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Loki had a favorite position when he shared a tender moment with Mobius.
Mobius would sit at one end of the couch, and Loki would lie on his back or side, his feet on the armrest, his head on Mobius’ lap and Mobius' hand on his abdomen or hips.
Each time, after a few seconds, his hand would return to Loki's hair. Passing his fingers lightly between the long black wavy strands, making them flow delicately along his fingers.This gesture had an extremely calming effect on Loki who could not get enough of it.
In the intimacy of their life together, Mobius had many tender gestures, gestures that showed the depth of his feelings for Loki. Loki, for a long time deprived of real human contact other than to fight, relished it. Mobius knew it and did not fail to lavish his lover with what he needed.
In Loki's eyes, this kind of moment was extremely precious, he had the impression that time stood still and that he was sheltered from everything. If someone were to ask Loki at this very moment where his safe place was, he would immediately answer, without thinking, "in the arms of Mobius."
Today had been a difficult day, for Loki but especially for Mobius. They had to testify in Ravonna's trial.
Loki had been feeling uneasy since he came back from court, because when he saw her, he had felt the rage and despair that had come over him when she had ordered her men to prune Mobius.
For the first time in a long time, he had felt the dark urge to use his magic for revenge. To mess with the mind of this woman who had almost made the person he loved the most disappear from his life. Who had made him feel for a moment what it was like to lose hope.
As for Mobius, he didn't mention it, but of course it was difficult to be in front of someone you considered a close friend and who finally spent his life lying to you.
Who had not even hesitated in the end to make you disappear because it thwarted her plans.
Mobius's open character allowed him to get involved with anyone, but even so he had only a few close friends. Until recently. Ravonna had been one of them. So finding himself in front of her under these circumstances must have been distressing.
Even though his lover tried to reassure him by smiling and pretending that everything was fine, Loki was not fooled. He knew his Mobius and all the signs that he was not well.
They hadn't been able to see each other much, the witnesses of the trial that were taking place today were not supposed to be in contact during their attendance.
That's why he had tried in his own way to support Mobius throughout the day, leaving Mobius' favorite drink on his desk, or a salad he had picked up in the cafeteria.
Ravonna's lawyer, had pushed Loki around, had delved into his past, trying to discredit him, but Loki hadn't faltered, because every time he did, all he had to do was think of Mobius disappearing before his eyes, and his determination was unwavering. And when he returned to his place, he had supported Ravonna's despised glare without lowering his eyes.
In the midst of his reflections, he heard the key turn in the lock, announcing Mobius' return. He watched him enter and was about to get up to give him room but Mobius simply said, "Stay there."
Loki, stopped in his tracks, remained seated where he was at the end of the couch, a little surprised.
Mobius sat down next to him, kissed his cheek and squeezed his hand briefly before lying back on the couch, his head in Loki's lap, facing away from him.
Loki was a little confused at first because it was the first time their positions were reversed and he didn't know what to do with his hands. Then, as always in this kind of situation, he let himself be led by his intuition and put his hand on Mobius' chest. Mobius grabbed it immediately, brought it to his lips and kissed each of the knuckles before pressing it against him and letting out a deep sigh.
Naturally, Loki's other hand came to rest on Mobius' head and gently caressed his hair.
They stayed like that for a long time, the silence being broken only by their breaths.
Then Mobius turned on his back and Loki looked down at him.
Mobius raised his hand, placed it gently on Loki's cheek and said in a breath, "Thank you."
"Thank you for what, love?"
"For giving me this moment, without asking a single question. For just being here."
Loki swallowed before answering. He was always overwhelmed by a deep emotion every time Mobius told him this kind of thing.
To Mobius it seemed the most natural thing in the world and Loki could see that he was sincere, but to Loki who still had a lot of doubt about his own worth, it was priceless.
He replied a little later, "You know it's mutual, that you offer me the same, that your presence alone is a gift."
"I know that, Loki, and you know I don't believe in fate and all those clichés. But if there is one thing I am more and more sure of, it is that each of us is what the other needs. Before you, before us, I didn't have to face this kind of situation, but after a difficult case, I would have gotten dizzy with some kind of alcohol, and I would have woken up in a worse state than before. There will always be a "before you", a "before us" and an "after". You say you changed my life. I don't tell you this often Loki, but you really changed my life too. When I said thank you for the spark that day, it wasn't just about the TVA, it was about my whole life. You put your light into the darkness that the old TVA had put me in. You showed me the truth, you even fought for me to see it. So never underestimate what you did and what you are doing for me."
Loki, who hated to be emotional, never hesitated when he was with Mobius, and this time he didn't force himself to hold back the tear he let run down his cheek, then onto Mobius' hand.
He whispered in a broken voice, "Mobius..." before leaning in and kissing him tenderly, pouring all his emotions into the kiss. Then after a few moments, he straightened up, Mobius lowered his hand and interlaced his fingers with Loki's. He continued: "Loki, I know that for you, too, this case has not been easy."
Loki cut him off, "Yes, but I..."
"Let me finish, I know how you felt about facing Ravonna. Sylvie told me when I ran into her before, that she felt your anger and rage when you sat in the stand." Mobius insisted, his eyes in Loki's.
"The worst part Mobius," Loki admitted shamefully, "Is that I almost fell back into my old demons, I almost used my magic to get revenge, to bend her."
"Yes, but you didn't, you stopped before. And I know you will always stop, because you are not that man anymore Loki. I am intimately convinced of that. I wish you could see yourself at least half as well as I see you. But I also know that it will take you time, and that's good, because I have my whole life ahead of me to try to convince you of your qualities and you to try to convince me that the world is not as dark as I sometimes think it is."
"I love you." Loki could think of nothing else but those three words. Because there was nothing stronger to offer in response to the words Mobius had just spoken.
Mobius looked at him tenderly and said simply, "I know Loki as you know I love you."
Then he turned around again, this time with his face against Loki's belly and wrapped his arms around Loki's waist, while Loki curled around him and sporadically placed kisses on Mobius' head.
This reminded Mobius of a hug in front of a Timedoor, the first one initiated by Loki. The first time Mobius had felt both protected and loved.
The difference today was that they were not going to part right afterwards, on the contrary, they had the certainty of a long life together.
They let the last traces of that hard day evaporate in their embrace, replacing them with the love they had for each other.
