Disclaimer: Still don't own it. Check back after i've conquered the world, maybe then... deception was their downfall

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She groaned, rubbing her sore back. How long had she been asleep on that rock? Lifting herself up, she moved into a sprawled sitting position for a minute, collecting herself before returning to camp. It had been exactly two weeks (not that she was counting) of living with Zuko and his uncle. After some vehement mutterings about the whiny Prince, she quickly re-plated her hair, and gathered her scattered things to leave.

Hmm. Where was everyone? Eyeing the camp warily, no grinning flashes of orange and yellow or sulky blue forms greeted her. Zuko's uncle seemed to be out too, which left only-

"Enjoy your nap?"

Only one person she knew of had a tone that icy; and ironically he was a firebender.

"What is it Zuko? Cranky because you haven't had your din-din yet? I suppose you would be a bit spoiled, living in a palace all your life, with servants at your call, ready to make you exquisite meals whenever you wish it!"

"My hunger has nothing to do with it. The sight of you alone is quite enough." He rumbled.

Tensing and seething inwardly, she resisted the urge to punch his nose in. Why did he always give her the urge to tear out each hair from her head? Unable to think of a reply, she clambered around banging the pots and utensils, and cursing when she remembered she needed him to start a fire.

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Ploink. Ploink. Ploink.

"Hey... Aang?"

"Yea Sokka?"

"Could you cut that out? I'm trying to nap here."

"Right, sorry." He flung one last pebble into the stream (ploink!) and settled down under a tree. Waiting for Iroh to wake up from his nap was awfully boring. The man grunted and rolled about in his sleep, using a bush for a pillow.

Sighing again, Aang whirled chunks of earth silently in the air with his fingers for a while, till his eyelids began fluttering shut. It was a gorgeous evening, the kind filled with warm lazy air, laden with the aroma of flowers... and that tree was mighty comfortable...

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Well, dammit she could start the fire herself. Grabbing two dry pieces of kindling, Katara vigorously rubbed them together, trying in vain to create a spark. She paused momentarily to heal her raw and bleeding hands; and of course to narrow her eyes in a certain someone's direction. If she did manage to get the fire going, he'd be on his own for food tonight...

Ten minutes and a few more healing sessions later, Katara sat contentedly near the sparkling fire, roasting vegetables on a stick. Smugly, she made a show of eating and savoring the food, glancing often in Zuko's direction to see how he reacted.

Bitch.

Arms folded and tucked tensely to his sides, Zuko glared pointedly at the ground, determined to ignore the girls obvious attempts to rile him.

He should notice how she was eating and he wasn't, dammit!

Doesn't she ever give it a rest? Can't she leave me in peace-

"Zuko, aren't you hung-"

Flat on her back with a very pissed firebender standing next to her, she reconsidered her ploy to piss the living daylights out of him. Perhaps that was not so wise. Swallowing her food with as much dignity as possible, she fixed two very angry eyes on him.

"What was that for?"

"For taunting me," Zuko replied, turning his back and walking to his favorite spot under the tree.

Springing up with the ease and quickness of a tiger-bear, she drew a rope of water from her flask and wrapped it around his ponytail, tugging him backwards so he fell with a less than graceful crash onto the dirt.

Now she stood triumphantly over him, smirking at his astonished face. He looked so surprised, his eyebrows might've flown clear off his forehead.

"That," Zuko growled, pausing, "was the wrong move."

Kicking her feet from under her, Zuko pushed himself up into a fighting stance as she fell. He didn't wait for her to rise again, but stood over her face, ready to let loose flames from his shaking fist. Katara rolled sideways, and stood up in a flash, whipping around streams of water like chains; but Zuko used a free hand to spew burning fire directly at that face of hers.

Dropping her water ropes and bringing up a thin wall of liquid to protect her face, she realized that fighting Zuko without a substantial supply of water around was not a good idea; but she couldn't just let him win! Rushing towards him, she smiled inwardly at the utter shock that again graced his features as she tackled him with all her weight. Quickly getting up again, and preparing for retaliation, she vaguely wondered where Aang and Sokka had gotten to.

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Aang opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and ready to continue firebending; except it was already nighttime! Shaking Sokka and Iroh awake, he rubbed his forehead, wondering why he'd slept for so long; then suddenly bristling as he realized the people who remained alone at the camp.

Aaggh! We gotta go before Zuko and Katara kill each other!

Speeding ahead of the other two on his air-scooter, Aang burst into camp to find Zuko and Katara in a full-out wrestling/yelling match.

"GET OFF ME YOU JERK!" She yelled shrilly while attempting to bite his shoulder.

"Perhaps you shouldn't tackled me then, bitch!"

"Perhaps I wouldn't have if you weren't such an ASS to begin with! I was only trying to knock some MANNERS into you-"

"Manners?" He scoffed. "And what would you know about manners?"

They rolled shamelessly about on the ground, gathering dirt as their anger increased.

"More than you, bastard! I'll bet your mother never even-"

"LEAVE her OUT of this!" Zuko screamed and clutched Katara's neck, igniting his palm and holding it dangerously near to her face. She could see the smoke drifting from his hands, encircling his eyes, now glowing horribly from the lit fire. She glared right back.

"ZUKO!' His uncle's huffy voice reprimanded, before Aang even had the chance to react.

Pausing, and slowly releasing his hold on her neck, Zuko stood and backed away, his eyes burning furiously.

"I could've handled it myself, thank you!" She barked as she stood up to tidy her self off, then angrily brushed past Iroh.

Bitch.

Bastard.