"At this rate, we'll reach my community by mid-day." Tripitaka smiled whistfully and leaned back on the log, watching the fire in front of her dance and throw shadows across the ground. The darkening sky had no effect on the young woman's optimism, her mind filled with finally seeing her family and friends and her community. However, a small thought plagued her conscious and has been growing since she left the city.

This means…. Monkey will leave…

She glanced over at him, sitting on a stump a foot from her. His face was carefully blank, the way he gets when he's lost in thought. Memories from his own home, perhaps?
She bit her lip, rocking her legs slightly.

What would he say if….

She decided to go ahead and ask him, despite what his reaction might be.

"What will you do when we get there?" She murmured, keeping her eyes locked on the fire. "After I take the headband off?" She paused before adding with a small smile, "Apart from break my neck, I mean."

Monkey didn't even seem to notice. His eyes were staring into the fire as if it held some other significance, one that which Tripitaka was unaware of.

"Go back, I guess."

Her shoulders slumped and she looked at her lap. He'd leave… Of course he'd leave. What do you think he'd do? Stay around and be your personal bodyguard?

"Go back where?"

Monkey was silent for a moment. He hadn't taken his eyes off the fire since they built it. Finally, he sighed. "Wherever. Depends where I can find food and fuel."
He seemed to sense her disappointment and quickly continued. "I-I usually keep moving."

Truth was, he wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to his companion yet. Despite his rough exterior, living alone in the wilds certainly came with a price. Loneliness was one of them. Monkey wasn't usually bothered by it. He kept himself busy, constantly doing errands for traders just to keep his mind from wandering. Besides, he was considered as a feral beast to some people. He just decided he'd cope with being alone, but his heart had other plans.

"Y-You could….. probably stay…."

Trip's hesitant voice made him briefly glance up, only to find that she had her head turned away from him, hiding the embarrassed flush on her cheeks.

"If you wanted…"

She saw him looking over at her from the corner of her eye and her head shot up, panic flashing in her eyes, feeling as if she'd made a mistake.

"I-I'm just saying…. After my father hears about all you've done for me, I know he'll offer you a home."

Both of them were now staring at the fire once more, the silence stretching between them was almost so thick she could choke.

"If that's what you want." She finished, not daring to say anything else in worry she might've upset him.

Monkey still didn't say anything and Tripitaka didn't push him to answer.

He let his mind drift off, thinking about what it would be like to live in a community once more. He could could still remember how it was to live in a community even though he'd spent his entire life trying to bury it. He knew it had been, well, relatively peaceful. He did come from a tribe a warriors, though he'd always been more interested in exploring than fighting. It was something he learned to rely on when he was on his own, yet fighting for his survival had become a large part of his life. But despite the wars, it had been a nice place to live. Still, the sound of sirens and screaming, of metal crunching and fire greedily consuming their homes still remained a fresh memory in his mind.

Monkey heaved a sigh. That was in the past and it should stay that way, if he knew what's best. However, the thought of taking up the girl's offer and the possibility that what if the slavers came back rattled his mind and he was sure he was wholly unprepared to face that again, even if he was just a spectator this time around.

Trip looked at up at the sky, wondering how her parents, Vedes and Ramanyana, would react to her bringing home a handsome, athletic, and completely ripped man. Torah, her sister, would be jealous, that's for sure. Upanishad would go into protective-big-brother-mode, most likely. She absently smiled as she watched the scene play out in her head. Would Gita, her shy yet vicious little cat, approve of him? She chuckled to herself at the image of the small feline latching onto Monkey's face.

It'll all work out well, She told herself with a nod and staring into the dying flames for the 30th time that night. Soon, a yawn forced itself out of her which seemed to snap Monkey out of his trance.

"You're tired. You should sleep."

Tripitaka looked up. "Huh? Ah, no thanks…" She was cut off by another yawn and left gazing sheepishly at him.

"Sleep." He said more forcefully. "I'll take watch." Monkey stood to throw another piece of wood onto the fire, and settled himself against the base of the tree. It wasn't long before the red head's shoulder slumped in exhaustion and her eyes fluttered shut to welcome the darkness creeping at the edges of her vision.

A/N:

THAT'S RIGHT I'M DOING A RE-WRITE OF THIS SHIT.
Because Enslaved has captured my attention once more and woo-ed me with Monkey's amazing shirtless glory.

Ahem.
Anyway.

I looked at this story and after reading the first chapter, I was like "Huh. I should really continue this." then I read the second chapter and thought "Wow. Second thought, this needs to be re-written. I think I was brain dead when I posted this." I couldn't even remember where the damn storyline was going! So I changed it up a bit, re-did Monkey's past and conflict with Trip's village, switched up the events in my head, dropped alot and added something else to suit my need of 50% fluff and 50% angst.

Or something like that.

SO. Next chapter's coming up soon as well as a two-shot thing I'm doing. Could be a one-shot. Who knows.

Peace, love, and reviews.