Night Peril

I Cried at the Rain, but There's no way I'm Depressed

Kya stepped into her house, the smell of food cooking hitting her in the face.

"Smells good, Mom. What is it!?" She yelled through the house as she took her shoes off.

"Don't ask me, I'm not the one cooking!" Her mom yelled back from the kitchen.

With a confused look, Kya walked to the kitchen.

"Are you sure I'm doing this right?"

"You're doing fine, Lin. Just trust that it'll turn out well." Katara gave words of reassurance.

Kya was surprised to see Lin standing in her kitchen, her hair pulled back, an apron tied around her waist, and Katara guiding her through the recipe.

"Hey." Lin gave a quick smile.

Kya just stared at her. It seemed like she was seeing Lin more and more.

At her home and work, Izumi talks about her. But instead of being so angry about it like she used to be, Kya looked forward to it.

"Kya, help her really quick, I'm going to go check on your father." Katara said.

"Oh- yeah, okay." Kya said.

She washed her hands quickly and then took the spot where her mother was standing; next to Lin.

"Yeah, like that. Just dip it in the egg, then cover it with flour." Kya said.

"I uh- I yelled at Tenzin the other day." Lin spoke quietly.

Kya, slightly surprised Lin was opening up to her, just nodded her head. "About what?" She asked.

Lin sighed. "He- he saw my face... under the bandage." She said.

Kya furrowed her eyebrows. What was Lin about to tell her?

"I was in the bathroom. I took the bandage off to get a good look at the scars, and Tenzin knocked on the door. I didn't know he was even coming over. Without thinking about it, I just opened the door. Like an idiot. And," Lin took in a deep breath.

"And it was like he was horrified. He just... stared at them."

Kya's face saddened.

"When I opened the door again he was sitting on the couch. Everything felt awkward. I told him I wanted to be alone and he just insisted we spend time together."

"Yeah... Tenzin's made a bad habit out of doing that..." Kya said, knowing firsthand that the severity of other people's emotions tends to fly over Tenzin's bald head.

"I didn't mean to hurt his feelings, and I knew he meant well. I'm just so frustrated. Everywhere I go people are staring at my bandages, and I know once I take them off-" Lin threw her hand up and accidentally threw flour into Kya's face.

Lin gasped and backed away. "Kya! I'm so sorry!" She apologized.

"I was talking and getting distracted I didn't mean-"

Kya threw a pinch of flour into Lin's face.

Lin kept her eyes shut and her brows furrowed for a second before spitting flour out of her mouth.

She and Kya started laughing and Kya grabbed a cloth.

She wiped the flour off of her own face and then reached for Lin's.

Not thinking about it, Lin smacked Kya's hand away.

Kya was taken back.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were reaching for..." Lin didn't have to continue.