Two hearts beat as one

Part 1

Lokius c1

Today was a good day, which was a complete surprise to Loki given how it had started. A Hulk smash was never an enjoyable experience. Even less so by the fact he never had that drink after all. Arrested, chained and gagged by his brother (Thor) after he had made a few reasonable comments about captain fancy pants. Personally, Loki couldn't see their issue.

And then there was a ripple in his day he hadn't expected. In the form of two tony starks and a cube he hadn't expected a second chance to snatch. And then all the TVA dramas, was he a robot, seeing what his glorious purpose truely was and the death of all his family. Before some extremely unmanly tears he had expected Mobius to judge, yet he hadn't. He had just been gentle, allowed Loki to cry it out and talk as he needed to. Mobius actually listened to him. Asked his viewpoint. And that rarest of all moments, he accepted Loki's intelligence at face value. Loki didn't have to fight, argue and scream to prove he was the smartest person in the room. The one time in his thousands of years that Loki had found himself speechless. Just stumbling back an 'ok' that was echo'd by Mobius before they had continued the conversation.

Acceptance was the rarest of all gifts, even more so for Loki who had never fit in with Thor's friends. Too intelligent, not drunken enough, not strong enough, too 'underhanded' with his knives and magic to be a 'real man' in their eyes. Loki found himself desperate for another moment with Mobius. A little more acceptance, perhaps a little praise. Could that even be possible? Had it just been a fluke? One destroyed salad and a metaphor later, Loki found himself preening under the glowing praise of Mobius when his idea had been proven right. All the chaos he had created, and the lava still flowed, people still died and the death of pompi still happened without the slightest flicker of motion in the sacred timeline.

Still, it had only been one trial and they still had to locate where this variant was hiding. So, to the files they went. Loki expected to be left there on his own until he discovered the answer. He was pleasently surprised when Mobius sat down with him, taking half the files. Like they were.... What was the word? Coworkers? Partners? Friends? Loki wasn't sure, this was a situation he had never been in before. He wasn't entirely sure how to react to it.

Loki found his attention wandering from his own files as Mobius read aloud from his own pile. Asking questions, for suggestions, looking for any form of connection. For a while, Loki tried to focus on both his own work and that deep honeyed voice. Until the distraction became too much and he just found himself transfixed by the person infront of him and the conversations between them. Slowly dropping out of the conversation, allowing Mobius to take control. Reading him the files. It was not awkward, nor did Loki feel pushed out in the slightest. If anything he felt more included than he had in centuries. By this mortal that he barely knew. As Mobius kept on talking, creating this, dare Loki call it a 'safe space'? Loki stretched back in his chair, feeling his eyes starting to droop. He was reminded just how long it had been since he had last slept. Not since he had fallen off/threw himself off the bifrost. Loki didn't even realise he had fallen asleep until he felt the lightest of touches on his arm. Just a flutter really. Then repeated just as gently. Loki's eyes opened slowly, his body starting to tense ready for attack. As his eyes focused on the near stranger Mobius held up his hands, a file loosely hanging in them. 'Gently, its ok' he commented, 'You are safe with me'.

Loki rolled his eyes, 'If you were anyone else, I would have a sarcastic answer to that.'

'If I were anyone else, you wouldn't have allowed yourself the weakness of sleeping.' Mobius quipped back.

Loki stretching his back. Groaning as it popped back into place. 'Fair comment.' Not just sleep, but deep sleep without waking up screaming from the nightmares from the decades of torture. He actually felt rested, he must have been out a few hours at least. But why had Mobius allowed him to slumber? Loki blinked a few times trying to come back around, almost wanting to lay his head back on the table and go back to whatever pleasent dream he had been having.

'When did you last sleep?'

Loki cracked his knuckles, 'I thought you knew every moment of my life.'

'I do, however I was giving you the option of admitting not since you attempted to kill yourself.'

'I did not. I fell.'

'Seen every moment of your life, remember? I could have done it father, I could have done it for you.'

'No Loki.' Loki muttered under his breath, squeezing his eyes closed at the bitter memory. He felt a touch on the back of his hand, his eyes shooting open. The look of shock as he realised Mobius was holding his hand as if to comfort him.

He would have pulled away if Mobius hadn't fixed him with a stony look. 'Do you think that if you had known you were a frost giant sooner, you wouldn't have had a break down?'

Loki stared at a dark spot on the wall trying to find the words to answer. 'A break down? Is that what the cool kids call it when you fall into nothingness, get captured, tortured and sold into slavery before committing 80 murders in two days for your captures and no one ever asked why you did it? Or if you are ok?' He snapped bitterly.

'I'm asking.' Mobius commented gently, squeezing his hand. 'I care.'

Loki didn't even think in that moment, he just reacted. Grabbing the back of Mobius's neck, pulling him into a kiss. Loosing himself in the other man. The table a painful reminder of the distance between them. A distance he would very much like to close.

Mobius pulled back gently. Nodding at Loki, before straightening the God's tie. 'Lets take a break.' He suggested.

'Erm ok.' Loki followed him, feeling a little confused. Was the kiss ok, not ok? A hint. Anything? Mobius hadn't pulled back, or stopped the embrace for some time and he had certainly been kissing back in a reasonably passionate experience. Without pushing for the experience to go any further. Everyone else he kissed either pushed him away in disgust or dragged him to bed for their pleasure, then kicked him out in disgust.

'Can you promise me, and be honest please. That you won't run off?' Mobius asked.

'I promise.'

Mobius stared at him judging if he was lying or not before nodding. 'Don't make me regret this.' He punched buttons on his tempad, opening a doorway. 'After you.'

'Are you taking me somewhere to kill me?' Loki asked.

'We already had that conversation Loki. Trust me.'

'Trust is for dogs and children.' Loki complained. But he did enter the doorway, finding himself looking out at a river with people bustling by.

'London, England, Midgard. 2019 before that nasty little spat with that cold.'

'Ok, and why are we here?'

'Well, if you are going to kiss me. You need to face what comes after. I am teaching you the consequences of your actions.'

'Okay.' Loki instinctively reached for a knife that was no longer there.

'Follow me.'

Loki did, looking around for anything he could use as a weapon on the way. He cursed himself for making the promise not to run. Trust was for children and tonight would show exactly why. So much for a good end to a horrific day.