Ugh, it's only just sunrise, I've only just started breakfast, and I'm already covered in sweat. Curse this nation's weather! Actually, let's just curse this entire nation! I hate it here! I miss the ice and snow back home. This? No. There is way too much heat here, it's sticky, it's disgusting, and I feel like crap this week! For the love of La, why did the spirits curse all girls this way? Stupid female crap and moon cycles and-
"Um, Katara?" came a deep, raspy voice. Katara stopped mid-rant and whirled around to face the newest addition to the Gaang, as of the previous day. Her face morphed into a sneer of disdain.
"What do you want?" she snarled at him. Zuko hesitated, debating with himself.
"Uh," he scratched the back of his neck nervously and she started tapping her foot in impatience, "you were talking to yourself, I wanted to know if you were okay…?" It was said as a question, which only pissed her off more.
"Of course I'm *ok*," she used air quotes here. "Why wouldn't I be ok? What did you do? Did you use your Fire Nation wiles to set a trap for me here? Or maybe you're thinking since we're the only ones up, you'd catch me off guard with a sneak attack?" She started walking forward, pointing her wooden spoon at his chest, and talking louder with each word. He held up his hands in surrender. "Well, I've got news for you, hot shot: if you even think about trying something, say goodbye to your two best friends!" At that last bit, she gestured south with her spoon and he flinched, taking a step back.
Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but at that precise moment, Aang walked, yawning, into the kitchen area. At the sight of her, Aang immediately perked up, "Hi Katara! Zuko woke me up early for my first firebending practice," at his name, Katara glared at him again. "Why are you up so early?" Aang asked in that adorably curious way he does that usually calms Katara down, but not this week. Instead, it only added to her current irritation.
"Well, Aang," she started huffily, "I WAS making breakfast, but then somebody," she glared pointedly at Zuko yet again, "interrupted me." Her free hand rested firmly on her hip and her spoon was again leveled at Zuko. "Even in the early morning, I can't get even a bit of peace and quiet, oh no. Some damn firebender always has to come and ruin my day no matter how happy I try to be. So thank you very much, fire boy, for shattering my hope for a cool, quiet morning by reminding me of the stupid heat of this stupid nation by stupidly asking if I'm ok, WHEN I'M OBVIOUSLY FINE!"
Both guys were stunned at her long, and eventually loud rant. Silence rang as Katara caught her breath, flicking her gaze back and forth between the boys. Aang silently slipped out, avoiding Katara's eyes and murmuring to Zuko he would be in the courtyard. Zuko mutely nodded, but made no move to follow him, choosing instead to keep eye contact with the enraged waterbender.
"I told you before, Katara," she slightly winced at her name, "I'm not your enemy anymore. I'm here to teach the Avatar firebending, not to hurt any of you."
"Yeah, you already did that back in Ba Sing Se, didn't you?" she venomously countered. Of course, being Mr.-Prince-hot-tempered-Zuko, her comment sparked his retaliation.
His nose scrunched in recurring anger, he took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I already apologized for that! I know I made a mistake, why do you think I'm here?"
"You're here to rub the fact that we're stuck here in the humid, hot Fire Nation, home to the worst people to ever be alive, your father and sister included! In fact, they're probably the worst people in the history of the world! Your family sucks, you know that? They're the most horrible-"
He tried to stop himself, but his anger made him speak without thought. "YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT? Both my father and sister hate me! I'm a traitor to my own nation! My family, other than my uncle, is vicious and cruel! My father punished me by forcefully burning my face, Katara! Don't lecture me about my past, you know nothing about me." He pointed to himself, turned on his heel, and stormed out with a puff of smoke.
Katara stood staring at the door for a moment, before she felt the familiar prickle behind her eyes that signaled tears. She turned back to the temple's kitchen counter beside the stove and braced herself on it, letting the tears fall. After a moment, her anger returned and her tears slowed. She furiously wiped the tears and the morning's sweat off her cheeks and returned to breakfast. Stupid Mother Nature and her heat.