Chapter 5
The atmosphere in the art room grew more oppressive, as if the weight of what had just transpired had left a mark in the air. En Dwi pulled back slightly, enough not to seem overwhelming, but kept his fingers close, casually gliding them over Loki’s skin, as though savoring the power he held over him.
Loki, muscles tense, tried to conceal the conflicting emotions churning inside him. Shame battled with anger, and humiliation mixed with a desperation he didn’t know how to process. His mind was clouded, but a part of him wanted to scream, to hit, to do anything to stop this dynamic that ensnared him like a tightening net.
“You know...” En Dwi tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and calculation. “I always knew there was something unique about you, but this... This takes it all.”
Loki turned his gaze away, his hands balling into fists at his sides.
“Is that what you want to hear?” he spat finally, his voice low but venomous.
The GrandMaster let out a small laugh, as if Loki’s resistance was part of the game he enjoyed so much.
“What I want, Loki, is for you to understand that you’re in a... privileged position.” He let the word fall like a poisoned gift. “Not everyone has my attention this way.”
The room was completely silent, save for the subtle creak of Thor’s shoes as he shifted position outside the line of sight. His heart pounded; every word he heard filled him with restrained fury, but also growing uncertainty.
The GrandMaster continued, now even closer to Loki, his breath brushing against his skin.
“There’s nothing wrong with being... special. But I think you need to learn to accept what you are, and who you are. That will make you... freer.”
Loki looked at him, his eyes gleaming with a mix of defiance and pain.
“Free?” he let out a bitter laugh. “Is that what you call this?”
En Dwi tilted his head, studying him with an intensity that made Loki wish he could disappear.
“Freedom is relative, dear.” His voice was a whisper laden with implications. “And I can show you a version of it you never could have imagined.”
As he spoke, he let his hand move again, touching Loki with a familiarity that crossed all boundaries. Loki closed his eyes, trying to control his breathing, as his body betrayed his will and froze under the contact.
Thor, watching from the slightly open door, felt something snap inside him. His younger brother, who had always been the one to find a way to rise above expectations, seemed completely defenseless in that moment.
The scene left him paralyzed, but it also filled him with determination. This couldn’t continue. He couldn’t let Loki face this alone, even if he still didn’t know how to confront someone like the Grandmaster.
Suddenly, En Dwi turned, as if sensing something in the air. His eyes shifted toward the door, but Thor quickly ducked out of view, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest.
“Is something wrong?” Loki asked with a tense voice, noticing En Dwi’s distraction.
The GrandMaster smiled, relaxing.
“No, nothing.” His fingers finally left Loki’s skin, but the effect of his presence remained imprinted in the air. He stood up, adjusting his jacket as if nothing had happened. “It’s time for you to go, but... we’ll talk more about this next time.”
Loki sat still for a few seconds, trying to collect himself before standing up with stiff movements. As he left, he passed by Thor without even seeing him, lost in his own thoughts.
Thor let him go, but his gaze returned to the art room door, where the Grandmaster was still inside. He had made a decision: he wouldn’t let this continue. From that moment on, he would do whatever it took to uncover the truth and protect his brother.