Kopaka sighed.
The days dark word was finally finished, and the time to relax was drawing close. For the past few days, the Toa of ice had been working on fixing up an empty hut just on the peak of Mount Ihu.
The place had been run down with no one living in it for years, but it was the perfect place, he found to get of peace and quiet.
With the help of Phoatu and Po-Matoron, Kopaka had the place fixed up in a matter of days. Now all that was left was to enjoy it.
Ah yes. Just him and house. Just the way he wanted it.
His nice cold and chilled domain, right on the snowy peek were not even the bravest Ko-Matoron would ever dare to go. The place filled with ice, ice and more….
Kopaka stopped in his tracks. He sniffed.
Smoke.
Smoke filled the air, and just above the rooftop of his hut in the far distance Kopaka could see it. The faint tints of smoky gray rising just from over his newly built creation. Horror flaring in his chest, the Ice Toa ran.
And oh did he ever run.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The first thing Kopaka saw when he opened the door was a shaded being, just standing besides the stove. And with the burst of the door, that said being came closer turning red.
"Hey Slush Head! Just cooking up a little something."
"TAHU? GET OUTTA MY HOUSE!"
And with a swift movement, Kopaka had scooped the stunned Fire Toa up in his arms, and hurled him outside into the snow.
"H-Hey!" Tahu spat, spitting the frosted chilled snow from his mouth. "You cant do tha-!"
The door slammed shut.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The second day Kopaka came home, he found blocks and blocks of ice just outside the hut.
The first thing that came to mind was Nuju and some crazy prodject he and Moataro wanted help with, and would some how find to drag Kopaka into it as always. But today that was not the case.
Again to his horror, he found a slab of red peer over the ice blocks, melting the things into water. "Oh hey Ice Brain!" Tahu cheered. "I thought this place could use a swimming pool. You know for when Gali comes."
And again Tahu was thrown out into the snow.
And the next day when the Fire Toa wanted to make a rope swing for Lewa.
And the next day when Tahu tried painting the place red.
And finally on the sixth day, just when he had caught the other blowing a hole in the roof (A skylight as Takanuva suggested) Kopaka was at the end of his rope. (sort to speak)
"Tahu!" He roars, never one for showing emotion, but in this case it was highly needed. The Fire Brother needed it to screamed loud to understand, than loud he would be. "What is wrong with you? This is MY house! What makes you think you can just do whatever you please with it?"
Tahu shifts not liking being yelled at. With a pout, Tahu folds his arms. "Well how can it be our house if you wont let me make a few adjustments?"
"…."
Oh.
So that was this was about.
The cooking, the painting, the blowing a slagging hole in the roof….Tahu thought he was going to move in.
Move in…with the Hothead.
No.
No.
"NO!"
And before he can stop, Kopaka starts,
"I got his house to get AWAY from people! Away from the Turaga, the Matoron, the Toa and YOU! This is not OUR house! There was NEVER are house and there NEVER will BE OUR house! Its MY house Tahu! MY HOUSE!"
"…"
Eyes wide, Tahu steps back, shocked beyond shocked. Never had he herd Kopaka yell like this before. Never seen the Ice Toa so angry. And at him. Usually he was the one to do all the screaming, leaving the Older Brother to just silently ignore it. But now that the roles were suddenly changed Tahu had no idea what to do. What to say. And sure as hell could not ignore it.
"…"
Getting no response, Kopaka turns, hand over head and sighs. Deeply. "Go."
"….But,"
"GO TAHU!"
And with that, the Fire Toa gets back to his senses and runs, leaving Kopaka alone in the ice torn silence, just like he wanted.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
That night was colder than ever. Though in his element Kopaka was freezing, alone in his hut. The gaping hole in the roof did no help at all, leaving even him to freeze to death. And it was all Tahu's fault.
Tahu.
What was wrong with that guy? Out of all the Toa to have wanted to be roommates with it had to be him. Heck, even Lewa's constant whistling was better than this!
And yet…
He could not get the look of the younger ones face out of his mind. Shocked. Sad. Hurt. He…He did not mean to hurt Tahu, not ever, but it was just that…that….
"He gets me." Kopaka grumbles. "He gets to me when one else can, and I hate him for it."
The thoughts going around in his head were confusing, and the more he thought about it the more Kopaka could see, Tahu really did want to just be with him. Be with his big brother.
Kopaka sighs, his head stinging and eyes heavy. He would have to ponder such things later, for even the Toa of Ice could not last through this. Maybe it was just better to except defeat and move on. Move on to where ever The Great Spirit takes souls like him. And just as the storm got to his inner organic body, Kopaka catches a frame of red.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Warmth. Warmth was the next thing he felt when coming back to his senses. Warmth and the crackling sound of fire and the all to familiar sound of smoke. Groaning, Kopaka opens his eyes, seeing the pink ruby sight of Tahu's own eyes staring back in worry. But a smile is to the Fire Toa's face.
"Slush head, you scared me have to death."
"…eh…..to bad I wasn't awake to see it."
Grinning, Tahu leans back, Kopaka as well. "Good to know Brother."
Wincing, Kopaka notices the others arm wrapped around his shoulder, Tahu Pressing Kopaka to his side. With a pang of guilt, Kopaka looks down, mumbling out the words,
"Why?"
"Why?" Tahu repeats. "Because I wanted it to be our house."
Kopaka rolls his eyes. "That's not what I meant."
"Oh." Now It was Tahu's turn to look down. "I couldn't just let you freeze Paka."
Paka.
That childish and all to unpleasing name the others had been calling him for a while. And…..he no longer seemed to mind.
"….It could still be our house…you know," Kopaka mumbles softly.
The red looks to the white. "Wha…really?"
"Yeah." Kopaka nods, wrapping his own arm around Tahu, who was as always, so darn warm. "But your going to have to fix that damn hole in the roof. I don't care what Takanuva says looks good."
Laughing out, Tahu hugs his brother shoulder and nods. "Yes alright. It's a deal Snow Face."
Hugging the other back, Kopaka closes his eyes.
"Deal Hothead."