Chapter Text
The Time Theatre suites weren’t used that often these days, though occasionally one would be reserved for an agent doing research prior to a mission, as Mobius was that morning.
Loki wasn’t involved at all, having taken on other duties since he’d returned to the TVA from the End of Time. But he was nosey, so he’d followed Mobius here after his breakfast meeting with B-15, letting himself into Theatre 5 quietly as he slipped through the narrow gap he’d silently pushed open, before easing the door closed just as noiselessly. Then he crept up stealthily behind where Mobius sat, seemingly absorbed in the footage he was watching of a beachside scene, two people Loki didn’t know talking to each other for several moments, before it cut to—
“Good gods, what is that Thor wearing?” Loki spouted, registering Mobius’ comical jump of surprise with the desired satisfaction.
“Loki!” he yelped, fumbling for the controls, managing to pause it after two failed attempts.
Loki, however, was completely preoccupied, staring at the image hovering in front of them of an hilariously overmuscled variant of his brother, who looked all the more ridiculous for his outfit.
Or lack of one, rather.
He was wearing skintight black shorts with a shining gold waistband, flip-flops on his feet, a bandana tied around his head, a ridiculous neck accessory which looked to have animals’ teeth adorning it, and…
Moving closer to the hologrammatic display, Loki frowned incredulously as he examined the contents of the transparent satchel Thor had slung over his shoulder.
“Is that a toy version of me?” Loki demanded, rounding on Mobius, who for some reason was looking abnormally awkward and flustered.
“Y- yeah,” Mobius shrugged, having to clear his throat a little as he first tried to speak.
Troubled at his unease, Loki took a step towards him.
“Are you all right, Mobius?”
“‘Course I am,” he insisted hurriedly, straightening in his seat. “And yeah, that particular Thor carries two little plushies of you and Hela around with him, believe it or not.”
Loki turned his head to look at the screen again, paying more attention now to the face of the frozen image of the larger-than-life Thor variant. He wasn’t familiar to him by appearance, which was hardly a surprise, because with access to infinite timelines whilst he sat upon his throne, Loki had barely scratched the surface of discovering the multiverse in general, let alone variants of himself or his family.
Actually, come to think of it…
“So where’s his Loki? They must be on decent terms, then?” Loki prodded, approaching Mobius as he slipped his hand in his pockets. “Unless he’s dead, and the toys are in memory. That’d be typical,” he added flippantly, with a roll of his eyes.
“No, no, he’s… uh, around,” Mobius replied evasively.
He was behaving just oddly enough to give Loki pause, and his brow furrowed once again, wondering what sensitive information Mobius may be extracting from the interaction on screen.
But he and Mobius had no secrets when it came to their respective jobs, often spilling their triumphs, grievances and yes, sensitive information over dinner or an evening drink… or both, on occasion.
Those occasions in question being Loki’s absolute favourites, of course. Entire evenings spent in Mobius’ company? He really couldn’t ask for more.
Well, he could. A lot more. But he would never presume to push his luck…
“So who are these people my sort-of-brother is talking to?” he prodded, steering his thoughts back to the present.
He didn’t wait for Mobius, the footage restarting with a wave of his hand, which startled Mobius to an unreasonable degree.
“No, wait—”
Oh, I do so love being able to use my magic here now, he thought with relish, tuning into the words being spoken on screen.
“—before we go trying anything foolish,” Thor was in the middle of booming. “And what say you, brother?”
The image promptly switched to a Loki variant standing close by, and the outfit in which he was clad made Thor’s seem utterly pedestrian in comparison.
“Norns, what the Hel am I wearing?”
When Mobius said nothing, Loki glanced around at him, unable to help but notice his face was about three shades pinker, and he was determinedly avoiding looking at either Loki.
Interesting…
Attention back on the screen, Loki scanned the visual appraisingly. His variant was in perfect physical shape, as he was himself, but apparently had no shame in sharing this fact with the entire godsdamned cosmos.
He was wearing a tiny green swimsuit that barely covered his nether regions, adorned in gold like Thor’s shorts, only much more ornate. A patterned robe in the same colours hung from his shoulders, its capacious hood draping loose over his back, and somehow the voluminous folds of fine fabric managed to make the swimming briefs appear even more indecent.
And that hat… well, it was a contest between which was more ridiculous; that or the slippers decorated with horns.
“In what universe would a me ever deem that worthy attire?” he asked rhetorically, shaking his head in disbelief.
“You don’t like it?” Mobius piped up, and Loki rounded on him again.
“You do?” he asked, genuinely unsure whether Mobius was joking or not.
But his apple-red cheeks suggested that it perhaps wasn’t said in jest.
Mobius quickly averted his eyes, suddenly pretending to be busy with a document sitting on the table beside him.
Biting his lip thoughtfully, Loki stared up at the screen again, taking in every detail of the preposterous ensemble.
But… if Mobius actually liked what he saw—
The flash of his seiðr caught Mobius’ attention, and he heard his intake of breath before he turned around, striking a pose and trying his best not to feel too self-conscious about being almost naked in front of Mobius, of all people.
His mouth went dry as he belatedly registered his impulsiveness, and it didn’t help at all when Mobius’ eyes went wide, his gaze raking over Loki’s body as his mouth fell open a very little.
There was a suspended moment when neither of them seemed to know what to say or do, before Loki dredged up some confidence from gods only knew where.
“So, uh… what do you think?” he asked, holding his arms out as the robe spread wide, feeling like a fool in the cumbersome broad-brimmed hat and novelty slides.
He did a little turn, and when he was once again facing Mobius, those big blue eyes finally met his once more.
“I think… I- I think we should take a summer vacation.”