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“Wait,” Zuko says when he sees the program. “Is this fucking play about us?”
Sokka’s knee bobs up and down. “I know, right? This was such a great idea. I’m so glad I came up with it.”
“Give it a rest, Snoozles,” Toph says. “I’m not thanking you until I know they’re good.”
Zuko notices the name written below the title. He groans. “Why didn’t you tell me this was by the Ember Island Players? They’re the worst troupe in Fire Nation history.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a theater person,” Suki says.
Katara looks ready to laugh. “Oh, he’s definitely a theater person. I think he might have Love Amongst the Dragons memorized.”
That’s…not untrue, but he doesn’t need Katara telling everyone. He definitely doesn’t need Sokka or Aang asking where she might have learned it. Luckily the curtain rises before they can.
Forty-five minutes later, the play lets out for its second intermission. Zuko waits until the rest of the group has left the theater before he turns to Katara and asks, “How?”
How did they know? is what he means. Are we that obvious?
“I think it was just a coincidence,” Katara says. “There’s no way…I mean, I didn’t even know I liked you until two days ago.”
She’s probably right. But that just makes everything worse, because— “Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.”
Her eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”
He takes a moment to gather his thoughts. “This…the Ember Island Players did this to make fun of you. To make you out to be some kind of, of—” he can think of many words, but all of them sound disgusting even in his head.
“Hussy?” she asks. “Yeah, I noticed. I don’t think anyone could survive in the South Pole with that neckline.”
Zuko nods wretchedly. “If we win this…I might not take the throne right away, but even if Uncle becomes Firelord, I’ll still be first in line. If this is how my country would see our relationship…maybe it’s better if we call it off.”
She jabs a finger on his chest. “Who cares what they think? I want to be with you, Zuko, and I don’t care how many snobby jerks I have to beat up to do it.”
“Okay.” He’s not sure what he did to deserve someone like her, but he’s not going to throw it away. “I—”
He’s cut off by the abrupt return of Sokka, who plops down behind them and says, “Man, I can’t believe I used to hate fire flakes. These are great.”
Zuko scoots away from Katara. Luckily, Sokka doesn’t even seem to notice how close together they were sitting. “They’re an acquired taste.”