The Goodbye
Zozo’s room was smaller than Loki expected it to be. He slept in most of her old houses, but all of her past rooms were bigger. This one seemed tiny in comparison. And it was very blue. A navy blue wall, navy blue bed sheets, even denim curtains to block out the sunlight. But it was also cozy, and Loki could imagine why she chose to decorate her space like that. It suited her personality.
Beside him, Zozo started tearing up, squeezing his hand tightly as if she was scared to let him go.
“Do you think…” She started, then paused. “Do you think this is really it? My home?”
Loki smiled, squeezing back.
“Mobius wouldn’t benefit from lying to you. I took note of this timeline, he knows I’d come get you if it wasn’t the right one, and if that happens, he will have a lot more paperwork to complete.”
Unsurprisingly, Zozo didn’t laugh. Instead, she moved closer to him, and put her head against his shoulder, as if she was searching for comfort. It seemed as if she was the only one needing it, as Charlie didn’t hesitate before he jumped on her bed and started rolling around in the sheets.
“There’s only one way to find out.” Zozo whispered. “Wanna go downstairs with me, and meet my family? They’d really appreciate meeting the guy who helped me navigate the multiverse.” She glanced at their connected hands for a moment. “And also the guy who became my best friend in only a week.”
“You know I can’t do that, darling.” Loki whispered, sadness building up in his chest. “But you will always have a friend in me. I’ll have your back no matter what, and no amount of timelines between us will change that.”
He looked at their hands and brought them up, studying the scars that he just noticed aligned perfectly against each other. Who knew that even drunk, they had such great precision. It was almost like the Norns had planned this out. Like this friendship was meant to be.
“Why does this feel like a goodbye?” Zozo asked, her lip trembling slightly, and Loki couldn’t help but feel his eyes also start swelling with tears.
“Because it is.” He admitted, the confession causing the pain in his heart to double. “I have to face the consequences of my actions, and atone for some things me and a friend did. And I have to do it alone.” Seeing the sadness and helplessness in her eyes did not make this easier to the slightest, and Loki felt himself aching. Maybe that was what it meant to yearn. Undoubtedly, Frigga would be proud of him, for finally discovering it. “I must do it, darling, now that your safety is at stake. I won’t risk procrastinating if I have everything to lose.”
A lonely tear made its way down Zozo’s cheek, and she slowly buried her face in the crook of Loki’s neck, embracing him gently as she shook in his arms.
“You’ll always have a home with me, Loki Laufeyson.” She whimpered, reveling in his smell around her. The smell of the leather of a hot car seat, even when he wasn’t wearing leather at all. The smell of a friend.
“As will you with me, Zofia the dog lady.” He whispered, before pressing a soft kiss on the top of her head. Then, he lifted her chin up, watching the tears slip from her eyes, and letting her watch as some of his own tears flowed as well. “And darling, I know you’re scared for what your future holds. But I want you to trust me when I tell you that everything will be okay. You’ll be just fine, and you’ll meet fantastic friends at university.” He paused again, to wipe the tears from her lashes. “I know, because I read your file.”
Now, Zozo let out a broken laugh, though it sounded a bit more pained than Loki would have liked.
“Of course you did, you mischievous scamp.” She giggled. “I feel really sorry for Mobius, who will have to deal with all of your chaos and playfulness and mischief, now that I’m not gonna be there. Go easy on him, alright?”
“I’ll try my best.” Loki promised. “And once I fix the mess I made, I swear I’ll come back to you.”
Now, Zozo smiled, her nose scrunching up in a way that Loki wished would get ingrained in his brain forever.
“You better, mister trickster.” She jokingly threatened, sticking out a finger and shaking it by his face.
Unlike them, Charlie was clearly getting impatient, as he barked a few times and started scratching on the white door, begging to be let out. Immediately, sadness overcame the two, as they realized that their time together truly was ending. One last time, they fell into a tight hug, both of them squeezing so hard that they thought the other might suffocate.
“I’ll never forget you, Lokes.” Zozo vowed through tears. “And when you’re all done doing your other stuff, we can get you a place on my timeline here with me. I’m sure Thor would also love to have you back in New Asgard, and I can do long distance no problem.”
Just that mere suggestion was enough to get Loki to tear up again.
“We’ll see.” He whispered into her hair, trying his hardest to memorize the smell. “Now, go say hi to your family, and give them my warmest regards.”
Slowly, Zozo pulled away, until the only parts of them that were touching were their hands, still connected tightly, their respective scars pulsing against each other.
“Friends forever?” Zozo asked.
“Forever.” Loki confirmed.
She didn’t look back when she ran out the door, happily yelling out to her mother and father and little sister. Loki heard them all scream and laugh with joy, accompanied by Charlie’s happy barking. This was her home. These were her people. Her family. There was no doubt that this really was her timeline, and though there was a part of him that felt sad at their own departure, Loki himself had never been happier for someone. She was safe.
He took one last glance through the room, before pulling out the tempad he had taken from Renslayer not so long ago, and opening a portal back to the TVA. Now that he had a friend, a home to come back to, he needed to do everything in his power to protect it, even if it meant keeping her in the dark about a few things, and leaving her at her home while he finally dealt with the multiverse he helped open. Her magical abilities would only put her at risk, had he told her the extent of the power described in her file, and he would never forgive himself if something bad happened to her because of him. It was safer this way. It was what Frigga would do.
It felt weird to be back in the TVA file section without Zozo by his side, and yet, that moment felt sort of cathartic. He was back in the place where it all started, where she first said his name, when he was broken and alone and exhausted beyond measure. Now, he had a goal. A home to protect. He was whole again, and he was clean, and ready to take on whatever consequence this multiversal madness throws his way.
He didn’t flinch when Mobius approached him, accompanied by Hunter B-15 and a few other Agents, surrounding him as if he was some sort of grenade, waiting to explode when least expected. If he were to be honest, he didn’t really pay them any attention, his thoughts turned entirely to the little screen above him, where he could swear he could pinpoint the branch he created, in which his variant and Zozo’s variant were still together, not separated by space and time. Perhaps all the misfortunes and pains in his life were meant to be, just for that little branch to exist, where some version of him has found his home and stayed with her, building something new and beautiful out of their love.
And that thought filled him with euphoria.
*** New York, 2012, in another timeline ***
As he stood atop Stark Tower, Loki wasn’t sure what he was waiting for anymore. The damned mind stone and the damned Mad Titan both effectively clouded his thinking, making it a much harder task than necessary. But he was waiting for something, wasn’t he? Or someone.
New York, 2012, was most definitely a significant date, if he ingrained it in his head like that. Maybe it was the date he planned to invade Midgard? If that was the case, he was already doing it, so why did he still feel so… incomplete?
A whole millennium of waiting, all down the drain because of Thanos and what his children decided to do to him. He hoped that whatever it was he forgot, they wouldn't find out about it, because if it was that important to him, Loki was sure they would not hesitate to take it away from him to have some sort of leverage, and force Loki into doing more of their dirty work. Pathetic strategy, but strategy nonetheless. And an effective one too.
He knew he was nothing more than a pawn in the game, and at that moment, he couldn’t care less. All that mattered was escaping from the torture Thanos has inflicted on him before, and making sure he will never ever lay his large, purple hands on him again. Even if it meant being submissive. Even if it meant betraying his mother’s ideals. Nothing else mattered, just escaping the-
“I like your hat, mister!” A young child’s feminine voice called from below.
And suddenly everything fell into place.