The next chapter is posted! Enjoy :)
Kristin barely had to wait a few moments, before the door opened.
She was met with Galen, who had a surprised look on his face as he eyed her in the getup she was in.
The young woman gave him a small, amused grin.
"Hey honey, I'm home." She lightly teased.
Galen snapped out of his stupor. Then his arm shot out and he grabbed her by the front of her cloak, and quickly pulled her inside.
"Woah!" She yelped, out of surprise.
Once she was in, he quickly shut the door behind her. Then he quickly turned his attention back to the petite young woman before him.
"Are you ok!? Where were you!?" He blurted out, clearly worried.
"Take it easy, Galen. I'm fine. Alan and Pete had me wait behind sone foliage to act as a lookout while they went to grab some horses. Unfortunately, none of us saw the group of gorilla guards jump out before it was too late." She explained.
He nodded in understanding.
"At least you're alright. Was worried when I didn't see you anywhere." Galen told her.
Now, she really couldn't resist teasing him.
"Aww, Galen. Really? So sweet. Didn't know you cared for me that much." She teased, while placing a hand over her heart. She winked for good measure while she was at it.
If apes could blush, the young chimp would probably be at least three different shades of red right now.
"Wha...what!? Of course, I care about you...I mean...not like that but...well, you know!" He blurted out, getting a little tongue tied.
Kristin started laughing at his reaction and his stuttering.
As she laughed, he was able to compose himself.
"You wicked, sassy, little thing you." He said.
"The look on your face, priceless. The stuttering, a bonus. Should get extra points for that one. The topping on it would've been if I got a picture of it with my iPhone." She said, a hint of laughter still present in her voice.
He crosses his arms and narrows his eyes, "Don't even think about it. Or I'll hide the phone."
Then a smirk appears on his face.
"Or better yet, I'll use it to record you one night as you sleep. You do sometimes make the funniest noises in your sleep." He said, his smirk growing larger as he says it.
Her smile quickly disappeared, and her eyes widened.
"Don't you dare. And what funny noises? I don't make funny noises in my sleep." She stated.
"Oh, but you do. I woke up once because I heard what sounded like a cross between a canary and a chipmunk chittering. It was pretty loud too, and not far from where I was laying.
I roll over to see where the strange sound was coming from and low and behold, it was you. Mouth hanging open and everything. I think I may have saw a little drool on the corner of your mouth as well.
Had it not been for the noise and the steady rise of your chest, I probably would've thought you dead with your mouth hanging open as it was." He teased.
She arched a brow, "You're so full of shit. You know that...chimp boy?"
He took a step closer to her, never taking his eyes off of hers.
"Well, I'll take it. Because in the end, still doesn't sound or look half as horrifying as you do when you apparently sleep." Galen says, his smirk stretching wider.
Of course, it was all a lie. She didn't make funny sounds in her sleep. Nor did she look like a dead animal with her mouth hanging open. He just liked to ruffle her feathers as a way of getting back at her for teasing him.
It became like a little game between the two of them after a while. Trying to see if they can one up each other with the teasing and the jokes.
She narrowed her eyes at him. Then a small smirk appeared on her face.
"Ok fine, you may have won this round. But the next one will be mine." Kristin promised.
The smirk still has yet to dissipate from his face.
"We shall see." He says.
There was a brief moment of silence before either of them spoke again.
"What are we going to do? How are we going to get them out?" She asks, with a hint of worry in her voice.
His grin disappeared and was replaced by a serious look.
He sighs, "I'm not sure at the moment. But I sadly don't believe there is much we can do about it right now. I hate to say it, but they may have to stay put for the night in that cell."
Kristin was afraid he'd say that. But unfortunately, he was right. There really wasn't much they could do to help them right now. The place was surely being guarded.
She doubts anyone would be able to get close enough to them. They probably won't even let Galen get close to them. Because they all believed Alan and Pete to be dangerous fugitives.
She pulls the cloth back from her head and runs a hand through her long, wavy dark hair with a sigh.
"Guess, that means they are sitting ducks for the night. I just feel bad they are in a dingy cell while we're in here." She said, then looks around the comfortable little place.
It wasn't very big. It kind of resembled a studio apartment. But it was cute and cozy.
"I know what you mean. It does seem very unfair to them. But as I said, there really isn't much we can do for them right now. All we can do, is wait. I think we should try and get some rest while here." He surmised.
It was getting pretty late, and they were quite tired from the day's events.
"Ok, fair enough." Kristin said.
She headed for the comfy looking bed in the back, depositing the cloak on a nearby chair as she passed it.
The bed was just big enough for two people. It had some soft looking pelts covering it with pelt covered pillows near the top. The young woman kicked off her slip-on sneakers and laid on one side of the bed.
It felt so good laying on a bed again after sleeping on the ground for the last couple weeks.
"Uhh?" Galen trailed off as he eyed her on the bed. He started ringing his hands and fidgeting.
Kristin turned her attention to him, "What? What's wrong?"
"If...you're going to take the bed, you mind handing me at least one pelt to sleep on?" He awkwardly asks.
She furrowed her brows, "Why? There's room on here for you too."
The young woman watched as the young chimp seemed to be choking on air with a wide-eyed look.
"What? Forget it. It's out of the question." He blurted out.
"What's the matter with you?" She asks.
He gave her an incredulous look, "What do you mean, what's the matter? Us sharing a bed...that's highly inappropriate."
Kristin gave him a funny look.
"Galen, I don't know where the hell your mind is right now. But all we're going to be doing is sleeping. So, I can't really see where this would be inappropriate.
So, stop fussing and acting like a prude virgin and come lay down. You need a good night's rest as much as I do." She said trying to reason with him.
The young chimp was still hesitant to come any closer. With apes, males and females didn't share beds with one another unless they were in a relationship and intimate with one another.
This was clearly not the case for either of them.
But she did have a point. All they were going to do was sleep. And he'd be lying if he didn't say it would be nice to sleep in a warm, cozy bed again after all this time.
He closes his eyes briefly and lets out a long-drawn-out sigh.
Then he silently makes his way over and awkwardly lays down next to her. The bed may have been big enough for two. But in a way, just barely. There were maybe only several inches between them.
She folds her arms behind her head with a small smile.
"Admit it, this beats sleeping on the floor anytime. And here you were, about to do just that." Kristin stated, as a matter of fact.
A faint smile touches his face, "Yes, it does."
Then he shifts his gaze to her, a mischievous glint in his dark eyes.
"Just remember to keep your hands to yourself now." He says, with a smirk.
"Hah! You wish! Keep dreaming, buddy!" She said.
Galen just shrugs, "Well, at least in my dreams, I wouldn't have to worry about you killing me. Or making my ears bleed with that screechy, high pitch snoring of yours."
"Watch it, you're this close to getting decked with the pillow." She says, while placing her pointer finger just above her thumb for emphasis.
"Please do, if it'll mean I get to snatch an extra pillow from you for me to have." He teases.
"You should talk. Better not hog the covers while you're at it. Or I may just kick you out of the bed." She warned.
"Careful, I may take you with me." Galen said.
"Novel idea, then you'll crush me when you land on me. And then I'll really be in a bad mood afterwards." She quipped, not giving in and trying to have the last word.
He smirked, "But would you really?"
No sooner did the words leave his mouth, he let out a startled yelp when he got a pillow to the face.
"Yeah, really." She added, with her own little triumphant smirk.
Her smirk quickly disappeared though when he quickly snatched the pillow from her hand. Then the little shit shoved it under his head with the other pillow he already had.
"Thank you." He said, with a wide grin and closed his eyes.
"Give that back, you ass." Kristin demanded.
He cracked open an eye, "No, I don't think I will. I'm quite comfortable."
"If you don't give it back, I'll lay on top of you. See how comfortable you'll be then." She threatened.
Galen snorted, "Please, we both know that's a bluff."
"Wanna bet on it?" She warned.
The young chimp just yawned.
"Good night." He said, as he finished yawning.
"Ok, that's it." She said, in a low tone.
Then without warning, she jumped on him.
Galen's eyes flew open with a startled yelp and he flailed around for a moment. Within that time, Kristin reached beneath his head, and ripped the pillow out from underneath.
Then she quickly got off and went back over to her side with the pillow and put it back under her head and pulled the covers up.
After the surprise wore off, his gaze swept over to her. He still couldn't believe she did that.
She laid there facing him with a grin, "Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Technically, you didn't lay on top of me. You literally flung yourself onto me. But still, I can't believe you did that." He said.
"Not my fault you like to sometimes learn things the hard way, Galen." Kristin teased.
He rolled over onto his side to face her.
"Never really used to. Until you three came along." The young chimp declared.
Of course, Kristin didn't believe that.
"If you say so." She mutters.
He sighs, in defeat, "Alright, I'll give you this round, if you finally let me sleep."
She gives him a small, lopsided smile.
"Fair enough. Good night." Kristin says.
After a few moments, she closes her eyes.
Galen continues to watch her for a little longer. So many thoughts running through his mind about this strange but amusing human woman.
It's not often he comes across many females with such a humorous and playful streak to them. Not like this one before him.
A small part of him felt drawn to her because of it. And the way he was drawn to her was quite different than how he was drawn to their friends Alan and Pete.
Though he's unsure why that is and what sets her apart from the two astronauts they have been traveling together with.
Despite all of the thoughts clogging his head, he still manages to slowly drift to sleep.
At some point during the night while they slept, they shifted even closer to one another, closing the gap. Not long after, Kristin's sleeping form pressed herself into his warm front, resting her cheek against his chest.
In his sleep, Galen slowly wrapped his arms around the petite human woman and held her close.
They remained in this position for the rest of the night. Neither of them knowing that they have come together in what looked like a very intimate and affectionate embrace.
Until Next Time ;)