HAT: Okay, so I've managed to become obsessed with Snow and Heat Miser and have been drawing them like crazy and writing fanfiction. This is the newest and shortest one that I've come up with, the others are longer and take time to make and develop and such. I admit to shamelessly mixing Rise of the Guardians/Guardians of Childhood (mainly the former) with Year Without Santa Claus in order to write my stories. Anyway, I hope that you guys enjoy this two-shot.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians/Guardians of Childhood or Year Without Santa Claus, and they belong to their respective owners, however this plot does belong to me... didn't think I could get all formal, did you?
Snow Miser, never get him started on his brother Snow Miser.
Heat Miser could complain about his brother for hours on end without taking breaks. The one subjected to the long winded rant usually regrets having even mentioned to cheerful man of ice and snow. Today is no different as Heat Miser rants to E. Aster Bunnymund, who sits there obviously questioning why he bothered to make mention of the relative of the man pacing and complaining before him,
"Don't you have anything nice to say abut your brother?!" Bunnymund demands when at last he could take no more of the insufferable complaints.
This makes the red and gold clad man stop and stare at the Pooka. "What?"
Despite being a Guardian, Bunnymund is subject to great harm and to mess with one of the most powerful spirits known is not his smartest idea. Usually Bunnymund wasn't much like a bunny that gets scared at the slightest things, but this time he seems to be with his breath hitched a little faster and sweat under his fur on his forehead and temples while his emerald eyes have the pupils dilated slightly.
Quickly he comes up with a reasonable solution and says carefully, "I mean, I just hear ya complaining about him so much that I wanna know if there's anything that he ever does right."
Heat Miser gains a contemplative look on his face and observes the oversized rabbit. "Anything that he does right? Hard to think of anything, but I suppose there are a few."
This shocks the Guardian of Hope more than it would seeing Nicholas St. North in a dress. "Really? What are they?"
"Hmmm... Give me a century," he murmurs, but Bunnymund doesn't know if this is a joke. "Well, he can cook quite well, I'll give him that."
Oh, anyone has to give Snow Miser credit for his food. Sure, there were a few mishaps, but more than not the food is above and beyond outstanding, even if he does use snow-like ingredients constantly. Bunnymund himself can vouch for the man's cooking abilities and without a doubt Snow Miser beats the Yeti chefs (who were amazing chefs as well and the second best he could ever find to Snow Miser's cooking).
"Well, yes, he can cook," Bunnymund agrees.
Heat Miser, it seems, goes off into his own little world and there's just a hint of sadness in his features for a brief second before anger seems to overwhelm them and his finger points to the door. "Leave, our business is done."
I should've done that an hour ago, Bunnymund thinks as he walks out.
Heat Miser sits on his thrown and growls under his breath about "stupid rabbits" and how "irritating their questions" are before he falls into a deep silence and is left to brood on his thoughts, which drift back to the question that was asked of him. He's spent so much time complaining about his brother's faults, does he ever really think about what he appreciates about his own brother? He can tell without putting any thought into it that the answer is no.
What do I like about my brother? He wonders, a thoughtful frown in his face.
Aside from cooking it's very hard to think of what he likes about his brother, but after much thought he manages to fins something when he digs through his memories, things long ago locked away in the back of his mind that has been left untouched for millennia. He remembers his brother constantly taking responsibility for something that Heat Miser had done and being punished, but being the older brother, this lead to their mother thinking that he was more responsible and placing him as favorite, another thing to complain about.
He shakes his head and reminds himself that he's thinking about only the positives of his brother.
There was the time that the two were drinking, one of the few days of peace between the two of them, and one of Heat Miser's ex-girlfriends walked into the building and Snow Miser pushed Heat Miser under the bar and lied to the woman until the psychopath finally went away. Speaking of that sociopath, Snow Miser actually saved Hear Miser's life a few decades prior to that when she tried to claim that for breaking her heart the fiery elemental had to die. Luckily his brother had suspicions of the woman already.
Anything else?
He goes a little past adulthood and ends up in adolescence when Snow Miser helped him get back at a certain spirit for causing mayhem and getting them both in trouble with Mother Nature for something that they had not done. He had fond memories of that week of planning and executing the revenge and seeing the end results with his icy brother by his side.
And then there was childhood. Yes, he distinctly remembers that his brother was his teacher before they got their powers. The lessons were valuable even though his brother was only about two human years older than him. Those times were some of the best times that he could think of and yet, ironically, he never thinks of them. He shoves them back and refuses to look at them for fear of being reminded of what's happened. He doesn't want to be reminded of how close the two of them used to be because then he'll start to feel longing for something that he'll never get back.
And yet you're doing it right now... Damn rabbit, he thinks as he rubs the budding tears from his eyes at the well of emotions that had gathered in his chest.
No, Heat Miser certainly doesn't hate his brother, far from that actually, but that doesn't mean he can't not like him. After all, there are still many irritating things and the obvious reasons for the rift between them. Polar opposites don't always get along despite what they say about opposites attracting. With Heat and Snow miser, that is most definitely not the case, in fact, it is the cause of the large rift that started between them as children. Much to his disappointment, thinking back on it, it will never be repaired.
He shakes his head of all thoughts when the Hotline rings and he picks up the phone and looks at his elder brother.
Speak of the devil!
"Oh, so you answer the phone now after me calling one hundred times in the past half hour? Oh, I have a good mind to chill your embers for you," the normally cool-headed man says hotly with a hint of worry in his voice that Heat Miser can't help, but catch at the beginning (A/N: Whaddup Year W/o Santa reference!).
"What do you want, you old blizzard?"
There's a deep, calming breath before he speaks. "There was a lack of work being done on your side and I couldn't help, but notice and I wanted to make sure that crazy woman didn't get you or something."
The last part comes out as a grumble and it seems that the tooty-fruity snow cone couldn't meet the dark golden gaze of his brother. The fire elemental can't hold back the softened look on his face at the concern from his older brother, especially after thinking about everything he actually likes about the snow-for-brains.
"I'm fine," assures the red nosed man with a softer tone to his voice than normal. "Is that all?"
The dark blue eyes look at him for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, that's it... Bye, scorch."
That one hasn't been used in a while. In fact "scorch" is a term of endearment that doesn't get used except when Snow Miser wants to show that, despite his gruff attitude, does care. And now Heat Miser feels compelled to use the term of endearment that he has for his brother.
"See ya, flake."
And then the two hang up.
HAT: And that's the end of this chapter! Aaaaand, I have a two guests!
Tooth: Hello!
Heat: *stands with arms crossed*
HAT: *elbows Heat* C'mon, say hi to the people.
Heat: *glances at HAT before sighing and gruffly speaking* Hi.
Tooth: Don't mind him, he's always grumpy.
Heat: Shut up, Toothiana.
HAT: *pinches bridge of nose with a groan* Why must you always start arguments?
Heat: Can we get this over with?
HAT: Alright, alright!
Tooth: If you would please... *looks at Heat pointedly*
Heat: Review.
HAT: *hugs Tooth* Thanks for coming here!
Tooth: No problem sweetie.
HAT: *hugs Heat* Thanks for coming and saying it even if you didn't really want to!
Heat: *huffs* No problem... get offa me.
HAT: Well, you heard them! Pretty please review with bacon on top!
Heat: If you were gonna say that anyway, why'd you bring us here?
HAT: Because they know and like you guys better.
Heat: *groans and rolls eyes*