It is a night like any other, when the dam breaks. When they can no longer deny themselves the things they want anymore.

They'd spent the evening together, as they always did, playing pai sho, or sparring, talking long into the night and sometimes just sitting in companionable silence. Nothing about the evening had been unusual. They ate dinner in the relative quiet of his suit, far from the noise and pomp of the court dinners held every night for the nobles and generals. Afterwards, they sat together on his couch while he read to her out loud, a habit they'd fallen into over the years. She loved listening to his voice, loved the way he could make even the most mundane tale capture her imagination.

For some reason that night, she feels inclined to stretch her legs out on his lap as she reclines on the couch. He doesn't comment on her sudden invasion of his personal space. Doesn't even look at her. He just keeps reading.

The story is about Avatar Kyoshi, something she knows he'd picked out with her in mind. She listens quietly, reclining on the couch as his free hand slowly lowers to rest on her bare ankle. As she lies there, listening to his voice, lost in the story, every fiber of her being focuses on the weight of his hand on her ankle.

After a few minutes, his thumb starts moving in a slow, steady caress that sends goosebumps up her body, straight up the back of her neck. It isn't alarming. It feels natural. Right. When his hand slides higher up her calf, below the hem of her skirt, she doesn't jerk away, doesn't even twitch for fear of scaring him off. Her heart pounds like a bass drum and she can feel how nervous he is in the way his hand trembles. But he doesn't stop. His hand squeezes her knee beneath her skirt as he reads aloud, never faltering in his recitation of the tale.

Who knew the touch of hesitant fingers on her leg could feel so damned good, could stoke a fire in her that is immediate, white-hot and undeniable?

She bites down on her lip, her pulse jumping wildly at the sudden, but not entirely unexpected, turn of events. His hand squeezes her knee again, tickling and then spreading on her thigh. She lets out a shaky breath and for the first time, his voice falters, hanging in mid-sentence as she feels another tremble go through him.

"Zuko."

Their gazes meet as he drops the book onto the arm of the couch and turns his face toward her. His fingers caress her thigh beneath her skirt, causing her toes to curl and clench. He licks a fine sheen of nervous sweat from his upper lip, the blaze of his eyes like a bonfire out of control. He blinks at her, slowly, as if only now aware of what he's been doing for the past fifteen minutes. His hand tightens on her thigh for a moment and then, with a gulp, he withdraws it from her skirt.

They stare at one another for one long, intense moment. And she sees. And she knows.

"I should go," she says as her heart pounds painfully. She swings her legs off of his lap and makes for the door, forgetting her shoes and the fact that she is technically on guard duty that evening.

She doesn't make it to the door. He follows her, capturing her wrist and swinging her around. She doesn't fight him, can't, won't. He grasps her waist and pulls her against him, breathing hard, a panicked look in his eyes.

Unspoken, a million things passed between them as she brings her hands up to his chest, daring for the first time to let her touch linger. His head ducks against hers, forehead pressing as his breath stirs her hair. He is too close, too real, too damned tempting.

"Don't."

"Zuko…" Her voice wavers in the candlelit darkness, almost an exhale, nearly a moan. His mouth slides over hers the next moment, stealing the sound, bringing heat and need. His lips are firm, questing, wet and hungry. One of his hands threads through her hair and tightens at the back of her neck, the other flattening on the small of her back, propelling her against him.

Her hands are already tangled in his clothing, slipping inside his silk robe and spreading on his chest and ribs. He is warm, scorching like fire. She aches to explore him. Aches in a way that is as keen as a knife blade. Her fingers grip him hard, nails digging in.

She kisses him back, frantically, hungrily. Her heart was pounding like a drum, every kiss sizzling her senses, turning her resolve and fear into a weak, mewling thing.

Her tongue flicks against his lips, causing him to shudder against her and give chase. His tongue slides against hers with a slow roll that steals her breath, that sends little shivers down her spine, to her toes, and straight into the throbbing center of her. It awakes a needy beast in her chest, one she's been ignoring. It is awake now, and it demands sacrifice. It demands Zuko.

She presses forward for more and he loses his footing, falling back the few inches between himself and the wall of his room with a thud. She overbalances as he pulls her with him, and throws out an arm, catching herself on the wall at his back as their hips slam roughly together. They break apart, gasping for air as Zuko shoves an elbow into the wall to stop himself from sliding down it.

She catches his eye as a nervous laugh escapes her. She quickly stifles it as they stare at one another.

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he says and ducked his scarred face against her shoulder. His hands slid to her waist again and clench there for one long moment as he breathes her in, sending goosebumps shivering down her sides. Her nails dig into the stone wall at his back as their hearts beat in time to one another, racing, yearning.

"But I am."

"Me too." He lifts his head and then shoves off of the wall with his elbow, righting them both. A dark expression takes hold of his face, nesting in his amber eyes like dragons. "I… I shouldn't have done that. Any of that. I don't know what came over me, I just…"

His hands slip off of her waist and she quickly withdraws hers as if the supple heat of his body had burned her. Which it had. She'll probably never recover.

"I should go," she repeats, thinking of all of the reasons she should. Those reasons seem feeble in the aftermath of his kiss, his touch.

"You probably should," he mumbles, red in the face. "If you stay…"

"If I stay?" she whispers, letting the question linger.

"If you stay…" he says again and lifts his hand, gently cupping her chin. "If you stay, I'll kiss you again. And I probably won't stop there."

She exhales, his thumb caressing her lower lip. "And if I go?"

He closes his eyes, the scar thrown into stark relief by the candlelight. "If you go, we can pretend this never happened. I'll understand if you do. I…I know how you still feel about…" He trails off, as if unable to say the words.

She stares at him in confusion for a moment and then realization hits her. Sokka. Guilt suffuses her middle. She hasn't thought about Sokka once tonight. Hasn't thought of him with anything but wistful regret and confusion for a very long time. They'd sort of broken months ago. The whole affair still confuses her. She isn't sure how she feels. Once upon a time the thought of drifting away from Sokka would have devastated her, but now…

Now the taste of Zuko clings to her lips, and she can't look at anything but him. Hasn't looked at anything but him in a long time.

"Oh. But we're… You know we broke up."

Zuko's hand drops from her face, and he steps back. "He won't see it that way. I can't do that to him. I can't do that to you. Walk away from me, Suki. Pretend this never happened."

"What if I don't want to?"

Zuko lowers his head and clenches his hands at his sides. There's bitterness in every line of his body. "Please."

"Zuko…"

"For the sake of both our honor, I need you to walk away, because I won't," he whispers.

She stares at him, an ache in her chest that threatens to choke her. She takes another deep breath and then reaches out, grasping his hand. He wraps his fingers around hers in a desperate clench. But he won't meet her eye.

She squeezes his hand and then let's go. He doesn't stop her from leaving this time, but when the doors of his suite close behind her, she hears him curse and the burning sconces on the wall suddenly flare to bright life. She shakes in place, bare toes digging into the stone floor as her heart threatens to pound out of her chest.

A tear rolls down her cheek as she walks away.

Suki's hands are still shaking fifteen minutes later, her mind obsessively replaying the kiss, every touch, the look in his eyes, all of it. She slides out of her green uniform, throwing on a see-through red and gold robe that Zuko had given her as a present a few months previously. The silk is cool on her overheated skin and she welcomes its gentle embrace as she washes the makeup off of her face and pulls her hair out of her eyes. As she dries her face, a soft knock falls on her door, startling her.

Belting the robe, she walks to the door and opens it a crack, only to find herself staring into Zuko's amber eyes. Her heart leaps, pounding in her chest as if it might shatter at any moment. She reaches out, grasping him by the collar of his shirt and pulling him into her room without saying a word. The door closes behind him with a thud.

"What was that about walking away?" she ventures as he stares at her, breathing hard as if he'd run the whole way there from his suite.

"I was going to go for a walk to clear my head and I… I found myself here," he says and searches her eager face. He stumbles over the words, stuttering, but they come out of him anyway. "Do you know how long I've wanted to kiss you? Can't get it out of my head. Can't think of anything but you. I tried. I just… I can't walk away after kissing you like that. I can't."

His hand lands on her waist, the other lifting to caress the side of her face in the lightest of touches. Her eyes flutter closed for a moment, relishing the feel. When she opens them, his deep, shadowed eyes search her face, his thumb brushing the swell of one cheek. His fingers curl into her short auburn hair, pressing gently into her skin. Just hard enough to brand her.

"Zuko…" she starts, but she has no idea what to say. His eyes linger on her lips, his teeth scraping his own.

"I'm in love with you, Suki."

The words shatter whatever barrier has existed between them for so long. The truth has finally been spilled, and there is no taking it back.

"I'm in love you too," she chokes, clutching his wrist. His fingers find her lips and gently slide over the moist swells. The tip of her tongue darts out, unbidden, lightly touching one salty fingertip. The taste spreads over her tongue and she closes her eyes again, breath shuddering in her lungs. She feels him lean close, feels the hot press of his skin as it nears hers and the sweep of breath stirring against her lips. Her heart pounds of control, threatening arrest. "I think I have been for a long time."

He hesitates, gaze searching hers for one long moment. His hand slides around to the nape of her neck, drawing her closer. She rises up on her bare toes, aching for the heat of his mouth, aching to end the insufferable wait of years, and duty and guilt that have kept this moment from them for so long.

Slowly, as if unsure of himself, unsure of her, Zuko's lips brush hers with a heady spark. His lips are wet and soft as they slide along hers, drawing them open as they deepen the kiss. His nose bumps hers and she feels sparks of pleasure and longing fill her, tumbling down into her stomach and then lower. His tongue darts along her lower lip, drawing her mouth open so he can thrust his tongue inside, slowly, sensually. He seems in no hurry. And neither is she.

Her arms go around his neck as one of his hands finds the small of her back and he propels her against him. Their bodies press, tight and aching as he pulls back, tugging at her lips with his teeth before darting his tongue back inside. She matches him, sliding her tongue against his and drawing a moan from him. It's a deep, rough sound that makes her suddenly so warm that she's afraid she's burning up from the inside out. The kiss grows wild, desperate, hungry.

His hands tug at her hair, tilting her head to the right, his teeth nibbling at her lips, sucking them into his mouth for a moment before releasing them, only to capture them again, making her writhe against him, her hands clenching the corded muscles of his neck. The hand on the small of her back spreads, fingers kneading along her spine and then around to the front of her thin robe. His fingers find the knot and gently tug it loose. She moans, a thrill sailing through her at his clear intention.

His mouth leaves hers and he kisses his way down her jaw, nibbling at the curve of the bone, tongue sweeping out with a sensual slide that sends shivers coursing down her body in every direction. One of her hands goes to his hair and she forces him to look up at her, their eyes meeting. His amber gaze is hungry, his cheeks flushed nearly the color of the scar eclipsing his left eye.

"Zuko… I"

"I'm sorry, that was…that was too far. You want me to stop," he says again with a guilty strangle, and starts to pull away, but she grips him tight.

"Don't you dare. I want you," she breathes as Zuko's eyes flame with barely banked emotion.

"Are you sure?" he asks as his hands tremble on her waist.

"I've never wanted anything more in my life," she answers and lifts herself up on tiptoe, dragging his willing mouth to hers with a hungry moan they both share. His mouth his hot and hungry, his kiss edged with a sharp need she knows all too well. He keeps kissing her as both of his hands cup the round curves of her ass for one possessive squeeze. A moment later, he sweeps her legs out from beneath her and picks her up. She holds on tight, her stomach fluttering hard. Her bed is only a few feet away and he sinks to his knees on it; his mouth attached to her neck now, lips suckling lightly.

Together they fall back upon the bed and she's suddenly buried in his scent, his smell. He settles between her thighs, propping himself up on one elbow over top of her. The other hand she feels curve up her hip as the sides of her robe fall open. Zuko hesitates again, pulling back to bite his wet lower lip, his gaze flicking nervously to hers and back again.

"Touch me," Suki whispers, sliding her bare thigh up his hip. Zuko lets out a shaking breath and spreads his palm on the indention of her waist. He brushes her ribs and then closes his hand over the swell of one breast as he rolls his tongue against hers; stealing bits of air from her throat as her body reacts. Everything is on fire, her heart thudding like a drum. Her stomach lifts against his as he palms her breast, thumb brushing the sensitive jut of her nipple.

Her hands find Zuko's robes, popping buttons open and undoing the knot at his waist. She pushes her hands inside of his clothing, fingers spreading over whipcord muscle and hot skin that she's been longing to touch for months. Years.

Her hands spread along his spine, feeling the bunch and coil of muscles as he moves against her. One hand dips down into the back of his pants, feeling the swell of his ass, the smooth skin clenched in her palm. Zuko lifts his mouth away and stares into her eyes again, and then slowly, so slowly, moves down her neck, kissing the sensitive skin with a gentleness that is almost hesitant. His teeth sink into her collarbone a moment later, surprising a gasp out of her. Her body lifts off of the bed, pushing against his in all the right ways.

The tips of his fingers skim the center of her body, causing an eruptions of goosebumps. Her nipples spring to tingling life as she clasps his lower back in her hands. His mouth swiftly follows his fingers, kissing the hollow of her throat, and then sliding down her chest, tongue darting out and curving up both sides of her breasts.

Her hands twist in his long, dark hair, her swollen lips trembling as he pushes the robe open all of the way, revealing her breasts, the flat expanse of her stomach, the dip of her navel, and her white cotton panties. He glances up at her with a look of lust on his face that makes her tremble beneath him. Slowly, he works his way down her body, breath hot on her skin. His tongue dips into her navel, tasting her, swirling, making the hollow between her legs weep. Both of his hands clasp her waist and he suddenly slides her downward on the bed. She gasps as he hungrily pushes his face between her breasts, kissing, tugging on her skin with his lips and teeth. When he pulls one nipple into the dark wet of his mouth, nibbling, suckling, she can't help the shudder that grips her. His teeth scrape the distended peak and she arches against him, biting down on her lip.

His knee knifes between her legs, thigh pressing against her crotch. She finds herself grinding against his leg as he tugs on her nipples. Her hands slip into his hair, holding her to him as she hooks one leg around his waist. He seems determined to taste every part of her he can reach. She watches him suckling at one breast, breathless puffs of air escaping her open mouth, flesh throbbing between her legs. She's on fire; her mind isn't working. but she doesn't need it to. All she can feel is Zuko, touching her, exploring her.

Zuko's eyes lift again, his tongue darting along his bottom lip. Gazes connected, he bites down gently on the underside of her breast and she arches high against him, his name escaping her lips on a gasp. She reaches for him, to bring his mouth up to hers, but her arms are tangled in the sleeves of her robes.

She gives a mewl of protest and watches as a smile spreads slowly across Zuko's face, wicked, teeth flashing. Slowly, he draws back and she sits up, moving to pull the sleeves off. Zuko captures one wrist and leans in, lips closing on the round of one shoulder, prying her fingers away from the robe. He seems determined to undress her himself and she lets him, tilting her head back as his hair brushes her chin. His mouth lights on her neck again and he sucks on the skin, making her wince and clutch at him at same time, her nails digging.

He kisses her again, agonizingly slow, as if he has all the time in the world to savor her. She doesn't protest. He draws her back down, pushing her shoulders down against the bed with the flat of his palms. He nips at her lips again, his hands sliding back down her waist, plucking at the aching peaks of her breasts before moving downward toward the hot, wet heat pooling between her legs.

His fingers push into the crotch of her panties, the soft cotton grazing her sensitive flesh and making her whimper again. He fingers her through the material, enjoying the soft sounds of protest and pleasure rising out of her throat. His fingers spread across her crotch and press hard, rubbing slightly, making her wish he'd stop torturing her.

"Zuko…stop teasing me," she mutters against his mouth.

"I'm…I'm not very good at this," he admits with a mumble, surprising a laugh out of her.

"You could have fooled me," she says as his thumb slips into the side of her panties and sinks into the wetness spreading from her aroused center. He drags his thumb upward, over the throbbing mound of her clitoris. The contact drives her head back against the mattress, throat exposed.

"Tell me what you want…" Zuko says raggedly against her throat as his thumb circles her aching flesh, causing little tremors of pleasure to scatter through her.

"You… I just want you…" she strangles out, pushing at his shoulders, trying to make him understand what she needs. Where she needs him.

He seems to take her plea to heart and once again moves down her body, kissing his way down her breasts, his breath curling across her stomach as she takes a deep breath. He withdraws his wonderful thumb and grasps the sides of her panties. Her fingers clutch at the blankets as he pulls them down her hips. She lifts her ass off the bed to help and he tugs them slowly down her legs. He tosses them aside and captures one foot his hand.

She lifts herself up on her elbows and watches him, shivers running up and down her body as he kisses her ankle; tongue darting out and tracing the bones. Then he kisses the curve of her calf, fingers following behind his lips, making goosebumps rise in their wake. He kisses her knee and then slides his tongue up the smooth slope of one thigh, making a sticky warm trail up toward the joint of her thighs, where she needs him most.

His gaze flickers upward again and stays there, watching her as his mouth descends toward the apex of her thighs. And then, as slowly and as reverently as he'd kissed her before, Zuko kisses her wet flesh. She feels the flick of his tongue against her, the scrape of his lower lip, the suction as he tugs at her. Suki lets out a small gasp at the sensation, the sight of him there. His tongue darts out, pushing into her, up and around, then down again in a hesitant flick that makes her lower half shudder and shake. Her hands tighten in his hair as he closes his lips around her clit and suckles on it like he had her nipples.

The sensation is too much. Suki drives her heels into the bed, her hands tightening in his hair, tugging him toward her mouth.

"Suki…?" he trails off, and she senses his nervousness again. She smiles and sits up on her knees in front of him, grasping his face in both hands as she kisses his scar, sliding her tongue along the perfect imperfection on his skin. His hands cup her back, spreading down the globes of her ass and dipping into the valley in between. Her thighs are already wet as she feels one finger slide through the sensitive folds of flesh between her legs. She arches her back and meets the slow thrust of his finger against her, then, without hesitation, he slides inside, invading, making her groan, her mouth still on his scar.

She can't take it anymore. He's everywhere, he touching her and she's naked in his arms. She feels the rough slide of his pants against her legs, the throb of his cock trapped beneath making her head spin. He doesn't protest as she pushes him down onto his back, sweat glistening on his chest. She straddles him, holding herself up on one arm, the other on his chest.

"Tell me what you want," she says, biting down on her lip before closing her mouth around one nipple. Zuko grabs one of her hands in his own and brings it down to his crotch, where his erection strains against the bonds of his pants. He rubs both their hands back and forth, his breath coming in short gasps.

"This…more of this." he grinds out, swallowing hard as he leans his head back, his eyes closing, hands fingering the ends of her hair. She undoes the laces on his pants and tugs them down his hips. A light smattering of black hair grazes her face and she inhales, smelling the sharp scent of male clinging to him. Her fingers work themselves inside the cloth, touching the hard, velveteen contours of his cock, sliding along it, feeling the rise and fall of veins. He groans and then inhales sharply through his teeth as she pulls her hand out, grasps his pants in her hands and pulls them down. He fumbles with her, kicking off his shoes, eager to help, but she slaps at his hands.

She pulls them free of his feet and sets them aside, turning back to face him as he looks at her through heavy eyelids, naked and hers for the taking. The breath seems to go out of her lungs in an instant. She reaches for him and he pulls in another heavy breath as her fingers close around the hard flesh, sliding down from tip to base, his balls jerking upward as he tenses beneath her. She sees his tongue slide along his lips again and the murmur of his lips, begging her, pleading her.

She touches her mouth to the tip and he groans, thrusting upward. Her tongue darts out, circling his head, teeth scraping slightly so that he bucks his hips upward. He groans as she does it again, sliding the very tip of his cock into her mouth, tongue pulsating against his skin. She feels his hands in her hair, gripping tightly. She works her mouth down and around and back up a few times until Zuko shudders, unable to take it any longer.

"Suki…you have to stop…I…"

She understands as she lifts her mouth away, seeing the fire sparked in his amber eyes, the choked sound of his voice. He reaches for her, flipping her over before she can blink, pinning her to the bed with one smooth movement. He kisses her again, plundering her mouth and moving his head to thrust deeply into her mouth with his tongue. Her arms encircle his neck as he works his way between her legs. She feels the tip of his cock rubbing against the sensitive nub of her clit, teasing her. His hips bump hers, grinding upward.

She reaches down between them and, lifting her hips slightly, positions him at her opening. His eyes meet hers, a droplet of sweat clinging to the end of his nose for one glistening moment. Then he thrusts inside, filling her, stealing her breath, her head thrown back, fingernails buried in his back. He pulls away and then surges forward again, a deep, rumbling growl filling his throat and spilling out against her neck.

He thrusts again and again, pistoning his hips upward and down and moving them in slow, agonizing circles against hers. With every slow thrust, she rises to meet him, bellies sliding together, sweat clinging to skin despite the draft lazily creeping across her bedroom from the open window, which makes the candles she'd lit flicker and dance.

His mouth finds hers again, plucking at her lips with his teeth, his breath hot as it curls into her mouth and down her chin. Her hair clings messily to her forehead; sticky, little eddies of pleasure rippling through her body. He thrusts harder, making her give a cry of pleasure and arch high against him.

That sound sparks him again and he grabs her up by the waist, sitting back on his heels and bring her with him. She drapes over him like a sweaty blanket, her legs around his middle, the red and gold robe hanging from her arms. One hand presses on the small of her back, the other spreading on her thigh, urging her to pump over him, around him, feeling the spasm of her inner walls as his cock slides inside, farther, harder. She leans back against his hand as his mouth finds her breasts again, sucking hard on each pink nipple in turn.

Suki clutches at Zuko's shoulders and buries in his hair, rising and falling on his lap, squeezing her eyes closed, lost in the feeling of his hands on every bit of her flesh he can find. She moves her hips in small, grinding circles, muscles jumping and quivering, thighs screaming. She feels her body coiling, feels his upward thrusts becoming more erratic and faster. His hands squeeze so hard on her hips that she can feel them bruising.

"Suki, look at me…" She opens her eyes and sees his sweaty, scarred face, his mouth swollen with kisses—her kisses. He thrusts hard inside of her and she slams her blue eyes shut. He touches her face. "No, look at me…"

She looks again and sees the strangled determination in his eyes, feels him thrust inside harder, faster. She grinds hard on his lap, undulating, never taking her eyes off of his. Sparks scatter across her body in a hot wave.

His hands find her hips again and he's suddenly crushing her down on him, grinding her hips onto his. His eyes burn; sweat drips down his chest and she wants to follow the trails, but can't look away from his eyes. Her nails dig into his shoulders. Her breath quickens, she gasps loudly as he finds a sensitive spot inside and thrusts that much harder, drawing it out.

Her belly spasms and she feels her orgasm coming, her hips moving in tighter and tighter circles. She can't look away from Zuko's eyes, won't look away. She's not breathing anymore; her lungs are bursting and her mouth is open, sucking in useless drags of sex-scented air.

"Come with me…" Zuko's voice seems a million miles away, but so close, so close to her sweaty, flushed skin. He slams hard, helping her, and she feels release, gasps, digging her fingernails so hard into his skin she won't be surprised if he bleeds. Orgasm slides through her like a knife, hot and sharp and hungry. Her body tightens around his, back bowing as sweat drenches them both.

He groans her name through his teeth with each thrust into her body; she shudders around him, feeling him coming, feeling the hot spill of liquid inside of her. The words are barely out of his mouth when she's kissing him again, hard; thrusting her tongue into his mouth, sweat spilling into her eyes. His arms go around her as his hips quake upward with aftershocks; she buries her hands in his hair and shudders, her body alive with heat.

Finally, the trembling stops. He kisses her hard, mouth scorching against hers, and then pulls away, staring into her eyes once more. A small smile plays at the corners of his lips as he lifts his hands upward, brushing the strands of hair sticking to her forehead away. Small sparks play out along her skin from the contact.

Slowly, he sinks back onto her bed, bringing her with him, one hand smoothing over her back beneath the loose robe, rubbing his fingertips over her shoulder blades in slow, languid circles. Her head is on his chest, his mouth on her forehead; she tangles her fingers with his other hand and closes her eyes, contented.

With a small shift of her hips, she disengages their bodies. They both sigh at the sensation as she nuzzles his bare, sweaty chest with her cheek.

"That was…"

"Yeah," he says with a touch of awe in his voice. "I mean…did you…? It was good?"

Suki lifts her head and grins at his sheepish lack of confidence. "It was amazing. You're amazing, Zuko."

"So are you," he says and tugs her toward his mouth. Without warning, he rolls them both, pressing her down into the rumpled covers. He covers her like a sweaty blanket, kisses melting into one another, hands slowly caressing. Every sensation is new, every nerve overstimulated. When he finally pulls, they're both gasping, bodies yearning for one another's again. She reaches up and pushes his hair behind his ear, fingers lingering on the hollow beneath his ear. He catches her hand, turning her palm to kiss the pulse-point in her wrist. When he looks back at her, a small smile plays at the corners of his lips. "I love you."

Suki smiles as a clawing, strangling surge of pure emotion barrels through her body like lightning. The words spill out of her again with ease. She knows that she'll never regret them. Never regret any of it.

"I love you too."

Zuko dips his head and kisses her again, as slowly as ever, lingering, his body pushing into hers again, melding, becoming one. They don't rush this time. They have all the time in the world.

They have forever.

(end)