"Richie's with Mac," Matthew updated Sawyer. "Mya's in the hallways talking to Ginnifer. You should go find her."

Sawyer's smirk confirmed his prediction, prompting Eko to roll her eyes. Matthew's commanding tone and hint of arrogance were not lost on her. As Sawyer exited the auditorium, Matthew turned to Eko and extended his hand, smiling down at her.

Despite the numerous onlookers, Matthew held Eko close, his arms around her waist, their hands clasped together.

"There's a lot of eyes on us, commander." 

Matthew glided across the dance floor with Eko, their steps perfectly synchronized.

"The fan club knows I love to dance at these shindigs. It'll be no surprise to them," he remarked, flashing a smile.

Eko felt a pang of jealousy but quickly suppressed it. She understood that their relationship was not romantic, and she didn't want to risk what they did have.

"Careful, Skarsgard," Eko quipped, using her sharp tongue as a defense, adjusting herself to hide her emotions. "One of the fan club girls might be kidnapping you tonight with how you look. I know the stories, I won't come and save you from them," she teased.

Even though the words had tasted bitter on her tongue, Eko knew her feelings were her problem, not his. However, her concern shifted as she noticed the change in Matthew's behavior. She had meant her comment as a joke, but it seemed to have affected him differently. As he spun her back in, she looked up at him with a furrowed brow.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked softly, her concern evident in her voice.

Matthew sighed deeply, his hand still holding hers tightly. "Cid," he said, his steel eyes scanning the auditorium at anything and anyone but Eko.

Eko's eyes softened. "Is that why you were gone so long?"

He nodded without giving anything else up.

"Matthew? Hey, talk to me?"

"You do not need to hear me bitching and moaning at the moment," Matthew's smile faltered for a moment before he took a deep breath and looked back at Eko. "You didn't sign up for that."

Eko's heart ached as she reached out and gently touched his arm. "Hey, whatever is going on, I care enough about you. Stop it, look at me." She furrowed her brows beneath her dainty black mask.

Matthew exhaled heavily, his tone now serious and grave. "Cid's stepping down as headmaster," he said, shaking his head.

"What? Why?" Her nose scrunched as she spun out from him, scanning the onlooking fan club. It was clear she wasn't seen as a threat, having been placed in the same friend category as Jesse and Mya. Friends that weren't vying for his love or cock. But little did they know, she was in league for both.

As Eko returned to the moment, Matthew naturally pulled her closer, his expression revealing a mix of emotions. From her experience, she knew this could mean one of two things:

A) The person taking over was going to cause anarchy.

Or

B) He had just been given the weight of the world.

"Matthew? Who is he giving it to?" Eko asked.

"Me," Matthew replied with an exhale.

Eko exhaled upon hearing Matthew's response, sensing that he was still processing the news. As he spun her out again, she remained vigilant, keeping an eye on the fan club and their potential attempts to interfere.

"How are you coping?" Her brows knitted again.

"I just found out." Matthew scoffed, "so somewhere between pissed and wrapping my head around it."

Eko nodded understandingly at his state of mind. As he spun her out again, a protective instinct took over. She remained vigilant, aware of the predatory gazes of the people surrounding them. When the music changed, she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his, determined to ward off any unwanted advances.

Like hell, they were getting their paws into him right now.

Their movements were fluid and effortless, a perfect blend of passion and grace. Eko could feel the tension in his body slowly melting away, replaced by a sense of calm and peace. She knew that she had the power to make him forget about his problems, at least for a little while.

"I think you should follow me." Eko smirked as she looked up at him. "I know plenty of ways to get your mind off this."

"Sex won't fix this, miss. Besides," Matthew replied, acknowledging her charm, "besides you have no idea how exquisite you look at this moment. You should see the eyes of these men and what they would do to you given the chance."

"Why, little old me?" Eko flirted, hoping to lighten the mood. "I think they're death staring you for the uneven playing field when they're trying to score with their dates. But here you are," she huffed in amusement. "God-like with all your sexiness, and women are practically throwing themselves at your feet."

He pulled her closer, and she felt the hardness of his erection against her. "I wouldn't sound high and mighty in your words miss," he whispered, "the thoughts of these men if they could fuck you, they would."

"High and mighty my- I must have taken a page out of your book," Eko smirked.

The moment was intense as they stood amidst the swirling crowd, their bodies close, and their eyes locked. Eko's hand moved from his shoulder, her blue eyes piercing through her mask as her fingers traced down his chest. She placed her hand over his heart, feeling its rapid beat beneath her touch, her gaze unwavering. The music pulsed around them, the crowd moved around them, but their connection remained unbroken.

"You'll have your own little fan club wandering around like lost puppies after tonight. Thinking they all have a chance with you," Matthew remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Eko raised an eyebrow at his comment, her hand still resting on his chest. The music throbbed around them, the crowd adding to the heat of the moment, but she was determined to keep their connection strong.

"Who says they don't?" she retorted, a playful smirk playing on her lips.

Matthew's eyes widened slightly at her response, caught off guard by her boldness. Excuse, fucking me!?

"They don't have a chance in fucking hell with you," Matthew's voice shifted from playful to stern, and Eko noticed the change. "They're not good fucking enough."

Their eyes locked, and Eko could sense the shift in his demeanor. She was playing a dangerous game, and Matthew knew it. He hated it, despised it actually. The possessiveness in his gaze was unmistakable. He didn't want anyone else touching what was his.

Eko lifted her hand from his chest and placed it on his shoulder, a playful smile on her lips as she bit her bottom lip. Matthew's eyes narrowed slightly, catching her playful demeanor. The electricity between them seemed to grow with each passing moment.

He leaned in closer, his grip tightening on her waist, his breath hot against her ear. "Need I remind you that nobody will do the things that I've done to you," he whispered, his voice low and dangerous. "Nobody will make you as desperate and pleading as I can."

Eko shuddered, feeling his breath against her skin, unable to deny the desire that pulsed through her veins. Despite the danger and the risks, she found herself unable to resist him, leaning in closer, her lips almost touching his ear. She moaned softly into it, knowing the reaction she would get from it.

"I will have you on your back begging for me soon," his voice soft and melodious. Then his fingers gently tucked the hair behind her ear. "Begging me, Eko," she was a moth to the flame.

The air crackled with the intensity of their chemistry, and amongst the dancers, she felt a surge of bravery, emboldened by the thick of the crowd. Eko moved her hand from his shoulder, using her index finger to tip the top of his chin, raising his head. She had been here before with him, staring the devil in the eyes.

"I'm in luck, the cure to my insanity is right before me," Eko teased, a sultry smile playing on her lips and causing his resolve to weaken.

"The cure is right here, with me," he said, his grip on her tightening, and Eko couldn't tell if he was serious or just toying with her.

It frustrated her to admit. Goddamnit, he was getting under her skin. She, like an idiot, was foolishly allowing herself to be drawn into this collision of emotions and the possibility of heartbreak.

"We'll see," Eko challenged, her stare unwavering.

Matthew's lips parted, and he stated rather than asked, "What am I going to do with you, Eko?"

"Fuck me," Eko's proposition was met with silence as Matthew's expression hardened. She tried to shake off what that meant if anything at all. She was overreading things.

But then, Eko's confidence took control, and she dared to pat him on the shoulder, her eyes glazing over him with a mask of indifference. "No?" she asked, before continuing with a bold move. "Look, I'm sure I can find plenty of naughty people who want to dance with me. And if their thoughts are as dangerous as yours," she raised an eyebrow, "the cure to my sanity would also be with them. You're off the hook with your services. You see?"

Then her warmth left him as she pulled away, leaving him with a sense of emptiness.

"Excuse me?" His question hung in the air as she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving him utterly confused.

She was toying with him, and he knew it. It was maddening how easily she had managed to get under his skin, and how it seemed to tick a very large nerve in his system, pushing all the right buttons to provoke a reaction.

Yet, the mere thought of anyone touching her, kissing her, or laying claim to her body sparked a fierce sense of protectiveness within him. No, absolutely not, that would not be happening- over his fucking goddamn body.

A surge of jealousy burned through him, standing amidst the swaying dancers as the lights dimmed and fireworks burst overhead, signaling the next phase of the ceremony. While others marveled at the colorful display, Matthew was engulfed in darkness, his focus locked on her retreating form. Despite his rational thoughts urging him to stay put, his heart compelled him to follow her, each step taking him further away from his own resolve.

In complete knowledge of what his head told him to do, his heart forced him to follow her.