"I can't believe this!" Sokka threw his hands into the air. "I physically can't do it! Every time I think about it, my stomach twists and it feels very, very wrong. I might actually throw up, Aang."

"Stop being so over dramatic, Sokka," Katara reprimanded.

"I'm never over dramatic. I don't know what you're talking about, Katara."

Perhaps Sokka was a tad bit over dramatic, but Zuko thought it was a pretty reasonable reaction. In a theater production, qualities like that were essential to a good performance. However, in abundance they just made people look stupid. Zuko would know. He went to several Ember Island Plays when he was younger, and they were all terrible. Every single actor was abysmal.

Were they even actors? It was just as likely that they were random people picked off the street asked to perform. Agni knows they didn't know any of their respective lines. To make matters worse, their improvisation was...Zuko couldn't describe it, exactly. Bad was too light a word.

Honestly, Zuko could create an entire presentation on why the Ember Island Players were terrible, but he doubted that was relevant. It's not like the Avatar and his friends will ever suffer through them.

"If I didn't know better, I'd assume your middle name was Extra." Katara sighed, as she ran a hand down her forehead.

"If I had a middle name, we both know it would be Sarcasm-"

Zuko cocked his head to the side. He wasn't privy to the naming practices of the Water Tribes, but surely they didn't name their children after adjectives. "Your middle name is Sarcasm?"

Both Sokka and Katara slowly blinked at him. Zuko could feel their stare burning holes into him, and if you asked him, he didn't need anymore burns on his body.

"...That was, uh, sarcasm Li...Anyways...Aang, let me get this straight," Sokka paused, presumably for dramatic effect. He threw his hands in the air, and waved them around fanatically, as one was prone to do.

Zuko's face grew hotter. Now it was obvious, Sokka (or was it Socks?) was joking, but Zuko never lived in either of the poles, how was he supposed to know what the Water Tribe named their kids? Cultural differences were a thing. The Fire Nation didn't eat their young, like the airbenders did.

Err, supposedly did. The avatar was only twelve, and wholly undigested.

"Iroh, the old man who was chasing us for months on end so he can toture you for the rest of your life, actually saved your life?"

"Yeah." Aang piped up. "That's about right."

"Aang, you know how crazy this sounds?"

"Uh, no? It sounds pretty normal to me."

"Of course it sounds normal to you." Sokka dragged his hands across his face. He peeked one eye out from in between his fingers.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing. Anyways… I have a question," Sokka's voice slightly wavered. He slid closer to the Avatar, and knocked on the airbender's head. "Are you sane? Is everything alright up there? Is there a dingy old grandma upstairs, Aang? Are you good?"

It was common knowledge throughout the entire world that all the airbenders were gone. It was slightly less common knowledge that the Avatar was alive. However, the Avatar was the last airbender. Which, Zuko gulped, were an entire race of people. The keyword being were.

For the sake of the Fire Nation, Zuko hoped this kid was sane. While Zuko could never return home, he didn't want it destroyed. There was good in his nation, even if the racists the avatar traveled with refused to see it. He thought of the fire flakes he ate every festival, and the performers showcasing beautiful displays of art. He loved his nation, even if his nation didn't love him back.

Besides, his mom lived there.

While everyone assumed he was an orphan, he'd rather not become one. Although he could never hug her again, it was comforting to know the Avatar wouldn't smite her where she stood. Azula lived there too, but he'd rather not think of Azula. His back always hurt whenever he did, specifically in the spot where she burned him. Multiple times.

His father was already dead to him so it didn't matter whether the Avatar killed him or not. Honestly, Zuko would prefer the former.

Aang pushed Sokka's hand away. "Uh, I think so?"

Katara sighed. "Aang don't listen to Sokka. He was dropped one too many times as a child."

"Hey!" Sokka yelled. "I wasn't dropped at all. I'm perfectly okey-dokey."

"You were saved by my un-" Zuko choked on his words. Katara raised her eyebrow at him as he recuperated. The word uncle burned his tongue better than his father ever could. His uncle…he couldn't let these people know who he was. His uncle was extremely hated, whether for his lazy behavior, or bloodthirsty past. "My universally hated Fire Nation general?"

Nice save, Zuko. They definitely didn't suspect anything now. So much for getting out of here with all his limbs in tact. He wondered which one they would take first. His arm or his leg? He was rather attached to all his limbs. Hopefully, he could escape before it came to that. The Earthbender had to go first, however.

" Your universally hated Fire Nation general? What do you mean, 'yours'? "

"Uh," Zuko blanked. He had a chance to save his limbs. All he had to do was bluff his way out of this. Improvisation, his mother always said, was a vital part of theater. He could improvise. (Unlike the Ember Island Players. No, he was not bitter.)

He opened his mouth, but his tongue was tied. No coherent words came out of him. He never was a good liar. As per usual, that was more Azula's thing. Honestly, everything was more Azula's thing. Even as an eight year old, she was more adept at firebending than he'll ever be. "We refer to all members of the royal family as ours, as they serve our nation. It's….communism. Yes. That's it."

Sweat dripped down his neck. His heartbeat quickened considerably. It was only by some small miracle that the blind girl wasn't over here. He didn't know how she did it, but she'd call him out for his lies. "That doesn't seem real."

It was rather ironic that the last airbender was the savior of a firebender. A royal firebender, at that. "No, Kuzon mentioned it once. He said because of the love for the royal family, the nation claimed the royal family as their own. However, he also said turtle ducks were people that spirits cursed and that's not true."

"Guys, you're missing the most important part. HE SAID HE WAS FIRE NATION!" Sokka screeched at the top of his lungs. He threw his arm out at Zuko, in a rather dramatic fashion. "He admitted it!"

Ah.

Damn it.

Zuko was screwed. How would they kill him? Would the Avatar slowly suffocate him? Would the waterbender drown him? Would they get the earthbender to crush him? He'd seen some Earth Kingdom soldiers do that once, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Even scrubbing at his eyelids hadn't erased the image of the crushed man, with all his bones protruding.

The Avatar opened his mouth. Zuko's reached for his swords only to realize they weren't there. "...So?"

"So? SO? He's the enemy! You know, the bad guys."

"I have friends from the Fire Nation."

"Correction: You had friends from the Fire Nation, Aang. They're dead, just like the rest of the airbenders, who the Fire Nation killed."

"I hate to agree with Sokka, but he's right. The Fire Nation can't be trusted." Katara threw a side glance at Zuko, something dangerous glinting in her eyes. She touched her throat, a small gesture which meant nothing to Zuko.

Whilst she wasn't as overt as her brother, Zuko could tell she hated the Fire Nation as much as him, maybe more. Five minutes ago, she had been defending him from her brother's insults, and now she's joined him. Zuko doesn't know why he's surprised; people always turn on him. He's never what they wanted.

"Guys, stop. Li's our friend!"

"We met him like five days ago! He tried to rob us!"

Zuko frowned, "It's not like I had a choice."

"Everyone has a choice. You chose to rob us." Katara reprimanded him, her massive disapproval apparent. "You chose this. You don't get to complain."

"I needed to rob you, okay?" Zuko roared back, careful not to influence the campfire not too far away. Firebending was tied to one's emotions, and Zuko might not be powerful, but he was still a firebender. "I needed supplies. I didn't know he was the Avatar!"

"You only feel bad because he's the Avatar?" Katara retorted, completely missing the point. "Is that it?"

The world around Zuko lit, and the fire burning inside of him tried to escape. His eyes widened for a second, before sucking in as many deep breaths he could. In the numerous years he had been on the run, ignoring the instinctive inner fire he had, he never lost control. He wasn't going to start now.

If they found out he was a firebender…They couldn't know. They would fight him, and he would never win. His sword fighting could only get him so far. His firebending was barely more than a punchline to an unfunny joke. A few sparks here and there. At most, he could heat tea. He would never beat the waterbender, not to mention the Avatar.

Fear coursed through him, but it was second place to his anger. It didn't matter how long he'd been gone, he was blessed by Agni. He was important. This waterbender was not.

(It didn't matter that a tiny voice, that sounded suspiciously like Azula, challenged him. He wasn't important. He didn't matter. His family hated him. His country hated him. He was pathetic. He was nothing. )

"You know what? Yes. I only feel bad because he could kill me at any second, and there's nothing I can do about it." Zuko spat. "He's the Avatar for Agni's sake!"

"I would never hurt anyone-"

"It isn't Aang you should be worried about." Katara said, her eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Are you threatening me?" Zuko challenged. He positioned himself so he faced her. His fists were raised. Zuko was good enough at hand to hand combat to survive.

However, that was ignoring the fact that he's a massive idiot. Katara was a waterbender, and he was greatly outmatched. Without his swords, he had no chance at winning. That didn't mean he was going to let her challenge his honor. If she wanted a fight, he would fight. She raised her hands, and uncapped the bottle on her hip. Water slooshed out of it, floating in mid air. Magical, almost. Waterbending was extremely different from firebending, any idiot could tell that. While firebending was aggressive, and angry, waterbending was soft, and calm.

"Guys please, this isn't important. Why don't we just sit down…" Aang trailed off, his hands up in a placating way. "Talk this out. You know? Like people…"

Before anything could happen, however, both Katara and Zuko were thrown backwards by the Earth beneath them.

"I'm trying to sleep over here!" Toph yelled. She clapped her hands together, a giant clump of rocks surrounding Zuko, restraining him. He fought against them to no avail. He could not move. "Does that mean anything to you people?"

"Sorry Toph," Aang said sheepishly, as he rubbed the back of his neck. "We didn't mean to upset you!"

"I don't care!" Toph roared back. "If you guys don't shut up, I'll shut you up myself! Ugh. Do you know how fast Li's heart is beating? It's like a drum! One I don't wanna hear!"

"Hey! That's not our faults! The guy probably has a genetic problem." Sokka replied, a rather hostile feeling emitting from him.

"Does it feel like I care? Just stop fighting. Go to sleep. We only have a few days before we reach Ba Sing Se, anyway. Can't you wait until then?" She snapped. Her voice rang through the open space.

Only a few more days until Ba Sing Se? Perfect. Zuko didn't want to stick around these people longer than necessary. He would start anew in the impenetrable city. If his Uncle couldn't break the wall, nothing would. Inside those walls, he would finally be safe. Maybe he'd get a full night of sleep, too.

"Fine." He breathed out with all his energy. The rocks really were not that restricting, but his ribs felt like they were collapsing in on themselves. "I'm only sticking with you until Ba Sing Se anyway."

"You're going to ditch us? Pff. Typical." Sokka rolled his eyes. "I'm not even surprised. All ashmakers are the same."

"...Ashmakers?" It didn't matter that Zuko was currently in Toph's grasp, he was going to strangle this idiot. "Say that again. I dare you."

"Ashmaker." Sokka dared, the taunt on the tip of his tongue.

"I said SHUT UP. Don't you idiots ever listen?" Toph hollered. Zuko flinched, but took some satisfaction in Socks (Zuko refused to call him by his name) doing the same. Toph was nothing short of terrifying when angry. He was never going to wake her up again. He'd rather face Azula. Azula, who set him on fire when bored.

"Li…you're not going to help us?" The Avatar, the single most terrifying entity in the entire world, the man capable of endless destruction, pouted. "I thought we were friends!"

Is…Is the Avatar trying to guilt trip him?

Zuko hated to admit it, but it almost worked. No one wanted to disappoint the Avatar. (His slightly pissed off friends fully capable of murder had nothing to do with it.)

"No."

That was the wrong answer. The Avatar's eyes watered, and the waterbender froze a dagger-shaped piece of ice. How she did that whilst being in Toph's rock-like grip, he didn't know. He almost didn't want to know.

"Err, well. I don't know you that well. And I have….family…in Ba Sing Se…" That was the biggest lie he could've ever told. Judging from the silence on Toph's part, she must have noticed, but chose not to say anything.

His family? In Ba Sing Se? Zuko stifled a completely undignified giggle.

"He's lying." Toph added.

"Really? I never would've guessed." Socks said. A rock flew past his head. He made an 'eep' sound when he ducked. "It's not like he's Fire Nation or anything…"

"Have you never heard of the colonies?" Zuko fired back.

"You don't look mixed."

"So I have to look a certain way now?"

"I never said that!"

"You just did!"

"Ashmaker!"

"Uneducated!"

"Bloodthirsty!"

"Enough!" This time Katara butted into the conversation. "Can't you guys be civilized for one night?"

"Katara," Aang piped up. "You were…uh, going to fight Li…"

"That hardly matters." Katara said, a note of finality leaving no room for argument.

Aang rubbed his head, before he bounced upwards. "Li! You can stay with us in Ba Sing Se! This way you don't have to worry about loneliness."

"I really don't want to-"

"C'mon! Please?" The Avatar used doe eyes on him, Zuko, the once crown prince of the Fire Nation.

"Yeah, Li. Why don't ya?" Toph added, her voice entirely too gleeful for Zuko to be comfortable. "It'll be fun~"

"I'm going to stay with you until Ba Sing Se. That's it. I'm grateful for your….friendship," Zuko chose his words carefully, "But I work better alone. Uh, Toph? Could you, uh, put me down?"

She dropped him right on his backside. He groaned, but decided not to complain. He crawled over to his bed-like construction and flopped onto it. Sleep, he decided, was a rather welcome but wary friend.

He only had a few more days of this. Just a few more. He could do it.

...Right?