On the short elevator ride up to Mobius's floor, Loki prepared himself for being asked to leave.
Mobius had buzzed him into the building and he thought he was ready for any possible scenario, but the truth was Sylvie could very much not want to see him. And although that would hurt, Loki knew in his heart that that evening was not about him and if Sylvie wanted him gone, he would go.
"Perfect timing," Mobius said in lieu of a greeting when he opened the door before Loki could even knock. "Sylvie's actually out of her room." Loki immediately looked around the living room when he walked in, but it wouldn't have made a difference. "She's in the bathroom." Mobius saw Loki had two grocery bags of ice cream containers of different sizes. "Why don't you put that in the freezer, Mr. Goodbar, and I'll let Sylvie know I'm headed out. Kitchen's to the right."
"Okay," Loki. "And thanks. For letting me come over."
Mobius nodded. "Well, don't thank me yet. I didn't tell her you were on your way." When Loki went to protest, Mobius waved him away. "It'll be fine… probably. Just get in the kitchen before all that melts, okay?"
Loki clenched his jaw, but went to the kitchen as instructed. What he thought was a friendly gesture now seemed like some sort of forced intervention and that was not his plan for the evening. He set his bags on the counter and opened the freezer. He hadn't considered the size difference between Mobius's freezer and his own and realized he bought far too much ice cream.
Mobius grabbed his keys from the ceramic bowl and jingled them in his hand, waiting for Sylvie to come out of the bathroom. When the door opened a few seconds later, Mobius called, "Hey Syl, I'm heading out for a bit."
Sylvie walked just far enough into the living room so she could see her uncle. She was wearing too-long gray sweatpants, fuzzy purple socks, and a rumpled green hoodie. Her eyes were red and puffy and her hair was mostly escaping from a silk scrunchie. "Have fun," she said monotonously.
"Have you eaten anything today?" Mobius asked, concerned. With a sigh, Sylvie shook her head. "Okay. Well, I left some dinner for you in the kitchen." Mobius looked at his wrist even though he wasn't wearing a watch. "I gotta go. But I, uh, left it on the counter, though, so if you're not going to eat it right away, can you put it in the fridge for me?" Sylvie nodded. "Thanks. I'll see you later, okay? I should only be a few hours." She nodded again. "Okay. Have a good night, Syl. I love you, okay? You're my favorite."
"Love you too," Sylvie said quietly.
Mobius smiled. "And remember: food on the counter."
"Got it," Sylvie said as she halfheartedly waved to her uncle as he smiled and closed the apartment's door behind him. The key turned in the lock, but Sylvie didn't move. She closed her eyes and sighed to herself only to gasp when she heard a rustling sound coming from the kitchen.
She grabbed a baseball bat Mobius kept near the closet door and raised it as she crept toward the kitchen, preparing to be met with a mouse or some other rodent.
"You," Sylvie said when she entered the kitchen and saw Loki pulling his head out from behind the freezer door, looking like a deer in the headlights. "What are you doing?"
Loki closed the freezer and tried to take a step back, but immediately bumped into the counter. "I was… um… I didn't know what brand was your favorite, so I kind of," he winced, "bought them all? And I realize that might have been a mistake."
His hands were balled into fists by his sides, but Sylvie could tell it wasn't from anger, but from fear. He looked like a mess compared to his usually composed self—wearing black track pants, black running shoes, and a thick maroon sweater that seemed as soft as the one he wore during their walk in Central Park. His hair was windswept and there were bags under his eyes. Loki looked as vulnerable as Sylvie felt and that was almost a relief to her. Not to say that she was glad Loki was a bit frazzled, but she thought it put them on slightly more even footing.
Sylvie leaned a bit to peak at the counter behind Loki and saw various pints and containers of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. If she hadn't already cried her eyes out that afternoon, she might have had burst into tears again. "Do you have Ben & Jerry's?"
Loki pulled the freezer open and grabbed one of the pints he had just put on the door. He shut the freezer and held it out for Sylvie. She gave a small half-smile as she crossed the kitchen and took the pint from his hand, hesitating for a moment when their fingers touched. "Thank you. Fit what you can in the freezer and put the rest in the fridge." Loki nodded and got to work while Sylvie put the bat down and grabbed two spoons from a drawer by the sink.
She sank down onto the couch in the living room and pulled her knees up to her chest, still holding the ice cream and spoons. The cold of the container was to remind her that she was, in fact, awake.
"I actually got it all in the freezer," Loki said as he walked into the living room and stood awkwardly near the opposite end of the couch that Sylvie was sitting on.
"Sit with me?" Sylvie asked. "Please?"
With a small smile, Loki sat on the couch, leaving a couple feet between him and Sylvie. She handed him one of the spoons and ripped the plastic off from the pint's lid before offering him the ice cream first.
"That's for you," Loki said quietly, not taking the container.
"I'm sharing," Sylvie replied. "The first spoonful is the best bite. It's a peace offering."
Loki nodded and took a small spoonful before handing the ice cream back to Sylvie. He waited until she took her own spoonful and then they ate their bites at the same time.
"I'm so sorry, Loki. For leaving you that night. For ignoring you. For everything," Sylvie said, her voice wavering more and more as her apology went on.
"Sylvie…" Loki said her name like a sigh. "I'm not here for an apology. I was worried about you. Worried for you. You walked away and then you disappeared."
Sylvie felt her body start to tremble from deep inside like the start of an earthquake. She felt like screaming and hiding at the same time. "It's just that… you can't betray me if I…" She tried to take a deep breath, but it was shaky. "If I don't let you in."
Loki sat up straight and froze. "Have I… Sylvie, have I hurt you—"
"—No," she said quickly. "You haven't."
"But you think I will?" Loki was confused.
"Maybe? I don't know," Sylvie whispered. "Loki, I…" She put the ice cream container on a coaster on Mobius's coffee table. "I feel so lost."
Loki frowned. "Just say the word, and I'll leave. But if you want me to stay, I will. I'd like to be here for you."
"My brain is telling me to tell you to go. But I really want you to stay." Sylvie took a deep breath through her nose and let out a shaky exhale. "I don't have anyone. I mean, besides Mobius. He's kind of stuck with me," Sylvie said with a sad laugh. "I don't want you to feel like you are stuck with me too just because Mobius made us hang out for your sessions with him."
Loki was quick to shake his head. "Those are done now, Sylvie. I only met up with Mobius yesterday because I hadn't heard from you and needed to know you were all right. I…" His words trailed off and Sylvie waited for him to finish his thought, but he didn't.
"What?"
He hummed nervously. "This is new for me… um…"
"What?"
