Liz walked into the kitchen, her hair still wet from the shower, her fingers effortlessly fastening the last button on her shirt. She looked up at the sound of Red's voice.

"Lizzie, do you have anything you'd like me to throw in the wash? I'm about to start a load."

He was sitting at the counter, taking a sip from his mug of coffee, a newspaper propped up in his free hand, his eyes scanning the words even as he spoke.

"Oh. Thanks. Sure, let me go check," she replied, a little caught off guard by his offer. She turned back towards her bedroom.

Liz began sifting through her dirty clothes, trying to decide what was most critical, and-

Shit.

Underwear was most critical.

Of course, he couldn't have offered to do her laundry when something else desperately needed to be washed.

She didn't exactly want Red to see her dirty underwear. Or her clean underwear for that matter.

"We're both adults, Lizzie. Bring the entire hamper."

Surprised by his sudden presence, Liz inhaled sharply and twisted around to find him leaning against the doorframe, apparently able to read her mind. She could feel her cheeks getting hot so she immediately focused her attention back on the dirty clothes.

"Whatever you say, Red. I was trying to see what really needed to be washed, but if you insist on doing all my laundry…" she informed him, picking up the hamper with a playful sigh.

"I don't mind," Red responded sincerely, straightforwardly, before exiting her bedroom.

Her mouth turned up in a tiny, pleasantly surprised smile that she tried to tamper down as she followed him through the hallway.

Liz dumped her hamper out in front of the washing machine.

Shit, she thought again, actively averting her gaze from the bright red panties that just had to land right on the top of the pile.

She hoped he wouldn't notice, or that he would at least keep his thoughts to himself, but that seemed unlikely. As expected, his gaze was immediately drawn to the red underwear, lingering a few seconds too long.

Red smirked, looking up at Liz. "Well, you showed me yours. I guess I have to show you mine," he quipped, pulling a pair of boxers from his own laundry basket and holding them up briefly before tossing them into the empty washing machine.

"Clever," Liz replied, rolling her eyes. Her tone indicated casual indifference, but the flush on her cheeks told a different story. "Didn't you just inform me that this wouldn't be a big deal because we're both adults?"

He ignored her, his grin spreading. "Careful, Lizzie. Your face is almost the same color as that delightful undergarment of yours, which I can only imagine looks ravishing on you."

Liz desperately wanted to leave her pile of dirty laundry right there on the floor and escape so she wouldn't have to listen to anymore of Red's innuendos.

But she wasn't going to let him win.

Two could play at this game.

She confidently met his amused gaze, her eyes boring into his. "As a matter of fact, they do look pretty great on me. And they match my favorite bra." She smirked, raising one eyebrow while pulling a lacy red bra from the pile and dangling it between them.

A challenge.

"Red's my color," she continued boldly, refusing to break their eye contact.

He seemed slightly stunned, but it lasted only a fraction of a second, his carefully crafted mask of nonchalance back in place instantly.

Red took the bra from Liz's loose grasp, accepting her challenge. Without averting his eyes from hers, he tossed the lacy undergarment into the machine where it landed on top of his boxers.

He continued to stare at her intently, and when he spoke, his voice was a deep rumble. "I'd say so."