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Chapter Text

People claim drowning is a peaceful death.

Loki disagreed.  He was drowning.  And it was horrible.

“Who are you?”

The words echoed endlessly in Loki’s ears as he stared at the statue of Kang.  Everything felt unreal and remote as if he were underwater.  His lungs burned and pain bloomed, the moment he discovered he was a frost giant was the only thing that compared.

Loki couldn’t breathe.  He was alone in a way a thousand languages couldn’t begin to describe.  Except he wasn’t alone and he had seconds to think of something before he was taken away.

Analyst.   Mobius thought he was an analyst.  It was too late to convince him he was a TVA employee, but maybe he could hide among the analysts long enough to get his bearings. 

Hopefully this TVA had a similar layout, Loki thought as he drew on his powers.  They hadn’t worked in the TVA previously, but he hoped the timeline fracture had changed that.  Loki couldn’t fully access them, but he could feel just a hint, possibly it was enough to disappear?

He disappeared, then reappeared.  Loki grabbed onto a desk chair unsteadily as he looked around.  No one else was in the office.

“Lunch,” he sighed with relief.  This was even better than blending in.

Loki began to pace around the room and muttered to himself.  “Get out, try to make Mobius remember… wait.  Is Mobius, Mobius?  The timeline split.  If there were Loki variants with one timeline, it would stand to reason there could be Mobius variants spread over multiple…”

He sank down on the edge of a desk.  It was madness, all of it.  But he was a survivor.  And he would find a way to survive this.  Loki’s fingers brushed something and he looked down.  A TemPad.  He could travel throughout this timeline, but it would do him little good.  Loki needed someone who understood.

“Mobius.  I need to find my Mobius… okay, that sounds absurd.  I need the Mobius from my timeline.  Maybe they track them?”

Loki stood up and moved around the edge of the desk to the computer.  He glared at it and a search menu came up as he willed it to do so.  Then he typed in Mobius.  Thousands of names came up.

“How in the nine realms do I find the right one?”  Loki grabbed the TemPad and glowered at it.  “And how do I get there?  There’s magic, of course.”

Magic could help with finding his Mobius.

However, crossing timelines?   That was a tall order, even for him.

“Wish I had the Tesseract right about now,” he said grimly. 

Of course, the Tesseract was no more.  Sacrificed to extract the Space Infinity Stone.  An entire universe destroyed by stones they had in piles at the TVA.

“Beyond depressing.”

All that power, lying about, doing nothing!

They were useless in the TVA or at least they had been before the timeline fracture. 

A moment later, Loki brightened.

“Portals exist outside the TVA, they’re a hole in time and space itself.  Could it work?”

He yanked open the desk drawer and saw the pile of Infinity Stones carelessly dumped by one of the analysts.  Fingering through, he pulled out several blue Space Stones and green Time Stones.

Loki closed his eyes and concentrated his powers.  The stones glowed, floated to the sides of the TemPad, and then pressed into it.  

***

Mobius walked out of Ravonna’s office with a forced smile on his face.  She had talked to him about the search for Loki.  It was nearly word for word the conversation he’d had with her before he’d met the Loki who became his friend and partnered with him before the change.  He’d still had his illusions about the TVA and Ravonna had been a friend at the time.  But Mobius knew better now.

The question at hand was what to do about it?   For now, he was playing the loyal TVA agent he’d always believed himself to be.  Mobius needed to get the lay of the land and come up with a plan.  Loki would be captured in a couple of days.

Would he be the Loki he knew?

Ravonna had been obsessed with obliterating Loki variants.  Perhaps it was Sylvie and her failure when the young female Loki escaped.  But was there something more?  The TVA was about order and Lokis proclaimed themselves gods of mischief.  Could Loki’s penchant for chaos be the key to bringing down the TVA?

Mobius approached his office and dropped the fake smile as he turned the knob.  Pretending was exhausting, but there was too much at stake not to give it his all.  In this timeline, he had a private office, at least, to retreat to.

He wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was, but his best hope was to find Loki, his Loki.  For all the demigod’s flaws, he had been a friend of sorts and there had to be a reason the TVA was focused on eliminating Lokis.

“You just might have glorious purpose after all, my friend,” Mobius said as he entered his office.

“Thank you.  I always rather thought I did.”

Mobius looked up and stared. 

Loki was draped in his chair.  Wearing an analyst’s uniform that had seen better days, but with the hint of arrogance that accompanied all but his most vulnerable moments.  It was his friend!  Or was it?

He froze in place, awash with a torrent of uncertainty.  “Loki?”

Mobius was still trying to process his identity when Loki stood up suddenly and closed the distance between them.  Long fingers grasped Mobius’ upper arms and squeezed.

“You’re going to wrinkle my suit,” he said automatically, regretting the words as they left his mouth.  The touch was the first thing that felt real since the timeline fractured.

“That’s my Mobius,” Loki laughed and pulled him into a hug.

My Mobius?   The words echoed in his head and a feeling of warmth suffused his body.  Soft cologne mingled with Loki’s natural scent and surrounded him comfortingly.  Had he ever noticed how tall the demigod was before?

A small wisp of desire unfurled in the pit of his stomach and panic washed over him.  This might be the Loki he knew and was friends with.  And he was the most handsome of the Lokis in Mobius’ opinion.  But having dealt with countless Lokis, he was wary to say the least.

He was about to pull away, but Loki beat him to it. 

“Sylvie killed Kang,” Loki said.  “He Who Remains.  The one at the end of the time loop.  At least I’m assuming.  We confronted him, she shoved me through a time portal and the TVA had changed.”

“Is she… er… gone?”

“No idea.”

“I’m sorry, I got the impression you liked her.”

Loki looked uneasy, then shrugged.  “She embodied some of my better qualities and understood me.  I haven’t had much understanding from others.  Sylvie is a Loki and therefore a survivor, doubtless, she’s somewhere.  But if we’re going to fix this, I think we’re better off without her for now.  Too impulsive.”

“Impulsive, right.”  Mobius suppressed a grin.  Hearing Loki criticize another variant for impulsivity was something he’d never imagined.  However, he’d never imagined a Loki like his.  The urge to smile fell as he realized he’d thought of him as his Loki.  He’d often thought of the demigod as his friend, Loki.  It must have been Loki referring to him as his Mobius.  A linguistic mindworm, not a shift in their relationship, he was overwrought and overthinking things, Mobius decided.

“So what do we do to fix this?  Do we destroy and bring down the TVA?  Restore the TVA?  What’s the plan?”

“I don’t know,” Mobius replied.

“Don’t know?  What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“I wish we had time to figure it out.  I’m under close watch and you’ve seen what this timeline does to Lokis.”

“Can’t we just go somewhere or some time with a TemPad?” Loki asked and pointed to the Infinity Stone enhanced TemPad on the desk.  “Sylvie did it.”

“Hiding in apocalypses like Sylvie isn’t conducive to thinking.”

“So let’s hide somewhere else.”

Mobius moved to his desk and took a seat.  “Anytime more than one Loki variant is in the same spot, alarms go off for the analysts.  Too much chaotic energy in one location.”

“God of Chaos goes with the territory,” Loki said with a shrug.  He picked up the TemPad and sat on the edge of the desk.

“Intimately acquainted with your chaos.”

Loki gave him a lascivious smile.  “Did one of the other Lokis get inside Mobius M. Mobius’ starched TVA issue boxers?”

“No!  Why… that’s …” Mobius spluttered and turned red.

“Just teasing.  Relax.  And I wouldn’t blame you, we are a handsome lot.”

Mobius grabbed the TemPad and grumbled, “Keep it up and I’m going to a place where there aren’t any Lokis.”

“Sounds dreadfully boring,” Loki said and snatched the TemPad away.

“Sounds incredibly peaceful.”

Loki ran a finger over the Infinity Stones along the side of the TemPad.  His expression changed suddenly and he leapt to his feet.

“Mobius!  A place without a Loki!  That’s it!”

“Loki what—”

“That’s where we can find time!  There have to be a few timelines without any Lokis.  Aren’t there?”

“Yeah, I suppose.”

“The TVA will look for timelines with multiple Loki variants first—”

“They won’t think to look at timelines with no Lokis!” Mobius interjected and jumped up.  “Loki, that’s…”

Mobius stopped, he was face to face with Loki.  He swallowed nervously.

“It’s perfect, Mobius!  Let’s fire the TemPad up and get out of here.”

It was hard to think.  Why was he so aware of Loki’s proximity?  This wasn’t the time for distraction.  Think, Mobius , he ordered himself and closed his eyes.

“No, we would have to search on the computer and it would leave a trail,” Mobius said.  He opened his eyes and took a step back.  “And they could get a fix on the TemPad and find us if they know which timeline to look in.”

Loki’s expression became remote.  “Strange.”

“Not really, it makes sense.”

“I meant… oh never mind.  I have an idea, but you’re going to need to trust me.”

“Trust you?  Like that’s easy,” Mobius replied in a sarcastic tone.  “Anything else, Lord Loki?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.  Infinity Stones.  We need to gather as many of the Space and Time Stones as we can find and carry.  The blue and green ones.”

“And what are we going to be doing with them?”

“Bribing a wizard.”

“Bribing a wizard,” Mobius repeated.  “Why not?  Stay here, I know a few places I can grab them.  It won’t help anything if you get caught.”

Mobius left Loki in his office.  He didn’t know what the demigod had in mind and he doubted he’d like it.  However, it was probably their best chance.

Chapter Text

Mobius wasn’t sure what he’d expected when Loki gave him a time and location for the TemPad.  However, he hadn’t questioned it.  Gathering Infinity Stones and avoiding attracting attention while Loki hid in his office had taken every ounce of courage Mobius had.  The fate of the universe was in the balance.

“And why did we come to Greenwich Village?” Mobius asked, clutching the TemPad as he looked at an unassuming series of buildings across the street behind Loki.

“That,” Loki said and pointed behind Mobius.  “177A Bleecker Street.”

Mobius turned and looked.  The building might have blended in with the other heritage buildings in the neighborhood if it hadn’t been for the massive round window with a bizarre metal design over it.

“That’s strange looking.”

“Indeed.  Stay close,” Loki commanded.

“I've been with the TVA for…”  Mobius paused and a look of regret crossed his face.  “I don’t know how long.  I know what they told me, but I imagine it was a lie like everything else about the TVA.”

“I’m sorry, Mobius.  I understand all too well what it’s like to find out your entire life is a lie.”

“I appreciate.  However, I can handle myself.”

“We’re about to ask a very ill-tempered wizard for an enormous favor.  Unless you fancy being turned into a toad, I suggest you let me handle this.”

Mobius wanted to argue but bit back his words.  Loki had lived over a thousand years and despite his impulsivity has learned and observed a great deal.  If he was concerned about this wizard then perhaps there was something to it. 

They crossed the street to the building with an eye-like window and walked up the steps.  Mobius noticed a camera trained on them as his companion rang the doorbell.  Loki reached into his pocket and drew out a green Infinity Stone, then he flourished it between his fingers in front of the camera.

A moment later the door opened and an invisible force suddenly pulled them inside.  There wasn’t time to react as they floated rapidly across a hall.  Massive double doors opened in front of them and they were suddenly seated in front of a massive desk.

Before them was a man dressed in dark blue with a deep maroon cape.  His black hair had large gray streaks and he had a beard and mustache that were coiffed with supernatural precision.  Apparently, Loki wasn’t the only variant in the universe with a flair for the dramatic.

The green gem floated from Loki’s fingers to the man in front of them.

“How did you get this?  You shouldn’t have this.  This shouldn’t be possible.”

Mobius tried to open his mouth to speak, but found himself frozen.  His eyes were the only thing he could move as his gaze darted from Loki to the stranger.  Loki’s expression was one of annoyance more than fear, oddly comforting, he decided.

“Very well,” the man said at last.  “I’ll release you so you can explain, but if you try anything…”

The already humorless expression became more serious, if such a thing were possible.  And the edges of his cloak flared up menacingly as if to underscore an unspoken threat.

“Is he the wizard?” Mobius asked Loki after the man gestured and they could move.  He was surprised Loki didn’t respond, but kept his gaze locked with the man in the cape.

“Not a wizard,” the man in the cape informed him, as he stared back at Loki.  “Five minutes ago, I sent you and your brother to your father.  The two of you weren’t in any possibility I saw.”

“It’s a bit complicated,” Loki replied.

“Uncomplicate it.”  The man glowered at Loki.

“Short version, there’s a group that monitored and maintained the timeline.”

“The TVA,” Mobius interjected.  “Time Variance Authority.”

“And this is a good thing?”

“Bit of a gray area, Strange.”  Loki shrugged.  “A lot of deception on their part and I’m not personally a fan.”

“Almost half our resources were dedicated to hunting and removing Loki variants,” Mobius explained.

“I can believe it.”

***

Loki was losing patience.  He understood Strange wasn’t a fan of his, but he didn’t know how long they had before some variation of the TVA would descend on them.

“As I was saying,” Loki interjected in a firm tone, taking control of the conversation once more.  “I have some very mixed feelings about the TVA.  The problem is I encountered the man at the end of time with another Loki and they acted a bit rashly.”

“There’s a surprise.”

“Sylvie was captured by the TVA as a child and escaped by hiding in disasters across the time.  She did what she thought was right.”  Her actions weren’t entirely defensible, but Loki understood them. 

Mobius began, “Mr. Strange—”

“Doctor,” he corrected.  “I’m Dr. Stephen Strange.”

“Right.  Dr. Strange, we don’t know exactly what Sylvie did, only the results.”

“The timeline fractured,” Loki said.

“And you want me to fix it?”

“What we need is time to figure this out.  Maybe the right course is doing nothing and perhaps it’s destroying every Loki variant through time. One or more TVAs across time will come after us eventually and a lot of people will get hurt in the process.”

“Loki’s right, Doctor.  As soon as they realize we’re on the run, they’ll trace the TemPad’s date and location input.”

Dr. Strange waved his hand and the TemPad flew out of Mobius’ hands into his.  He turned it around and his eyes narrowed.  “More Infinity Stones?  How…”

“They have them lying around in desks all over the TVA, like cheap souvenirs.  Since the timeline isn’t steady, I enhanced the TemPad with Time and Space Stones to increase the chances of getting to my Mobius and getting us here.”

“Not bad,” the Doctor admitted begrudgingly and returned the TemPad by hand to Mobius.

“So you’ll help us?” Mobius asked.

“That depends.  What exactly are you asking for and why should I trust Loki?”

“They’ll be looking for extra Loki variants across the timeline,” Loki explained.  “We need to find a timeline with no Loki.  Eventually, they’ll catch on—”

“But not for some time,” Dr. Strange mused.  “Clever.  So you’re looking for a portal.  Possible, but you haven’t given me a reason to trust you.”

Loki drew a breath and stood up.  “I could tell you I want to save lives or that for once I’m trying to do the right thing, but you wouldn’t believe me and I wouldn’t blame you.  But I can show you.”

“Really,” their host countered.

“Mobius,” Loki said and nodded for him to stand.  Loki shoved his hands in his pockets and began to empty handfuls of green and blue gems onto the desk.  As he began to empty his pockets, Mobius followed suit.

The Doctor stared at the Infinity Stones and then at Loki.  He rose from his chair and frowned. 

“In the right… or perhaps I should say wrong hands… one could rule the universe with these.  I could have gathered my powers in, eliminated the TVA, and ruled every timeline,” Loki explained.  “The easier and more selfish option.  But instead, I brought them here.  Doing the right thing doesn’t come easily to me and I cannot claim to be seeking some grand redemption.  But I’m trying to do better and find a way through.”

“Doing pretty amazing where I’m standing, Loki.”  Mobius smiled at him.

“If the timeline has fractured as you say, I cannot be certain where or when the portal would open,” Dr. Strange told them.  “I can focus on a timeline with no Loki, but this isn’t precise in the best of times.”

Mobius whispered to Loki, “Does this mean he’ll help us?”

Loki nodded but didn’t look at him.  Instead, he met the Doctor’s grim gaze.  This was their best chance, but it didn’t mean it was a good one.  Perhaps losing was in his nature as Mobius suggested early in their acquaintance.  But then, Loki had never been one to give up and he wasn’t giving up now.

A smile ghosted Loki’s lips, “Ready whenever you are, Doctor.”

Chapter Text

Pain.  Dull, thudding pain filled his head. 

And it was dark.

No.  His eyes were closed.  He should open them.

With a groan, he roused and blinked.  It was nighttime, the windows were dark.  A fire blazed cheerfully and several golden candelabras held flickering candles.  He was in a large bed with gold silk sheets and dark green drapes surrounding the head of the bed.

A gray-haired woman wearing a long black dress and a crisp white apron approached the bed.  Her expression was kind and he felt reassured.

“Lord Laufeyson, you’re awake!  You and your new bridegroom gave us quite a fright,” she tutted.  “Don’t sit up.  The doctor will be here in just a moment and then I’ll fetch you tea.”

Who was Lord Laufeyson?  What bridegroom?   A sharp, stabbing pain mingled in his head with the dull one.

“A doctor?  Am I ill?”

“Poor master, you’re disoriented,” the woman replied.  “The doctor thought you might be.  There was an accident when you and your new husband were returning from London.  Fortunately, it was just a couple miles up the road and we were able to care for you properly.”

“Thank you, er…”

“Nathair.  Mrs. Nathair.  I’m your housekeeper.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Nathair.  Could you please tell me where my husband is?”

“He’s in the adjoining room.”  She gestured at a door across the room near the fireplace.  “I’ll see about your tea, my Lord.”

When he was alone, he sat up despite the housekeeper’s admonishment.  Everything felt strange, as though he didn’t belong.

Lord Laufeyson , she’d called him.  It sounded familiar, yet slightly off, as if it were a melody played in the wrong key.  Hopefully, the doctor could shed some light on the situation.

A couple of minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

“Lord Laufeyson, I’m Dr. Schlange,” a man with a stern face framed with salt and pepper curls said as he entered the room.  “I’m glad to see you’re awake.  You had us worried, young man.  Now let’s have a look at you.”

He tried to formulate a question, there were so many things he wanted to know, but his head felt fuzzy.

“You don’t appear to have any broken bones,” the doctor declared as he conducted his examination.

“My… my bridegroom?”

“Unconscious, but as far as I can determine, he’s not sustained any life-threatening injuries.  My hope is that he’ll wake up within the next 24 hours, your lordship.  Now, what do you remember about the accident?”

“Nothing, I’m afraid.  In truth, Doctor, I cannot remember much at all.”

Dr. Schlange’s brow furrowed slightly.  “Do you remember getting married or leaving London earlier today?”

He shook his head.  “I cannot.  Indeed, I’m unable to recall my groom’s name.  Nor my own for that matter.”

“Temporary amnesia after a serious accident isn’t unheard of.  The coach was quite mangled.  It’s a miracle you and your new husband weren’t killed.”

“Does anyone know what happened?”

“About two miles from your estate, the horses must have been spooked.  They bolted over a small cliff near the grotto, my Lord.”

“The driver?  The footmen?” he asked.

“No trace of them, I’m afraid.  Everything in the coach was destroyed.  Your staff was able to salvage your marriage license from your husband’s coat and they’re combing the shore for any wreckage.”

He watched the doctor point to a piece of paper on the nightstand.  “How long do you think it will be before my memory returns?”

“Probably a couple of days to a few weeks.  This sort of thing is rarely permanent.  The best thing for you is rest and familiar surroundings.  Spend time with your bridegroom when he wakes up.  I’ll return in the morning to look in on you both.”

As the Doctor left, Mrs. Nathair appeared with a tray of tea and toast.  “Try to have a little tea to keep up your strength.”

“Mrs. Nathair, what’s my name?”

“My Lord?”

“You called me Lord Laufeyson earlier, but I can’t remember my first name.”

“Loki.  Lord Loki Laufeyson.”

“Loki,” he repeated.

“If you need anything, just ring,” she said and nodded at a tapestry bell pull beside the bed.

When he was alone, he muttered to himself, “Lord Loki Laufeyson.  Lord Loki and his bridegroom… ugh, why can’t I remember?!  Well, let’s see who I’m married to…”

Loki held up the marriage license and studied it.  His name was signed with great flourish.  Beside it, in a simple elegant hand was his husband’s signature.  Mobius M. Mobius .

“Silly name,” he mumbled and replaced the certificate on the nightstand.

Earlier today, he’d married Mobius, doubtless in love and anticipating consummating their union.  However, Loki had no memory of the wedding or Mobius.

He moved to the edge of the bed and stood up slowly.  The thin linen nightshirt someone had helped him into while unconscious offered little warmth.  There was a black velvet dressing gown draped over a chair that looked warm.  Loki slid it on, pausing to look at the dark green silk collar and cuffs with golden snakes embroidered on them.  Something felt vaguely familiar, but it was hazy and his head ached.

Maybe if he saw Mobius, he would remember?   At the very least, he should look in on him.  He loved his husband, he was certain of it.  Why else would he have married him?

Loki walked to the door Mrs. Nathair had indicated was connected to Mobius’ room.  He turned the knob slowly; if Mobius was resting he didn’t want to disturb or frighten him.

As he entered, he noted the suite was similar to his in size and opulence, though it had a softer color palette with seafoam green and pearl gray.  There was a large four-poster bed that glowed in the light of the fireplace.

Loki made his way across the room, stood silently by the bed, and looked down at his husband.

Mobius.  His husband.

Laugh lines lightly etched his face and a hint of a smile curved his mouth.  His husband looked a bit older than Loki expected, but he was handsome and he could easily imagine kissing him.  The silver of his hair and the silk cover made an appealing presentation.

No memories were coming.  Disappointing, but the doctor said his memory would return in a few weeks.  Maybe tomorrow when Mobius was awake and he looked into his eyes and heard his voice?

Loki leaned down and kissed his forehead, then drew back swiftly.  He sniffed the air and his tongue flicked out.  Something smelled divine.  His cock swelled and stiffened painfully.

“Sweet ambrosia, is that you?” Loki whispered incredulously and bent to inhale Mobius deeply.

The scent swam around him and overwhelmed his senses.  An inexplicable urge to bite and mark Mobius rose up in Loki.  He wasn’t sure where the desire came from, but it certainly wasn’t the time for such a thing.  Drawing back, he cast a final look at Mobius before returning to his room.  Tomorrow things would make sense, for now, he’d let Mobius rest.

Chapter Text

Mobius picked at his breakfast tray and looked at the door the housekeeper said connected to his husband’s room.  She’d brought him breakfast after the doctor examined him and left.

He had no memory of the accident he’d been in, though his body ached head to toe and he had a number of bruises.  The doctor had assured him it was normal to have some mild memory loss after such a severe accident.  However, it didn’t seem mild to Mobius.

Earlier when Mrs. Nathair introduced herself, Mobius had to ask her for both his name and his husband’s.  Not remembering his husband’s name, let alone his own the day after they were married, felt quite serious.  He glanced again at the door connecting with his husband’s room.

What did he look like?  Was he handsome?   It was shallow, Mobius admitted to himself.  But he couldn’t help hoping his husband would be.

There was a gentle knock at the door, startling Mobius out of his reverie.

“It’s Lord Laufeyson… er Loki… dash it all.  Your husband.  Might I enter?”

Mobius sat up straighter and pulled at the cuffs of his frilled nightshirt.  It wouldn’t make much difference, but he wanted to look as presentable as possible.

“Come in,” he called out nervously.

The door opened slowly, almost hesitant as if it understood the anxious feeling in the air.   Mobius unconsciously held his breath as a figure entered and came into view.

“Oh.”  The word escaped Mobius’ lips as a soft gasping breath as he saw Loki enter the room and approach the bed.

Tall and slim, rakish dark hair framing ice blue eyes, Loki was handsome indeed, Mobius thought.  His face flushed with heat as Loki approached the bed.

“I hope you don’t mind, I heard you were awake.”.

“Not at all.” Mobius licked his lips nervously.

“Bit awkward,” Loki said with a ginger smile.  “Being married and not remembering.  Not even sure what to call you.”

“You could use my name.  It’s Mobius.  Allegedly.”

“I saw our marriage license, but it’s not the same as knowing what I called you in affection, love.”

Mobius felt his cheeks burn.  Love sounded very nice on his dashing husband’s tongue.

Loki gave him a reassuring look.  “Mobius shall have to do for now.  The Doctor said our memory should return soon.  Then we’ll remember what we called each other.”

“I’d like that… Loki.”  His husband’s name felt strange to say.  It wasn’t a very common name.  However, it suited him.  Beneath the gentlemanly demeanor was something passionate and there was a mirth that glittered in the arctic depths of his eyes.

“The Doctor said you should rest, so I won’t keep you.  Perhaps I might check on you at lunch?”

“I’m not tired,” Mobius protested.

“You have all manner of scrapes and bruises.”

Mobius watched as Loki took his hand and inspected it.  There was a scrape etching his knuckles.  A hint of a bruise peeked out from the lace cuff of his nightshirt.  Loki gently slid the cuff up and his fingers moved over Mobius’ wrist.  His pulse quickened under the tender touch.

“I’ll heal.”

“Indeed you will.  Which will be helped by getting proper rest.”

A pout tugged at the corners of Mobius’ mouth as he tried in vain to come up with a proper argument.”

“Mobius, you were injured,” Loki chided.

“So were you.”

Loki pulled the cuff of Mobius’ night shirt back down and smoothed the lace.  “I’ll make you a deal.  Rest this morning and then if you wish to get up at lunch, we’ll dine together.  Perhaps take a short turn about the garden if the weather holds?”

Without thinking, Mobius extended his hand to shake Loki’s as he agreed.  “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“You, my husband are a delight!”  Loki threw his head back and laughed.  Then his expression became quite serious and he shook Mobius’ proffered hand.  “I shall see you at lunch.”

Mobius noticed his lips twitching with mirth a moment later.  “Are you always this exasperating, Lord Laufeyson?”

“Well, I am named after the god of mischief.”

Although Mobius wanted to protest he wasn’t tired, he settled for nodding.  Loki gave him a look before leaving.  The room felt overwhelmingly quiet after his husband left.

“Loki.”

Mobius picked up a cup of tea from his breakfast tray and smiled as he took a sip.

***

Loki sat at the dining table, ignoring the bustle of servants as they placed various dishes in front of him,  His mind was still on his husband.

Mobius was a delightful mix of seriousness and humor.  When he’d touched his wrist, Loki could easily imagine pinning Mobius’ wrists against the bed and kissing him until he was gasping for air and begging.  The thought of Mobius begging was delightful.

Mrs. Naithair appeared with a heavy silver tray bearing tea.  When the other servants were gone, she spoke as she poured.

“I hope your Lordship is feeling better this morning.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Nathair.  I believe I am.”

“We were all so pleased Lord Mobius woke up.  He’s such a lovely gentleman.”

“I had the pleasure of meeting him this morning.”  Loki made a face.  “Odd thing to say about one’s husband, I suppose.”

“Under the circumstances, it’s understandable.”

“I would like to know more about my circumstances. Would you join me, Mrs. Nathair?”

She gave him a hesitant look.  “Lord Laufeyson, I…”

“Please,” he entreated.  “I realize it’s outside your typical duties, but the past 24 hours have been anything but typical.  I’m most anxious to know more about what happened.”

“Very well,” she acquiesced and sat down.

Loki poured a cup of tea for her.  “What can you tell me about the accident?”

“Not much beyond what I’ve already told you, I’m afraid.  We were expecting you and Lord Mobius to arrive last evening.  It was two hours past when you were expected, when a great storm descended on us.”

She took a sip of tea and rubbed her forearm thoughtfully.  There was a shadow at the cuff of her dress that Loki could have sworn was a tattoo.  However, he was focused on far more important matters.

“Perhaps the storm caused the accident?”

“Wouldn’t surprise me, my Lord.  There was a great deal of lightning.  Lit up the sky with the strangest green light.”

“Green, Mrs. Nathair?”

“Indeed, my Lord.  Even after the lightning stopped, the sky had the oddest green glow.  Terrified most of the servants, though it was helpful in rescuing you and Lord Mobius.  We found you near each other on the shore by the grotto.  Lord Mobius was on the beach.  And you were half in the water and half on land.”

“And there was no sign of the coach or the horses?”

“Just a disturbance in the ground,” she told him.  She looked at Loki over the edge of her cup as she took a sip.

“No luggage, I take it?”

“Lord Mobius’ possessions arrived a couple of days ago, you wanted them in his suite waiting for him.  And you keep a wardrobe in town as well as here, so you seldom have much.  But I did find something.”

“Oh?”

“You had only your breeches on and they were a ruin, but I found this when they removed them and put you in bed.”

Loki watched as Mrs. Nathair reached into a pocket in her skirts and withdrew a white linen handkerchief.  She laid it on the table between them and unfurled it.  Inside, a trio of large gemstones gleamed against the golden snake embroidered on the fabric.

He traced the green stone, an emerald, he assumed.  Then he touched the blue stone.  A sapphire?  It would compliment Mobius’ eyes, Loki decided.  Perhaps a cravat pin or maybe a ring.  Loki didn’t recall seeing a wedding ring on his bridegroom’s hands this morning.  He glanced down at his own hands.

“Did I lose my wedding ring, Mrs. Naithair,” Loki asked as he reached for the third stone.  It was a pinkish-orange opal with a few flecks of blue and green glittering in its depths.

“You mentioned you were thinking of defying convention and wearing one, your Lordship.”

“A wedding band is defying convention?

“Alphas often opt not to wear them.  A few do, but most don’t.”

“Ah,” Loki nodded.  “And that’s why Mobius doesn’t wear one, he’s an alpha as well?”

Mrs. Nathair laughed gently.  “My poor Master, you truly have lost your memory.  Mobius is an omega.  But then, the doctor gave him a heat suppressant since his heat was about to start and he was unconscious.  His scent might be less noticeable to you than normal.”

Loki thought of mentioning that Mobius smelled very sweet, but perhaps that wasn’t appropriate.  He removed the stones from her handkerchief, wrapping it in a black silk one his valet had placed in his dark velvet jacket earlier.  Then he took his leave of Mrs. Nathair to take a walk and try to make sense of everything.

He walked from the front of the house towards the drive.  Near the gates, a couple of footmen stood guard and he asked them for directions towards the accident site.  Maybe if he saw for himself, he’d remember.

“Beautiful area,” Loki murmured to himself as he walked.  He wondered if he would be able to spot the location where the accident occurred.

Ahead he spotted an area on the side of the road.  Across a wide expanse of grass, a massive section of the ground was disturbed.  It didn’t look like a coach had torn it up and went over the cliff, it looked like half a dozen conveyances had hit the grass at once.  In the center, there was a massive depression making a channel, as if a great asteroid had pressed down the earth.

Loki walked to the edge.  He could see a path down to the beach where the rocks had been worn down by the wind.  Below, the waters were blue and he could see the edge of the grotto cave Mrs. Nathair described.  It seemed odd that they had ended up so far from the crash site.  But then the waves foamed angrily below and perhaps they’d been swept by the current.

“The important thing is that Mobius is okay.”

He pulled out his watch, it was past one and he didn’t want to keep Mobius waiting.  Loki headed back towards the house.  His mind wavered between excitement at the prospect of seeing Mobius and curiosity about the accident.  

When he got back to the house, he was disappointed Mobius had fallen asleep and wasn’t at lunch.  It was probably better for his recovery.  Loki picked at his lunch and ended up wandering with a glass of wine into the drawing room.

Above the fireplace was what he presumed to be a family portrait.  In the center, an unsmiling man with grey hair and a beard stood beside a sweet looking woman who was seated in a chair.  Beside the stern man was a blond man playfully holding a croquet mallet with a silly grin on his face.  And beside the woman was Loki.

He was dressed impeccably and not a hair was out of place, but he looked… haunted.  It was an expression of quiet misery as if something followed him throughout his entire existence.

A sound startled him and he turned to see Mrs. Nathair.

“Begging your pardon, my Lord.  Lord Mobius is awake and coming down for supper.  I wondered if you wished to join him.”

Supper?  How long had he been staring at the painting?  It felt like minutes, but the shadows in the room had grown long with the setting sun.

“My fam…” Loki trailed off.  The people in the picture were undoubtedly his family, but the word felt bitter and strange.  “My family, they’re not here?”

“They passed a long time ago.  Your father was a good man but a hard one.  I believe you grieved in your own way, but felt relieved when you were no longer under his rule.”

“I think I’ll see if Mobius has come down yet,” Loki said.  If he didn’t have a memory of the past, perhaps he didn’t need to focus on the negative.  Mobius was his future and the best place to concentrate on.

In the dining room, Mobius was already waiting.  He was a bit pale and had a few visible cuts and bruises.  However, his blue eyes had merriment and Loki felt himself smiling at the sight of him.

“Sorry, I missed lunch.”

“That’s quite all right,” Loki reassured him and held his chair out for him.  “Your recovery is all that matters.  We have a lifetime of lunches together ahead of us.”

Dinner was quiet and slightly awkward, but far from unpleasant.  Loki noticed Mobius smiling at him and blushing from time to time.  And he felt his pulse speeding up as he studied his husband.  There were half a dozen servants in the room, so they couldn’t exactly have an intimate conversation.

Loki made a mental note to send the staff out of the dining room on another occasion.  For tonight he wouldn’t do that, he didn’t want Mobius to feel uncomfortable.  He hoped that they were quite comfortable in each other's company, however, he wasn’t certain.

As they finished their dessert, Loki invited Mobius to walk with him in the garden.  “I noticed there are lanterns in the small flower garden near the house.  Perhaps we might take a stroll together after dinner?”

“I’m finished whenever you are.”

Loki stood up and offered Mobius his arm.  “Shall we?”

They made their way through the house to a set of glass doors that opened to the garden.  Neither spoke for several minutes as they walked slowly.

After several minutes, Loki said, “This is a very strange feeling.  You’re my husband, we’re only just married.  We should be the closest we’ve ever been, and it’s all quite awkward.”

“A bit,” Mobius agreed.  “On the positive side, we fell in love once, so perhaps we’ll fall in love again.  Then when we remember we’ll be happier than ever.”

Loki looked down at Mobius.  Even in the dim lighting, his smile was bright and earnest.  He felt the urge to kiss Mobius but settled for cupping his cheek and caressing him lightly.

“I daresay you’re right, love.”

Mobius shivered and Loki knew it had nothing to do with the temperature.  He exhaled a soft thready breath that Loki recognized as desire.  The sweet scent he’d smelled when Mobius was unconscious seemed to weave around him.  Loki wasn’t sure exactly what an omega was, but in Mobius’ case, it was something quite irresistible.

“We should head in and you ought to rest more, Mobius.”

There was a slight pout and then Mobius agreed.  Loki escorted him to his suite before going to his own.  He looked at the door between their rooms.  Only a single door stood between them.

“And a lifetime of missing memories,” Loki sighed before undressing for bed.  Tomorrow they could spend more time together and perhaps their memories would return.

Chapter Text

Mobius smiled shyly at Loki as they ate breakfast.  He couldn’t remember anything of their courtship and subsequent marriage, but he enjoyed his husband’s company and the small touches between them left Mobius longing for more.  It was strange to feel so drawn to someone and know you loved them, yet have no prior memories.

Last night he’d dreamed about Loki.  Kisses that gave way to a tangle of limbs.  His legs wrapped around Loki’s waist and writhing together in ecstasy.  This morning he’d woken up aroused and anxious.

The vivid images swam through Mobius’ mind as he watched Loki’s tongue glide across his lips to capture an errant drop of coffee.

“The doctor said spending time with each other and in familiar surroundings might help.  I wondered if you’d like to explore the house together today?” Loki asked.

Mobius was doubtful the house held many memories for him, but it might help Loki and the prospect of spending the day with him was irresistible.  “I’d like that.”

After breakfast, Loki offered Mobius his arm.  Mobius accepted, enjoying the closeness the gesture offered.  There were many elegantly furnished rooms to explore, however, none seemed familiar to either of them.  Mobius appreciated the beauty of the house and Loki’s humorous commentary during the tour.

Their explorations continued until lunchtime.  Mobius was reluctant to sit.  Loki had held his hand or wrapped an arm around him throughout the morning.  The loss of physical contact bothered Mobius.  It was silly of course, Loki was only a couple of feet away.

Mobius turned towards Loki.  As they walked through the house, Mobius had noticed a scent and he could still pick up the faintest trace.  Alpine spruce mingled with icy mountain air and something primal he couldn’t put into words but found irresistible.

When lunch concluded, Loki suggested sitting in the drawing room for a bit.  Mobius willingly allowed Loki to usher him into the room and sat on the sofa.  Loki took a seat next to him.

“No memories, I’m afraid.”

Mobius nodded.  “Me either.  Though it’s been fun.”

“Indeed it has been fun,” Loki agreed and looked at Mobius.

Their thighs were nearly touching and Mobius felt lightheaded as Loki’s scent wove around him like a magical spell.

“Any other ideas?” Mobius asked.

“We could kiss?”

“What?”  Kiss?!  Had he heard Loki wrong?

“Maybe If I kissed you, it would bring back some memories?”

Breathlessly, Mobius replied, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

“We are married, after all.”

“We are.”

Loki moved closer and wrapped his arms around Mobius, drawing him close.  He brushed his lips lightly against Mobius’.  Then the kiss deepened and Mobius gasped softly against Loki’s mouth.  Every nerve ending seemed to clench with anticipation as he surrendered to Loki’s kiss.

No memories, he thought dimly.  However, he made no move to withdraw.

The kiss might not have sparked any memories, but it definitely sparked a reaction.  Mobius felt dizzy as he clung to Loki.  They moved as they kissed once more and the edge of the sofa caught the back of Mobius’ thighs.  He fell back on the brocade cushions and Loki with him.

Instinctively Mobius parted his legs as his husband’s lithe form pressed against him.  Loki ground against him and his mouth trailed down Mobius’ neck.  Sharp teeth grazed tender flesh, it was almost painful and yet Mobius wanted more.  He wanted Loki to mark him as his.

Loki raised his head suddenly.  “Sorry, I seem to have gotten a bit carried away.”

“Not complaining,” Mobius replied breathlessly.

“No memories still?”

“Not yet.  But perhaps we should…”

“…kiss some more,” Loki suggested huskily.

Mobius wasn’t sure he should encourage Loki, they still had no memory of themselves let alone each other.  However, they were married and Loki’s touch felt so good.  He couldn’t imagine responding this way to anyone he didn’t care about.

Unable to help himself, Mobius said, “Yes, we probably should kiss some more.”

Loki kissed Mobius once more, his hands roving to the buttons of Mobius’ waistcoat.  Soon long fingers opened Mobius’ shirt and found their way to his nipples.  The touch of flesh on flesh made Mobius keenly aware of the thin fabric separating the swell of their cocks.

“We need to stop,” Loki said reluctantly and pulled his hands back, though his hips stuttered slightly, still against Mobius.

Stop? Mobius’ mind echoed in confusion.  Why would they stop?  It felt so good.   He arched underneath Loki and gave a little grunt of protest.

“I don’t want our first time to be in the drawing room where someone could walk in on us, Mobius.”

“Good point,” he admitted as Loki drew back and sat beside him.  “So what now?”

“Now, I think we should separate for a few hours.  I don’t know about you, but I need to clear my head.  That was… intense.”

“Did you like it?”

“I liked it very much, Mobius.”

“I did too,” he sighed.  “I wish we hadn’t been in that accident.  I imagine we’d be… er… that is…”

“Enjoying conjugal bliss?  Most assuredly.”

“What if we don’t remember?” Mobius asked and instantly regretted his words.  It sounded needy and desperate.  “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.”

Loki took Mobius’ hand in his, turned it over, and kissed his palm.  “If we don’t remember, we’ll make new memories together.  I won’t push for physical intimacy before you’re ready.  However, when you feel ready, I am more than willing.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll see you at dinner tonight,” Loki said and stood up.  He brushed his lips against Mobius’ forehead.  “Think I’ll go out for a bit of air.”

Mobius watched him leave and settled back on the sofa.  There was a great deal to think about, he decided as he adjusted his trousers to relieve the pressure.

***

Loki rode into the village.  He’d decide a ride might give him clarity, so he’d had a servant bring his horse and point him in the right direction.  Riding seemed to be second nature and the trip went smoothly.  If only everything could go so smoothly, Loki thought.

Kissing Mobius hadn’t brought back any memories, but it had been thoroughly enjoyable.  He liked the little sighs his husband made when he kissed him.  However, Loki was worried.

What if something he did without his memory hurt his relationship with Mobius later?  Loki didn’t want to ruin their marriage before it started.

And there were gaps in his knowledge.

While he could remember what the act of love involved, he couldn’t for the life of him remember what Mobius being an omega entailed, aside from reproduction.  Even that was something he only knew from piecing together comments from the doctor.

The word omega was strangely arousing to him and Mobius smelled divinely because of it.  However, Loki didn’t understand and if it was a part of Mobius, he wanted to understand.

Loki slowed his horse as he entered the village.  It was small but had several prosperous looking shops.  

“Wouldn’t hurt to explore a little.”  He stopped at a hitching post, dismounted, and fastened the reins carefully.

There was a jeweler.  He wanted to eventually have the blue and green gems he’d found in his pocket set in a couple of rings and perhaps a cravat pin with a blue stone to gift Mobius and compliment his eyes.  However, that was probably a job for a London jeweler.

Next door was a bookshop.  Maybe they would have a book on omegas?  He entered the shop.  Dark wooden shelves overflowed with books, giving the impression of a crowded but cozy shop.

“Lord Laufeyson,” a jovial older man greeted him.  “Please allow me to congratulate you on your recent nuptials.”

“Thank you.”

“Anything I can help your Lordship with today?  We have a new shipment of novels from town.”

Mobius might enjoy that, Loki decided.  “Perhaps you could set aside a few for my husband, please?”

“Of course.  Perhaps the most recent ones?  You said he liked to read last time you were in the shop.  He’s less apt to have read the newer ones, I imagine.  Oh, and I have that special order that you placed.  It arrived this morning.”

Loki watched the man disappear into a back room and reappear moments later with a brown paper-wrapped volume.  The man looked slightly embarrassed.

“Thought you might appreciate a bit of discretion, my Lord.”

“Indeed,” Loki agreed.  What manner of book had he ordered that warranted such treatment.

“If you need any more books on…” the man trailed off.  He looked around to make sure they were alone, then said conspiratorially, “Marital relations, I’m going to be ordering more books from town soon.  Though that one is a good choice for starting life with an omega.”

“Let’s hope so,” Loki replied and picked the volume up from the counter as the shopkeeper shuffled through a crate of books and pulled several.

“Heard about the accident, dreadful business.”

“Quite.”

“These three might interest your bridegroom.  Put them on your account?”

Loki nodded and looked down at the paper-wrapped volume.  The man had mentioned omegas, so hopefully, it would have information.  Villages were prone to gossip, so perhaps he ought to go to London if he needed more information.  He didn’t want to accidentally embarrass Mobius or himself.

“Hope I’m not overstepping, Lord Laufeyson, but word is your luggage disappeared from the crash.”

Had it?   Loki hadn’t thought to ask about it.  Resigned, he answered, “It would appear so.”

“The apothecary doesn’t have as much variety as they do in London, but I daresay he would have some supplies for your honeymoon.”

Unsure how to respond, Loki accepted the novels from him.  “Thank you.”

Outside the bookshop, Loki spotted the apothecary a couple of doors down.  Should he go in?  What on earth supplies had the bookshop owner meant?  He hated not knowing what was going on and feeling out of control.

Loki walked to the shop and, after a moment’s hesitation, went inside.  It was lined with shelves with rows of bottles containing various tinctures and oils.

“Lord Laufeyson,” the apothecary greeted him.  The man was blond and looked to be about thirty.  “What can I get for you today?”

“At the bookshop, they said you might have… er… honeymoon supplies?”

The apothecary came from behind the counter and lead him to a section of shelves against the back wall.  “There are a few popular brands from town.  Personally, I suggest the green vials, they’re locally made and will make your omega able to enjoy the act of love comfortably.  I’ll be unpacking stock at the counter if you have any questions or need assistance.”

When he was alone, Loki stared at the display of glass vials in various sizes and colors.  The labels boasted names like Omega Magic and Between Heats .  He picked up one of the green bottles with a label that read Naturally Slick .  

A low groan escaped his lips and Loki grew hard as he imagined parting Mobius’ cheeks and slicking his rim.  Caught up in the thought, he didn’t notice as the vial fell from his hand.

Without a thought, Loki stretched his hand out and a green light glowed from his fingers.  The vial stopped its fall and floated back to his hand.

Loki stared in shock at his hand.

Magic?  What just happened? !

He ought to tell Mobius.  No.  Maybe it was a fluke.  Loki would take a day and see if he could do anything else.  No need to burden Mobius until he was sure of what just happened.

Best he return to the estate and figure out what was going on, Loki decided.

After he bought a vial of Naturally Slick for Mobius.  Surely their memory would come back soon.  Maybe he’d get two; based on their earlier kissing session, he had a feeling they would go through it quickly.

When Loki left the apothecary and headed home, he had four of the green bottles tucked into his jacket.  Despite wrapping them in a handkerchief, they occasionally clinked as he rode.

Loki wished they could use them tonight.  Mobius had been so responsive when they’d kissed.  However, as eager as he was, he didn’t want to start their marriage on the wrong foot.  He cared about Mobius, Loki was certain.  It was worth waiting a bit longer.

Chapter Text

Mobius was tired, but he felt an electric energy.  Last night he’d spent hours thinking about Loki in the room next to his.  He’d fallen asleep as the sun was coming up and accidentally slept through breakfast.  Loki was in his study with the estate manager, but he’d left a note for Mobius on the table inviting him to go riding after lunch.

His lips still had a phantom tingling sensation from their kiss yesterday.  Mobius hoped Loki might suggest another kiss or perhaps even steal one from him.  It had felt thrilling, but also very comfortable surrendering to his husband’s embrace.

Dressed in a navy velvet riding jacket, Mobius waited eagerly in the dining room for Loki.  He hoped Loki hadn’t forgotten or changed his mind.  Mobius turned as he heard the click of Loki’s boots.  A smile crossed his lips as he saw his husband’s deep forest-colored jacket.

“I hope you don’t mind, I took the liberty of arranging a picnic?  I thought we might ride and find a spot,” Loki said.

“That sounds like an excellent idea.”  Mobius smiled and nodded.  It would be nice to spend time alone with Loki without the curious gaze of their staff.

“The horses are out front.  And Mrs. Nathair had the staff load our provisions for us.”

Mobius accompanied Loki. When they approached the horses, Loki directed him to a silver Thoroughbred gelding.

“I wasn’t sure how experienced you were, so I requested a gentle horse for you.”

“Thank you.”  Mobius lightly stroked the horse.  “I see you are an experienced rider.”

“Hel Frost has been my favorite mount since I got him, according to the staff,” Loki said and moved beside the massive black Arabian.  The horse nuzzled against him.  “I fear I don’t remember him, but he seems to remember me.  Your mount is called Hail Winds, according to the staff.  See how you like him, I’m happy to purchase any horse you wish.”

Mobius moved gingerly to mount his horse.  After a false start, he took his seat smoothly and felt at ease.  He watched as Loki glided effortlessly onto his mount.  They started their ride at a slow canter up the long drive towards the road.

“Wonder where we had our accident?” Mobius asked as they left the estate behind and made their way onto the road.

“It’s not far from here.  I walked there yesterday.  Did you want to see it?“

“I think so.  Have they figured out what happened yet?”

“No,” Loki sighed with exasperation.  “To be frank, there isn’t much to go on.  Just a disturbance in the earth.”

“That’s disappointing.”

“However, I saw a path where the rocks form a natural staircase down to the beach and there’s a fascinating looking sea cave.”

“Should we have our picnic there?”

“Excellent notion, Mobius.  There were some trees nearby where we could tie up the horses and they would have some shade.”

They rode a bit further until Loki led them to the side of the road.  “I think we ought to secure the horses here and walk the rest of the way.” 

Mobius sat on his horse and watched as Loki dismounted to secure their horses.  Riding had felt familiar but not entirely comfortable as if he wasn’t very experienced.  However, it was pleasant riding beside Loki and perhaps in time, he might grow more accustomed to riding.

As he moved to dismount, Loki held his hand out and Mobius took it.  Unsteadily, he moved to the ground, grateful as Loki wrapped his arms around him to steady him.

“Doing all right, love?”

“Thank you, Loki.”

“I’ll grab the food and wine, it’s just a little way.”

Loki gathered a couple of bags from his horse, then offered Mobius his arm.  Mobius looped his arm through Loki’s.  He allowed his face to brush briefly against his husband’s velvet jacket and breath in the icy alpine scent that clung to Loki.

“Here we are.”

Mobius stopped and looked.  The grass was mashed down as if a great weight had pressed on it and in places, the sod was disturbed.  However, it wasn’t what he expected.

“This isn’t right,” Mobius said and bent down to touch where the ground dipped in the center of the area.

“I thought the same thing.”  Loki sat the bags down beside him.  “It’s too wide for any coach or carriage.  Half a dozen conveyances, perhaps.”

His brow furrowed as he continued to squat down and feel the grass.  “No rutting.”

“No rutting?”

“If our coach went off the road, there should be rutting marks left by the wheels.”  Mobius stood up and brushed the grass off his hands.  Something was off.  He couldn’t put his finger on it.  He followed along the path of the disturbed earth to the edge of the cliff.  It was a drop of a hundred feet at least.  They shouldn’t have memory loss, they ought to be dead.

“Care to go down and take a look?”

“Lead the way,” Mobius said.

Loki gathered the bags and slung them over one shoulder before offering his hand to Mobius.  “The rocks have been worn away over time and it looks safe.  They apparently carried us up from the beach below.”

Mobius started to reach for Loki’s hand when something caught his eye.  He bent down and picked up a translucent white sheet that shimmered in the sunlight.

“What is it?”

“It looks like snakeskin,” Mobius replied and turned the piece over with a frown. 

“There aren’t any poisonous snakes in this area, I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Take a look at the scale marks, Loki.  They’re nearly half the size of my palm.”

Loki leaned over to inspect it.  “Impossible.  Maybe it’s not from a snake.  Some odd piece of vellum paper perhaps?  They’re always creating new-fangled stationery.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Mobius agreed and slipped it into the pocket of his jacket.  England didn’t have monstrous-sized snakes lurking about.  “Lead the way, husband.” 

They made their way down the path to the beach.  The rocky shoreline was covered with rocks.  A few rough boulders at the base of the cliff with countless small stones worn smooth by the tides.

“No sign of the coach,” Mobius said, pointing at the area where they supposedly went over.

“Most puzzling, I agree.  Stranger still, Mrs. Nathair said we were found down there where the sea cave is located.”

“The tides?”

“Doesn’t seem likely, but there was a storm.  Maybe we’ll find something there,” Loki suggested.

They walked towards the sea cave.  At a distance, Mobius could only see the exterior rock formation.  However, as they drew closer, it was absolutely breathtaking.

Blue water with green shadows in its depths lapped the shore and flowed into a tall stone cave.  The grotto had stone arches created by the wind and sea, allowing the sunshine to flood the interior.  Along the edge of the water was a narrow ledge that led to a massive platform of stone deep within.

“Remarkable,” Mobius gasped as they stopped at the entrance.

Loki turned to him and paused.  His eyes searched Mobius’ face and he replied in a husky tone, “Remarkable, indeed.”

Warmth seemed to unfurl inside Mobius that made his cheeks suffuse with delighted embarrassment and touched off an aching sensation in the pit of his stomach.  “Do you think we can go inside?”

“I think the ledge is just wide enough.  Let me go first, I’ll put our picnic down and then come back for you.”

Mobius watched Loki maneuver smoothly around the edge, then jump along several large stones to the platform.  He sat down their bags, then bowed dramatically.

“Show off!”

Loki laughed as he returned to help him.  Although Mobius was quite certain he could have managed, it was nice holding hands and negotiating the narrow ledge together.

“Wonder if we’ve been here before,” Mobius wondered aloud and gestured at a torch on the wall.  There appeared to be torches and lanterns throughout the cave.

“Possibly, the estate manager said most of the land in the area is mine.  Well, ours,” Loki amended.

Mobius focused on not falling as they made their way.  When they were on the platform together, they unpacked the picnic Mrs. Nathair had provided and arranged it.

***

As they ate, Loki studied Mobius.  His husband’s eyes twinkled, a bit bluer as they reflected the water.  The scent of the sea mingled enticingly with Mobius’ natural scent.

Last night he’d opened the paper-wrapped book he’d picked up in town.  It was called  From Alpha to Omega — A Guide To Love and Pleasure .  He had read a little and had a bit more understanding of what an alpha and an omega were respectively and how it impacted their relationship.  Loki hoped they might both read the book in its entirety and discuss it one day.

But surely it was too soon in light of their memory loss for such intimacy and he had too much on his mind.

Yesterday, he performed magic when he prevented the bottle of slick from breaking.  Loki had almost convinced himself he’d imagined it until accidentally lighting a candle with a gesture.  He’d blown it out and tried again, deliberately.  Once more, it lit.

Was the accident somehow the result of his powers?

Loki couldn’t imagine harming Mobius intentionally, but maybe he had done so unintentionally.  Perhaps he meant to show off for his husband and he caused the crash?

“May I come, too?” Mobius asked.

“Huh?”  Loki turned to him in confusion.

“You went somewhere far away.”

“Guess I did.  I’m sorry, Mobius.”

“So, what’s going on?”

Loki hesitated.  On the one hand, he felt he owed Mobius the truth and didn’t want any secrets between them.  But on the other hand, he couldn’t bear the thought of Mobius spurning him.

Surely he’d told Mobius before they got married.  It would have been difficult, but if they loved each other, he must have shared his secret with him.  However, that was also before the accident, and if he caused it…

“Icandomagic,” Loki mumbled.

“What was that?”

“Magic, Mobius.  I can do magic.”

“You can do magic.”  Mobius gave him an indulgent smile and leaned back against the wall of the cave.

“I’m being quite serious.”

“Okay, Lord Loki.”

Loki hesitated, then gestured to a lantern near Mobius’ head.  It flickered to life.

“H-how… how did you…”  Mobius jerked away from the lantern.  “It’s a trick.  You’re named after a trickster god and thought you’d play a prank on me.”

“Mobius, I’m most certainly not opposed to the occasional joke, however, I can assure you I am most serious about this.”  He focused and gestured at the torch on the wall near the entrance.  It burst into flames.

“So you have some sort of fire power.  Did you remember it?”

“Discovered by accident yesterday afternoon when I stopped a bottle from hitting the floor.  No memories, just stumbled on it.”

“Not quite what I expected when you brought me here.”

“It wasn’t quite what I’d planned.  But seeing where the accident occurred… What if… what if my magic…”

Mobius placed a hand on Loki’s arm.  “No.  I may not remember, but you’re a good person.  You never would hurt me.”

“Not intentionally no, but what if–”

“Don’t think like that.  You’ve probably been like this your whole life.  I’m certain you have control over it.”

“Perhaps.  Suppose I had control and that I didn’t cause the accident.  What if not remembering, I unleash something dangerous?”

Mobius took his hands and looked up at him.  “Then we’ll face it together.  When we got married, we committed our lives to each other.”

“Our memories,” Loki fretted as he met Mobius’ gaze.

“One day, we’ll remember.  For now, what do you feel?”

“Mobius, love, I…”

“Please.”

“I feel drawn to you.  Something about you, I can’t stop imagining what your skin would feel like against mine, how sweet you would sound moaning my name, and how I want to hear your laugh, and see you at the breakfast table every morning for the rest of my life.”

“I feel drawn to you, too.”

Loki pulled Mobius into his arms and kissed him.  Mobius arched against him in invitation.  For several minutes, their mouths met and enmeshed tantalizingly.

“This isn’t about recovering our memory, is it?” Mobius said breathlessly as Loki’s lips trailed along his jawline.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I wasn’t asking you to stop.  I meant, we want… we’re both drawn, as you said…”

“If we weren’t in love before, I think we’re a fair way to falling in love,” Loki told him and nuzzled Mobius’ mustache.

“Yes, we are.”

“Mobius, love.”

Loki kissed him once more, his heart racing as Mobius sighed Loki’s name against his lips.  It would be nice to remember the past, but for now, he held his future.

Chapter Text

Trees and meadows provided Loki with a pleasant blur as he stared out the window of the coach.  He’d spent the past two days in London and was looking forward to seeing Mobius when he reached home.  Although he could have brought Mobius with him, Loki hadn’t wanted to risk it.

For over a week, since discovering Loki’s powers, Mobius insisted that he couldn’t have caused their accident.  But Loki wasn’t entirely convinced.

Since revealing his abilities, Loki had experimented each day at Mobius’ encouragement.  Most of the time he’d had success with minor things like lighting candles or levitating an apple.  But there had been a few disasters too.  A collection of snuff boxes he tried to move disappeared into the ether only to be found two days later in front of the church.

The townspeople were concerned that it was witchcraft and would still be upset if it weren’t for Mobius’ quick thinking.  His husband lied swiftly that they had been stolen the day before and obviously the person felt guilty and wanted to return them to ensure the Lord’s forgiveness.

Loki had been shocked but admired the ease with which Mobius had handled the situation.  It meant a lot that Mobius was willing to protect him.  However, Loki was concerned about protecting his husband.  There had been other, more sinister incidents with his magic.

Frustrated with his memory loss, Loki had slapped his hand on the dining table and cursed.  All the glassware on the table exploded and the vines in the floral centerpiece turned into snakes.  The next morning, Loki left for London on the pretext of business.

He took the three gemstones to a jeweler and commissioned a trio of custom pieces while he was in town.  It was something he’d planned on and that way, he was conducting a bit of business.  While he might not tell Mobius everything, Loki didn’t want to start their marriage by lying either.

Loki wanted time to think.

What if his powers put Mobius in danger?

He loved Mobius.  It was terrifying being so close to him and yet so far.  Loki had fallen hard and he knew Mobius felt the same.  However, being married and having no memories, it was hard to know what the right thing was.

The accident was so suspicious.  Nothing had washed ashore.  Both of them agreed something strange had happened, but neither knew where to turn for answers.  Loki wanted to protect Mobius, yet he felt utterly powerless as he connected to his magical powers.

While in London, Loki spent his time wandering and thinking.  He’d hoped he might find the key to remembering.  There had been a brief moment where Loki paused to look at a building with a strange window at the top that reminded him vaguely of an eye, that he’d felt a sense of something familiar.  He walked around the block over and over to look at it, but nothing came from it.

***

Mobius adjusted his cravat in front of the mirror; Loki would be home soon.  It had been lonely without him the past couple of days.  He’d missed his husband’s baritone laugh and the way he would smile at Mobius during dinner.  There was a strange hush over the house as if it was less alive without Loki.

And he missed the kissing.

Every day since they’d kissed to try and bring back their memory, they had kissed at length.  Sweet coaxing kisses where Loki would tease Mobius until he thought he would go mad one day and passionate ones where Loki would press his clothed cock against Mobius’ thigh the next.  The kisses left him aching and craving more.

Yesterday morning Mobius had overheard a couple of footmen discussing Loki and how lucky Mobius was to be knotted by him.

Intrigued by what he heard, Mobius had looked up knotting in the massive dictionary in the library.  The definition referred to an alpha knotting an omega as part of mating.  Further searching the dictionary yielded a few vague details about alphas and omegas.

It cleared up what the doctor meant about medicating Mobius to prevent his heat while injured.  Mobius was an omega.  One day he would have a heat and Loki would breed him.

Mobius searched in vain through the library for any books on alphas and omegas.  He was tempted to go into the village and see if they had any books on the topic, but embarrassment won out.  When Loki returned maybe he would broach the topic with him.

He felt aroused as he considered the prospect of being knotted.  The footmen's conversation replayed over and over in his brain until Mobius ended up going to bed immediately after dinner and instructed he was not to be disturbed until morning.

Mobius locked the door to his suite, then went through the connecting door into Loki’s.  He secured his husband’s room then undressed and got into his bed.  Burying his face in the sheets, he inhaled the alpine forest scent that lingered on them.

Feelings of need that had been building during their kissing sessions seemed to flare up as he breathed in Loki’s scent.  His husband and alpha; it was soothing and arousing all at once.

Mobius took one of the long pillows from the bed and laid it along the length of his torso.  He parted his legs and wrapped them around the bottom end while burying his face in the top end.  It felt so good imagining Loki on top of him and he drew the pillow tightly against him.

With his eyes closed, Mobius could almost imagine Loki mounting him.  His husband’s flat stomach pushing against Mobius’ cock.  He ached to feel Loki pushing inside him and feeling the rise of his knot.  Although he couldn’t remember much about knotting, just the word made Mobius ache.

Groaning Loki’s name, Mobius writhed under the pillow until he came hard.  Moments later, Mobius was hard once more.  He hadn’t even moved the pillow yet.  Resuming his movements, he continued indulging thoughts of Loki knotting and breeding him.

Mobius didn’t know how many times he climaxed, though he grimaced at the mess he’d made of Loki’s pillowcase when he woke up.  The black fabric seemed to magnify the white marks.  He’d removed the pillow altogether and hid it in his room, then spread up the bed and moved the pillows around earlier.  But now he felt like the missing pillow was obvious as he looked into Loki’s suite.

The offending pillowcase was currently soaking in his washing basin.  Tomorrow he would hopefully have it clean, dry, and replace the pillow while Loki was distracted.  It was too embarrassing to let Loki know.

For now, he headed downstairs to wait for Loki.  He was due to arrive between one and three and it was nearly one now.  Mobius hoped Loki would arrive sooner than later.  He wanted to feel his husband’s arms around him once more.

Mobius reached the bottom of the staircase in time to hear the servants’ commotion in the front entry.

“Loki’s home.”

He beamed and went to greet him.  Mobius forced himself to stand and smile in a dignified manner rather than throwing himself at him.

Fortunately, Loki had no such compunctions.  He grabbed Mobius and swung him in the air as he gave him a kiss that left Mobius dizzy.

“I missed you, love.”

“Missed you too.”

“Let me change clothes and then I’ll join you.  You can tell me about what happened while I was gone.”

Mobius watched Loki disappear and hoped he wouldn’t notice the missing pillow.

***

Loki opened the door to his suite and closed the door, then sniffed the air.  He staggered slightly and caught himself on a chair.

“ Sorðinn !” Loki swore.

Two questions rose up.

Why in the hell did he know ancient Norse profanity?

And what did Mobius do to his room?

The scent of Mobius was overwhelming.  It was exquisite, but he had never smelled his omega scent so intensely before!

His cock swelled to the point of painful and Loki grabbed clothes and took them into Mobius’ room.  The scent was more manageable.  He spotted a pillow on the floor and dark fabric in the wash basin.

Loki smiled as a rough idea of what transpired in his absence formed.  After he changed clothes, he sought out Mrs. Nathair.

“I would like you to arrange for my sheets to be changed and the basin in Lord Mobius’ room attended to,” he told her.  I would like to request that they be handled only by omega staff.”

“Of course, my Lord.  Your husband is in the drawing-room.  I didn’t know if you would be hungry, so I had a proper tea brought in.”

“Thank you, you’re a godsend.”

“I would do anything for you, my Lord,” she said as he left.  Placing her hand over her left forearm, her gaze intensified.  “Anything.”

Unaware of Mrs. Nathair watching him, Loki went into the drawing-room.  Mobius was fidgeting.

“Was everything in place in your room?  I mean, I can’t imagine it wasn’t.”

Loki grabbed a scone from the tray and sank onto the sofa.  “Everything was exactly as it should be.”

“Shall I serve you?”

“Please.”

Once tea was poured, Mobius seemed to calm.  “How was your trip?  Did anything seem familiar?”

“It went smoothly.  I conducted the business I wished to.  For a moment I thought a building was familiar, but I must have imagined it.  Did you… remember…?”

“Nothing, I’m afraid.”

Loki frowned and sat his tea down.  It wasn’t that he expected their memories would come flooding back, but he’d hoped things might start seeing familiar.  Dr. Schlange had said it would probably be a few days to a few weeks.  It had been roughly two weeks with no progress for either of them.

“Mobius, I don’t want to be pessimistic and I want to believe the amnesia will pass, but…”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to be the one to say anything,” Mobius sighed. 

“There’s still hope, of course.”

“Of course.”

“However, if this continues much longer, we may have to face the possibility that we may never remember.”

“It would be terrifying, but I’m with you.  I feel safe when I’m with you, Loki.”

He reached for Mobius’ hand and clasped it in his.  “Things make no sense except when I’m with you.”

“I missed you so much.”

“Missed you, love.”

“What now?”

“Drink our tea and try to decide how to go onwards.”

Loki held Mobius’ hands and neither reached for their tea.  Silently they looked at each other as their tea grew cold.  The weight of the unknown bore down on them and their connection was the only thing that made it bearable.

Hours passed without them realizing it until Mrs. Nathair interrupted them and asked if they wanted dinner served.

“I think we’ll make an early night of it and skip dinner tonight,” Loki said as Mobius shook his head.  “I thank you.  Tomorrow we’ll eat it so it doesn’t go to waste.”

Loki stood and Mobius followed suit.  When they were upstairs, Loki paused at Mobius’ door and pulled Mobius into his arms.  He pressed his mouth to Mobius’ and intended a brief kiss, but Mobius clung to him and responded eagerly.

“We should say good night,” Loki said reluctantly and pulled back from Mobius.

“Or maybe we should continue?”

“Mobius, I–”

“I may not remember you, but I know this feels right.  And I think you feel it too.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to cling to a past we don’t remember.  I want my husband in my bed and my future.”

Loki kissed him once more.  “I purchased a bottle of slick oil in the village a while back.  But no pressure, we can do other things.”

“I think you should get it.”

Heart racing. Loki walked to his door.  He and Mobius exchanged glances then went into their rooms.

***

The sound of the clock ticking seemed thunderous as Mobius waited for Loki to return.  Nervous energy coursed through him.  Loki would return with the oil and then they would consummate their marriage.

Mobius was unsure how it would feel to have Loki inside him, however, he was eager to find out.  An aching sensation had begun to unfurl in his abdomen.  His heat was a couple weeks away, so it wasn’t the prospect of being bred.  Loki was about to make love to him and Mobius wanted him with every fiber of his being.

He debated leaving his clothes on or putting his nightshirt on, but ultimately opted to undress completely and climbed into bed.  Mobius wanted nothing to come between him and Loki.  As he considered the possibilities of their amnesia lasting, the thing that upset him most was the delay in their future.

The door between their rooms opened and Loki stepped inside.  He was wearing a black velvet dressing down and carrying a green glass vial.  Loki placed it on the nightstand, then removed his robe.  Underneath, he was naked.  

Loki slid into bed beside Mobius and pulled him close.  A shiver went through Mobius as they touched.  He’d never felt Loki’s body against his like this.  No fabric barrier, the sensation of skin on skin was incredible.

Mobius felt himself growing hard and would have been a bit embarrassed by his rapid reaction if Loki hadn’t kissed him and pressed his own erection against Mobius’ thigh.  Kissing had been wonderfully arousing when they were clothed but naked, it became a riot of sensations.

He tilted his head back to give Loki easier access as his lips trailed down Mobius’ throat.  In their previous explorations, Loki had done that a little, but now he allowed his teeth to nip and lightly rake Mobius’ flesh.

Needy sounds fell from Mobius’ lips that he barely recognized as his own.  Yet they were his and they were exquisite to make as Loki explored his body.  Each touch was more delicious than the last as Loki’s hands and mouth caressed him.

And then there was the scent.

The air was awash with Loki’s scent and mingled with his own.  A primal part of Mobius registered it as being a part of their respective status as an alpha and an omega.  An urge to move onto all fours became overwhelming.

“It’s okay, Mobius,” Loki soothed and guided Mobius onto his stomach.  “I want to see your face when I’m inside you, but I can prepare you more easily this way.”

Loki trailed a series of kisses down Mobius’ spine, as he reached for the oil.  Mobius heard the sound of the bottle opening softly as his heartbeat pounded in his ears.  A finger slid gently between his cheeks, then slickly circled his rim.  He leaned further forward in invitation

The slick finger brushed oil on Mobius’ puckered whorl several times, then the digit eased inside him.  He gasped as Loki began to spread the oil with his finger.  Several times, the finger disappeared then worked its way back inside with more oil.  Mobius would need a lot if was going to take Loki inside him.

He’d only gingerly touched Loki’s cock for a moment, but the length and girth were impressive.  His own member was a decent size, the upper end of average.  Mobius didn’t know if all alphas were large, but his alpha was well endowed, to say the least.

A second finger joined the first and Loki rasped, “You’re doing so well, love.  Keep relaxing so I can get you ready to take me.  Going to make you feel so good.”

Mobius felt a bit like he was floating as Loki slicked his rim.  Awash with sensation, he lost track of how many fingers breached him and how many times.  All he knew was he felt ready when Loki gently guided him onto his back.

Loki kissed Mobius and lightly ground his cock against him.  He paused to look down and Mobius followed his gaze.  Both of their cocks were hard and precome flowed freely.  Then Loki took the vial and began to slick his cock with oil.

His husband and alpha was about to take him for the first time.  Loki gave him a gentle smile and kissed him.  Mobius drew his knees up slightly and parted his thighs.  It was a moment he’d anticipate with a degree of apprehension when considering it on his own.  With Loki though, he felt safe.  Instinctively Mobius knew his husband would give him as much pleasure as possible.

Loki reached down and positioned the head of his cock against Mobius.  At the same time, Loki murmured lovingly against his lips.  Mobius threaded his fingers through his husband’s hair.  He wanted his alpha to know how much he wanted this.

Mobius felt Loki’s cock start to breach him.  There was an overwhelming sense of being stretched as the large cock entered him.  It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was an intense feeling of his body being opened for the first time.

The slow movement felt endless until Loki at last stopped.  His cock was seated inside Mobius.  Loki, his alpha, was all the way inside him.  Mobius whimpered as Loki drew back slightly, then moved back to the hilt.

Something deep inside Mobius seemed to flicker to life that time.  The next time Loki moved within him, Mobius grew harder and he wrapped his legs around Loki’s waist to allow him to thrust more easily.

“Am I hurting you, love?”

Mobius shook his head, he couldn’t manage words.  The flicker he’d felt was mounting with each thrust.  Loki’s cock was stroking something inside him that felt exquisite.  He slid his hands to Loki’s shoulder, the feeling made Mobius desperate to grab onto something.

Loki began to move faster and he suddenly reached up and grabbed Mobius’ hands by the wrists.  He pinned them on either side of Mobius’ head and growled against his throat.  Then Loki said Mobius’ name and he alternately nibbled and licked his neck.

Something pushed against Mobius’ rim.  There were several presses and then his body yielded.  Even wider than Loki’s cock, a knot, Mobius realized.  It was swelling bigger by the moment and Mobius wondered if it was going to be too much.  Just when he thought the pressure was too much, the knot shifted against the pleasure spot.

His cock twitched hard and Mobius began to cum, just as Loki’s knot swelled further as he started to climax as well.  This was what it meant to be an omega, Mobius thought blissfully as they clung together.

He loved Loki Laufeyson, his husband, his alpha, and his friend.  Perhaps he could tell him tomorrow, but for now, he was content in a way he had never imagined.

Chapter Text

Mobius stretched languorously in bed; he was deliciously sore from last night.  He didn’t know if he’d imagined what their wedding night would be like before they were married, but last night was everything he could imagine wishing.  Loki had been dominant enough that Mobius was keenly aware of his husband’s alpha nature but so solicitous that Mobius had felt safe.

Whether being an omega had been meaningful in the past or not, Mobius wasn’t sure.  However, he’d felt a deep connection with his omega nature last night and even this morning.  Loki had awoken something in them both.

He ran a hand over his flat stomach.  One day it would be full and swollen with Loki’s baby.  Mobius’ breath caught and his pulse quickened at the thought.  Although he didn’t have his memory, his body had a primal and instant reaction to the thought of Loki breeding him.

As an omega, he was built to carry his alpha’s child.  However, Mobius ached in his soul at the thought of carrying his baby.  His heart belonged to Loki and he’d want to carry the physical manifestation of that love, even if he wasn’t an omega.

Before his next heat, he would talk with Loki.  Mobius didn’t know if his husband would feel ready, but he wanted him to know how he felt. 

A knock at the door connecting his room with Loki’s pulled Mobius from his thoughts.  Loki called his name and he invited him in.

“Sorry, I hadn’t gotten up yet,” he apologized as Loki came in and sat on the bed.

“We were up rather late.”  Loki smiled mischievously at him.

“We certainly were,” Mobius agreed, returning his smile.

“I wondered if you would like to spend the afternoon together.  I confess I cannot think of anything beyond a ride.  Unless you’d like another picnic in the grotto.”

“I’d like to spend the afternoon with you.  I wouldn’t object if we went on another picnic.  Perhaps—” Mobius trailed off in embarrassment.

“Perhaps, what?” Loki prompted, moving closer so their lips were almost touching.

“We could maybe… I mean… it’s our honeymoon.”

“Shall I bring some oil, Mobius?”

Mobius nodded as his cheeks flamed with heat.  It was fitting that he desired his husband and wanted to welcome Loki’s cock inside his body.  However, voicing those desires or even acknowledging them was something new.

“I’ll arrange for a blanket.  Sitting inside the cave fully clothed is one thing, naked is another.  Caring for my omega is my sacred duty as an alpha.”

“And if there was no such thing as alphas and omegas?” Mobius asked, unsure why he had even as the words escaped his lips.

Loki nuzzled him.  “I would still want to protect you.  You’re important to me.”

“You’re important to me too.  I don’t remember anything about alphas and omegas.  It wasn’t until you were in town and overheard something.”

“I confess I did not either.  I acquired a book in the village to learn about what it means.”

“You did?”

“From Alpha to Omega — A Guide To Love and Pleasure .  I took it with me to town to read at night.”

“Oh,” Mobius murmured.  He liked the idea of Loki thinking about him while he was away.

“I thought perhaps we might both read and discuss it.”

“I’d like that, Loki.”

“There were some illustrations of positions I thought we might explore.”

“Could we bring it with us?”

“I’ll get the book and have Mrs. Nathair pack it with our picnic.  You get up and dressed, love.”

Loki threw Mobius a lascivious grin and went to his suite.  Pleased and somewhat embarrassed, Mobius got up.  He considered asking Loki to hide the book from Mrs. Nathair, but it was silly.  From the knotting remarks of the footmen, everyone knew Loki was his alpha.

Mobius went to look in the mirror and see if he ought to trim his mustache up.  The wash basin underneath was empty and the pillow case was missing. He looked for the pillow where he’d stashed it and it was missing as well.  Last night he’d been so eager for Loki’s touch that he hadn’t noticed.

He dressed quickly and listened for the sound of Loki’s door.  When he finished dressing and was certain Loki was no longer in his room, Mobius crept in to have a look.

The missing pillow had been returned and there was a different set of sheets on the bed.  At some point, Mrs. Nathair or another servant had changed the sheets and returned the pillow.  His cheeks burst into scarlet flames.  Did Loki know?  Had he requested the room be set to rights?

Mobius was still blushing as he went downstairs.  He could hear Mrs. Nathair was in the front hall giving orders to the staff and he could see Loki was at his desk in his study.  Should he apologize?  Pretend it didn’t happen?

After wavering for several minutes, Mobius went into Loki’s office.

“I borrowed a pillow from your bed,” he mumbled.

“Mobius, come in the room and shut the door,” Loki instructed.

Nervously, Mobius obeyed.  He looked at his husband uncertainly.

Loki pushed his chair back and patted his lap.  “Have a seat, love.”

Mobius bit his lip and sat gingerly on Loki’s thigh.  “Shouldn’t we be going?”

“We will, but I think we ought to talk first about the time you spent in my room.”

“You’re angry.”

“What?  No!  Not in the slightest.  You’re always welcome in my room.  I rather hoped we might consider sleeping together now that we’ve… er… consummated our marriage.”

“I’d like that, Loki.”

“I wanted to say how sorry I am that you felt you had to cover up your time in my room.”

“Didn’t do a very good job.”

“It was intoxicating and I would have left it as it was if it wasn’t driving me insane with need for you.”

“The servants saw,” Mobius fretted and buried his face against Loki’s neck.

“I arranged for omega staff to handle it.  You’ll feel better when you read the book.  But I can assure you all omegas have needs and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Mobius wasn’t entirely comforted but was somewhat mollified.  “If you say so.”

Loki moved a hand over Mobius’ thigh and slid it upwards to cup his cock.  “Your pleasure is important to me.  Let’s see if things are ready and go to the grotto.  I want to take care of you.”

Embarrassment gave way to arousal and Mobius stood up and accompanied Loki.  

***

The seaside cave was an ideal spot to spend time with Mobius, Loki thought as his husband spread a blanket on the stone platform.  They could appreciate the view of the sea, but there was no risk of prying eyes if, or rather when , they made love.  The previous night’s passion had been everything Loki could have wished for.

Mobius had been eager and responsive.  He’d welcomed Loki inside him three times, each better than the last.  Reading about knotting hadn’t done the act justice, in Loki’s opinion.  Physically, it was incredible and he’d appreciated the feeling of joining with his omega.  Emotionally, it had taken his breath away.  Locking eyes, feeling Mobius’ love and trust as he opened himself to his alpha, overwhelmed Loki.

“Should we eat?”

Loki was tempted to say no and have Mobius underneath him; however, they ought to eat something to keep up their stamina.  “Let’s eat.  It looks like Mrs. Nathair outdid herself packing all manner of delicacies for us.”

Lunch was a rather swift affair, both eager to explore each other once more.  They exchanged furtive glances as they talked.  Loki reached into the bag to pull out the book during dessert.

Mobius tilted his head and frowned as Loki flourished the volume.  “The Order of the Snake and the Ascension of the… Jorge…”

“Jörmungandr,” Loki interrupted as he turned the book to see the title.  Why did he know that word and its pronunciation?

“That’s a very big snake,” Mobius commented on the cover.

On the cover was a massive sea snake in green with golden spikes along its back.  Loki frowned and looked up at the entrance to the grotto, then looked back at the cover.  “Look at the cave in the picture.”

“It looks a bit like this cave–”

“Mobius, it is this cave.”

“Giant snakes don’t exist.  A lot of caves look like that.  The water is glowing in the picture.  Does it look like the water is glowing?”

“What am I saying?!  Of course, it’s just a picture.”

“Loki, if a snake even a tenth as big was roaming around, people would be talking about it.”

“You’re right.  I’m sorry.  I think the mystery surrounding the accident is simply fueling suspicious thoughts.  I shall return the book to Mrs. Nathair when we return.  I doubt there’s anything useful on alphas and omegas in this.”

Mobius leaned back, “I don’t know.  I'm rather curious about this Jorge.”

“Jörmungandr.”

“Read a little, if he’s planning to take up residence on our property, we should know about him.”

Loki shook his head.  “A paragraph or two.  I’m far more interested in you.”

“The Jörmungandr is best known as a legendary snake from Norse mythology.  Within myth, it’s a son of Loki and surrounds the world underwater and will signal Ragnarok.  However, the Order of the Serpent believes the Jörmungandr is far more complex and serves a different purpose.”

He paused and looked at Mobius.  “This is utter rubbish.”

“Aw, come on.  I for one would love to know what his glorious purpose is.”

“Glorious purpose,” Loki laughed.  “How utterly absurd.  Very well.  Let me pick up where I left off.”

“According to the sacred prophecies, the Jörmungandr is not descended from Loki, but rather Loki himself will come to Midgard.  Land and sea will be his domain.  He will walk among men as one of them.  From his heart, chaos will be harnessed and peace shall rule.”

“Utter drivel.”  Loki proclaimed and put the book to the side.

“I don’t know, you don’t remember anything.”

Mobius was teasing but Loki frowned.  Mythical snakes weren’t real, but neither was magic.  Yet he had magical powers.

“Loki, I was serious,” Mobius said and stroked Loki’s hand.

The best thing was to put his worries aside and enjoy Mobius.

“I think we ought to check the water for sea snakes.”   Loki stood up and began to undress.  He moved to the edge of the platform.  The bottom was visible.

“What if you can’t swim?”

Loki had already jumped in when Mobius spoke.  Fortunately, as he plunged into the water, he moved with ease and found his way to the surface swiftly.  “I can swim.  What about you, love?”

After hesitating momentarily, Mobius began to undress.  When he was naked, he knelt at the edge of the platform and moved gingerly into the water.  Mobius swam cautiously.  They kept an eye on each other as they swam through the grotto for a bit.

“You keep looking for sea snakes,  I’m going to get out,” Mobius called out from the edge of the platform and pulled himself up.  Then he sat on the edge and dangled his legs in the water.

Loki swam to Mobius.  “No snakes, but I think I found something much better.”

“What?”

“This,” Loki replied and nudged Mobius’ legs apart.  He slid his hands over Mobius’ thighs and leaned forward to lick his still damp cock.  Mobius inhaled sharply then exhaled haltingly.

“Loki.  I thought we–”

“We will, but first, let me taste you.”

Mobius looked a bit nervous as he spread his legs.  His cock was salty from the ocean as Loki drew his growing erection into his mouth.  Although Loki had licked Mobius’ cock last night, he hadn’t given it a proper sucking yet and in the semidarkness, he hadn’t been able to appreciate its appearance in detail.

It was nicely sized.  Enough to give him a mouthful, but not so much that it would create a problem in certain positions.  Mobius’ balls were denuded of any hair and Loki traced his tongue along the seam.

As Loki licked, he looked up at Mobius’ face.  His eyes were closed in rapture.  Each panting breath made his mustache move subtly.  One day when Mobius was more experienced and would be comfortable sucking Loki, he would love to cum on his mustache.  Today, however, his focus was Mobius’ pleasure.

Dragging his tongue up the underside of Mobius’ shaft, Loki moved to the head of his cock.  He swirled his tongue on the weeping pink head until it was slick with precum, then took Mobius into his mouth all the way.

Loki moved his mouth with careful deliberation.  Mobius was making little whimpers and his fingers contracted against the edge of the stone platform.  The sweet scent he’d come to associate with Mobius filled the air.  He’d read a little about omegas and their scents, but he made a mental note to read further as he inhaled the heady scent.

He felt Mobius grow harder still in his mouth and felt him start to tremble.  Loki heard Mobius cry out his name as he came and his cum flowed over Loki’s tongue.

“Sweet like you.”  Loki kissed his way up Mobius’ body.

“You’re making me hard again.”

“That’s the idea.  I plan to get out of the water, dry off, and then get your backside very wet.”

Loki palmed Mobius’ cock for a moment then climbed onto the platform.  He stood up and without thinking shrugged, there was a slight green glow, and he was dry.

“Damn it.”

“Amazing,” Mobius said and stood up.

“I’ve been doing more magic without thinking.  What if I do it by accident in front of someone?”

“Then we’ll come up with something.”

“And if I caused our accident?  We cannot rule that out.”

Mobius wrapped his arms around Loki and brushed his lips over the light dusting of black hair in the center of his chest.  “I trust you and believe in you.  I doubt you caused our accident, but even if by some fluke you did, I wouldn’t blame you.  We’re together and that’s all that matters.”

“I wish I believed you.”

“Let me show you.  I want to show you I’m yours in all ways, forever.  Give me your knot.”

Loki took Mobius' hand and led him over to the blanket he’d spread for them earlier.  He bent down to retrieve the bottle of slick from his coat and they sank down on the blanket together.

“Get on your hands and knees,” Loki instructed.  He opened the oil, slicked his finger, and brought it to Mobius’ tightly puckered hole.  Mobius arched into his touch.  “That’s it, take my finger in.  I love how eager you are.”

After pressing several fingerfuls of oil, Loki added a second finger.  It was a little sooner than he’d introduced a second digit last night, but Mobius was pushing back on one finger and making encouraging noises.

“You took my cock so well last night, love.”

“I did?”

“Oh yes,” Loki purred.  “You took me all the way to the hilt.”

Mobius arched his back and moaned.  His cock was dripping on the blanket beneath him.  “You’re very big.”

“Alphas are supposed to have a large cock to better satisfy their omegas.  You even took my knot, your very first time.”  Loki noticed Mobius beaming as he took in the words.  “I hope you’re up for taking my knot again.”

“Yes, I know I can.”

“I think you can too.  I’m going to lay back now and I want you to oil my cock.”

Loki moved onto his back and Mobius grabbed the green vial of slick.  He watched Mobius pour some into his palm, then start stroking Loki’s cock.

“Now what?”

“Straddle me and guide my cock to your ass, Mobius.”

Mobius moved swiftly.  A touch of awkwardness from inexperience, perhaps, but he compiled with a pleased expression.

“Like this?”

“Perfect.  Now push slowly, just the head.  I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Loki watched Mobius as he sank back against Loki’s cock.

“I want more.”

“I know, love.  Keep going slowly.  Feel yourself opening to take me inside.  Now just a little more.”

Mobius pressed back further.  “So tight.  So good.”

“My thoughts exactly.  Ease me in a bit further.  We’re going to go a little more and then more until I’m all the way inside you.”

Loki watched as Mobius licked his lips and the lower lip caught on his mustache.  His eyes were closed as he concentrated.  Although Loki was a bit concerned at the speed with which Mobius was taking him deeper, he didn’t say anything.  The book had said omegas had good instincts about their body’s limits.  Ecstasy etched Mobius’ face and Loki wasn’t about to interfere.

Both of them swore as Mobius sank the rest of the way and Loki’s cock bottomed out inside him.

“Oh, Gods but you feel good love.”

“So damn deep.  Oh so deep inside me, Loki.”

“Start moving up and down,” Loki instructed.  He reached out for Mobius’ cock.  Precum had dripped onto Loki’s stomach.

At first, Mobius moved hesitantly, only rising and sinking a little bit.  Loki praised Mobius and stroked his cock.  Gradually Mobius moved a bit faster until he hit a nice mid-tempo rhythm.  Together they moved, the only sounds in the air the waves softly coming in and their ragged breathing.

Loki felt a knot starting to form.  Last night he’d been a bit surprised the first time, however the subsequent times, he’d noticed the sensation as his knot began.

“I’m going to roll us, so you’re on your back,” Loki told him and wrapped his arms around him.

Mobius nodded and Loki moved them so Mobius was on his back.  Still joined, Loki resumed the pace Mobius had set for them.  He groaned approvingly as Mobius wrapped his legs around his waist and his nails clutched Loki’s back.

Loki sped up a bit and Mobius clung approvingly.  Both of them were on the brink of climax and Loki’s knot began to push its way inside Mobius.

It felt almost animalistic in the last moments of their coupling.  The act was primal and beautiful.  An alpha pushing his knot into his omega as his omega writhed with ecstasy.  Loki felt his knot surging higher and higher inside Mobius.

His handsome omega husband was spread for him and welcomed his knot.  As good as it felt for only their fourth time, Loki couldn't imagine what it would feel like one day when Mobius was in heat and they were ready to make a baby together.

Mobius started to cum and Loki felt his knot swelling to its limit as he started to cum.  A wave burst over them, but they were too caught up to notice.

As Loki was coming, darkness whispered along the edges of the bliss.  He felt light-headed and then there was nothing.

When Loki came to, he was still joined with Mobius, and he looked at him with shock.

“Mobius?”

“Who else… would you… expect Loki?”

Underneath him, Mobius was cumming and Loki tried to mask his shock by burying his face in Mobius neck.  His cock was twitching inside Mobius, knotted firmly in place.

A torrent of emotions filled Loki and he continued to press his face against Mobius.

The portal had worked.

And Agent Mobius M. Mobius was knotted on his cock as they both came.

Darkness overtook Loki once more and he was grateful for the oblivion.

Chapter Text

Mobius sat in the drawing-room.  The curtains were drawn and even the fireplace offered minimal light, though he scarcely noticed.  Loki had been avoiding him for the better part of a week.

They would dine together and Loki was polite, but he took care they were never alone.  Night after night, Mobius would look at the door between their rooms, hoping Loki would come to him.  Had he done something to upset Loki?

Maybe he was sick.  The last time they made love, Loki had passed out twice.  He insisted he was merely tired and that Mobius was amazing.  But after that afternoon, Loki had been withdrawn.

“Thought you might like some tea,” Mrs. Nathair said, interrupting Mobius.

He looked up as a maid sat a tray down and scurried off under the housekeeper’s watchful eye.  Mrs. Nathair held a large book in her arms.

“Thank you, Mrs. Nathair.”

“You seem a bit out of sorts lately.  Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Tell me why my alpha husband is ignoring me,” Mobius muttered under his breath.

“Alphas are temperamental, to be sure.”

Mobius flushed as he realized she’d heard him.  “Please excuse me, that was quite rude of me.”

“Poor things,” Mrs. Nathair clucked.  “You and Lord Laufeyson have both had a time of it growing up.  You an orphan with no family and him… well he’d have been better off without that lot.”

Mobius looked up at the painting over the fireplace as the housekeeper gestured to it.  Loki’s family?   There was an older man who looked stern and humorless.

“Now, you take this,” Mrs. Nathair said and thrust the oversized book at Mobius.  “Read all of it, but I think you’ll find the fifth chapter particularly reassuring.”

Alone, Mobius looked at the book with nervous excitement, From Alpha to Omega — A Guide To Love and Pleasure .  

He skimmed the table of contents and found it, Chapter 5 — Knotting .  Mobius flipped through until he found the start of the chapter.

Alphas are capable of producing a knot at the time of ejaculation.  Knots fall under two categories, alpha knots and mating knots.

Mobius traced the illustration of an alpha knot and flushed as his mind wandered to Loki’s knot.  He hadn’t been able to see it in the position they’d used, but he’d felt it and loved it.  If he asked, would Loki knot him so he could see?  Pushing the thought aside, he resumed reading.

The alpha knot is the smaller of the two varieties.  Also known as a love knot, the alpha knot occurs exclusively when an alpha has deep feelings for the omega they’re coupling with.  Love knots are produced between their omega’s heats.  This provides additional stimulation for the omega and physical proof of the alpha’s devotion…

Was that why Loki had pulled away?  Had he read about alpha knots?  Considering what the housekeeper had to say about Loki’s family, he likely found love unsettling.  There was a vulnerability in not remembering their love for each other, so Loki’s body expressing that love must have unnerved him, Mobius thought.

He must have loved Loki or he wouldn’t have married him, Mobius was positive.  Even without his memory, Mobius liked him tremendously.  He enjoyed Loki’s company and his thoughts would frequently turn to him when they were apart.

And then there was his touch.

Ever since they consummated their marriage, Mobius had felt an awareness of his body and Loki.  He’d assumed it was a natural part of an alpha and omega sharing a physical relationship, but perhaps it ran deeper?

Maybe the book had more information?  Mobius took a sip of his tea and resumed reading.

A mating knot is triggered by the pheromones of an omega in heat.  The mating knot is considerably larger and longer lasting, this helps increase the chance of conception.  Knot size is influenced by the relationship of the alpha and omega, the pheromones released are more or less prolific depending on their feelings for each other.

The stretch of a knot can be a source of pleasure, but can cause discomfort if it’s a particularly large knot.  During the time an alpha is locked with their omega partner, they should express their affection through verbal and/or nonverbal means.  Ensuring the omega partner feels safe and relaxed still, they can ease them into a state of enjoyment…

There were several illustrations of mating knots including a side diagram of a knot lodged deep inside a male omega.  Mobius made an involuntary sound of arousal as he studied it.  He wanted to feel Loki’s knot.

A sweet scent seemed to waft around him.

“Pheromones?”

Mobius turned back to the table of contents and skimmed down to Chapter 3 — Pheromones .  The clock chimed twice.  There were several hours before Loki would return.  Plenty of time to read and research how best to arouse an alpha before trying it out.

Tonight with a little luck, Lord Loki Laufeyson would knot him once more.

***

He loved Mobius M. Mobius.

There had always been something between them; but without the burden of their pasts or concern about their positions, things had blossomed.  Loki knew passion, but he’d only flirted around the edge of love.  The idea of investing his happiness in another had sounded terrifying and foolish.

Yet, here he was, besotted, body and soul.  Loki’s first instinct when his memory had returned, was to protect Mobius.  He was terrified of how Mobius would feel about their lovemaking if he ever got his memory back.

For the past several days, he’d avoided Mobius as much as possible.  He’d focused on possible solutions for the timeline every waking hour.

Unfortunately, his dreams were haunted by Mobius.  Loki would dream of mutual confessions of love, of knotting and breeding Mobius.  Then the dreams turned to nightmares of condemnation.

The timeline needed saving, but a part of Loki wished he’d remained oblivious.  He had been so happy living as Mobius’ husband and alpha.  But he had remembered and he loved Mobius too much to take advantage.  Tomorrow he’d make up an excuse to go to London and work on a solution, Loki decided as he stared at the partially open door connecting their rooms.

“Loki,” Mobius called from his bedroom.  “Could you come in here for a minute?”

Reluctantly, Loki went into Mobius' room.  In front of the fireplace was a gleaming gold tub with a deliciously naked Mobius inside.  Loki forced his gaze to the fireplace instead of the tempting display of flesh.

“Did you need something?”

“I wondered if you could wash my back.”

“Very well.”  He took a sponge Mobius held out and wordlessly obliged.  Loki moved the sponge efficiently and averted his gaze.  A week ago, he would have kissed the back of Mobius’ neck and proposed joining him.  “Finished.  If there’s nothing else, I’ll return your sponge.”

“Would you mind reading to me?  There’s a book on the settee open to where I left off.”

Read to Mobius?   It would be painful remaining close and hearing him in the water, but Loki could at least focus on the pages.  He handed the sponge to Mobius and picked the book up from the settee.  Taking a seat so his back was to Mobius, he began to read.

“Omegas produce varying levels of pheromones when not in heat.  They produce a…”  Loki paused and groaned internally.  Reading about sexual relations between alphas and omegas wasn’t doing anything for his peace of mind.

“Produce a…”

Loki sighed and continued reading.  “Produce a light baseline detectable by alphas.  However, when an omega has an emotional connection with an alpha, they produce larger quantities of pheromones in the presence of their alpha.  An omega when freshly bathed has little to no scent. ”

There was a sound of water splashing behind him and Loki grew hard.  It would be so easy to seduce Mobius and lose himself in their life in Regency Midgard.  However, he pushed the thought aside and resumed reading.

“The omega’s scent will return gradually on its own, but will surge rapidly in the presence of their alpha if they share an emotional bond .”

“Loki.”

Hesitant, Loki looked up at Mobius who was beckoning him over.  He went to the tub and knelt down so he only could see Mobius’ face and the uppermost part of his torso.  Loki didn’t know if Mobius ever would get his memory back, but he wanted to make sure Mobius would remember he’d kept a respectful distance.

Maybe they could be friends, though he doubted it was possible.  Mobius might have been his friend before they slept together, but he likely wouldn’t believe Loki that their marriage and consummation had been done blindly on both their parts.

“I want you to smell me,” Mobius said.

“You want me to smell you?”

“You’ve seen me in the bath for a number of minutes and you read about pheromones.”

Loki obliged and sniffed Mobius’ arm.

“Well…”

“It smells like you,” Loki said and tried to think of an excuse to leave.

“But do I smell like an omega?”

“I suppose.”

“It’s important.  Please, Loki.”

“Yes, you have that sweet scent that clings to you always.”

“But it shouldn't be in the tub,” Mobius pointed out.  “Only in the case of a strong emotional bond would it surge suddenly.  I read about love knots.  I’m sorry if you’re embarrassed, but I love you and my body responds to you.  Please don’t shut me out because you knotted me when I wasn’t in heat.”

Loki stared at him incredulously.  Of all the things he’d expected Mobius to say, this was not among them.

“That’s not it, Mobius, I…” 

“Is it because I’m too old?  I know I’m older than most omegas are when they’re married.”

“What?  Of course not?”

“Then why, Loki?  What did I do wrong?”

Mobius stared at him with a heartbroken expression.  His eyes were bright with unshed tears and pain was etched on his face.  Loki felt worse than any moment in his memory and there had been many bad ones.

The simplest thing would be to tell Mobius the truth.  He’d wanted to since the moment his memories returned.  But with no recollection outside of Regency Midgard, Mobius couldn’t be expected to understand or accept.  Perhaps a little truth?  Mobius had been so sweet trying to reassure him.

“You haven’t done a single thing wrong, love.”  Loki shouldn’t have used the term, but it came so naturally with Mobius.  “I am so grateful that you went to such lengths to reassure me.  Believe me when I say no one in my existence has ever been so kind or loving to me as you have.”

“You’re my husband.”

“The other day in the cave, a part of my memory came back.”  Technically all of it had but one lie was easier than the endless ones required if Mobius thought all of his memory returned.  “I don’t feel right about touching you when I have an advantage like that over you.”

“That’s wonderful!  Not the not touching me part.  But your memory.  Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“The first couple days, it felt overwhelming and then I didn’t know what to say.”

“What do you remember?  About me?  About us?”

“I remember we had become friends.”

“We weren’t in love?”

“You were far too good a person to fall for someone like me.”

Mobius studied him silently, then spoke at last.  “I have two questions I’d like you to answer, and then depending on your answers, I will make a request.”

Loki looked at Mobius and relented.  “Anything you want to know.”

“What would you do if I don’t get my memory back?”

He wanted to lie.  Indeed, Loki should lie, but he couldn’t, not about this.

“I would protect you until your final breath, Mobius.”

Mobius took Loki’s hand on the edge of the tub and squeezed it.  “My other question is, do you love me?”

Loki sighed and looked away from Mobius.  “Please don’t… don’t ask me that.  Anything but that.”

“I want the truth, Loki.”

He turned to meet Mobius’ gaze.  “Yes.  I love you.  Every moment of every day I love you more.”

Mobius leaned his head over the edge of the tub against Loki’s shoulder.  “I love you, Loki Laufeyson.  No matter what memories do or do not come back, my feelings won’t change.  Maybe amnesia gave us the chance we needed.  I feel such joy when we’re together.”

“I can’t take advantage of you, Mobius.”

“I am giving you my heart, body, and soul.  There is no taking advantage.  We loved each other and took pleasure in each other when we didn’t remember.  That love is not less real because of the past.  Don’t deny us a future.”

“Tell me what you want.”

“You.  Right here and now,” Mobius told him and gestured to a bottle of slick that was nestled alongside his toiletry bottles on a nearby table.  “It’s waterproof.”

For a moment Loki wavered, then he began to undress.  When he was naked, he slipped into the tub behind Mobius.  He kissed the back of Mobius’ neck.  The omega spot the book had called it, where an alpha could mark a consenting omega as his.  At one time he dreamed of marking Mobius.  Perhaps by some miracle, that day would come.  For now, he gave it a reverent caress with his lips.

Loki reached for the bottle.  Mobius leaned back against his chest and brought his legs over the sides of the tub to give Loki access.  He oiled his finger and brought it under the surface to Mobius’ rim.  Gently, he probed inwards.

“I don’t know if this is right or not,” Loki admitted.  “But I’ve never felt like this about anyone else.  Never wanted them so much.  Each time I touch you, I promise to give you as much pleasure as you can bear.”

He withdrew his finger and watched as Mobius’ cock jutted out of the water.  Loki added a generous amount of oil to two of his fingers.  For a moment, he paused before bringing them underwater to Mobius’ eager whorl.

“It feels right when you touch me, Loki. I need you.  Need this… need us…”

Mobius turned his head so Loki could kiss him.  The water sloshed slightly as they moved.  Loki’s fingers pushed in and out slowly, even though their kiss became more desperate.  He felt Mobius pressing on his fingers.

“Turn around and let me oil my cock.”

He was keenly aware of Mobius watching him.  Loki felt exposed as it was the first time they’d been intimate since his amnesia lifted.  However, he found it deepened the love he felt and his cock swelled harder still.

“Straddle me and take me inside you,” Loki told him.  Mobius’ cock poked against Loki’s stomach.  Both of them wanted this.  Denying his husband had only hurt them both.

His husband.  Mobius was his husband here.  The handsome former TVA agent was his omega husband and they had fallen for each other.

“Oh love,” Loki said with a stuttering sigh as Mobius slid onto his cock.  He waited until Mobius was fully seated on his cock, then kissed him.  Loki kissed him until they were both gasping for air.  It was the slowest they’d ever coupled as the water shifted around them.

“Love you… your knot, so much Loki.”

“My Mobius.  My husband.”

Their voices were desperate whispers as they moved together.  All doubt, pain, and worry fell away as they mated.  No encounter Loki ever had compared to what he felt with Mobius.  It was the first time the term making love had made sense and not seemed like sentimental nonsense.

Both of them were starting to prune when Loki’s knot began to form.  Despite the intensity of the pleasure, Loki focused his power and they disappeared from the tub into the bed.  His knot moved inside Mobius, and Loki wasn’t sure which of them cried out the others name louder as they climaxed and clung to each other.

Chapter Text

Mobius looked at the door to Loki’s study and smiled.  His husband was working on estate business.  Slipping quietly upstairs to his room, Mobius closed the door and turned the lock on both the door to the hall and the one between their rooms.

Assured he had privacy, he removed his jacket and placed it neatly on a chair.  His shirt and waistcoat could remain, Mobius decided before removing his trousers and retrieving the vial of oil from the table beside the now empty tub.  The rug was still damp in places from their lovemaking.

He blushed as moved onto his side and opened the bottle.  Carefully he tilted it and let the liquid coat his index finger.  It was easier when Loki prepared him, but he wanted to surprise him.

Last night, Loki had knotted him once more.  Mobius loved the intimacy of being joined.  However, he was curious about what Loki’s knot looked like and hoped his husband might be willing to take him so he could watch.  Mobius hardened at the thought.

He drew his knees towards his chest and reached back with his oiled finger, then closed his eyes and ran his finger over his puckered opening.  Pressing his rim lightly, he drew a sharp breath.  It would be embarrassing if Loki turned him away, however it was a chance Mobius was willing to take.

His finger breached his rim and pushed inside.  Mobius knew he’d need to get his channel nice and slick.  Loki was well endowed and stretched him deliciously on his cock.  And of course, his knot stretched Mobius further.

Although he was eager to go to Loki, Mobius withdrew his finger to coat it with more oil and inserted his finger once more.  It would be exciting when he was in heat to experience his body self lubricating as the book described.

“Certainly more convenient,” Mobius grumbled as he added more oil.

When his entrance was sufficiently slick to accommodate his husband, Mobius got up unsteadily and wiped his hands on a towel before he struggled back into his trousers.  Each step, he was keenly aware of his oiled backside as he set off to find Loki.

Mobius found Loki’s study door closed and knocked.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Mobius.”

“Come in, love.”

Mobius smiled as he entered.  He liked when Loki used little endearments for him.  One day he hoped he might find one for Loki, but his mind always turned to things like Lord or Master as though he wanted to submit to him.

Loki was sitting at his desk, jacket off and papers piled in front of him.  “Estate business.  Quite dreary.  You’re just what I needed.”

“You need me?  I like the sounds of that,” Mobius said.

Loki slid his chair back and opened his arms in invitation.  “Your Lord And Master demands a kiss.”

That sent a shiver down Mobius’ spine and he drew closer.  He could have stood and kissed Loki or even sat in his lap.  Instead, Mobius climbed onto his lap facing Loki and straddling his thigh.  He pressed his chest against him as he gave his husband a light kiss.

Mobius felt Loki’s arms go around him, pulling him closer still.  Then came a demanding kiss.  He went limp and pliant as Loki plundered his mouth.  One kiss led to another and Mobius whined under his breath.

“I love how responsive you are,” Loki said.

“It would be hard not to respond to you.  I barely notice being an omega, except when I’m with you.”

“Your awareness is heightened with me?  I rather like that.”

Mobius ground against him.  “I feel very aware right now that I’m omega and you’re an alpha.  Do you feel it too?”

“Very much,” he purred.  “Should we go upstairs?”

“We could.  Or we could stay here.”

“The oil is up there.”

“I got myself ready for you,” Mobius admitted, then blushed and looked away.

“Did you now?”

“I… I wanted…. I wondered…”

“Tell me,” Loki commanded.

“I want to see your knot slide inside me.”

“Take your clothes off.  Everything, Mobius.”

“Is that an order?” he asked in a hopeful tone.  “You are my husband and I promised to obey.”

“Is that what you want, Mobius?  To obey me?”

He nodded at Loki.

“Stand up and disrobe.  That’s an order.”

Mobius stood up unsteadily and began to undress.  Embarrassment mingled with arousal as he complied.  He felt exposed while he bared his body and Loki watched, but the command excited him.  Each time Loki touched him, he felt closer and the urge to submit and be commanded grew.

When Mobius was naked, Loki stood and pushed the papers on his desk to the side.  “Sit right there.”

Loki unfastened his trousers and slid them down to his thighs.  The hem of his shirt framed his jutting erection.  Heat radiated from Loki’s cock as the icy forest scent seemed to increase.  Mobius felt a wave of arousal as the aroma surrounded him.

The book about Alphas and Omegas discussed how their respective scents would increase and decrease.  However, reading about it and experiencing it were different things.  Mobius was shocked at how strongly his body responded to Loki’s alpha scent.  And sometimes he could smell his own honeyed omega scent responding.

“Should I warm you up first?” Loki asked and nipped along Mobius’ jaw.

“Take me, I’m ready.”

At that Loki moved back slightly and positioned himself.  Mobius watched as Loki pressed the head of his cock against his entrance.  There was a feeling of pressure as the tip parted his slick hole and a dull burn as the ring of muscles stretched to admit him.

It was exciting to see his husband’s oversized phallus making its way inside him.  Loki pushed in gradually until he was sheathed completely inside Mobius.  He leaned forward and lightly pressed his forehead against Mobius’ as they watched.

Mobius placed his hand on his cock to flatten it out of the way so it didn’t obstruct his view.  Both of them watched as Loki’s cock moved slowly in and out.  Occasionally Mobius’ rim would catch on the ridge of Loki’s cock and he would gasp, but otherwise, they were silent.

Mesmerizing, Mobius thought as he watched.  His husband’s cock moved with deliberation within him.  A slight swell began to form at the base of Loki’s shaft.  An alpha’s knot, forming for him.  The book insisted it was smaller than a mating knot, but as it began to grow, Mobius couldn’t imagine a mating knot would be much larger.

Loki’s cock was going harder inside Mobius and was hitting his sweet spot in the most delicious way.  The knot was increasing in size and moved towards Mobius’ rim.  Mobius felt his cock twitching but merely held it out of the way.  His orgasm would come soon enough and he wanted to watch Loki’s knot.

The knot pressed up against his stretched rim.  Mobius felt it nudging his hole open further as it tried to find its way inside.  The knot surged hard and forced his asshole to dilate further and admit it.  Mobius whimpered as it found purchase inside his body.

It rose within him, stretching him from within.  An alpha’s knot lodged in his body, pressed against his omega sweet spot.  His breath came in shallow pants, punctuated by Loki’s labored breaths.  Neither of them were moving, but the knot was swelling and taking both alpha and omega to the brink.

Mobius began to climax as Loki’s knot reached its zenith then began to flood Mobius with cum.  He continued to watch Loki’s cock buried inside him.  A single rivulet of cum found its way from Mobius’ ass to the desk.

His cock spasmed once more as he watched.  Usually, Mobius would ejaculate once or twice, but have a series of mostly dry orgasms while knotted.  Mobius trembled and lifted his face to nuzzle his mustache on Loki’s face.

Accepting a love knot from his alpha and seeing it entering him was a powerful reminder of how much he wanted Loki to breed him.

He wanted to wait to talk about it until his next heat was closer in the hopes they might fully remember the time before the accident.  However, Mobius grew more certain with each encounter that he wished to carry Loki’s child.  There was such connection between them, he thought as Loki’s knot began to go down.

Loki kissed Mobius’ forehead, his softening cock still buried inside him.  “You took my knot so well.”

“The book said your mating knot will be bigger still,” Mobius murmured and clung to Loki.  As much as today’s knot stretched his body, he would stretch further still to accommodate his husband’s knots in time if the book was accurate.

“In that case, I should take care to knot you regularly to prepare you.”

Mobius moaned at the thought of Loki’s mating knot.  He was aching to be knotted once more.  Awareness of their respective status of Mobius being an omega and Loki being an alpha was becoming heightened each day.  It seemed to primarily manifest in the form of desire, the desire to be knotted, and to submit sexually.

“Look at you, so eager,” Loki purred, his cock flaring to life inside Mobius once more.  He caressed Mobius’ hardening length.  “I just gave you my knot and you’re ready for more.”

“I like taking your knot.”

Loki drawled. “Like?”

Grabbing Mobius by the hips, he gave him a couple of hard thrusts.

“Really like.”

“Really like?  I could stop, Mobius.”

“No!  Please!  I need—”

Loki kissed him and rolled his hips, eliciting a gasp from Mobius.  “Tell me.  I want to hear you say it.”

“I want… I want you to… to knot… me.  I love… oh… I love taking your knot!”

Mobius wrapped his legs around Loki’s waist and was rewarded with a series of slow thrusts.  His fingers clutched the fabric on the arms of his husband’s shirt.  It felt so good to yield to him and hold on as Loki pressed into him.

He felt a knot starting to form against his opening and felt a surge of tenderness.  Loki loved him, he was sure of it.  And he loved him too.  Hopefully, he would remember before the accident eventually, but even if he never did, what they had was wonderful.

Soon, Mobius decided as his pleasure mounted and Loki’s knot began to push against him.  He would tell Loki he loved him whand that he was ready for breeding when his approaching heat came.

For now, he held onto Loki and gave into the blissful sensation of his knot making its way into his body.

***

Loki stared at the ceiling as Mobius slept beside him.  The exertions of the afternoon had led to an early evening in bed.  He didn’t know what the normal level of stamina for an alpha and omega was, perhaps his being a demigod influenced things.  However, even now he would gladly knot Mobius once more.

Without the emotional burden of Loki’s past and the TVA looming, Mobius seemed to have a genuine affection for him.  This afternoon when he’d come to Loki and begged to watch his knot going inside him had been one of the most erotic moments of Loki’s existence.

For his part, Loki had always been drawn to Mobius.  Their trip to Regency Midgard had given him a rare break from the overwhelming weight of his ambitions and fears.  Falling for Mobius had been as simple as breathing.  Loki couldn’t remember ever feeling so much love for anyone.

Lying next to Mobius and smelling his honeyed scent made it impossible to focus.  Loki quietly slipped out of the room and got dressed in his room.  Then he slipped out of the house and walked into the night.

The moon was full and bright, illuminating the road from the estate.  Loki turned in the direction of where their “accident” occurred.  Perhaps they had been in an accident, after all, they’d both been covered in bruises and cuts.  Their injuries were healed and his amnesia had mostly cleared.  There were still parts that were fuzzy from before the portal and their arrival.  Something had injured them and rendered them unconscious before or after their arrival.

“Have to make a plan,” Loki sighed to himself as he paused where the ground was indented from the road to the sea path where their supposed accident occurred.  “Question is, what.”

Plans could be astonishingly simple or endlessly complicated, depending on one’s objective.  The problem was, that Loki didn’t know what his objective was.

“Fix the timeline?  Unite the TVA?”

Loki kicked at a piece of overturned sod as he walked through the grass towards the sea path.  He wanted to complete their mission and fix the mess Sylvie inadvertently created, but how?

If Mobius had his memory, they would have made a plan already, and Loki would never…

He would never have known what it felt like to kiss Mobius.  Loki wouldn’t have known the mouthwatering scent of his arousal or the soft moans of pleasure he made when being knotted.

“Mobius.  What are we to do?”

Loki turned onto the path down the side of the cliff.  Below the soft foam shimmered in the moonlight as it lapped the shore.  The foam on the waves had a strange blue glow.  Intrigued, Loki made his way down to the beach.

As he drew closer, Loki saw that the electric blue glow extended all along the shore and disappeared into the grotto.  Loki walked towards the sea cave and stood at the entrance.  Inside, the water glowed brightly.

“Bioluminescent algae,” Loki said as he looked at it.  That was the logical explanation of the phenomena.  He remembered a shore on Asgard where the water glowed at night.  Sometimes he had gone there and watched it all night, finding peace in it as he tried to reconcile his thoughts.

However, as a demigod with magic, Loki couldn’t help wondering if there was something more to the phenomena inside the cave.  The water had come up suddenly when he was coupling with Mobius and shortly after Loki’s memory had returned.  Was it merely algae?  Or was the mystery the cave itself?

Loki entered the cave and gestured, a green glow arced through and the various torches and lanterns glowed to life.  He walked along the ledge and over the rocks to the stone platform.  There was no obvious cause for his memory returning.  However, Loki intended to search for clues.

If he could find what triggered the return of his memory, perhaps he could find a way to help Mobius and end his amnesia.

“Of course, you’ll lose him,” Loki said, his voice raw with emotion.

He looked at the sea whirling into the grotto.  Losing Mobius would hurt, but he couldn’t let his husband… not his husband… his friend not know who he truly was.  Selflessness had never come readily to Loki, and yet faced with the prospect of losing the person he loved the most, he couldn’t imagine not putting Mobius first.

Mobius, his happiness and safety, were far more important than Loki’s wants.  If he could, Loki would willingly live out a human lifespan with Mobius in this place.  But that wasn’t what Mobius would choose and Loki had to make every effort to restore his memories.

Loki looked around; he noticed a couple of rocks on the other side of the platform that appeared to lead to a ledge on the other side.  They had never ventured to the other part of the cave.  He walked to them and surveyed them.  The rocks seemed navigable and even if he fell into the water, he could dry himself with magic.

Cautiously, Loki stepped onto the first rock.  Then he shrugged and jumped to the second.  And rapidly leapt across to the ledge.  It was a little different, he thought, than the other side, but he walked along it towards the entrance.  Something glistened in the moonlight in the entrance at waist height and Loki moved towards it.

Translucent and white, he plucked it from the stone and turned it over in his hand.  It was identical to the item Mobius had found on their first trip to the cave.  Snakeskin, Mobius had suggested.  The scale marks had been too large, snakes like that didn’t exist in England.

Only now, Loki knew they were in an alternate Regency Midgard and knew how the timeline had split and the many realms.

Loki looked down at the glowing water, it reminded him a bit of the cover from the book Mrs. Nathair had given them by mistake about the Jörmungandr.

“Nonsense.  Giant snakes and caves and all of it,” Loki huffed.

He turned around and made his way along the ledge once more.  The best thing would be to make his way back to the other side and return home before Mobius noticed he was missing.  Loki walked to the rocks where he crossed, then paused as a blue glow drew his gaze.

On the side he and Mobius had entered, the ledge dwindled to nothing and there was a solid wall of stone.  But on this side, the ledge continued.  Loki cautiously made his way further along the ledge.  It curved and opened into another cavern.  There was a large hole in the ceiling where moonlight spilled in. 

Loki walked to the edge of the ledge.  There was a shallow area leading up to the floor of the stone chamber.  He dashed across it, the toes of his boots scarcely getting damp as he moved.  The moonlight illuminated the cavern.

In the center was a large flat rock.  A snake with spines along its back like the cover of the Jörmungandr book was carved into the rock.  The snake’s mouth was open as if it was about to devour something.  On top of the rock was the TemPad Loki had used to find Mobius and take them to the New York Sanctuary to meet Stephen Strange.

Along the sides of the TemPad, the blue and green Infinity Stones Loki had used to enhance it glittered.

“Sorðinn !”

He’d given a jewelry maker Infinity Stones!  One was a Time Stone, the other was a Space Stone.  And the third?  It wasn’t any Infinity Stone Loki recognized.  Maybe it was just a gemstone?  But why in the hell would he have a gemstone?

“Too late to do anything now.”

Loki stared at the TemPad.  They would need it down the road when they had a plan.  For now, he had to fix Mobius’ amnesia.  He debated whether to leave the Tempad or move it.

His eyes wandered to the snake carving and the words in the Jörmungandr book echoed in his mind.

“...not descended from Loki, but Loki himself will come to Midgard…”

Lore had surrounded both him and his family since Loki could remember.  From Asgard to Midgard, even Jotunheim where he was born, rumors and legends circulated about Loki and his family.  Some were entertaining and some were insulting.  The majority were utterly false, but there were a few that were true.

He had shapeshifted on more than one occasion into a snake.  Biting Thor while in serpent form as a child had been one of his fonder memories.  He’d only ever shifted into an ordinary-sized snake.  It seemed unlikely he was a prophesied Jörmungandr.

Loki left the TemPad for the time being and made his way back to the ledge.  He went to the rocks in the first cavern and jumped across them to the stone platform.

“Everything is so messed up!  Giant snakes!  The TVA!  Mobius!  Uptight Agent Mobius M. Mobius is my husband!  And I love him!  Why?!  Why in all the universe am I so cursed?!” Loki raged.  His voice echoed throughout the grotto.  Then he sighed.  “Oh Mobius, I wish I knew what to do.  I love you so much.  I don’t want to disappoint you, but I don’t know what to do anymore.”

The cave was silent except for the sound of the waves as they moved and the water glowed.  Loki looked at the luminescent wave, then started to undress as he stared at them.  When he was naked, he moved to the edge of the rock platform.

He was going to dive into the water and shapeshift into a snake.  An ordinary snake, Loki thought, not the Jörmungandr of the book.  Focusing his mind on transforming into the small black and gold snake that bit Thor, he accessed his powers and dove in.

A moment later, Loki surfaced.  He knew from the sensation of the water, even before he broke the surface, he hadn’t shapeshifted as he planned.

Loki’s head rose high above the water.  He looked down at his body.  Dark iridescent green scales, so dark they looked black in places, covered his serpentine body.  His underside was a lighter greenish-gold color.  The water reflected a series of gold dorsal spikes that ran from his head to his back.  On top of his head, massive gold horns echoed the helmet he’d worn on Asgard.

He was the Jörmungandr, only more monster than snake.  Around him, the luminous blue water took on a turquoise hue as it reflected the green of his scales.

Silently, Loki glided through the water.  His only comfort was that Mobius wasn’t there to see him.

***

At the entrance of the cave, Mobius was frozen in place.  He’d roused to find Loki gone and hear the sound of the front door closing.  Mobius had thrown on his dressing gown and boots before setting off to find him.  The night was cool, but the deep blue velvet with it’s silver trim had made it bearable to follow.

He’d followed Loki along the moonlit road and then down to the shore.  Instinctively, he’d known Loki would be inside the grotto.  When he reached the entrance, Mobius was just in time to see Loki dive into the water as a man and emerge as…

“The Jörmungandr,” Mobius whispered from the shadows as he watched his husband glide through the water. 

Chapter Text

Loki sat at his desk and stared blankly at the list he’d been working on since his memories returned.  It was a list of possible solutions to the timeline split and Kang.  However, it was impossible to solve one of the biggest problems in the universe with last night’s revelations looming over him.

For all the strange and improbable things Loki had witnessed in his lifetime and his perpetual belief that he was burdened with glorious purpose, he didn’t believe in prophecies.  The idea he was the Jörmungandr was ridiculous.  Even after his transformation into a monstrous serpent, it seemed impossible to believe.

His fate was his to decide, Loki thought angrily.

Why did others think they had the right to decide for him?  Odin had plucked him as an abandoned infant in Jotunheim, saving him but casting him forever in the role of the lesser son that could never meet his adoptive father’s expectations.  The TVA had taken him prisoner and he would have been pruned if not for Mobius.  Even when they met Kang at the end of time, Sylvie had made a decision that affected the fate of the entire universe.

Until his memory had returned, Loki had been happy and controlled his destiny here.  Or at least had the illusion.  An alpha with a great estate and an omega husband.  Mobius was an absolute delight.  He was still passionate and curious, but without the burden of the TVA, there was a lightness and joy in Mobius.

And aside from the sheer annoyance of possibly being the Jörmungandr, there was the question of what it meant.  He ought to get his hands on the book that Mrs. Nathair had mistakenly packed up.  However, he wasn’t entirely sure if it was wise to ask to borrow it.

A knock at the door interrupted Loki’s thoughts.  “Yes?”

“Begging your pardon, my Lord,” Mrs. Nathair said through the door.  “A courier from London arrived for you.  I showed him into the second drawing-room where you usually meet tradesmen.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Nathair.  Tell him I shall come directly.”

Loki stood up and went to the door of the study.  Under his breath, he grumbled, “Courier from London.”

He opened the door slowly, then it hit him.  It was probably the jeweler.  “The Infinity Stones!”

At that, Loki ran down the hall past a bewildered Mrs. Nathair. 

“Lord Laufeyson?” A young man in a grey suit spoke and stood up.  When Loki nodded, the man pulled a small silver box from his jacket.  “Mr. Northam sent me to deliver your rings and give you a message.”

Loki took the box and opened it.  Inside were two gold rings, one set with the Time Stone and the other with the Space Stone.  They had not been cut, merely set.  He might have felt a sense of relief if it weren’t for the absence of the pinkish-orange opal.

“My Master apologizes that he has not yet been able to set the third stone.”

The young man looked uneasy and Loki narrowed his gaze.  Something was being held back.  “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

For a moment the courier looked around nervously as if searching for an answer.  “I… Mr. Northam has set the stone, my Lord.  Half a dozen times and it unsets itself.  He packed it to return to you with his apologies and the stone appeared on his work table once more.  I think it must be cursed.”

An Infinity Stone causing chaos and moving about?  That wasn’t good.  Loki needed to act quickly.

“Tell Mr. Northam that I will come to town and retrieve it myself before the week is out.  His efforts are appreciated.”

The courier looked at him as though he was mad, but nodded.  “Very good, your Lordship.  I shall tell him upon my return.”

Loki walked out of the room with the box in his hand.  Mrs. Nathair could deal with seeing the courier out.  He wanted to take a closer look at the rings in private.

Alone at his desk, Loki opened the box to better examine the rings.  The rings were identical except for the color of the stones.  He’d intended them for wedding rings for them to wear.  When Loki had ordered them, he’d imagined how delighted Mobius would be to have matching wedding rings.

He sighed and closed the box, then returned his attention to his list.  There was so much to figure out.

***

Mobius stood and looked at Loki’s study door.  After seeing Loki in Jörmungandr or whatever his serpent form was, he’d returned to the house and pretended to sleep for the remainder of the night.  Loki had gotten back into bed with him in human form.  He wanted to talk to Loki but had no idea where to start.  Sometime after sunrise, he’d dozed off and he didn’t rouse until noon.

Last night was a shock.  Loki transforming into a snake or sea monster, Mobius wasn’t sure exactly which, defied imagination.  However, as shocked as he was, he wasn’t frightened.  He’d never known anything but kindness from Loki.

This was something they needed to keep between the two of them.  Perhaps they shouldn’t talk in the house.  Mobius knocked and entered the study.

“Good morning, love.”

Loki smiled at him, but it didn’t quite connect with his eyes.  His shoulders were slumped as if they bore an unspeakable weight.

“Technically, it’s afternoon.  I overslept,” Mobius replied and walked over to him. 

“Must have worn you out,” Loki said and tucked the paper that he’d been writing on into the desk.

Mobius wrapped his arms around Loki.  “Lucky for you, I’m quite rested now.  In fact, I wondered if you’d have time to have a picnic in our spot.”

“We have a spot?”

“After what we’ve done in the grotto, I rather think we do,” Mobius whispered in his ear.

“I suppose the estate business would wait.  Why don’t you tell Mrs. Nathair to make the arrangements and then we go in a bit?”

Mobius kissed Loki’s cheek and went off to find Mrs. Nathair.  He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew he loved Loki, and together they would face whatever Loki was dealing with.  His husband wasn’t going to be alone in this, he would help one way or another.

It took a bit of time to find the housekeeper and for things to be readied, but an hour later they stood together on the stone platform in the grotto.

“Let’s put our food here and then I want to show you something,” Loki suggested.

Mobius agreed, he was eager to bring up what he’d witnessed last night, however it was probably best to ease into it.  Loki spread a blanket out and arranged the food on it.  Although Mobius wasn’t entirely sure he felt like eating, he sat down.

Loki pulled a silver box from his jacket and opened it so Mobius could see inside.  Two rings with gold settings, nearly identical except for the type of gemstone each held.  A sapphire and an emerald?

“When I was in town, I commissioned a set of wedding rings for us,” Loki explained.  “I thought the… er… sapphire would compliment your eyes.  You don’t have to wear it, they ended up being rather larger than I expected.”

Until that moment Mobius hadn’t given much thought to wedding rings or their lack thereof.  They were ostentatiously sized.  No one could help but notice them and immediately connect them as a couple.  Everyone would know he was married to Loki, it was a mutual mark of ownership.

“Please.”  Trembling slightly, Mobius extended his hand for Loki to place it on his finger.  He watched as his husband withdrew the ring from the box and slid it onto his ring finger.  It was heavy, but not unbearably so.  The weight of his alpha husband’s love in a physical manifestation.  “I love it.”

“I have a request, if you ever decide you don’t wish to wear it, would you tell me?  I never would force you to wear my ring, but I would ask you to let me know when you don’t.”

“I’ll wear it always, Loki.”

“Just, please promise me?”

Mobius nodded and extended his hand to admire the gleaming blue gem.  “If I ever take it off, I will tell you.  But I guarantee, this will never leave my finger.”

“Thank you.”

“The emerald ring… are you…  I mean…”

“There’s something else I have to show you first, Mobius.”  Loki tucked the silver box into Mobius’ jacket pocket.  Then he stood and held his hand out.  “Come with me and then you may decide if you wish to have me wear it or not.”

Mobius took Loki’s hand and stood up.  He watched him curiously as they walked to the far side of the stone platform.

***

“You see those stones?”  Loki pointed to the rocks that led to the far ledge.

“Yes.  Is that another ledge?”

“It goes all the way to the mouth of the cave if you take it to the left,” Loki replied as they began to make their way from rock to rock.  When they reached the ledge and had steadied themselves, he nodded to the right.  “There’s something in that direction I want to show you.”

He guided Mobius along the ledge.  Mobius had a brilliant mind and made an excellent agent, but he was more at home giving orders to hunters and analysts than physical exertion.  Though Loki had to admit, Mobius was just toned enough without too much definition and he was navigating the narrow ledges with more ease each time.

“Another cavern,” Mobius gasped as they followed the curve of the ledge.

“Can’t quite make it there without getting your feet wet, so up you go,” Loki said and grabbed Mobius up.  His husband gave a surprised shriek as Loki put him over his shoulder.

“Loki!  What are you doing?!”

“Hang on love.”  Loki dashed across the water from the ledge to the stone floor of the cavern.  When they were on dry rock, he set Mobius down.  “There we go.”

“I could have walked.”

Loki smiled as Mobius grumbled.  Whenever he got mildly annoyed, his lower lip would jut ever so subtly in a pout and he’d huff a breath of air from his nose that made his mustache ripple.  He never had noticed when they were at the TVA, but then Mobius rarely was mildly annoyed there.  Everything was life and death.  It had been nice having a reprieve from that.

“Last night, I couldn’t sleep and I took a walk.  I found this place and I wanted to show it to you.”  He grabbed the TemPad from the stone that had the Jörmungandr carved on it.  “I want you to take a look at this.”

“What on earth?”

“Mobius, I cannot offer you an explanation that would make any sense.  But I want you to watch and listen.”  Loki flicked the TemPad on and punched in the location of the New York Sanctuary for five minutes after they’d left.  Then he shut it off and put it in Mobius’ hands.  “This button turns it on.  Go ahead, but whatever you do, don’t touch another button.”

“This button,” Mobius echoed.

“Good, now don’t touch it, but you see that orange circle where it says Open Time Door?”

Mobius stared at the TemPad and then at Loki.  “Time door?”

“I know it doesn’t make sense, love.  But I need you to learn this.  Don’t push it.  Instead, press the button that made it light up.”

The TemPad went dark as Mobius complied with his request.  “What…”

“Listen to me, carefully.  I don’t think our accident was an accident.  I believe someone is after us.  If anything ever happens, I want you to hide in this back cavern.  Wait for me to come to you and if anyone but me enters the grotto or if I don’t show up within an hour, you take this TemPad.  Turn it on, open the Time Door, and walk through when the portal opens.”

“Tempads?  Portals?  Loki, this doesn’t make any sense!”

“I need you to trust me, Mobius.  I know what I’m saying sounds like madness, but I have to know you’ll be safe.”

“Are you asking this as my husband or alpha?”

Loki took the TemPad and sat it down on the stone.  He pulled Mobius into a hug, clinging tightly to him.  “I’m asking as your friend.”

He watched when he finally ended their embrace for Mobius’ reaction.

“If there’s ever trouble, hide in here.  Wait an hour for you.  Push the button on the TemPad and then touch the orange circle to open the Time Door.”

“Yes, but not the thing that looks like a clock face.  Never that one.”

They stood looking at each other in awkward silence.  Loki understood Mobius was at best, overwhelmed and at worst, contemplating committing him to Bedlam.  However, he had to make sure Mobius could get to safety.

He was convinced that he’d crashed across the grass and over the cliff in snake form, which would explain the depression in the earth.  What it didn’t explain was why they’d ended up near the grotto instead of where they fell off the cliff face.  There was something more that he couldn’t remember and he didn’t want Mobius to suffer because of it.

***

Mobius looked down at the stone where Loki placed the TemPad.  Carved into the stone was a Jörmungandr.  It was similar to the book cover.  Neither the cover nor the carving was as impressive as Loki had been.

He didn’t understand the strange book that lit up, but he understood Loki wanted to protect him.  When he’d questioned Loki’s motivation, he was shocked to hear him ask as a friend.  Loki was his husband and his alpha, yet it was as a friend that he’d wanted to protect Mobius.

Although he might not remember much about what it meant to be an omega, he had a feeling few had alphas that cared about them in so many ways.  Husband, alpha, and friend, Loki supported Mobius.  Currently, his brow was furrowed, probably wanting to tell him about the Jörmungandr but afraid to with all he’d already revealed.

Loki was probably hurting and afraid.  Mobius had left the grotto last night feeling numb.  But as he lay awake thinking, he realized that Loki was still Loki.  His husband might have magic and turn into a massive sea serpent, but ultimately, Loki was the man he loved.  He felt drawn to him even knowing his secret.

“You said you had something to show me before I decided if I wanted to put the other ring on your finger.”  Mobius pulled the case out and withdrew the ring.

“Love, there’s more, I just–”

“I woke up last night and followed you, I saw you in the water.”

“Mobius, I–”

“Whatever you are, whoever you are, you’re my husband, my alpha, and my friend.”  Mobius took his hand and slid the emerald ring onto Loki’s finger.  “I’m proud to belong to you and want you to belong to me too.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying, I’m not worthy.  My father, my brother, so many could tell you how unworthy I am of your attention.”

Mobius cupped Loki’s face.  “You, Lord Loki Laufeyson, are the most worthy person I’ve ever met.  I don’t need a memory to know that.  It doesn’t matter what anyone has ever told you before, I am telling you that you are worthy.”

Loki pulled Mobius tightly against him.  It bothered Mobius that his husband’s family had made him feel so undeserving of love.  He wanted to confess his love, but at the moment he was worried Loki would mistake it for empty words of comfort.

“I thought you looked very lovely last night, but I only saw you from a distance.  Could I see you now?”

“You mean, turn into…”

“The Jörmungandr.  Or sea serpent?  Snake?  I’m sorry, I don’t know which is right.”

“Rather the issue,” Loki replied.  “I want to see the book Mrs. Nathair gave us but I don’t know if we can trust her.”

“We need a copy of the Jörmungandr book, but shouldn’t get it around here.”

“I’ve got to go to London very soon.  We could go together and track down a copy where we won’t be conspicuous.”

“Good plan,” Mobius said.  “But I still would like to see you, unless it’s too difficult.”

Loki undressed quickly and efficiently.  Wearing nothing but his ring, he walked into the water.  When he was waist deep, he began to transform in front of Mobius.  In the blink of an eye, skin gave way to scales, and Loki’s body elongated.

Mobius kicked off his boots and stockings, then waded onto the angled stone that went into the water.  He wanted to show Loki he wasn’t afraid without jumping in and potentially startling him.  So he stood in the shallow with water up to his ankles.

After Loki circled through the water a few times, he swam toward Mobius and stopped so his face was in front of Mobius.

“May I touch you?”

“I sssuppossse,” Loki hissed.

Mobius ran his hand over Loki’s muzzle, the scales were as smooth as silk under his hand. Gently he skimmed his fingers over the golden horns.  He leaned carefully to kiss the top of Loki’s serpentine head.  

“You’re still handsome.”

“And what if I got stuck like this?”

He wrapped his arms around Loki and hugged him.  “You would still be my husband and alpha.”

“I couldn’t be a proper husband to you.  I wouldn’t be able to dine with you or knot you,” Loki hissed.

“Why not?”

“Why not?!?”

“It would be different, perhaps.  But we’d find a way.  I could bring food for us and you could… could still… knot me.”

“Love, I hardly think you’d want to have sex with an oversized sea snake.”

“I would if he was you, Loki.”

***

Loki groaned as listened to Mobius.  The honeyed scent of arousal surrounded Mobius as he spoke.  Omega pheromones seemed to bloom around him and underscore the seriousness of his words.

“I wish I’d thought to bring the oil,” Loki lamented.  “If I had, I would change back and have you now.”

Mobius took a step back and pulled a familiar green vial out of his jacket.  “I’ve started carrying this with me everywhere.  I always want to be ready for you.”

“Move back so I don’t knock you over.”

Loki waited until Mobius was up on the stone floor before surging out of the water beside him.  As soon as he was on land, he shifted back to his human form.  He shook himself and used his powers to dry off.  Still naked, his cock jutted out eagerly as he reached for the bottle of slick.

“Clothes off,” he commanded Mobius.

With a nod and a whimper, Mobius obeyed swiftly.

“Now, come to me, love.”  Loki beckoned him to the softly slanted rock where the water flowed gently.  He wrapped his arms around Mobius from behind and kissed the back of his neck.  While he didn’t hold much hope of marking Mobius’ omega spot, he felt a bit encouraged by how well he handled his snake form.

He took Mobius’ left hand in his left hand and stretched their hands out to see their wedding rings together.  So much power, power he once would have done anything for, now Loki would happily have ordinary gems and for them to truly bind them as husbands.

“I like being married to you,” Mobius said.

“One day when you no longer have amnesia, I hope you’ll still feel that way.”

“Always will feel that way.”

“Well, you were willing to let me have sex with you as a giant snake.”

“You’re a very good looking snake.  I don’t know, I mean it’s still you, just something hidden from the world.”

“Really?  I thought it was because snakes have two cocks,” Loki teased as he slid his hand over Mobius’ stomach.

At that, Mobius turned around, his eyes wide.  “No.  They have two…  no.  You’re making that up.”

“Called hemipenes.  Didn’t take a look, but I would assume.”  Perhaps one day he might suggest they check together given the interested expression Mobius had.  For now, he was eager to feel the tight heat of his husband.  “For now, I am reasonably human and would like you to let me get you ready.”

Mobius moved to his hands and knees as the water lapped around them.  “I want you.”

“Let’s open you up,” Loki said and opened the oil before kneeling behind Mobius.  He kissed and nibbled both cheeks.  “You seem to like me oiling you in this position.”

“The book about alphas and omegas said it’s a biological default for omegas to display themselves to their alphas in this position.”

“Presenting,” Loki murmured approvingly as his finger circled and breached Mobius’ rim.  “I believe it mentioned that omegas in heat often will place their head low and arch their back to present themselves for breeding.”

“Do you think omegas do it consciously?”

“I think it’s a biological imperative.  What do you say we only use this position to prepare you?  Then if the day ever comes that you’re in heat and we’re ready to breed, see what happens?”

***

Mobius groaned both from the thought of Loki breeding him and the addition of a second oiled digit.  Each time Loki prepared him, he felt a mixture of excitement and an urge to… submit was the closest thing that fit.  He could never love someone that treated him as less for being an omega, but knowing Loki respected him, he felt safe and was curious about their dynamic.

One day he hoped to discuss it at length, but this wasn’t the time.  Besides, Loki’s fingers were teasing him in the most delightful way.  He closed his eyes and focused on the sensation.  There was a sense of delicious anticipation when Loki would prepare him.  He felt enjoyment in terms of the touch but also because he was so keenly aware in those moments that he was an omega and being readied for his husband’s cock.

“Let’s get you on your back.”

Mobius moved quickly after Loki withdrew his fingers.  He watched him slicking his cock before positioning it and leaning in to kiss Mobius.  Each time was better than the last as he was growing more comfortable yielding his body to Loki and looking forward to taking his knot.

The tip of Loki’s cock pressed into Mobius’ rim.  As Loki went a little deeper, Mobius slipped a little on the rock.  He’d scarcely registered it when Loki grabbed his wrists and pinned them down above Mobius’ head to keep him from slipping.

“Oh yes, Loki!” Mobius gasped as the slim fingers grabbed his wrists.

“You like me holding your hands down like that?  I can do that, love,”

Mobius brought his legs up around Loki’s waist to brace himself and he watched his husband’s approving look.  Loki had grown harder when he’d grabbed Mobius’ wrists.  He didn’t know if it had anything to do with being an alpha and an omega or simply something they both craved.

Together they moved and writhed as the sensation of their coupling built.  Mobius felt the pressure of Loki’s knot teasing his rim.  He closed his eyes to surrender to the sensation of bliss.  As they moved faster, the waves seemed to grow louder but neither of them cared, they were so focused on each other.

Closing his eyes, Mobius focused on the feeling of Loki inside him and his knot moving inside him and lodging tightly.  His cock spasmed and he was wracked with pleasure.

As they climaxed, the waves became violent and a dark purple and black mist floated over them with small bursts of golden lighting.  It tried to coalesce into a cloud but faded away.  The oblivion that had overtaken Loki on their previous grotto tryst now overtook them both.

When they came to, the water had calmed and the mist had fled.

***

Loki roused, oblivious that Mobius had been unconscious for a moment as well.  Images of their arrival and the portal flooded his mind, but he pushed them away and kissed Mobius as they both continued to cum.

***

Mobius cried out as he came to.  He was naked, Loki was on top of him, and he was in the middle of the most intense orgasm he could ever remember.

The portal had worked.

But something was very wrong.

Or maybe very right, Mobius thought as he reflexively clung to Loki and writhed underneath him.

He felt dizzy and his mind went fuzzy then slipped into unconsciousness once more.

Chapter Text

Loki groaned as he opened his eyes.  He’d been knotted inside Mobius and lost consciousness for a moment, then he’d come to and kissed him.  And then…

Then he’d felt Mobius lose consciousness and before he could respond, he’d lost consciousness again.

His knot had subsided and he pulled out of Mobius.  Both of them were wet.  The waves were calm and steady, but had they risen?  He picked up Mobius and used his magic to dry them both.  Loki waded to the ledge with Mobius and moved him from his arms to over his shoulder.  Navigating the ledge while carrying someone wasn’t the easiest.

Carefully, he made his way along the ledge, then across the rocks to the stone platform in the first cavern.  Loki placed Mobius on the blanket they’d spread for their picnic, then moved the bundles of food away from him.  He took a napkin and went to the edge to dip it in the water.

Something felt off as Loki knelt down.  He looked up.  The water lapped gently, but near the ceiling of the cave near the entrance, he spotted a cluster of black mist. There was a lightning-like crackle that burst over it then the mist dissipated.

It was oddly familiar, but Loki couldn’t quite put his finger on it and he was worried about Mobius.  He dipped the napkin in the water then wrung it out.  Loki went to Mobius and gently dabbed his forehead with the cloth.

“Wake up, love.”

Mobius groaned and blinked a few times before opening his eyes.  “Loki.”

“Lie back and give it a minute before you try sitting up.  You had me worried.”

“Where…”

“I brought you into the first cavern, I wanted to make you more comfortable.  Are you hurt?”  Loki hesitated, he didn’t want to ask but he had to.  “Do you remember anything?”

Mobius struggled to sit up.  “Don’t push the button with the clock face.”

“That’s excellent, but what I meant is your amnesia.  Do you remember anything before the accident?”  Loki grasped his hands gently as he studied Mobius with concern.

“Before the accident,” Mobius repeated.  He looked down at their clasped hands.  “No.  The same, you?”

Loki had a few scattered images from the portal and as they came through that hadn’t been there before.  But they were only partially formed.  And he was too concerned with Mobius to think about them.

“Nothing really, love.  I’m going to fetch our clothes.  Do you feel like eating?”

Mobius shook his head.  “I don’t feel very hungry.  I think I have a headache coming on.”

“Wait for me, I’ll be back right away.”

Loki looked at Mobius worriedly, then made his way quickly towards the other cavern for their clothing.  His husband’s heat would be coming soon and Loki had read in the book on Omegas that they could experience headaches and feel out of sorts with the surge of hormones.

Maybe he would have Dr. Schlange come and take a look at him, Loki thought as he gathered their clothing

***

Mobius watched as Loki and his horse turned at the gate and disappeared out of view.  He was relieved to be alone.  Yesterday his memory had returned and he had concealed it.  The weight of everything leading up to their coming through the portal and that had transpired since was overwhelming.

He needed to have time to think and figure things out without Loki beside him.  Their friendship had been complicated at the TVA.  Now things had twisted into a gordian knot that he couldn’t even begin to figure out.

It would have been easy to blame Loki and rage at him, but it wouldn’t have been fair.  He had lost his memory and been at the mercy of their shared amnesia as well.  Hadn’t he?

Loki wasn’t above a bit of deception, but he wasn’t needlessly cruel.  He wouldn’t have manipulated Mobius into his bed.  Take over as ruler of the land, maybe.  Power was the demigod’s motivation.

Personal vendettas were strictly reserved for his Asgardian family and from the things Mobius knew, Loki could scarcely be blamed for his anger towards his adoptive father and even his brother.  Since the timeline split and Mobius learned his own existence was a lie, he could understand how hurt Loki was having his birth hidden from him.

It had been hard for Mobius to learn he hadn’t always been at the TVA and that he’d had a life he couldn’t remember.  Forgetting everything and settling into a life of marriage to Loki, then recalling his life at the TVA, was rubbing salt in a wound that ran deeper than Mobius had realized.

Stunned was putting it mildly as he tried to take it all in.  Loki had been concerned but didn’t question Mobius’ distance, putting it down to his omega’s approaching heat.  It had taken a bit of persuasion to convince Loki he didn’t need a doctor.  Mobius promised to rest while Loki went to London and managed to sway him to travel without him.

The first thing was to look for clues about how much Loki remembered and what he had been up to since recovering his memory, Mobius decided.  His emotional turmoil would have to wait.  Quietly he went into Loki’s study and closed the door.

***

Loki had acquired a copy of The Order of the Snake and the Ascension of the Jörmungandr from a bookshop in Soho.  It would hopefully yield answers, but he wished Mobius was with him.  He felt terrible about leaving Mobius with his approaching heat.

It would be the first heat Mobius ever experienced.  His first had been suppressed with medication while he recovered from the accident.  And before that, well there wasn’t really a before that.

The staff seemed familiar with them, as did the people in the village, and many people Loki encountered throughout London.  Had they taken over the lives of others?  Were they magically a part of Regency Midgard?  Not that Loki and Mobius could do anything about it.

Whatever happened, there had been some biological changes.  Mobius had not had an omega’s scent at the TVA and in all Loki’s sexual adventures, he’d never knotted anyone in the past.  Though underneath Mobius’ take-charge attitude at the TVA, there were hints of vulnerability, as though he might like someone to take care of him and give him a safe space to be soft.  He wished Mobius might recover from his amnesia, but still surrender himself to Loki’s care.

Loki headed for the jewelers to pick up the mysterious Infinity Stone.  He would feel better when it was secure.  And then he could go home to Mobius.

On the way, Loki noticed a sign in an apothecary shop window touting the wonders of Before The Heat Bath Soak for Omegas suffering pre-heat symptoms.

Wouldn’t take that much longer, Loki thought.  Maybe the apothecary could recommend a few things for Mobius in addition to the bath soak? 

He didn’t know what it would be like to see Mobius in heat.  A child was a bad idea for so many reasons, from Mobius not knowing what he was doing to Kang and the multitude of TVAs.  Yet, Loki felt his heart soften at the image of Mobius carrying his child. 

And then there was the thought of breeding Mobius. Mobius was so intrigued by Loki knotting him and wanted to know everything about alphas and omegas.  Yesterday when Mobius had asked if he thought omegas presented consciously, Loki had been so aroused.

In many ways, they were both the same fundamentally, and being an alpha and omega didn’t impact their daily lives.  But when they were alone and Mobius would pant for his knot, Loki found it irresistible.

Until Mobius recovered his memory, Loki would be responsible for his needs and care for him.  Clutching his Jörmungandr book under his arm, Loki went into the apothecary.  

***

Mobius leafed through a stack of papers on Loki’s desk and took care to keep the stack exactly as he’d left it.  He didn’t want his husband to know he’d been looking through his things.

His husband.

It was an illusion, just as everything about their life was.  So why couldn’t he stop thinking of Loki as his husband?

For now, he needed to stop thinking about it.  Loki would only be gone a day or two.  Mobius continued looking through papers and tried to push aside thoughts of Loki.  There was a trio of neat stacks of papers on the desk.  Most were letters and receipts related to the estate.  At the bottom of the second stack, Mobius found what he’d been dreading, confirmation Loki had regained all of his memory.

A single page with a list of questions.

Destroy all Lokis?

Grab Tempad from Sylvie before we met?

Take down all TVAs?

After the questions was a single sentence.

Eliminate all Kangs across the multiverse.

In the bottom left corner was a drawing of Alligator Loki with a speech bubble saying Death to Kang .  And in the bottom right corner, a heart with Mobius’ name written ornately.

“You have all your memory back,” Mobius said and traced the heart with his fingertip.

Loki had told him part of his memory back, but considering where and when they were, Mobius could understand.  He wasn’t sure he’d have believed Loki if he’d told him the truth.  The idea of the timeline and the TVA was so far away from the idyllic life they were leading.

Yesterday when Loki showed him the TemPad and instructed him on how to use it, it strained all credulity.  Mobius might be questioning it now if he hadn’t regained his memory.

“The TemPad.”  He shook his head as he returned the stack of papers on top of Loki’s page of questions and solutions.  Then Mobius stopped.

His eyes went wide and he rushed from Loki’s study, barely pausing to shut the door.  Outside was cloudy and the leaves turned inside out.  It was about to rain, but Mobius ran from the house and headed toward the grotto.

***

Loki had the missing Infinity Stone.  When he walked into the jewelers, there was a commotion in the back.  The pinkish-orange stone had placed itself into a pendant and morphed into a heart shape, leaving Mr. Northam and his staff in shock.  The craftsman told Loki to take his cursed gem and never darken his doorway again.

He had looked at it in the shop and tucked it into the breast pocket inside his overcoat.  It was tempting to take another look at it and try to figure out what it was.  However,  in a city rife with pickpockets, sense dictated Loki hold off until he safely reached his townhouse.

Last trip he’d walked around searching for memories.  Just a block away was the building with the funny window he’d looked at over and over.

“The Eye of Agamotto,” Loki chuckled to himself.  Then his expression became serious.  It was the London Sanctum.  He remembered now.

Yesterday, the fragments of memory.  Stephen Strange and the New York Sanctum had flashed in his mind.

Loki turned directions and raced towards the London Sanctum.  He didn’t know what he was doing, but maybe seeing it would make some degree of sense.

Two minutes later, Loki stood on the corner opposite the Sanctum.  Occupying an entire block, it was easier to observe the building from a distance.  It was starting to drizzle and Loki pressed his slim frame into a doorway to avoid the drops.  He focused on the eye-shaped window and tried to summon the images that had flashed in his mind.

Strange had been about to open the portal and took Loki into another room alone .  He remembered it now, but he couldn’t remember what happened in that room.

And then there was the portal.  They were about to step in and then a crashing sound and wind.  Like the doors to the Sanctum had burst open from the wind.   What happened after that?

Fragments, that’s all they were.  Would there be answers if he could piece them together?  The universe depended on him, more importantly, Mobius depended on him.

Loki stepped from the doorway onto the sidewalk.  The sky was dark and ominous as huge black clouds billowed above.  On the streets, the rain formed a soft grey mist in the air.

“Bit like the Void,” Loki muttered to himself and then his eyes went wide.  “Mobius!”

He began to run through the streets.  Fast and then faster still.

***

Mobius made his way along the edge to the second cavern in the grotto.  It was cloudy and the scent of rain was in the air.  He should have ridden a horse to the cliffs, but he hadn’t wanted to draw the attention of the staff.

He jumped from the ledge into the shallow water and stepped up onto the dry stone floor.  The rock the TemPad rested on wasn’t underneath the hole in the ceiling.  But he had to take a look at it.

Kneeling down, Mobius picked up the TemPad, the sides were still studded with the Time and Space Stones that Loki had used to boost it.  He sat down on the floor beside the rock.  It turned on and everything seemed to be in order.

Loki had set it for five minutes after they would have gone through the portal.  Mobius couldn’t remember their trip through the portal that Dr. Strange had created.  Whether the trip through the portal or something after was responsible for their amnesia, he couldn’t say.

He turned TemPad off; Mobius imagined the Infinity Stones would help keep it charged, but he wasn’t certain.  Along the sides, the stones glowed and he noticed the stone in his wedding ring glowed as well.

Yesterday when Loki slipped the ring on his finger, he felt such joy.  It had been a symbol of love.  Today?  What did it mean now?

The demigod had recovered his memories and could have run rampant in Regency Midgard, as Mobius had heard him refer to it.  But instead, Loki had remained with Mobius in the countryside.

Loki gave Mobius the Space Stone, knowing what it was and the power it held.  And then he’d shown Mobius the TemPad and how to use it to get back to the New York Sanctum.  Today Loki was in London, but he’d left the TemPad.

Both of them had gone through a lot since they’d met at the TVA.  Mobius couldn’t deny that Loki had evolved from the man he met in the TVA on the elevator on the way to the Time Theater.

Hadn’t Loki come to Mobius across the timelines when Sylvie fractured the timeline?  They had come through the portal in the hopes that they might find a solution.  The list on Loki’s desk showed that he was trying to solve the timeline problem while Mobius wasn’t himself.

Loki had been a kind and loving husband to Mobius.  When Loki got his memory back, he’d immediately tried to stop sexual contact and told Mobius his memory had partially returned.  Mobius had wanted to resume sex with Loki because he’d been so happy.

It would have been easy for Loki to take advantage of their situation, but he hadn’t.

And that’s what made it harder.

If Loki had exploited the situation, Mobius could deny the feelings he had.  They could be brushed aside as something that wasn’t real.  The man he’d met in the elevator was easy to dismiss.  But the one who fought beside him, came to him when the timeline split, and then loved him when they came through the portal?

Yesterday, before his memory returned, Mobius told Loki he was worthy.  Today, he still believed it.  Mobius had been able to deny many things, like the discrepancies in the things the TVA said and did or the loneliness he felt in his tiny apartment at night.  But he couldn’t deny his heart.

He loved Loki.

Not the passing fancy that crushes among TVA employees were.  It wasn’t the sort of thing where he spent a night with a female analyst and they moved on as though it didn’t happen.

This was something deep that he felt to his very core and it terrified Mobius.  Because even though he knew it would take time to process what they had gone through these past few weeks, he couldn’t imagine not wanting Loki.  

Mobius wasn’t given to profanity, however, at the moment a whole litany ran through his mind.  He threw his head back and swore loudly.  His curse echoed through the caverns around him.  Then he rested his face against the rock and traced the Jörmungandr carving.

Thunder rolled outside and it started to rain.  It came in from the roof but didn’t disturb Mobius in his spot and ran along grooves in the stone that ran into the water that filled the grotto.

The cavern seemed darker and he looked up.  Above, the hole in the ceiling was filling with a black fog.  Mobius thought he saw lightning in it.  He grabbed the TemPad and made his way to the ledge.  Hugging the TemPad tightly, he went back to the first cavern.  Mobius stood on the stone platform.  Outside the rain was coming down in sheets and the waves beyond the grotto were choppy.  He considered whether it was safer to stay or go.  As he weighed his options, Mobius noticed the fog moving from the back cavern into the front.

It moved slowly and with purpose.  Two reddish spots glowed like eyes for a moment and then they dissipated into nothingness.

“Not sticking around to see if it comes back,” Mobius said and decided to go back to the house.

***

Loki ran through the rain.  He usually only used his speed for things like catching an arrow shot by an enemy or a sleight of hand.  But he had to get to Mobius.  With his stamina, he could beat a horse from London to the estate and wouldn’t need to take breaks.

Ordinarily, he’d dry himself in the rain, but didn’t want to lose time or energy.  Loki moved swiftly.  A couple of times, he’d passed a coach on the road, but the driver would decide they imagined a man faster than a horse or that Loki was a ghost.

He’d toyed with using his ability to teleport but he didn’t want to risk teleporting to another realm and not being able to get back to Mobius.  He didn’t know how that power would work in this incarnation of Midgard.

His lungs burned in protest and his Hessian boots were blistering his feet, but he was only another 20 miles away.  Healing abilities were a handy thing to have and even without them, Loki wasn’t giving up.  He needed to get to Mobius and protect him.

Rain pounded his skin and further soaked his clothes as Loki tried to go faster still.  He could barely see more than a few feet ahead, but he was able to see that he was headed in the right direction.  On he ran until he reached the gates of the estate.

Loki’s legs felt like they were going to give out, but he had to reach Mobius.  Drawing on his remaining energy, he ran up the drive to the front door.  Loki staggered into the house and dropped the bags he’d been carrying since London.

Servants cried out with concern and Mrs. Nathair clucked worriedly.  And then Mobius came running as Loki dropped to his knees.

“Mobius,” Loki gasped and then collapsed.

Chapter Text

Mobius was exhausted.

After Loki collapsed, the servants had carried him upstairs.  Mrs. Nathair had clucked and wanted to send for Dr. Schlange.  She meant well, but Mobius knew Loki had healing powers that would make any injuries disappear rapidly.

He allowed the valet to help him undress Loki and put him into bed while Mrs. Nathair fetched him hot water and other supplies.  When he was alone, Mobius cleaned Loki’s feet.  Blisters were healing before his eyes, but they were covered in dried blood.

Loki’s clothes were beyond hope.  Inside Loki’s overcoat, was an oversized heart pendant set with what appeared to be a pinkish-orange opal.  Inside the gem were flecks of green and blue that seemed to glow.  Mobius didn’t know what the stone or its purpose was, but he knew it was something magic or otherworldly the moment he saw it.  For now, it was tucked in a drawer nearby.

When he was satisfied Loki was comfortable and the pendant secure, Mobius changed into his nightshirt and tried to doze on the settee unsuccessfully.  After the better part of an hour, he got up with a sigh and turned his attention to the canvas bags Loki had dropped in the hall.  They were dry, no doubt from magical assistance.

The first one held a copy of The Order of the Snake and the Ascension of the Jörmungandr .  It was identical to the one they’d read from in the grotto.  Mobius put it aside and opened the second bag.

Inside were a couple of glass bottles swathed in linen to keep them from breaking.  One was Before The Heat Bath Soak which a quick glance at the label revealed was intended to ease any pre-heat discomfort for omegas.  And the other was Omega Indulgence Oil which claimed it would calm and soothe pre-heat stress.

Bringing the book made sense, they needed to know what the connection to the Jörmungandr legend was and why Loki could transform into such a massive sea snake.  But the bath soak and massage oil?  Loki could have discarded them, it would have been easier than running with them.

Mobius knew Loki had brought them for him.  With everything going on, Loki had gone to a shop for supplies to help Mobius before his heat and then rather than discard it, carried it on his journey.  He felt an unwelcome rush of tenderness as he looked at Loki.

The sensible thing was to distance himself.  Mobius had gotten far too attached to Loki and developed feelings that were impossible to allow.

However, Loki was asleep and Mobius was aching for the comfort of his scent and touch.  He climbed into bed and rested his head on Loki’s chest.  Only for a moment, Mobius told himself, then he would move.

It felt so good to hear the steady beat of Loki’s heart and breathe his alpha scent.  Had he always smelled so wonderful, Mobius wondered sleepily as his eyes began to close.

***

Loki smiled as he woke up.  His body had healed and Mobius was in his arms.  He wasn’t entirely sure why he was naked under the covers and his husband had on his nightshirt on top of the covers, but the important thing was Mobius was safe and next to him.

Mobius’ honeyed scent was taking on a slightly different note, likely due to his impending heat.  Intoxicating, Loki thought.  Even if he wasn’t an alpha, the scent was exquisite to take in.  He shifted onto his side, still holding Mobius in one arm.

Gently, he nuzzled his face against Mobius’ and ran his fingers over Mobius’ chest and down to his stomach.  Loki could easily imagine Mobius carrying his child.  His flat abdomen rounded under Loki’s hand. 

Mobuis’ nipples were erect against the fabric of his nightshirt, likely an indicator of his impending heat.  It was a lovely image to imagine Mobius’ chest slightly swollen with milk, soft but masculine.  His omega, nursing their baby as Loki doted on them.

It would never happen given their circumstances, but Loki couldn’t help imagining it.  Even when Mobius recovered from his amnesia and pushed Loki away, he would always treasure these moments.

Loki moved his mouth along Mobius’ jaw and onto his neck.  He ached to make an alpha’s mark on him, but satisfied himself with imagining as he drank in the pheromones of his husband’s impending heat.  No matter what happened in the future, Loki would always think of Mobius as his husband.

“My omega.  My husband.  My love,” he whispered to Mobius.

Beside him, Mobius stirred sleepily and made a slight whimpering sound.  Loki raised his head to see him looking dazedly at him.  There was a sudden spike in his scent and Mobius pawed his cock clumsily through his nightshirt.

Loki moved his hand to raise the white gown, then palmed Mobius’ erection.    He gave a couple of strokes and Mobius jolted.

“It’s okay, love.  Let me take care of you.”

Mobius looked at him uncertainly, then nodded.  His eyes shifted between Loki and his erection as Loki resumed his caress.

“You don’t have to do anything in return.  I just want to make you comfortable,” Loki assured him.  “This is our first time experiencing your heat together.  I’m going to help you, Mobius.”

“Loki.”

“That’s it, I’m here.” Loki moved his hand steadily.

“Not in heat yet.”

“Would you like me to stop?”

Mobius shifted his hips for easier access and said, “You don’t have to.”

“That isn’t a no.”  Loki ran his thumb over the head of Mobius’ cock.  “Tell me, do you want me to touch you?”

Mobius closed his eyes as he almost inaudibly replied, “Please touch me.”

Loki squeezed Mobius’ cock and stroked it.  “Going to help my sweet omega, before, during, and after your heat.”

Desperate sounds fell from Mobius’ mouth as Loki stroked him and spoke.

“I’m going to spoil you and care for you as your heat approaches,” Loki promised him.  “Then I’m going to tend to you throughout your heat.  And when it ends and you’re exhausted from the strain on your body, I’ll coddle you and wait on you.”

Mobius’ hips stuttered violently and his eyes went wide as he keened Loki’s name.

***

A stream of servants came into Mobius’ room with pails of hot water for his tub.  He stood in his nightshirt with his blue dressing gown over it for modesty.  Loki was in his room and looking at the Jörmungandr book.

After recovering from his orgasm, Mobius kissed Loki’s cheek and expressed interest in trying out the bath soak.  Loki had agreed and Mobius had fled to his suite.  When the last of the staff left, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Letting Loki touch him had been a mistake.  He’d been slightly confused when he’d woken and realized he’d fallen asleep in bed with Loki.  Mobius had been having a dream about Loki.  It was their first meeting in the TVA, except this time, Loki broke loose from the Time Displacement Collar.  Mobius ended up with his pants around his ankles as Loki took him from behind.

It was the first time since regaining his memories that Loki touched him.  Mobius felt guilty.  He should have asked Loki to stop.  Indeed, the demigod had asked Mobius if he wanted him to stop.  But it felt so good being touched by him.

Mobius had engaged in occasional sex while working at the TVA.  The long hours meant limited opportunities for any serious attachments so perhaps he’d never really been able to fully connect with his sexuality.  He’d masturbated in the shower a couple of times a week to relieve tension but the release was pleasant and perfunctory.

And then Loki had come along.

From the moment he met Loki, Mobius was drawn to him.  A combination of Loki being a variant and the closeness he’d shared with Sylvie, Mobius hadn’t allowed himself to acknowledge any physical attraction to Loki.  But looking back, Mobius could see things differently.

He’d gone from touching himself in the shower a couple of times a week to daily.  Often he would end up having a second session when he went to bed.  Once in a while a third when he woke up if he’d dreamed about Loki.

Of course, Mobius had told himself the dreams were symbolic.  They ran the gamut from tender lovemaking to intense bondage, but there was a common element.  Loki would promise him pleasure and assure him it would be their secret that Mobius had yielded to him.  Mobius would wake up aroused and then lie to himself that he felt guilty about their friendship and that he was subconsciously reminding himself to beware of trusting Loki.

Before the timeline split, there had been something unspoken between them, if Mobius was honest with himself.  He wished he could blame the attraction on his impending heat and deny his feelings.  But the truth was, subconsciously, he’d always been drawn to Loki.

Mobius considered getting in the tub of water and not adding the omega bath oil, but reconsidered it as a warm feeling unfurled at the pit of his abdomen.  He took his dressing gown off and then picked up the bottle of Before The Heat Bath Soak .

The label said it should be added five minutes prior to getting in the water so it could mix and provide better results, so he uncapped it and poured it into the water, then removed his nightshirt while he waited.  Five minutes of standing and doing nothing felt awkward, so Mobius paced around.

He stopped in front of the mirror.  Did he look any different being an omega?  His body appeared the same, but he felt differently looking at himself.  Mobius brought his hands up to the smooth expanse of his stomach, then pushed his abdomen outwards.  Turning to the side, he looked at his temporarily distended stomach.

Was this what he would look like pregnant?  His fingers skimmed the slight bump.  About the size he’d be at the end of the first trimester. 

A baby was the only thing Mobius ever truly wanted, aside from a jet ski, of course.  Every time he encountered a child on a mission, his heart clenched.

Children weren’t in the cards for TVA agents.  The TVA has been his life and children had never been an option.  Until now.

Mobius wasn’t really an agent anymore.  They were facing overwhelming odds and a child would endanger them further.  Yet, when would he ever have an opportunity again?

A few days ago, Mobius had been fretting about the best time and way to tell Loki he wanted to try for a baby when his heat came.  He’d been avidly reading about what pregnancy would be like for an omega.  Mobius had been thinking about how it would bring him closer to his alpha.  

He took a final look at his stomach, then climbed into the bathtub.  The scent was pleasant and soothing.  Mobius took a sponge from the table beside the tub and immersed it in the water.  When it was saturated, he washed his arms with it.  Then he skimmed it over his chest.

The light pressure of the sponge made his nipples throb.  Mobius had never paid particular attention to his nipples, they were part of his body and little more.  But now they were exquisitely sensitive.  He let the sponge float on the water and experimentally rubbed his thumbs over them.

***

Loki had gotten out of bed, put on a dressing gown, and come into the room.  Mobius had left the door between their rooms open and Loki wanted to check on him.  He’d frozen in place when Mobius was holding his stomach in front of the mirror.  It was blatantly obvious Mobius was imagining carrying his child.

His omega mate contemplating what it would be like to be bred by him was so sweet and arousing.  He considered backing out of the room, it was such an intimate moment and yet, Loki couldn’t bring himself to leave.

When Mobius got into the tub, Loki was about to offer to wash his back when Mobius started to touch his nipples.  Nipple sensitivity was among the symptoms of both heat and pre-heat.  It would be a few more days before Mobius’ heat bloomed.

“You look amazing like that,” Loki said and knelt beside the tub.

“You mean ridiculous,” Mobius argued and grabbed for the sponge in annoyance.

“Not in the slightest.  It’s exciting for me, seeing the approach of your heat for the first time.”  Loki reached to touch Mobius’ chest.  With the tip of his finger, he traced the edge of Mobius’ narrow areola.  He noticed both of Mobius’ nipples hardened and he arched his back in subconscious invitation.

“I wonder what a heat will feel like… I mean, I don’t remember any.”

Loki kissed Mobius’ shoulder.  “We’ll discover together.  I want you to know I’ll take care of you throughout.  There are many ways I can bring you pleasure without risking you getting pregnant.”

“What if I never get my memory back?” Mobius asked hesitantly.  “What then?  Would we never have a baby?”

For a moment, Loki considered.  A baby wasn’t a good idea while fighting the TVA.  And even if they never came, if Loki’s suspicions about the mysterious fog he spotted at the grotto were correct, they were in great danger.  However, with his heat approaching, Mobius was going through intense emotions and Loki didn’t want him to think he didn’t care.

“If I believed you genuinely wanted a baby and it would make you happy, I’d breed you in a heartbeat.”

“But would you want that?  I know there’s an expectation for alphas and omegas to have babies.”

“I don’t care what’s expected, Mobius.  I care about you,” Loki said and pulled him close.  “Would I like to have a baby with you?  Absolutely.  But it’s because I love you, not because it's expected.”

Mobius closed his eyes and leaned his head against Loki’s shoulder.  Loki took the sponge from the water and started to bathe him.  He hoped Mobius would feel more comfortable afterward.

“When you get out, what would you say to me drying you off and then giving you a massage with the oil I brought back?  It might make you feel better.”

“Maybe.”

“Whatever you wish, love.”

***

Mobius stood by the bed as Loki finished drying him.  He ought to get dressed and put some physical distance between them.  His body had a dull ache of arousal that flared with each caress of the towel on his body.

The earlier handjob had felt wonderful and his mind turned to the times Loki had made love to him before his amnesia disappeared.  Mobius longed to reach inside Loki’s robe and stroke his cock.  Taking his alpha’s knot was incredible.

“All dry,” Loki said, pulling Mobius from his reverie.  “Why don’t you lay down on your stomach and I’ll massage you.”

It took Mobius a bit of effort to settle on the bed, his cock was rapidly hardening.  The bed moved slightly as Loki climbed behind Mobius.  There was the sound of the oil bottle opening and then slick hands rubbing together.  Then Loki’s hands moved over Mobius’ shoulders.

Strong and steady, Loki’s fingers moved across Mobius’ back.  He relaxed under the firm but gentle touch as Loki massaged him.  His mind drifted and he let the blissful sensation take over.  But then underneath the soothing scent of the oil, he noticed Loki’s scent.

Mobius had read in the book that as his heat approached he would be more sensitive to his alpha’s scent.  The frosty alpine scent mingled with something uniquely Loki; teased at Mobius’ senses.  Had it always been there;  just undetectable with the plastic scent of the TVA or the strange scents of the places they went on missions?

Asgard was known for its great forests, had they melded into Loki?  Cold didn’t have a scent, yet Mobius identified Loki’s scent with snow and ice.  But then he had started a frost giant.  Was that why his cock was so large?  Mobius had tried not to notice when the outline of Loki’s cock was visible through his clothing at the TVA, however, he noticed and it had fueled his sexually charged dreams.

He arched his back as he thought of Loki’s cock.  In the grotto, they’d discussed whether an omega presenting was a conscious or unconscious action.  Mobius realized he was coming very close to presenting himself to Loki.  With a grunt, he forced his hips flush with the bed.

“Roll over,” Loki instructed.

Mobius immediately obeyed.  His cock was hard and he didn’t want Loki to see, yet the moment Loki spoke, he acquiesced.  While his impending heat was a factor, Mobius knew it was something more.  It felt good to submit to Loki in bed.  

“My poor omega,”  Loki tutted and kissed him lightly.

Although Loki had referred to Mobius being an omega and they had discussed it at length, this was the only time that he’d ever called Mobius an omega.  It wasn’t something Mobius would wish all the time, but it felt good to hear as his cock strained against the air and his heat approached.  The ache was increasing.

“I… I need… your knot.”

“Your heat will be here soon.  It’s low risk still, but I don’t want to get you with child unintentionally.  You have no idea how much I want to breed you; how badly I want to give you a mating knot,” Loki sighed as he ground his erection against Mobius’ thigh.  “But our child should be created in love.”

“And you don’t love me?”  Mobius ought to be relieved at the notion Loki didn’t have feelings for him, but the words tasted surprisingly bitter in his mouth.

“I love you more than I love myself, Mobius.  I know it sounds strange to put it that way, but believe me when I say it’s something I never thought I’d say to anyone, much less say it and mean it.  But I do, Mobius.  I truly love you.”

“Loki,” Mobius murmured in an awed tone.  He was well aware of the depth of what Loki was saying.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t do something else though.”  Loki moved between Mobius’ thighs and lowered his mouth to Mobius’.  

He gasped as Loki kissed him.  Their cocks were pressed together.  Sticky precum flowed between them.  Loki pinned Mobius’ wrists against the bed on either side of his head and he ground his cock against Mobius’.

It wasn’t uncomfortable, indeed Mobius was enjoying the sensation.  However, Loki was very firm and demanding with his movements.  His alpha moving over him in a dominant manner, heightening Mobius’ awareness of his own omega body was incredible.  Awareness of his impending heat surged.

In this world, he was an omega and yearned for the touch of his alpha.  His body was filled with needs that only Loki could fulfill.  The truth was he loved Loki.  And as difficult as their situation was, Mobius wished he could take advantage of his omega body and have a baby.

Between them, he could feel Loki’s knot forming in the air.  His alpha wanted to knot him, Mobius thought tenderly.

“I love you, Loki,” Mobius cried out, nearly sobbing.

He loved Loki and wanted to give himself to him completely.  More declarations of love spilled from him as emotions crested and couldn’t be held back any longer.  Right and wrong didn’t exist, the timeline didn’t matter, and Mobius surrendered himself to Loki completely.

Chapter Text

The house was quiet.  Yesterday morning when they went downstairs, Loki had told a lie to Mrs. Nathair about a rented horse throwing him and bolting about ten miles from the estate and that he had collapsed from exhaustion from the walk.  She seemed satisfied and the rest of the staff followed suit.

Mobius had blushed when Mrs. Nathair proposed Loki send part of the staff to town so it would be calmer when Mobius’ heat came.  She had worded it politely, but it had been embarrassing.  Loki agreed it was a wise idea but told her to give an excuse about getting the townhouse ready for the social season.

It meant a lot that Loki was concerned for his well being, Mobius thought as they sat in the drawing-room.  Loki had closed the door and left instructions they were not be disturbed so they could read from the Jörmungandr book together.

“ ... will best serve their interest by biding their time and preparing for the Jörmungandr’s ascent.  The Order of the Serpent shall witness the glory of Loki’s transformation and he shall be their salvation… ”  Loki paused and looked up from the book at Mobius.  “This is ridiculous.  I’m no one’s salvation.”

“Don’t stop, we were just getting to your glorious purpose.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed at him suddenly and Mobius mentally kicked himself.  He hadn’t meant to let the familiar words slip.  When his heat was over, he would tell Loki his memory had returned.  Maybe he would attribute his amnesia clearing to his heat.  Mobius should have come clean sooner, but now it was too late to disclose the truth.

It was too humiliating to admit he couldn’t face his heat without Loki.  Mobius considered asking the doctor for a heat suppressant.  However, with their mutual suspicion regarding their accident, he didn’t feel safe accepting medication from Dr. Schlange.  He didn’t like lying, but Mobius was going to start his heat soon, and the only comfort he had was Loki being close.

After a moment, Loki turned his attention back to the book and he sighed, “Very well.  Let me skip ahead a bit.  There’s a lot of repetition about preparing for the Jörmungandr and loyalty to the Order.”

“Do you think you really are the Jörmungandr they talk about, Loki?  I know you can turn into a snake and there was a similarity between you and the descriptions.  But do you actually believe it?”

“I’m not sure.  On one hand, life was already quite complicated and it sounds absurd.  However, on the other hand, it seems like too much of a coincidence.”  Loki flipped a few pages and resumed reading aloud.

“The Jörmungandr will bring a mortal to his lair and claim them as a mate.  Where land and sea meet, he shall sow his seed.  The chosen omega will bear Loki’s legacy on waves of ecstasy.  Chaos shall reign and chaos shall tame.  Across the cosmos, Loki’s legacy will be felt and bring about order. ”

“Where land and sea meet, could be the grotto,” Mobius suggested.

“Possibly,” Loki agreed and set the book aside.  “But I have no intention of claiming a mate.”

Mobius knew what Loki meant but he felt a bit of hurt creeping in.  “If my amnesia cleared and I asked you to claim me, would you?”

“In a heartbeat.”

A shiver went down Mobius’ spine.  The back of his neck where a claiming bite would go tingled at the thought.  Awareness of their respective alpha and omega status had been becoming more and more heightened as heat approached.  

“Last night, when you called me an omega, it turned me on,” Mobius confessed.

“Did it?”

“I don’t think I’d like it all the time, but I think occasionally with my heat.”

Loki pulled Mobius from the far end of the settee into his lap.  “My omega doesn’t want it to be something reductive or dismissive.  Something loving from your alpha once in a while.”

Mobius nodded and melted into Loki’s embrace.  They didn’t have long.  Soon his heat would arrive and after a few days, it would subside.  Then he would have to channel Agent Mobius M. Mobius once more.  His marriage to Loki would be a memory and they would be friends with a secret they never acknowledged.

Without the past, they had only the present.  Loki has been light-hearted and wooed Mobius without an agenda.  When he discovered his powers, he’d been open and shared his discovery.  Loki had been as open and caring as possible during their time in this place.

There was a week left, maybe less together.  Each day was something precious to hold onto.  The memories of their time together were all either one of them would have after this.  For now, Mobius decided he would embrace being an omega and Loki as his alpha, and all it entailed.

Mobius stood up and removed his jacket.  Loki gave him a curious look as he unbuttoned his waistcoat and discarded it.

“There’s something I want to do,” Mobius told him and began to remove his cravat as well.

“I like where this is heading.”

“I want you to sit back and let me take care of my alpha.”

He knew intimately from Loki’s files and film reels the conditional love his family had given him.  Loki could have made different choices, but when his adoptive father played games with him and made it clear he could never win the position of favorite, could one blame Loki alone?

“According to mythology, Loki is a god–”

“Demigod only, I fear,” Loki interjected.

Mobius laughed softly and continued to undress.  “Gods, or in this case, demigods, are meant to be worshipped.”

“Are they?”

“Oh yes,” Mobius replied and stood naked before Loki.  Then he knelt in front of him and brought a hand up to the front of his trousers.  “I wanted to kneel before my alpha and worship him like the demigod he is.”

Mobius felt Loki growing hard under his touch.  He unfastened the front of Loki’s trousers so his cock sprang free.  It brushed Mobius’ face and the scent of alpha arousal swam around him.  

“I’ve never sucked a cock before,” Mobius told him.  It was true, he never had.  “So I thought what better way to show my alpha my devotion.”

He circled his tongue around the tip of Loki’s erection, eliciting a groan from him.  A feeling of pride washed over Mobius hearing his reaction.  Gingerly he slid his mouth over the head of Loki’s cock.  His own cock was starting to swell as he began to suck.

***

Loki watched Mobius taking him into his mouth.  He had only briefly considered the possibility before.  A combination of feeling responsible for Mobius and not wanting to push him, Loki had focused on Mobius’ pleasure in their explorations.

Mobius was unsure but eager in his movements.  Loki noticed Mobius’ cock standing at attention as he took Loki deeper into his mouth. 

“Such a good omega,” he praised.  Loki carded his fingers through Mobius’ hair, taking care to stroke him reassuringly and not make him feel controlled.  Some day if the opportunity presented itself, he’d like to tie Mobius up and dominate him intensively.  However, this was Mobius' first time giving a blowjob and he wanted to give him the freedom to explore.

There was a brief interruption as Mobius overestimated his ability to deep throat and coughed.

“Sorry,” Mobius coughed.

“Just stroke for a minute and catch your breath, love.  Then lick for a bit to get comfortable again.”

Mobius nodded and licked the length of Loki’s shaft.  He took him in his mouth once more, not going quite as deep.  Loki smiled as he felt Mobius flicking his tongue mirroring the technique Loki had used on him.  The honeyed omega scent seemed to build and envelope Loki.  He saw Mobius’ cock dripping precum on the floor. 

“You’re the most perfect omega any alpha could wish for, Mobius.”

Mobius whimpered around Loki’s cock and took him deeper. 

“Seeing you on your knees, taking my cock down your throat, you look incredible,” Loki purred and stroked his hair.  “Shall I cum in your sweet omega mouth?  Perhaps your chest?  Maybe on your little silver mustache and across your lips.”

“Knot,” Mobius panted and touched the starting swell at the base of Loki’s cock.

“That doesn’t seem safe, but I think I know what you need.”  Loki stood up and placed his hands gently on either side of Mobius’ head.  “You need your alpha to help you feel every bit the sweet omega you are.”

He gently fucked Mobius’ mouth.

“That’s it, love, take as deep as you comfortably can.  You’re so good.  I’m going to pull out all but the tip when I cum.  I won’t knot your mouth, but you're going to be able to take all my cum.”

Loki began to move faster in Mobius’ mouth.  His pleasure was mounting but he took care to monitor his knot.  Just before he climaxed, Loki drew back so only the tip of his cock was in Mobius’ mouth.  The knot surged and rested against Mobius’ lips.

Mobius swallowed and gasped.  Loki felt light-headed and sank back on the settee.  As he moved, Mobius lurched on his knees, continuing to swallow.  He heard Mobius cry out and saw his cock twitch and spill cum on the floor.  

“My Mobius,” Loki groaned as Mobius gently cradled Loki’s knot in his hands and rubbed his lips and mustache over the tip of his cock as the cum continued to flow slowly.

When Loki recovered his senses and his knot disappeared, he picked Mobius up into his lap.

“I’ll get you dirty,” Mobius protested and looked at the cum that had run down his chest.

“They’re only clothes, this is more important, love.”  Loki reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a handkerchief.  He wiped it gently along Mobius’ mustache and then over his chin.  “The downside of alphas, I fear.”

“Doesn’t seem so bad, I kind of liked it.  You are so good to me, I wanted to be good to you.”

“I love you, being good to you comes quite naturally.”

“That was my first blow job.”

“I seem to recall you mentioning that, love.”

Mobius made a face.  “I’m serious, Loki.  You’re the first man I’ve ever been with.  There have been so many firsts with you.  Each one has been memorable and wonderful.  Very soon, I’ll be having my first heat… that I remember… with you.  And I want you to know, there’s no one else I would feel so safe or excited to share my heat with.”

“Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”

“This is pretty nice.  Maybe a little sticky.”

“What would you say to a bath?”

“Together?”

“If you like.”

“I like it.  I like it a lot, Loki.”

***

After a bath, they opted to stay in Loki’s bed rather than return downstairs.  Mobius felt like lounging on the bed in his nightshirt.  His skin felt too sensitive for regular clothing.  Loki had dressed long enough to arrange food for them, then disrobed and slid into bed upon his return.

Mobius wasn’t very hungry, however, it was common for omegas to lose their appetite just before their heat.  Mrs. Nathair had thoughtfully anticipated that and sent a bowl of chicken broth for him.  It smelled good and he ate it.

He rested his hand on his abdomen as he laid back against the pillows.   Loki was reading from the Jörmungandr book to him and they were discussing what it could mean.  Although Mobius tried to focus, his mind wandered.

The symptoms from his approaching heat were increasing.  In a couple of days, his heat would hit full force.  The concept of what it meant to be an omega and the possibility of having a baby had been somewhat abstract before.  Now, it was something tangible.

For years his body had been a part of him that he gave little thought to.  He had eaten healthy so he was able to occasionally give chase, but he never really spent any time considering beyond that.  Now his body surged with the possibility of carrying a baby.

In the past, Mobius had always focused on the mission.  That was all life had to offer with the TVA and he was content to accept it.  He was still focused on the mission, of course.  Life could end if they didn’t succeed.  But he couldn’t help wondering, would it be so impossible to have a baby?

When they left this world, Mobius might have his body altered once more.  Maybe he wouldn’t be an omega.  

Mobius had spent years at the TVA, dedicating himself to maintaining the sacred timeline.  All the while, he and other agents had been variants themselves.  Loki was just a powerful enough variant to unnerve the TVA and become a focus of theirs.

He didn’t know where he was from and Mobius might never find out now that the timeline split.  The only certain thing in his life was Loki.  When he asked Loki if he would want to have a baby with Mobius if he didn’t recover his memory, he’d said yes.

Loki’s words echoed in Mobius’ mind.  “ If I believed you genuinely wanted a baby and it would make you happy, I’d breed you in a heartbeat”

Soon his heat would arrive and possibly his one and only chance to have a baby.

Mobius reached for Loki’s hand and brought it to his abdomen.  Looking into his eyes, Mobius said, “I want to talk to you about a baby.

“I don’t know that talking this close to your heat is a wise idea.”

“Maybe not, but I feel like I have to say something.  And I hope you’ll keep an open mind.”

Loki put his book to the side and wrapped his arms around Mobius.  “I’m listening.”

“We haven’t been together… married, for long.  Both of us have had amnesia from an accident that we both suspect wasn’t an accident.  You may be connected to a snake cult–”

“Order of the Serpent.”

“A snake cult’s prophecies,” Mobius finished, ignoring Loki’s interruption.  “All of those sound like reasons to not have a baby.”

“Agreed, but listening.”

“We fell in love without our past to rely on.  The circumstances of the accident may never be clear.  And I think you’re handsome, even when you have scales.  This isn’t a good time, but it feels like the right one.”

Mobius watched as Loki’s face seemed to run a gamut of emotions.  Loki opened his mouth to speak then closed his mouth and stayed silent.

At last, he spoke.  “My heart says one thing and my mind says another.  This and you are too important to make a rash decision either way.”

“Is that a yes?  A no?”

“It’s a give me a night to sleep on it, love.”

“Thank you,” Mobius replied.  It was the best he could hope for under the circumstances.  And he probably should give it more thought as well.  It was a big decision.  Loki kissed the top of his head and continued holding him close.

***

Loki walked along the beach towards the grotto.  Mobius had slept in, doubtless exhausted from his impending heat, and Loki wanted to take advantage and think about what Mobius had asked.

A baby was a bad idea and logically, he needed to say no.  However, Loki was struggling with refusing.  Mobius had been so earnest and he hated denying him anything.

Eventually, Mobius would regain his memories, and what then?  Agent Mobius M. Mobius or rather former agent wasn’t necessarily going to be pleased with a baby, much less one fathered by Loki.

“Question is which Mobius is Mobius.  My friend?  Or my husband?   Is there some lovely timeline in which he’s both?”

Happily ever after wasn’t something for Lokis from what he’d observed in his own life and in the void meeting the other Loki variants.  But Mobius deserved happily ever after.  Loki would suggest the following heat so he didn’t upset Mobius and then after his heat, he would tell Mobius everything.  However crazy the truth sounded, Mobius deserved it.  He deserved a life with someone better than a Loki.

It hurt facing the truth.  The pain was worse than finding out he was adopted and lied to by his father.  Giving up Mobius hurt more than realizing he would never be more than a second choice for anyone.  But Mobius came first for him and that would be enough.

Loki continued walking, then paused at the entrance to the cave.   He didn’t see any trace of the black mist and couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or not.  Maybe it was an ordinary weather anomaly and not something worse.

He made his way along the ledge and through the first cavern.  Loki wanted to check both caverns before returning to the house.  Inside the second cavern, he didn’t spot the mist, but he also didn’t see the TemPad!

“Where did it go?!”

Loki looked around the flat stone with the Jörmungandr carving.  There was no sign of the TemPad.  He looked all around the cavern, even peering into the water for any sign of it.  They still had the Space and Time Stones, he could get them back from this world.

Did someone take it?  One of the servants, perhaps?

He made his way back to the first cavern.

“Maybe Mobius took it.  Perhaps he was frightened while I was gone or curious?”

Loki looked out at the water.  Breaking through the surface was a small black cloud.  It had a purplish cast in places and lightning seemed to move over it.

It was as he feared, when the timeline split, the rift in time and space had given rise to another trans-temporal entity.

“Alioth," Loki whispered to himself.

This one was small and looked like it was having trouble keeping itself together.  But that didn’t mean there weren’t more.

Images flooded Loki’s mind.  He’d transformed into a giant snake to save Mobius as they dropped from the sky.  Wrapped around Mobius, Loki had hit the ground hard and skidded across the grass and over the cliff.  An immense Alioth, at least half the size of the one in the void, had been attracted by the portal and attacked them.

Loki had protected Mobius and shoved him along the beach.  He shifted from a full snake into a naga half snake so he could use enchantment, he’d lured the beast into the grotto and he destroyed it.  The Alioth exploded and Loki was knocked unconscious.

Remnants of the beast must have left a trace in the water in the grotto.  Made from the rift in time itself, the Alioth had stolen their memories that night, then later had brought Loki’s memory back.

“Create a small enchantment to distract the mini-Alioth and then get to Mobius.”

Loki was about to focus when he heard Mobius calling out to him.  He leapt across the rocks and raced along the ledge.  On the beach, Loki raced towards Mobius at the bottom of the stone steps.

“Mobius!”  Loki stopped and the sky began to darken.  He glanced up and saw a massive fully formed Alioth coming over the edge of the cliff.  “Mobius run to the grotto!  Run!”

Loki shifted to a massive naga, he rose up towards Alioth and his hands began to glow green as he summoned an enchantment.

Chapter Text

Mobius ran down the beach as the sky grew dark.  He looked back at Loki and the huge dark mass of the Alioth.  Red eyes glowed sinisterly as it hovered over Loki’s half-snake form.  It was worse than he’d feared.

He’d woken up a bit past noon and panicked when he realized Loki wasn’t in the house.  Mobius knew instinctively where Loki had gone.  With his impending heat and Loki beside him, he hadn’t told him about the mist in the grotto.

It was his fault and Loki was facing terrible danger.  Leaving Loki to face the creature himself was the last thing Mobius wanted to do.  Unfortunately, it was the logical choice.

Loki was a demigod with magical powers and preternatural strengths.  He had stood against an Alioth before.  Mobius didn’t have any weapons, only his wits. If he had stayed, he would have been a distraction for Loki.

When he reached the entrance to the grotto, Mobius pressed against the rock and turned to see how Loki was faring.  On the beach near the steps, the billowing clouds of the Alioth were diving at Loki.  Loki’s serpentine bottom half was partially in the water, the scaled coils moving at a furious speed.  His human upper half was raised up.

A magical green light glowed around Loki as he raised his hand.  The air filled with the illusion of hundreds of Valkyries on their winged horse that swarmed.  Distracted, the Alioth lunged at them.  It moved furiously in one direction and then another.

“There has to be something I can do.  Think Mobius.  Think.”

He looked around him, the beach offered little more than a few shells and a piece of driftwood with a bit of seaweed clinging to it.  Maybe there was something inside the grotto that he’d missed?

The first cavern didn’t have any places where anything might be lurking.  However,  the second had lots of crags in the rocks and a dearth of stalactites and stalagmites where something might be hiding.  Mobius didn’t hold much hope, but he had to do something.   He couldn’t leave Loki to face the Alioth on his own.

Mobius cast a final glance at Loki, then went inside the sea cave.  He made his way swiftly through the first cavern.  After traversing the ledges so many times, Mobius was able to navigate them with ease.

He followed the curved ledge on the far side that led to the second cavern.  Mobius ran through the shallow water and up onto the stone floor.  There was dim light coming in through the hole in the ceiling.  It was an overcast day and the Alioth’s mass was potentially blocking the sun further.

“Perimeter, first,” Mobius declared.  It was darkest along the edges away from the light from above.  He would search those areas before the light was further compromised.  

The sense of urgency to help Loki and his experience as an agent to survey carefully were at odds.  It didn’t help that his body felt like it was about to melt.  When the edges of the room yielded nothing, Mobius paused to remove his jacket and laid it across the rock with the Jörmungandr carving.

He looked throughout the cavern with no success.  There were a few small rocks that could be thrown but it would be like David facing Goliath.  Worse, it would be Mobius facing a monster created from the chaos of the timeline fracture with pebbles thrown like an angry child.  It would put him in danger and be no help to Loki whatsoever.

Mobius swore.  He couldn’t find anything to help Loki and he could practically feel the hormones surging in his body.  The urge to cry was overwhelming and it was definitely his impending heat.

The room grew darker and Mobius looked up.  Above him was a dark cloud, not the huge Alioth Loki was fighting, but a smaller one.  The mist he’d seen and feared was a forming Alioth had coalesced into a fully formed and angry Alioth.  A miniature version, but dangerous, and Mobius was unarmed.

Mobius backed up slowly, hoping to slip out of the cavern.  The back of his legs bumped the large Jörmungandr stone and he fell backward.  Flailing, Mobius sat up and the Alioth started to lunge at him.

Desperately, Mobius took his coat that had fallen and threw it at the Alioth.  There was a screeching sound and it fled the room.  He looked around in confusion.  On the floor, a flicker caught his eye.  Besides the jacket, the heart pendant gleamed.

Mobius picked it up and struggled to his feet.

***

Loki watched as the last of the Valkyrie illusions was devoured by the Alioth.  He conjured a series of fireworks in the air that fell in different directions around the beast.   The Alioth seemed to be growing by the second. Loki looked down towards the grotto.  Dark clouds with purple lighting were reaching closer and closer.

Mobius was in danger.  Loki didn’t know if he could save him.  But he vowed that if Mobius died, the last thing he would see was Loki defending him.

Loki brought his hands up and the sea began to froth violently.  Along the coast, Jörmungandr after Jörmungandr rose.  Green energy rose up as hundreds of massive sea serpents appeared.

It would be enough to distract Alioth, Loki thought.  He turned and raced on his serpentine coils to the sea cave.

When he reached the first chamber, Mobius was nowhere to be seen.  Loki darted through the water to the second cave.

“Mobius!”

Loki rushed into him and wrapped his arms around him.  The honeyed omega scent was cresting.

“Your heat,” Loki said and looked at him.

Mobius groaned.  “Worst possible timing imaginable.”

“It’s probably the stress.  We don’t have long, forgive me.  I want you to run out the far side of the cave and keep running.  I don’t know where the TemPad is.  Did you take it back to the house?”

“It’s on the beach.  I dropped it,” Mobius replied miserably.  “I’d taken it to the house, and then when I left this morning, I took it and the pendant with the Infinity Stone.  I was worried one of the staff caused our accident.  This is my fault!”

Loki grabbed his arms and looked at him.  “It’s not your fault, love.  Any more than this is mine.  Just go and I’ll hold the beast off as long as I can.  Head for London.  Go to 1793 Bond Street in Mayfair.  Demand an audience with the Sorcerer Supreme and tell them everything you’ve witnessed.  Say it back to me.”

“1793 Bond Street, demand an audience with the Sorcerer Supreme.  But Loki, I–”

“Mobius, there is no time.  I love you and this is your best chance.  I’m going to take you to the entrance and distract Alioth.”

“I won’t leave you!  I love you!”

“You can and you will leave.  I’ve lived longer than you can imagine and I’m prepared to die.  Dying knowing you love me is the best death I could ask for.”  Loki grabbed Mobius and kissed him.  “We have to hurry now, love.”

“Too late,” Mobius said and nodded at the entrance to the cavern.

The smaller Alioth was visible and beyond it, the large one filled the cavern.  Then the smaller Alioth moved to the larger and was absorbed.

“Wish we had the TemPad,” Loki sighed as he pushed Mobius behind him.  “Or even the pendant.”

“Pendant?  I have it!”  Mobius fumbled in his trouser pocket and held it up.

“Give me the pendant and your wedding ring.”

“Here.”

Loki grabbed the ring from Mobius and slipped it on his right hand, then he took the pendant and placed it around his neck.  He drew his serpentine body up.  “Climb up on my coils and hang onto my back.”

Mobius obeyed and asked as he grabbed hold of Loki’s waist, “What are you doing?”

“I’m about to save us or get us killed.”

“I vote for the first option,” Mobius shouted back as the Alioth’s roar grew louder.

Loki gazed at the heart pendant.  The pink-ish orange stone was glowing and the fragmented memory of being alone with Stephen Strange before the portal became whole.

“It’s an Infinity Stone from another realm, called the Chaos Stone.  A version of me from another timeline gave it to me.  He said to hold onto it and give it to the last person I ever thought should have it.  And that, my Asgardian enemy, is you,” Stephen Strange told Loki condescendingly.

“Thank you.  I think,” Loki replied and slipped the stone into his trouser pocket.  The Doctor scowled at him for a minute, then took him back to Mobius and opened the portal for them.

Alioths were a trans-temporal entity that manifested from the chaos that rose from a rift in time and space.  The Chaos Stone could potentially destroy the Alioth or it might give it so much power the universe would implode in on itself.

Loki closed his eyes, raised his hands on either side of the Chaos Stone, and focused on his love for Mobius.  He felt the thrum of power from the Space Stone on his left hand and the Time Stone on his Right.  His heart was usually filled with chaos, but oddly he felt a sense of peace from the Chaos Stone.

He raised his hands above his head and reached deep within for his powers.  From enchantment to mischief to illusion, Loki summoned them all.

***

Mobius watched over Loki’s shoulder as Alioth drew closer.  The trio of Infinity Stones glowed and the green glow of the demigod’s power lit up between them, forming a shield.  Lightning rained down through the opening in the ceiling and the Chaos Stone became so bright that Mobius had to shield his eyes as he watched Alioth’s approach.

Loki's sword, Laevateinn, manifested in his right hand.  With his left, he pulled the shield of magic into reality.  The lightning rained down and absorbed into Loki then beamed out through the Chaos Stone.  Power whipped around them and filld the room.

And then Loki opened his eyes.

Alioth lunged and Loki hit him with the shield.  The beast drew back and tried to attack, only to be thwarted by the shield once more.  Furious, Alioth raised up, intent on crashing down on them.  Loki brought his sword up and stabbed the beast.

It roared and drew back.  Loki moved fast and Mobius nearly fell but clung with all his might.  Alioth hovered over the water in a rage, horrible sounds of fury erupting from it.

Loki glided over the water, he tossed his sword and shield away and they disappeared into the ether.  He placed his hands on either side of the Chaos stone and held it out towards Alioth.

Mobius felt Loki’s entire body shake as he shouted, “You may have risen from chaos.  But I am the God of Chaos.  You will bow before me and tremble.”

Light from the Chaos Stone filled the cavern and Mobius buried his face against Loki’s back as he got used to the fiery glow.  Alioth howled and tried to attack.  The light began to cover the great beast and its surface seemed to start crumbling in on itself.

Alioth wailed and screeched horribly.  It roiled violently in the water and Loki moved them out of the water onto the stone platform.  Mobius started to fall from the sudden movement, but Loki twisted sharply and caught him.

Cradled in Loki’s arms, Mobius watched as the Alioth died.  Behind him, he felt the power of the Chaos Stone, but felt strangely calm and had a sense of peace.  Mobius wasn’t sure how long Loki held him as they watched the beast fall silent and then fade into nothingness.

Loki put Mobius down gently on the stone platform and slithered into the water.  He slid his hands through it and it went from an ominous blue-black to its customary soft blue.

“I want to see if there’s anything of the TemPad left and check to make sure there aren’t any more of the Alioths.  Stay here until I come back for you, love.”

Loki moved swiftly from the cavern and Mobius stared after him.

They had survived.  Loki had wielded the stones and slayed the Alioth like a dragon from Norse lore.  Of course, knights of lore weren’t usually half-snakes when they fought.  Loki wasn’t a mere knight though, he was a demigod.

At the TVA, seeing Loki defeated in videos, he’d never fully appreciated the sheer tenacity Loki had.  He winced as he remembered telling Loki that he liked to lose.  The truth was, Loki was someone who never gave up.

“Loki,” Mobius purred to himself.  “My Loki.  My demigod.”

Adrenaline from the battle for their lives shifted and Mobius felt strange.  His body felt so hot and empty.  Loki was part frost giant.  He would feel nice and cool, wouldn’t he?

His jacket was still in the other cavern.  Mobius went to retrieve his jacket, but found himself feeling like he was burning from within.  It was worse by the moment.  Maybe he would take his clothes off and get into the cool water until Loki returned.

***

Loki entered the grotto and was about to hold up the TemPad in triumph when he realized Mobius wasn’t in the cavern.  Fearful, he held the Tempad above water and swam into the second cavern.  There he spotted Mobius on the smooth slanted stone that was half in and half out of the water, naked and huddled in a ball.

Something was very wrong.

“Mobius!”

Lok swam quickly, holding the TemPad in his hand, his tail muscles doing most of the work when he moved in this form.  He moved into the cavern past Mobius to put the TemPad safely on dry stone and immediately turned to Mobius.

For a moment, Loki was terrified, and then he was hit by the intense scent.  Distracted by the battle, he’d forgotten Mobius’ heat.

“My poor love.  Let me get you home.  I’ll carry you and then I’ll get you anything you wish.”

“You.  Inside me,” Mobius pleaded and made no effort to let Loki pick him up.

“You’re in heat and I’m dying to have you, but love, if I do… we’ll…”

“Have a baby.  Which is what we both want.”

“Exactly.  I mean… no!  Yes, you would have a baby if I knotted you.  But trust me Mobius, you don’t want a baby with me.”  Loki moved onto the rock beside Mobius and laid his head beside him.  His serpentine coils floated in the water.

“I do, more than anything.”

Loki’s expression wavered.  “Mobius, you would come to regret it.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because I’m not the man you think I am.  You deserve better than I can offer.”

“Let me decide what I deserve.”

“It’s not just you and me.  You have no idea what it’s like to spend your existence feeling like you’re not good enough.  Spending your life trying to find glorious purpose to be worthy of notice… it’s not the life I want our baby to have.”

“You just said, our baby.  Not a baby.  Our baby.”

“Mobius–”  Loki closed his eyes.  The scent of Mobius was beyond intoxicating.  His love for him was undeniable.  “You have no idea how much I want to say, yes.”

“We almost died today.”

He opened his eyes and reached out to hold Mobius’ hands.  “I know.”

“And we survived because of you, Loki.”

It was strange, Loki didn’t feel triumphant or proud, he simply felt grateful that he’d been able to save Mobius.  “I would be lost without you.”

“My heat came early.  Maybe it’s stress, but I think it’s fate, Loki.  I want to have our baby and I think you do.  My body is aching to be knotted and bred.”

Loki moved closer and ran his hand over Mobius’ stomach.  Under his fingers, he felt how warm Mobius’ skin was.  The scent was mouthwatering to the point he could practically taste in the air how ready Mobius was.

He looked down and noticed he still had on Mobius’ wedding ring with the blue Space Stone.  He slipped it off and looked at it, then took Mobius’ hand and put the ring on him.  “I think you should wear this while you conceive our baby.”

“You mean…”

“I want this if you do.”

***

Time and again, Loki had been honorable and kind.  Today, Mobius had seen Loki ready to sacrifice himself without a second thought.  Loki had confirmed everything Mobius had always believed and Mobius had no reservations.

“I want to have a baby with you, Loki Laufeyson.”

Loki pulled him close and kissed him.  “I’ll shift back and we’ll return to the house.”

“No,” Mobius said and ran his hand below Loki’s waist where flesh gave way to scales.  “I want to make our baby here and exactly like this.”

His body was ripe with heat and coupling would almost certainly lead to a baby.  He wanted Loki to take him in his half-serpent form.  No pretense that Loki was a human.  Although he would always treasure their time at the estate in mutual ignorance of what Loki was.  That time had allowed Mobius to appreciate Loki for his truest self.

“We can, but don’t you want me to lose the scales?”

Mobius was about to conceive the child of a demigod and he wanted to feel it.  And he suspected Loki felt the same as he looked down at Loki’s cloacal scales parting slickly.  Hemipenes glanced from the opening, then burst out.

“My handsome alpha husband,” Mobius cooed.  

Erect and glistening, Loki’s hemipenes loomed over Mobius.  He’d only recently become accustomed to taking one cock inside him, now he was inviting Loki to put two inside him.  Not to mention knotting.  

Loki had knotted him every time they made love, an alpha’s knot.  However, this time Mobius was in heat and Loki would bury a massive mating knot, correction, two mating knots inside him.

“Mobius,” Loki groaned.

“What is it called when you’re half snake like this?  Na…  na…”

“Naga.”

“Naga,” Mobus repeated.  “I like you, like this.  It feels right somehow for you to breed me like this.”

Mobius felt his heat intensify and he got up on his hand and knees.  His head dipped low to the ground and his ass tilted upwards.

“Oh, gods.  Mobius, are you presenting?”

Words were making less sense by the moment and Mobius whimpered.  His body felt so hot and he ached terribly.

Loki brought his fingers between Mobius’ cheeks and circled his rim.  “You're so wet, love.”

The brief touch made slick run down from Mobius’ opening and along the back of his testicles.  He’d been so focused on the possibility of a baby that he hadn’t fully registered how slick his backside had gotten.  His opening felt as anxious and ready as if Loki had licked and fingered him for hours.

“Are you sure you want your alpha to breed you in naga form?”

Mobius made a mewling sound, words were so hard to say at the moment.  There was a splashing sound and a moment later, Loki’s tail slid underneath Mobius.

“That should be more comfortable than the stone.”

Loki’s voice was soothing and Mobius nodded.  

“Get yourself comfortable; when I knot you, it’s going to be a mating knot and you’ll be stuck for a long time.”

Movement was hard, but Mobius shifted so his arms and legs were draped on either side of Loki’s serpentine tail.  He felt his cock dripping eagerly between his stomach and Loki’s silky scales.  Mobius slipped slightly as he tried to arch his hips, but Loki’s tail shifted and helped him find the angle in a supported manner.

“You have no idea how beautiful you look right now, Mobius.  Seeing you presenting instinctively, your hole wet and inviting.” Loki purred.   “I was worried about you taking two cocks at once, but your rim is already trying to open. “

Mobius started to whine almost uncontrollably, listening to Loki talk about how ready he was.  As Loki spoke, his icy alpha scent surrounded Mobius.  In his heated state, the cool element that was unique to his husband’s frost giant descent was comforting.

“Loki… husband…”

“That’s right, love.  I’m your husband in every way that matters and always will be.”

Clinging to Loki’s scaled lower half, Mobius was torn between wanting the release of Loki’s cocks and wanting to hear his words.  It wasn’t dirty exactly, but it felt good hearing the praises and reassurances.

“If I’d known how amazing you’d look clinging to my scales, I think I might have insisted on breeding you like this.”

Mobius rubbed his face against the dark scales of Loki’s tail.

“In a minute, I’m going to push my hemipenes inside you.  Both of them.  I want to feel that eager rim of your stretched around me.  I’m going to work them in all the way, so that when I knot you, my cum will go so deep there won’t be any doubt of getting you pregnant. “

Trembling with anticipation, Mobius held onto Loki.  His heat was overwhelming, but also wonderful. Loki was going to breed him lovingly.  They were going to make a baby together, not just because they were an alpha and omega, though that added to Mobius’ arousal, but they were going to create a baby out of love.

Loki positioned one cock against Mobius’ rim and slid in with ease.  Apparently satisfied, he withdrew and placed both cocks against Mobius.  There was an intensive stretching feeling, however, Mobius welcomed the feel of his body surrendering and accommodating Loki.

“Oh my sweet omega, you’re taking me so well.  I’d be the envy of every alpha in the world if they saw you like this.  But you’re mine, Mobius.  All mine and no one else’s”

Mobius climaxed against Loki’s scales, but the blissful feeling didn’t ebb.  Instead, even before Loki knotted him, a haze of pleasure washed over him.

When Loki’s knots formed, one pushed in quickly, followed by the other.  Mobius felt his body stretching to accommodate them.  They moved faster than alpha’s knots and as they swelled, surpassed their diameter dramatically.

With two massive mating knots expanding rapidly, he dimly wondered if it would hurt.  However, just as an omega’s body was built to deliver a baby, so too were they able to withstand a massive mating knot.  And in Mobius’ case, two.  

Pleasure spots Mobius didn’t even realize he had blazed to life as the knots flared and lodged deep inside him.  Against his neck, Loki murmured words of love, both in English and what Mobius thought was Norse or Asgardian.  He didn’t understand the latter, but the tone and meaning were the same.  Loki loved him and was glad they were making a baby.

If time had any meaning, it ceased as Mobius rode wave after wave of ecstasy with Loki knotted inside him and filling him with cum.

***

Loki held Mobius close and kissed his forehead.

Although he’d returned to human form, the large clear mating plug he’d left adorning Mobius’ rim remained as a testament to what had transpired between them.  Loki ran a finger over the thick plug; it was growing firmer by the minute.

“Mating plug is hardening.”

Mobius shifted and twisted to look.  “A mating plug?  Is that what it is?”

“Seals in my… uh seed.”

“Ensuring a successful breeding,” Mobius said and ran his hand over his stomach.

“I don’t know how long you’re going to stay lucid and whatever you say won’t change anything.  But before your heat distracted me, it hit while retrieving the TemPad, that you referred to this little bauble as an Infinity Stone.”  Loki gestured at the pendant.

“My amnesia cleared that time we made love here just before you left for London.”

“While I was knotted in you, that must have been upsetting.”

Mobius kissed Loki and placed his hand so their wedding rings were together.  “Not in the way you think.  I was scared about what it meant, but I knew we both had genuinely fallen for each other. “

“And when I got back, your heat was on its way.”

“I told myself just until after my heat.  I was going to recover my memory after my heat, but…”

“But…” Loki prompted.

“I liked you being my husband.  So I let myself pretend.”

Loki arched an eyebrow sharply.  “And the blow job?”

“You were so kind to me, I told myself it was to repay your kindness.  But it was an excuse, I liked feeling submissive and worshipping you,” Mobius explained.  Loki grinned and Mobius added, “In bed.  I discovered I like submitting in bed.  It ends there… most of the time.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, love.”

“Good.  And I like it when you call me that.”

Loki nuzzled Mobius.  “Why didn’t you want me to change back?”

“Because I wanted you to know I accept you in all your forms,” Mobius said.  He looked almost shyly at Loki.  “And loving a god, I thought—”

In one swift movement, Loki grabbed Mobius by the wrists and pinned him down on his back.  Both of them were panting as their eyes locked.

“What did you just say?” Loki demanded in a low growl.

Mobius whispered, “Loving a god.”

“You, the real you?  The fully conscious, annoying, jet ski obsessed you?  Mobius M. Mobius loves me , the god of mischief?  Not Lord Laufeyson.  But the actual me ?”  Loki was dimly aware his fingers were digging into Mobius’ skin, but he couldn’t release him.  Never in his existence had so much depended on the answer to a question.

“I had some feelings before we ever came here.  But being away from the TVA, getting to know you… watching you trying to understand your powers… when the memories came back, I understood you.”

“But do you–”

“I love you more than I ever thought possible.”

Loki smiled.  “And what does that mean?”

“It means I want you as my husband with actual vows and flowers.  So many flowers.  And I want you to give me your alpha’s mark,” Mobius told him and unconsciously touched the back of his neck.”

“And the baby?” 

“This may be our only chance.  When we leave here, my body may go back to its original biology.  My heat provided the opportunity, but I knew what I was doing.”

Loki pressed his face to Mobius and kissed him.  “You want my child.”

“ Our child.  And yes.  I’d show you how much but there’s a mating plug in the way.”

“If you want a Jörmungandr to breed you, the mating plug is a part of it.  And you never properly answered my question.  I don’t believe that you wanted my naga form solely to show me acceptance.”  Loki nudged Mobius’ thighs apart and ground against him.

“I…”

“Is it perhaps the second cock that enticed you?  You wanted me to stretch you to the breaking point?”

“Yes,” Mobius agreed with a shuddering breath.  “But I also wanted the reminder throughout, that a god was breeding me… that it was your child I was conceiving.”

“In that case, I think we should make quite certain you’ve conceived.”

Loki released one of Mobius’ wrists and brought his finger down to the mating plug.  A soft green glow sparked and the plug softened.  The lower half morphed from human to snake once more.  His hemipenes pushed out, erect and dripping.

The scent of Mobius in heat was irresistible, his body begging to be filled and knotted.

He pressed his erections against Mobius’ stretched rim and Mobius arched underneath him in invitation.  Loki lined his cocks up, then surged forward, dislodging the plug, and filling Mobius once more.

They were in danger from the TVA and perhaps the universe itself.  A child was a terrible idea, and yet Loki had never wanted anything more.

“Love,” he sighed against Mobius’ ear as he pulled him close.  “I want you to have my baby.”

Mobius writhed against Loki and his human cock was leaking precum onto his serpentine scales.  Loki wasn’t fucking a random being for pleasure, he was impregnating his mate.  This was love, he thought, as his knots began to rise towards Mobius’ entrance.

Glorious purpose wasn’t conquering, it was finding his destiny with the man he loved and making a child together that would be the best of them manifested in one perfect being.

Chapter Text

“Do you think I’ll lay an egg?” Mobius asked Loki as they drank tea in the drawing room a week later. Loki chuckled and shook his head.  It had been a week since Loki had bred Mobius in naga form.  Both of them knew they had made a baby that afternoon in the grotto as Mobius writhed in heat, although getting official confirmation would be challenging.  Mobius already had small changes to his body that suggested the baby was developing at great speed, so consulting a doctor would be a problem.

They would have to get rid of the servants or leave before long when Mobius began to show, Loki thought as he studied him.

“Water snakes are viviparous, Mobius.  They give birth to live young.”

“An egg sounds easier.”

“I’m sure you’ll be incredible when the time comes.”

“I’ve always wanted a baby, I just never imagined I’d be carrying it.”

“Mobius, you don’t regret… I mean…”  Loki sat his cup down.

“I’m glad that I’m an omega and able to carry our child.  We did this as an act of love.  No regrets.”

“The books suggest omegas find comfort in having their alpha close throughout the pregnancy and the birth process.”  Loki pulled Mobius close.  “I plan to stay very close.”

“Very close?” Mobius echoed and moved to straddle Loki.

“If I could, I’d knot you from now until your due date.”

“What about when I look like I swallowed a beach ball?”

“Then I’ll flip you around like this,” Loki taunted and maneuvered Mobius, so he was facing away.  “I’ll turn into a snake and give you a double knot with two cocks.”

Mobius twisted his head and made a needy sound.  Loki lunged and captured his lips in a kiss.  One hand found its way into Mobius’ shirt and tweaked his nipple.  Then Loki froze as he realized they weren’t alone.

Mrs. Nathair cleared her throat and drew Loki’s attention from Mobius.  A flare of annoyance rose, but Loki politely acknowledged her, “Mrs. Nathair.”

“I beg pardon, your Lordship, but I need a word with you.”

Loki held Mobius firmly in his lap.  Hopefully, the housekeeper would hurry along, and also he felt quite protective of Mobius.  Even though it had only been a few days since Mobius’ heat, they were beyond certain Mobius had conceived.

His husband’s abdomen was already starting to swell slightly.  They agreed it was likely that either due to Loki’s demigod nature or the serpentine form he’d assumed when impregnating Mobius that their child was developing faster than a regular mortal child.

“Should I leave?” Mobius inquired, though he made no effort to move.

“Anything Mrs. Nathair wishes to discuss can be said to us both “ Loki said pointedly.

Mrs. Nathair hesitated, then unfastened the cuff of her left sleeve and rolled it up, exposing an ornate snake tattoo on her forearm.  There were ornately written words Loki recognized as an ancient form of Norse.

“I slipped you the book about the Jörmungandr and the legend of the grotto in your picnic basket.”

“An amusing distraction, but hardly worth all this drama,” Loki said in a bored tone even as his gaze narrowed suspiciously.  He tensed and eased Mobius off his lap.  

“When they brought you here after the accident, you had patches of snake scales.  I knew you weren’t the Lord Laufeyson I had known, but the one I had awaited.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”  Loki stood up, placing himself in front of Mobius to protect him.

“I took the job as housekeeper, because I knew the Jörmungandr would rise here.  It has been prophesied for a thousand years.  The Order of the Serpent has waited for you.”

“What happened to the first Lord Laufeyson?” Mobius asked suspiciously and moved beside Loki.

“The Lord Laufeyson I knew drowned earlier that day.  The Order decided to keep it a secret and then we saw the green lightning.  We knew it was a sign, so a group of us set out in the storm, and then we found you.”

A timeline without a Loki.  He hadn’t asked questions.  It was quite brilliant of Strange.  Regency Midgard had no Loki because he’d died.  The TVAs across the timelines would ignore this place even longer.  Any trace of a Loki would be attributed to the fading energy signature of a dead man.

Loki considered what she’d said and its implications.  It made sense, but he was, by his nature, distrustful.  “And what exactly do you want from me?”

“To serve you as our god” Mrs. Nathair replied sincerely.  “And the child your husband carries.  The birth of the serpent’s child will bring a thousand years of peace and prosperity to the Order of the Serpent.”

“What of Mobius?”

Mrs. Nathair bowed to Mobius, then knelt before Loki. “Lord Mobius is venerated by every member of the Order.  His wishes are commands only second to yours and one day, the child’s.”

And why are you telling us all this now?” Loki demanded

“Your mate is showing signs that your child quickens at a great pace.  Many of your servants are members of the order, but the few that are not, ought to be sent away, my Lord.  I sent many away before Lord Mobius’ heat but not all.”

“It would arouse suspicion his pregnancy is moving so swiftly,” Loki agreed and gave Mobius a worried look.

“He’s carrying the child of a god.  The Order will protect him, but it would be easier without strangers asking questions.  Dr. Schlange is part of the Order and will attend discreetly to him.”

“Would you mind stepping out of the room while I talk to my husband,” Mobius requested and gently laid a hand on Loki’s arm.

Mrs. Nathair stood up, bowed, and left the room.

“I don’t like this, Mobius,” Loki hissed when they were alone.

“Me either.  But this baby is going to happen and we could use some support.  Do you think the Order is dangerous?”

“They were in the Jörmungandr book and it’s their entire raison d’etre .  I’m what they were waiting for, so I think the greatest danger would be to any outsiders.”

“Mrs. Nathair has been kind throughout.  I don’t know about the Order, but I think we can trust her, Loki.”

“She has been loyal and helpful,” he admitted.  “Nathair!  Can’t believe I missed it.  Scottish for snake.”

Mobius nodded.  “Dr. Schlange, German for snake.  But then we weren’t looking for a snake cult.  Are they a cult?”

“No idea.”

“How many of the staff are with them?  What do we do?  Do we meet with the Order?”

“Additional protection could be helpful until we’re ready to move against Kang and the TVA.  However, we’re partners and I’m not doing anything without your input.”

“Partially trust them, but work an angle to be safe,” Möbius suggested.  “You are a Loki after all.”

Loki pulled Mobius close and placed a hand on his stomach, then called out, “Mrs. Nathair, you may come back in!”

***

Mobius ran his hands over his slightly swollen abdomen.  Dr. Schlange confirmed his pregnancy before dinner.  The examination had been a bit embarrassing.  Loki had insisted on staying and had expressed concern about Mobius conceiving while Loki has been in naga form.

Dr. Schlange was pleased, the Order had a prophecy that their snake god would sow his seed as a half man and half serpent.  The doctor estimated Mobius would give birth in approximately three months, based on how fast the baby was developing.

To avoid the TVA, it would be safest for the baby to come sooner and Mobius was eager to welcome the baby.  However, it also meant potentially separating sooner.  Neither of them was ready to discuss it, but whether they decide to fix or destroy the timeline, it wasn’t feasible with a baby in tow.

Eventually, he would talk to Loki about it.  Tonight, Mobius wanted to forget their troubles.  Loki was talking to Mrs. Nathair about promoting the servants that weren’t in the Order to their London townhouse.  And then he would join Mobius.

Mobius looked at the chest of drawers that held his nightshirts.  Wearing one would conceal his slightly expanded waist, however, Loki usually stripped Mobius naked when they made love.  He looked at his reflection once more.

Was his chest bigger?   The books on omega pregnancy implied his chest would swell slightly close to birth and then beyond as he produced milk.   No, his chest wasn’t bigger, Mobius decided, skimming his fingers over his chest.  But he was more sensitive.  He gasped as his fingers brushed his nipple.

“Starting without me?” Loki teased as he entered the room, just in time to hear Mobius release a shuddering breath.

“Just noting the changes.”

Loki wrapped his arms around Mobius’ waist.  “Do you feel alright?”

“Some of it is a bit like the symptoms before a heat.  No nausea.  Though my stomach is growing.”

“In that case, I need to make arrangements tomorrow for speeding up a surprise while there’s time.”

“A good surprise or a bad surprise?”

Loki kissed the back of Mobius’ neck where he’d left his alpha’s mark in the grotto.  “A very very good surprise.  Why don’t we get into bed?  I seem to recall the doctor saying sex was good for keeping an omega healthy during pregnancy.”

“He said regular knotting would help me deliver the baby more comfortably.”

“Mrs. Nathair mentioned when I talked to her about the staff, that she had gathered books on omega pregnancy for you and thought you might like to take a look at them tomorrow.”

Mobius nodded, then turned around and buried his face against Loki’s shoulder.  It was kind of her, but it was an embarrassing reminder that she and the entire Order had anticipated when he conceived the baby.  He didn’t know how many people were in the Order, however, they clearly had an interest in Loki breeding him.

“It’s all right, love,” Loki assured him as if sensing his distress.  “Alphas and omegas making a baby together is natural and no one thinks anything untoward.”

“I guess.”

“I think we ought to focus on preparing for the baby.”

“You’re right.”

“Tonight, let’s start preparing you with a nice big knot.”

“Or two.”

“You like being stretched and helpless,” Loki said.  He gave Mobius a hard kiss, his teeth nibbling Mobius’ lower lip.  “What would you say to me tying you to the bed and making you very helpless and vulnerable to me?”

“You mean, being completely at the mercy of my alpha husband?”

“Get on the bed, Mobius.”

Loki’s voice was firm and Mobius shivered with delight.  He moved to the bed and started to get on his hands and knees, but Loki urged him onto his back instead.

“Tonight I want you to see what I’m doing to you.  But don’t worry, I plan for you to present another night very soon.”

Mobius watched as Loki retrieved several black silk cords from the nightstand.  They were undoubtedly a new addition from a recent trip Loki took into the village.  Loki took one of Mobius’ wrists and bound it carefully to the headboard, then repeated it with his other wrist. 

“Is that comfortable?  Not cutting off your blood supply?” Loki asked and ran a finger along every loop of the cord on each wrist.

“I’m good.”

“So I see.”  Loki traced a fingertip over the head of Mobius’ cock.  Then he picked up another cord and started to bind Mobius’ ankles.

There was a separate cord for each ankle, but Loki didn’t tie them to the posts at the end of the bed.  Instead, he undressed and watched Mobius with a wicked smirk.  When Loki was naked, he took one of Mobius’ ankles and brought it upwards until it nearly touched the headboard, then secured it higher than Mobius’ wrist.  He then duplicated the action with Mobius’ other ankle.

Mobius felt his heartbeat speed up.  Loki had bound him so his ass was completely spread open and vulnerable.  He watched as Loki picked up a bottle of oil from the nightstand.

The one thing he missed about his heat was how convenient it was to be ready for Loki without any preparation.  However as Loki began to circle his rim with oil as they both watched, Mobius decided it wasn’t so bad having to be readied.

“Look at this greedy hole trying to pull my finger in,” Loki teased as he slicked Mobius’ puckered opening.

Mobius watched as the finger pushed inside him.  The digit moved gently, then withdrew.  Loki applied more oil then pressed his finger in once more, only to withdraw and then, with additional slick, pushed in two fingers.

“The way you take my knot, I imagine with a bit of coaxing I could fit my entire hand inside you one day.”

Groaning in response, Mobius watched the two fingers.  At one time he would have been horrified at the idea of Loki’s entire hand, now he felt only slight trepidation.

“No worries, love.  That’s something we’ll discuss down the road.  Tonight you’re going to be stretched on my knot.  I love how much you enjoy taking my knot.”

Mobius whined in frustration as the fingers withdrew for additional slick.  Logically he understood the wisdom in it, but he hated how empty he felt at that minute.  Loki filling him, whether it was his fingers, cock, or a knot felt so good.  He couldn’t quite explain it, but he felt a completeness when his body surrendered and admitted Loki inside.

Loki finally withdrew his fingers and rose up on his knees.  He took the vial of oil and began to slowly slick his cock.  Mobius squirmed in anticipation as he watched.   It felt like an eternity as he waited.

“You always look so delightfully eager.  Then when I push in, your eyes go so wide, as if you’re shocked you can take me.”  Loki positioned the head of his cock and pushed it into Mobius.  He guided the head carefully into Mobius’ rim, then sank his cock to the hilt in one firm motion.

“Loki.”

“Look at how your rim is stretched around me.  And how your cock is dripping onto your stomach.”  Loki remained still, sheathed completely inside Mobius.  He ran his hand over Mobius’ abdomen to clear off the precum then brought it to his mouth.

Mobius swore as he watched Loki lick it with a lascivious expression.

“Like that?  You told me my cock was the only one that had ever been in your mouth.  Tell me, have you ever had another cock inside your ass?”

“No,” he panted.

Loki drew back so only the head of his cock was inside Mobius, then gave a hard thrust until he was completely sheathed once more.  “It wouldn’t matter who you’ve been with or how many times.  Because I’m going to be the last.”

“Yes,” Mobius agreed.  He admitted, “You’re the only man I’ve ever been with.  Only one I ever wanted…”

The words disintegrated into a groan as Loki gave him another hard thrust.  “You are going to be mine.”

“I have been from the first time you kissed me.”

“If you weren’t then, then you definitely were when I bred you.  Allowing me to give you my alpha’s mark.   Letting me take you in naga form.”  Loki punctuated each point with a hard thrust.  “You took two knots at once.”

“It felt so good taking your knots.  I loved when you bred me.”

“Did you?  You loved having your alpha give you his snake cocks and double knot you?  The doctor said you’re pregnant, but perhaps we should be sure.  Maybe I need to shift and breed you again.”

Mobius watched Loki shift into his naga form while still inside him.  When he shifted, Mobius found himself stretching around both massive hemipenes.

“Going to breed my omega over and over,” Loki growled.

“Yes!  Breed me!” Mobius cried out.  He could see knots forming at the bases of Loki’s serpentine cocks.  Even though he had already conceived Loki’s baby, a primal part of his being an omega felt thrilled hearing his alpha husband talk about breeding him.

Loki’s eyes devoured him with lust as his lower snake half rutted in and out of Mobius’ body deliciously.  Mobius loved his handsome face but appreciated the temporary serpentine glory of his body.

Porn had never held much appeal for Mobius.  However, seeing himself spread wide and Loki’s knots surging towards his entrance was beyond arousing.  His cock was leaking desperately in response as he watched.

“Oh fuck, Mobius, my knots are…”  Loki broke off in a groan as one of his knots began to breach Mobius’ rim.

His alpha’s knots were close to the size of his mating knots, Mobius thought as his body yielded to admit the first of them.  The second followed swiftly.  As they swelled within him and he trembled with pleasure, Mobius saw his abdomen bulging above the space where they rested.  Precum from his cock glistened on the low part of his belly where Loki spilled within him.

Mobius’ body tensed so tightly he thought he might shatter, then shudders wracked his body and inhuman sounds fell from his lips as he climaxed and bliss filled him.  He and Loki panted in unison as they trembled and watched each other.

***

Loki ushered Mrs. Nathair into the drawing room and shut the door.  Mobius was wiped out from their exertions the night before and unlikely to overhear, but he wasn’t about to risk it.

“I wanted to talk to you further about the wedding I mentioned last night.  There wasn’t much time and I had to mull a few things over, Mrs. Nathair.”

“Of course, my Lord.”

He pointed to a seat and then sat on a chair across from her.  “I was concerned Mobius might not like the idea of a wedding.  However, last night he mentioned being properly married and I’ve decided to go ahead with surprising him with a wedding.”

“A commitment from their alpha is a comfort to omegas.”

“He isn’t actually an omega.  Or at least he wasn’t before.”

Mrs. Nathair smiled and shook her head.  “I find that so hard to believe.  Every omega on the property could tell he was one of us.”

“They don’t have alphas and omegas where we come from.”  Loki stood up and walked to a small bar at the side of the room that had a variety of bottles.  “Can I get you a glass of something, Mrs. Nathair?”

“Claret, please.  I’d avoid the port, if I were you.  The first Lord Laufeyson had awful taste in port.”

“Thank you for the warning,” he replied and poured a couple of glasses of claret.  “What happened to his, er, Mobius?”

“My Master was thinking about finding an omega to court.  He’d gone as far as ordering a book about alphas and omegas, but no more.  Fortunately, his ordering the book and then the timing of his passing the day he arrived back from London, it wasn’t hard to convince people Lord Laufeyson had taken a bridegroom.”

Loki handed her a glass then sat and looked at his own thoughtfully.  He knew nothing of the man he’d replaced, but it seemed rather sad.

“What did the Order do with my predecessor?”

“We took him a couple of counties away and arranged for a proper burial.  He was a good man, though never reached his potential; his Father cast a long shadow over his life.”

“Fathers can do that, Mrs. Nathair.”

“You and Lord Mobius will make excellent parents.  I’ve seen the way you look at each other.  The two of you have a lot of love to give.”

“I’m surprised you consider that important, considering the Order has been waiting for this baby.”

“All babies need love, my Lord.  And a god is shaped by their upbringing, the same as mortals.  If the child is to bring peace and prosperity, then they’ll need a great deal of love.”

Loki took a sip of his claret and didn’t speak.

“I’m assuming you’d like a small ceremony, my Lord?”

“And soon.”

“Agreed.  I’m surprised how much Lord Mobius is showing after only a week.”

Loki turned to her.  “Mrs. Nathair, how do you know how long it’s been?”

She looked a bit nervous and drained her glass.  “The Order holds ceremonies in the grotto.  We were on the way there when the great cloud beast appeared and we saw you transform into a half serpent.  Confirming you were the Jörmungandr.”

“I see.”

“We saw you lure it into the cavern to fight it.”

Loki decided not to tell her he was protecting Mobius as opposed to using a strategy.  He was an expert tactician, but Mobius was his blind spot.  “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“When parts of the beast outside the grotto entrance began to crumble, we knew you had defeated it.  The Order headed for the grotto to see if you had any wounds that needed tending.  At the entrance, we heard enough to discern that you were breeding Lord Mobius, so we retreated and celebrated your victory.”

He wasn’t sure if she meant his victory against the Alioth or impregnating Mobius, but it was best Mobius didn’t know the latter.  “Let’s keep that bit of knowledge to ourselves, Mobius is rather modest.  And perhaps you might relocate where the Order meets?”

“Of course, my Lord.  Any thoughts on where you’d like the ceremony?  I know the grotto is special to you.  But I didn’t know what might be pleasing to you.”

“Maybe in the first cavern on the large rock platform.  Though not sure if a cave says wedding.”

“Leave that to me.  There’s ever so many flowers to be found this time of year and I know the entire Order will be happy to assist.”

“What else will we need, Mrs. Nathair?”

“Clothes, music, and an officiant.  The high priest would be more than happy to conduct the ceremony.  One of the Order members is an accomplished cellist.  So I imagine that leaves clothes.”

“I don’t suppose there’s any Asgardian leather to be found around here?”

“Not certain what that is your Lordship, but there is a tailor in London that is part of the Order and I shall send for him immediately.”

Loki drank the rest of his claret.  “When can everything be ready by?”

“With the entire Order at your disposal, four days, maybe five.”

“Four, Mrs. Nathair.”

“Four, my Lord.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Just keep Lord Mobius distracted so he doesn’t catch on.”

“I think I can manage that,” Loki replied and left to see if Mobius was awake.

***

Mobius was restless.  For the past few days, Loki had insisted on staying by his side every moment.

It was strange.  He’d wanted Mobius to stay in bed and they’d read through all the books on omega pregnancy Mrs. Nathair provided.  While it was sweet Loki was interested, they did have a little time.  Mobius put it down to nerves, Loki could be a bit frenetic at times.

A tailor had arrived a couple of days ago to measure Mobius for pregnancy clothes as a surprise.  He was touched and accepted happily.  Initially, he’d been unsure it was necessary to get an entire wardrobe, but Loki had pointed out in private that with his pregnancy progressing at an unnatural rate, it was best to get him everything he needed sooner than later.

Today, Loki was nowhere to be found and the house was filled with noises.  Mobius was considering ringing for Mrs. Nathair when she appeared at his bedroom door with a note from Loki.  He opened it and read:

Mobius,

Tonight I have a special surprise for you.  Mrs. Nathair has kindly agreed to help me get you ready.  Please indulge me by doing everything she asks of you and don’t ask too many questions.

Ever Yours,

Loki

Mobius smiled, shook his head, and folded the letter.  “It seems, Mrs. Nathair, I’m in your hands for a bit.”

“Water is on the way for a bath.  Then the tailor will be here with your new suit.”

“Not much to fix up for.”

“There will be, Lord Mobius.”

He stepped out of the way as servants brought hot water for his bath into the room.  Mobius shook his head with amusement.  “Loki, what have you gotten up to this time?”

For the next several hours, Mobius was fussed over by half a dozen servants.  His nails were buffed, his hair and mustache trimmed, and finally, he was dressed in a silver suit with a velvet jacket and a silk brocade vest. 

“You look very handsome,” Mrs. Nathair said from the doorway.  Her usual severe gown had been replaced by a deep green silk gown with black lace trim that made her look a good ten years younger.  “Are you ready to see your surprise?”

Mobius nodded and followed her.  Mrs. Nathair led him downstairs and out the front door.  A carriage decked out with flowers and ribbons was waiting.  And beyond the gates, the road was glowing with lights.

Two footmen helped Mobius in and Mrs. Nathair followed him.  The carriage started moving slowly and she smiled at him.  As they passed through the gate, Mobius could see lined up along the road, person after person, dressed in blacks and greens, each holding up a candle holder with a blazing candle.

“Members of the Order,” Mrs. Nathair explained.  “They’re here for you and Lord Loki.”

As they rode towards the grotto, Mobius watched as they passed person after person holding a candle. The carriage stopped in front of the area near the grotto stairs.  Mrs. Nathair walked beside him to the stairs.  Below on the beach, Mobius saw more people with candles and the blue bioluminescent waves entering the grotto.

Mrs. Nathair went ahead of Mobius and a couple of footmen walked with Mobius, one in front and one in back to make sure he was safe and steady.  On the beach, Mrs. Nathair took Mobius’ arm and led him to the grotto.

The naturally occurring columns of the entrance were wrapped in flowers.  And inside, flowers floated in glass bowls on the tide.  On the platform, a man in green and black robes with golden snakes embroidered on the hem stood.  Beside him, a man sat playing the cello.  A third man in black stood beside them; his back was to Mobius, then he began to turn.

Loki.  Dressed in a black suit with leather accents and a dark green vest.  Mobius paused and watched as Loki smiled at him.

“Go to him,” Mrs. Nathair said.

Mobius walked carefully along the ledge, Mrs. Nathair close behind him.  Loki jumped across the rocks to him.

“What is this?” Mobius asked.

“Our wedding, love.  I wanted to make you my husband, properly.”

He took Mobius’ hand and led him over the rocks to the platform.

“If you’ll join hands, my Lords,” the man in the robes said.

Loki took Mobius’ hands and they faced each other.  He couldn’t believe Loki had arranged this.  The man led them through the standard vows and had them each affirm them, then he told them to make their vows to each other.

“Mobius,” Loki began.  “The journey from our first meeting to this moment has been unexpected.  But I wouldn’t trade a moment of it for anything.  I take you as my husband.  Whatever the future brings, I want you to know that you have my heart.  Literally and figuratively.”

Loki drew the heart pendant out of his pocket and placed it around Mobius’ neck.  “You have brought peace to my chaos and I want you to hold onto this as a symbol of my commitment to you and our child.  And one day when the time is right for you to pass this onto them.”

Mobius touched the pendant and beamed at Loki.  He was giving him the Chaos Infinity Stone.  It held so much power and yet Loki gave it to him with a smile.

“Tonight has been an unexpected surprise, but a good one.  So this might not be as eloquent,” Mobius said.

“Anything you say is perfect love.”

Mobius took a breath.  “I once told you in a cruel moment that you were meant to lose.  And I was absolutely wrong.  Since then, I’ve come to understand that you never lose, Loki, because you never give up and never stop trying.  You gave me the strength to find myself and continue when I was lost.  I take you as my husband and promise to always fight by your side.”

There was a moment of silence and then the man in robes spoke.  “By the laws of man, the Order of the Serpent, and Asgard, I pronounce you are married.”

Loki pulled Mobius into his arms and kissed him.  When Loki pulled his face back, Mobius saw Mrs. Nathair clapping her hands with joy and a cheer started at the mouth of the cave and continued loudly above on the cliff.

Chapter Text

After the wedding, Loki and Mobius had spent a couple of blissful weeks embracing their newlywed status.  Entire days were spent in bed or the grotto, coupling and basking in the wonder of each other.  For a sweet and all too brief interlude, they were able to ignore the timeline crisis.

However, as Mobius entered his second trimester, they were forced to confront reality.  A short pregnancy was bittersweet.  They would have their baby sooner, but it also meant they would have to face what would happen after.

Mobius was uneasy when Loki had requested, they go for a walk to speak privately.  With the Order gathering and lingering in anticipation of Mobius giving birth, any true privacy required they go off in search of somewhere secluded.  He took Loki’s arm and allowed him to lead him through a copse of trees to a clearing.

The clearing was filled with flowers and there was a small brook that ran through.  On more than one occasion, they’d sat under a tree by the water.  Loki usually brought a blanket for them to sit on.  Mobius noted a deep blue blanket over Loki’s free arm.

Loki spread the blanket out and helped Mobius to the ground.  Mobius placed a hand over his rounded abdomen.  It felt strange and wonderful as their baby grew rapidly within him.

“It’s time to start planning what comes next,” Loki said after they both were settled.

Mobius picked a pink flower that was near the edge of the blanket and studied it for a minute, before meeting Loki’s gaze.  “I know.  And I know it’s not going to be good.”

“We owe our baby the best and safest universe to live in, love.”

“I agree.  The timeline, Kang, all of it needs to be fixed.”

“It’s not going to be easy or pretty.”

“No,” Mobius replied and picked another pink flower.  He placed it with the first and looked at the delicate petals overlapping.  There was so much beauty in the timeline they were currently in.  But it wouldn’t last forever with the multiversal timeline split.

“After the baby is born, I think you should stay here for as long as it’s safe.”

“And where will you be?”

“If He Who Remains was to be believed and the Kangs from other timelines were the greatest threat to the universe and battling for supremacy, then I think taking each Kang out is a part of the solution.  I will start one timeline at a time, eliminating the weaker Kangs.  The stronger ones won’t come after me right away, it’s to their short term advantage.”

“We can come with you.  After the baby comes, I’ll be able to fight.”

“You’ve never killed anyone, Mobius.  Your conscience is clear.  I’ve killed before and am ready to do it again.”

“I’m not letting you do this alone.  You’ve changed, Loki.”

“My heart has healed because of you.  I have no desire to rule the universe or hurt anyone needlessly.  But for the sake of you and our child, I will kill whoever I need to to keep you safe and I will not hesitate.”

“You think I'm not ready to do the same thing?”  Mobius demanded angrily.

“Love, I know you would do anything for me and our baby.  However, I grew up training to fight beside my brother and have fought for over a thousand years.  You’re absolutely brilliant and if it were a case of wits alone, I would back you against him in a heartbeat”

The flowers fell from Mobius’ hand and he pulled at the grass beside the blanket, uprooting several clumps and flinging them in frustration.  Loki brought a hand to Mobius’ face and cupped his cheek.

“This isn’t fair.”

“None of this fair.  Fair is an illusion at best,” Loki sighed.  “A son of Asgard with powers has an advantage in combat.”

“And what about our son?”

“Daughter.”

“Our child,” Mobius amended in exasperation.  “Are you planning to abandon them too?”

“I would never abandon you or our child.  The universe has gone mad, Mobius.  It isn’t just Kang I’m thinking of.  Do you think with the time fracture that the Alioth I destroyed here is the only one?  What if there are more?  And what if, as the timelines fracture and the barrier between worlds softens, they join and form larger beasts?”

Mobius froze.  The Alioth had been contained in the void because Kang controlled it.  If there were more of them, forming larger and larger Alioths, and no one controlled them, they could literally devour the entire universe.  He wanted to protest, but Loki was right.

“I hate this,” Mobius said at last.

“Me too.”

“So what, you stick around until the baby comes and that’s it?”

Loki pulled Mobius into his arms.  “We spend every moment together until our baby arrives.  I will leave to make a safe place for the three of us.  You will stay here with the baby as long as it's safe.  Keep the TemPad with you at all times and if you need to escape, go to the New York Sanctum as programmed.  Strange hates me, but you can trust him.  He’ll protect you both until I return to you.”

“You’ll come back?”

“I promise, love.  I will return to you or die trying.”

Mobius pressed his forehead to Loki’s and blinked back tears that were threatening to fall.  “You’re not allowed to die, do you hear me?”

Loki kissed Mobius lightly.  “Lokis are resilient.  And I have two of the best reasons in the universe to live.”

“What do we do now?”

***

Loki skimmed his hand over the swell of Mobius’ abdomen.  They had a little over a month left together and each moment had to count.  He wanted to have as many good memories as possible to take with him when he left.

“We could start thinking of baby names.”

“You seem to think it’s a girl, we could name her Gloria.”

“Gloria?”  Loki gave him a strange look.

“Short for Glorious Purpose,” Mobius chuckled.

“Keep it up and I’ll ask Dr. Schlange if it’s safe to spank you,” Loki teased while giving Mobius an exaggerated look of annoyance.”

“Now you’re just trying to distract me.”  Mobius plucked another pink flower and added it to his bouquet.

“I don’t want any family names.  Way too much pressure.  I don’t want our baby growing up in someone else’s shadow.”

“Not to mention your family has weird names.  Thor, Odin, Loki…”

“That does it, I’m absolutely looking into that spanking for you.”

Mobius smiled and gestured with his hands, “Talkie, talkie, talkie–”

Loki lunged across the blanket and cut Mobius off with a kiss.

“You made me drop my flowers,” he protested.

“I’ll pick you more.  The entire clearing is filled with cosmos.”

“They’re pretty,” Mobius said as Loki kissed down his neck. 

“Mrs. Nathair said a cart filled with flower seeds blew over in a storm and the wind scattered the seeds.”

“I suppose they symbolize the… the universe…”  Mobius arched against Loki as Loki’s mouth moved along his neck.

“Peace and order.”

“The opposite of old Loki.”

“I’m not old, I’m eternal, thank you very much.”

“You know what I mean.  We could name our son, Cosmo.”

“We can discuss naming our daughter later,” Loki corrected and started to unfasten Mobius’ cravat.

“Cosima could work.”

“Later, love.  I haven’t knotted you all day and the doctor said I should knot you frequently.”

Mobius slipped off his coat.  “Following doctor’s orders is important.”

Even though their time was limited, every second with Mobius was a joy, Loki thought as helped him undress.

***

Mobius stretched in bed and looked at his exposed stomach.  Each day he seemed a bit bigger.  The baby’s due date drew closer and unfortunately, the time Loki would leave drew closer as well.  However, he tried to focus on enjoying every moment they had together and the joy of meeting their baby.

He was naked, but that was how he’d spent most of his time since entering the third trimester.  Every day felt like a light version of a heat.  Mobius’ backside was constantly slick and eager for Loki’s knot.  Fortunately, Loki was more than happy to keep Mobius filled.

It was a bit embarrassing knowing the order was within hearing distance.  Loki had assured him that alphas and omegas understood.  Mobius’ embarrassment increased when he fretted about them hearing him when Loki gently broke it to him that the Order had heard him conceiving the baby in the grotto.

Loki insisted every alpha in the Order envied him and that Mobius had nothing to be ashamed of.  For the better part of a day, Mobius kept him at arm's length, vowing not to give anyone anything to overhear.  That night, a combination of hormones and Loki using some of his most finely tuned seduction techniques, Mobius had succumbed to temptation and cum louder than ever.

This afternoon Mobius was supposed to be resting but he’d overheard Mrs. Nathair tell Loki that the Order was hoping to witness the baby’s birth.  Loki assured Mobius everything would be okay, but Mobius was distraught.  The Order saw Loki as the Jörmungandr god they’d awaited and their baby as a deity as well.

Being an omega was still a new concept to Mobius and he felt equal measures of apprehension and anticipation.  He was glad he and Loki had made a baby, but having never imagined carrying and delivering one, Mobius was flustered enough without the prospect of giving birth in front of strangers.

Loki came into the room and gently scolded, “You’re supposed to be napping.”

“Can’t sleep,” Mobius replied miserably.

“Is this about the Order wanting to see the baby being born?”  Loki sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Mobius’ arm.

“Bad enough they heard us making the baby.”  Mobius rolled to his side away from Loki.  Sulkily, he said, “Go away.”

He felt Loki’s weight move off the bed.  Mobius didn’t turn to look, instead, he sniffled and listened for the door.  There was a soft rustling sound and then he felt the covers move.  The bed shifted with Loki’s slight weight and Mobius felt skin against skin.

“I will never willingly leave you,” Loki murmured and kissed the spot on the back of Mobius’ neck where his alpha mark was.  “I promise, I’m taking care of the situation.  I need you to trust me for a couple of days and then I can explain properly.”

“You really promise?”

“I promise, Mobius.  My omega will deliver with comfort and privacy.”

Mobius relaxed slightly and didn’t pull away from Loki’s embrace.  “Okay.”

“We’ve read all the omega pregnancy books cover to cover.  All of them suggest that an omega can experience pleasure giving birth with their alpha present when the emotional bond is strong.  I’d say our bond is pretty strong, wouldn’t you?”

Before Mobius could agree, he felt a gush of slick spill out across his backside and over Loki’s pelvis.  He felt Loki grow hard against him.  Loki moved Mobius’ thigh just enough to slide his cock in between Mobius’ legs.  Their cocks were nestled together and hard.

Loki thrust slowly, the slick from Mobius allowing him to glide with ease.  Mobius sighed contentedly as Loki nipped at his omega spot.  The sensation of their cocks sliding leisurely against each other as Loki was biting hard and slow on the back of Mobius’ neck.

“Such a good omega,” Loki purred in between bites.  “So swollen and round from your alpha breeding you.  And even though I already marked you, I can feel you want me to mark you again.”

Being an omega was exciting and felt safe when Loki held him like this, Mobius thought.  He leaned his head forward slightly to invite Loki to mark him.  Loki’s teeth broke through his skin, it pinched slightly then melded into bliss.

Mobius didn’t move or speak as Loki rutted slowly between his thighs and bit him.  The shadows stretched across the room as they breathed together in shallow pants.  Occasionally Mobius would keen with pleasure and Loki would murmur words of love between bites.  When they stopped, Mobius fell asleep in Loki’s arms, content and secure.

***

Loki was both sad and relieved as Mobius’ due date approached.  He was anxious to have Mobius comfortable and meet their baby, but it also meant he’d be leaving soon.  Self-sacrifice had always seemed foolish and pointless to Loki, but now he understood it.  There was nothing he wasn’t prepared to do to keep Mobius and their baby safe.

It would be very lonely, going from a loving husband to strange realms, but it would be worth it.  For now, he intended to love Mobius and care for him until the last possible moment.

He waited at the top of the cliff and listened for the sound of the carriage.  It was hard to get a moment alone with Mobius outside of their bedroom.  But with Mrs. Nathair’s help, he would be able to give Mobius a surprise that would bring much needed relief.

In the distance, he heard the carriage approach.  Mrs. Nathair had recently started taking Mobius for drives so the Order wouldn’t think anything of Mobius departing with her.  They pulled up and Loki approached.

“Put your hands around my shoulders, Mobius.  I've got you.”  Loki lifted him down safely.  Mobius was in the final part of his third trimester and Loki wanted to take every precaution.

“I’ll drive down the road and pick up Lord Mobius in a bit,” Mrs. Nathair said and left them.

“I’m not sure I can make it down the steps,” Mobius told Loki.

“I’ve got you covered, love.  Come with me.”

Loki led Mobius to the grass on the cliff on the far side above the grotto.  He looked around to make sure no one was around and shifted into a massive snake.

“Climb on my back and hold on.  There’s a place for me to slither down with you.”

“I don’t know, Loki.”

“It’s just like a jet ski, except out of the water.”

“This is nothing like a jet ski,” Mobius grumbled even as he climbed onto Loki’s back and clung to him.

Loki moved slowly along a path he’d discovered.  It was covered with plants and humans wouldn’t notice, but he was able to glide through with ease.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Mobius climbed off Loki’s back and stood on the beach.  “Not bad.  Not a jet ski, but not bad.”

“Come with me,” Loki said and shifted to his human form.  “I’ll let you walk part of the way, but then I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”

“Not sure why you brought me here.”

“You’ll see,” Loki replied as he guided Mobius along the ledge.  He stopped and picked him up and walked with him in his arms into the second cavern.

“What… how…”  Mobius turned around slowly in shock.

All the loose stones in the cavern had been moved including the one with the Jörmungandr carving.  Mounds of pillows covered the floor.  There were blankets folded neatly.  All the omega pregnancy books were stacked in a corner.  And a plate of chocolates sat on one of the pillows.

“The Order has been forbidden from here without express permission.  Whenever you feel overwhelmed and need to get away, I’ll bring you here.”

“To read and eat chocolate?”

“Or if you want a bit of love from your husband.”

“And no one from the Order will come here?” Mobius asked as he looked around beaming.

“I thought we might allow Mrs. Nathair when you give birth.  She’s overseen a number of omega births.”

“I could give birth here in private?”

“You seem comfortable with her.  I thought rather than discuss it with the Order, we would come here when the time comes.  She understands giving birth is something intimate and that an omega might want to have privacy.”

Mobius threw his arms around Loki.  “Thank you.”

Loki returned his embrace and held on as tightly as possible without hurting Mobius.  He would miss the feel and scent of him, the soft cadence of his voice, and the way his mustache twitched when he smiled.

“Could we stay a bit?”

“As long as you like.”

Mobius asked, “And we can come here every day?”

“Any time you wish, love.”

He led Mobius to the pillows and helped him to sit down.  They might not have much longer, but Loki intended to see that Mobius had every indulgence he could possibly wish.

***

Mobius was due in roughly a week’s time.  His abdomen had stretched to its limits.  The only time he felt comfortable was when Loki was knotting him, about to knot him, or holding him.  He couldn’t walk around for long due to a combination of exhaustion and slick leaking unendingly from his backside.

This morning he’d woken up at dawn feeling a bit more energetic.  In dire need of a change of scenery, he’d asked Loki to bring him to his cave retreat for the day.  As Loki sat him down gently, Mobius beamed.

The grotto and caverns were where Mobius had conceived their baby and married Loki.  Soon he would give birth here as well.  A birthing chamber to bring his alpha’s baby into the world.

Loki stood behind Mobius and wrapped his arms around his waist.  “Would you like me to help you out of your clothes?  I know you’re more comfortable.”

“Please.”

He allowed Loki to undress him and let him deal with the buttons and didn’t attempt to assist.  It felt good letting his husband take care of him.

As Loki undressed Mobius, his hands wandered to tweak Mobius' nipples.  They hardened rapidly in response and a golden drop of colostrum formed on the tip of each.  For the past week, his body had been producing drops in anticipation of nursing the baby.

Loki removed the rest of Mobius' clothes.  As he folded them neatly and placed them on the Jörmungandr carved stone, Mobius felt a twinge in his abdomen.  Not really a pain, it was…

A contraction.  One solitary one.  The books on pregnancy said it might happen and Mrs. Nathair had advised him about them.

When Loki turned around, Mobius was recovered, and he decided to say nothing about it.  Mrs. Nathair had told him that unless the contractions were closer than 20 minutes or his water broke, to relax and enjoy his alpha.  Knots went down in half an hour or less so even if he was in labor, it was safe.

“ Your alpha’s knot will help you relax and prepare your birth canal.  Unless your water has broken or you have contractions closer than 20 minutes apart, encourage your alpha to make love to you.  If you’re not in labor, it will help ease the contractions and if you are, it’s the best way for an omega to prepare to give birth, ” Mrs. Nathair had told him a week ago when she’d talked to him privately to answer questions and offer information about his impending delivery.

Loki moved to Mobius and palmed his cock, it had risen to attention as Mobius had thought about Loki’s knot.

“So eager, aren’t you, love?”

“The end of the pregnancy feels a lot like a heat, only I’ve already been bred,” Mobius fussed.

“I rather like it,” Loki said with a grin, then his expression fell slightly.

He was thinking the same thing Mobius was, their time was growing shorter and shorter.  Mobius felt a surge of sadness, if his labor was coming sooner, Loki would be leaving sooner.  But he pushed it aside.  Lokii was going to have a hard enough time leaving.  Mobius would at least have their baby for comfort.

“Would you help me onto the pillows before you undress?”

Loki helped him and teased, “And what makes you think I’m getting undressed?”

“The scent of alpha filling the cave and the fact your omega is dripping slick everywhere.”

“Good point!”   Loki undressed once he was certain Mobius was reasonably settled.

Mobius noted that Loki’s cock was erect and dripping precum as he undressed.  It was reassuring to see his husband was still so enthusiastic when Mobius was so heavy with child.  

“How shall we go about this?” Loki asked after he settled beside Mobius and nuzzled his neck.

“Probably with me in your lap, though not sure you can hold me.”  On his side or sitting in Loki’s lap with Loki doing all the work were the only ways they could accomplish sex for long.  Mobius had tried riding Loki a couple of times, but his energy didn’t hold for long.

“Enhanced strength, not a concern.  And I can always shift forms.”  Loki moved the pillows around so he could lean back and pulled Mobius close.  “Hard to believe Agent Mobius M. Mobius is draped over me in naked splendor with nothing but an Infinity Stone ring and pendant on.”

“Naked splendor?”  Mobius shook his head and smiled fondly.  “I might have complained about you talking, but I always liked the way you phrased things.  This is nice though.”

“Well, hopefully, I can acquit myself a bit better than nice before we finish.”

“I mean being away from the Order, no TVA, just being in your arms.  Nice isn’t an insult.”

“Debatable, but I’ll admit I enjoy holding you… among other things.”

Mobius leaned against Loki and let him maneuver them.  One of the few disadvantages to the last stage of his pregnancy was the inability to watch Loki’s cock push into him.  He loved watching Loki’s knot form and then push into his body.

Loki’s cock rested against Mobius’ slick rim.  He arched against Loki and turned his head to the side so Loki could kiss him.  As they kissed, Mobius felt Loki shift them so his cock slid into Mobius until it was sheathed inside him.

Rocking very slowly, Loki continued kissing Mobius.  “I love being inside you.  We’re going to go very gently.”

“You will knot me, though?” Mobius asked breathily.

“Oh yes, love. Eventually.  Close your eyes, I want you to feel how deep I am.  Let me tell you how good you feel and how much I adore you.”

Mobius closed his eyes.  “I adore you.”

“You’re my husband, Mobius.”

“Yes.  And you’re mine too.”

“And my amazing omega, so close to bringing our baby into the world.”

“Our baby, the one I made with my alpha.”

“Do you feel my knot forming against you?  That’s for my Mobius.  My Mobius.”

“Loki,” he sighed.  “My Loki.”

Mobius felt Loki’s knot pushing against him then stretching his rim.  He trembled on the edge of orgasm as the knot surged on and lodged against his sweet spot.  An extra tensing of muscles accompanied his climax.

He registered it as a contraction, but tried to push it from his mind.  If his labor started, this would be their last time together perhaps for months, even years.  Mobius rode out his orgasm and let his body prepare for the next as Loki’s knot twitched inside him.

***

When Loki pulled out, he noticed Mobius jerk his hips and groan.  A moment later, he felt a rush of slick and liquid spill from Mobius across his lap.

“Did your water just break?”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, love.  I’m concerned.  Let me get Mrs. Nathair.”

“Please don’t.  It could be hours and after you’ll–”

“Hush, I won’t go anywhere until I have to.”

“You will after the baby comes.”

“I know it hurts, Mobius.  But I have to believe we’ll see each other again soon.”

“There are so many things I wanted to say.  I thought we had another week, at least.”

Loki kissed Mobius’ forehead.  “Let me clean us up a bit and get you comfortable.  And then you may say all those things.”

He spread a blanket over another section of pillows and helped Mobius onto them.  A bit of magic cleaned up the mess from Mobius’ water breaking.

“Now, let me hold you.  You may tell me anything you wish.”

“I want our baby, but I don’t want you to go.”

Before Loki could respond, Mobius moaned as another contraction hit.  When it ebbed,Loki asked gently, “Are you sure you don’t want me to get Mrs. Nathair.”

“Please no.”

“You’re in pain,” Loki fretted.

“Not pain,” Mobius replied.

“The books said omegas often enjoy labor, I wasn’t sure if it would be that way since your biology hadn’t originally been an omega.”

“Oooh… it’s true… oh God…”

Mobius cried out and was left panting as the sensation ebbed.

“I’m going to sit behind you and hold you,” Loki said.  “That way your back will be comfortable.  The books suggested an alpha hold and stimulate his omega until it’s time to push.  Then we should get onto your hands and knees.”

Loki slipped behind Mobius and brought his hand down to Mobius’ cock.  “Shall I stroke you like this?  Or use a finger in your ass?”

“Like that for now, oh please, like that,” Mobius gasped as Loki palmed his cock.

Nothing came out, but Mobius writhed with pleasure.  It was normal during an omega’s labor, so Loki held him and waited to see what Mobius might want.

“You can’t leave and not come back.  Promise, Loki.”

“I promised I would die trying.”

“No dying, do you h-h-h… hear me!”

Loki kissed him and used his hand on Mobius’ cock as he had another orgasmic contraction.  They seemed to happen every ten minutes as he touched Mobius’ cock.  By the time Mobius wanted Loki to finger him, they were a little under five minutes apart.

“Mobius love, in a minute, I’m going to help you onto your knees.  We’ll see how close you are then.  It may be time to push soon.”

“And you’ll leave,” Mobius said tearfully.

“And we’ll meet our baby, love,” Loki corrected.  “I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can.  I don’t want to leave you and our baby for a minute longer than I have to.”

Mobius blinked away his tears and Loki gave him a fierce kiss.  Loki helped Mobius onto his hands and knees.

“Loki, do Infinity Stones randomly glow?  The pendant.”

“Not usually, I suspect it knows it’s destined for our daughter.  I think she’ll be here soon.”

“Yes,” he panted.  “Very soon.”

Loki noticed Mobius had shifted so his head was downwards in the presenting position.  According to the books Mrs. Nathair had given them, omegas often moved into that position when they were about to deliver.

“I think we may find out soon, love,” Loki said and knelt behind him.

Mobius cried out loudly as he began to climax and push.

Five minutes later, their daughter was pushed into Loki’s hands and loudly declared her displeasure to her fathers.  As Loki was struggling to decide between cleaning the baby and Mobius, Mrs. Nathair called out, looking for them.

Soon Mobius was comfortably situated with their daughter in his arms.  Mrs. Nathair hovered near but gave them space.  Loki had confided in her that the Jörmungandr would need to ascend after the baby arrived.

Mobius was exhausted and Loki kissed him and their daughter on their foreheads.  After a few minutes, both were asleep.

Epilogue

People claim drowning is a peaceful death.

Loki disagreed.  He was drowning.  And it was horrible.

But it was worth it if he could keep Mobius and Cosima safe.

A bittersweet smile pulled at his lips as he looked at them a final time.  Then he turned and stretched out his hand.  The Time Stone in his wedding ring started to glow.  A portal opened with a hint of his magic tinging it green.

Loki drew a ragged breath and walked through.