Second Chances

Chapter 4

Mobius isn't sure why Steve Rogers thinks he's a bad liar. He told so many lies towards the end of that conversation in the palace that he's almost surprised his pants didn't literally burst into flames. (Is that a common expression in this century? He gets his idioms confused sometimes.) And, as far as he could tell, not a single person noticed. He's actually rather proud of himself for it.

And those lies seemed like a good idea at the time. Some of them he'd even believed were just barely stretching the truth. But he realizes after god-only-knows-how-long of wandering aimlessly around Asgard that he does not, in fact, know Asgard nearly as well as he'd thought. He knew he'd get a little lost, but right now, he is very, very lost.

He doesn't regret it, though. What he's trying to do isn't something he could have brought company for. He's not sure what he expects — not a warm welcome, at least — but he's sure it would have been worse if he hadn't come alone.

But finally, finally, he reaches the lake. It's not the first lake he's run into, but he can tell it's the right one, not because it's the biggest or because it's the deepest into the forest but because he's not the only one here. After all, it wasn't really the lake itself he was looking for. It was the person who likes to sit by the lake when he's upset.

"I thought I'd find you here," Mobius remarks.

Avengers Loki doesn't so much as flinch. His back his to Mobius, sitting just inches out of the water's reach, and he doesn't even glance behind himself when he hears the voice.

"I believe you have me confused with the other me," Loki says, his gaze not leaving the pond in front of him.

"Nope," Mobius says. "I was looking for you you." He pauses, giving Loki a moment to speak. When he's met with silence, he takes a few more steps towards him and gestures to the ground next to him with his foot. "Mind if I sit?"

"I would rather you didn't," Loki says.

Mobius sits down anyway.

He crosses his legs, pulling them as close to his body as he can so he doesn't risk his clothes getting wet. Loki looks over at him, an eyebrow raised, and Mobius smiles at him. He'd like to think it's friendly; that it's disarming. He has a feeling Loki just finds it annoying.

"I'm sorry," Mobius says, an expression of sympathy rather than remorse.

"What for?" Loki asks.

"That whole mess of a family reunion," Mobius says. "This was supposed to be a big moment for you — your triumphant return home. The other Loki kinda stole your thunder."

"I don't have thunder," Loki tells him. "My brother has thunder. My magic is more —"

"Illusion-based, I know," Mobius finishes for him. "It's just an expression."

Loki furrows his brows, but, ultimately, he decides it's not worth pursuing and he turns his gaze back to the lake. Mobius does the same, and he lets Loki have a minute or two of silence. He's not an idiot; he knows Loki doesn't want to talk to him. Mobius isn't going to give him a choice, but he will give him a break.

When he decides sufficient time has passed, Mobius speaks again. "It might be better this way. You won't have an audience when you talk to her."

"I don't recall asking," Loki says.

"You didn't," Mobius says, and his flippancy just seems to aggravate Loki more. "But you haven't said much of anything lately, so I'm taking some creative liberties with what I think you're thinking."

"What I'm thinking is that I wish you would leave," Loki says.

"I know," Mobius says. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out. "But I won't."