Guided by Matthew's firm hand, Eko followed him down the busy streets until they arrived at a small, seedy alleyway, which, in Eko's opinion, looked like the last place they should be. Nevertheless, Matthew didn't seem fazed as he quickly set up a makeshift table with two crates and invited her to sit across from him.

As they settled in, a strange creature appeared out of nowhere, flanked by younger creatures carrying the most mouth-watering delicacies from the Aegis District. Eko was taken aback by the creature's appearance and the unusual way it jabbered as it held out a purple claw for payment.

Without missing a beat, Matthew dropped the payment into the creature's claw, causing it to disappear in a yap. As more food arrived, Eko couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation, overwhelmed by the endless supply of delicious dishes.

Looking up at Matthew, she felt a sense of excitement at the adventure that day had brought them, a spontaneous journey that had taken her by surprise, and one that she was more than happy to be a part of. Giggling again, she looked down at the overflowing table as a creature pulled another crate towards them, filling it with dishes she had never tasted before.

As they chatted and enjoyed the endless feast, Matthew offered her a small, ball-like delicacy on his fork, "takoyaki?"

"Do I want to know what that is?" Eko scrunched her nose.

Smirking, Matthew shook his head, "I'll tell you what it is after."

Eko couldn't resist, and she leaned across the makeshift table as her mouth wrapped onto the delicacy, relishing in the new and exciting flavors that came with every bite.

"H-holy, s-shit," she exclaimed among her mouthful, "that's really g-ood!"

Matthew beamed at her like a thousand suns, showing her a world of spontaneous adventure and normalcy without the weight of responsibility. They sat there, enjoying the moment and food, Eko at that point unaware of how lost he had been in the contemplation of their future.

 He couldn't shake the feeling that Eko was changing his life, but he also couldn't predict how it would unfold. His thoughts were consumed by this uncertainty for a while now, thoughts that he wasn't equipped to handle.

While he understood that they were in it for the same reasons, the idea of anyone else being with her made him uneasy. He wanted to selfishly keep what they had, and he didn't want to share it with anyone else, even though he knew it was impractical.

He pushed those thoughts out of his mind once again. She hadn't asked for anything from him, and he hoped she never would. He didn't want to have to answer any tough questions or complicate their arrangement. He didn't want to risk it all falling apart because of their involvement.

He wanted to keep things as they were, selfishly holding onto their attachment while remaining unattached. No rules, just pure and uncomplicated freedom without any expectations or demands.

He felt like the rest of his life was already dictated like that, and he didn't want his sex and love life to follow suit. Matthew craved something different, something free from the constraints of society's expectations and obligations. He wanted to keep control over that aspect of his life, even if it was just a small part, it was his to dictate.

"You're overthinking," she said, taking a sip of her hot sake. Her words drew his attention back to the captivating woman before him. It was evident that her intention was far from innocent, and she knew the effect she had on him.

"You're giving me that look, Eko," he said, unable to hide his desire for her.

"I know," she murmured, puckering her lips and nibbling on the bottom one, before continuing in a soft tone, "and I also know that you should take all that energy with your overthinking that you're doing, and put it to good use."

"Good use, huh?" he replied.

She leaned back as she uncrossed her legs, then stood up, offering her hand across the makeshift tables for him to take. Eko had dared him in that moment with her sultry smile to take her hand, for she wanted him as much as he had of her in that moment.

 With a grin, he stood up from the table, took her hand in his, and pushed her fingers between his own. They left the half-eaten food and wove their way through the crowded market, filled with the sounds and smells of exotic creatures and vendors heading back towards the aircraft.

***** *****

The engines roared to life, and the aircraft pulled into the skies above. Matthew activated the autopilot and turned to face Eko. In an instant, she launched herself at him, devouring his lips the moment she physically could. Panting against his own, she teased, "You like this?" her fingers tracing his shirt, "Me wanting you." It sent shivers down his spine.

Gasping for breath, Eko pressed her body against his firm form. Unlike himself, he found himself submissive in his "Yes" to her.

Eko's words hung in the air, tempting and alluring. "You want to fuck me?" she whispered seductively, her palm pressing firmly against the control panels of the aircraft. Matthew's gaze remained wild on her, and she could feel his erection pressing against her thighs.

But he didn't immediately succumb to her advances. "Baby," he breathed, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. "You and I both know how to play this game just as well as each other."

Eko's desire for Matthew was an unquenchable flame that burned deep within her. As their lips met, a fierce storm swept over them, capturing their bodies in its hold. With a hunger that consumed her, Eko threaded her fingers into his hair, pushing her tongue deep into his mouth and taking control of him.

She made her way down his chin, her lips tracing a fiery path along his neck, across his throat, ravishing him with each touch. Eko was rewarded with a breathless groan that told her he was unraveling. She felt her hair being tugged due to the sensations she had been eliciting on him, his hand flattening on her behind as she made her way to his mouth, kissing him harder than she had ever before.

She released a delighted moan, fisting his hair fiercely as she feverishly kissed him, savoring the sensation of his tongue intertwining with hers.

Matthew seized the hem of Eko's shirt, pulling it over her head and tossing it onto the floor. As their desire escalated, he pressed her against the control table. Eko momentarily halted him with a bite on her lip, intensifying his yearning. She seized the hem of his shirt and swiftly removed it, flinging it onto the floor beside hers.

Eko gave him another daring smile as her hips ground against his, reveling in the sensation of him hard against her. It pleased her to know that he always wanted more when it came to her, and there was never a moment when it was enough. She reveled in the feeling that he was consumed by her in that way.

With a fluid motion, he pressed her body against the control table, spreading her against the secured panels. He tugged down her pants and underwear, and she wriggled out of them with a giggle. Pulling herself upright, she watched him toss her pants aside.

Eko grasped his waist, pulling at his pants, her fingers desperately wanting to unzip his fly, she helped wriggle him out of it, freeing him instantly. Once they had dropped to the floor, she wrapped her legs around his bare waist pulling him into her. 

 It was at this moment that she discovered his fingers were now exploring her sex before filling her, moving in a broad circular pattern, gently stretching and pulling, heightening the orgasm that was building. 

In an instant, Eko's hands swiftly reached for the edges of the control table's panels, gripping onto it desperately, anchoring herself against the merciless assault of his touch.

"Matthew!" she whined out as his fingers persisted, and suddenly, she felt his firm grip around her waist, pulling her towards him. 

"W-what are... you doing?" Her voice came out raspy and desperate. 

"I'm going to devour your delicious pussy and make you scream my name," he declared, pushing her thighs apart as wide as they could go. His mouth descended over her clit, kissing and sucking, exploring her as her breathing quickened. Eko's back arched upward as she laid back down. Her soft moans transformed into incoherent mumbling and swearing, her hands finding his hair, fingers weaving through it, grasping onto his tendrils, compelling him to persist.

His grip tightened, and her thighs trembled with every movement of his tongue within her, worshiping her as if she were his messiah. In that moment, she felt a surge of power, recognizing the influence she held to bring him to his knees in submission to the intoxicating pleasure.

She struggled to control her breathing, whimpering, "keep... g-going," fully aware of how close she was to her orgasm. Abruptly, she felt him stop, and her frustration surged as she snapped at him with astonishment that he would deny her in such a way. Releasing his head, her hands found the control panel as she sat up.

Matthew stood, stepping into her, his hand finding her throat as he kissed her suddenly. His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her in, and she felt him fill her instantly, she could feel his throbbing cock right up to her core.

Eko's eyes widened, locking onto his gaze as the sensation of him thrusting into her commenced. A smile played across her lips as he kissed her repeatedly, sedating the beast that was alive in him whenever she was with him. 

"Oh, fuck," she whimpered in delight, now matching his thrusts. That's when the man before her unleashed a ferocious intensity. There was a side of him that she craved — an animalistic and powerful display of unrestrained passion where he was completely lost in the moment.

The way he moved with raw and carnal power was incomparable, each twist of his hips propelling her closer to the edge of her body's limits. Her eyes shut tightly as pleasure-induced moans escaped her, and he interpreted it as a cue to intensify his strokes. His fingers dug further into her waist, compelling her body to arch upward toward him.

Barely watching, he knew that the woman before him was fully immersed in sensation, entirely his. With each thrust, the intensity escalated, pushing her body to its limits and propelling her to the brink of orgasm. Her entire being moved to his rhythm, and she felt her legs stiffening as pleasure consumed her.

In a wordless passionate plea, she finally cried out, succumbing to the overwhelming sensations, unraveling around him. As she came apart at her very seams for the man, the world around her returned to a breathless summit. There was one final pound into her body, and his own movements ceased abruptly with his release.

Eko panted, catching her breath as she observed Matthew reaching his climax, feeling his fingers tighten around her waist. He became breathless and incoherent, fully consumed by the sensations of the moment. Gradually, she returned to reality, realizing he was now still and rigid. When she felt his full weight, he nuzzled at the side of her neck. Arching her body to look at him, she found herself staring into his captivating blue steel eyes.

Her heart seemed to be doing somersaults, and she couldn't help but curse it for betraying her in this way. Simultaneously, she acknowledged deep down that she was entirely caught up, that what she felt for him was no longer surface level; it consumed her, mind, body, and soul.

She was so fucked. 

"You can add this to the list of places we've now fucked in," he chuckled as he pulled back. "Another first."

Eko felt him withdraw, and she leaned back up from the table, dropping to the floor to retrieve her underwear and pants that were around her ankles. Pulling them back up, she lifted her head to watch as the man put his top back on over his head.

"First?" she offered, tilting her head, and she was met with a different kind of smile—a nod that didn't exactly clarify the nature of the "first" he had in mind.

"Well," she felt her heart pounding, and the cockiness of her own ego shielded her from overthinking any further. "You only have yourself to blame for this. I told you my appetite is probably as big as yours."

Laughing at her audacity, he picked up her top from the floor and strode over. "Really, Eko? And why is that? Why am I to blame?" 

Eko eyed him carefully, because she loved how his laughter filled the room around her, and as he approached, standing between her legs, their chests met, bare skin against skin. In that intimate proximity, Eko gazed up at him, her eyes conveying all the reasons why he was in trouble for convincing himself that he wasn't developing actual feelings for her.

"If you weren't as sexy as hell, I wouldn't feel the need to be with you so often," she teased, taking the top from him. Eko pulled the garment over her head and brushed her hair. As she finished, Matthew leaned in, closing the distance enough for her to hear the beating of his heart. 

It was as if the lights went out in her brain; she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. In that moment, Matthew took hold of her chin and simply kissed her—a kind of kiss that was asking for something in return, an imploring, passionate kiss that made her heart drum loudly in her chest, echoing as loudly as his own heartbeat had been.

Her lips met his with a heightened fervor, as if caught in the whirlwind of an intoxicating rush of emotions he stirred within her. In that moment, whatever intricate dance was unfolding between them, she didn't concern herself with definitions or overthinking. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and she surrendered to the powerful current that surged through them.

Her hands moved instinctively, finding solace in the texture of his hair, fingers entwining with a greedy eagerness. Matthew reciprocated, placing his hands on her cheeks, creating an intimate connection that went beyond the physical. He gently tilted her head further up to him, deepening the intensity of their kiss. 

"God, your so fucking beautiful," 

She smiled against his lips, the corners of her mouth turning over his again as the pace of their kiss slowed down. That's when he pulled back from her, his hands moving from her cheeks, running up along her face and into her hair. His hands continued their journey, trailing down her head and to her shoulders. Eko was mystified by the man before her, even if the gaze of his calming blue steel eyes contrasted with the loud pounding of her heart in her ears.

"What was that for?" she had to know, her eyes bouncing between his own. This was not normal, it wasn't just two people engaging in a casual sex.

"I can't tell you how beautiful you are?" he smiled, resembling a schoolboy. It was the kind of smile that confirmed what the Fanclub had been saying all along—Matthew was easy to fall in love with.

"You can, but why?" she asked, suspicion coloring her grin.

"Because I want to," was the only explanation he dared to give at that moment.

Yet, as Matthew stood there, taking her in, knowing just how broken of a creature she actually had been, he also know that she would never feel anything for him. She was simply there like all the other girls. She was there filling a hole within herself from a war that ruined them all since they were children.

He understood that he was merely a means to heal her brokenness, and that's all he would mean to her as well, much like all the others. Matthew wasn't an idiot; he recognized the truth a long time ago and had to come to terms with it. After all, he knew what he was getting into when he started this with her, and he wouldn't dare to backtrack now.

Burying his emotions, he gently broke away from her, "We should head back."

Eko didn't catch the expert way he concealed his feelings. As he walked towards the front of the cockpit, he smoothly zipped his pants up and readjusted his shirt before assuming control of the aircraft, suspended amidst the clouds of the Aegis District.

"It's after three," Eko laughed, finally noting the time as she got dressed and readjusted herself. Taking a seat beside him, she locked herself into it, preparing for their departure. "Madison is going to annoy me for the rest of the night for this."

She leered at him as he smirked, his fingers tapping away at the panels.

"Your problem, not mine."

"Mm-hmm, or we could not go back for a while longer?" Eko raised an eyebrow mischievously.

Curiously, Matthew tilted his head, momentarily diverting his attention from the panels. Her statement had captured his interest.

"After all, we've had a really, really nice day."

"There it is." Matthew laughed, returning to the panels as the aircraft lifted into the stratosphere.

"What?" Eko asked, perplexed.

"Nice," he scoffed with a sarcastic reply.

Eko smirked at the way he shook his head, noticing the particular reaction to the word she had used. "Just keeping your ego intact, babe."

She then felt the aircraft lifting them into the air. The afternoon sun glaring into her senses, painting the surroundings with magnificent shades of orange and yellow. It was her mama's voice that suddenly washed around her, echoing in her mind.

She told her once when it was just the two of them, when she asked about her papa, how they fell in love. Her mama told her that the world is going to tell her that she had the rest of her life to fall in love. The memory became deeply embedded in her core, and she could almost hear her mama's words as if she were sitting right beside her.

Eko then shifted her gaze to the left, observing the man beside her. His profile was etched against the backdrop of the darkening skies as they ascended into the vastness of space, because what followed that advice had cracked open her heart.

"What they forget to tell you my sweet  little ladybug, is that sometimes. Sometimes -the person you fall for comes into your life earlier than expected." 

And here he was, the man that had come into her life earlier then expected, the man she found herself falling in love with.