Façades [A Zuko x OC Story]

35 - The Ember Island Players

Zuko and Aang practice their firebending in the centre of the courtyard while Katara, Toph, and I laze around on the sidelines. My eyes kept drifting to Zuko's shirtless form and I have to keep forcing myself to look away.

"Enjoying the view." Katara teases with a smirk. I send her a glare and turn away from the two boys, "I don't know what you're talking about." I cross my arms.

Katara chuckles, "Okay. Sure." I feel my cheeks heat up, "Doesn't it seem kind of weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" She changes the subject, speaking to the whole group.

"I told you," Zuko sits down on the fountain in the middle of the courtyard, "My father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy. And that was a long time ago. It's the last place anyone would think to look for us."

Sokka and Suki come into the courtyard from their visit in town, "You guys are not gonna believe this! There's a play about us." Sokka says excitedly.

"We were just in town and we found this poster!" Suki says as Sokka unrolls the paper in his hand. I stand up and walk over to him to get a better view. The poster shows Katara, Aang and Sokka with Zuko's face looming in the background.

"What? How is that possible?" Katara walks up next to me.

"Listen to this..." Sokka turns the poster towards himself, "The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu-on Tim, who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar, from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage."

"Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players." Suki finishes. Zuko and I groan simultaneously, "Ugh! My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year!" He complains.

"I can second that. They were horrible!" I add.

"Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea to attend a play about ourselves?" Katara asks.

"Come on, a day at the theatre? This is the kind of wacky time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!" Sokka holds up the poster again with a big grin.

-

We enter the theatre and make our way to the very top seats to not be seen. Zuko sits down next to Katara and I sit down next to him. Aang stands awkwardly in front of me as he glances over at Katara. I smile sheepishly, "Sorry, Aang." I whisper and he trudges to seats behind us.

"Why are we sitting in the nosebleed section? My feet can't see a thing from up here!" Toph complains from the end of the row.

"Don't worry, I'll tell your feet what's happening." Katara answers.

The curtain rises on the stage and I can't help but feel a little bit of excitement for the show. The scene reveals Actress Katara and Actor Sokka rowing in a boat.

"Sokka, my only brother! We constantly roam these icy South Pole seas, and yet never do we find anything fulfilling!" Actress Katara says overdramatically.

"All I want is a full feeling in my stomach! I'm starving!" Actor Sokka replies stupidly.

"Is food the only thing on your mind?" Actress Katara asks.

"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind and into my mouth! I'm starving!" Actor Sokka says and the audience laughs.

"This is pathetic! My jokes are way funnier than this!" Sokka leans down into our row and complains.

"I think he's got you pegged!" Toph laughs.

The two actors now sit in a canoe, "Every day, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears!" Actress Katara claps her hands together dramatically, "Still, we cannot give up hope! For hope," She starts to cry, "Is all we have! And we must never relinquish it, even..." She sniffles loudly, "Even to our dying breath!" She leans over the side of the canoe and cries even more.