Chapter 17.

The rest of their journey was uneventful as the monsters around seemed scared off by the screech from earlier. Moth rested peacefully in Lane's arms the whole way back into town where Lane parted ways with Sol, carrying a half asleep Moth on his back. Sol even paid them extra for their trouble while once again promising Lane to keep Moth's and his secret. Lane carried Moth through the town and into the hotel, eliciting some confused and concerned glances from the people in the bar. Lane ignored them all and headed straight for their room, gently sitting Rin on their bed and helping him to take off his shirt and cloak. "Let me take a look." Lane muttered, his jaw tense as he helped him turn over to get a look at his wings. He gently spread his hand across his wings, spreading them apart to get a look at the torn one. There didn't seem to be any blood coming out of the tear but the long slit starting from his wing joint and ripping all way through had a red irritated hue. "Does it hurt?" Lane asked, his voice quiet. 

Moth shrugged, "A bit but the pain has mostly dulled to a throbbing now." Lane's expression seemed to fall even further as a pout formed on his face. "Will it heal or are you stuck like this?" Moth chuckled seeing Lane's drooping face so he spun around and held it, smiling brightly at him. "It'll heal. I just need to take care of it by splinting it." Lane nodded his head readily, preparing to assist him with anything he needed. "How do I help." Rin seemed a little surprised at his willingness to help but he gave Lane a restrained smile. "It's better if I do it, they are a bit too delicate to be handled by someone else." 

Lane was a little upset but he quickly understood, nodding and leaning back to give Moth space. Once he was given his space, Moth pulled his wing in front of himself and weaved a line of bandages. Lane watched closely as Moth's gentle hands wrapped up his wing delicately, making sure that it was lined up properly and secured in place. "There, all patched up. Now it just has to stay like this for a week or two. I'll feel unbalanced and it will be a bit hard for me to move with it on so I'd like to rest as much as possible." Lane nodded enthusiastically, he gently wrapped his arms around Moth and laid down so Moth was on top of him. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you can rest." He ran a comforting hand through Moth's hair while rubbing his back in a soothing gesture. "You won't have to lift a finger." He pressed a small kiss to his forehead noticing that the other person was already asleep. Lane leaned his head back on the pillow, letting out a deep sigh before drifting off to sleep, comforted by the steady heartbeat of the person above him. 

Sunlight shined through the window by the desk, stirring Lane awake. He leaned up, shaking off the sleep to find that Moth was still asleep on top of him, the sun shining directly in his eyes. Lane reached out a hand, covering Moth's eyes to protect him from the sun. I could've sworn I closed the blinds last night. Lane gently moved Moth off him, trying not to wake the other person up as he got up and closed the blinds and got ready for the day. "Where are you going?" Moth mumbled, his head was barely peeking out from under the covers and there as a grogginess in his voice that Lane found incredibly endearing. He smiled to himself before moving over to the bed, leaning down and kissing Moth on his cheek which was puffy from a good nights sleep. "I'm just going to ask about a job." He replied softly while inhaling the soft mint smell coming off Moth. Moth raised an eyebrow, "We have enough money for the next two weeks and our hotel is paid off for another three." He groaned and wrapped his arms around Lane's torso. "Come on. Just lay here and rot in bed with me." 

Lane chuckled, "Where'd you pick up a phrase like that?" Moth rubbed his face against Lane's chest while covertly trying to pull Lane into bed. "A huma book I got from the bar. They have a few people can read." Lane smiled fondly at him, looking at him as if he deserved the world. "You know, if I take on this job I can buy you a lot of human books."

Moth's eyes shined with a brief excitement before concern filled them. "What kind of job is it?" Lane simply smiled at him, brushing the hair out of his eyes. "Don't worry about it. All you have to focus on is healing." He leaned back, grabbing his axe and heading to the door but Moth followed him. "Tell me what you are going to do." He had a stern look on his face but underneath it he was aching with worry. "Moth... Don't worry I'll be safe." Moth's jaw tightened, his hands trembling with fear. "Please don't go, just stay with me. We don't need money. We can find a way around it." He reached out and held Lane's hand gently. "Just don't leave me." He mumbled softly, looking down at the ground. 

 Lane looked at him with slight pity, he lifted Moth's face and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "I'll be back by sundown." He said before turning away, not leaving any room for argument. He opened the door and started to leave but Moth followed him, hurriedly throwing on his coat. "Wait, where are you going? Lane, you can't just leave. I don't even know what you are going to do. Let me come with you." His last statement seemed to get Lane's attention and he whirled back around to face Moth and half-pushing, half-guiding Moth back to their room. "Moth. All I'm asking you to do is to stay put. Can you do that for me? I can't bear to see you get hurt again. So just-" He guided him to sit down on the bed. "Stay here. I'll handle everything else."

Moth seemed a bit shocked at first until his face morphed into anger. "You want me to stay put? I thought we agreed. You said that I was your caretaker, how am I meant to care for you if you are out of my sight?!" He was getting a bit frantic, he didn't want Lane to leave. He didn't want to be alone, what if he didn't come back? 

Lane patted his head, trying to soothe him. "You are injured, the best care you can do for me right now is to stay hear and ease my worries." Moth frowned deeply, "Go then. If you think this is the best I can do for." He turned around and laid in bed, facing away from him. "I'll stay here, so don't worry about me." Lane looked a little hurt but he knew he had to do this so he leaned down and kissed his forehead slightly. "I'm strong. I'll be back soon so wait for me." He waited for a response but Moth just shuffled away from him. Lane sighed but got up knowing he would be late if he stayed longer so he quietly left, shutting the door behind him. "Be safe." Moth muttered, wiping his tears with the blanket he was wrapped up in.

Lane didn't like what he would have to do. He didn't want to partner up with that group but more than that he wanted Rin to be safe, he planned on taking on this final job, taking half of the money, and then he'd make it up to Moth by cuddling for days on end. He opened the door to the hotel to find the group already waiting for him in the snow with heavy duty equipment. Hayden smiled and waved at him as he moved towards him. "Where's Moth? Is he not coming with us?" He asks cheerfully. "No, he's recovering right now. I'm more than enough." 

Hayden smiled at his response. "I know you are. They are all ready to go." He said gesturing to the cart full of people. "You aren't coming?" Lane asked. "I figured you wouldn't want a repeat of last time. Although I doubt you would jump in a walker's path to save me again." Hayden said with a shrug. "You are right, I wouldn't." He replied coldly as he climbed up on the cart shooting a glare at the grey haired, older man. 

Hayden waved to them as they left, "Make sure to come back alive and don't worry, Moth is in safe hands." Lane glanced back at him in confusion but quickly brushed it off choosing to focus on the mission ahead.