To Lose or to Gain: Iroh's Child (AtlA Fanfic)

Play Time

The eating of the meal started off without much fanfare – nobody spoke, the sparring match still setting in for everyone sitting and eating the prepared lunch. Zuko wondered in the back of his mind if things changed at that moment, an odd thought. "A lot of things are changing though. Lu Ten died. I became Uncle's child. I've got new teachers. Mother is having a child. I learned sword bending. I've made new friends." Words started slipping from his tongue. "I've..."

When he paused, having caught himself off guard, Akira spoke. "Something the matter Zuko?"

"No." The corners of his mouth twisted, unsure if he should say out loud, "I've made friends and it feels good I don't know how all of these things work."

"It does seem like you are in a good place though."

"Yes." His eyes drifted over suddenly, remembering Hideki wasn't in a good place.

Akira noticed. "Hideki? Are you alright?"

"I'm – yes." The boy glanced up, attempting to put a smile on his face. He fidgeted slightly while the two adults watched carefully.

When they came close to finishing their food, Piandao said something which majorly perked Zuko's attention. "I've heard from your uncle you are into theater Prince Zuko."

"Yes! I love it." Hideki glanced up at Zuko's, his eyes blinking in surprise before looking over at him, his mouth agape.

"The local theater is putting on a play tonight."

"Are you suggesting we go?" The words blurted out, but Zuko couldn't hide his excitement. Hideki glanced now at Piandao, his mouth opening slightly more.

"Wait..." Akira spoke with a firm tone, but the look on his face said he wasn't pleased. "Are you sure that is a good idea? I mean, this is Prince Zuko we're talking about?"

"Which is why neither one of you will refer to him by his given name while you head into town."

"But..." Hideki rocked backward slightly, his mouth tightening; in the back of Zuko's mind, he remembered how much Hideki struggled with just calling him Zuko.

"Wouldn't him calling me by something else as 'sifu' points out be even harder."

"It's your duty to call Prince Zuko by whatever name we come up with." The man looked Zuko in the eye. "Do you have an idea of the name you want to use?"

"Lu Ten?" His mouth snapped shut, but he definitely felt a slight heat across the skin from the embarrassment of suggesting. "That – that was dumb."

"Um." Akira's mouth twisted as if pondering the choice.

"Well, it isn't unheard of for parents to name their child after a member of the royal family for good luck."

"Is it?" Akira didn't seem convinced of what Hideki said.

"Yes." Piandao's interest seemed perked, but then he said, "To a point."

"To a point." Zuko repeated the words, completely unsure of what the man actually meant by this. "It was just a dumb idea."

"Well, do you have any other ideas what you want to be called while you are out and about?"

"Not really." Zuko's mind drifted, wondering why he'd picked Lu Ten's name of all things. The fact he admired his cousin a lot did play a factor, but so did the fact Lu Ten's death remained fresh in his mind. The choice felt obvious, too obvious.

"Isn't that the most obvious choice?" Akira said out loud. "I mean, wouldn't someone expect that to be the name Zuko might use?"

"Sometimes going with the most obvious choice ends up being the lest obvious choice, not to mention the fact I doubt anybody knows Zuko isn't at the palace right now."

"F..." Zuko paused, the use of said word suddenly feeling like a strain on his tongue, something which didn't feel right. "Prince Ozai doesn't know?"

"He shouldn't. While it is true there are a few more servants involved in your life, there isn't anyone the Fire Lord and Crown Prince don't trust among them, but limiting your interaction at this point as you're still considered transitioning into your new position isn't being questioned."

Zuko's bright golden eyes widened slightly, his mouth opening ever so slightly. "I'll be interacting with more individuals eventually?"

"Well, yes."

The young prince let out a sigh, but then let his mind refocus on getting to go out and see a play much in the same manner he would if they were visiting Ember Island; in fact, he'd find himself attending a theater production performed by a theater group he'd never seen before. The name became brushed aside and nobody thought about the use of said name anymore, though the look on Akira's face said he was still bothered by the choice.

Instead, the focus became on the play, which Zuko found himself quite excited about, unable to not pipe up ever so often regarding the theater. Akira's facial features twisted in amusement, while Hideki's mouth opened, his eyes wide for some reason. They found themselves in a small theater, while Akira looked around. The older boy then said – his voice just a whisper, "You've actually been in a public theater before?"

"Yes."

"When?" Hideki asked.

"With my mother. She loves the theater, but we always go – went, during the summer on Ember Island."

"There are quite a lot of theaters there, aren't there?"

"Wait. There are?" Akira sucked in a deep breath. "It's not ever been something which interested me. I mean, I've never thought..."

"The plays starting!" Hideki hissed, while Fat let out a chuckle. Akira's mouth snapped shut.

The play – the play was engrossing to say the least, although there were some issues Zuko noticed. After the play, they slipped from his tongue, but then he noticed Fat and Akira had disappeared.

"Hideki?"

"Yes?"

"Where did Akira and Fat go?"

"They went to get us something to eat."

"Akira was a bit lost with everything I was saying, wasn't he." Zuko glanced at his feet. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hideki fidget a little, almost as if he was bothered by the fact Zuko's attention was focused on the older boy. Zuko held up his hands. "Not that you aren't worth talking to. I just..."

"Just what?"

"I don't want to overdo it, you know. Annoy someone by talking about theater so much."

Hideki's eyes blinked. "But you like the theater, don't you Lu Ten?"

Zuko's eyes blinked, taking in the fact Hideki actually referred to him as Lu Ten. His mind contemplated the reason Hideki found it so easy to break from formality then realized maybe this was easier because keeping his identity secret was in itself a form of formality.

"Sorry, I..."

"Don't apologize. I was just surprised."

"By what?" Hideki's eyes blinked. "You mean when I called you..." He then said, "That is your name, is it not Lu Ten."

Zuko smiled, wanting to say Hideki might make a good actor in the theater when a laugh came from behind – a laugh which reminded him too much of the way Azula at times laughed as if the person was taking merriment at the idea of causing another person pain, but the way Hideki's facial features faulted – he felt the other boy felt the same way.

Whoever laughed spoke from behind. "Your name is Lu Ten?"