Jogging The Memory

Summary: Loki doesn’t like to be forgotten.
Warning(s): Spanking; D/s; non-sexual M/m; slight age-play; fluffiness; Spoilers for Loki; AU

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Loki didn't know what to do. When everything had come to a head and they had found the one in charge and responsible for kidnapping and destroying or erasing memories of entire dimensions, Loki had hoped to find some other way to fix things that didn't involve releasing unfettered chaos. He'd been thrown out of the 'throne room' and knew he'd failed when he looked out a window. Sylvie had killed her tormentor and the TVA had changed.

Mobius didn't know him.

Mobius, assuming him to be an agent, had given him an assignment. Loki didn't have a clue what to do.

***

Mobius couldn't quite shake the feeling that something wasn't right. He'd been feeling like that for a while, and it had only become worse when the agent he hadn't met...at least didn't think he'd met before...had shown up.

Returning from his latest mission and resetting the newest variant, Mobius went to his office and began pacing up and down. Finally, he thought that maybe going on a new mission with the other agent, with Loki, would help settle him. It would give him a chance to maybe put those thoughts and emotions to rest.

Or, if that wasn't possible, maybe he could figure out what felt so wrong.

Heading to the agent's room, Mobius stood outside and knocked.

Loki threw open the door and peered out uncertainly. "Was I meant to leave on that mission immediately?" he asked and feigned a yawn. Truth was, he was afraid to leave the TVA for fear he'd find even more changed in ways he didn't like. Loki liked foes he had a chance of outwitting and triumphing over. Time was not a foe he could best.

"No," Mobius replied. "But I have a mission I could use your help on. Do you need time to get dressed?"

"I... only need a few moments. Please. Come in..." Loki stepped back from the door to allow Mobius entry, then went to change his clothing.

Mobius stepped inside, glancing around the room. "You don't seem to have much in the way of personal items here."

"I haven't really had time to gather any," Loki said in a vague manner. He wasn't about to admit he was a variant. Somehow, Mobius was unaware of that fact; and given how he didn't know what was going to happen now, Loki wanted to keep it that way.

"Well. There's nothing to stop you gathering some if you want on our mission now," Mobius commented.

"True enough," Loki said, as he finished changing and moved back to stand next to Mobius.

Mobius opened a portal and motioned for Loki to follow him through as he stepped into it.

Taking a steadying breath, Loki followed.

As soon as they stepped through the portal, there was an explosion of sound. Guns firing and bullets and magic flying through the air, standing out starkly against the near pitch black of a night sky.

"Stay close to me!" Mobius had to yell to be heard over the sounds of people fighting ahead of them.

Loki glanced around in surprise. "What's the mission? Where are we?" he asked, as he quickly followed close to Mobius.

"A variant's responsible for this war," Mobius replied, carefully picking his way between soldiers. "This shouldn't have happened. We don't stop him, the repercussions could be immense."

"So... uh... the war shouldn't be happening at all? Or just should be happening differently? And how are we handling it?" Loki asked cautiously. Had he and Sophie worked to find 'He Who Remains' and stop him, only to end up with a different, worse version of a 'Who Remains' with just as horrible responses to Variants? Or were responses to Variants not as horrible, but the wars caused because of there being more dimensions causing worse versions of Variants, or... this wasn't exactly the disaster he'd expected to occur after Sophie killed 'He Who Remains'. He'd been led to believe that all the versions of that man would clash in Dimension-wide wars.... and if that was what was occurring, then why was the TVA still hunting Variants at all? Loki was reluctant to do anything before fully understanding the situation but was this situation even understandable?!

"This war and many others shouldn't be occurring at all," Mobius answered. "When we first met, the breaks in the timeline were increasing, but there doesn't seem to be any reason why." He shook his head, muttering, "It's as if someone's deliberately causing as much chaos as possible."

"When we first met?" Loki's gaze shot to Mobius' face, examining him closely. Had the other man suddenly remembered 'before'? Or had things drastically changed again in the short evening between Loki going to 'his quarters' after discovering everything changed and Mobius retrieving him for this mission?

"Yeah. Before, when I...." Mobius frowned, a confused look coming over his face, before he shook his head. "I mean, when you told me things were going on. That was the first time we met, wasn't it?" There was a very faint trace of uncertainty in his voice.

Loki wasn't sure how to respond. It was highly probable that this Mobius was not the one who had believed in him and made him family. It was highly probable that they hadn't met before. Still....

"It feels as though we have met... as though we were close," he finally said. "But I don't actually know."

"Yes." Mobius was frowning. "It feels like there's something...just on the edge of my mind. If I could only grasp it...."

A gun went off close to them and Mobius moved quickly, grabbing Loki's arm, and ducking down.

Loki ducked, glancing around. "So... how are we meant to fix this?" he asked. He could think of numerous ways to stop this battle, but if he understood correctly, it was a whole war that shouldn't be happening. Although... now that there were numerous dimensions, it seemed presumptuous to just assume that this war shouldn't be taking place at all, anywhere.

"We need to find the variant. The commander," Mobius replied, scanning the battlefield as he spoke. "There. He's wearing red."

"So... variants are still being pruned?" Loki asked uncertainly. Had everything they'd gone through been for nothing?

"They have to be stopped," Mobius replied.

".... How?!" Loki said, with no little frustration. He was attempting to not rock whatever proverbial boat he'd somehow landed in, but Mobius wasn't making it easy at all. Instead of clear directions Loki could easily follow to avoid suspicion, he kept repeating himself in various ways without answering Loki's question about what they needed to do. Throwing up his hands in frustration, Loki grumbled, "You know what? Never mind. I'll figure it out on my own..." before using his magic to make himself look like one of the numerous soldiers and quickly disappearing into the masses.

That sense of wrong, that feeling that there was something he was missing, grew stronger and all-encompassing, until whatever wall, whatever block, had been inside Mobius' mind shattered. That was the only word for it, as the memories rushed in.

It took only a few seconds, but those few seconds were enough for his concentration to break. By the time his mind cleared, Mobius found himself staring into the barrel of a gun, held by a soldier with a shaky grip.

Carefully rising to his knees, Mobius spread his hands apart and said, quietly, "You don't want to do this."

Loki didn't notice the danger Mobius was in. After all, Mobius had been hidden when he took off and the older man was highly capable of taking care of himself. Loki was completely focused on reaching the man who appeared to be in charge, though he was loath to 'prune' him. After being 'pruned' himself, he had sympathy for anyone deemed 'variant'. What right did these people have to decide who got to exist or not? Was it the version of He Who Remains that he and Sophie had been warned about doing this? Maybe he should find him for pruning.

Mobius persuaded the shaking soldier to put his gun down and leave the battlefield, only pausing long enough to make sure the young man found a safe path. Then, he quickly took off in the same direction as the soldier who had been Loki, confident he could pick out his adopted son's new form.

When Loki reached the one commanding the troops in this attack, he knew what he had to do. He put his nickname, Loki Lie Smith- Loki Silver Tongue- to the test. Siding up to the commander, keeping himself cloaked from all others, he suggested, "So many innocents are dying... for what? It would be better to convince them to join without killing, not waste so many resources..." He continued whispering in the same way for several moments, until suddenly....

"Retreat!" the commander called out. His soldiers looked at him in confusion- they appeared to be winning, after all- but they quickly obeyed orders.

While Mobius hadn't been able to see Loki, he quickly realized that the soldiers were retreating for a reason. Choosing not to rely on his sight, he instead concentrated on his hearing...using that to figure out Loki's location.

Clasping the still-cloaked Loki, Mobius spoke in a low voice. "We need to get out of here, son."

Loki darted a startled look toward Mobius. "You remember?" He immediately moved to go with Mobius.

Instead of verbally responding, Mobius quickly led Loki back to where they'd initially opened the portal. But instead of opening one to the TVA, he opened one to a deserted, abandoned building and led Loki inside. As soon as the portal closed, he turned Loki to face him and clasped his upper arms. "What happened?"

"We made it to the end of time... found He That Remains..." Loki began explaining what had occurred. What had been said. What he had been told. "She threw me back through a portal and I ended up back at the TVA... but everything had changed. And when I went to find you. You didn't remember me..." he finally finished, in a small, slightly hurt, slightly scared voice.

Mobius wrapped his arms around Loki in a tight hug. "I remember you now," he said softly. "Even before, I knew something wasn't right. But," he pulled back enough to look into Loki's eyes, "that wasn't an excuse to disappear like you did."

Loki winced, but didn't look away. "Figured I needed to stop him... and if you didn't remember enough to care, then it wouldn't matter..." he reluctantly admitted.

"That's where you're wrong, little boy," Mobius said firmly. "Even without my memories, I would have cared. But I do remember. And now it's time for me to deal with my naughty little boy." He stroked a hand down Loki's back, cuddling his son for a few more moments, before he said, "Now, you're going to remove your clothes and bend over my knee." He took a step back, sat and waited.

Loki swallowed and shook his head unhappily, even as he began to toe off his shoes... 'saying' no but obeying anyway. "...A... all of them?" His voice was small.

"All of them, son," Mobius confirmed.

Swallowing hard, Loki began to strip. Soon, his clothes were in a neatly folded stack on top of his shoes, and he was completely naked, vulnerable, in front of his father-figure. "I... I thought I'd lost you. The you that cared about me. That I would have to find my place in a new world all over again...."

Mobius held his hand out to Loki, speaking softly. "You haven't lost me. I care about you. As my son. I love you. We'll navigate this new reality together," he promised.

Blinking back tears, Loki took Mobius' hand. He couldn't say he wanted to be spanked, but the fact he still had the older man able and willing to take him in hand was worth what he knew would be painful.

Mobius gently positioned Loki across his lap, making sure his son's position was secured. He rubbed Loki's back for a few moments before bringing his hand down in a firm swat that he then repeated.

Loki didn't even attempt to control his emotions. From the first swat, he began squirming, crying out with each smack. Tears quickly followed, though they were more from releasing the stress and fear that Mobius had been lost to him, than from pain.

"I know, son." Mobius' voice was gentle, even as he continued swatting at the same force and speed. "I know you were lost and alone. You're not now, little boy. I have you."

"...Not... not alone? You got me?" Loki was beyond caring that he sounded like the little boy Mobius kept calling him. "...Sorry, daddy... sorry was naughty!"

"I've got you," Mobius promised. "You won't be alone anymore. And after this spanking is over, you won't be naughty anymore. You'll be my good little boy."

Loki quivered at the words, continuing to squirm and cry, but the crying held a relieved tone that it hadn't had before. He believed Mobius.

By this point, Mobius had completed a full two circuits of swats. Now, he started a third one, swatting a fraction harder and faster. His other hand gently rubbed down Loki's back.

Loki let out a soft sob as the third circuit began. He'd been crying before, but this was different. This... was acceptance. Mobius had him again and he was his little boy; naughty or good, it didn't matter. He belonged again. He let out another soft sob before going limp over his father-figure's lap. His bottom was hot and stinging by this point, but he didn't care. He belonged again.

Mobius finished the third circuit of swats and then paused, resting his hand on his son's reddened backside, gently rubbing. "I love you, son. I won't let you run from me. No matter what the reason is."

"Thank you," Loki whispered, in a tiny, tear-choked voice.

Rubbing a bit more, Mobius asked, his voice calm and gentle, "Do you think this is enough for my expectations to stick?"

Loki sniffled. "Yessir..." he whispered softly. "Belong to you. Won't do naughty things again. Not deliberately..." he added.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it." Mobius gathered Loki into his arms, cuddling his son tightly.

Loki let out a tiny mewling sound as his bottom contacted Mobius' thighs, but burrowed close, snuggling. He'd deserved the spanking. He wouldn't complain about it.

Mobius hugged Loki tightly, rubbing his hair and down his back. "I've got you, son," he murmured.

"I thought you were gone..." Loki sniffled, swallowing hard and burrowing closer still.

"I'm not. Not anymore." Mobius kissed the side of his head and tightened his embrace.

"I was so confused..." Loki admitted, in a tone of voice that indicated how much he hated that. He sounded like a pouting child.

"I knew there was something I was missing. That things weren't quite right," Mobius said. "That's why I came to get you."

Loki sniffed. "Is there a way to tell if this is the only dimension? Since you were still going around pruning 'variants', are we in the same boat as before, just with a worst master?"

"If there are other dimensions, it's been kept from the TVA," Mobius answered. "I suspect there must be, but it's going to be hard to figure things out with just the two of us. Do you know where Sylvie might have gone?"

"No... For all I know, she got stuck at the end of time..." Loki said despondently.

"We need to find allies," Mobius said. "Like Hunter B-15."

Loki nodded, even as he snuggled closer again. "Does Hunter B-15 have a name?"

"Only a designation in the TVA," Mobius answered. "Of course, she would have had her own name where she was originally from."

"She forgot it again?" Loki asked sadly.

"Just like me," Mobius said. "Which means there will be a way to help her remember again."

"We just need to find it," Loki acknowledged.

"And we'll have to do so carefully," Mobius said. "That's why I brought us here, instead of directly back to the TVA headquarters."

Loki pulled back enough to glance around. "Where is here, Daddy?" he asked.

"It's a safe place, off the TVA's radar," Mobius answered. "I found it shortly before everything changed. We might be able to use it as a base."

Loki visibly relaxed at that. "You thought of everything...."

"Apart from losing my memories of you," Mobius said. "Losing the memories of my son."

Loki pressed close again, holding tight. He thought he'd become immune to losing family... had learned how to let go and not be hurt by it... but he'd been fooling himself. Now, he could admit, "I thought I was alone again. It scared me."

"I understand. And I'm sorry you went through that," Mobius said seriously. "I will do everything in my power to make sure you will never be alone again."

"I know you will... sometimes things can't be helped, though. I have to handle it better..." Loki admitted.

"We can certainly come up with contingency plans," Mobius commented. "Somewhere or someone to go to if something happens again."

"If... if I hadn't messed things up so badly with him... with them... I could have tried to go to my family. If the TVA didn't stop me." Loki sighed. "At least they’re easy to find "

"We might be able to reach out to them," Mobius said. "In the future, you were able to repair things with your family. We'd have to be careful about doing so, to keep under the radar of the TVA, but I believe it could be possible."

"Would it be worth trying to make a connection now?" Loki asked hesitantly.

"It's always worth making an effort," Mobius replied. "Do you want to try, son?"

"I don't know. I hadn't made amends with them when I was caught by you... they might remember the me that made up for my actions. But I'm not him. So maybe they wouldn't want me...." Loki said uncertainly.

"I don't think you give them enough credit," Mobius said. "Or yourself enough understanding. You've already started trying to do the right thing."

Loki bit his lip and looked up at Mobius hopefully. "Do you think they'd want me to make contact?"

"I know I would want you to, if it were me," Mobius stated. "No matter what you'd done."

"Which time would it be better to go to them? Before mother and father died, there was still tension. Thor and I did not return to closeness until just before I died...." Loki frowned.

"Who do you want to see the most?" Mobius asked.

"I couldn't change what happens to them, can I?" Loki asked quietly.

"I would have said no before," Mobius replied. "But I know different now. There's nothing to say you can't change things. That we can't change things."

"So... I could try to save my mother?" Loki looked hopeful.

"And I can help you," Mobius said. "We just have to fly under the radar. Perhaps get aid from Hunter B-15, if we can awaken her memories again."

"Thank you..." Loki whispered. "I... seeing her die because of my actions. Even if it wasn't intended...."

"We'll save her, son," Mobius promised.

Loki relaxed, snuggling close to Mobius. "Thank you."

Mobius kissed the side of his head. "We'll awaken Hunter B-15 and then we'll work on saving your mother."

"Okay, daddy..." Loki whispered, not in any hurry. They had all the time in the world, after all.

The End