Work Text:
It’d been a long day.
That’s what Mobius had thought for the past week, without fail.
Loki was gone, and it was his fault for foolishly trusting him. He’d betrayed him to run off with his other self, and they were out there somewhere, causing chaos and plotting their next opportunity to overthrow the time keepers and destroy the TVA.
Were they hiding in apocalypses again? There was no way of finding them without a nexus event occurring, and that was next to impossible unless they slipped up.
It was Loki’s thing, charming people in positions of authority with intent to betray them. No matter how many times Mobius had convinced himself he knew Loki well enough, he wouldn’t fall for it, and he’d fallen for it anyway. He’d hoped they’d been friends at the least, but apparently that friendship was one-sided.
Mobius had watched Loki’s entire life, he’d dealt with Loki variants before, but for some reason he’d deluded himself into believing this one was special. Despite being an arrogant, annoying prick, Loki was also charming, clever, misunderstood, handsome, kissable…
He wasn’t going there. It was unprofessional and downright stupid to have feelings or attraction towards a variant, and he was above that. Loki was simply a means to an end, and that end was catching the more dangerous variant who he’d now teamed up with.
Loki had betrayed and humiliated him, and he was going to pay.
-
Mobius lay on his bed, flicking through one of the jetski magazines he’d read a thousand times over. He never got bored of them, looking through the different models and imagining himself riding one across the ocean waves. Sometimes, very rarely, he’d think about what Loki had said at the table, and ponder on it a bit. Actually riding a jetski. Loki would be there too, either at the beach waiting for him or on the back of the jetski. Mobius would almost crash the jetski because Loki’s arms would be wrapped around his middle, his head perched on his shoulder-
No.
Loki had betrayed him. It was time to move on and stop these absurd fantasies.
The analyst was distracted from his magazine when the door to his room was nudged open. He frowned, there was no wind at the TVA, and no figure behind the door, so how did it open?
Mobius stood up cautiously, reaching beside his bed for his pruning stick.
Instead of something threatening, he was greeted by a small black cat emerging from behind the door. It had adorable green eyes, and a slightly golden shimmer to its fur.
“Hey!” Mobius said, pointing his stick at the cat. “How did you get in here? Who are you?”
The cat stopped in front of the stick, simply meowing in response.
Mobius sighed and lowered his weapon. The cat was too adorable, he couldn’t even pretend to attempt to threaten it. Surely if it was a threat, Ravonna or one of the minutemen would’ve pruned it by now.
“Are you friendly?” Mobius inched closer, kneeling so he was level with the cat. He offered his hand out to it. The cat stayed in place, not moving.
“I- I can’t let you stay here. Someone should return you to where you belong.”
The cat meowed again, this time making a move towards Mobius. It trotted towards his hand, and nudged its head against it while purring.
“Okay, okay, you can stay for a little while,” Mobius couldn’t stop himself from smiling, letting the cat repeatedly bump his hand. “I won’t tell Ravonna.”
He picked up the cat, moving it to sit with him on the bed. Instantly, the cat curled up beside his legs.
Mobius chuckled to himself. He hoped this cat wasn’t a Flerken, a visually similar species that were a lot more dangerous. The cat seemed pretty harmless so far, and very affectionate. He placed his hand cautiously on the cat’s head, and began to give it scratches. The cat purred and cuddled closer into his leg.
“Out of all the weird things that have happened to me at the TVA, I never thought I’d own a cat,” Mobius pondered. The cat meowed and moved its head closer to Mobius’ hand. “Yes, you like that? You want scratches?”
The cat continued to purr, and Mobius glimpsed its beautiful eyes.
“Green eyes?” Mobius said. “Reminds me of someone- someone I lost recently. I thought I could trust him, but it turned out I was just a pawn in his plan.”
The cat stopped purring, and went silent.
“I should’ve listened to Ravonna, but I thought he was different, he could change. I thought we were friends.”
The cat moved from beside him, and climbed onto his lap. Mobius smiled, continuing to run his fingers through the cat’s silky fur.
“Maybe I’m getting easy in my old age. Easier to be manipulated and charmed. Silly old Mobius,” the analyst continued to rant. “Why am I telling you this? You’re just a cat that stumbled into my room by accident.”
The cat meowed, this time crawling up onto his chest and digging its claws into his shirt to hold on. Mobius scoffed, cradling the cat in his arms and giving it a kiss on its little forehead. That somehow made it start to purr again.
“You’ll listen, won’t you?” Mobius tickled under the cat’s chin, making it mew and give him a little lick on his cheek. “Do you believe he can still change?”
The cat pawed at his chest, starting to nibble at his tie.
“Hey, don’t damage that, it’s my favourite tie,” Mobius loosened it, pulling it over his head and out of reach of the cat. At the same time he undid a few buttons of his shirt for comfort.
Mobius let out a long sigh, lying on his back with the cat curled up on his chest. This was the most relaxed he’d felt in a while, the stress of finding Loki and his other variant had been getting to him. He had to prove himself again to Ravonna after his previous mistake.
The cat’s head was between his shirt, on the exposed part of his chest. Mobius didn’t mind, the cat had incredibly soft fur and so far hadn’t attempted to claw or bite him. Excluding his tie.
“Was I stupid for trusting a Loki, of all people?” Mobius asked. “I was, wasn’t I? Just another one of those people in power who fell for his charm.”
The cat lifted a paw on top of his hand. Mobius held the tiny paw between his fingers.
“He really is, though,” Mobius continued. “Sometimes I wonder, if I didn’t work for the TVA, would I have found someone? Like in all those love stories?”
The cat licked his hand.
“When I think of that- that scenario, the only person I ever picture beside me is Loki.”
The cat stopped licking his hand. Instead, it nudged its head against his hand and pawed at it.
“I know, I’m delusional, you don’t need to say that,” Mobius chuckled, giving the cat’s ears a little scratch. “How can you love someone who betrayed you? Who lies at every opportunity?”
The cat meowed loudly, going back to licking his hand.
“In some weird way, I believed- believe in him. I still have hope he can change. He’s not evil.”
Now the cat was simply lying there, staring at him with its glowing green eyes.
“You even look like him, a little,” Mobius continued to stroke the cat on his chest. “He’s beautiful. No wonder he always had people swooning over him all his life.”
The cat was purring again.
“But he’s always been alone,” Mobius stared into the cat’s eyes. “He needs someone by his side.”
He sighed and tipped his head back. “That can never be me. The TVA is my life. I need to protect the sacred timeline. I can’t jeopardise my service to the time keepers.”
Maybe he said something to piss off the cat, because it was climbing off his chest and moving to the other side of the bed.
“Sorry, little guy,” Mobius turned over to face the cat. “Tired of listening to Mobius complaining?”
The cat hissed at him. That was new.
“Okay, I’ll stop talking,” Mobius turned onto his back. “Should probably get some rest anyway. Back to finding Loki tomorrow.”
The cat seemed to already be asleep.
Mobius sighed. He fell asleep with the cat still on the bed beside him.
-
When Mobius woke up, he immediately found out why there was an immense pressure on his chest.
The cat was curled up on him again.
He started laughing.
“Hey little guy, you’re gonna have to move, I’ve got work,” he reluctantly lifted the cat off his chest, who didn’t seem too happy about being disturbed. As soon as it was put down, it leapt back onto Mobius’ lap.
“I don’t have much time,” Mobius ran his hands through the cat’s fur, and it nudged back against him, chasing the affection and purring loudly. “You love scratches, don’t you? I’ll be back later, don’t worry.”
The cat almost looked sad when Mobius had to leave.
-
Somehow, the clever cat had found its way out of Mobius’ room, and had now chosen to sit on the end of his desk. Mobius had sighed and shook his head, but let the cat stay. There was no one else around. He was still working. And if the cat had decided to curl up on his lap at some point, who was he to not let it? It was a very affectionate cat, and he could continue to work while giving it scratches.
-
At the end of his work day, Mobius had slipped some extra food away to give to the cat back in his room. The cat had eaten it happily, then returned to lying in his lap as he read through jetski magazines.
“Still no sign of the variants,” Mobius sighed, turning a page of the magazine. “They’re off together plotting our destruction, and here I am thinking… unprofessional things about him.”
The cat nudged his chest, burrowing closer.
“Ravonna would never understand, she’d have me fired,” Mobius muttered. “Worse, pruned.”
The cat began scratching at his tie.
“Hey, not again!” Mobius sighed and removed his tie. “I told you, I like that tie.”
For a while he continued to read, hand absentmindedly stroking the cat on his thighs. It was probably weird that he was confiding in a cat to talk to about his problems. Maybe he really was going insane.
“Do you think they have beaches on Asgard?” Mobius thought out loud. “That’d be romantic. Ice cream on the beach, sand between our toes, day out on the jetski. I wish I could have that with him sometimes.”
Mobius almost jumped out of his skin when the cat leapt up onto his shoulder and started nuzzling his neck. He then dissolved into laughter when the cat started licking every inch of his face.
“Hey, did I say something again?” Mobius picked up the cat, placing it back on his lap. “It’s okay, little guy.”
The cat purred, curling back up on his thighs. Mobius chuckled, going back to scratching its head.
“You’re a character, aren’t you?” he cooed. “Telling me I’m being silly? Pining after a trickster who betrayed me?”
The cat licked his hand in response.
This time when Mobius fell asleep the cat was on his chest all night.
-
This time Mobius had been sent on a field op to another apocalypse. They were surveilling as many as possible in an attempt to find the escaped variants. This planet was incredibly difficult to analyse, as most of it was covered in forests.
Mobius had been tasked with the boring job of staying back to guard the time door. He leant against a nearby tree, tossing his tempad in his hand and waiting for the others to return, hopefully with good news.
It was all part of the job, and sooner or later, he hoped it’d pay off.
He just hoped they got there in time before the variants had finished preparing their plan.
Something was nudging his leg. Mobius reacted instinctively and reached for his pruning stick, until he looked down and sighed upon realising it was just the cat he’d been looking after for the past few days. Or however time worked at the TVA.
Shit, it was the cat.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” he whispered harshly, picking the cat up in his hands. “You need to go back, you’ll compromise the mission, something bad will happen-”
“I can take perfect care of myself, thank you.”
Mobius blinked. Right in front of him stood Loki, the smuggest smirk on his face, and his hands were on his biceps.
What in the heavens was happening right now?
“Mobius.”
Mobius was speechless. It took him a moment to form words.
“Loki?!”
Mobius yanked his hands away. He was fuming.
“Yes, that’s my name-”
Mobius grabbed his arm and tugged him behind a very thick tree.
“What the hell are you doing here? Were you- were you always the cat that was following me? Or is it a disguise? Explain, now!”
“Woah, woah, calm down. One thing at a time,” Loki grinned, which only served to piss off Mobius further. “Yes, I might’ve been the cat. I can change my shape. I also may have fallen through a time door and got stuck in that shape at the TVA, thanks to your no magic rule.”
“Wait,” Mobius put his hands on his hips, turning bright red. “Skipping past the fact that you betrayed me, you heard everything? Everything I told the cat?”
Loki swallowed, suddenly going very quiet. He was avoiding eye contact.
“I did.”
“Shit, shit, shit, shit!” Mobius swivelled on his feet and let out an angry huff. “I’m so stupid! How could I not have known you’d have another trick up your sleeve, make me vulnerable with intent to betray me again!”
“Mobius, wait-”
“How could I- how could I ever trust you, Loki? I thought I may have been able to, I thought you had the capacity to be good-”
“Mobius!”
“What?!”
“I wasn’t trying to manipulate you!”
“Liar!” Mobius yelled, running a hand down his face. “I- I should take you to Ravonna, I’m clearly too deluded to lead this mission any longer.”
“No, stop!” Loki grabbed his arm. “Please, let me explain.”
Mobius sighed. “Explain what, Loki? Haven’t I given you enough chances?”
“Please,” Loki sighed, and Mobius raised an expectant eyebrow. “I swear, I don’t have any kind of plan. I simply got stuck in that form and couldn’t change back.”
Mobius shook his head. “You and the other variant, you’re not working together? Trying to overthrow us?”
“What, no!” Loki exclaimed. “She’s annoying, terrible company. I’d rather- I’d rather spend time with you.”
“More games,” Mobius sighed. “Trying to use that against me, are you? Everything I said? I won’t fall for it, not this time.”
“Mobius, I-” Loki ran his hands through his hair. “No. No games. I’m quite sad to be back, I rather enjoyed being a cat. Being with you.”
“Stop, stop,” Mobius stepped back. “Stop lying, Loki.”
“The things you said about me,” Loki continued. “No one has ever said that before.”
Mobius finally looked him in the eyes.
“Sylvie knows things. About the TVA. I need that information from her, that’s all.”
Mobius didn’t speak, just crossed his arms.
“You said you wanted to go to the beach. Ride a jetski. I want that too.”
“What are you trying to say?” Mobius said, trying to hide his blush.
“Sorry, this is new to me,” Loki turned away, embarrassed. “Expressing feelings.”
“Hey, Loki,” Mobius stepped closer. “Go on.”
Loki sighed. “I care about you, I guess. I- I want to see you happy. I want to be the cause of your happiness. I know, I betrayed you, and I understand if you don’t forgive me, believe me undeserving of your love-”
“Oh, shut up,” Mobius rolled his eyes, taking Loki’s waist and pulling them close. Mid-sentence, he was interrupted by Mobius’ lips pressing against his, and a hand cradling his face.
Loki froze in shock. A moment later he began to kiss back, his cheeks threatening to split from how much he was smiling. His stray hand went to the back of Mobius’ head, pulling him as close as possible.
He wasn’t used to this much affection, despite not in the same way, from anyone other than his mother. It was new, and exciting, to have someone touch him and be able to feel the way they cared, not like a quick fuck in order to get his own way with someone.
When they broke apart their foreheads touched, neither wanting to move away. Mobius cradled Loki’s face in his hands, leaning up to give him another quick peck. He almost melted upon seeing Loki’s ear-to-ear smile.
There weren’t any lies or tricks this time. Loki genuinely cared for him.
“I told myself I couldn’t have this,” Mobius whispered, almost to himself. “I could lose my job.”
“Nobody has to know,” Loki changed back to his signature smirk. “I can be subtle, when I want to be.”
“Loki, you’re wanted by the entire TVA.”
“I need more time,” Loki said. “I need to get closer to her, understand her motivation and plan. I know where she’s hiding.”
“The other variant?”
“Yes.”
“You want me to let you go back, alone with her?”
Loki sighed. “Please, you can trust me. I give you my word.”
Mobius bit his lip. “You better not have kissed me just to make me say yes to this.”
“You kissed me!”
“You kissed back!”
Loki scoffed. “Should I not have? Should I have pushed you away, tell you I’m saving myself for marriage?”
Mobius couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Oh, Loki.”
“What?”
“Maybe you should’ve stayed a cat, so you don’t talk so much.”
“I thought you wanted me to talk?”
“Do you really- do you really care about me?” Mobius turned serious. “Enough for me to trust you, fully?”
Loki smiled a little. He took Mobius’ hands in his, kissing each of his knuckles, while looking him in the eyes. This time, he couldn’t hide his blush at all.
“You can trust me. On my mother’s life, Mobius.”
Mobius knew how much Loki loved his mother. There was no greater promise than something like that, from him.
“Okay,” Mobius gave in. “Okay, you can go. But come back? For me?”
Loki smiled and looked away, still holding Mobius’ hands.
“Why would I not return, who else are you going to get ice cream with at the beach?”
Mobius laughed. His heart fluttered. Maybe there was a little more to life than the TVA.
“Only you, Loki, only you.”