A 7-years-old Zuko walked on the player's stairs bored with his uncle. His mother had forced him to go to watch that "Love among dragons" again. And his father didn't come to the play because he wanted to teach Azula firebending. Zuko grunted and wished he was the one who stayed at home and trained with his father. Looking down at the boy's sulky face, Iroh smiled before putting the boy on his shoulders.
"What's wrong, my tiny nephew?"
"Nothing…" Zuko looked down. "Uncle, can we go to Lu Ten's friend's party? I don't want to watch this again."
"We can't do that, Zuko. Your mother will be panic if she doesn't see you."
"Yes, uncle." Zuko sighed.
"Don't worry. Whatever Ozai teached Azula right now, I will teach you the same thing plus a new move till midnight."
Zuko's face brightened up and he asked happily. "Really?"
Iroh said joyfully. "Really!"
Despite that, the play was too bored for Zuko. The little prince yawned and looked at the actors and actresses who didn't look like his family a single bit. The actor who acted as Ozai had an evil laugh which crept the boy. Just as Zuko thought, the staffs had messed up the play once again. He yawned once more time and was nearly falling sleep before hearing a whisper.
"This part is my gift before going to Ba Sing Se."
Zuko looked up and saw his mother was smiling with his uncle. The voice of his uncle's actor and his mother's actress took his attention. His mother's actress was lying on a bed while hold a baby, and his uncle's actor sit right next to her. Iroh's actor rubbed the baby's cheek.
"Wow, hello there, my little prince."
Ursa's actress touched Iroh's actor's hand which was on the baby's check. "He has his father's smile."
"Have you thought of a name?" Iroh's actor asked.
"Yes. I will name him… Zuko." Ursa's actress smiled.
"Stop!" A man ran from the backstage and shouted at the Iroh's actor. "You took the wrong script. This part was about prince Ozai and his wife! "
That man turned to the audiences and apologized furiously. Zuko turned behind and saw his mother's eyes were moist with tears while his uncle looked at her and smiled. That night, he wondered about his uncle and his mother's action but soon forgot about it because of his firebending lesson with his uncle.
9 years later, at the same players, an earthbender girl told him that "I know it must hurt but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth.".
2 years later, while sitting with his parents on the very same seats, Fire Lord Zuko smiled as he thought about how true that telling was.
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Disclaimer: 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' and all its characters are property of Nickedoleon, Mike and Bryan.