"Mobius!" The voice felt like electricity shocking through his body. Mobius jumped away, and so did Loki.
"What... is this?" Ravonna sounded less shocked than she was disgusted. "How long have you and Loki been sleeping together?"
And Mobius knew, from this moment, he was fucked. Both he and Loki were so very fucked.
A forbidden love between The TVA's finest agent and a prisoner. They could only keep their relationship a secret for so long. To be precise, they could only keep it a secret until Ravonna walked in on them making out in the archives.
///
Pairing: Loki/Mobius M. Mobius
///
"Mobius!" The voice felt like electricity shocking through his body. Mobius jumped away, and so did Loki.
"What... is this?" Ravonna sounded less shocked than she was disgusted. Mobius wished he had an idea what was worse. He wished he had an excuse, but things were obvious enough. There was no excuse. It was exactly what it looked like.
"How long has this been going?" She asked, after all she'd met with, was silence from both Loki's and Mobius's sides.
How long have you and Loki been sleeping together? That was her question. There was no need for Ravonna to directly say the words.
Mobius knew, from the way she looked at him, at both him and Loki, he was fucked. Both he and Loki were so very fucked.
We shouldn't do this, he had said, prior to Ravonna's walking in on them. Though his voice was anything but convincing. The way Mobius's own body reacted to Loki's touching him contradicted his own words, and it wasn't helping either. We could get caught.
Loki's mouth, hot and devouring, exploring Mobius's skin, leaving hickeys just on the spot below Mobius's collar. So the bruises were hidden from any prying eyes, for Mobius's own sake. And Mobius was finding it harder and harder, impossible, to be precise, to end this right here.
Someone could walk in at any minute, he had warned out loud, despite being fully aware of his own traitorous body pulling Loki closer, his mind wanting nothing more than to slam Loki on the table, bending him there and —
And that was the part where Ravonna, with no warning, walked in — abruptly disturbing and shattering Mobius's perverted, sinful thoughts — on Loki all over him, mouth crashing against Mobius's own, hand under the fabric of Mobius's shirt, pinning Mobius against the wall, moaning things that should've only stayed in bedrooms and definitely not the archives.
Mobius knew, from the moment he heard Ravonna's voice, they were in deep trouble.
~~~
"Come on," Mobius said, when minutes had passed and Ravonna still hadn't said a word. They were back in her office. Though Mobius opted against sitting down. This was going to be a long conversation, that much he could tell, but it wasn't going to be one of those where he casually sat on his usual favorite spot on her couch with a drink in his hand, leaving ring on her expensive mahogany table. "Just say it. Yeah, I messed up. I shouldn't have done that, that was wrong and unprofessional... unethical. Demote me. Do your worst, I probably deserve it,"
"Mobius," Ravonna ought to be shouting, judged by the look on her face. Mobius was surprised she wasn't yelling, breathing flames. That would've probably been a proper reaction, considering what she'd seen; her best analyst with an inmate.
"I —" she sighed loudly. Mobius knew her for as long as he could remember, Ravonna was never at a loss for words. She seemed precisely speechless right now.
"Loki?" The look she was giving him from behind her desk, was something that would probably haunt Mobius for a very long time. "How long? You know what, don't. Don't tell me. Just... don't."
Mobius opened his mouth. He was quick to learn he was just as speechless, for different reasons, obviously. He knew he had to be very careful with his words now, and after thoroughly weighting his options, it was best he stayed silent for the moment.
"This is... all on me," Ravonna said, more to herself than to Mobius. Then her eyes met his, from where she sat behind her desk. "I assigned you this job. I should've known better,"
"You should've known better?" Mobius repeated slowly, carefully. For some reason, he did not like where he believed this was going.
"Loki has always been a manipulator. He got in your head,"
"What? That is not —"
"This cannot happen again." Suddenly her words were loud, clear. Final.
Mobius would've flinched, hadn't he partly been expecting her overdue outburst. "I know," he mouthed. Do you? He pushed those nagging thoughts aside, for now, hoping Ravonna didn't pick up on the look in his eyes, a lie.
"Good. You're dismissed," she said, before shifting her attention to the stack of various files and paperwork on her desk.
"What?" Mobius chuckle wryly, awkwardly. "That's it?" He didn't feel relieved, because something felt wrong. It shouldn't be this easy. No, something was wrong.
"Yes," Ravonna lifted her gaze at him again. The nonchalance in her eyes screamed wrong. "That's it. You can return to your desk now."
"What, you're not gonna... demote me? Punish me? You're just gonna let this slide?"
Ravonna heaved another sigh. She leaned against the backrest of her leather armchair, her hands folded together upon the desktop in front of her. "Like I said, Mobius, Loki is a manipulator. I underestimated him, that's the mistake on my end, which I admit. It shouldn't have happened, and it will never happen again."
"Yeah... what is that supposed to mean?" Mobius was beginning to realize this might be way worse than he thought; the situation he was in, he and Loki.
"It means I understand he was taking advantages of you, mind controlling you —"
"What? Wait, wait, wait, just... just stop. That is not what happened."
"Loki enchanted you with his magic,"
"He did not, Ravonna."
"You're under his influences, that's clear enough. But it's ending soon."
"Can you just stop?!" Mobius didn't mean to raise his voice. He would've regretted it and offered her an apology, should they were to be under any other circumstances. This was not one of them.
"Alright," Ravonna had that unpredictable look in her eyes. "Let's talk about something else instead. Let's talk about the power imbalance here. You were vulnerable, Mobius." She said, matter-of-factly.
"I was vulnerable?" Mobius snorted out a laugh. He found nothing about this conversation funny. "Power imbalance? Sure, there's a power imbalance in this, and it's not in the way that you said."
"He was getting into your head, a Trickster God and a mortal. Look at yourself, Mobius. This just... this isn't you."
"He wasn't getting into my head. This is a superior-subordinate kind of relationship we're talking about here. If there's anyone who holds the power over the other, it's me. Which means I am the one to blame. Not Loki. Me."
"And you expect me to believe that when Loki's known for enchanting people with his magic? I'm sorry, Mobius, but the decision has been made and there's nothing I can do about it anymore."
"Wait," Mobius gulped. He felt dread creeping down his spine. "What decision?"
"None of your concern, Agent Mobius."
"Ravonna, what decision?"
"Mobius —"
"No. What decision?" It hadn't occurred to Mobius until now — and he felt stupid, foolishly stupid. How long it took him to realize — he never made sure the Minutemen, that were with Ravonna the moment she caught him and Loki, leave Loki alone when he was being asked to come with Ravonna to her office.
You left Loki there.
Because he thought nothing would happen. Sure, he'd expected the consequences for both himself and Loki. Knew they were screwed. He hadn't realized how screwed they might actually be until now.
There was a missing timeline, Mobius hated that he was only putting the pieces together now, where he was asked to wait in Ravonna's office, alone. The decision has been made. It all made sense at this point, where Ravonna went, what she was doing — talking to the Time Keepers — before she returned to have this conversation with him. They weren't letting him take responsibility for what'd happened in the archives, because they believed he was a victim of Loki.
"Where is he?" He asked, feeling himself losing it fast he had to struggle to stay somewhat sane. He'd only give Ravonna more reasons to believe Loki did mind control him, if he were to do anything stupid. "Where's Loki?"
"You know I cannot tell you that,"
Mobius chuckled, it sounded deranged. "You know what, Ravonna? I've always hated this job. This whole the-Time-Keepers-judgements-are-final, they-can-do-no-wrong thing,"
"Careful —"
"It feels like I'm trapped in a cult. A fucking circus. And I want out."
"I'd choose my next word carefully, if I were you."
"Yeah, well, you're not." He stomped out, and didn't look back when Ravonna called after him.
~~~
Fuck this, Mobius thought frustratingly. Ravonna refused to give him the answer to Loki's whereabouts, but he figured he might have an idea. There was nothing about the TVA that Mobius didn't know, thanks to his position in the organization.
He headed straight to Time Theater 96 and, at this point, Mobius was no longer surprised to see two Minutemen guarding the door.
"Sir," one of them said, when Mobius stopped in front of said door.
"Move."
"I'm sorry, sir, you cannot go in there. The Time Keepers' order."
That, if Mobius were to be honest, was something he'd expected ever since stomping out of Ravonna's office. It was a shame, but Mobius would do what needed to be done.
He made sure to make it quick; one Time Stick, two swipes of the weapon through the air, and the Minutemen were gone. They didn't even see it coming. Though they could survive the Void, find a way back with their TemPads, but Mobius knew he'd be long gone by the time that happened.
He pushed the door open and entered the room. If he'd been angry before, Mobius could swear he was nearly taken over by rage he started seeing red spots when his eyes landed on a-visibly-startled-at-his-sudden-entrance Loki. Because the first things Mobius noticed, were the bruises under Loki's eye and the cut on his lips.
They had no rights.
"Gosh, Loki, I'm so sorry," Mobius rushes to him. Though Loki looked more confused than he was relieved to see Mobius.
"How did you —"
"Know you're here?" Mobius cut him off, freeing him of the Time Collar with the TemPad in his hand. "It wasn't difficult to guess, Pumpkin. We need to go,"
"What?"
"We need to leave. Now."
"Mobius," Loki touched his arm, a gesture that'd become so natural between them. He could always calm Mobius down with a gentle touch, wherever things were overwhelming. "What happened?"
Mobius opened his mouth. He was overwhelmed, and he knew Loki knew that. "We can't stay here. It's not safe anymore. I'm sorry, but I should never have let things come this far."
"You mean... us?" There was pain in Loki's eyes. And Mobius almost grimaced at how poorly he'd worded that.
"No, not us. I'd never regret us." Mobius cupped Loki's face with both his hands, making sure to avoid the bruises. "Them. I should've... I should've protected you,"
Loki chuckled then, "I convinced you into making out with me in the archives, Mobius. We got caught. I could take a couple punches, really, you're looking at the proof right now."
"This is not funny."
"I know. But I'm fine,"
"For now. Loki, they're planning to —"
"Prune me and let you continue your life as their finest agent like nothing happened because they believe I mind controlled you so you were the victim? Yes, I know."
Mobius gulped. His hands reflexively lowered till they rested lightly at the sides of Loki's neck. "How did you —"
"Know?" Loki gave him a slight smile. "It wasn't difficult to guess," he recited what Mobius said. "The Time Keepers are actually pretty predictable,"
Mobius mouthed a soft, "Right," then, "We need to hurry. Come on," he took Loki's hand, pulling out the TemPad again when Loki stopped him.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Getting us out of here," Mobius said, like it was... no big deal.
"Mobius!"
"What?"
"Do you..." Loki snorted. "Do you even know what this means?"
"It means I'm giving away this life, yes, I know." And I'll do it again. For you.
"It means the TVA will be hunting you down. You'll be spending forever running," Loki said, trying to put some sense into his lover. They heard the sounds of heavy footsteps, overlapped shouting, from outside the chamber. They were getting closer. Whatever decision they'd end up making, they needed to make it now.
"I just want to be wherever you are," Mobius said, words left his mouth naturally, reflexively, like it was the most real, most easiest thing he'd ever said.
Loki looked at him and saw himself in his lover's eyes. He wouldn't dare to dream of this yesterday, it was happening right now. He nodded once, twice. "Alright," he said, only a faint whisper. "Let's go,"
And Mobius nodded back, summoning the Time Door and setting the coordinates to a place where he knew wouldn't be easy for the TVA to track them down. He tightened his hold on Loki's hand, and felt a surge of reassurance when Loki squeezed back.
The shadows of the Minutemen, led by Ravonna, crept into the chamber through the open door, the same way the Time Door was opened before them. Mobius looked at Loki, then at the entrance where multiple trained guards would surely rush inside, tackle both him and Loki to the ground. And if that happened, Mobius knew this would be the last time he ever got to touch Loki, to feel his skin against his.
"You ready?" Loki asked. There was fear in his voice, uncertainty, like a part of him was scared — like a little kid — Mobius would change his mind and decide he wasn't ready to give up his life for Loki, after all.
"Let's leave it all behind," Mobius said. He guided Loki, together, they were stepping through the Time Door now.
"Mobius!" Ravonna's voice filled the atmosphere. She was the first to rush in the chamber, just in time for Mobius to give her one last look as she stood there, stunned. The rest of the Minutemen followed closely after her, but they were all too late.
The Time Door closed. Loki and Mobius were gone.
~~~
Mobius hadn't let go of Loki's hand, even after the Time Door took them to — Loki looked around, taking in their surroundings — a house by the beach, Loki could tell that by looking out the window and by the sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore.
"Where are we?" He asked Mobius, without asking for his hand back.
"Somewhere safe," Mobius said. "My secret getaway. They won't find us here. We'll just have to... keep a low profile." He walked over to the cabinet — finally released Loki's hand — and fumbled through stuff, before taking out a bottle of salve, and an ice pack from the freezer by his right.
Mobius guided Loki to the couch in the living room. He began to wordlessly tend to the bruises on Loki's face. Loki let him. Though there was something, Mobius could tell by the way Loki looked at him, something left unsaid (for now); an elephant in the room. Mobius might have just the exact idea what it was.
"Are we really pretending like it's no biggie?" Loki asked, breaking the silence.
"What is?" Mobius blew softly at the cut on Loki's lips, being gentle as always.
"This. Mobius. You just threw away your whole life for me. You do realize you can't go back now, don't you? It's not like they're gonna put a welcome-back-home banner on the front door after your little stunt back there."
"I thought we'd already talked about this?"
"That wasn't even a real talk. We were under a lot of pressure in the Time Theater,"
"Well, my belief still stands. I made the decision, Loki. It's done, it's over."
"And are you starting to regret it now?"
"What?"
"Now that it's all starting to hit, you're here now. You're not Agent Mobius anymore,"
"No," Mobius sighed. "No, I do not regret my decision of leaving everything behind for you, Loki. And I'm not going to."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why am I worth it, in your eyes?"
"Because —" Mobius let out another sigh. He cupped the side of Loki's neck, still with gently touch. "Because what we have is real, isn't it?"
"It is." Loki said, after a moment's silence.
And because I love you, Mobius wasn't certain if now was too soon for the word. Even after everything that'd happened, the last thing he wanted, was to rush it — what he and Loki had — and risk fucking it up when they'd come so far.
"And I did say I wanted to be wherever you were," he added.
Loki nodded. "Mobius..."
"Hmm?"
"What if I..." Loki averted his eyes. "What if Ravonna was right? What if I just used you, manipulated you? It's... it's what I do."
Mobius offered him a reassuring smile. "I know you, Loki. Sure, I was trying to manipulate you, when we first met, and you were trying to manipulate me back. But we're way past that now, aren't we?"
Loki looked back at him. There were tears in his eyes. "I don't wanna lose you," he said, and Mobius doubted he ever saw Loki this vulnerable before; the emotions — so raw and real — behind his eyes as he looked at Mobius. He doubted Loki ever allowed himself to be this vulnerable in front of anyone. "After you... after Ravonna walked in and you went with her to her office and those Minutemen came took me to the Time Theater, I... I thought I'd never see you again. And that was when I realized, nothing scared me more than the thoughts of losing you."
Mobius leaned in, placing a kiss on Loki's forehead to soothe the crack in his voice. "You'll never lose me," he whispered, promised, and let Loki bury his face in the crook of his neck. His tears slowly soaked Mobius's shirt as Mobius held him, so lovingly, so gently, like he was his most prized possession.
"I love you," Loki said, his voice only loud enough for Mobius to hear. He sounded tired, too, like he'd been putting on a facade for so long and he could finally take off the mask now that it was just him and Mobius. No one else. Just them.
"I love you, kiddo." Mobius said, gently stroking Loki's hair.
He didn't know what the future held, but he did know one thing; it was them against the world now.
And Mobius would burn it all to the ground for the man he loved.