New chapter! Kind of rubbishy and a little bit short, but hopefully it's still not too bad. The rating went up with this one, so be warned!

Chapter Three

Tenzin hated himself. His wife was none the wiser, as he had realised when she'd apologised about making it awkward for him and Ursa, but Tenzin knew that he'd been a hair's breadth from cheating. And that was more than enough to incur a lot of self-loathing.

He hadn't managed to do any work today and it was already almost time for leaving. Greyness was beginning to linger outside his window and it didn't improve his motivation to start the cumbersome pile of paperwork on his desk even remotely. His fingers hurt from drumming them on the hard wood all day.

Home had to come soon, but there was equally as little motivation to go back to his innocent wife and children. Tenzin, ideally, would sit at this desk for the rest of his life rotting in self-hatred. Or he'd turn back time. He would take it back given the opportunity, he was almost sure. Almost.

A knock on the door barely broke Tenzin out of his stupor. But the person who walked through the entrance after a lack of response was enough to make his back rigid with attention. "You haven't filled in the form for that budget increase I requested." Lin snapped, not meeting his eyes, arms crossed defensively. They hadn't spoken since the incident on the balcony and Tenzin had been both dreading and itching for them to see each other again.

Tenzin stared at the pile of paperwork before him. He supposed he should have had enough common sense to actually look if any of it was important. Or if filling any of it in would have prevented the woman he couldn't stop thinking about appearing in his office.

Palms suddenly sweating, he flicked through the stack of papers. "You've not done any of this?" Lin asked, scowling at him. Tenzin didn't bother to explain that this was a build-up of paperwork from the past three days; the days since President Raiko's instating. "I don't remember you being a slacker."

"I'm not." Tenzin dismissed immediately, still flicking, the bitterness coming automatically to his voice. "I just didn't feel like doing it today. I'll catch up tomorrow."

"Why, what have you been doing?" The sharp tone in Tenzin's voice had only aggravated Lin further. He wasn't really angry at her, though. He was angry at himself. Lin was just an easy target because he knew what buttons to press with her. It was only a mirror match, though. Lin knew him too well, knew exactly what would break his usual calm demeanour.

"Is that really any of your business, Chief Beifong?"

Lin actually blinked at the formal address, but Tenzin continued his aloof act. His heart was pounding against his chest and no doubt Lin could feel it using her seismic sense, but he refused to let it show on his face. That was a small victory at least.

Lin's hands slamming down on his desk and her leaning over was enough to make him sweat and his expression break for only a second. "What are you doing Tenzin? I'm pretty sure I've done nothing wrong. Stop being a bitch for once in your life and sort me out my paperwork."

It was partly a tough act, Tenzin knew. Lin was almost just as shaken as he was, she was just significantly better at hiding it. Her hard face barely showed any signs of vulnerability as Tenzin found himself staring into it, but Tenzin knew where to look. In the corner of her mouth that twitched slightly whilst they maintained eye contact. Lin was just as scared of the situation as he was and neither of them knew what to do next.

The right thing definitely wasn't to lean over the desk and lock lips with her, but Tenzin did it anyway. He needed it. He'd been so close, he couldn't just keep going without knowing what it would have been like. It had been killing him these last few days and this was his chance to find out.

And it was better than he'd even expected, especially since Lin didn't push him away.

He deftly removed the clips holding up her hair and pondered just for a moment the fact they seemed looser than normal. Lin surely hadn't been planning this exact thing when she came to his office. This thought didn't stick in his brain for long, instead it was filled with Lin's body as she broke their kiss for a second to come around the desk and place herself on his lap.

He was more than ready to just take her, but he held back. Being able to finally touch Lin again, it needed to be done slowly and attentively.

Lin apparently wasn't of the same opinion; her hands twisted into fists in Tenzin's robes and she kissed him desperately. It was particularly difficult to even attempt being slow when Lin was this eager.

"Take it off." He murmured in her ear, referring to the clunky metal outfit, being able to only stare at the tank top he loved so much as it was revealed to him. Lin's foot touched the floor for only a moment, but he heard the visible click of the lock. In this lust-crazed stupor he'd not even considered that they were in his office and with his pathetic attempt at completing paperwork any number of people might be ready to bang on his door, just as Lin had.

Tenzin's attentions were returned to Lin in an instant when the tank top joined the metal armour on the floor. "Lin." He groaned freely, running hands everywhere he could get them and bringing them as close as possible, her entire body pressed up against him.

It wasn't long before Tenzin was naked too, Lin perched on the edge of his desk, giving him such a sultry look he thought he must be dreaming. Their sex had always been good when they were younger, even during the rough patches of their relationship, but this was something else entirely. Before, if Tenzin wanted her, he could almost always just have her. But this, this had been a build-up of Tenzin wanting Lin for a very long time and it was better than he could have even imagined.

Seeing Lin squirm and gasp beneath him was just too much for Tenzin to do anything other than pound into her desperately, grasping her hip hard enough that there would definitely bruises in the morning. That thought alone satisfied Tenzin.

When they had both found their release, unspoken things hung in the air, but both chose to ignore them as they moved from the desk to sit in Tenzin's chair, Lin curled up in his lap, her head buried in the crook of his neck. It was perfect, really, ignoring any external circumstances. At least that was all Tenzin could think. He just didn't want her to get up and leave, like she inevitably had to.

"Well that was fun." Lin's tone was surprisingly jovial. Tenzin had expected tears, or violence, not a joke.

He was grateful though. "I suppose it was okay." He replied. This had always been their routine. They'd wear each other out, but Tenzin would always feign ignorance.

Lin cuffed him round the ear and they both laughed.

It died out fairly quickly, though.

"I have to leave." Lin murmured, though she only clung onto him harder with that statement.

"You don't have to leave." Tenzin hoped that they could just stay in this position all night. He'd come up with something in the morning.

Lin shook her head, though, and Tenzin knew that she'd made her decision. Reality was coming crashing down annoyingly quickly.

After removing herself from Tenzin's body, Lin got dressed expertly quick and couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes again. "I'm sorry for coming to your office."

"I'm not." He replied instantly, though it had just reached the point where his self-loathing had amplified until he was tempted to just break down and cry, because whilst finally fucking Lin was all well and good in the moment, going home to his wife and children was something he didn't know whether he could handle. For all his day-dreaming, he'd never really considered that he'd ever cheat. It was his fantasy, not expected to be lived out.

But here he was, with Lin finally staring at him, an almost concerned look on her face. "It never happened." She told him bluntly. "And it'll never happen again, don't be so down about it. You'll get over it. Your marriage will get over it." It was straightforward and obviously hard for Lin to say, but his expression must have been completely readable.

"Right." He agreed, though Tenzin didn't think that would help Lin's emotions in the slightest. "I am sorry, Lin."

"Me too." She muttered, turning and leaving, slamming the door unnecessarily loud behind her.