Historic Aspect
You had no idea how much time had passed since it technically didn't but you noticed that you were adjusting to life with the TVA. Mobius was a patient mentor for all things Sacred Timeline related and Loki was an agreeable coworker and even friend. Miss Minutes was always there when you found yourself in an unfamiliar hallway and you could count on Hunter B-15 to have a story ready when you met up with her. Apart from politely greeting her in the hallway you didn't have much to do with Judge Renslayer but you knew from Mobius that she was pleased with your integration into the agency.
You often thought back to your old life and the anger at being pulled out against your will slowly faded into acceptance and then even gratitude. Your days were filled with research and you even got to have a go with a Time Twister with Mobius graciously volunteering as the recipient. Even though you had started accepting this new reality most days still felt like you were stuck in a strange dream and it was as if you were watching your body from the outside.
"I've got it," Loki exclaimed and you looked up from your current case file to give him your undivided attention. You raised an eyebrow at him and he scooted closer and started gesticulating wildly as he explained his ingenious idea. "The Variant is hiding in the moments right before catastrophic events along the Sacred Timeline," Loki said with determination and you had to admit that you could see sense in his words. "If everyone dies in some apocalypse, anything the Variant does in the moments prior to it won't create a Nexus Event and therefore hides them from the TVA."
He gave you an expectant grin and you were mesmerised by the enthusiasm and passion shining in his eyes. You were instantly reminded of memories from your previous life and the way Loki's face would light up like this whenever he told you of a plan he had hashed out. You focused back on the demigod in front of you and your heart fluttered when he smiled widely at you. You couldn't help but stare at him and your traitorous mind helpfully pointed out how adorable he was.
Loki gave you a questioning look and you realised that you had still not responded to his idea and you instantly blushed and averted your eyes. "It's a compelling theory," you said softly and you suggested going to see Mobius about it right away. The agent was not as easily convinced and it took both yours and Loki's insistence for him to consider it. "Come on, at least give it a try," Loki pleaded and you were amused to notice that his puppy eyes worked just as well on him as they would on you.
Mobius sighed and took out his TemPad to search for an appropriate destination for this little field test and he gave you one of his soft smiles "Would you like to join us? Should be more interesting than sitting in the library all day." You immediately agreed and you could feel excitement surge up in your chest at the thought of travelling through time. He explained the workings of the TemPad and showed you how to open a Timedoor at the desired time and place.
You stepped out of the portal and you gasped as you took in the buildings and the clothing of the people nearby. "Where are we?" you whispered and your eyes went wide when Mobius told you that you were in Pompeii in 79 AD, right before the destined eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
You took a deep breath to process the fact that you were witnessing such a crucial moment in the history of Earth and looked around carefully. You were tucked away in an alcove and so far nobody seemed to have noticed the strange visitors to their town. Mobius instructed you to stay quiet and insisted that you should make small changes to the surroundings to figure out if any changes happen to the Sacred Timeline.
Loki clearly had a different approach in mind and you watched in horror as he strode to the middle of the busy street and started shouting at the locals in Latin. You had no clue what he was saying but they looked highly alarmed and confused at this yelling man in peculiar clothing. You heard Mobius let out an exasperated groan next to you and you couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
Loki switched to English and you shook your head at him telling the people around him that they were all going to die and that he knew that because he was from the future. Mobius hissed at him to stop making a scene and you chuckled at the exhilarated expression on the demigod's face as he rambled on.
Suddenly Loki took your hand and pulled you in front of the crowd that was staring at him with a mixture of shock and awe. He flung an arm around your shoulder and exclaimed "And this, my friends, is my esteemed colleague from the TVA." You instantly got flustered by both the unwanted attention as well as the close contact with him. You saw Mobius glance at his TemPad and he whistled quietly before informing you that no Nexus Event happened and no branch on the Sacred Timeline was created.
Loki beamed at you and he was radiating so much pride and excitement that you instinctively smiled back at him. You heard a deep rumbling behind you and when you looked back at Mobius who was wearing a rather panicked expression. "We need to get back to the TVA now," he urged and before you could start moving Loki laughed and picked you up to carry you through the opening Timedoor.
You shrieked at the contact and immediately buried your face in his chest to hide your embarrassment. You felt incredibly safe in his warm strong arms and your heart rate increased tenfold. As soon as you stepped into the familiar hallway Loki put you down and you took a step back to take a deep breath and get your emotions in check. You had enjoyed being so close to him way too much and you were worried that the lines between this Loki and the one you used to know were becoming blurred.
Your heart was beating rapidly and you knew you were still blushing furiously as you regarded his smiling face. He looked more relaxed and carefree than you had seen him since your arrival at the TVA and you felt overwhelmed by the way he affected you. You stared at each other for what seemed an eternity before the moment was interrupted by Mobius congratulating Loki on his theory and you both turned to face him.
"Our next research goal is to find the most likely disaster the Variant could be hiding in," the agent explained and you nodded in agreement. You exhaled quietly to steady your voice before responding "We will get on that. But if it's alright with you, I could use a little break. It might be everyday life for you to see historic events live but I think I need a moment to recover." Mobius and Loki expressed their understanding and you hoped that they didn't notice how you practically fled back to your room to be alone.
A light buzzing alerted you to Miss Minutes appearing next to you and you smiled as she enquired after your well-being "Do let me know if I can be of assistance." You thought about it for a minute and you came to the conclusion that it might actually be helpful to speak to someone about your inner turmoil. "There is something I wanted to talk about but it's not work related, more of a personal problem," you said and she immediately smiled encouragingly. "I need all my agents at their best. I will do my best to resolve any issues you're struggling with."