Back Where We Started
“What’s your name?”
“Who are you?”
Those words stabbed at his heart, so much it physically hurt him when he spoke.
Turning away to regain himself, his gaze then shakily shifted to what stood before him.
Staring up at the statue that had once stood the three almighty Timekeepers, now stood the man who really was the one governing the timeline, watching each and every choice made and completely erasing anyone or anything from the timeline that doesn’t abide by his agenda. Admittedly, he wished they were the ones standing threateningly above him. But now, all he could do was stare up in horror as he saw the pale, tan stone statue of He Who Remains. With the weight of everything that had happened to him in the past.. Days?.. Months?.. No, no.. don’t think of that. Scrambling for something to hang onto, It took everything in him not to fall out of consciousness right then and there.
Loki stood unmoving, cold shock still lingering over him, not hearing any of the questions Mobius and Hunter B15 asked him as if the world around him had froze.
Mobius signaled over a group of hunters that showed up within seconds. Suddenly registering that he’s being dragged away, he frantically dug his feet into the ground. “Wait!” he screeched, turning to face Mobius who was standing wide-eyed beside Hunter B15 who was equally as confused. “Mobius please,” he begged, his breath caught in his chest. “Do you really not remember anything?”
B15 turned her gaze back on Mobius. “Do you know him?” an edge creeped into her voice.. Or, was that.. Disgust? Seems whoever this B15 was, she still had the same mock in her voice as she had every time he spoke to her. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it before Mobius finally spoke. “No, I.. I don’t” Mobius looked like he was looking right through him as he scanned his mind for any sign of knowing this man. When he didn’t say anything more, Loki’s heart sank even farther.
“Go on, take him” a Hunter strictly ordered the others who were still gripping his arms firmly.
The hunters were tugging forcefully at him once again, one stayed back from the group spitting orders into what looked to be a radio communicator before stepping back to mutter something to Mobius who never dropped his detached, clouded gaze on Loki. Loki let out a exasperated sigh, looking to the ground. Reluctantly, Loki let himself be dragged away from the two, his gaze lingering on Mobius to search for any last signs of him remembering Sylvie and him, or the Void, or anything at all before he got shoved forcefully forward by a hunter. He was exhausted, giving in and letting himself be hauled away. It felt as if his brain had just.. shut off. To be honest, he had no clue what to do next. Finding Mobius and explaining all that happened was all the energy he had left for after.. Being pushed away. But now he was gone too. He was alone again.
Barely registering once again that he’s being dragged away, he shifted his gaze lazily back up. Turning a corner, the last he saw of Mobius was B15 turning Mobius away from what had just happened while muttering something to him under her breath.
As he got dragged down the hallways of the TVA he couldn’t help but remember all the memories he made in these empty, dimly lit corridors. Being dragged to the time theater for the first time, quickly trying to keep up with Mobius while simultaneously annoying the crap out of him while trying to explain how to “make a Loki tick”, curiously following Sylvie to the golden elevator doors, being dragged down here once again with Sylvie after getting caught on Lamentis, Sylvie’s tone of genuine concern when asking if he was okay, moments away from what they thought would be there last moments alive before standing before the timekeepers.. No, don’t think of that.. Not right now.
But if he could be completely honest, even though his mind felt cold and empty, she was all he could think about as he got dragged away.
***
Perhaps if it was under different circumstances he would actually be happy to be back at the TVA. A place that felt at least somewhat familiar to him after everything that had happened, but right now the TVA felt even moreterrifying than it did when he first arrived here. Sitting on the cold floor of the confined room he got hauled into, he was just grateful he could have a moment to gather his thoughts. He wasn’t quite sure what it was he was thrown into actually.. but at least there was some source of light coming from the small window that looked out of the room he was in, and a bed that promised at least the slightest bit of rest.
With a sigh, he cocked his head back to rest on the wall.
Everything had changed too quickly.. Way too quickly in the span of what felt like minutes. Now, there is a whole multiverse that is set on all out war across multiple universes.. And Sylvie was out there in the middle of it.. alone. She could be severely injured and he would never know.. Or worse... already gone.
He winced at the thought, digging his fingernails into the cold stone floor.
No, no, don’t think of that. Pausing, he clenched his jaw embarrassingly.
You idiot, she is more than capable of fending for herself! How do you think she survived all those years running from the TVA?
But that didn’t make him feel any better. If anything happened to her, that would be something that he’d never be able to forgive himself for.
Releasing a long heavy sigh he pulled his legs to his chest, resting his head on his arms that were folded around his knees.
Norns, how on earth do I get myself into these types of situations?.. He chuckled coldly, remembering that his fate was destined by him. Everything from who he fought, who he encountered, how he died... Everything was set in stone. Though, there is one thing he can thank him for... Meeting Sylvie. Privately he desperately wished that they had met under different, more.. Normal circumstances. But almost none of the situations he was thrown into were normal.
In all of his lifetime he had faced many situations, with many different people.
Many that had ended in defeat, many that led him scrambling hungrily for power, many that had ended in pain and even more suffering, many that left him with utter loneliness.
But this?.. Meeting Sylvie was a situation he would’ve never in a million years thought he would’ve been deserving of. There was something about Sylvie that tugged at his heart.. Something about that shy smile or look of determination that kept him scrambling for answers. He felt at peace with her.. Like the world could be falling apart--quite literally--around them, but as long as she was in his presence, he knew he would be just fine. She completely changed him. It was insane how now, he had become the lovesick man he used to make fun of. All that really mattered was that she was okay. That shewouldn’t have to bear the weight of pain he had, forever lingering over him.
Oh, he knew he had fallen hard. He had fallen for himself. But he knew that was nothing but a lie. She was Sylvie, She was everything he strived to be. She had experienced things he never would have imagined a being could endure.
Running his fingers through his hair, he desperately tried to push away the thoughts. His eyes slammed tightly shut holding back any tears that threatened to fall from his face. Still, her words screamed for his attention in the back of his mind.
“But I’m not you.”