Loki oneshots

Not Where I Wanted To Be (But Maybe Where I Needed To Be) (Mobius & Loki)

post-s01e06 back when we thought Loki could've just been at the wrong TVA somehow

Mobius is getting desperate.

He can't count the number of timelines he's been to; the number of Nexus he's followed only to turn back around within seconds because it's not where he wants to be. There are so many Nexus events in times and places where he knows Loki should be, but never is that Loki the one he's looking for.

Mobius opens another Time Portal, knowing damn well that is not going to lead him to his best friend but unable and unwilling to give up.

He finds himself in the Asgardian weapons vault, somewhere he's never been on any timeline but one he's seen more times than he can count. This is where it all goes wrong. This is where Loki finds out what he really is. This is where the truth begins to drive him mad.

It seems that's already begun. Loki's already had his realization; he's already processed his grief in its simplest form, and now he's here for revenge. He's here to find a way to prove himself, and, for him, that starts with stealing the Casket.

But then Loki looks at him, and the pure confusion on his face is enough to stop him, at least for the moment. Mobius closes the Time Door, prepared to open a new one. He has a list of times and dates to visit before he returns to the TVA to try again, and this is just the first stop of many.

The TemPad flies out of his hand and into Loki's, and in the blink of an eye, it vanishes.

Shit.

"Who are you?" Loki demands.

"I'm nobody," Mobius tells him. "Just passing through. Can, uh..." He smiles awkwardly and holds out a hand. "Can I have my TemPad back? Then I'll get out of your way."

Loki narrows his eyes, and Mobius swallows hard. Yeah, he's not getting that TemPad back right away.

Loki eyes him for a moment. "How did you get here?"

"My TemPad," Mobius says. "Which is what you just took from me. So if you could just give it back, I'll leave you to this." He gives him an awkward thumbs up. He just wants to get out of here without making a mess. Why is that so hard?

The TemPad reappears in Loki's hand, and the god studies it carefully. He raises his gaze to meet Mobius's, and his hand clenches, squeezing the TemPad apart in one swift movement.

"No!" Mobius lurches forward like he's going to grab it, like he could possibly save it now, even as Loki dumps the broken pieces on the ground. His heart drops and he stares at it, frozen in place, not sure where to go from here.

Loki stalks up to him, his head held high but his gaze lowered to look at the man, and Mobius forces himself to meet the god's eye. He's never been intimidated by a Loki before. Many have tried, his Loki included, but it's never worked until now.

"You're not of Asgard" Loki says, his voice dangerously low. "What are you?"

"Honestly?" Mobius says. "I'm sad. That's what I am. So thanks for that, Your Highness."

Loki grabs his arms, his fingers digging in hard enough that they'll definitely leave some bruises behind, and shoves him against the wall. His face only inches from the analyst's, he growls, "I suggest you answer my question before I smite you where you stand."

"Okay, okay, let's not smite anybody," Mobius says quickly. "Look, I can't answer your questions. You wouldn't believe me. But I'm not here to hurt you, so you shouldn't hurt me."

Loki lets go of him, but before Mobius can try to move, Loki slams his forearm against his chest, holding him firmly in place. In his free hand, a dagger appears, and he presses is against Mobius's throat. "I will give you one more chance."