew again, they'd have to start all over, and everything hinged on the hope that Loki would find a way to restore Mobius's memory before something bad happened, but that wasn't going to happen yet, right? They had time. It was running out, but it wasn't gone yet. 

He breathed out, just barely nodding. It would be one thing if Mobius didn't remember what happened before the Temporal Loom destroyed itself, or if he had been captured or killed or something worse. This was an entirely other thing, though. They had a chance to restore the Multiverse, to free the timelines, and protect billions of innocent lives. Doing anything else now wouldn't just be ignorance but malice. Mobius wasn't malicious, and he wasn't heartless either. He was going to fight this fight, pointless or not. He couldn't, in good conscience, do anything else. The slim hope that maybe it would work this time was enough reason to try.

But damn it if the friends he made along the way didn't give him more reasons to do something pointless anyway. 

It hurt. Knowing he couldn't save his timeline hurt. Knowing he had condemned his world by intentionally causing a Nexus event hurt. Dooming his sons to a terrifying death hurt. Knowing he could yell and shout at the other TVA agents that they were Variants too to no avail hurt. Having his memory erased really hurt. Realizing what he had done after the mind-wipe hurt worst of all. He hung his head just thinking about it. 

The other memories, though, the kind, warm memories of light banter and soda-drenched salads and running from cloud monsters and supporting each other through tense meetings and troubleshooting time-slipping and crashing movie premieres and key lime pie and mischievous plans and Cracker Jack and arguing over tiny little figurines... that was worth it. Even if they couldn't win a doomed war, wasn't it all worth it for moments like that? They had already lost their timelines. If for nothing else, didn't they have to fight for the one life they had left? 

He ought to say something. Loki was right, even if it was such a bleak destiny to resign to. Mobius opened his mouth to say something, but before any sound could come out, he felt Loki's forehead touch his, just barely. He could have just bumped it by accident if neither of them knew better. 

Mobius pressed his forehead into the touch, and that seemed to say whatever it was he was thinking for him. I'm in this,he might have said. It's going to hurt, but I'm not backing out. I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, but as long as I can hold your hand in the dark, I'm in this.

That was a good place to stay for a while. 

The bustle of Pompeii seemed to quiet around them, like someone was turning down the volume control to the world. The quiet assurance that they were going to face whatever waited for them back at the TVA together made it easier to accept. Mobius still had a gut-wrenching fear that everything was still doomed to fail, but it didn't seem so intimidating right now. They had faced it once before, after all, and so had others before them in previous loops. He had been arrested and memory-wiped and conditioned and persuaded and pruned and betrayed and nearly had his skin ripped off and provoked to lose control and blown back to the Sacred Timeline only to repeat at least part of that process, but he had still made it this far. If he had to chose, he'd rather go through it all again with Loki than by himself. If he was doomed to be part of this loop, then he wasn't going to play his part alone. 

Somehow, Loki still had shining hope that there was an end to this. Mobius didn't have that hope, despite all that he wished he did, but he did have Loki. As long as they were still willing to try, whether it would change the outcome or not, this was the best part to play. Their part. "Our part," he finally said out loud. 

A deep rumbling in the distance interrupted the moment quite rudely. Unfortunately, they were still in Pompeii, and unfortunately, Mount Vesuvius was still set to erupt right about now.

"I think that's our cue," Mobius said, if not a bit disappointed.

"B-15 is going to grab Casey, and then we'll all go downstairs and find O.B.," Loki explained, but he didn't pull away. The Pompeii residents were beginning to scream and run, but the two of them still hadn't moved.

Right, the others. Mobius's friends. All of them. "Okay, and then what?"

"Then we do whatever it takes to stay under the radar until we can come up with a plan," Loki assured him, "preferably one that Renslayer doesn't know about."

"Oh, shit."

Loki smiled. "I see you remember that as well."

"I do now. What about Miss Minutes?"

"We'll figure it out," he promised. "We have another chance at this. We have time."

Mobius nodded, and they really had to go now. Loki finally let go of his shoulders, reaching into his pocket for a TemPad. His other hand drifted down, prepared to keep Mobius in front of him just in case the volcano blast moved faster than they wanted, but Mobius grabbed it instead.

They had time. They had time to come up with a plan, they had time to do it right this time, but they also had time for them. Mobius was sure there was more to say, more they hadn't quite gotten out before Vesuvius blew, but they would have time for it later. Explaining why they had become such good friends in such a short period of time would be interesting to say the least, but that was their part to play.

With one last look behind them, Mobius and Loki walked through the time door Loki had summoned, back into the hallway they had left not long ago.

"Well, I'd say you're definitely onto something," Mobius said, half-startling Loki. "We're gonna need a lot more evidence though. Something this big needs proof."

Oh, right. Their cover. "I know you must be busy with other cases, but can you spare some time for this?"

"Yeah, I think I can make that work." For a split second, Loki saw a knowing, dare he say mischievous, smile return to Mobius's face. In that moment, it was rather easy to pretend they were back at the beginning again with no knowledge of a greater plot or a Time Loom or fake Timekeepers or anything beyond the TVA and the Sacred Timeline.

Hopeless as their part might be, but that didn't mean they couldn't get their fun where and when they could. Mobius was still holding onto Loki's hand, not willing to separate again so soon.

I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, but as long as I can hold your hand in the dark, I'm in this. This is our part, and this is the best part to play.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Five Fics Friday: December 15/23

Hey everyone!!! I hope you've had a wonderful week and are ready for some great fics to read this weekend!! Check out this fics I've added to lists recently!! Enjoy!!!

SIGNAL BOOSTING

Control by ladylindaaa (E, 2,270 w., 1 Ch. || Doms and Subs || Light BDSM, Dom Sherlock, Sub John, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Emotional Sex, Comfort, Safety, Mental Health, Past Suicidal Ideation, Established Relationship, Face Fucking, Edging, Artsy Smut) – Somehow, even with the firm limitations of the universe in place, Sherlock touches him everywhere, all at once. The scientist has ignored the science—which was his very religion, before John came along—and persisted, still fighting for a complete integration of cells, an indivisible unity that’s derived from the sum of two.

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I Got Shot, Let's Have Dinner by Musings_0 (T, 5,583+ w., 4/10 Ch. || WIP || Alternate First Meeting AU || BAMF John, Meet as Kids, Reunion, Protective Mycroft, Big Brother Mycroft, Flirting, Past Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Humour) – What if Sherlock Holmes and John Watson already knew each other from school? When Mike reunites them, is something more than friendship rekindled?

Nothing to Celebrate by DiscordantWords (M, 30,066 w., 23 Ch. || Post TRF / S3 Rewrite, Reunion, Not-Nice Mary, Secrets, Lies, Pining, Angst with Happy Ending) – Sherlock Holmes is back from the dead. Things only get worse from there.

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but you saw enough by markofalover (G, 1,882 w., 1 Ch. || LOKI SERIES || Lokius, S2E5 Rewrite, Time Travel, Recovered Memories, Love Confessions, First Kiss, Getting Together) – “What if,” he breaks the silence, at his desk. Loki’s got a chair pulled up right beside him, actually studying the TVA manual, because they can’t go anywhere without the other these days. “What if—we go look? Together?” Loki looks up immediately. “To your place on the timeline?”

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