CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: DANCING

Kopaka's throat constricted painfully, and he felt his pupils dilate. Oh crap… oh crap… oh crap…he chanted, making it his mantra, I can't dance. Gali was waiting for an answer, and Kopaka would NOT stutter in front of her. He drew himself up to his full height of six-feet and replied calmly, "No."
Gali gave him the puppy dog eyes, and he felt his eye (thankfully the non-visible one) give an involuntary twitch, "Please, Kopaka? Dance with me? I don't want to dance alone…"

Lewa walked up to the two, having heard the gist of what was going on, "Yeah white-brother, dance with her," he said, his face splitting into a wide grin, "You know you'd like to."

Kopaka's jaw dropped, and his mind began playing images of all the macabre things he would do to Lewa for this. "I don't dance," he said after a moment, folding his arms tighter across his chest, "It isn't my thing."

Lewa slung an arm around Gali, "How can you speak-say no to this face?" he asked, pushing her toward the antisocial Toa. Kopaka balked as she collided with him, and instinct took over before anything else. He moved to catch her before she knocked the pair of them down, and wound up holding her in his arms. He could not control the fiery blush that swallowed the lower half of his face. Gali's face had changed colors as well, he noticed.

Lewa smiled triumphantly at them, ignoring the glare from Kopaka, "You two are made to dance together," he proclaimed, "And it's way better than lone-standing in a corner with your mask-face stuck in one expression all deep-night," he added as an afterthought, grinning like a fool.

Kopaka straightened up, removing his arms from Gali's waist, "If you would kindly leave me alone, Lewa, I won't tear off your legs."

Lewa made a mad dash for the snack stand, opting to leave Kopaka to his homicidal thoughts. Gali looked up at the white Toa, smiling slightly. "You can't dance, can you?"

Kopaka shook his head, "I can dance… I learned how as a Matoran…" he said, looking at her, "…it's just been so long I'd probably kill both of us."

Gali decided that his self-depreciatory language had gone on long enough, "Kopaka," she said, "You are going to dance with me!"

Kopaka opened his mouth to protest, but stopped as Matoro walked up. "Matoro? What in Spirit's name are you doing here?" he asked, dropping his argument for the time being. Matoro waved his hand dismissively in the air, "I was invited by Haraku," he said, "But what does matter is that you dance with Toa Gali."

Traitor… thought Kopaka as Gali led him out into the cleared area that was serving as a dance floor. Kopaka had even been nice, not mocking Matoro about his crush in front of Gali, and this was the thanks he got?

She straightened up, putting one hand on his shoulder and the other around his middle. Even though he was the Toa of Ice, Kopaka gave a slight shiver. He placed his hands in the same way, trying to ignore the stares of several dozen Matoran who were awestruck that he was going to dance.

"If I kill myself," he whispered in her ear as they began to dance, "I'll personally haunt you forever."

Although she would never admit it, the feeling of his cold breath on the side of her face was enough to send a pleasurable tingle down her spine. "Fine with me," she responded, "But I can guarantee you'll survive this night."

He twirled her around a few times before bringing her back in, "It's the repercussions I'm worried about, Gali," he stated simply, revolving around her, "I'll probably kill myself after the dance due to humiliation."

Gali smiled and laid her head on his chest. She could practically hear his heart stop and she was certain that his breathing had quickened considerably. "Kopaka," she said, looking up at him, "Relax."

He was about to until an orange fist crashed into his jaw.