A/N: This was a lot of fun to write. the story is based off of a real life incident. One of our close friends was the character played by Zuko in this story. So as soon as I saw the prompt, this story begged to be written. I've tried to keep them in character but it is an AU.
As usual, they are not mine. Just the experience is.
Katara was really excited that evening. It was their turn to host the monthly barbecue for the gang and it was the first time that they were hosting it in their new apartment. She and Zuko were still newlyweds and this was their first apartment together. The gang would show up soon and she had cleaned the place till it shone. Zuko had shaken his head at her but left her to obsess over the details. Katara hoped that they had enough meat to satisfy the bottomless pit that was Sokka. Since vegetables were really not her specialty, Aang was bringing skewers of that for himself.
She grinned widely and hugged herself. Sometimes, she said the word 'husband' just to taste it; the word was still so new and shiny when applied to Zuko. She heard him call out to her from the doorway. He was back with the ice-cream. What barbecue was complete without scoops of the sweet treat? Katara greeted him with an enthusiastic kiss that had Zuko raising an eyebrow at him.
"I'll put these away," she told him, "Go get changed."
"What's wrong with what I have on now?" Zuko indicated the shorts and tee he was wearing.
"Nothing but I just wanted you to wear the new shorts that I got for you last week."
"Ah!" Zuko nodded.
As Katara turned towards the kitchen she missed his grimace as he moved towards the bedroom to go change.
The doorbell rang and Katara welcomed Aang and Toph who were as usual the first to arrive. Her brother was always late for everything. They had barely walked in the door when Sokka and Suki showed up behind them. Everybody gaped at them and Sokka asked irritably
"What?"
"You guys are on time!" Aang exclaimed.
"Come on. It's not like we're always late." Sokka tried to defend himself.
Toph snorted.
"What?" Sokka asked indignantly.
"So tell me, Sokka," Katara teased, "When was the last time you were on time for anything? Mom used to say you were even late to be born!"
The laughter increased at Katara's statement.
Sokka stuck his tongue out at Katara, causing her to retort, "Very mature, brother."
"Well, don't stand at the door, come in!" Zuko called to his friends.
It was after everyone had gotten drinks and were lounging in chairs that Toph asked Zuko.
"I have to ask, Zuko, what the hell are you wearing?"
A little defensively, Zuko answered, "A pair of shorts and a tee."
"I'm sure Toph meant to ask you the color of those shorts, Zuko." Katara chimed in.
Before Zuko could open his mouth, Sokka chimed in.
"What do you mean what color? They're blue, of course."
Zuko sneaked a glance at Katara and at her expectant expression said, "They're lilac."
Absolute silence greeted this sentence as his friends gaped at him in horror. Suki's snicker seemed to penetrate the shock around the sitting room.
"Li…lilac?" Sokka squeaked, "What the hell is lilac?"
"It's a mixture of red and blue; and is a pale violet tone." Katara informed them primly.
Toph guffawed.
Aang looked thunderstruck.
Sokka recovered sufficiently to say, "Bro, you just lost some major dude points." He shook his head sadly at Zuko.
Katara faced them all with hands on his hips and asked, "What's wrong with you all?"
Aang tried to explain, "No guy should know about a color called lilac," Spitting the word out like it tasted foul in his mouth. "Blue, dark blue and light blue are enough."
"That's stupidly sexist." Katara said, before spinning on her heel to go to the kitchen.
Zuko gave his friends a glare and followed his wife to try and calm her down.
"Lilac. I can't believe he said lilac." Suki said with a shake of her head before bursting into laughter with the rest of them.