Blood and Rust

Balo's teeth began to chatter. "M-m-m-mu-much b-b-b-be-better." Balo began to stand up.

"Sorry if it's a little too cold," Lana said sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head, "I'm still working on mastering Ice and Water magic. But anyways, you feel okay now?"

Actually he did. Balo might have to learn some of that magic from Lana one of these days. "Yes thank you. Now, let's get out of here. I don't feel like coming back to this place any time soon. Especially after what happened today." It took Balo some effort to stand stumbling and leaning.

"Here. Lean onto me." Lana offered and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, looping his arm around her neck. "We can't leave with you in this condition. Looks like we're going to have to stay here for at least one more day, at least until you've recovered most of your strength. You still have a place to stay?"

"I will in a minute. Just stand outside while I go in and 'negotiate' us a room." Balo looked parched.

Lana shook her head and did as she was told, crossing her arms and sighing. "Sometimes I wonder why I bother, Balo Fry..."

Screaming and crashing sounds came from inside the building.

"You better not give the place a new paint job, Balo! Otherwise you're sleeping outside. I am not going to sleep in a room that smells like old blood and dead bodies..."

Balo came out of the building with his mouth dripping with blood. "You know, you are no fun sometimes. Don't worry. I didn't make a mess. Well, I did but at least I cleaned it up." Balo led Lana into the motel room where they planned on staying. "Wait would you really have made me sleep outside? Kind of harsh isn't it?"

"Unless you'd rather I let you sleep in the same bed as me and risk getting kicked into the wall who knows how many times..." Lana said smugly yet teasingly.

((I need to talk to you on Messenger. Please.))

Balo just stared at Lana. "Outside doesn't sound so bad." Balo began to walk outside with a pillow in hand.

Lana grabbed his arm and pulled him in after her. "I was joking, Balo Fry. You can sleep in the same room as me. If you want, we can split the bed since it's the only piece of comfortable furniture. And don't worry, I don't kick...as hard as I said I would."

Balo looked at the bed then back outside. He went back and forth between the two for several minutes. "You said we were going to share the bed right?" More minutes passed.

"Why can't I sleep outside again?"

"Do you want to get hypothermia?"

Balo answered back with an honest tone. "Is it as painful as your kicks?"

"...Do you want to find out how hard I kick? That can be arranged."

Balo ran towards the closet. "I wonder if there is extra blanket in here I can take with me."

"Already checked and there isn't. Tough luck." Lana said as she shucked off her boots and coat. The shoulder of her coat bore the insignia of a crow, lonely and flying freely; her family crest. "The cold, hard, musky floor or half of a nice semi-comfortable bed? The choice is yours."

Climbing in, Lana looked at Balo with a smug expression while fluffing her pillow, crossing her arms and leaning back against the wall.

Balo didn't have anything to say. He looked down at his feet. "Hey look! Carpeted floor that could quite possibly feel like a mattress! Just my luck."

"...They've got roaches and I spotted a family of rats in a hole in the corner." Lana noted as she examined her fingernails, digging out leftover dirt with her dagger.

Balo peeked over the side of the bed. "Lana... I am a vampire. I think roaches and rats are the least of my problems. If anyone should be worried it should be you." Balo laid his head back on his pillow. "Don't try to tell me different. I have seen you walk around them and even stand on chairs when you see a rat." Balo laughed to himself as he laid there praying that Lana didn't hear him.

...The knife landed merely a centimeter from Balo's head. "I'm sorry, can you repeat what you said? I think I might have misheard you."

Balo rushed towards the door. "You know suddenly it got warmer outside. How weird. It's so warm you wouldn't even need a blanket." Balo tried to speed walk.

'Please don't chain my legs. Please don't chain my legs. Please don't chain my legs.'

...She threw her chains at his legs, watching with satisfaction as he fell to the ground and dragged him back to his spot. She tied him up and secured the chains so that they were tied to the bed legs, poking his forehead. "Don't even think about it, Balo Fry. You know what I'll do if you escape."

Her smile suddenly turned cheerful. "Now...goodnight!" She hopped into the bed and snuggled comfortably with her pillow, a smile on her face.

Balo knew he had the strength to break the chains but the consequences of that scared him not to. Balo wiggled around trying to find a comfortable position. After a few minutes he was already tired. 'Damn it. Why am I so tired? I should have more energy than this.' Balo finally gave up and just decided to lay there. He titled his head to the side only to see Lana's boots. 'Holy crap! You think she would wash these every once in a while.' Balo looked quickly up at the bed's edge to make sure Lana wasn't looking.

'I wonder if she would mind if I burned these...'