Competition/Challenge Block
Written for/Stacked with: Monthly Challenges for All (Year 4)
MC4A: Fa Bingo (1B-Monster); Settings Bingo (5C-Workstation); AU Bingo (2C-Time Travel); Hunt (WD-Depression); Chimera (Protection); Fireworks (Keunaz); Link (Same Challenge Circle); Ship War (Fa Med 2 [Cat]); Ship Bingo (3A-Time Travel/Time Loop); Garden (Duties [Falling]); ICs (Short Jog (Y); The Real MC (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Criminal MC; LEO MC; Extraterrestrial MC x2 (Yx1); Neurodivergent (Y); Setting Sail (Y); Wibbly Wobbly (Y); Magical MC; Old Shoes (Y); Sliding Scale; Human Companion; BCs ([Primary] NC (Rock of Ages; Muck & Slime; Most Human Beans; Lyre Liar); ToS (Unwanted Advice; Spinning Plates; Middle Name); BAON (Nontraditional; Found Family); MLG (Seven Gates; Messing with Merlocks); AV (Bast's Blessings; Creature Feature; Vid Tangent); ER (Unicorn); Fence (Peddling Pots; Machismo); Star (Pocky Pockets; Pear-Shaped); O3 (Oath); SN (Intercept); T3 (Toad); Mea (Rampant; Ennui); War (Monomania; Sanctuary; Ennui); Demo 1 (Where Angels Fear); Demo 2 (Getting On; Hot Stuff) Demo 3 (Workstation)); (LL; NC; SIN; StL; ToS; BAON; MLG; AV; ER; Fence; Star; O3; FR; SN; T3; Mea; War)
Author's Note: This one was a bit longer than a drabble. Whoops! But I wanted to get episode 1 out of the way so I can move on to more entertaining cat and Loki mischief. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to abuse the name confusion thing I had planned the second I named the cat Mobie. lol! Anyway, enjoy my weird crack flash fic.
Word Count: 1,373
Comfort a Cat
Loki reappeared in the film room after his brief field trip around the TVA with the use of the time collar and twister, Tesseract now in hand. Mobie chirped at him from the table, tilting her head as she blinked down at Loki on the floor. She stretched out a paw toward him when he got up, pressing the time twister's center to remove the collar before disposing of them onto the table beside her. He gave her a pat on the head shortly after.
"Sorry I couldn't take you," he muttered. "It isn't a very comfortable experience, to say the least."
Taking a seat at the theater controls, Mobie sprung up to occupy his lap almost immediately, seemingly to have forgiven him abandoning her. She purred loudly, soft kneading his thighs where she sat. He found her politeness of not using claws nice, and also a tad strange, but dismissed it. Hitting the play button on the contraption, he watched what his life would've been like had he not stepped off the path. It was terrifying to see it all laid in front of him like this.
Past. Present. Future.
Mobie gently head bonked his chin, purring quietly against him, grounding him from the wave of emotions he rode through in such a short time. Loki placed a hand on her back, giving her a hug as he stood, collecting her in his arms as he stared at the screen in disbelief, shock… realization of his fate with the Mad Titan.
Of course he couldn't escape him… that was his promise.
Mobie licked his jaw before nudging him with the side of her face, having Loki try and blink away the tears and reestablish his present. He gave her a kiss on her head, stroking the side of her neck. She went stiff then, hissing over his shoulder as she squirmed out of his hold and onto his shoulder.
"Found you, Variant," a voice said, followed by heavy footsteps.
Mobie jumped from Loki's shoulder, he turned to face the person seconds after to see the Hunter from before advancing on him. Mobie was crouched on the ground under the table, ears flat and gaze intense as she growled threateningly at the woman. Loki met her a few paces in and was reminded that his natural strength was severely hindered despite the lack of the device around his neck. The Hunter had him easily pinned after thwarting his attack, but Mobie swatted at the Hunters armored shins with her claws while spit hissing in warning.
"What the—"
The contact with her claws and the armor was quick, but it was enough to get the woman off Loki and have her step back in shock, watching as the armor started to melt from the scratch. Loki grabbed the time collar and twister from the table and quickly got it around the woman, promptly sending her out of the room with it. Releasing a heavy breath, Loki chuckled at the outcome before promptly letting out a very heavy, defeated sigh. He went and sat on the floor against the wall, Mobie trotting eagerly to him, purring once she got there. Loki pulled the Tesseract from his pocket and held it in hand, idly giving Mobie a pat on the head as he examined the cube.
"Thank you for the help. I appreciate you keeping your claws in while around me after all," he said to her with a smirk. "They're quite lethal."
The soft chirp from Mobie and her light flit of her tongue on his cheek had Loki realize he was—is—crying again. He wiped his face with the back of his hand before pulling the feline onto his lap and burying his face in her fur to hide. Mobie only purred louder, leaning into him. Her purr morphed into a low growl alerted Loki that someone had entered, but he didn't look up or release Mobie to see who it was.
"Loki," Mobius' voice said softly.
Loki took in a shaken breath, gripping Mobie a little tighter as he tried to collect himself.
"I don't enjoy hurting people…" he uttered, finally answering Mobius' question from earlier.
He felt himself trembling again as he spoke, unable to face the agent as he confessed his weakness, his shame, while still clinging to Mobie like she was the only thing left to keep him together. Quiet movement was heard that followed with something being sat down. Mobie continued to quietly hum a purr, letting out a threatening growl every so often that indicated the man was approaching them. Only when Loki lightly stroked the cats back did she stop her menacing sound, returning to a soft, consistent and comforting purr.
"You alright?"
"I've been better," Loki said, voice wavering and heavy.
"You watched the footage."
It wasn't a question, and Loki had no desire to move away from the comfort of Mobie. Mobius sat down next to him, he could feel his presence and the tension that rippled through Mobie. Loki reassured her with another gentle pet. Silence lingered between them, and Loki finally pulled away from her and looked at Mobius.
"What now?" Loki asked. "I'm sure there's no way I can return home, can I?"
"No," Mobius replied, slowly reaching a hand out for Mobie to sniff.
Loki's shoulders slumped some at the answer, observing the cat take a hesitant look at the man's hand. She seemed curious but cautious, taking in his scent before grazing her cheek against his digits.
"At least, I can't grant you that, anyway. Not my department," Mobius continued, giving Mobie a little scratch on her cheek. "But I know who might. Yet, in order to get there, I'll need your help with something first."
Loki watched the agent carefully, observing his gentle interaction with Mobie and how she responded to him. He could feel her relaxing just a bit by how she held her weight in her front legs, not being as acute to pounce anymore. But the man had his attention, at least for now.
"You mean the Time-Keepers?"
Mobius only gave a nod in reply. "Did you really name this feline Mobie? You weren't just messing with me?"
Loki smirked at the question, eyes glinting when they met the agent's. "I haven't decided that yet."
Mobie gave a delicate meow when Mobius pulled his hand away and got to his feet. Loki could hear a quiet chuckle escape him in the process. Turning to face Loki, he held out a hand to him again. Mobie hopped off Loki's lap, busying herself with the Tesseract's edges to rub against while Loki contemplated his next move.
He accepted the hand again after a moment, getting up off the floor. Mobius didn't let go of his wrist, however, instead he leaned in slightly.
"Are you sure you're alright? It was a lot to take in…" he jerked his head toward the projector as he spoke, voice soft and filled with concern. "I can take you somewhere more comfortable to recoup in, if you want… the cat can come, too…"
"I—"
As Loki tried to reply, they both were distracted by a very strange sound. Loki could swear he saw a tentacle coming out of Mobie's mouth again, but blinked in shock at the sight and it disappeared. The Tesseract was gone, and Mobie looked up at them innocently, licking her chops as if she had eaten the cube. Loki raised a brow at this, and Mobius bit his bottom lip.
"Well, that might be a problem," Mobius muttered. "You didn't say it was a flerken. And now she ate the evidence."
"I don't know what that is," Loki said bluntly, kneeling down to pick up the cat who now rubbed against his legs, purring loudly. "We will accept your hospitality."
"Great," Mobius said, tucking his hands in his pockets.
"As for helping you, and if your assurance on meeting the Time-Keepers is true," Loki said, approaching Mobius slowly while petting Mobie, sliding his gaze over the agent, sizing him up. "I'll need far more details on what you say you need assistance with."
Mobius only smiled at him in return, holding up his hand for Mobie to happily rub against.