As Eko felt the last meandering assault within her, she couldn't help but marvel at the way Matthew's body responded to hers, how he elicited every nerve ending in her body with what he could do. His release was uncontrollable, and she watched as he poured everything into her body.

He panted, bewildered, as if he didn't even understand his own need to be with her, to stay somewhat sane - like some addiction. There was an incurable need about her that drew him back in, something that made him feel alive in a way that he had never felt before.

"Fuck," he whispered, looking down at the woman, his own heavy breathing mirrored by her own.

"I love how you lose control when you come," she offered, her eyes locked onto his in a salacious grin.

Matthew smirked. "As I've always said, your way with words, babe."

He leaned forward, grasping her waist, and hoisted her towards his body. Her beautiful smile flared up at him, and he found how addictive it became to have her looking at him like that. How he had never wanted her to stop looking at him quite like that.

"Eko..." the prayer of her name, as his eyes bounced between her own that adorned the black mask. Leaning in, he pressed his lips against hers in a tender kiss.

With one hand still holding her close, his free hand slipped to her neck, and his thumb caressed the bridge between her shoulder and her neck, "I need to get back. Cid's about to turn my world upside down."

"Hey," she became serious with his statement, wishing she could tell him that she understood this place he was in. That the expectation of so much more that was required would be a heavy burden he would have to walk around with and that it felt debilitating on days. She wanted to tell him that she might be the only one who could truly understand how he would feel in the weeks to come.

If only she could.

Matthew shook his head, pulling away from her. She watched as he rearranged himself. Eko stood up from the table, swiftly straightened her dress, put her panties back on, and attempted to brush her hair back into place.

She watched as Matthew slipped on his jacket and loosened his messy tie. Approaching him, Eko grasped his collar and drew him closer to her face. Her eyes, a shade of uneasy blue, met his steel gaze. "Talk to me," she urged, concerned about his demeanor.

"He fucked me over on this, Eko," the resentment rolled off his tongue. "He's running fucking scared, and I don't know why, after all this time."

She pursed her lips, shook her head, and then expertly adjusted his tie.

When she didn't respond, he snapped, "Never mind, it's not your problem," shaking his head as he regained control of his thoughts. "Forget I said anything."

These problems were not hers.

"Don't do that with me," Eko abruptly halted her adjustments, feeling annoyed with him as she glanced at up him briefly. Shaking her head when he softened, she returned to his tie, struggling to recall how to fix it properly. "I'm here okay, and I don't know what his doing either. It doesn't make sense."

"Hmm," he responded.

"Don't 'hmm' me," Eko retorted. "Talk to me."

The man stood still as she continued to fix his tie. He let out a deep breath. "Something has him on edge," he finally spoke.

"Do you think Ezra might have something to do with it?" Eko proposed, looking up at him. The man's eyebrows furrowed at the suggestion.

"With what though?"

"I don't know," she pondered out loud. "She's been escalating things in this war. What if she's gotten to him? Maybe he's keeping something to himself?"

She resumed adjusting his tie, but the thought left Matthew with many unanswered questions. He had to consider the possibility, given the recent events and erratic behaviour. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Eko placed her hand over his heart, causing him to glance down at her.

"Your heart's beating so fast," Eko mused, and then  her curious gaze was fixed on him for a little too long, making him uneasy.

"What's with that look?" he asked.

"Cid's about to name you headmaster," she said, a smile spreading across her face. "I've heard you talk about what you want to do, Matthew. This is what you've been waiting for."

"You let me ramble when I'm annoyed at him. That's different, from actually being a headmaster, Eko. I'll be looking after the prime fucken base of the academy's."

"So you don't think you can handle it?" she challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Matthew glared at her, sensing where she was taking the conversation. "I never said that."

"You know you are the best thing to happen to Allegiant, you know that right? It's been you for a very, very long time."

Matthew paused, letting Eko rest her other hand on his chest.

"I know that."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"As Teddy always reminds me, fear is a clear indication of what you need to do next." Matthew reiterated the words that he was told merely months ago.

Eyes narrowed as Eko kept her smile earnest in her assessment of him, "you knew this day would come, didn't you?"

Matthew tilted his head and nodded. "I thought I had more time, to be honest. I thought I would have more freedom to do what I wanted to do before being given this."

"What did you want to do?" Eko asked, sharing his ambitions for wanting more than what their titles demanded.

Their conversation is halted and the answer was derailed when there was an immense round of applause that echoed their surroundings. It drew Matthew back to his world.

"Shit! Fuck! We have to go!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hand and pulling her along with him. Eko stumbled, nearly tripping over her own feet as they rushed forward. "The fucken speeches, fuck!"

Despite the anxiousness he felt about the upcoming responsibilities, the laughing woman by his side, his siren of calmness, had a soothing effect on him.

Running as fast as they could, Eko had been by his side, and given the choice now, she would stay with him through it all.

He just needed to ask her, and by the heavens, she would rip her bones from her chest, and give her heart to the devil, as long as she got to keep him to herself.

****** *******

As they approached the entrance to the auditorium, the vibrant sounds of the live band filled their ears, enveloping them in a wave of music that seemed to pulse with energy. The once dimly lit surroundings now radiated with bright lights, creating an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation. The hallways, empty and silent, contrasted starkly with the lively scene that awaited them. However, just before they could merge into the chaotic crowd, Matthew came to a sudden halt, causing Eko to look up at him with curiosity.

Noticing her gaze, he reached out to adjust her mask, ensuring it sat perfectly on her face. His hands then moved to her hair, gently smoothing out any stray strands, his touch careful and deliberate.

"You look like you've just been fucked," he commented, a hint of amusement in his voice.

A smile, both knowing and playful, curled her soft pink lips in response. "I have, so it's not entirely untrue," she retorted, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Matthew's fingers lingered in her wavy brunette locks, the intimate gesture momentarily distracting him from his thoughts. However, Eko could sense the burden of expectations weighing heavily on him, the pressure of his title and responsibilities evident in his furrowed brow. She reached out, grabbing the end of his collar with a firm grip, pulling him out of his reverie. With a determined look, she forced his deep, contemplative eyes to meet hers.

"Kiss me, and let go of those thoughts," she whispered, an invitation to break free from the shackles of duty and indulge in the moment. As the music softly played in the background, a sweet melody that seemed to echo her words, Matthew found himself unable to resist. He succumbed to Eko's command, letting the world around them fade away as he gave in to the kiss.

What Eko hadn't expected was the softest, most tender kiss from him, the kind that sent her senses into a whirlwind. Everything she had believed to be true suddenly seemed like a distant memory. In that moment, the only thing that mattered was the feeling of his lips moving over hers, a connection so profound that it eclipsed everything else.

"Matthew," she gasped, her eyes still closed as she felt his lips meet hers once again. A shiver ran through her, her heart racing as she struggled to stay upright. The world around her seemed to spin, threatening to overwhelm her, but she held on, anchored by the kiss.

"Fuck, Eko, babe," he murmured between kisses, his emotions laid bare in the raw intensity of his voice.

For a brief moment, they were lost in their own world, the sounds of applause and chatter around them fading into a distant murmur

As they were once again lost in each other, their hands fervently pulling each other closer, a sudden cough cut through the air, abruptly breaking the spell of their intense embrace.

"Ahem?"

Matthew and Eko's eyes flew open, locking onto each other's in a moment of startled realization. They quickly pulled away from each other, their breaths still heavy with desire, before turning to face the source of the interruption.

"Figured you wandered off," Jesse said, her lips pursing even as a grin broke through, giving them a knowing look. "Toni told me."

They stood frozen like deer caught in headlights before they instantly relaxed, relieved that it was Jesse who had found them and not someone else.

"Cid's looking for you," she continued nodding towards the auditorium where Matthew was expected to be.

Matthew nodded in acknowledgment and stepped towards Jesse, a smile on his face as he passed her by. Jesse, however, turned her attention back to Eko, who was approaching her, readjusting her dress and running her fingers through her hair to smooth it out.

As Eko attempted to step past Jesse, Jesse suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking her path and causing Eko to exhale sharply in surprise.

"You, babe, are in very, very dangerous territory," Jesse warned.

"With what?" Eko cocked her head suspiciously, wondering what Jesse was about to say. She couldn't shake the feeling that the fiery-haired woman was about to turn on her, just as she had seen happen before when fans fawned over her best friend.

"You two idiots are in love with each other," Jesse declared, catching Eko completely off guard.

"W-w...hat?" Eko stuttered, her words tripping over each other.

"Oh, don't deny it, you look stupid doing it!" Jesse exclaimed, playfully whacking Eko's arm. Instinctively, Eko scowled at the hit.

"Hey!" she protested, still reeling from Jesse's bombshell revelation.

"Let's go. My best friend is going to need our support, especially with everything that's happened," Jesse said, taking the lead.

"W-wait," Eko interrupted, stopping Jesse in her tracks. "Does this mean you're the commander?"

Jesse let out a heavy sigh, her own thoughts mirroring Eko's. With Matthew now assuming the role of headmaster, the succession plan was always that she would follow his progression.

"That's a conversation for when the titles are officially changed," she acknowledged. "But I assume yes."

Eko nodded, feeling a weight settle in her stomach. But as she looked up at Jesse's brilliant smile, all doubts and conflicting thoughts dissipated.

"Come on!" Jesse exclaimed, grasping Eko's hand and leading her towards the festivities. As they entered the auditorium, they were enveloped in a sea of laughter and smiling faces, a celebration of new beginnings.

They moved inside with a calm and composed demeanour, engaging in small talk and exchanging smiles along the way. Madison was the first to spot Eko, and her cousin approached her with a menacing glare.

Madison, having seen the man enter the room moments earlier, knew exactly where Eko had been for the past twenty-five minutes while the celebrations were in full swing.

"Hey," Eko greeted Madison as some of the soldiers she had been conversing with dispersed into the crowd. Jesse had already left, and Eko could tell by the way Madison crossed her arms that she was about to receive a lecture.

Eko wasn't naive, and the tense vein on Madison's temple was a clear indicator of her frustration.

"Can we please not do this tonight? I can't deal with whatever lecture you've got prepared," Eko pleaded.

"Oh, God," Eko moaned, her frustration evident. "Seriously, do you even listen to yourself?" She was growing increasingly irritated by her cousin's nagging attitude.

"Listen to myself!? Look at you, you've completely lost your senses! You would never even have entertained someone like him before all of this! Why now! God, what is this place doing to you!" Madison continued her tirade, her frustration evident in her voice.

"Mads, for the love of God," Eko groaned, bringing her hands to her face in sheer exhaustion. "Just stop, please."

"Mads, Jes-fucken-rist," Eko muttered, her face scrunched up in frustration at her cousin's relentless opposition. "Enough, just stop."

Her firm command seemed to have the desired effect, as Madison fell silent, her gaze dropping slightly.

"We've been through so much," Madison began, her tone softening. "And to be honest with you, Sera-"

"It's Eko," she interrupted sharply, her patience wearing thin.

"He's going to break your heart! That despicable creature you can't seem to see straight with," Madison persisted.

Eko sighed, her patience wearing thin. "There's nothing going on between us, so how can he break my heart? We're just friends, and we were talking. I'm allowed to talk to my friends!"

Madison shook her head, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "He's not your friend, not in any real sense. And I doubt you were just having some innocent chat. He's after the one thing you seem all too ready to give him."

"Sex, Maddy. And there's nothing wrong with that if we both want it!" Eko retorted, a hint of laughter in her voice. "Look, I don't care right now. You and I are free and we're together, and we're somewhat for the most part happy. Can't we just leave it at that, please?"

"I need you to focus, Sera," Madison hissed, oblivious to the dancers and the sea of soldiers, teachers, cadets, and tipsy revelers who were unaware of the tense exchange.

"This is bigger than you think. I'm done with this place! In one week, there's going to be-"

"I can't handle this right now," Eko snapped, her patience wearing thin.

"Sera!"

"For heaven's sake, Maddy, I'll talk to you later!" Eko was seething with frustration, her mood thoroughly soured by Madison's words. She stormed off towards the lively sounds of music and laughter, seeking solace in their comforting embrace.

Unexpectedly, Eko found herself stumbling into the arms of Luke, the date she had momentarily abandoned for their commander. He had been waiting for her patiently.

"Hey, I was wondering where you went," Luke greeted her with a warm smile, offering a welcome reprieve from the negativity that had clouded her evening.

Releasing her shoulders, Luke offered his hand, which Eko somewhat accepted and he guided her onto the dance floor, where the music surrounded her, providing a much-needed escape. In that moment, Eko allowed Luke to work his magic, drowning out Madison's harsh words and the relentless turmoil in her heart over Matthew.

She was determined to stay composed and in control, and the most effective way to do that was to don the mask she wore so well and embody the endearing, charming woman her mother had taught her to be.