⟬𝟯.𝟭⟭ 𝐁𝐘𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ➣ {𝕝•𝕝} ❘ [𝕷𝖔𝕶𝖎𝖘𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖝 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗]

╰┈➤ ❝ [ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ] ❞

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Y/N and Loki were waiting outside Ravonna's room for Beulla and Mobius, both seated next to each other.

Loki was tapping his fingers on the armrest in a rhythmic manner, which had started to annoy the warrior beside him.

"Can you—" Y/N raised her eyebrows at him, gesturing to his tapping fingers on the armrest, "Not do that?"

"Oh," he blinked at her, "You mean this?" he tapped his fingers on the armrest, this time more swiftly and loudly.

"Ugh," Y/N rolled her eyes in irritation, rubbing her temples with a deep sigh.

The door opened and Beulla walked out, followed by Mobius. He closed the door behind him and whistled at the two, gesturing them to follow him and Beulla.

"You're probably wondering what happened out on the mission," Loki chuckled somewhat nervously, "That was the first lesson in catching a Loki. Expect the expected."

Y/N rolled her eyes, but didn't retort; all the while the four of them continued their way down the hallway.

"See, half the fun of being a trickster is knowing everyone knows you're a trickster," Loki rambled, "And then, many of your tricks can come from exploiting the fact that you know that they know—"

"Okay, just shut up," Mobius snapped, coming to a stop, "What happened to the guy I met on the elevator? Who didn't like to talk, remember him? No, I'm stuck with this guy. You're here to help us catch the superior version of yourself,"

"Hang on. I'm not sure superior is quite the right word," Loki frowned.

"See? There it is. Right there," Beulla spoke up, "We believed, stupidly, that insecure need for validation would motivate you to find the killer. Not because you care about the TVA, or being a hero, but because—"

"You know this Variant is better than you and you can't take it," Y/N completed, turning to him with a wide grin, "It's true, isn't it?"

"Very nice," Loki went to adjust Mobius tie, "I mean, it's adorable that you three think you could possibly, manipulate me. I'm ten steps ahead of you."

The God of Mischief turned to Y/N, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear, and traced his fingers down to her chin, "Nice try, darling."

Clenching her jaw, Y/N slapped his hand away with a sarcastic sweet smile, ignoring the warmth that was spreading upwards from her neck due to his touch.

"I was right, indeed," Beulla muttered to Mobius, making him frown, "Things between these two are escalating,"

"I've been playing a game of my own all along," Loki turned back to the two TVA agents.

"What, charm your way in front of the Time-Keepers, hustle them, and seize control of the TVA?" Beulla retorted with a scoff, "Am I getting warm? A double-cross by history's most reliable liar and warrior?"

"Hey!" Y/N exclaimed at her in offence.

"Okay. Why are you two in there sticking your neck out for us?" Loki questioned.

Mobius walked towards the elevator, pressed a button, and returned back, "I'll give you two options, believe whichever one you want. A, because I see a scared little boy and a lonely girl shivering in the cold. Or B, I just want to catch this guy, and I'll tell you whatever I need to" Mobius explains and the four of them walk into the elevator.

"I don't need sympathy from any of you,"

"Good cause I'm running out of it," he replied as the elevator door closed.

When the elevator opened at the needed floor, Loki let Y/N walk out first and then walked over to her side, "What's this? Next step of your manipulation—"

"This is the final step," Mobius clarified, "Your last chances," he walked down a corridor with them.

"Oh, and what does our desperate last chance require?"

"Work," Beulla answered blankly.

"Work?" Loki and Y/N frowned.

The quartet entered the elevator again and Beulla pressed a button. The four of them didn't speak anything as the elevator descended downwards and came to a stop, the doors opening.

"I need you two to go over each and every one of the Variant's case files," Mobius guided them in the front, "And then, give me your—How do I put it? Your unique Loki and Y/N perspective."

"And who knows? Maybe there's something that we missed," Beulla shrugged.

"Well, you're idiots," Loki deadpanned, and Y/N nodded in amusement, "I suspect you probably missed a lot."

"That's why I'm lucky I got you guys for a little bit longer. Let me park y'all at this desk," Mobius gestured towards the table which had several piles of files, "And don't be afraid to really lean into this work,"

"Here's a good trick for you. Pretend your life depends on it," Beulla patted Mobius' back, "We're gonna go grab a snack."

"Ooh," Y/N smirked at them, taking a seat beside Loki, "Like a date?"

"No," the TVA agents declined at the same time in a stony manner, walking away from the two.

"Well then," the warrior leaned back on her chair, resting her foot on the table, and stretching out in exhaustion, "You better get on with your work, Loki. And 'pretend your life depends on it'," she added dramatically.

"Wha— You won't be helping me?" Loki inquired incredulously, "That's not very Valkyrie-ish of you,"

"Such a child," Y/N set her feet on the ground with a huff, and grabbed the closest file to her, getting to work.

══════✮❁•°♛°•❁✮ ══════