could I request a story where Loki and the reader are both magic time variants captured by the TVA, and they become closer and plot to escape together, but even though the reader wants to help him they're afraid of getting too close or opening up about their past because in the past they had been really hurt by the alternate Loki in their timeline? I'm sorry that's very long, you don't have to write it if you don't want to I just love your work so much and Reality Check is so perfect :')
I'm sorry this took forever! Honestly, I should've just made this a whole miniseries to really flesh it out, but with MOM I wasn't sure if I wanted to dedicate all my time for that. Hope this is alright! <3
You watched the man before you smirk once he recognized who you were. "Y/N L/N, I never expected you to wind up here," He commented, scanning you. You scoffed, turning your head away to look at Mobius.
"You expect me to work with him?" You asked, pointing lazily. Mobius nodded.
"You two are the best of the best. He never seems to die and you have the ability to control him. Not many can say they can do that," He responded.
"I don't want to work with him," You replied, sharply.
"And why is that? I want a better explanation than he hurt your feelings a while ago," Mobius said. You rolled your eyes, knowing Loki must have grinned at his statement.
"No hard feelings, promise! I'm not the same Loki you knew after all," Loki said.
"No, but the sacred timeline forces it to be exactly the same. I know you haven't done it yet, but you will. Eventually. If you ever decide to stop being a little shit and go back to your timeline." You walked closer to Loki, trying to seem intimidating.
"Ouch," Loki winced, stepping forward, "I see Midgard taught you some vulgar language."
"Seemed only appropriate for a man who killed 80 people in a matter of two days," You suddenly realized how close you were to him, eyes widening as you backed off. Loki rose an eyebrow at this.
Mobius chuckled. "This is going to be interesting."
~
"I need you two to go to a small town in Oklahoma from a few hundred years ago to inspect something," Mobius said, pulling up a file on the desk in front of you. You sat next to Loki (Though it was not willingly) and waited impatiently to hear more about the mission.
"Oklahoma?" Loki questioned.
"It's on Midgard. It's a lot of farmland. Prone to tornadoes." You briefly stated.
"Seems like you know the place quite well."
"I lived there for a while. Until the TVA decided that I messed up something in their precious timeline. I mean, really. Do you guys think another war would happen when most people don't even know this place exists?!"
Mobius chuckled. "See, that's why I like you. You're realistic. But, unfortunately, rules are rules, and the timekeepers aren't ones for breaking tradition."
You shook your head in response, leaning back in the chair. Loki leaned forward towards the desk to get a better look at the file. It had several reports scattered across it, all describing the deaths of several minutemen from the T.V.A. "What happened?" He asked.
"Someone supposedly time traveled to the 1800s and broke the timeline. When our minutemen arrived at the scene, they set fire to the surrounding grasses and burned them all to crisps. We suspect the variant is another timeline's you, Loki." Mobius explained, showing several photos of the scene.
Your eyes widened. "Another timeline of him is running rampant and you imbeciles can't catch them?" You asked.
Mobius shook his head. "Loki is hard to catch. This one," He pointed to the man before him, "Not so much. The other one? Different story."
"And you expect us to just find Loki and bring them back?" You asked, leaning your head against your hand.
"It's either that or being reset by the woman who wants your heads on a silver platter."
Both you and Loki looked at each other for a brief moment, nodding slightly. Looking back at Mobius, you spoke at the same time.
"We'll do it."
~
You arrived in Oklahoma with Loki, taking a look at the burned farmland around you. Several bodies laid around the area, their weapons scattered. "God, these men didn't stand a chance," You said, crouching down to take a closer look.
"And neither do we if we can't find a trace of myself," Loki replied. He used his magic to trace where the fire started. "Over there," He pointed.
You looked over, seeing nothing special. "Looks just like everywhere else," You said.
"No, it's an illusion. I must have cast an illusion to make sure only those with magic would be able to find it. Or, well, another me did it. Why would he have done that though?" Loki asked, contemplating it for a moment. You walked up to him, showing him the collar and remote you had stolen from the agency only moments before arriving in Oklahoma.
"If anything goes wrong when we see them, I've got backup."
Loki grinned. "You're always so dependable. That's why I love you." You knew it was a weak attempt to make you soft. You shook your head, walking away from him.
"Not the same Y/N you know."
"The Sacred Timeline makes you the same."
"The same to an extent, but for me you're in the past. A lot changes in the upcoming years." You mentioned.
"Oh come now, old feelings can't die that easily, can they?"
"No, but you sure can."
~
You made your way to the Loki pointed to. The spot seemed to be as burnt up as the rest until Loki unveiled the illusion. It didn't take much of his magic to lift it, probably because the universe recognized it as the same signature. When it was revealed, the area hadn't been burned by the fire at all. The grasses were tall, reaching up to your shoulders at times. One spot was completely flattened though, with a singular note on the ground.
You picked it up, unfolding the paper carefully. Loki stood directly behind you, looking over your shoulder. "What does it say?" He asked.
"Meet me where we once called home," You read it out loud. The note crumpled as you tightened your hold on it.
"What does that mean? Once called home?"
"It means this Loki is in fact my Loki."
"Please tell me I don't have any hard feelings that you clearly harbor for me."
"That depends on whether or not you forgive me for the incident."
Loki quirked an eyebrow at this. You shook your head. "Not here. Let's find a place to stay. I know where home is. We're not far from it."
"Then shouldn't we go there first?" He asked, placing a hand on your shoulder to ensure you didn't walk away. You shook your head.
"No, I can't go there yet. There's a lot to explain before you see Loki."
~
You found an inn close by and decided to rest there. Because it was the 1800s you had to be careful about what you did. In a different century they wouldn't have minded you being in a TVA shirt and jeans. Now, they would.
Luckily for you, Loki was able to cast an illusion so that only you two knew what you were wearing. He even had to cast an illusion on himself to blend in more. He used fake currency to buy the room, which was about as small and cramped as you expected.
With only candles to light the room, it would've been considered quaint and cozy by most. A single bed with comforters, a drawer and chest, and a small desk. It was all you needed for your journey after all.
You sat down at the desk as Loki sat on the bed, feeling the comforter. "Softer than I expected," He commented.
"You lived through the 19th century, you should know it wasn't as bad as history books make it out to be."
He nodded in response, relaxing slightly. "Well? You said you would explain it to me. I should know what's going on before we go face off against myself."
You sighed, fiddling with a pen you had found in your shirt pocket. "Time travel isn't as uncommon as people may think. You and I both know that."
"Of course. You've time traveled a few times yourself."
"Exactly. Well, in my timeline, after the events in New York in 2012, you went to prison in Asgard and were eventually freed during the Dark Elves attack."
"I know what happens there," He said, sharply. You knew he must've known what happened to his mother.
You looked down at your hand, placing the pen down on the desk. "Well, you know what happens in the Sacred Timeline. Remember, you're a variant in this timeline too. In this timeline, you ended up going back to the 1800s, to this time."
"Why would I do that?" He tilted his head.
"To see me."
"What were you doing in this time?"
"I was running. I got into some nasty trouble with not only the Avengers but the federal government as well. It was just easier to go back to a time where I wouldn't have to worry about it. Plus, I didn't know what I was doing, so I wanted to hang out in a place where I knew I would never run into myself. I didn't account for you finding out." You sighed, fiddling with your fingers.
"And what happens after that? We were just fine before I... Well," He hesitated, "Tried to take over Asgard and then Midgard," He said, sheepishly.
A soft smile graced your lips as you thought about what had happened next. "We shared a life together. We were married, secretly of course, but we were happy. We moved into an old farmhouse around here and decided we would start a family here. It was in the middle of nowhere. No one was going to find us after all. We could be happy here."
"What changed?" He asked, leaning in. He couldn't understand where it would've gone wrong.
"The T.V.A," A scowl corrupted your smile as you looked up at him for the first time in minutes. "We were variants. What happened between us should never have happened."
Loki shook his head. "I can't believe that's what divided us. What did they do?"
"You gave me a chance to escape. You kept them off me and I ran off. See, I ran off and you went into the T.V.A to be charged for your crimes. They were going to prune you. Unless you told them where I was," You scoffed.
"Did I?"
"You did. Because no matter what you would always do everything in your power to save your own skin. Even if it meant ratting me out when I was protecting the child we had just taken in." Your tone quickly turned to ice at the thought.
Loki stayed quiet at the revelation. He didn't know what to say. "What happened next?" He asked quietly.
You shrugged. "I went in, you got out. You were reset. I don't know how you became a variant again. I guess they couldn't wipe your memory if you were able to remember our home."
"I don't understand. I don't understand how I could do that," He said as he stood up from the bed, pacing the room.
"The version of you in this timeline is different. He changed after escaping. I just hadn't realized it until it was too late."
Loki stopped in his tracks suddenly, staring you dead in the eyes. "Is that why you're with the T.V.A? To get revenge?"
You nodded. "The T.V.A, while I despise them, are my one way of getting to him. I want to make sure the agency brings him in once and for all. I'll prune him myself if I have to. And then I'm out of there. I have a plan to escape."
"And what will you do after that?"
You looked out at the window, "Find my little girl, I suppose. Make sure she's okay."
"Then perhaps you would like a partner to join you," He grinned.
"No."
~
Making your way to the farmhouse, Loki decided to stay back a little. The plan was for you to make sure Loki was in a vulnerable state, giving you just enough time to alert the T.V.A. Then, your partner Loki could capture the criminal Loki using the collar and remote you brought. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was enough for you to feel comfortable facing off against him.
Loki stayed outside, watching from a patch of wildflowers that sat outside the house. They were your favorites.
The house was cold and creaking from weight and pressure it hadn't felt in years. It looked abandoned. No one must have moved in after you did. The sight sent shivers down your spine. All seemed quiet except for a single door opening across from you. There stood the man that ruined your life - Your version of him.
"Hello, darling," He greeted you, a small sheepish smile plastered on his face.
"Loki."
"I know these are probably not the circumstances you would've wanted for this-"
"Not the circumstances?" You interrupted harshly. "I never wanted this situation to ever happen. You're lucky I haven't tried to shoot you in the face with a magnum."
Loki raised his hands up in mock surrender. "What I had done was uncalled for."
"Uncalled for?! You exposed me which put our family in harm's way! I have no idea where Rose is! None!"
His expression softened at the mention of Rose. You knew it struck a chord in his heart. It had to. Rose was adopted just like he was. All he wanted was to be a better father to her than his own was. If he were a better person you may have cared about hitting a sensitive spot like this.
"That's unfair. I had no idea she would possibly be reset by them," He said.
"Oh come on! What else did you think would have happened?! They were after us and so they were after her too." You moved your finger slightly to the communicator in your jacket pocket, signaling for the T.V.A to arrive and for Loki to step in.
"I never meant for her to get hurt," He said, his voice shaking slightly.
"No, but you meant for me to get hurt."
"I never wanted either of you to get hurt. It's just that-"
"Just what?" You grit your teeth.
"I was scared. You know how I am. I'm a coward!"
"That's no excuse for what you've done," You glanced up, seeing your partner sneak up behind the man. He wrapped the collar around him and quickly backed away, holding the remote up.
"What are you doing?!" Variant Loki exclaimed.
"Getting justice. Revenge. Everything I've wanted for years from you," You glared at him. The other Loki smirked, proud of you for what you had done.
The minutemen from the T.V.A quickly stepped in, arresting Variant Loki as soon as possible. Mobius followed them, looking the man up and down. "So you're the one who's caused all this trouble. And all because of a girl you crumbled. Gotta admit, it's not a good look for you," He said. You nearly laughed. "Take him away."
The minutemen began to drag Variant Loki through the portals, though he didn't go through without one last word to you, "Y/N! I will get out of this!"
You scoffed. "Sure you will."
~
Mobius decided to allow you and Loki to stay behind, giving you a moment to examine the home around you. He trusted you two enough to have a few minutes of peace alone. "So what's the plan, love?" Loki asked.
"Mobius has given us this much. If we gain his trust for a little while longer then we'll be able to have far more time and perhaps even a way to travel through the multiverse on our own. I hate to say it, but I'll stick with the T.V.A a little while longer. The endgame is long-term here."
Loki nodded thoughtfully. "It's smart. But I'm smarter," He held his hand up, revealing one of the portal remotes in his hand. Your eyes widened.
"How did you get that?!"
"I stole it from one of the men as they went through. I'm sure they won't miss this, but if they find out we have this when we go back it won't be pretty," He said, walking up to you, grinning.
You stifled a laugh as you looked down at the remote in his hands. You shook your head looking back up at him. "You're insane."
"Perhaps I am," His grin widened, "But I know you want this as much as I do. So, what do you say?"
He held his empty hand out to you, waiting for your response. Instead of giving it a moment's hesitation, you held out your own, taking his.
And with that, you never looked back.
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