The Color of Life is Red

The Ring

Lance watched Keith from the kitchen. He was sitting on the couch, reading over piles of papers. Records and photos littered the area around him. Bags had formed under his eyes and his mouth was stuck in a permanent frown. Lance returned his gaze to the coffee cup, stirring it. It was probably around three a.m. and Keith hadn't slept in days.

The spoon tapped the side of the mug as Lance finished preparing it. He walked over to Keith's side and held the coffee out for him. He looked up to him and set down the stack of papers to take the mug. Lance carefully maneuvered around the piles to find a spot next to Keith. He leaned onto his shoulder and hugged his arm. With closed eyes, he spoke in a relaxed, but worried, tone. "Are you ever gonna come to bed?"

He picked up a different stack of papers and combed through them, "I've gotta find something, Princess."

Lance stayed there for a few moments, then let go and stood to grab his coat. He faced away from Keith as he spoke. "Do you even like this life?"

The sound of paper stopped. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," he hesitated, "Is this really what you want?"

The leather of the couch crinkled as Keith stood and walked up behind him. He wrapped his arms around Lance, "I want you." He kissed his hair. "Did Shiro say something?"

Lance took a deep breath, "No. it's nothing." He broke the hug to put his jacket on. He walked into the bathroom and grabbed a leather bag.

Keith watched him with curious eyes, "Where are you going?"

Lance picked up a small brown bag from the kitchen counter. "To care for our prisoner."

Keith held up a finger, "Oh, no you don't."

He stopped, "What? Why?"

Keith put his hands on his hips, "Why? You were all over him!"

"Oh my god," Lance turned and stomped to the door.

"Lance!"

He put his hand on the doorknob, "What I gonna do? Kiss him? He'd die. He needs to be taken care of so that he doesn't die."

Keith started toward the door, "Lance I swear to god if you-"

Lance shook his head in frustration and slammed the door behind him.

Hachi greeted him with a snarky laugh, "Well, well. What do we have here?"

Lance set down the bags next to the chair. "You're quite cocky for someone who's gotten the shit beat out of them."

He chuckled, "Touché, Princess."

Lance smacked him hard with his gloved hand. "Don't ever call me that."

The hit took him by surprise and he blinked a few times to register what happened. Lance reached into the leather bag and took out a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Hachi watched him curiously, "Why don't you tell me your name then?"

Lance retrieved a towel from the bag, "Hellhound."

"No, your real name."

He raised an eyebrow at him, opening the bottle of alcohol. "Are you telling me that 'Hachi' is your real name?"

Hachi pursed his lips in thought, then shrugged. "Alright, I get it."

Lance tied a rope around his elbow and dirty armrest; then another one around his forearm. He flipped open a knife, "You gonna try and punch me when I cut these?"

"Not with my arm tied down like this."

Lance sighed and cut off the rope around Hachi's wrist. He set down the knife and picked up the bottle of alcohol, "This is gonna sting."

Hachi sucked in breath through his teeth as Lance poured it onto his mutilated wrist. Then, Lance dabbed the towel on it.

Hachi eyed him suspiciously, "Why are you helping me? Trying to gain my trust?"

"Actually, no." Lance started to wrap bandages around the wounds. Scissors sat between his teeth, "I'm not sure how long we will keep you, but-" he retrieved the scissors to cut the gauze, "-it would be troublesome if you died before we wanted you to."

Lance replaced a piece of rope to Hachi's wrist and tied it back down. He reached into the small paper bag and grabbed a granola bar. He unwrapped it and stuck it in Hachi's mouth. Then, he moved to his other wrist.

After Hachi successfully ate the bar with no hands, he eyed Lance. "You're really strange. You know that, right?"

Lance continued wrapping his wrist, "Oh yeah. I definitely am." He returned all his supplies to the bag and rechecked all the ropes.

"Seriously, though." Hachi turned his head to keep his eyes on Lance, "What's the thing with you and Lucifer?"

He didn't establish any eye contact, "What do you mean?"

"Are you guys," he trailed off with a curious smile, "you know."

Lance finally looked at him after checking all the ties, "Are we what?"

"Are you guys fuckin'?"

Lance gave him a raise eyebrow, then pulled out a water bottle and straw. "Does that even matter?" He held it to Hachi's mouth.

He took a sip, "I mean, kind of. I'm bored in here." He took another drink. "Might as well find some sort of entertainment."

Lance pulled the bottle away and returned it to the bag.

Hachi waited for an answer that never came. "Come on, Princess."

Lance unholstered his gun and shot Hachi's foot.

Hachi yelled in pain, "God damn it!"

"I told you not to call me that." Lance returned his pistol to his thigh and removed his glove. "And yes," he held up his hand, showing off a shiny gold ring on his finger. "We're engaged."