#protective loki

"Alright, I will," Loki said. He would have smirked at the opportunity that he had been handed on a sliver platter, but all he could do was glare at this hunter with intent.

When he chose there was complete silence from everyone.

"...Now you're just punishing me," the hunter said.

"You're right. I am. However, you only have yourself to blame for it. You practically asked me to," Loki replied, with just as much quiet anger.

A quiet anger that seemed to baffle everyone.

Loki knows what it is to have someone blow past all of your boundaries, ignore your bodily autonomy, and not give the slightest care for your consent. So, he would never do that to another person.

His pranks might be annoying, perhaps sometimes even mean-spirited depending, but never do they stray into that kind of territory.

So, even though you two are not and have never been an item and while friendly are not exactly friends, when Loki sees run out of your bedroom half naked and with wide eyes and panicked breathing, his immediate reaction is to go and make sure you're alright. And find out if there's anyone he needs to murder.

And as it turns out, there is. You brought a date home that doesn't know how to take no for an answer and narrowly escaped your own bedroom.

There are bruises in the form of a man's handprints where he had grabbed you, tried to control you and hold you down.

Loki doesn't spare a glance for your bare breasts, nor does he let his eyes roam down further to the only piece of clothing you're wearing; your panties, half torn. He does take off his cloak and wrap it around you, though, and instructs you to go to his bedroom and lock the door.

You were not an Avenger. You were not here because of physical strength or prowess. You are here because you're Tony's Stark's PA. Fighting off bad guys was not your job. But it was currently Loki's job.

Loki opens your bedroom door and slips inside, shutting and locking it behind him.

Your "date" had clearly thought you were returning, and Loki relishes the shock and fear that crosses his face as he registers that it was not a petite 5-foot 2-inch woman who entered the room but a 6-foot-4 vengeful god.

Loki absolutely hated Mobius's boyfriend. It wasn't really personal, so to speak, it was just that Loki was going to hate anyone Mobius dated.

For one, and the biggest reason: His boyfriend was not Loki.

For another, nobody was going to be good enough for Mobius in Loki's eyes. Not even Loki himself!

And for a third, he couldn't put his finger on it but this man just rubbed him the wrong way.

At first Loki had thought that it was because he was jealous. Which he definitely was. But no...no, that wasn't the reason. He would have disliked this man even if he'd never shown the slightest bit of interest in Mobius or vice versa.

Finally, though, he found out in a rather shocking way just why he disliked this man so much as he overheard him talking about Mobius in a rather derogatory way. This man was just having fun. He was just using Mobius.

And oh. Oh no, that could not stand. Mobius was quite serious about this lover and Loki knew for a fact Mobius had developed real feelings for this cad at this point. This was going to devastate Mobius, and Loki felt real and true hate find its way into his heart for this creature who thought he could treat Mobius like a plaything.

This man may not have realized it, but he had just declared war. And Loki was a master strategist and a seasoned warrior. And this...this was his battleground. A war of wit, intrigue, deception, and mischief.

This cretin would pay. Loki would make certain of that. The mischief he was going to make over this would not be the simple, cute little pranks he tended to pull here so far. No, not at all.

He had gone and created the tree, stayed away for as long as he did, to give Mobius a chance at a real life and true choice. And he comes back hundreds of years later only to find that someone had been using Mobius this whole time? Playing with his emotions? And was still at it, dared to continue right under Loki's nose?

Did he think Loki wouldn't find out? Did he think Loki would do nothing about it when he did find out?

Loki loves it. He thinks Mobius is so cute with his special interests and he can happily sit there watching him go off on happy, excited tangents about his special interests, asks him questions, listens to his every word. Makes suggestions (like when he asked if Mobius had ever ridden on a jet ski and if he'd like to, because it might be fun). All the while sitting there staring at Mobius with this absolutely smitten look on his face.

Loki sitting there watching Mobius eat his key lime pie and talk about jet skis endlessly, one elbow on the table and his chin propped in his hand. Just being Super Obvious about his love for this sweet man.

What Loki does not love? Whenever someone tries to make Mobius feel bad or ashamed about his special interests and talking about them. He doesn't like when people pretend to be interested only to throw it in his face. He doesn't like when people have to ask if Mobius isn't sick of key lime pie after all this time.

That being said, Loki has no time for it if they're going to be rude to Mobius. An interest in Loki is no reason to pretend Mobius isn't there, to ignore his offer of a handshake, to act as if he hasn't spoken at all and refuse to answer the most basic of his questions.

Loki doesn't really tolerate disrespect toward Mobius very well, even if it means their job is a little more difficult because Loki stopped playing along with their flirtations and his silver tongue lost its shine.

He would never reward someone for treating Mobius like a nobody, like he was not even there, or saying rude things to him because he wasn't the one they were interested in.

But, why is he speaking at all? Surely, his colleagues here understand sign language? Then again, this seemed to be run in a way very reminiscent of Midgard so he had no idea. Perhaps Midgard didn't care for deaf people and didn't help to accommodate them?

Still, Loki made sure that when he spoke to Mobius he did so where Mobius could see him, could see his mouth and his facial expressions. He didn't exaggerate anything like a buffoon, but he made sure that Mobius could read his lips until he could figure out why Mobius wasn't using sign language. Was it on purpose? Was he ashamed of his deafness? Did he think he could keep Loki from realizing he was deaf?

Loki was sure he could use this to his advantage in some way, but for now he needed Mobius to be able to understand him if he wanted to get the answers to any of his questions and, hopefully, discover a way to escape this nightmare place.

However, as things progressed and days passed and they became familiar with each other, Loki learned that Mobius had simply stopped hoping that most people he met understood sign language or that anyone here would bother to learn it for him.

Loki was appalled. From then on he made it a point to only speak to Mobius using sign language, of which he knew many versions and he was familiar with Mobius's version.

He did keep closer eye on Mobius during field missions, though. If Mobius didn't know someone was coming up behind him then he couldn't defend himself. Loki would not let him get hurt.

Loki is curious but doesn't think whatever this is is that serious. Until he notices when the guy gets too close to Mobius, regardless of the circumstance, Mobius shrinks away. Flinches, if he thinks the man might touch him.

Loki's eyes become keen and sharp then. He begins putting himself between this guy and Mobius. He makes it look seamless and unintentional, but it is very intentional.

He wants to know what the story is now more than ever. Since Mobius won't tell him, he speaks to some of their friends. They also won't tell him because it's "Mobius's story to tell." They're right but it's no less infuriating.

That is, until Casey lets it slip. Nobody is totally sure what happened, but Mobius and that guy used to date and educated speculation is that one night during an argument he raped Mobius. Nothing was done because Mobius wouldn't confirm it or talk about it and his ex denied it. He couldn't be punished for something that couldn't be proven.

"Don't you think you're a little biased, Loki?"

Loki let out a humorless bark of a laugh. "You think I'd enable him if I thought for a moment that what you're saying is true? I would go to him immediately with my concerns because I would be worried sick for his mental health. I wouldn't come together in secret with a bunch of busybodies and talk about it behind his back. He isn't lying. He saw what he says he saw. I don't know how it's possible, but it happened."

"Fine. Maybe he really believes what he's saying, but that doesn't mean it's true."