Space Bunnies!

Chapter 26: Help

"Bodi, please... I've learned my lesson... I won't be mean to you again. Can you please get the ice?" Kai asked, a bit more patient this time, the suns were firmly set, and it was freezing, being away from the fire, Kai was now dangerously close to the point that no Omeocoon wanted to reach, he was freezing, the semi-fluidic nature of their bodies made any sort of intense cold or heat deadly. "I know I've been kinda hard on you... but—" Bodi interjected, "Apologies don't have 'but' at the end of them, Kai." Bodi came hovering over his brother like a spaceship in orbit of a planet, his hands forming tight fists positioned at his sides, his frown persistent. Kai navigated this terrain lightly, "You're right...but please just help me. I'm sorry for being so hard on you, I do it for your own good. You know?"

"Uh, no you don't..! You do it to make yourself feel good about being in control of my life. I don't know if it's some kind of thing with you, but I'm tired of it."

"You make it sound like I'm keeping you prisoner or something," Kai said casually, perhaps smooth talking would convince Bodi that he was genuinely sorry. Because he was.

"You are, now stop struggling with it!" To that, Kai shrunk back into his shell, no matter how much Bodi wanted Kai to understand— he could not, "I do get it, Kai, you like 'tough love,' but not when you're the one getting it. But don't worry, I'll keep you there until you get better." Bodi said unemotionally, Kai's eyes widened and he moved, the wave of pain washing over him, he attempted to shuffle away from his brother, "No Bodi... please, no more. You've hurt me... you've won!" Kai panicked, "Now let it go. You're under a lot of stress... I'm not surprised you've reacted this way— being in charge is a big deal. But a part of being a leader is listening to your crew. I'm trying to change your mind here!" Kai chortled nervously, dryly, and painfully. He attempted to force a weak grin. "Please... make me an ice pack." Bodi glared at Kai, he stared for a minute, perhaps a minute and thirty seconds, before he stepped out of Kai's view, Kai could hear Bodi's feet crunching beneath the snow just outside of the cave, this was followed by the shuffling of something, more snow. Bodi returned and took Kai by his underarms suddenly, Kai screamed in misery and shock. "Oh, don't be such a baby!" Bodi huffed. He dragged Kai all the way to the fire and sat him up against the wall of the cave closest to the fire.

Kai squeezed his eyes shut as Bodi pressed the ice pack up against his chest. "Hold it here," Bodi instructed, he wasn't going to hold it. Kai reluctantly agreed, now that he was sitting up, moving his arms was much better, and the warmth the fire was providing was much better. "Thanks, Bode," Kai replied, sighing in relief. Bodi went back to his thermal blanket, and now he actually felt strange about watching his brother suffer... it was certainly not a normal reaction.