“Awe come on, I was expecting a warmer welcome” — Mobius called out, walking through the doorway of a dilapidated building.
The Loki’s turned around at once, as if they were a reflection of each other. This, to be fair, they were. “Mobius?” — Loki’s voice was quiet, a vague tone of disbelief lacing his words.
“Who were you expecting? Santa Claus?” — the agent asked sarcastically, coming closer. Loki got up then, finally rushing towards the man and pulling him into a tight embrace. Mobius, of course, felt the need to wear his ever prominent condescension — “Is he always this sentimental?” — he asked the other Loki’s in a hushed voice, hugging back regardless.
“I didn’t know if you ended up here as well” — Loki explained quietly, drawing away.
“Well, I guess I’m learning a thing or two about surviving. Can’t imagine where that might be coming from” — Mobius replied, looking around the crumbling building.
“I might have a few ideas” — Loki smiled.
“Yeah, don’t flatter yourself, princess”
“Now hang on a minute”
“No”
“What do you mean ‘no’?”
“Come on, we need to talk”
“About?”
“Just come with me, would you, princess?” — with that Mobius turned on his heels and walked back through the doorway. He only turned to look behind him when he determined that he’d gone far enough away so that the other Loki’s wouldn’t hear what he had to say. Loki had followed close behind him, wearing a confused expression.
“So…what is it?” — he asked, coming up to the agent.
“What are you doing?” — Mobius asked, a prominent frustration tampering with his voice.
“Well.. uh— you said to follow. So I’m…following?” — Loki replied, the confusion becoming readily apparent.
“Not that! Sylvie! What is wrong with you?”
“She…. hang on, what does this have to do with her?”
“What are you thinking? She’s you! You’re practically twins and what, you got a little crush?”
“Well I….I wouldn’t call it that” — Loki replied with a nervous chuckle.
Mobius was quiet for a a minute, his hand had traveled to put pressure on his temple, as if his head was about to explode. “Well what would you call it then? Please fill me in! I would simply love to know!”
“I..I’m not entirely sure, perhaps friendship?”
“Friends, huh? Loki have you ever had a friend before? That is not just friendship!”
“If you know it so much better than me, then why must you interrogate me? Find your own answers if you don’t like mine”
“Loki what are you doing to yourself?”
“I’m not doing anything!” — his frustration had begun seeping through.
“Yes you are! What do you just want to be loved so badly that you decided to get the job done yourself? Or are you just such a narcissist that you can’t love anyone but you? What’s it gonna be, huh?” — Mobius was bordering on yelling now, it seemed as if he was losing any grip on his composure.
“What is it to you?!”
“Everything, Loki! Everything! I’m tired of constantly having to fight for you!”
“Fight for me?! All you’ve done is insult me and call me fraud!”
“Well maybe someone should! You’re still just a scared little boy that can’t know the difference between obsession and love!”
“And what do you know about love?!”
“Nothing! But I know that I wouldn’t hesitate to choose you in any life time, but you can’t even bring yourself to choose me in one!”
“Mobius I…”
“Save it! You know, when you first got to the TVA, I saw something in you. Potential maybe, but most of all the same fear that I see in you now. You think you’re so grand and glorious. But that’s just it, you don’t know who you are. What was the last time you recognized yourself in the mirror? Huh? Actually, you don’t have to answer that, I’m going to guess ‘never’. Am I right? You’re so miserable with yourself that you think only conquest will fill that deep, dark hole inside you. And you think no one else will see you, so it’s easier to fall in love with the mirror. But you know what? I see you! I’ve seen you since you walked into my office and that terrifies you!”
Loki was quiet, simply watching Mobius spill out. An overwhelming sense of guilt flooded him. Had he been acting out of fear all along? “You’re right”
A look of disbelief washed over Mobius — “What?”
“You’re right, I am afraid”
“You’re joking, right? Why the sudden complacency?”
“I just… you’re right. There is no point in lying because you always see…right through me. I break everything I touch”
“Loki, you’re not beyond repair, but you have to stop self sabotaging before it takes you over”
“What if I don’t know how?”
“I can show you if you stop resisting” — Mobius was calmer now, his voice softer.
“What if I don’t want to?”
“Then that’s part of it and if you want to get anywhere, then you must let the walls go”
“The walls have kept me safe”
“The walls are crumbling down on you, Loki”
“But…”
“But what? Are you gonna just act like none of this ever happened when we get back to the TVA, you’re just going to pretend like I never stood here and told you everything?” — the anger was returning now.
“I..”
“I know you will, because I know you already. What is there left to fear? I’ve given you my flesh and bones, Loki! I’ve sacrificed everything for you! Why can’t you trust me?”
“I don’t trust anyone”
“You trust her”
“We are the same”
“You know what? I’m so tired of this, I’m tired of begging you to see me like I see you!”
“Then stop”
“You are unbelievable!”
“Then stop, Mobius!”
“I can’t! I’ve seen you! And I will carry that image even if I go blind!”
“Then I don’t know what to do”
“So why don’t you grow up and do something that’s good for you for a change? No one’s life depends on it but yours”
“What do you want me to say? Just tell me and I’ll say it”
“It’s not about what I want you got say. It’s about what I want you to see! You’re a damn mess, Loki. And I’m damn tired of cleaning it up”
“I’m sorry”
“What are you sorry for? That I love you but you won’t even look at me, or that you don’t want to fix yourself, not really?”
“You what?”
“You heard me! Now what is it?”
“Everything”