A/N: Hi dears! I've been gone for a while because life has been hectic, but my other stories will be updated as soon as possible and I hope this oneshot will hold over until then. I recently got back into A:tLA again and I'm shipping Maiko so hard right now, I just came out with this out of nowhere. Please let me know how it is, it's only my second smut ever. I own nothing!

Lust: A Maiko One-shot

"Not really sure how to feel about it.
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you, and it takes me all the way."

Light touches ghosted across her bare shoulder and the curve of her neck, causing Mai to stir from the peaceful clutches of sleep and navigate toward the warmth radiating from the center of the capacious bed. With her eyes still shut and a light smile barely touching her lips, the dusky-haired young woman let her hands rove down and touch her husband's arm, which was securely resting across her waist protectively and holding her against him. The airy sensation of Zuko's lips on her neck and shoulders ceased as he interlaced his fingers within hers, leaning in to brush a kiss along the shell of her ear.

"Did I wake you up?" His sleepy murmur was muffled against her hair and Mai's smile widened the barest fraction of an inch as she twisted in his cozy embrace to snake her arm around his middle and press a gentle kiss to his lips.

"Who can even try to sleep with such irritating pokes and prods?" she whispered, eyes opening to see his admiring golden ones directly gazing at hers, which were clouded with a touch of drowsiness. The early dawn called to Zuko's firebender blood, and he rose with the sun every morning, watching her serene features as she slept. And Agni, she was the most enchanting sight he had ever seen, bedruffled and cranky. Mai's heart seemed to stutter for a moment as she drank in the sight of him early in the morning, with the glow in his eyes and ruffled hair, and Mai couldn't remember ever being more content than she was in that little moment there. A slightly sheepish smile found its way onto Zuko's lips as he pushed back her tousled black locks and pulled her closer into his loving cuddle. Warm rays of weak, early sunlight filtered through the curtained windows, casting the whole bedchamber in a pale glow.

"I'm terribly sorry about that, Fire Lady Mai. How can I ever make it up to you?" he whispered, a fleeting smile passing his lips as the calloused pads of his fingers trailed across her bare, alabaster waist tantalizingly, etching intricate, invisible patterns onto the skin.

It caused the dark-haired beauty to shiver slightly as her sensitive flesh prickled with goosebumps, suddenly inflamed by his gentle touch. Mai's head arched, her lips searching for his and a relieved sigh left her as his lips found hers softly, before he pulled her underneath him swiftly and pinned her into the lavish sheets with a smirk.

"Kiss me. I command you as Fire Lady of this nation," she murmured seductively, hands trailing up his toned chest with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Zuko didn't need telling twice and crushed his lips to hers with an animalistic hunger that sent currents down her spine from the intensity of his mouth melding to hers and his hands sliding up to skillfully unravel the bindings around her breasts. Mai's back arched as she helped him divest her of the white bandages of cotton and a sigh of pleasure escaped her parted lips as his lips lowered over the generous mounds of flesh, hands securely holding her waist and gliding across her thighs.

Warmth began to gather in her most private regions and she found herself wanting him to ease the fire of need that was overtaking her. Desire engulfed the pair of them and Mai's sleek black-lacquered nails dug into his back, silently demanding that he upped the ante as scarlet crescents blossomed on his strong back. His eyes were molten gold pools of pure want and longing, drilling into her very soul as he lifted himself to kiss her forehead gently, then moving to place open-mouthed kisses on the warm flesh of her neck. The sweet scent of jasmine filled him headily as his nose trailed the arc of her neck and shoulder, biting the junction there gently.

Mai's hand knotted into his dark hair and pulled him even closer to her as his tongue swept inside her mouth, brushing against hers as a tremor of desire rushed through her bloodstream; she gently took his bottom lip between her teeth, only to bite down lustily, causing Zuko to hiss in pain and pleasure as he gripped her hips roughly, bound to leave violet bruises there. With a dark smile, Mai rolled her hips up against his, feeling his hardness against her as a groan was muffled against her neck, the warm wetness of his tongue sending delicious licks of bliss flying across her whole body. His hands moved along her spine and pushed down the sheets that covered her, baring her whole being to his hungry eyes.

"Mai..."

"Don't stop, Zuko. I swear to Agni, if you leave me wanting..." she breathed, eyes tightly closed, wanting him to go lower, lower.

As quickly as she imagined it, Zuko's lips were suddenly against the highly responsive flesh of her inner thighs and a shaky gasp left her as his fingers teased near the apex of her thighs, but the digits were far, too far away. Her hand grabbed his, trying to pull it upward but Zuko resisted her with a low laugh, nipping at her inner thigh and causing her to tremble as Mai involuntarily bucked her hips. His hands slid under her thighs, pushing them apart gently as his tongue and lips moved along the line of her thigh at the most agonizingly slow pace she had ever experienced.

"Damn it, Zuko, stop playing!" Mai's sharp hiss cut the peaceful air and she could feel his lips curve into an amused smirk before a pressure on her center dragged a moan from her lips. Her neck arched back gracefully as he slid his long index finger into her tight warmth, and Mai tensed slightly, still new to the experience as they had only been in the marriage bed for a mere month.

"Remember, Mai. Relax," Zuko whispered, before withdrawing the finger and gently pushing it back in as Mai sank her teeth into her bottom lip to keep her whimpers in her throat. Soon enough, a second was added, then a third until she thought she would burst in the sheer pleasure and rapture he put her in. He projected heat into his fingertips, sending her reeling as her whole slim frame flinched and arched. The pace quickened until Zuko could feel his hand stiffening from it's position.

The fingers slowly withdrew, and a disappointed sigh left her only to be replaced with a quiet exclamation of surprise as his tongue replaced his digits, flicking against her warmth teasingly and sending her into a flustered mess of wild hair, parted lips and exquisite mewls. Her hands gripped his hair hard as he placed her leg over his shoulder, a tightening sensation beginning to knot and twist in the lower half of her torso as his fingers joined his mouth in a skillful display of the skills that he was so proud of and mere seconds later, a coil sprung somewhere within her, sending her into waves of blinding pleasure as a cry left her lips, filling the air with its sweet timbre.

Her half-closed eyes looked down to see Zuko's fingers disappear into his mouth, tasting her, relishing her, and she couldn't quench the desire that flooded into her core once more at the sight of him. Unable to restrain herself, Mai rose from her reclining position and splayed her hands on his chest, pushing him back against the bank of plush pillows and straddling him, much to his surprise. Knees on either side of his hips, Mai's fingers peeled down the sleeping pants he wore until they were pooled at his feet. His eyes widened as he looked at her hovering above him, incredibly taken with how the light played on her dark waves and the dominating look in her almond shaped eyes. She was his radiant queen, his whole entire life.

His fingers moved to her center, manipulating it until only the whites of her lovely eyes were visible and Mai sank down onto him with a sharp gasp and whimper, slowly lowering herself against him as Zuko's hands clutched at her back and his toes clenched, feeling himself tightly sheathed inside her.

"This won't do, my beautiful Fire Lady," he whispered, before firmly taking her hips and flipping her under him roughly, her breath leaving her in a whoosh. He hovered over her predatorily with a dark light in his eyes, lips trailing down her jaw before pushing his full length into her and groaning at the feeling. Mai arched against him, feeling every single part of him as she dissolved into nothingness with no one else in her world but Zuko before her. Zuko, the only person she ever loved and the only person she ever trusted. Her Fire Lord, best friend, and lover.

"Agni," Mai breathed, fingers raking down his back and leaving shockingly red scratches across the expanse of skin.

"I don't think it's Agni who's making you feel this way, my love," he dryly replied, nipping at her neck gently.

"Shut up, Zuko."

Her eyes met his in a fiery moment of ardent lust, their bodies melding together and gracefully moving against each other as labored breaths and exclamatory sounds of pleasure mingled in the cool air of the royal chambers, falling upon the deaf ears of the servants that dutifully moved about the palace. Zuko could only hold her gaze for so long before becoming completely lost in her, pulling her close to him as he pulled out slowly, watching her irresistible facial expressions before pushing himself back in and picking up the pace as she tensed within his arms, slowly reaching her peak as her cries became higher-pitched and quicker in succession. Her long legs wrapped around his narrow waist in a vice-like grip, urging him to go deeper as she finally fell over the edge and into a blissful oblivion, a rush in her ears as she rode out waves of lingering pleasure, fully aware of Zuko's gasps as he hit his peak and held her tightly as they reached the brink together. Mai's eyes closed as she slowly regained her breath, hands still clenched onto Zuko's back and toes curled. Zuko softly kissed her and pushed her hair back from her forehead affectionately, a peaceful, sated look in his eyes that was reflected in hers.

"I love you," he murmured, falling back onto the bed and encasing her into his arms as he slowly drifted off back to sleep with his nose nestled in her hair and her head tucked under his chin.

"I love you too, Zuko," Mai whispered with a smile, pecking his cheek before curling into his warmth and closing her eyes.