Chapter 3 Late Night Task

The wall clock in Bima's apartment room was no longer just a time indicator; it was a relentless tick of demands pounding against his eardrums. It was 1:45 AM. The blue glow from the LED monitor screen was the only source of light, washing over Bima's frustrated face and Arka, who sat beside him with an intimidating calmness. Radit was staying over at his girlfriend's place, leaving the two of them in a silence heavy with an electric charge.

Since their return from Mount Papandayan two days ago, the atmosphere between them had drastically changed. Bima never brought up what he'd found in Arka's bag, and Arka acted as if the cold interrogation at the tent entrance had never happened. But tonight, fear and desire intertwined.

"I don't get it, Ka. These variables just won't sync. I've re-checked it three times," Bima grumbled, his voice hoarse from caffeine and lack of sleep. He ran a hand through his messy hair, concealing the slight tremor in his eyes as he glanced at Arka.

Arka didn't answer. His eyes weren't on the lines of code on the screen, but on the rapidly throbbing pulse in Bima's neck. Arka shifted. The distance between them drastically shrunk. Arka's broad shoulder brushed directly against Bima's.

"Here. Let me see," Arka's voice was low, heavy, sending a shiver down Bima's spine.

"It's this part..." Bima pointed at the screen, his fingers trembling above the keyboard.

Arka didn't just look. He leaned in, trapping Bima between his body and the desk. Arka's potent masculine scent immediately enveloped Bima's senses. Before Bima could pull away, Arka's large hand landed directly on top of Bima's, which was resting on the keyboard.

Arka's palm felt hot, a stark contrast to Bima's cool skin. Arka didn't withdraw his hand. Instead, he laced his fingers through Bima's, pressing their combined hands down onto the mechanical keys.

Bima froze. Arka's broad chest now pressed against his back, offering a suffocating sense of both protection and dominance. Were these hot hands the ones that, five years ago, drove the car that hit my brother? The thought sent Bima's heart racing wildly.

"Ka..." Bima whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Focus, Bim. You made a mistake in this part of the syntax," Arka whispered right next to Bima's ear. His warm breath sent intense shivers down Bima's spine.

Arka moved Bima's hand, guiding his fingers to delete the line of code and retype it. His movements were slow, deliberate, and intensely intimate. Bima no longer cared about the task. His focus was completely shattered.

"Is it done?" Bima asked, his voice trembling. He tried to turn his head—a fatal mistake.

Arka's face was barely an inch away. Arka's dark eyes gleamed with a deadly intensity, full of hidden desire. Arka didn't pull back. He tightened his grip on Bima's hand, while his other hand rose, clasping Bima's jaw gently but with full authority.

"The task is done. But we aren't," Arka growled.

Arka pushed Bima's chair slightly away from the desk, then stood between Bima's parted thighs. Bima looked up with heavy-lidded eyes. Arka's dominance was so palpable, and Bima couldn't resist even though his brain screamed danger.

"You always want to be the center of attention, don't you?" Arka whispered, his thumb tracing Bima's lower lip with demanding pressure. "Tonight, no one else is watching. Just me. And I don't share."

Arka bent down, burying his face in the hollow of Bima's neck, delivering a small bite there—a mark of possession that made Bima moan softly and clutch Arka's muscular arm. Arka's other hand slid under Bima's shirt, touching his flat stomach.

"Ka, not here... what if Radit comes back..." Bima tried to protest, even as his hands pulled Arka closer.

"Radit won't be back until morning. I made sure of it," Arka smirked faintly. He effortlessly lifted Bima, settling him on the desk, right beside the glowing laptop.

Arka swept all the books and papers off the desk and onto the floor with a single rough swipe, creating a clamor that was immediately swallowed by the silence.

"Arka..."

"Say my name again, Bim. But this time, not because you're scared of me. Call it because you want me," Arka challenged, his voice hoarse, holding back surging desire.

Bima tugged on Arka's collar, bringing their lips together in a wild, rough kiss. There was no more hesitation, only pent-up hunger. Arka's hands worked quickly to shed Bima's shirt. Their skin met, hot against hot, scorching their nerves.

On that desk, beneath the dim glow of the monitor, Arka claimed Bima's body as his own. Every touch of Arka's on his waist and chest felt like a declaration that Bima would never truly be free of him.

"You're mine, Bim. Never forget that," Arka whispered amidst their deepening kisses.

Bima wrapped his legs around Arka's waist, surrendering all self-control. Amidst the swirling secrets and unrevealed threats, Bima chose to drown in the fire Arka created. The room filled with hurried breaths and stifled groans until it all culminated in an exhausting yet intoxicating climax.

When it was all over, Arka lifted Bima from the desk and carried him to the bed with a possessive motion. The monitor light was still on, displaying the message 'Process Completed'.

Bima rested his head on Arka's firm shoulder, letting the man cover him with a blanket and pull him into a warm embrace. Sleep slowly took over, and Bima finally drifted off in the embrace of his protector—or his killer.

4:00 AM.

Arka made sure Bima's breathing was soft and steady against his chest. Slowly, without a sound, Arka slipped out of bed. He put his clothes back on, then walked over to the messy desk.

Arka picked up Bima's phone, which lay on the floor among the stack of books he had just knocked over.

Arka's face was flat, devoid of emotion, as he unlocked Bima's phone using Bima's fingerprint, which he gently pressed down while the other man slept. Arka opened the messaging app, then typed an unknown number—the one that had sent mysterious messages to Bima at the bus stop and on the mountain.

Arka sent a single brief message to that number:

"I know you're the one who sent those photos to Bima. Stop bothering him, or I'll make you disappear, just like I did to his brother five years ago."

After hitting send, Arka deleted the message from Bima's phone history, placed the phone back on the desk, and walked back to bed. He pulled Bima into his embrace again, locking the other man's body against his as if he would never let him go out into the world.