When Ayshi returns to the hovel, they find Loki and Cyd sitting behind the shack outside, leaning on the outer wall, whispering to one another. Ayshi doesn't interrupt them. They walk to the corner and sit in the chair they placed there earlier.
"Loki? Are you and our reptile sibling alright?"
"I don't know. Is Thor going to try to kill us?"
"I don't think so. But I left before they'd mentioned you. Thor is sitting down with Miriam, Iris, Hunter, and Mobius. They aren't letting him come near until they've had more time with him."
"I don't want to leave," he says, "But I want to disappear. At least if we were out there, he wouldn't find us."
Ayshi sighs, "I know. But please stay. I'd miss you if you left."
The curtain disappears and the younger Loki stares up at Ayshi, his knees tucked to his chest, arms wrapped around them, "That's why I don't want to. I don't want it to be just him and me again. I mean, we know how to survive, but...it's lonely. It was different when we had the other two Lokis, but...we don't anymore. And we can't trust the others."
"None of us want you to feel unsafe. I know everyone would understand if you had to leave. But...I know all of us will do everything we can to make sure nothing bad happens to you," Ayshi says, offering their hand to Loki.
He accepts their hand and squeezes it, "Yeah. Thanks."
Alligator Loki makes a low grumble and Ayshi nods at him, "I want to make sure you feel safe, too." Ayshi moves the chair aside and sits beside their friends, one hand on the alligator's back, the other still held by their young friend. They sit in silence while the others talk outside.
Loki and Cyd lean against one another, their fingers woven as they hold hands. They rest quietly together for a while, unsure of who should speak first or what they should say. Cyd tries to take a few steadying breaths and fails. Tears trickle down his cheeks. Loki slips one of his hands from Cyd's and draws him close.
"I really did want to just tell you the first time, not everybody else," Cyd says. "I even rehearsed what I was going to say and everything."
"Would you like to say it now?" Loki asks.
Cyd shakes his head, "It wouldn't sound right. It wouldn't be the same."
Loki sighs, "Cyd...this isn't about it being the same. It's about all the thoughts and feelings you put into those words still being something you're able to share."
"Then maybe."
"How did you envision us sitting when you were ready to talk?"
"Kinda like this," Cyd says, "Cuddled up. I thought maybe we could do it while we're alone keeping watch. I mean, it might distract us from actually watching, much, but..."
Loki shifts how they're sitting so Cyd is in front of him, leaning back against his chest; he gently nuzzles Cyd's cheek, "And now that we're here...what next?"
Cyd smiles, "Well...I thought maybe I'd ask you if we could talk about something important. Something that meant something big."
"Of course, my friend," Loki says, easily slipping into the moment, "What's on your heart?"
"You," Cyd replies, "You're on my heart. More than I thought I'd ever really understand. I've watched lives on archive reels for years. I never really had one of my own, at least not until you broke the patterns we were all stuck in and made the outside world feel like more than a movie. You weren't just a story when I brought you supper that first night."
"I was so grateful for your words. My mother..."
Cyd nods, "I know. I just...couldn't let that be where they left you. It wasn't right. And then you let us all just talk to you so late at night and I felt like maybe the world of the TVA wasn't all there is. And now that we're out here..." Cyd's voice trails off, "Well, I feel like everything's changed. A part of that's just not being there. Another part of that's me- I've changed. A lot. And a part of it...is you." Cyd twists a little to look at Loki over his shoulder, "Loki, I didn't know what to call it when I first started feeling like you were someone special to me in a way that was different than my other friends. But thinking about it, thinking about all I've seen in the archives, all the stories I've seen play out...I'm pretty sure I know what this is." He hesitates, shifting a little so he can more comfortably face his partner, resting one hand on Loki's chest.
"Yes, Cyd?" Loki asks softly.
"I love you, Loki," Cyd replies, "And I feel more sure of that each day."
Loki smiles and softly laughs, joyful, as a few tears sneak down his cheeks, "I love you, too, Cyd."
Cyd giggles and wraps his arms around Loki, squeezing him tight, "I can't believe this is real, you know? I mean...we're in a place where time just doesn't exist and yet here we are, falling for each other."
"Given the number of unusual things I've experienced since I last set foot in Asgard, the idea of existing outside of time is decidedly less odd to me than finding someone who knows who and what I am who loves me none-the-less," Loki replies.
Cyd nods, "The whole time thing just doesn't really make sense to me...I mean, we're experiencing it, but...I don't get it. But I guess I don't have to, do I? It's just another question. I seem to have a lot of those for myself lately."
"I understand."
"What kinds of questions do you ask yourself?"
Loki sighs, "Well, not to mar the moment, but..."
"Oh? What's got you worried?"
"Even though I know for certain what I feel," Loki replies, "I doubt the truth of it constantly. Not the truth of you, please don't think I'm saying that. But...is it all going to go horribly wrong? Will the strength of it fail? Will it stand up to whenever we reenter time?"
Cyd smiles, "I guess we'll find out, won't we?" Loki nods. Cyd continues, "You're wondering about Sylvie, too. And that's alright, too, so don't think you can't. But I you've got a lot of questions around her and you don't know if you even want to know the answers, right?" Again, Loki nods. "We'll figure it out as we go."
"I sometimes wonder if the reason I hurt so deeply is because I love too quickly," Loki says, "I found myself at such a deep peace with Sylvie so quickly. I don't think this is the same kind of love, but...it was a kind of love, and I grew into it in such a short time. I've asked myself if there's something wrong with how I am, if I need to force myself to stop and think and rationalize things away until I take more time, just to make sure I can trust myself."
"If you don't trust yourself, you can always trust me instead," Cyd says.
Loki sighs, content, "I do trust you." He pauses, then gently pushes Cyd back so he can rest his palm on Cyd's cheek, "And everything about you is absolutely beautiful, my friend. May I...may I kiss you?"
Beaming, Cyd nods. Loki brings his lips to Cyd's cautiously, hesitating before they meet.
Cyd waits, then softly whispers, "Please." Loki closes the distance and gently kisses Cyd, drawing back after a brief moment. But Cyd isn't ready for the moment to end and moves in, returning the kiss, letting it linger, and inviting Loki to continue.
Loki shakes his head and plants a soft kiss on Cyd's cheek, "No farther. Not yet."
"That was wonderful," Cyd says, "And I think I'm going to be daydreaming about it for a while." He snuggles down and rests his head against Loki's chest, "Thank you."
"I feel as though I should be thanking you for so much more than you would have cause to be grateful to me for," Loki says as he wraps his arms around Cyd.
Before Cyd can reply, they hear soft footsteps approaching; someone knocks on the wall around the corner, "Excuse me- can I come back?"
Loki nods and Cyd replies, "Yes."
Miriam steps into view, "May I sit and talk a few minutes?"
"Of course," Loki says.
"No, not of course. You two need time alone, just as any other couple does. You don't need to be always interrupted or for us to presume we're welcome."
He smiles, "I'm grateful for such a kindness, but please, sit."
Miriam does, "Thank you. I thought you should know a little of what happened after you left."
Cyd sighs from where he rests, eyes closed, listening to Loki's heartbeat, "Do I have to kill god, Tam?"
Miriam shakes her head, "No. And I don't think you'll have to. But right now...it is a day for bravery, so I'm using my other name."
Loki nods, "I still think it's beautiful that you switch as you do."
"Judith changed everything," Miriam says, "And this makes sense for me, having a foot in both worlds."
"So...what did Thor say?" Cyd asks.
"We told him about our story together- not everything, but enough of how we came to know you," she says, turning to Loki, "and what we know of you painted a picture of you being a very different person than the Loki he knew after New York and even as he knew you farther along in the timeline." Miriam pauses, "He saw you die, Loki. This Thor was there when Thanos killed you."
Loki sighs, "Ah. So he saw all of the awful things I would go on to be."
"Whatever the Loki he knew, it wasn't the person you are now. He seems to understand that. Mobius and Hunter are talking to him now." Miriam reaches for his hand and he accepts hers, "I can't tell you everything is going to be fine, but I can tell you that I think we can work through this. I don't think he's going to hurt you."
"How can we know for certain?" Loki asks.
"I'm not sure," she answers, "But we can start by taking lunch together. Iris has started getting things around and is talking to Ayshi. The other Loki is scared, too."
"Perhaps that's one of the things that makes a Loki," he replies, "We both love and fear our brother in equal measure."
Miriam squeezes his hand, "I think you love him more than you fear him. Otherwise I wouldn't have heard the longing in your voice the times you've talked about your life and adventures together."
"Maybe."
"I need to go work on lunch," Miriam says, standing, "So you two take care of each other. I'll let you know when it's time to eat." She leaves.
Cyd sits up and stretches, "If I stay resting like that, I'm going to fall asleep."
"Please do," Loki answers, "You kept watch. It's your turn to rest."
"Nah, lunch is coming soon. You want to go talk to the others?" Loki shakes his head, "You mind if I do?" Loki shakes his head again.
Cyd gets up, "Well, I'm going to check on Ayshi and see if they need a hand with anything. You...just be careful, OK?"
Loki nods and stretches out on the grass, draping his arm over his eyes, "I might take a nap."
"I'll wake you up for lunch." Cyd starts walking away, then, grins, skips back over, drops to his knees, and bends low to kiss Loki lightly on the lips; he giggles, "I love you, Loki. And it's amazing to hear myself say that." He bounds up and waves to Loki before rounding the corner of the hovel, a spring in his step.
As he drifts off to sleep, Loki can't stop smiling.