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avonne-writes · 3 years

Text

Scorpion Grass - part 6/8

Pairing: Loki/Mobius, Steve/Thor (background)

Rating, word count (chapter): M, 5.3k, TW: mentions of grief

Chapter summary: Another day in San Francisco, some revelations and a freak-out.

Link to the AO3 post

When Loki's eyes flutter open in the morning, Mobius is already watching him. It must be well past sunrise, because the light that breaks in through a gap between the curtains illuminates a strip of the dim room gold. Mobius' hair stands up on one side, messy from sleep, and there's a stray eyelash on his cheek. It's dark blond. If he wasn't so groggy, Loki would pick it off and wish on it. The corners of his mouth twitch into a smile at the thought, but he fakes a frown.

"Creep."

Mobius huffs. When he speaks, his voice is still sleep-rough. "Are you always this sweet in the morning?"

Loki closes his eyes and lets the grin take over his expression. "I make a special effort for you."

An arm slips around his waist, then the sheets rustle and Mobius scoots closer. His warmth seeps through Loki's clothes. Loki curls into it like a lazy cat and accepts the kisses peppered all over his face passively, stretching until his back pops.

When the kisses stop, he tilts his face up for more but doesn't open his eyes. "Keep going."

Mobius snorts. He doesn't indulge Loki any further. "Time to get up."

"Time is relative."

Loki presses his forehead to Mobius' sternum. He can keep the light out this way and doze in peace. He listens to Mobius' breathing, the slow hum of the air moving in and out of his chest, and lets it lull him back into sleep. He starts dreaming too, in that half-delirium between sleep and consciousness where reality and imagination blend together. It startles him when the hand on his back moves again.

"We have to leave in half an hour."

"Then I still have twenty-five minutes."

"What if I bribe you with a cupcake?"

"Is that your best?" Loki yawns and rolls away, then sits up. He looks down at Mobius with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I'm sure you've got something better."

Mobius' index finger traces random lines on Loki's upper arm. "A cupcake in Carmel?"

"A day trip?"

"Half a day." Mobius amends. "I have to work."

"Acceptable." Loki says, then yelps when Mobius pushes him off the bed.

»»————-　　————-««

Since they're supposed to meet up with Loki's family by the Palace of Fine Arts, they sit on one of the benches there, opposite the Roman-style pavilion. They watch the people who flock to the place to marvel at the globe and the russet pink columns around it. It's entertaining. Ducks float lazily in the lagoon that splits the park, and a fountain spews water into the air, a glistening white pillar above the dark surface. There's a weeping willow nearby, old but still thriving. Its branches sway gently in the wind, and Loki watches their dance as he finishes off the popsicle he bought for the sole purpose of teasing Mobius with it.

"You keep telling me you're a paramedic, but you work as a lifeguard." He muses out loud.

"I'm taking a break until I figure things out." Mobius says.

"What things?"

"Very serious things." He deflects and presses a kiss to Loki's sugar-sticky lips.

Loki pulls away though, curious. "Something to do with Ravonna?"

"No." Mobius sighs. He looks at the seagulls relaxing in the water, then back to Loki. "I was thinking of moving away."

"Oh." Loki's head spins. He can't keep his hope at bay. Maybe, just maybe… "Back to Oregon?"

When he sees the sad gleam in Mobius' eyes, his face falls. "Rhetorical question." Why would anyone want to go back there?

"I haven't decided yet." Mobius says. Out of kindness, probably.

It annoys Loki. He'd prefer a clear-cut no. It's better to have your hopes nipped in the bud than having them torn away when they're blooming. He's about to say so too when a tourist steps up to them, asking Mobius to take a picture of her and her friends with the rotunda in the background. They gather around for the photo and Mobius stands up to find a better angle, leaving Loki alone on the bench. He says something funny to make the girls giggle.

Loki crosses his arms. Is Mobius aware of the effect he has on people? He must be. He's so perceptive of everything Loki does, there's no way he doesn't see how everyone falls for his good cop act. It has to be an act. Otherwise he wouldn't have gotten involved with someone like Loki at all.

"I can take one of you too." One of the women offers, loud enough for Loki to hear.

"Sure, why not?" Mobius smiles and turns back to reach for Loki's hand.

It would be embarrassing if Loki refused, so, even though he'd rather retreat into some dark corner to sulk, he takes it and lets Mobius pull him closer to the lagoon. It's almost familiar now when Mobius' arm holds his waist, but Loki feels awkward anyway. He doesn't know how to pretend that he's posing with a long-term boyfriend, and having an audience, however small, makes him reluctant to show any affection. He clasps his hands in front of himself and stares at the stranger with a blank face.

Mobius chuckles. His fingers tighten on Loki's side, and Loki's hand flies to them to pry them away. "Don't be shy."

Loki turns his head to tell him he has never been shy in his life, but he doesn't get a chance to say anything because Mobius pushes up and gives him a kiss on the cheek. It's an involuntary response, but Loki closes his eyes and smiles. His face burns when the woman calls them a cute couple two seconds later. If only.

»»————-　　————-««

His second day in San Francisco doesn’t live up to the first one, but it’s enjoyable nevertheless. He and his family go down to Fisherman's Wharf and take a ferry to sail under the Golden Gate. Mobius doesn't come with them, citing some other business at the hospital but probably just to avoid Odin, and Loki's interest in the trip takes a nosedive. He is quiet during their cruise, watching the skyline and the contrast between the ocean and the bridge’s huge pillars. Tries to resist the urge to open his phone and text Mobius.

Never one to hold a grudge, Thor has moved on from their fight and is in a happy-go-lucky mood again, which compensates for Loki's apathy. It's enough to cover up the fact that Loki's lost in his own world. He follows his mom around the tacky souvenir shops in search of the right fridge magnet and daydreams of that trip to Carmel. It's the only thing he's looking forward to right now.

They have beer battered fish and chips for lunch at one of the seafood shacks. It's delicious, but Thor has to eat half of Loki’s portion because the smell of fish is starting to gross him out. There are thieving seagulls everywhere, waiting to snatch cones of ice cream from unsuspecting hands, but the noise they make is nothing compared to the sea lions on Pier 39. Some bark and growl at each other on the deck while others just sleep in blissful ignorance of the crowd gawking at them. Only a handful of the animals are hauled out on the pier this time, but they're loud enough to scare some of the smaller children. Loki can only imagine the ruckus they kick up when there's more.

After a busy day of exploring the city's attractions, the first rays of the sunset hit them at Lands End, by the little labyrinth made of rocks. The bare promontory juts out of the land and breaks the waves that crash into it in splashes of water and white foam. If Loki looks west, he sees rugged cliffs and a jagged shoreline, a cemetery of shipwrecks. And beyond that, a vast plane, a breathing, slumbering beast, the ocean. It does feel like the edge of the world.

Thor falls asleep on the way home. It's dark, and since their mom offered to drive, Loki's free to follow suit. He leans back and closes his eyes, listening to his brother's quiet snores and his parents' conversation. It reminds him of middle school, when their mom used to drive them home from Loki's dance lessons and Thor's training, through the streets of Portland in the rain, the red-gold-purple lights of the stores blurred by the water on the windows. He's not going to miss Thor. But moments like this... He wishes there were more.

»»————-　　————-««

Monday flies by quickly. Loki and Thor spend the first half of it watching TV and doing absolutely nothing, and then they go down to Capitola to waste the rest of it there with their parents. They swim, drink cold-pressed juice and build a drip sandcastle. Loki reads his book and purposefully ignores Thor's attempts to convince him it would be fun to bury his arms and legs in the sand. He takes off for the lifeguard tower as soon as Mobius' shift ends and leans against its railing until Mobius beaches the jet ski.

Mobius smiles as he walks up to Loki, undoing his life vest and slicking his wet hair out of his face. When he reaches him, he touches the tip of Loki's nose. "You have a sunburn."

Loki crosses his arms. "Well, hello to you too."

It earns him a chuckle. Mobius leans in close until their lips almost touch. "Hi." He whispers, then seals the kiss.

He's dripping cold water, but Loki slips his hands under the life jacket anyway and runs his palms over Mobius' torso. He slouches against the railing so that they're closer in height and Mobius can deepen the kiss at a better angle.

They're still making out when the radio fastened to Mobius' jacket crackles. "Steve to Tower One, you copy? Over."

Mobius goes to pull away, but Loki makes a dissatisfied noise and keeps him close. The person manning the station will answer, it's not Mobius' duty.

"Hey, Steve. It's Sam, what's going on?" They hear Sam's voice from inside the tower first, and the transceiver echoes it. Mobius puts his hands on Loki's shoulders and draws back, frowning in the direction of the pier.

"We've got a situation here. French woman, lost a kid. She's panicking. We need someone to calm her down because I don't understand anything she says."

"None of us speaks French." Mobius mutters, tapping at his transceiver in worry.

Loki bites his lip. Should he…? He doesn't want to get involved, but his conscience doesn't let him stay silent. "I do."

He expects Mobius to react with surprise or disbelief, but he does neither - just gestures for Loki to follow and tells Steve he's got an interpreter for him. They run across the beach to the stairs behind the pier, where Steve's rubbing the back of a distraught woman who's sobbing on one of the wooden steps. Loki sits beside her and puts what he remembers from his French lessons to use until they get a description of the child and the place where she went missing.

Based on those details, the lifeguard team finds her half an hour later, a little scared but unharmed.

It's another thirty minutes before Loki's able to get away from the grateful woman and be alone with Mobius again. He wipes the sweat from his forehead and adjusts his bun as they start walking back to the lifeguard station. Their hands brush.

"Thank you." Mobius says. "Looking for missing kids is the most stressful part of our job."

Loki avoids eye contact. "You would have found her anyway."

"Maybe. But I'm glad you helped."

What does one say to that? Loki hums and stares at his feet as they sink into the sand and pick up little grains of it with every step, pressing the hot layer on the surface into the cooler ground under it. Mobius nudges his hand more deliberately this time.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

There's a pause - two steps, four, a dozen. The weight of Mobius' gaze is invisible lead, his curiosity cracks in the tension. "Are you embarrassed?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"I just don't know how to deal with… that." Loki gestures back at the place where they left the woman and her daughter. "I'm not like you or Steve."

He lowers his voice, muttering the last part only to himself. "Not cut out to play the hero."

"That's not how I see it." Mobius says just as quietly.

A warm sensation fills the hollow spaces in Loki's chest. Despite himself, he smiles. "You're biased."

Mobius laughs. "Doesn't mean that I'm wrong."

»»————-　　————-««

One of Steve's friends invites the entire lifeguard team over to his house on Tuesday night, plus ones and extras included. Anyone they want to bring. The fact that this Tony Stark guy is okay with perfect strangers like Loki and Thor tagging along makes Loki wary of the whole thing, but Mobius is going so he won't stay away either. He doesn't know what to expect though. Tony's place is 'a little over the top for a weekend house', according to Steve, but that doesn't make things any clearer. There's no dress code and the party has no theme. It's just a mercurial millionaire's idea of fun.

Loki's nervous.

"How do you even know this guy?" He asks Steve while they're waiting on the couch for Thor to emerge from his room. Steve's in a blue button-up, dress shoes and jeans so tight that Loki wonders if they will have to cut him out of them. It looks ridiculous next to Loki's leather pants, mesh sleeve shirt and eyeliner.

"Our dads served together." Steve replies. He gives Loki a reassuring glance. "Don't worry. Tony's a little eccentric, but his heart is in the right place."

They both look up when Thor's door opens and reveals Thor in his wine-red coat and grey shirt. His hair is in a low ponytail. An utterly boring look. He smiles at Steve and raises his arms. "Alright, let's go."

Loki offers his unsolicited opinion as they start down the stairs, Steve a few steps ahead. "You look like a lumberjack in the desert."

Thor just shrugs. There's a serene smile on his face. "Better than your Twilight outfit."

"I'm appalled that you'd associate that abomination with me."

At the landing, Steve turns around and puts a hand on Thor's elbow. "You look fine."

Thor adopts a 'told you so' expression that makes Loki scowl. "That's not a compliment."

"Do you always have to be this provocative?" Thor fires back when they exit the building, temper rising.

Steve gives them a look of disapproval. "Guys, come on."

"Sorry." Thor mutters. They fall into silence.

When they reach Thor's car, he opens the passenger side door first and looks at Steve, trying to be gallant like the protagonist of some stupid romantic movie, but Loki pushes ahead and ruins the gesture. He smirks as he sits down. "Thanks, brother."

When Thor frowns in rage, he's a frighteningly accurate copy of their father. He points at the back of the car. "Backseat."

"My legs are longer than his, I need more space." Loki reasons. He has no intention of giving up his usual seat just because Thor wants to pamper his not-so-secret lover.

"I can sit in the back." Steve pipes up, trying to break up the impending fight.

"You don't have to -" Thor starts, but Steve's already opened the door and is about to settle down. There's nothing left for Thor to do unless he wants to embarrass himself. Any further, that is. Loki grins. What an easy victory.

»»————-　　————-««

Tony Stark's weekend house is a five-bedroom villa with its own pool, a jacuzzi and a floor-to-ceiling glass wall on the side that faces the sea. It's hidden in the redwood forest, up on a hill not far from Santa Cruz, and Loki wonders if it's more of a hideout from the tabloids rather than an actual vacation home. The interior is sleek and bright, with token pieces of abstract art on the walls and a sofa set by the bar that could seat twenty.

Mobius is there. In his beach print shirt and khakis he looks like the light to Loki's darkness - what a pleasing thought. Loki enjoys the idea of balancing each other out, not amplifying one another like his brother and Steve do. He can't imagine the boredom of such a relationship. What's in it for those two beyond the physical? Perhaps nothing, and that's why it won't last.

"I'm going to spend the night at Mobius' place." He tells Thor when Steve steps away to greet someone. He and Mobius haven't discussed this but, barring a disaster, Loki will go home with him. He's not going to waste one of the four nights they have left before he goes back to Portland.

"Loki -"

"Come on, let me live."

Thor clenches his hands into fists. "You know why."

Loki breathes a long exhale. "Alright. I have a deal for you."

Thor gives him a distrustful look. Which - okay, fair enough, this is a standard line in Loki's tricks, but not this time. "You can take someone home with you and I won't tell Father - if I can spend the night with Mobius."

Thor shifts on his feet, glancing around. "I don't want to bring anyone home."

"Does Steve know that?"

The impact is immediate. It's the first time either of them acknowledged it out loud, but after less than two weeks, Thor is obviously nowhere near ready to discuss this relationship and what it implies about his sexuality, so he backtracks into avoidance. He shakes his head. "Do whatever you want."

Loki grins and turns around, making a beeline for the bar to pick up a drink for himself and Mobius both. Among the glittery cocktail dresses and bland shirts, his gothic attire turns heads left and right. The magical allure draws their gazes, and Loki enjoys it today, the power he feels when he raises his eyes and finds them looking. He's not surprised to feel a hand on his shoulder a few minutes later.

"It's so easy to make you jealous." He says before turning and pushing Mobius' drink into his hand.

Mobius takes a sip, then swirls the alcohol around in it. The ice clinks in the glass. "I'm not jealous."

"No?"

"I know you're doing it on purpose."

Loki pretends to be affronted. "A baseless claim."

Mobius smiles. "It's my fault. I gave myself away."

"You're not subtle about it."

"I know." He sighs and puts his right hand on Loki's hip, rubbing circles with his thumb there. "And now you're playing this game to see why I'm possessive of you. When you could have just asked."

"This is more fun."

"You're incorrigible."

Loki grins. "You like it."

"Unfortunately."

»»————-　　————-««

It's one of those parties that Loki should get used to attending if he wants to blend into the higher levels of the business world. Stark has too many acquaintances for his own good and seems to genuinely like only a choice couple, which he doesn't know how to handle. He tries to hang out with Steve and his friends but he's pulled away to do a round of small talk every five minutes, and conversations don't really work that way. The lifeguard team stands out from the illustrious guest list and so they stick together. They have their own little party in a corner, and this is where Loki and Mobius join in once they've stopped flirting at the bar.

Hours later, when they stumble across the threshold of Mobius' flat, it's not this that Loki thinks about though, but what Mobius said about his jealousy. He's drunk, not enough to lose all rational thought but enough to feel as if barriers don't exist. Everything flows. He runs his fingers through Mobius' hair, and it feels like silk. He's pressed against the door and Mobius is glued to his front, and all Loki can think of is being possessed and liking it because it would mean he belongs. He decides it’s a good time to ask the question.

"So why?"

Mobius pulls his mouth away from Loki's neck to give him a dazed blink. "What?"

"Why are you jealous?"

There's a moment's pause that Loki uses to undo Mobius' belt and trousers, and Mobius watches his hands work with open desire in his eyes. He sways on his feet a little. "Can we discuss this later?"

"Later, yes."

They find each other's mouths again, sharing gasping breaths and hums. Loki captures Mobius' tongue between his lips and teases him until Mobius retaliates by nipping at his lower lip, and the soft noises of their kiss makes Loki moan. They walk further into the apartment, and he guides Mobius towards the center of the living room.

"Bed's just there." Mobius points at the bedroom.

"I want the couch." Loki pushes him down on the cushions and kneels between his legs, kissing his chest as he unbuttons his shirt. He sits back on his haunches to discard his own top when Mobius tugs at its hem. "If the offer still stands, can I -"

"Yes." Mobius sighs and leans forward for another kiss. "But not on the couch."

"Later, then. Later." Loki mumbles, and they both laugh into the next brush of their lips. He strokes Mobius' sides, then pulls his underwear down his legs. There's a distinct tan line on Mobius’ thighs where his lifeguard uniform usually covers his skin, and Loki puts his mouth on it to kiss a trail up to Mobius' hips on each side.

"Okay?" He asks when he curls his fingers around Mobius' cock.

Mobius gasps. "Okay."

It's a slow, sloppy blowjob, and Loki loves every second of it. He's used to being rushed through it but Mobius doesn't push his head down, doesn't force him. He just keeps stroking Loki's hair and neck and twines their fingers together when he's getting close. He trembles when he comes. It’s so hot that it doesn't take Loki more than a few minutes of stroking to follow him.

After, they collapse on the couch squished together. Loki has cracked the window open and the sheer white curtains billow from the draft, lit up eerily by the streetlight. Someone in a flat below them is listening to a jazz song, and the melancholic saxophone tune drifts into the room. Loki is on his back, with one foot on the ground because otherwise he wouldn't fit, but he doesn't care. Mobius' weight is like a warm blanket on him that makes him reluctant to move a muscle. They watch each other in silence while the song lasts.

"I'm jealous because I don't want to lose you too." Mobius explains.

Even tipsy as he is, Loki can see that he's serious. Losing a best friend to a superficial reason must be tough. Loki understands, even if he can't exactly sympathize. He never had a best friend if he doesn't count his brother. "You will lose me."

"I know. It's subconscious."

"You can't help it."

"I can't. I like you too much."

Loki casts his eyes down. He knows it's going to sound vain if he asks, but he's so curious to know, he can't fathom why someone as good as Mobius would have the slightest interest in him beyond his body. "What do you like about me?"

"So many things." Mobius sighs. He draws his thumb down along Loki's jawline. "Your humor, for example."

That's a first. Loki almost scoffs in disbelief. No one has ever complimented his humor before. The closest he got is Sylvie's smirking. "I don't tend to make people laugh."

"Maybe they don't get it." Mobius says. He kisses the corner of Loki's mouth. "You're graceful and wicked smart. And unapologetic about who you are."

"Is that a good thing?"

"I think it's brave."

Loki snickers, shaking his head. "Some people say I'm just desperate for attention."

"They don't understand you." Mobius lands the next kiss on Loki's forehead. "They don't see you when you're hiding. It leaves them with a distorted image."

These are nothing but drunken ramblings, Loki tells himself. They both had one too many glasses of Tony's luxury booze and it went to their heads. There's a reason, after all, that it was Natasha who drove them home. There's something in Mobius' words that gets to him though, and he feels a wall around his heart crumble. It leaves him with a painful, sharp need to be closer, to crawl into Mobius’ affection and let it heal him.

He measures the length of his fingers against Mobius'. "I'm a selkie."

"Are you now?"

"Yes, I can change shapes. Just go with it."

"Okay."

"I think I'll give you my sealskin." He whispers, staring at their hands, the soft pads of his fingertips pressed to Mobius' rougher skin. "You have to promise you'll guard it for me."

Mobius slips his fingers into the gaps between Loki's. "I promise."

They stare at each other, waiting for Loki to gather his courage.

"I'm -"

He bites it off. He can't - he can't do it. What was he even thinking? He sits up, pushing Mobius off, and rubs his face. The room spins in an alcohol-tinted haze. "God, I'm crashing."

He curls in on himself and then into Mobius when Mobius starts pulling him up.

"Come on, let's take a shower." Mobius says gently.

"Together?"

"Yes."

»»————-　　————-««

Mobius' bathroom is just as tiny as the rest of his apartment, but they manage somehow. They step into the stall together. Despite what Loki expected, there’s nothing sexual in it. They don’t even kiss. Mobius guides him under the water and soaps up his skin with his bare hands, rubbing his chest, back and arms in soothing, massaging circles. He watches as the makeup melts away from Loki’s face and washes his hair. Loki hasn’t shared a shower with anyone since he and Thor were kids, and he feels increasingly awkward about it as the water sobers him up, but Mobius doesn’t show any sign that he’s bothered by the intimacy. He calls Loki beautiful and lets him reciprocate even though it’s fumbling and stilted due to Loki’s inexperience.

He wraps a towel around Loki when they get out and smiles at him through the warm steam that fills the room. Loki can’t help but smile back. "You're good at taking care of people."

"I had plenty of practice." Mobius replies, then opens the door to let the fresh air of the corridor stream in.

They climb into Mobius’ bed, dressed in worn t-shirts and shorts, and Loki pillows his head on Mobius' chest to fit better in his embrace. He closes his eyes. Mobius’ heart is a steady drum beat under his ear that his own rhythm follows until his breathing slows down to the verge of sleep. He doesn’t want to succumb to it yet though, so he tightens his arm around Mobius’ stomach and continues their previous conversation.

"Who did you take care of?"

"Hm?"

"You said you had some practice."

"My mom." Mobius caresses his hand. He hesitates - Loki can hear it in his wavering exhales and the tension in his chest. When he speaks, his voice breaks a little before he steadies himself. "She passed away three years ago."

Loki raises his head to look at him. I didn’t know, he wants to say, but all that he whispers is "I'm sorry."

Mobius nods. His eyes are dry, but the sadness in them runs even deeper than the misery Loki sees in the mirror every morning. "This is why I started greying. From the stress."

Loki shakes his head and scoots ever closer to press his forehead to Mobius' temple. "I can't even imagine."

They stay silent for a long time. Loki doesn't know what to say. He’s not good at comforting people, never was. People don't come to him for solace. Helpless, he curls his fingers into the shirt on Mobius' chest and tries to soothe that pain with his presence, because there’s nothing else he can do.

"I had that accident two months after she died. It’s what gave me a new direction.” Mobius rubs Loki's knuckles. “Ravonna thought I wasn't taking care of myself and tried to pull me out of it. She thought I'd continue to follow our dreams - Stanford - when the grief settled. She considered it her personal failure when I didn't. But I wasn't…"

"The same person anymore."

"Yes."

Loki feels paralyzed by a stabbing, familiar pain for a second. It's so empty. "I know how that feels."

Mobius turns until their foreheads are pressed together. “Perhaps that’s what I like about you the most.”

They stay like that, sharing somber little kisses and whispers until they fall asleep.

»»————-　　————-««

Loki wakes up at dawn the next morning, supremely hungover and depressed. He climbs out of bed, gets dressed in his own clothes and sits at Mobius' kitchen table with one of his legs pulled up on the chair. He rests his chin on his knee and stares at the morning light as it spreads higher and higher on the curtains. He's overwhelmed. He understands what Mobius sees in him now and it's too much, too close - if they were living in the same city, Loki would already be thinking of Thanksgiving and Christmas and introducing him to his family - but it's not meant to happen. He digs his nails into his calf in frustration.

He hears shuffling behind him, then Mobius' arms wrap around him from behind. "Good morning."

"Hey." He says listlessly.

"Alright. I'll bite." Mobius mumbles, still hugging Loki with a sleepy sort of warmth radiating from his body. Loki can't bear it. He stands up. "What's wrong?"

"I need to go home."

Mobius looks stunned. "Did something happen?"

"No, just -" Loki paces around, feeling desperate and trapped.

"Hey, let's talk about this first." Mobius reaches for him, but Loki shakes his head, stepping towards the front door. "Loki, please don't run away now."

Loki can't breathe.

"What are we doing here?" He opens his arms. It's going to hurt anyway, if he severs things now, he can at least stop himself from falling even deeper into this dagger of emotions. "It would be better if we just forgot this whole thing. Why did we even start it? We should've stopped at one night."

Mobius breathes out in defeat, looks down, then up at Loki again. "I don't regret it."

"I do."

It rings in the ensuing silence like a slap. Loki barely keeps from hyperventilating.

"Alright." Mobius says. The only thing that belies his infuriating calm is the way his fingers tap on the back of a chair. "I'll be here if you want to talk about it tomorrow."

Loki can't get out of there fast enough. His eyes are damp as he rushes down the stairs and out of the building, but he holds it back. Tears have no use, they're an evolutionary response to evoke pity, and that's the last thing he wants. Outside, under an onslaught of blinding sunshine, he leans against the wall and shakes through a few painful breaths.

His instinct tells him to run away - find a bus or something and just take off, to San Francisco maybe, somewhere no one would find him, where he can pretend to be another person for a while. But then, he remembers… and he calls Thor instead.

He crouches down when he hears Thor's voice on the other end of the line. "Can you pick me up, please?"

#lokius #loki #mobius #thundershield #steve rogers #thor #lokius fanfic #my writing #scorpion grass

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chloasiajones · 4 years

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This is my next smau. It's a Harry Potter smau. Neville X F.!Reader pairing. There's a bit of Fred X F.!Reader pairing in here. There's also Neville X Fred X F.!Reader. Title:A Muggle's Love Story

Trigger warning: Slight swearing! Mentions of sex! Will be mentions of rape! Slight abuse! If you are sensitive to these things read at your own risk! Major Fred X F.!Reader fluff!

Y/n was a muggle brought into the world of magic, at a very young age. She didn't know how to handle it. And with her older sister, her guardian being the only one who could take care of her, it proved to be difficult for her with her sister being the Defense Against The Dark Arts professor, and her having to live in the world of magic. She feels a little left out, seeing as both her sisters, her older and her younger, - her twin - are wizards and she is not. But that all disappears when she meets the one person who helped her realize not everything is about that. And it's not all its cracked up to be. Neville was there for her since she was young and they became the best of friends. However, as they got older they realized their feelings were more for each other than they even orginally thought. But what happens when Neville finally has the courage and another man tries to swoop in and take him from her?

Special Edition Part 4. . .

Y/n's P.O.V.

A devious smile passed me as a thought came to my head. I quickly took Fred's phone from him, hiding it underneath my leg. Fred smiled as he looked at me. My stomach jumped as he rested his arm on my stomach. I couldn't stop smiling as I looked at him.

"You think I can't get that?" Fred challenged.

"I didnt think you'd wanna touch my ass, just to get it," I told him not being able to stop smiling.

He chuckled.

"Try me sweetheart,"

I chuckled softly as I held his hand, locking our fingers.

"You weren't paying enough attention to me,"

All he did was smile.

"You want me to pay attention to you?"

"Yes,"

Fred chuckled. He pulled me closer to him, starting to tickle me. That's one of the things I hate the most, but I couldn't help but to laugh. I tried to scramble away from him, but he wouldn't let me. It got so bad, I ended up on his lap completely. He had one of his hands on my back and the other arm over my legs. We were just staring into each others eyes. I never noticed how gorgeous his eyes were until now. They may be brown, but he's gorgeous. How and why do I have to love him as much as I love Neville? Without knowing what we were doing at the moment, Fred had his hand on the side of my neck and our lips were pressed together. Immediately we both started to move them along the others in sync. He held me tighter as he pressed his lips to mine even harder, kissing me even more passionately. A soft gentle moan left me as we kissed. The only thought that went through my head at this moment was that I wanted him. All I wanted was him. Just as I put my hands on the sides of his neck, he gently pulled away. Way to make it awkward.

"So, uh, where's your bottle of Fire Whiskey?" I asked him casually looking away from him.

I could feel his boner as I sat on him. If I'm being honest, it actually turned me on.

"I have a bottle in the kitchen cupboard, right above the sink," Fred answered almost in an awkward way.

I stood from his lap, walking over to the kitchen. I couldn't stop thinking of our kiss as I took the bottle and poured us some in a couple of wine glasses.

"So, are you sure you're okay hon?" Fred asked me curiously concerned.

As I walked back to the couch I responded:

"Yes, - I just - I'm not so sure I can face Neville if there really is another girl that he likes."

I sat down on the couch next to him, as I handed him a glass.

"Well, like I said, that would be his loss for letting go of someone so precious and valuable. And for hurting you I'll kick his ass,"

A soft smile passed me. I gently took hold of Fred's hand.

"Na, dont do that - I just need you there for me,"

Fred locked our fingers together.

"I always will be,"

"I know, -"

I took a sip from my glass.

"I remember when Neville and I met, - We were eleven, and he was the first person I noticed-"

7 Years Earlier. . .

I stood next to this really cute kid. He had dark brown hair, and light hazel eyes. He had cute chubby cheeks. And he was adorable and chubby. I could tell he was nervous as he looked at me. Which made him even more adorable. I gestured to the empty gap between him and another student.

"Is this seat taken?" I asked him politely.

He said nothing as he gestured next to him. I smiled as I sat down next to him. I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

"I'm Y/n Moon," I said to him as I held my hand out to him.

He was nervous as he held my hand to shake it.

"I'm N-Neville L-Longbottom," he spoke nervously.

I chuckled at how cute he is.

"Awe, you're shy, that's so cute! - We can be friends if you want,"

He smiled at me as he nodded. Awe! He is so cute.

Present Day. . .

As I traced my thumb over the design on the glass in my hand, a tear slipped from my eye. Fred gently put his fingers underneath my chin, turning my face to him. He cupped my face with his hand, as he used his thumb to wipe away the tears.

"Forget about that dumbass, - If he doesnt want you, that's on him. There is nothing wrong with you sweetheart," Fred said to me trying to be encouraging.

I said nothing as he looked directly into my eyes. I wanted to kiss him again so bad. And he knew it. He moved his hand away. Shivers ran through me as he let his hand rest on my leg, a little closer to thigh. I couldn't help but to stare at his long slender fingers, and wonder how good he really was with his fingers and hands. I let myself think about his hands roaming all over my body. I found myself lightly biting my lip. I didn't even realize that Fred was staring at me until he moved his hand. I honestly felt so embarrassed.

"Do you remember how we met?" Fred asked me.

I softly laughed. I took another sip from my glass.

"How could I not? You were so damn confident, I couldn't help but to be attracted to you," I said to him.

He chuckled.

"I think Neville was pretty pissed though," he stated.

I laughed softly.

7 Years Earlier. . .

I smiled as this really cute, red haired, brown eyed guy sat next to me. I couldn't help but to look at him. He was smiling as he stared into my eyes.

"Hey cutie, I'm Fred Weasley, what's your name?" Fred asked confidently.

"I'm Y/n Moon," I replied not being able to stop smiling.

"So, are you gonna need someone to show you around? Get used to the school?" He asked me in a hopeful tone.

"Well, -"

I pointed to Neville.

"Neville said he was gonna show me around, at least what he's already been shown,"

I could see the disappointment cross his eyes.

"Oh, -"

He stood from the bench.

"Well, I hope you enjoy yourself,"

I actually didnt want him to leave. I quickly and boldly grabbed onto his arm. A surprised look crossed him as he turned to look at me.

"Would you like to come with us?"

He didnt know what to say for a moment. He smiled as he sat back down.

"I'd love to,"

I smiled as the three of us started talking.

Present Day. . .

Fred and I both chuckled.

"You're boldness really surprised me, and you had me hooked from that moment," Fred said to me.

"You had me hooked from the moment you sat down next to me," I said to him trying to one up him.

He put his hand on my leg once again. I felt my stomach slightly jump. I still want him. I took a nice big drink of my Fire whiskey.

"So, how does your heritage work anyway? I've always been curious and you've never really explained it?" Fred asked me curiously.

"Well, Adelina is my half sister, Luna and Jami are my real sisters. I mean obviously Jami's my sister, we're twins. But our fathers were different. Adelina's father was a wizard, just like our mother. Mother ended up falling in love with a muggle and she got pregnant from him. She got pregnant with twins, and Jami inherited from mother's side and they think I got being a muggle from my father,"

I sighed. He knew I thought I wasn't good enough for either him or Neville because I was a muggle. While him and Neville are both pure bloods. Fred softly took my hand, looking into my eyes. He moved closer to me. He took my hand to his lips, kissing my fingers softly.

"I dont care that you're a muggle - You are the most amazing person I know. - You're unique in your own way. - Every single day I fall in love with you all over again. Every single time I look at you. - Every single time I'm with you - Honestly if I could have anyone, I would want it to be you,"

I could feel a blush rising to my cheeks. I slightly looked away from him.

"Oh Fred - Stop -" I trailed off.

He smiled satisfied.

"Why? - "

Fred moved closer. So close I could feel his chest rest against my arm. I could feel my body shivering. I still want him. And it's taking all my strength not to tell him right here, right now that I want him and that I want him now. He moved his face closer to my ear, slightly breathing on the edge of it.

"Afraid you'll fall in love with me even more?" He asked in a soft whisper.

I let out a soft breath not being able to help myself. Fred gently turned my face to him. He had the softest look in his eyes. I knew he wanted to kiss me again, but he was hesitant. It was almost as if he was begging me without words. I could feel the fire whiskey working within me and I honestly loved it. I wasn't thinking so much of Neville. It was just Fred. I couldn't help myself, so I smashed my lips onto his and I kissed him passionately. I knew he loved it, but he was being as cautious as he possibly could be. I knew he was. I wanted him close to me. And he knew I did. I didn't even have to say it. He pulled away again. I protested quietly.

"Y/n, why don't we just talk?" Fred suggested.

I sighed. Though he still held onto my hand. I took another sip from my glass.

"How did you meet Hannah again?" Fred asked me casually.

"It was at Hogwarts, Adelina wanted me to tag along with her class, so I went. And I was happy because I got to be with Neville, -"

"Or as I say, 'He who shall not be named'" Fred spoke.

I chuckled as I gently punched his arm.

"He was fine at the time, - Anyway, Adelina was talking with Hagrid at the time and Draco had decided he wanted to be a dick to me, -"

A smile passed me as I thought of Neville.

"It was actually quite adorable, Neville tried to stick up for me, but he was also still really shy, so when Draco shot him down he shut up real quickly. Hannah noticed how Draco was being to me and she stepped in. She stood up for me and she apologized for him. Apparently she's known Draco pretty much all her life and she hates the fact that Draco can be such an ass sometimes. Though he's settled down quite a bit as he's gotten older, so, I guess it's not that big of a deal. That day that Hannah stood up for me, we became instant friends and she started hanging with me and Neville. That's the day you met her,"

"Well, you guys are pretty close,"

"Yeah, -"

I smiled.

"Hannah's great, - And she's always there when I need her. Just like Jami, Luna, and Adelina. My three sisters,"

Fred moved a piece of hair from my face, again looking into my eyes.

"Dont forget about me," he said to me softly.

He took the drink in my hand and set it on the coffee table in front of us. All I could do was look at him, as he rested his hand on the side of my face. I held onto his hand with him, as I lightly moved my lips to kiss the palm of his hand.

"I could never - I honestly wouldn't know what to do without you," I told him.

"You'll never have to find out,"

He looked into my eyes just staring into them. I knew what he wanted and he knew what I wanted. Though he was still hesitant.

"I wanna kiss you so bad," Fred said to me softly.

"Fred -"

I put my hand on the side of his neck.

"Please do," I pleaded.

"But -"

I could almost feel tears in my eyes.

"Fred, - Please,"

He sighed softly in defeat. In a gentle motion he pressed our lips together and very lightly started to kiss me. He added the passion, only slightly. I knew he was hesitant. I didn't want him to be, but I knew he was. And I didnt think there was anything I could do to change that.

To Be Continued. . .

Special Edition Part 5 Coming Soon. . .

Taglist:

@cece-lives-here

@saur20

#harry potter smau #harry potter #ron weasley #hermione granger #neville longbottom #fred weasley #george weasley #neville imagine #neville smau #neville x reader #neville x you #neville x y/n #neville fluff #neville fanfic #fred weasley fluff #fred fluff

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