Wine and Wheat

In the halls of Asgard’s palace, Mobius marveled at the paintings and grandeur. It was a stunning sight, to be sure.

“It’s beautiful in here,” Mobius said, arm linked with Loki’s. He couldn’t believe he was arm-in-arm with a god. A god who had been visiting him in that beautiful temple for several months now. “I’m glad you finally brought me here. I was starting to believe you were lying about how pretty it was.”

“Oh, yes. It’s stunning.” Loki smiled. He opened his mouth to speak again when he heard footsteps down the hallway. He ran into another branch of the hallway, into one of the alcoves, and covered Mobius’s mouth with his hand. A few servants walked past. When they were gone, Loki stepped back, letting Mobius go.

Mobius had to take a few breaths and refocus. Shit, this man had a stranglehold on him. Though, curiosity took hold of his brain very quickly.

“What was that all about?” Mobius kept close to Loki as they continued walking.

The god took a few steps in silence, a hand placed gently on Mobius’s shoulder. Then, he took a breath to speak. “Mortals aren’t meant to be on Asgard without explicit permission from the king.”

“But we have that permission, right?”

More silence fell over the hall.

“Loki,” Mobius grabbed his hand, “do we have that permission?”

Loki shook his head. “I’m afraid not. There is a long process involved with it. In any case, bending the rules is something that I am very skilled at.”

“But how much can you bend those rules before they break? Or you break?”

“Do not fret for me, my dear. I can handle myself.”

“I just don’t want you putting yourself in jeopardy for my sake.” Mobius stared at the glistening tiles as he walked, swearing that he could hear a quiet orchestra playing in the other room.

Loki led Mobius into his bedchambers, shutting the door behind him. “My father does not wander the palace at this time of day, and his guards wouldn’t bother checking my chambers for any possible intruders. You are safe here.”

At that inconvenient moment, a small, blonde man walked out of the connected powder room and gasped. “A friend!”

Loki groaned in annoyance. “Alf, did you have to do your rounds now? I’m occupied at the moment.”

The small man ran up to Mobius and examined him closely, lifting his arms as if he were a tailor. “Look at this! His arms aren’t sticky!”

“Why would you ever think he would be sticky?!” Loki sputtered.

He simply giggled excitedly and looked up at Mobius. “My name is Alf! I haven’t seen you around the palace. Are you another Aesir? Or perhaps a Vanir? Oh, they are such bores. The whole lot of them!”

“Oh! Well…” Mobius looked to Loki for assistance, but Loki simply sighed. “I’m a human.”

Alf’s smile fell away quicker than a star shot across the sky. He turned to Loki. “Master, you’ve brought a human man here?!

“Alf, please-”

“Do you understand what you’ve done?! A thousand stars will die at the hands of Odin’s ire when he discovers that you’ve brought a mortal into this palace without his knowledge! He will bring his sword down upon you and yours, and you’ll be nothing more than an ant beneath his boot!”

Loki quirked an eyebrow and leaned against the wall. “Are you quite finished?”

Alf smiled. “Yes, I’m done!”

Mobius couldn’t help but chuckle at him.

“Look, Alf, I am simply trying to find somewhere inconspicuous to speak with Mobius. And besides, he is my priest. I have every right to bring him here.” Loki explained.

“A priest?! Didn’t you say you didn’t want one?”

“This is different.”

“Or perhaps you’d like to follow in your brother’s footsteps and play with this mortal like a puppet.”

Loki flinched in Alf’s direction but held himself back. He took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth. “Bite your tongue. Mobius is my friend, not a plaything. You know me well enough to understand my feelings on the matter.”

Mobius watched this exchange with a soft smile. Loki was standing up for him. Sure, they were friends now, but still, the protection was such a new, sweet feeling. “Thank you, Loki.”

“Of course, my dear.” Loki lifted Mobius’s chin, which seemed to melt him whenever he did such a thing. “Are you tired? I’ll arrange a place to stay. I’m sure there are a few guest rooms that are available and inconspicuous. Moreover, I believe a little disguise would help you blend in with the other Aesir, and I know just the trick.” Loki pressed a finger to Mobius’s chest, right above his heart, and sent a surge of magic through his body.

Mobius gasped and stumbled back, clutching his chest. He felt a tingle spread throughout his body, like a prickly heat from his head to his toes. “What’s happening to me?”

“Don’t worry, darling, you’re alright. Just a little spell.” Loki helped steady him. “You look as much like an Aesir as a human could. The only drawback is your lack of mystical aura, which I’ve bestowed upon you with this spell. You should be undetectable, even by Heimdall himself!”

“Oh,” Mobius sighed. “Does this mean I can stay?”

Loki pressed their foreheads against one another. “For as long as you’d like, my dear.”