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Mobius rubbed his eyes, stretched, and slowly sat up. He reached out to the other side, out of habit. The space next to him was empty. Because Mobius did the right thing.
He stood up, walked to the bathroom and turned on the light. He looked at his reflection in the mirror without seeing it.
"I just think it's wiser to stop things before they go too far."
"We've been together for over a year, we've already gone too far." had replied Loki
"I am old and mortal. You have your whole life ahead of you and I do not wish to stand in your way. "
"In my way? But what way Mobius?" Mobius could sense the incomprehension in Loki's voice.
"I do not wish to be a burden to you."
"Mobius, how can you say that?" The voice was now pleading
"I'm saying that we should... that it's in our best interest to..."
"You're breaking up with me. Say it."
"Yes I want us to break up, before it hurts too much."
He saw Loki's features contort with anger. His gaze was as cold as ice.
"You'll thank me eventually...it's the right thing to do."
"How can I thank you when you are sacrificing me on the altar of your integrity, sacrificing our love on the altar of your fear.I thought you said I had the choice to do what I wanted with my life, but do you realize you just took that choice away from me? Who is now the scared little boy?"
Mobius answered nothing and stood in the middle of the living room until Loki walked out, closing the door, gently, without slamming it.
Mobius lived through that day and the next. The apartment was filled with Loki's absence, and Mobius spent more time at work to avoid feeling it. He told himself that Loki's things should be packed, but the thought of touching anything that evoked his presence made him sick.
"Go home!" HB ordered him when she realized that Mobius hardly ever went home and slept in his office.
"This is not my home anymore..." muttered Mobius.
"It's your fault" HB knew all about their breakup and had called Mobius an idiot more than once. "Go to sleep and especially get yourself a wash!"
"I'm sorry," Mobius said. He straightened up and went home.
Once the door was closed, he leaned on it and let himself slide against it. After a few seconds, he realized he was not alone and heard voices coming from the living room.
"Loki, did you even read all those books?" asked a voice Mobius knew. Casey.
"Almost all of them," Loki said with a tired tone, and Mobius froze, "The ones I didn't read were from Mobius, who..."
It was me who read them aloud to both of us.
"It must be nice to have someone take care of you like that."
"Yeah it is... unbelievable," Loki said, and Mobius could hear the clenching of his teeth.
"Mobius is great," Casey replied, "Everyone loves him."
"Sometimes that's not enough," Loki answered softly.
Casey didn't seem to hear him and continued, "To think that before he met you it was Loki-this or Loki-that, and even more so, after he met you it was the same. For anyone who knew Mobius, like me, it was crystal clear that he was completely dedicated to you. He had never put his head on the line for anyone like you."
"Shut up," Loki muttered. Mobius put his head in his hands.
What have I done?
"When you left, when you followed the variant, it wasn't the same. I'd never seen him like that in all the time I've known him. He hardly slept at all, until we found you."
"Mobius loves me, I know that," Loki said softly. "It's just... Like I told you, apparently that's not enough for him. It's not enough for him to fight."
"Loki," Casey continued, "I know most people think I'm an idiot. But you kept talking to me and being nice. So why are you letting him break up with you? You have to fight for him. You love each other. Everyone can see it, the young recruits when they hear about you, they call you the Time Lovers. For three days you've been a shadow of yourself."
"I'll have to find another light then," Loki blurted out.
Casey didn't respond and sighed.
Mobius decided it was time to make his presence known. He cleared his throat and walked toward the living room. "Good evening."
"Mobius!" Loki turned around. "I was, uh, packing up some stuff. I thought you'd be home later."
"I decided to come home early today."
Mobius realized that Loki was indeed a shadow of himself as Casey had said, and Mobius was to be blamed. The magnitude of his mistake was clear to him. He took a step towards Loki, then became aware of Casey's presence.
"Casey... do you-"
"I'm leaving." he paused, looked at Loki and said without letting out a sound, "Fight for it."
Loki nodded and Casey left.
Mobius waited for the front door to close.
"Loki, I'm sorry, I think I made a big mistake."
"You think?" Loki replied in a bitter tone.
"I'm sure of it. I lost faith in us for a while because I overheard a conversation that I probably shouldn't have. People were comparing us and saying how I was no good for you. That I was holding you back. I could only see my flaws, I could only see how I could possibly hurt you. I didn't realize...I didn't know...I couldn't see what I could offer you anymore." Mobius could no longer hold back his words, nor his tears, so desperate was he to convince Loki.
"I love you with all my being, Loki. Without you, nothing has any meaning, taste, flavor, light. And I realize that I am no longer able to live without you, so even if it makes me selfish, please Loki, come back to me."
Loki approached him and took his hand, "Mobius, how can you believe that you are not good for me? You trusted me when in the eyes of the universe I was anything but trustworthy, you saw the good in me when I had done nothing but evil, you made me want to become good, to become trustworthy, to become as you saw me. If you are not good for me, then no one is. How can you think you are holding me back when you have set me free and because of you I am no longer tied to the ground by my destiny." Tears were also running down Loki's cheeks. He continued, his voice trembling, "Even as you broke up with me I knew you loved me and I didn't stop loving you."
"Loki, I'm so sorry for the harm I may have done, for acting like a fool."
Loki shook his head, "You acted like a real idiot, but the harm you did was to both of us. You know, for a long time I thought I'd be the one to do the first stupid thing, to say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing to make you want to leave me. I didn't think you would do it alone."
"I apologize with all my heart Loki."
Mobius took Loki's face in his hands and with his forehead against his, eyes in eyes, he said in a clear voice.
"I love you."
"For all time"
"Always."
"So we don't break up then?" joked Loki, who leaned in until his mouth was inches from Mobius'.
Mobius closed the distance then kissed Loki long and hard.
When they parted, Loki said softly, "I love you. I love everything about you. And I can't stand one more day of life without you. It's been a hell of a few days Mobius. I forgive you with all my heart but don't let this kind of thing break us up like this again. We've trusted each other since the very beginning, so trust me too when you doubt yourself."
"Thank you." repeated Mobius, exhaling with relief.
Loki took Mobius by the hand and led him to the couch, where he sat Mobius down, then got into his favorite position, his head in Mobius' lap, this time facing Mobius and wrapped his long arms around his waist before whispering against his stomach, "Don't ever do that to me again, Mobius. It was worse than the day I found out I was adopted, I thought my heart was being ripped out."
"Never again," Mobius promised, "I swear it to you." He leaned over and placed a long kiss on Loki's forehead.
They stayed like that for a long time, savoring the moment.
Their love had survived.