A Closer Look
Chapter 31: A Closer Look
It took Loki a couple minutes to shake off the feelings and emotions that the whole encounter had left him with. He splashed his face with some water at the sink and took a couple deep breaths. He started to calm down, reminding himself of the most important thing. His son was safe. They both were. So were the other kids in the park and the ones he had taken. As soon as they started questioning he would spill every last dirty secret he had worked so hard to hide. Help would get to them.
He slipped his bracelet back on his wrist and fixed his hair just a little one last time before he left the bathroom and straightened out the sleeves off his shirt. He walked along the path and soon enough reached the area his little family was. "Boys!" He called as he paused in his steps.
Sean and Kevin both looked to him.
"Another hour or so and then we should go and get something for dinner." He called to them.
"Okay Lyle!" They both called before they turned back to their game.
Loki smiled a little as he returned to the bench and laid out on it with his head in Mobius's lap.
"You alright sweetheart? You were gone a little longer than I would have expected." Mobius said with a hint of concern in his voice. One of his hands absentmindedly starting to card through Loki's hair.
Loki shut his eyes and just let himself enjoy the feeling. He felt the last of the lingering emotions from what had happened leave him completely. "I'm alright." Now. That part went unsaid. All that mattered was yes. He was okay now. "The restroom was just a little farther away than I initially thought it was. It was a little unnerving being so far from you and the boys. That's all."
"Don't worry sweetheart. We're right here." Mobius assured and Loki just nodded. "Hey, there's a theatre group doing Shakespheare in the Park tonight. Do you want to go? I think the play is going to be a Midsummer Night's Dream."
Loki thought about that as he opened his eyes again to enjoy the view. "I don't see why not, but I doubt the boys would have any interest."
Mobius chuckled. "You know you're the one responsible for Sean actually enjoying the assigned Shakespheare reading they had to do in school?"
Loki smiled at the memory, but shook his head a little. "I was able to make it enjoyable for something he had to do, but I hardly think it was a profound enough experience that he would choose to watch something of Shakespheare's."
Mobius shrugged. "You never know. At the very least we can ask them and then if they don't want to go they don't have to."
Loki nodded. "You are right about that. No harm in asking."
***
Tony slipped out of bed early Sunday morning. Really early. The sun wasn't up yet. His nightmares had long since gotten better. He was more stable these days, but his sleep schedule had been irrepairably damaged after decades of being all over the place with it.
Besides he wanted to get to the bottom of some stuff. He changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and nabbed himself a cup of coffee from the pot that had already brewed in the kitchen before he headed down to the lab. Everything was already waking up as he stepped out of the elevator and then into the lab.
"Morning Boss."
Tony yawned, took a sip of coffee and then took up residence in one of his office chairs. "Morning Fri, what have you got for me this morning."
"I have an interview the police held with the man that was taken in last night. I'll warn you right now none of it is pleasant to hear boss. This guy was bad. However, I was also running through some older SHIELD data and some older footage from the penthouse back in 2012. What little remained of it and I have found some interesting parralells. The man in the park, Lyle Mobius, he shares a similar build and height as well as facial structure with one Loki Laufeyson."
Tony choked on the sip of coffee he had just taken. Pounding on his chest a liittle as he coughed and cleared his airways. "What the hell Fri? The guy is dead. Thor told us this time he died for real. In his arms no less." Thor had only once spoken of Loki's death and the events that had lead up to it on the Statesman. He had been so curious about everything. Bruce had started to fill him in, but Thor had wanted to tell parts as well. He said for once he had wanted the truth of his Brother's bravery and sacrifice to be remembered correctly. "There's no way." He said as he leaned a little closer to the pictures comparing the two men.
The only picture they really had to go off of was a grainy picture from SHIELD's old records. The organization had long since fallen, but he still had most information backed up somewhere. You could never be certain when something might be useful. Old habits died hard he supposed. Anyway, while he wanted to deny it the more he looked between the two he could see the resemblance. Although Lyle looked a lot healthier in his ID picture. Loki's faced seemed covered in sweat, he seemed much skinnier. He could see now the way that leather get up sort of seemed to swallow him in some ways. His hair was greasy.
The picture of Lyle was of a healthy man, who had a kind if not anxious look on his face despite the nervous smile he seemed to be giving to the camera. HIs hair was well kept. Brown with black highlights. He seemed to be a much healthier weight....but..."Hey Friday, lay these images over one another for me will you?"
"You got it Boss." She said as she was quick to over lay the images. Tony sucked in a small breath.
It wasn't an exact match obviously, but it was close enough to be a very small possibility. Which was bigger than he thought.
"Boss, this man also used a dagger which is not to common of a weapon to be proficient with anymore, but I have heard Mr. Odinson say in the past that his brother had been very proficient with them. Also in magic...Boss I think we should give Thor a call."
Tony shook his head as he leaned forward and rested it in his hands. Resting his elbows on the desk for a moment. "No Fri, he's one string away from snapping. He's getting better, but he's not going to survive if we get his hopes up and get this wrong. I don't think the team is necessary. We know he was working with Bruce and Thor and a couple others at the end. We know now he was being controlled. I don't think he's a threat...but I think I should still meet with him. If he's alive Thor would want to know."
"If that's what you think the best course of action is. Also I have you set up for visit to the University of Dayton. You will be addressing the students in their engineering and science programs about the Stark Internship this coming Wednesday. I got you a hotel room already set up nearby for Tueday to Friday. Which should give you some time to try and meet up with our guy."
Tony lifted his head and nodded approvingly. "Good job baby girl. Alright, what's on the agenda for today?"
***
Loki waited by the door. His shoulder bag hanging off his shoulder. Mobius had his suitcase and Kevin's was by the door waiting for him. It had been a challenge and Mobius had to put some of Kevin's things in Mobius's suitcase, but they managed to get the panda shrunk into Kevin's suitcase. It had been a comical sight.
Kevin jumping on the suitcase as Sean fought for every centimeter the zipper on the suitcase would move. They had called Mobius in for reinforcement halfway through getting the zipper closed completely and he had just stood on it while Sean and Kevin together worked at the zipper.
Kevin and Sean were saying their final goodbyes for the time being and Loki certainly wasn't going to rush them either. Only once Kevin made his way over to them did they make. their way out the door. Mobius had returned the rental earlier that morning so they had called for a cabbie to take them to the airport.
While he had over all had a good time he was more than ready to be home. Ready to be safe again. In his little home with his little family. Where the biggest fear was making sure he had the spices he needed to make what he wanted for dinner and making sure Kevin got to school on time.
Monday when they got back was a rest day for everyone. They got back late in the evening about two in the morning after a delay to their flight. Even Mobius had ignored his alarm that morning except to turn it off and called in sick to work that morning without thinking twice.
He slept well into the afternoon. Apparently the last of them to get up as he heard life in the house downstairs. He yawned as he reached out for his phone on the nightstand and clicked it on to check the time.
The dimmed screen read back to him four in the afternoon. He stretched under the warm blankets and burrowed back in. Tempted to go back to sleep. Now that he was back home where he could truly let down his guard and sleep, but he also wanted a hug.
The craving for the hug won out and he regretfullly pulled himself from the bed and straightened out his side a little. Checking the tie on his robe before he padded to the bathroom and freshened up a little. Brushed out his raven locks. That sat a little past his shoulders these days.
Once he more put together he clicked off the bathroom light and made his way downstairs. He found Mobius in the backyard at the grill working on some burgers and hotdogs. Kevin was running around trying to catch the little bugs that liked to hop on the grass.
He smiled a little as he came up behind Mobius and wrapped his arms around him from behind. Humming as he rested his chin on Mobius head. "This smells delicious."
Mobius smiled as he turned in Loki's arms to face him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "I'm glad. Did you sleep well? You looked like you were. I didn't want to wake you."
Loki nodded. "I could have gone back to sleep. It was kind of hard not to, but I wanted a hug more. I wouldn't want dinner to burn though." He said as he pulled away and took a seat on a chair nearby. Mobius already had a table set up with buns for both dogs and burgers and most of the fixings. "We're supposed to get some rain next to week."
Mobius frowned. "Rain already? I feel like summer just got here."
Loki chuckled. "I'm sorry darling. We can always vacation to somewhere with sun though."
Mobius shrugged. "Yeah..."
"Loki!"
Loki looked over as he heard Kevin calling for him. "Yes dear?"
Kevin came running over with a jar with a couple twigs, some grass and leaves. There were also four of the bugs in it as well. The jar lid had some air holes poked in it. "Look! I caught some grasshoppers!"
Loki took the jar carefully and held it up. Turning it this way and that. "Grasshoppers, that's what they called. I was having a hard time remembering their name." He handed back the jar. "Make sure you let them go in a couple hours."
"I will." Kevin said as he sat in the chair next to Loki and set his Jar on the table to watch the bugs inside. "I got invited to the lake. Macy's mom is taking her."
"Oh? Then I'll pack a nice lunch for all three of you then. What time will they be picking you up?"
"Uhh...she said eight o clock. She wants to get there early so that we get a good parking spot."
"Then I'll put together a little cooler to take with you guys." He said as he reahced for his phone to let Stephanie know he would send lunch so that she could just worry about some snacks and drinks.
***
The next morning he saw Kevin out the door early at eight with a cooler in hand. Giving Stephanie a wave from the porch. She waved back and Macy was already calling an excited greeting to Kevin who also had the bag that contained the compacted Panda to give to Macy as well.
He made breakfast for both him and Mobius and they ate together before he saw him off to work as well. Once he had he dressed in a loose linen button down and a pair of leggings and grabbed a yoga mat. He laid out in the living room where the early morning sun was pouring through the windows and then got out his phone and connected to the bluetooth speakers. He found some forest ambience sounds that would play continuously for a little while and threw it on before he took a deep breath and started in on some yoga.
It had been a little while since he had taken the time to do something like this. To meditate and breathe and center himself. He had done it religiously for quite a few years after they had settled back down. It had played a huge part in helping him overcome certain things.
As time went on and he had gotten more stable, better at coping and more worried about the boys and Mobius than himself he hadn't done it as much. He still liked to make time for it a couple times a month. And right now it was exactly what he needed to reground himself.
He spent two hours going through different poses and stretching out his limbs and joints until he ached wonderfully. The warmth of the sun doing wonders as well. He let out a breath as he laid back flat, but left his knees up. His hands resting on his stomach. Letting the sounds of the forest carry him away to a peaceful little space as he closed his eyes.
Then jumped as he heard a knock on the door. What in the...they didn't get many people just showing up unannounced. Most everyone who knew them knew to let him and Mobius know to expect them. He stared at the door for a long moment. It wouldn't be anyone selling anything, he had up one of those signs that was supposed to tell people they weren't interested.
There was another knock and he very quietly pushed himself up and silently crept over to the door and had a look through the peephole and then paled as he reeled back. No no no! Why was Tony Stark of all people on his doorstep. He looked to the windows in horror. Expecting arrows or a green beast or a blonde axe wielding brute.
There was a third knock. "Hello? Lyle? I just want to talk."
Loki shook his head before he crept up the stairs to their bedroom and he himself under the bed. A flick of the wrist summoned his phone. Shaking hands unlocked the screen and then found Mobius's number.
Mobius answered on the second ring. "Loki-"
"Mobi..." Loki whispered as a couple tears ran down his cheeks. "H-help."
"Sweetheart what's wrong? What's going on? I know you're scared, but I need you to talk to me. Are you at home?"
Loki whimpered as he heard a fourth knock on the door. "H-home. Found me. They found me Mobi. Ironman is on the front porch. I-I...I d-don't know where the others are. I sh-should run."
"Hey, hey just stay put until I get there. I don't think they're going to be breaking down the door in the middle of broad daylight with neighbors around alright? Just stay there, I'll be home real soon. I'll chase him away and then we'll make a plan. Together. Alright?"
Loki nodded as he heard the sound of Mobius's car door close in the background on the other end of the line. "I'll w-wait..."
"Good. I'll be there real soon."
***
"Loki!"
Loki let out a quiet sob of relief as he heard Mobius's voice and he forced his limbs to work so that he could crawl out from under the bed. "Mobius..." He called in a small voice. Still as if his husband was drawn to him in some way he heard Mobius's steps carry him up the stairs to their bedroom.
"Sweetheart it's okay I'm here now. He's gone. He was gone when I got here." Mobius said as he hurried over and scooped up Loki's trembling form frrom the floor and sat down on the bed.
Loki threw himself into Mobius's arms and buried his face in his shoulder as he finally broke down in quiet tears. "What are we going to do? I can't s-stay here. If he's found me then...th-then..." He shook his head. "He said he j-just...just wants to t-talk, but I know a trap when I hear one."
Mobius rubbed his back. We'll stay here tonight. For Kevin's sake I don't want to scare him. Tomorrow morning when I leave for work we'll tuck you away in a hotel room somewhere paid for with cash and you'll lay low for a couple days. I'll find a way to make up a false trail for us to get him off your scent. Alright?"
Loki nodded as he just took solace in Mobius's arms and tried to tell himself that everything would be okay. That he was not going to lose everything. That maybe this was all just a bad dream and he would wake up in a couple minutes on his yoga mat having fallen asleep in the sun.