"Quiet," Mai hissed, cautious eyes darting back and forth.

"I didn't say anything," Zuko smirked, before pressing himself against her once more.

Rolling her eyes, Mai decided to finally indulge her Fire Lord with a long, languid kiss. She allowed him to keep her pinned against the wall, soft breaths escaping them both while they stole one of many private moments in the palace. When her tongue entered his mouth, she could feel the smooth heat rising underneath his skin.

A small "Mmm," fell from his throat, and she abruptly turned her head to break off the kiss without warning.

"We can't do this here," she sniffed, careful not to look at her boyfriend. She knew that if she did look, she wouldn't be able to hold back her desire. "You're too loud."

"Come on, Mai," he breathed, dipping forward to nuzzle into her cheek. Her eyes closed again, and he began to kiss his way down her face. Her high cheekbone, her sharp jawline, just beneath her chin, that spot on the side of her neck that drove her crazy-

"Someone could see," she murmured, despite turning her head further away so he could kiss more of her exposed neck. He nipped at her collarbone, the edge just barely visible through the fabric of her dress, and her eyes fluttered shut once more. Her body arched into him without thought, and some small part of her hoped he would ignore her words. She wanted him so badly, right then and there. But she had a plan. The ache between her legs would not best her.

"We're out in the open," she continued, a little breathless. "Anyone could turn the corner and see us."

"I'll banish them."

With a derisive snort, Mai shrugged out of his loose embrace. Zuko stepped away immediately, his expression easy to read, as usual. He was second-guessing himself, likely thinking she actually wanted to be left alone instead of just acting coy. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and a few messy strands escaped his crooked topknot. He looked more than dishevelled with the loose hair framing his face, and lips still wet from kissing.

Straightening the dark locks of hair draped over her shoulders, Mai watched her boyfriend from the corner of her eye. This was one thing Zuko was never any good at- games.

With a resigned look in his amber eyes, he cleared his throat.

Time to make her move. Before he could speak, Mai started towards the end of the hall, turning to look over her shoulder. "What are you waiting for, Your Majesty?" she said, her bored voice dropping into a sultry tone. "If we're going to desecrate your ancestral home, we should at least find a more private hallway."

Blinking, Zuko's disappointed expression quickly transformed into one of barely-contained excitement. Without waiting for an answer, Mai strode out of sight, hips swaying a little more than strictly necessary.

She could hear the Fire Lord break into a sprint, light footsteps clinking on the terracotta tiles behind her.

He turned the corner too quickly in his eagerness, and he yelped with surprise when he nearly knocked her down. Thinking quickly, Mai dug her thin fingers into the front of his clothes and pulled at him. Using his own momentum to spin him around, she then shoved him through the nearest doorway. The curtained entrance billowed as he stumbled through it backwards, Mai still latched onto him with a fervour she rarely displayed.

Their lips found each other in an instant. Strong hands reached the slender curve of her waist, his frantic fingers pulling at the rounded clasp of a belt settled high across her torso. His golden sash sank to the floor, robe slightly open at the front despite his stiff shoulder piece keeping the garment on his shoulders.

And then the sharp crack of porcelain ruined the moment.

Mai froze in place, mortified beyond belief. Zuko spun on his heel to find the private tea room already occupied by two servants, frozen in place with wide, disbelieving eyes. The elder servant, still clutching sticks of incense in her trembling hands, abruptly dropped into a low bow. Her apprentice gulped loudly before remembering his station, and he jerked into a bow as well, one foot knocking into the shattered teapot at his feet.

"Get out!" Zuko yelled, his voice unnecessarily harsh in his embarrassment. The two servants fled the room immediately, darting around the teenagers without daring to lift their heads. Mai took a deep, calming breath as she heard footsteps fading into the distance.

"Ugh!" he roared, holding the front of his robes closed. "I've been Fire Lord for less than a year! As if there isn't enough gossip about me already. That was…" Cheeks still burning red, he fumbled for words before finally settling on, "That was so undignified."

"Not all of it is just gossip, though," Mai stated, tugging at his shoulders until he turned to face her again. "I like the one about you being a screamer."

She managed to bite back a laugh as her boyfriend sputtered with anger, clearly flustered. "What? I am not! Who said that?" he demanded.

"Ha… no one," she answered lightly, smacking his hands away from the front of his robe. She held onto the trim tightly, letting him know that their lunch date was far from over. "Not yet, anyway. I was hoping we could start that little rumour today."

Indignant, Zuko opened his mouth for a retort, but she cut him off with a passionate kiss. He groaned into his girlfriend's mouth, previous thoughts swept away with every twitch of her lips. She could feel his erection digging into her thigh, and he ground his hips against her without any trace of shame.

She took a much-needed gulp of air when Zuko pulled away to rid himself of his pointed shoulder guards. She had just enough time to step out of her dark dress before his hands were on her again, hot fingers slipping beneath her undershirt.

Mai fought back a smile when she pressed her hands flat against his firm chest, his robes parting slightly. She could see a pale sliver of skin just beneath the garment- unusual, considering the Fire Lord's attire normally consisted of no less than three separate layers. Interest piqued, she leaned into his ear, whispering, "Where's the rest of your little outfit?" She nibbled the lobe, then: "Did you know you'd be getting fucked today?"

He shivered at the sound of her voice, and it took him a moment to reply. "It's hot," he said, almost stupidly. "I've been- uh. I've been hot all day. And my… underclothes were sweaty?"

Pulling back slightly to peer at his sheepish look, she shook her head. "You teenagers and your hormones," she said dryly, eyes flashing with amusement. "Getting all hot and bothered when the wind so much as blows your way."

"As if you're so much older than me," he huffed, reaching inside both of her wide sleeves. "After tomorrow, we'll be the same age again. At least for a little while." He slid spring-loaded holsters off her wrists, and carelessly tossed them next to their feet, a few stiletto darts falling out when they hit the floor. "Besides, you're just as worked up as I am. I can tell."

"I am," she relented, narrowing her eyes when she felt him removing the dagger strapped just beyond her right wrist holster. "But I'd advise you to handle my knife with as much care as I handle yours."

At the thought of her skilled hand wrapped around his cock, Zuko groaned, gently setting the knife alongside the others.

"You mean sword," he breathed, shrugging his robe the rest of the way off before sending one hand pushing up her shirt, stroking the smooth skin of her stomach. "Knives are small. Call it a sword." The other hand loosened the drawstring of his trousers before letting the fabric fall to his ankles.

"Oh, you know I'm not into dirty talk," she sighed, watching him struggle as his trousers caught on the mid-calf boots he still wore. "And I'm not gonna call it anything, let alone touch it if you keep talking." She bent slightly, ushering her own pants to the floor.

With a huff, Zuko finally freed his legs. Throwing the offending pair of pants somewhere behind him, he put his mouth to work. He kissed her swollen lips, gently nudging her in the direction of the low table next to them. With a careless swipe of her hand, she sent two teacups flying off the table, only to have them crash to the floor by the teapot's remains. She sat down, pulling her shirt over her head. Zuko unfastened the sai holster around her waist, and tossed it into the impromptu pile of Mai's other weapons.

"You have too many sharp things on you," he grumbled, hands now on the bare skin of her hips. "Not as many as usual, but still."

"I actually dressed light today," she said, casual. She drank in the sight of him, his slim but powerful frame already shining with a light sheen of sweat.

Hot.

On his knees, he planted light kisses just above the tight band of maroon fabric covering her chest. Looking up at her, his bright eyes shone with mischief. She quirked an eyebrow at him in response, somewhat surprised that she wasn't completely topless already. He usually dove for her breasts any chance he got, but she certainly wasn't complaining. After all, she had grown bored of their repeat performances as well.

So instead of reaching for her top, he leaned forward, levelling his mouth with her stomach. He licked his way down the slight curve of her belly, fingers brushing over the sides of her hips. He sucked at the fair skin just above her low-slung panties, and the muscles of her abdomen jumped at the contact.

"You want my mouth on you?" he panted, mouth curled into a self-satisfied smirk. "I love tasting you."

"And you're so good at it," she praised, one lip caught between her teeth. "But... not today."

He drew back, surprised. "What?"

She took a deep breath. "Tomorrow, we'll have to sit through all those boring ceremonies for your birthday. So, I want today to be for you."

The poor boy just looked confused, blinking at her with those big, golden eyes. "You mean… like you going down on me? 'Cause I can still-"

She hushed him with a finger to his lips, and he faltered, unsure of what to make of her refusal. "I had something else in mind, actually," she mumbled, her cheeks tinged with pink. They looked at each other for a moment, and when Mai let her hand fall, she looked away. Now that the time had drawn near, she suddenly felt too abashed to even meet his gaze.

"Well, uh," Zuko said, still on his knees in front of her. He seemed to pick up on her change in demeanour. He made another small noise, as if to highlight the awkward silence, and then asked, "Well, what did you... have in mind?"

Sliding off the table, she knelt in front of him, and placed a slender hand over his heart. "Lay down," she instructed, regaining some of the usual authority in her voice. Looking at her intently, Zuko reclined on the floor, propped up slightly on his elbows so he could watch her with curious eyes.

Mai licked her lips before crawling over him on all fours, hair brushing against his skin in a way that made him twitch with anticipation. "You're going to be the death of me," he said, tilting his chin up to brush his nose against her chin. "You know that, right?"

"Oh, I know," she chuckled dryly, settling in-between his legs instead of straddling him.

Leaning over him, she kissed him, sweet and slow. The air around them changed, the boiling passion between them settling into a simmering display of tender love and affection for a moment. Her fingers smoothed over the hollow of his neck, then across his clavicle. Large hands rested against her rib cage, thumbs grazing the undersides of her full breasts; teasing, but not really touching.

Then Mai felt her world narrow again as the sharp scent of his body filled her lungs. His soft lips moved against hers, his mouth pliant and malleable. She loved his lithe body, and she loved discovering new things about him. Just a few weeks ago, she had felt the slight bristles of hair starting to grow between his pectorals for the first time. The sparse strands were a little longer now, darker and silky in texture. She loved the boy he was now, and also the man he was becoming. She loved discovering him, and even herself, whenever they became intimate.

She loved… him. Oh, boy.

Mai loved Zuko.

With both of them so busy in the new era of reconstruction, they had little time for sexcapades. Stolen moments like these were more precious than gold, and the young couple did their best to keep their trysts to themselves. In reality, they didn't want to get caught, but the risk certainly sent a thrill through both of them.

And tonight, Mai wanted to take another risk. She loved him, and she wanted to show him.

She shimmied down his body, lavishing his neck with long, open-mouthed kisses. She trailed a single finger under the waistband of his loincloth, teasing the sensitive skin hidden just out of sight. Zuko made a small, contented sound in the back of his throat, and Mai smirked.

He hummed in pleasure, trying to crane his head to watch her work. His mouth twitched when she swirled a tongue around one of his nipples, and he sighed. He gave her a similar reaction when she moved onto his other nipple, and he hissed when she caught the hard bud gently between her teeth and pulled. Eyes dropping, he looked at her, something in his expression changing. "I love you," he added quietly.

She almost froze.

Zuko had only told her this once before- when their relationship had been on a break. He had wasted time, he had fucked up- he hadn't been able to tell her he loved her until she was already walking away. Things were different now, though. They'd grown together throughout the past few months, their relationship not just a spark anymore, but a flame.

Secretly relieved to hear him confess once again, she hummed an inaudible response around the nipple in her mouth, and licked the bud once more before almost completely bypassing his stomach. She had to say it back eventually- after all, she felt the same way. But the thought of actually saying those three little words out loud to his stupidly cute face? It actually scared her.

He couldn't feel much of the dark, starburst-shaped scar below his chest, so she resumed at his navel. He shifted, the bulge in his loincloth searching for some more friction against her. She lowered herself further, bound breasts dragging against the tight front of his underwear. He groaned, his golden eyes flickering shut briefly, but never leaving her slender form when open.

She dipped her tongue down to brush against the short hairs just barely visible above the garment. Straightening, she curled her fingers into the cloth and tugged it down, eyes brightening when his cock sprang free, arcing towards her face briefly before careening away again, so hard it strained against his stomach already. Zuko held his breath, waiting to feel her tongue slide against the bulbous head of his cock. But it never came. He watched, curious now, as she instead pulled his underwear completely down his legs, fighting to get them over his ankles.

"You look stupid," she huffed, referring to the fact that he was completely nude save for the fancy shoes still firmly laced to his calves and the royal ornament still clinging to his hair.

"Good thing you like stupid," came his breathless reply, and she couldn't help but smile when she rolled her eyes. Throwing his last piece of clothing behind her, Mai ducked down to guide his throbbing erection into her mouth.

"Ah," Zuko gasped, hips already bucking. He let his propped elbows collapse under him, laying down fully as he pressed his hands to his mouth. "Fuck," he told the ceiling, his muffled voice still too loud in the small room. The girl between his legs slithered down further, hips flat against the floor as she lavished his penis with attention. Dark hair tickled her nose as she bobbed her head, cheeks hollowed as wet noises escaped her lips. Her arms wrapped around the underside of his legs, and her hands gripped his sharp hip bones tightly to keep him from thrusting into her mouth too much. She pulled off of him slightly, pausing to swirl her tongue around the tip.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he cried out, not even bothering to try and keep quiet anymore. His hands were in his own hair now, pulling tightly at the wayward brown strands in an effort to keep from pulling her hair.

She hated when Zuko pulled her hair. He tried it once, a few months ago, and she could still feel the sting of her glossy black hair stretched taut behind her. She had put him in his place without so much as a second thought. "I'm in charge tonight," Mai had told him. "Not you. I say 'Fuck me,' and you say 'How hard.' And if the Fire Lord doesn't like it, then he can jerk himself off." Oddly enough, the words made her boyfriend come right on the spot. As it turned out, he loved submitting to her in the bedroom- a stark contrast to his typical, assertive countenance. As the leader of a nation, Zuko didn't mind being subservient to her when they were lucky enough to find themselves alone.

The thought did nothing to soothe her nerves, though. Switching up their roles with regards to who was in charge was a minor thing when the sex itself was always the same. Genital to genital. Hand to genital. Mouth to genital. Not boring, per se, but… okay, so maybe Mai bored easily. She didn't want to hurt Zuko's feelings, though, by saying that outright. She only hoped the suggestion Suki gave her would spice things up.

She coated every inch of his shaft with saliva, teasing every dip, curve, and vein with her tongue, and the body below her shuddered in ecstasy. Then she moved a little lower, gently sucking part of his sac into her mouth.

"Oh," Zuko groaned, a little louder with surprise, but no less pleased. He pushed into her, tried to get her to take more of him into her mouth, but she ignored the instinctive thrusting in favour of her own pace. She took her time, pale hands sliding down his lean body. His hips arched off the ground, reddened cock slick against his stomach with spit and precum, and she easily parted his thighs to reveal more of his gorgeous figure. He continued to curse indiscriminately, and Mai journeyed further and further until-

"Ah!"

Zuko shot up, thighs pressed tightly together as he just looked at her, completely bewildered and more than a little embarrassed. "What are you doing?" he half-demanded, half-panted, sweaty chest still heaving.

Sighing, Mai pushed herself off the floor, sitting up with him to meet his gaze. She hadn't even reached her goal- she had made it halfway across the short stretch of skin beyond his scrotum before he panicked.

"Something new," she said, trying to keep her tone casual with a straight face. If she didn't freak out, then Zuko wouldn't.

"Something new?" he stammered, obviously caught off guard. "But your mouth," he tried, eyes wide and unsure. "You almost put your mouth on my…" He cringed a little, too mortified to even say it.

"It was something Suki told me about," Mai revealed. She didn't want to push him into something he didn't want, and she grew anxious at the thought that he might not be interested in this particular kind of play. "Apparently Sokka loves it when she-"

"Stop," Zuko said, eyes slamming shut. He put up a hand to silence her, and she was too amused to do anything but comply. "I don't want to think about Sokka when I'm hard, or think about Sokka being hard. So just… Please, stop."

"Stop talking about Sokka, or-"

"Yes, that!" he said, clearly exasperated.

"So… I can keep doing the other thing, then," she stated more so than asked. One eyebrow raised… A challenge.

Eyes opening even wider at her words, Zuko looked a bit like a wild fox-antelope in the middle of the road, about to be struck by a wayward cart.

"Please?" she finally said, admitting some of her own hesitation. "It might feel good and I… I just want to make you feel good."

He looked at her for what felt like a full minute before nodding. "Okay," he said, more to himself than to her. "Okay..."

"And if you don't end up liking it, I'll stop," she promised. "You remember the safeword, right?"

"Okay," was still all he could say, clearly wary of why someone would want to touch him there.

"You do remember the safeword, right?" she asked again, frowning.

"Yeah," he breathed. "Gondola. I remember."

He started to lean back again, but Mai caught his wrist. "Get on your hands and knees," she said, head tilted in thought. "I think that'll be easier."

He flushed, but after a moment, he sat up, stiff cock bouncing against his abdomen with every movement. She watched him shuffle a bit to turn around on his knees, looking so self-conscious with his shapely rear in her face. He waited a moment more leaning down on his elbows, hunched slightly as though he expected some kind of punishment.

The sight sent a shiver through her. The Fire Lord, bent down on all fours- for her. Zuko, bearing every inch of his body- for her. Vulnerable, but willing.

For her.

She crawled until she was towering over him on her knees, and he flinched when she cupped one of his cheeks. "Relax," she murmured. She massaged him for a minute, revelling in the feel of his smooth, pale body wiggling in her grasp. He sighed, and it sounded like he found her ministrations at least pleasant. With one palm squeezing a round cheek, her other hand slid around the bend of his hips to latch onto his penis again. Most of the tension in his shoulders visibly melted at her touch, and she stroked him slowly, pressing her own heated stomach against his backside. He jerked into her hand, fists clenched white on the floor beneath him. "Spirits," he cursed under his breath.

The fingers on his waist dug deeper into the skin, the curving shape of his pelvis providing a perfect perch. Her hand curled over the prominent hip bone, fingertips fitting perfectly into the dip of muscular flesh next to his navel. Her grip on his shaft tightened, digits the perfect size to wrap around his girth comfortably. With a mind of its own, the organ twitched in her palm, firm with blood, but the foreskin somehow feeling soft like velvet. She neared his glans, thumb sliding over the dark tip to perfectly cover it, warmth drizzling from the slit.

She couldn't help the moan that escaped her throat, the sound drowned out by the groaning boy beneath her.

It's like they were made for each other.

Assured by his reactions, her fingers slid away from his wet erection as she scooted back a bit, and he huffed at the loss of contact. But then Mai dipped down, hands on the sides of his thighs, and she kissed his testicles from behind.

"Mmm, fuck," he grunted, pelvis still trying to rock with her touch. He seemed to particularly enjoy this one little spot behind his sac, right in the centre, with his heavy breaths reaching her ears quite clearly. Mai filed that little piece of knowledge away for later. Mustering up some courage, she swiped her tongue across his perineum and lapped at the skin surrounding his tight anus before he could pull out of her grip in surprise.

And surprised he was. His entire body jolted as though struck by lightning- and spirits did he know what that felt like. His muscles had grown rigid beneath her, but she ventured on. She shyly prodded at the hole with her tongue, dipping in shallow at first, before retreating to cover the entire opening in a sloppy kiss.

Zuko started to shake beneath her, and he let out a sound she had never heard him make before. It almost sounded like a… whimper?

"Are you okay?" she asked, growing worried. She lifted her head to try and better gauge his reaction. She wanted to control him, not break him.

"Yeah," he croaked, voice hoarse.

"Do you want me to stop-"

"No!" came the quick reply, and he turned his head around as best he could to briefly look at her. She could see his glassy gaze, and his impossibly-flushed cheeks. Her eyes widened in realisation, and as if sensing her sudden comprehension, he ducked his head slightly, gaze falling to the ground. "I…"

Mai held her breath.

"It's… weird. But I didn't say the safeword," he whispered. "You can… keep going. If you want."

He was so fucking turned on, and the thought made her own core gush, nearly soaking through her thin panties. That look in his eye? She licked her lips. He liked it way more than he wanted to admit, and she could tell. Zuko usually didn't hold back his opinions, and the thought of how humiliated he must be to try and hide this newfound kink only heightened Mai's arousal. It felt… almost wrong to get off on her boyfriend's embarrassment, but was it really wrong if he got off from it, too?

"Okay," she said, deciding she didn't care enough to further investigate this matter. At the demure nod of his head, she bit her lip nervously.

"You know I love you too, right?" she said, her own voice sounding a little too small for her liking.

Zuko's head shot up, and he tried to turn around to look at her, eyes soft, but surprised. "What? You- ah!"

He cried out when she dove back in. She penetrated him repeatedly, long tongue dipping in and out of his hole with speed she didn't know she possessed. He bucked wildly against her, practically fucking himself on her tongue. She moaned at the thought, and had to adjust her grip on his hips again so he wouldn't accidentally throw her off.

She pulled back to nip lightly at the underside of his ass, where one plump cheek squished slightly into the crease of his thigh, and she saw his head fall forward out of the corner of her eye. "Fuck," and the words kept coming, only growing in volume.

She nuzzled his crack with her sharp nose before carefully snaking a hand to her mouth. After soaking a finger between her lips, she pulled the digit out and circled his hole.

His groan stuttered, and she waited a moment, seeing if he would protest. She put her mouth against the cleft of his ass, sucking the delicate skin hard enough to leave a mark. He gasped, and that's when she plunged her finger in.

He keened, a breathy, high-pitched sound that he tried to smother. Too late- those little noises would be the subject of Mai's fantasies for all of the foreseeable future. She bit him again, curving her finger slightly as she explored his impossibly hot cavity. The tight ring of muscle seemed to pull her in, squeezing her to the first knuckle, and she wondered if he felt this every time he entered her. She pulled out, soaked her middle finger this time, and shoved it in.

"Ngh," She basked in the whimpers that came from him next, and the backs of his thighs flexed hard against her chest. She pumped, worming her way inside to the second knuckle.

"Fuck, Mai, fuck me," he whined.

She thrust a few times, relishing the choked gasps he gave her. Then took her finger out again, earning a frustrated noise from her boyfriend. She smirked before spreading his ass and diving in once more, face first.

"Ah, please," he begged, voice low and roughened from their experimenting. "Please, I'm- I'm so close-"

She slurped up his anus, which now quaked and clenched with pleasure at each probing touch of her tongue. Picking up the pace, she cupped each buttcheek and kneaded him again, the muscular flesh filling her hands completely as she worked his anus.

"Ah, I'm- I'm going to-"

He yelled, throat raw and needy with lust. His back arched sharply, pushing his ass in the air with his chest close to the floor. And then when her tongue plunged back in, as far as she could go, he cried out again, slurred vowels mixing with desperate whines from the back of his throat as he tumbled into his climax. His hips jerked forward almost violently, the primal need for friction and filling desperate in the motion. She kept her mouth on him as she tried to prolong his orgasm, until he finally sagged beneath her, landing on the floor in a graceless heap of limbs. She let his butt fall away from her hold, and she watched in faint amusement as he rested face-down for a few moments. She noticed a tremor in his hands and feet as he collected himself, eventually turning on his side to face her.

He'd fallen in his own pool of semen, translucent white streaks now smeared across his naked chest in no particular pattern. Eyelids low with satisfaction, Zuko's mouth looked frozen in pleasure, lips parted in an 'O' while he struggled to calm his beating heart.

"You okay?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," he managed, the words coming out thick and slow, like honey.

"Okay," she said, lowering herself to lay next to him. The air around them felt superheated, almost suffocating, and not just from the heat of intercourse. He must've lost a bit of control and bended without meaning to. After all, firebending came from the breath, and he had definitely lost control of that. She couldn't help but smirk at the thought.

"Just… wow," he said, a quick exhale following as a breathless laugh.

And then the smile he gave her was so lopsided, and so fucking precious, that she almost melted right then and there. So, she focused instead on the sensation of his hard body as she pressed up against him, his now-lukewarm seed grazing her covered chest. The taste of his intimate skin lingered on her lips; odd, but not unpleasant, with the salty taste of his sweat the only identifiable feature.

"It's called rimming," she offered, breaking the comfortable silence. "The thing with my mouth."

"Do I get more tomorrow?" he gushed, that stupid look still stuck to his flushed face. Then he looked surprised, like he couldn't quite believe he had actually voiced the thought out loud. "I mean- I just meant," he backpedalled, "It was… nice. And my actual birthday isn't until tomorrow, so-"

"Hopeless, I swear."

His smile faltered a bit, and she paused at the hesitation in his yellow eyes.

"Mai, I-" he started, and then his face fell, brow furrowing into a more sombre look. "When we were… right before you…" He took a deep breath. "Did you mean it?" he asked. "What you said."

She felt herself flush, the unexpected question making her feel exposed. But, she supposed, Zuko had let his boundaries be pushed today. Perhaps she could lower some of her own walls as well.

"Yeah," she muttered. "I… I love you, Zuko."

"Spirits, Mai," he breathed, pulling her in close for a tight embrace. "I love you so much."

He kissed her, short, sweet, and chaste pecks on her lips. Normally she would be annoyed by this clinginess, but somehow, it didn't bother her. Not today. Though she couldn't bend, she could feel the warmth inside her grow, thickening from the flickers of a flame to the deep-burning heat of coals.

"So," Mai drawled, her deadpan voice lifting slightly with mirth. "Not a screamer, huh?"

Her lover groaned in exasperation, a familiar scowl returning to his features. "Please don't," he muttered.

"I mean… you were pretty loud."

He shot her a look, before sighing. "If you hear any rumours, put them out, okay?" he said instead.

She shrugged. "It's not much of a rumour if it's true, now is it?"

"Zuko?"

Both teens froze at the hesitant sound of Ty Lee's voice.

"Are you… done in there?"

In a whirlwind of motion, the Fire Lord and the noblewoman jumped to their feet and began hastily gathering their clothes.

"What are you doing out there?" Zuko demanded, raising his voice to be heard. He stalked to the entrance, still naked with just his outermost robe covering his crotch in case his childhood friend decided to push aside the room's flimsy privacy silk.

From the hallway, someone cleared their throat. Someone who wasn't Ty Lee.

"We heard… yelling," Suki explained, sounding rather uncomfortable. "As the Imperial Guard, we had to check it out."

"Sorry," Ty Lee chimed in, her squeaky voice apologetic.

Growling in frustration, Zuko stomped over to the rest of his clothes, careful to keep the dried semen on his chest from getting onto the outside of the fabric. The couple finished dressing in awkward silence. Mai finished first, so she dug through a chest of drawers until she found folded linen. With a grimace, she half-heartedly mopped up the spunk on the floor before shoving the ruined cloth back into the drawer. Now it was someone else's problem.

When the couple finally left the tea room, both guards had bright blushes visible beneath their Kyoshi makeup. Mai and Suki briefly met each other's eyes for a moment, entirely by accident. As if in sudden comprehension, Suki's eyes widened, and she looked at Zuko from the corner of her eye. He promptly glared at her, face redder than his wardrobe, as if daring her to say something. Drawing her lips together in a tight line, Suki looked away, trying to look as though she didn't know why Zuko couldn't quite stand up straight.

The walk back to the throne room was mostly silent amongst the four friends. After a few minutes, though, Ty Lee couldn't ignore the thick, awkward atmosphere any longer.

"I mean," she started, "I'd heard you were a screamer, Zuko, but I didn't think-"

A frustrated shout echoed throughout the palace, and Mai felt an odd surge of pride.