"Happy Birthday, Tenzin."

Snore.

Lin rolled her eyes and nestled closer to the infinite warmth his body provided. Bright pinks, oranges, and purples slipped through the cracks of the window, painting watercolors across her arms and extending along Tenzin. Since the summer solstice passed, the sun rose earlier these days and by 5a.m., light already stretched its arms across the island. Mornings were the worst and sleep was her preferred luxury because it was so limited and rare for a woman in her position. Anyone who tried to disturb or encroach on that would suffer the consequences and face her uninhibited ire. If she weren't a police chief, she'd probably have a chain of murder charges because some poor unfortunate soul choose their fate by waking her up prematurely. It's a pitiful trait—one that her firstborn inherited—but today, nature's wake-up call was a special occasion Lin could tolerate.

The fiery colors complemented his cool skin perfectly as if it were an extension of his usual air nomad clothing. But the soft blends of the sun added a femininity compared to the masculine presentation of his robes. 'He would look better in these colors naked.' She hooked a leg over his, slowly rubbing the ball of her foot along his thighs without rush. The morning chill greeted the nape of her neck, travelling down her spine as she curved against her husband's body.

"Tenzin…." She eyed the steady pulse between his shoulder and neck, inching closer hoping that her warm breath could evoke a reaction. "I said happy birthday."

Snore.

Another eye roll. If it weren't a special occasion, she would have just slapped his face to get him going. Instead, she rested her head against her hand, her free one drawing small circles along the silk patterns of his pajamas. Even through the fabric, warmth permeated and welcomed her touch. Watching him sleep peacefully without nightmares disturbing him raised a small smile on her face. Stress and trauma were the primary intruders that ebbed and flowed in both of their psyches, and manifested itself in different ways. But the common one both shared were nightmares. In Tenzin's case, his brows would slightly furrow, breaths more shallow, body curled more inward in an almost fetal position when stress hovered over his vulnerable form.

Settling on his face, Lin noticed the evidence of years that mapped out a lifetime of memories. Another year of life adding a few more lines to the collection. Most of them are from work or the kids, but not her. Well, maybe a few had been a gift from her, but he can't argue against that if he's sleeping. His poetic mouth would respond with a declaration along the lines of, "You gave me these lines around my mouth because you make me smile everyday." Words of affirmations don't hit the mark as her love language. Anyone can say one thing, but do another. Tenzin, on the other hand, proved to match his actions to his words. They had faced a few hiccups along the way like any normal couple, but as per usual, they pulled through. Together.

"You still sleeping, Twinkletoes?"

Snore.

Time for a stronger wake-up call.

Her hand trailed down the buttons of his shirt and disappeared beneath the silk. The warmth transformed into heat as her palm met his flesh, sparking a little flinch to cross his face as she explored the familiar terrain of muscles. Lin didn't need to see to know that she skimmed across a faded scar along his ribcage—courtesy of trying to cook for her during their courting period. That was a disaster, but a very memorable night in the shower. Slowly, he began to shift as the slender hand webbed her fingers to circulate even pressure across his chest.

"Mmmm, Lin?"

Finally! A response. He's not such a log after all. He may not be fully coherent, but that will change soon enough.

Her inquisitive hand creeped into his pants, quickly finding what she was searching for. He wasn't completely hard, but even the slightest caress beneath her soft fingertips was enough for it to lurch, silently asking for more affection. Her fingers encircled him with only a subtle touch of pressure and moved up and down his entire length in a tortuously slow lazy movement.

"Lin." Sleep was still evident in his voice, but that morning voice activated a dull ache between her legs. His hips arched up, following her hand and seeking for more than just a few quick jerks.

She pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. "You're finally up?"

"You tell me." Tenzin turned his face, locking their lips in a slow, sensual dance. A slow hiss escaped him and he caught her lip between his teeth when she clenched around him hard. Without any sign of letting go, her thumb began to rub firm circles along the head, drops of liquid dribbling down her knuckles. The harder he became, the rougher his kisses were against her.

"You're getting there," she purred, throwing off the blanket and yanking his pants past his hips. Tucking her hair behind her ears, Lin stroked him a few times before taking him in her mouth halfway. A familiar trace of saltiness and bitterness touched the tip of her tongue immediately and the taste extended to the back of her throat as she accepted more of him. She let out a satisfied hum and the vibration caused him to writhe beneath her. The way she was positioned, she could only see him at the edge of her peripheral vision, but the soft moans dancing into her ears informed her of the power she held over him. Years of practice allowed her the chance to master a perfect synchronization between her hands and mouth in a rhythm that left Tenzin breathless and unhinged. Effortlessly, she pushed down until his cock pressed at the back of her throat.

A sudden memory of their first intimate encounter flashed in Lin's eyes.

Tenzin was graciously and heavily endowed by the universe and upon first sight as a young teenager, Lin pondered how she would maneuver around the length and girth. But Tenzin had been more than caring throughout the entire experience since his own nerves and anxieties clouded over him at the time. When Lin took the entirety of him in her mouth, she was pleasantly surprised and proud to discover two important qualities that deemed him the perfect sexual partner: she was capable of taking him wholly and she could do so without gagging or a nauseating feeling transpiring as a reflex. Overtime and as an overachiever by nature, Lin excelled and mastered the art of evoking earth-shattering orgasms on Tenzin. Her fingers intuitively pressed into a specific spot between his balls as she continued that sweet and savory tempo with her mouth and hands.

"Spirits, Lin!" His fingers found purchase in her hair, gently combing through the silver locks and holding any stray strands out of her face. "You're going to be the death of me."

Unhurriedly, she unlatched her mouth from him, thumb seductively wiping away saliva at the corner of her lips. A blush revealed itself on Tenzin's cheeks and she felt his erection jolt further when she slowly ran the tip of her tongue across her lip. "Not on your birthday."

Lin crawled onto his lap and before she could make another move, Tenzin suddenly lurched forward, crashing his lips against hers. He locked her in a tight embrace, arms wrapping around her in a bubble of safety and possessiveness. A dizzy spell dulled her senses as his tongue easily found its way to mingle with hers and found herself on the edge of surrendering to the intoxicating sway. A sudden thrill ran through her as she realized she possessed the key to a secret no other woman would encounter. Tenzin didn't seem like the type, but he could finesse his tongue against hers as if he had a thousand lovers prior to her. But of course, that would be impossible because he was and still is committed to her since they were naive and inexperienced teenagers. Although, her curiosity did wax as to how he uncovered and acquired this secret. Perhaps she would coax it out of him with the help of handcuffs.

To regain some authority in this dance, she ground her hips against him, smiling as his cock nestled perfectly between her legs, although held back by her own silk pajamas. His hands navigated beneath her blouse, first sliding up her back and then moving across her waist, until his thumbs brushed against the sides of her breasts. "Take off your clothes," she ordered between pants, rocking steadily against his cock.

"You first." He planted a kiss on her cheek before moving to press more along her neck.

"No, you first," Lin insisted, fingers attacking at the buttons down his shirt. As the sides opened and exposed more of his warm body, she pushed the remainder of it off his shoulders. His heart beat fast and steady beneath the palm of her hands and Lin closed her eyes for a moment to listen to it. The intense rhythm of passion and love pounding in his chest paralleled the same intensity she shared for him. Eager hands sliding up her waist pulled her out of the temporary spell and she slapped them away. "I'll do it myself."

"I want to do it."

"No. I'm doing it."

Tenzin cupped her face and pulled her down for a kiss. "It's my birthday," he pointed out.

"Exactly." She grazed her teeth along his lip, then slid to his ear to whisper, "Now shut up and enjoy the show." She pushed him back so that he leaned his weight on his hands, while her deft fingers expertly pulled at the buttons concealing the curves he desperately seeked. If Tenzin were a firebender, the hunger in his eyes boring into her clothes would have burned the fabric into ashes and the precision of his skills would leave her unscathed to the fiery lust.

Beginning at the collar, Lin traced the open-sides of her blouse down to the hem with Tenzin's eyes following. As she leaned back, her shirt began to open and she allowed it to slide off her shoulders before pooling onto the sheets in a crumpled mess. Tilting her head back, Tenzin's breath hitched. Her porcelain skin became the canvas of the sunrise, passionate streaks running along her curves and contouring the valley of her breasts. Before she could meet his gaze, Tenzin's hands moved to cup her breasts, squeezing and massaging them with a gentle firmness. A tingle dropped to the pit of her stomach when his thumbs brushed against her nipples, small gasps escaping her and floating into the room. A sharper moan erupted from her and Lin gripped his arms when his tongue circled the sensitive bud, sending stronger waves of heat between her legs.

"Tenzin!" she gasped, curving into him as the pleasure ran through her. If he had hair, her fingers would have locked in on them to push him further into her, but she found a bearing at the nape of his neck worked just as fine. Her eyes rolled back when his mouth moved to her other breast, small whimpers bubbling from her throat.

He knew this was her weakness. The quickest way to turn her on and put her in the mood was any simulation to her breasts, and he learned this very quickly from the first time they were intimate. Now, he could coax and hold power over her in a matter of minutes thanks to the years of experience they gave to each other. Even at their age, Tenzin's touch only became more refined, capable of making her feel like a young teenager again. Just like old times, they weren't alone on the island and a semblance of clarity reminded Lin that there was an agenda in place for today.

His mind must have telepathically received the message she sent out, but is that really shocking considering they've known each other mind, body, and soul for the entirety of their lives? Tenzin pinned her beneath him, pressing slow open-mouthed kisses from the undersides of her breasts to her firm stomach. Rather than directing his affection in a straight path to her inner core, his tiny kisses traced faded stripes that symbolized her body carried life within before and were permanent memories of the struggles and highlights she underwent to create her family with Tenzin. Lin's breathing slowed when she felt where he was trailblazing the tender kisses and she gripped his shoulder as a pillar to ground herself. Superficiality is not a trait Lin nor Tenzin would use to describe her, but even she was not immune from physical insecurities. Though her own mother only gave birth to two children, Lin could not recall seeing any stretch marks along Toph's perfectly porcelain complexion. After Mei, Lin found herself comparing her own body to Toph's not understanding why her body struggled to look like her mother's. Of course, Tenzin never saw her any differently when Lin brought it up.

"I think they're beautiful."

"It's…weird."

"What's so weird about it? It's kind of like a scar but with more meaning."

"All the other scars are from kicking triad asses. I got them fighting to keep this city at least half safe." She sighed and slumped in her chair. "I guess it's weird because it's different from how I got other scars, and it seems…unnatural. Even Mom didn't have them and she had two kids! I don't know, I don't feel as—"

"They're the most beautiful ones to me. And my favorite." He kissed the first vines stretching along her hips. "It makes you that much more perfect."

"Perfect." The vibrations of his voice on her skin sent a wave of comfort to crest over as he continued to line each and every single marking with devotion. "Divine…heavenly…majestic…powerful…"

"I thought monks were supposed to detach themselves from all worldly concerns," Lin purred.

"Shhhh. Let me enjoy you."

The warm breaths spilling close to her pelvis encouraged her to spread her legs more so for him, despite the pants still restricting their union as one. She arched her back and wrapped a leg around him, wanting nothing more than for him to rip her pants apart and plunge deep inside her until she saw stars. "Tenzin," she peered down at him, narrowing her eyes at him, "you're doing my job."

"I don't see you complaining," he replied smugly, flicking his tongue to trace the border where her flesh and the waistband met. "Besides, I'm enjoying myself."

"That's not the poi—"

His hands fisted the waistband and yanked the useless garment off of her, until the last barrier was her soaked underwear. With the most delicate touch, as if he were barely touching her, his finger drew small circles over the soaked area and slightly pressed against the fabric. Lin squirmed, low groans catching in her throat as he teased her. "Tenzin, get with it!"

"Or else what?"

"I'll do it myself."

"You look gorgeous when you're annoyed."

"Tenz—" The low growl suddenly elevated to a mewl as a finger slid past her underwear, diving into her. Lin cursed under her breath, head falling back onto the pillow. Although her arousal was obvious, that little move did little to satisfy the rising fire escalating within her. She needed more. More pressure. More speed. More Tenzin. Again, as if he heard her thoughts, he slipped another finger within her, curling them upward and adding more pressure to the hood of her walls. Lin bit down on her lip to prevent any loud screams from reverberating across the island as her vision began to blur from the pleasure building from the pit of her belly. In a split second, that small taste of contentment disappeared with his fingers and vexation quickly settled in. "You mmph—!"

Tenzin crashed his lips against hers, tongue slipping into her mouth. Lin could barely compose a coherent thought when she was surrounded by him. The way his body could push out all the oxygen from her lungs paired with his suffocating kisses, he made her feel small and dainty, something that probably no other experience could replicate. She became so lost in her own distraction she failed to notice Tenzin deftly removing her underwear and casting it off to the other side of the bed. When his erection brushed across her entrance, hard, pulsing, and ready to summon the greatest pleasure. He broke the kiss. "Do you want this?"

"I should be asking you that, birthday boy." Lin grazed his lip with her teeth, while she took a hold of him and guided him into her.

Effortlessly.

Lin's eyes rolled back as the unforgettable sensation of him stretching and filling her to the brim finally fulfilled the desire she had been seeking. Their bodies fit each other perfectly, her curves filling and dipping into Tenzin's curves as if they were cut from the same fabric—two halves of one. The breathless moan released into her ears was a heavenly tune that could be her ticket to the spirit world. She wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him to thrust deeper, harder, and prolong the pleasure surging throughout her body. Her nails dug into his back, imploring hips rising up to match every powerful thrust. Red lines ran beside the blue tattoos on Tenzin's pale complexion, and the pain of Lin's markings simply fueled the ecstasy coursing in his veins, invigorating an innate dominance that hardly revealed itself.

"Spirits, Tenzin, right there!"

"Like this?"

"Yes, don't sto—ah—!" The ripples of bliss began to swell into a wave preparing to crest over. Minutes into becoming one and he already took her close to the edge, and Lin mentally praised his ability to excel in pleasing her. Her body was a map that he memorized along with the shortcuts to get exactly what he wanted.

"Not yet." That low growl in her ear paired with the intense momentum of his body colliding with hers had Lin comply so easily under the command. Even if she wanted to stop the impending orgasm, the way he had her pinned down made it close to impossible. She growled in frustration as his hips suddenly slowed to a sluggish pace, interrupting the natural flow of sexual release. How dare he do that right when she was prepared to surrender?!

"Tenzin," she warned, voice dripping like molten copper.

"Tell me you love me." He dipped his head to her neck, the flat of his tongue caressing her collarbone until he reached the underside of her jaw.

"I'm not in the mood for games. Either hit all the sixes or don't play at all."

"But it's my birthday," he murmured against her skin, lips dancing to her neck once more and sucking on a very specific spot hard. The breathy gasp he was rewarded with left a smug grin and he swirled his tongue over the sensitive spot before planting another one. Huh, so he slowed down just to decorate her with a few love marks? "Aren't you having fun?"

"No."

Something immediately shifted within Tenzin and Lin swore she saw his grey-blue eyes shift to a sapphire blue. "Tell me you love me."

"Make me."

He slipped out of her completely and absorbed her protesting moans against his mouth. Lin squirmed beneath his weight, fighting for control and failing miserably as he stole her breath. Damn it, him and his stupid breath control. At least she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of voicing out her annoyance like he does whenever she encased his wrists in metal…or earth. No, he would not be the recipient of a petty complaint no matter how intense his seduction loomed over her. His fingers curled into her hair and he gently pulled back, providing him with a better view of unmarred skin begging for more hickies. "Say it." He sucked on a new spot, swirling his tongue lovingly at the end of minting a fresh mark.

All she had to do was hold on for a bit longer. She is as stubborn as the natural element she bends and she would not bend to Tenzin's seduction. No, she would not. Not when he moved to the other side of her neck, continuing to plant his signature for the world to see.

"Give it to me."

He didn't bother to pause on the task at hand, lips latching to her skin even harder. "Give what to you?"

She felt the entire length of him brush against her folds—he was so close, yet so far! Lin averted her gaze for a moment to try and gain some composure when her resolve was crumbling from the delightful feeling of his cock teasing her clit. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't lower the breathy whimpers betraying her indifferent exterior. Even her body began to tense up in search for him to fill her again, make her whole and power into her with the force of a hurricane. "Just…"

"Yes?"

"I want you to…" Lin couldn't finish that sentence when she felt tiny kisses pressed against her cheek.

"Tell me what you want, love." A kiss over her eye and that was the final nail in the coffin.

"I want you to fuck me."

One more kiss blessed her other eye and she already knew he was smirking at the win. "With pleasure."

"Ugh, you—"

Tenzin hooked his arm beneath her knee and pulled her leg over his shoulder, pushing inside of her in one swift move with the intensity of a lightning bolt striking the earth, until his cock was completely buried inside her. The second he filled her once again eradicated all doubts, vexations, and coherency for all she could think about was the sensation of him. Lin wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing her face into his skin to absorb guttural moans. Her teeth sunk into the supple flesh and she licked at the new bite tenderly. In this new angle, the intense tremors travelled deeper, surpassing the end and extending into her chest and Lin didn't know how much longer she could hold on or if she wanted to. "I love seeing you like this," he confessed. Somehow the admission reached her ears despite the sexual fog clouding her judgment.

"Tenzin…"

"You're so beautiful. Your body is perfection. You have no idea how many times a day I think about making love to you. I think about you on top of me while I'm at work. I fantasize about every position I can claim you, just to hear you screaming my name. Every time you show up to our meetings, I want to ravage you against the wall and hear your moans echo in the building. You're irresistible. Everything about you arouses me. I can't get enough of you. The way you tighten while I'm pounding you is breathtaking and it takes me to the edge every single time. I love hearing you moan my name while I'm inside of you. No one else can hear me making you scream in ecstasy while you claw my back and bite my neck. You're mine. I'm never letting you go. You belong to me."

She could barely hear the string of praises above the mounting pleasure building in her core, preparing to disperse and paralyze her entire being in euphoria. Lin pulled him closer, trying to find some way to ground herself as bliss began to overwhelm her senses. "Tenzin," she whined.

"Lin…look at me."

She met his eyes, mouth slightly parted, gasping out, "I love you." Lin spread her legs more and arched her hips upward, releasing a soft cry as an intense surge of pleasure rippled through her and extended beyond her limbs. Although she followed Tenzin's command, her vision blurred and all she could distinguish was the blue arrow embedded in his skin. The raw and organic power of euphoria left her feeling as if her soul ascended from her physical body and touched a piece of heaven before returning back. As the high began to recede, heat rose to her cheeks and ears; a natural blush coloring her skin and overlapping with her scars. Tenzin pressed soft kisses to her rose-flushed cheeks, murmuring "I love you"s with each blessing.

The post-orgasmic fog began to clear and clarity settled into her bones with a renewed vigor fueling her reflexes as she effortlessly reversed their positions. Lin victoriously settled atop of him, eager and more than ready to rock his world as she had done time and time again. She felt his eyes hungrily scan every contour of her body and she leaned back ever so slightly to enhance his view of her breasts. Taking his larger hands, she guided them to cup her breasts, squeezing firmly over the soft flesh and rewarding him with a mewl for his work. Tenzin didn't require any further instruction, automatically kneading and rubbing calloused fingertips against her sensitive nipples. Lin's hands left his and she bowed forward, flicking a curious tongue over the steady pulse of his neck. "My turn," she purred in his ear, steadily rocking her hips into him and hissing as his explorative fingers dug into the supple flesh of her behind.

The string of moans and growls dancing in her ears prompted Lin to ride him with more power and speed. She straightened once more, searching for his hands and interlocking their fingers as she continued rocking intensely over him. He already looked incredibly sexy like this—eyes clouded with excitement, swollen lips parted and ready to claim hers. A part of her melted as she noticed the look of adoration, admiration, and lust he had while she worked to bring forth pleasure out of him. Even in moments of carnal lust and rage, his commanding gazes mingled with love and she wondered if any man had that look while they bedded their lovers. Probably not because they're not Tenzin.

For that and with the added bonus of his birthday, he deserves a little extra reward.

"Nnnghh! Spirits, Lin!" His hips ground against her even harder as she moved her hips in a circle, thrusting into the sensual rhythm she created. So he likes this, hm? "You're incredible."

"What else?"

"Magn-magnificent…b-breathtaking…stunninggg…sublime, fuck… unparalleled…" Hmm, that's a pretty big word if she's supposedly riding him good. Perhaps he needs a little extra spice so he can't think at all. She repeatedly clenched her inner walls while maintaining the sensual circular motion of her hips. "Fuck, Lin! You're going to make me…"

"Inside me," she commanded.

"Huh? Are you sure?"

"Do it, Tenzin. Release into me." She moved beside his ear, low voice whispering, "Show me who I belong to."

" Spirits, Lin, you're so—" His words died against the divine bliss that possessed his entire being. He wrapped his arms around his wife and pounded into the heavenly space Lin offered with reckless abandon, groaning into her hair as he released everything into her.

As the warmth filled within her, Lin clung to him as they both leaned back into the bed, gathering their bearings from the force of heated orgasms. Their heartbeats harmoniously raged in their chests as they tried to catch their breaths. Lin nuzzled her face into the curve of his neck while he stroked her hair with an immediate tenderness that coexisted with his authoritative side. A light layer of sweat glued their bodies together and Lin usually despised that sticky feeling, but to have earned it from riding Tenzin and hearing how amazing she is? An acceptable compromise.

After a few moments, Lin slid to his side and they shifted to share tender, languid kisses—a tradition they always completed after making love or fucking. It's a safe bubble that reminds them of their love. No matter how horny, angry, emotional, or joyful they may have been during sex, these warm kisses symbolize the undying and unconditional love they share for one another. They remained in a peaceful silence, satisfied in body and soul as the passion waned from their bones and was replaced by a need to be present with each other.

"Happy 50th Birthday, my love," Lin murmured, nuzzling her nose against his. "You're old now."

Tenzin chuckled, cupping her face and resting his forehead against hers. "Yours is fast approaching. Enjoy the last of your 40s."

"I still have time."

"Yes, you do…ow! What was that for?" Tenzin winced, rubbing a soothing hand over his nipple. A pink spot began to appear from the pinch he suffered.

"We have to shower. You have a full day today."

"Can't we just sleep a little longer? You really drained me."

"The kids have a surprise for you and it begins in…" Lin glanced over at the clock on the wall, "one hour."

"Liiin."

"Hurry up, unless you want the kids to barge in here and see us like this?"

"They're old enough to knock."

"No excuse. Get up."

"Give me a few minutes please."

Lin gathered her discarded clothes, folding it neatly. "Well, I thought we were going to shower together. But I suppose you would want to rest after a morning session."

Instantly, Tenzin perked up, studying whether her words were of a serious nature or for laughs. "You want to shower together?"

"Who says I want to?" she replied, sending him a seductive look and slinking over to the bathroom. "If you want to sleep a little longer, that's fine by me. It's your b—ah! Tenzin!"

"Who says I don't want to shower with the most beautiful woman in the world on my birthday?" he murmured, lips brushing along the slopes of her firm shoulders and placing a kiss at the edge.

"Well in that case, I hope you can keep up, Master Tenzin."

"Is that a challenge, Ms. Beifong?"

She turned in his arms, lips close to his ear. "Show me you can keep up."

"Challenge accepted."