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Mobius's face tickled. He felt fingers gliding lightly over his face, teasing gently along the bridge of his broken nose, lingering on his lips, pausing on his eyelids. His lover's hair brushed softly against his face, and he heard a giggle like bells ringing down from heaven.
Mobius opened his eyes and saw Loki—his Loki—exquisite, bare in the early morning light amid the tiny shimmering specks floating in the air, lying beside him. On his bed, in his house. Loki's eyes sparkled as he propped his chin on his hand and kept playing mischievously with Mobius's gray hair. Mobius couldn't help but catch Loki's hand and gently place a kiss on those playful fingers.
"Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well last night?"
Loki smiled at him, and Mobius's heart clenched. Just Loki's smile alone was enough for him to trade everything he had.
Loki: "Well enough to wake up early and gaze at you, Mobius. You have zero guard when you're asleep."
Oh, Loki. Mobius stretched up and pulled Loki into his arms. He retaliated by showering kisses all over his face—from his eyes to his sharp cheekbones, to the curved corners of his lips. Loki couldn't suppress a giggle beneath Mobius's rain of kisses. The hurried kisses gradually slowed at his lips, turning into a long, lingering, wet kiss. By the time they stopped, Loki's cheeks were flushed, his eyes glistened with moisture, and he wore a shy smile in Mobius's arms. So breathtakingly beautiful. This time, Loki stretched up to demand more of Mobius's kisses—a slow, endless kiss. Loki's hands clung tightly to the nape of Mobius's neck; Mobius's arms wrapped firmly around Loki's waist, his fingers softly stroking Loki's silky black hair.
Mobius tousled those glossy curls, gently nibbled on Loki's upper lip, then gradually trailed down his neck, sucking on his collarbone, breathing in deeply and nuzzling into the hollow of Loki's throat. Loki's long, slender legs tightened around Mobius's hips.
"We have to get up, or we'll be late."
"Oh, come on. Just a little longer."
"If we're late again, who knows how B-15 will complain."
"I thought you said the TVA has no concept of time."
"That's not what it means."
Mobius sat up, still yearning for Loki's warmth, but they couldn't afford to be late one more time this week, especially with the knowing look Casey gave Mobius every time the two of them arrived late. They had even moved to a house in Ohio instead of living at the TVA. Oh god, after successfully saving the multiverse, Mobius couldn't hold back anymore and confessed his love to Loki. And to his shock, Loki had agreed, and now the two of them lived together. Sylvie was still out wandering across the multiverse, but Mobius had found his home.
Mobius turned back to glance at the lazy cat still in bed. Loki showed no sign of wanting to get up at all. Mobius gently placed a kiss on that frowning forehead.
"If we go in early today, we can leave early and stop by the beach before sunset. Deal?"
Loki grumbled as he sat up, scooping clothes scattered all over the floor. Mobius took the chance to hop into the bathroom, still hearing the childish complaints that made him chuckle. Mobius looked in the mirror, unable to believe the happy face reflected back at him. Blue eyes shining with love, messy gray hair, a trimmed mustache framing a smiling mouth. He had never imagined his life could be this happy and whole, despite all those endless years at the TVA. Mobius knew who he was, knew what he wanted, knew what he possessed.
When he stepped out of the bathroom, clean and fresh, he didn't see Loki emerging from the other bathroom. Mobius glanced downstairs. The space had gone silent—no rustling of leaves, no morning chatter of neighbors, no buzzing of early-season insects. So hushed that Mobius felt a chill run down his spine. He called out, "Loki, Loki. Where are you?"
He rushed downstairs. The kitchen and living room were empty. He pulled out his TemPad and hurried to the TVA. Casey was still sitting at his familiar desk, and next to it was Mobius's own slightly messy workstation, but there were no long legs slung bored across it. Mobius asked Casey, "Where's Loki, Casey? Has he come in yet?"
Casey, absorbed in the file of information in front of him, looked up at Mobius in surprise. "Who's Loki?"
Mobius's face went ashen. He sprinted down the hall until he found B-15 standing next to D-90. "Bee, where's Loki?"
B-15 turned around, thought for a moment. "Loki? You mean Variant L1130? Wasn't he pruned already? You were the one who gave the approval."
Mobius was stunned. "That's impossible. Loki became one of us."
B-15 looked at him in confusion. Mobius ran again. He didn't know where to run. He saw Miss Minutes glide past, but he paid no attention. He ran back to the analysis room and looked up at the Sacred Timeline. It was still a single timeline with limited branches.
What was happening? He didn't know either. Mobius collapsed to his knees, his mind throbbing as if about to explode. Everything blurred, and Mobius fell to the ground.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw the familiar orange-brown ceiling of the TVA dormitory. On a bed just big enough for one person, the same dim yellow light. It was all just a dream. But the sensation was so real—Loki lying in his arms, the scattered kisses on bare skin, those shimmering eyes and Loki's smile. Mobius covered his face, his eyes brimming with tears. He didn't know how much time had passed. After the Loom exploded, he was still here, still alone, never able to go back to how things were before. He missed him. He missed Loki, his Loki. He had never been able to confess his feelings, and he only realized it when he had lost him.
There is never a happily ever after.