With exams approaching, the three decided to spend some time studying and helping each other with subjects. They all have a strength in subjects that another didn't.

Natsume, though, still remains quite average with schooling. It is unsure if core skills were never learnt or the distraction of the ayakashi world. Even if Tanuma or Taki asked, Natsume wouldn't have an answer. Partly because he does not know, partly because he does not want to ponder the reasons why. The past will arise and that is something he is not comfortable broaching with his friends. They are close and understand his dilemma and troubles, but there is always that black speck of doubt.

After using the washroom, Natsume makes his way back to the main room of Taki's house. Dazed from memorization and writing assignments, he looks around the hallway, noticing the cool light and snowfall outside. Is it that late already? Walking over to the window, he presses a hand to the glass door. Fogged heat spreads around the fingers.

"There's a lot of snow outside…" Natsume absentmindedly states.

Hearing this, Tanuma lifts up his head, thumbs peeling at the sides of a clementine. Natsume is looking a little tired as he gazes out the door. "Did you want to go outside?"

Natsume turns and blinks at Tanuma. "What for? It's cold out." The scenery is beautiful, but the warmth of the kotatsu and home is much more appealing. Reminded of that, the blond returns to the heated table and comforter. His foot hits something soft and squishy underneath and it grunts.

"It would be a nice break," Taki chimes in, locking together her fingers and stretching her arms across the table. "Maybe…" She looks to the side in thought. "Maybe we can make a snowman."

"Make Natsume into a snowman?" Crawling out from the comforter with a snicker is Nyanko-sensei. The image is hilarious to imagine. He would brave the cold for that.

"No, no," Taki gently scolds, hand reflexively reaching out to pet the cat-youkai's head. Somehow she still contains a soft demeanor with this irritable creature. "All of us together will make a snowman."

Tanuma smiles thoughtfully at the suggestion. "I like that idea. Ponta, we can make it look like Natsume. How is that?"

Natsume feels his face redden and he immediately protests the idea. "W-what? No! I didn't agree to that!"

"Ohh, I guess so, Natsume. Nyannyan-sensei would be the best subject. He's so round and cute like a snowman already!" Taki ruffles the top of Nyanko-sensei's head. The resounding purr is a mix of satisfaction and irritation.

Natsume tucks his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie and mulls over his friends' suggestion. It would be a nice break, and the other two seem adamant about it. "Maybe…" he thinks aloud. But with just that, Taki launches onto Natsume's arm, brown eyes sparkling.

"We need to dress warmly to build that snowman, Natsume. You better be ready."

They all gather their outdoor clothing and accessories at the foyer. Pulling on new black gloves from Touko and tightly wrapping around the large and soft plaid scarf from Shigeru, Natsume finally steps outside. Although the sun has since sent, the dark blue sky gives enough light to watch the snow continuing to waver down. It is a little bitter, but thankfully there isn't a wind that will penetrate past their clothes into their bones.

"Hot cocoa."

Startled by the sudden voice, Natsume looks down to find the round cat-youkai waddling through the front door. "I'm sorry?"

"Tanuma says there is hot cocoa after this."

Of course that is how Nyanko-sensei was enticed. The blond chuckles. "That sounds nice."

The snow is easily malleable. Natsume grabs a handful and squeezes it in his gloved hand, delighting in the soft crunching noise. This will be easy, he thinks. He glances over to Taki and Tanuma, both crouched to gather large armfuls in the snow-covered yard. Nyanko-sensei perches on the porch to watch and impose instruction and suggestions.

"Uh, Natsume…" Tanuma starts, watching the other continuing to pack snow on top of the other. "Do you know how to make a snowman?"

"What? Yeah, I do…" the blond trails off, breath labored from packing the snow. Moving like this in the cold was strenuous. Looking over to Taki's snow creation with a head like Nyanko-sensei's, the blond furrows his brows and continues to stare. Something is definitely wrong, he concludes when looking down at his own. It's deflated and lumpy. It's hard to make the middle part of its body.

"Maybe," Tanuma suggests with a chuckle. He settles beside the other, packing snow into a sizeable ball. "You start with a ball and keep adding to it from all sides. Once it gets big enough, you can start rolling it in the snow."

Natsume intensely watches Tanuma smooth the snow over into a ball. When he rises, he gestures to Natsume to follow and mimic his movements. Rolling into the freshly fallen snow, and with cushioned crunches, the once small ball of snow increases in size. From there, two new balls of snow, each smaller than the other, are rolled. Both teens help other carefully lift and place the objects on top of the other from largest to smallest.

Although his nose is cold and dripping, lips cracked, Natsume decides he doesn't mind. From there, Tanuma and he look around the yard for foliage or rocks or lost items to decorate the body and face. A few leaves from the past season, acorns, sticks, and pebbles beneath the white fluff near the yard's fence are gathered. The orange-red leaves are placed for the mouth, acorns for the eyes, one pebble for the nose, and the rest is spread across the body for some sort of outfit.

Their creation is nothing like Taki's, though. She did stay true to her word of a Nyanko-sensei snowman. Neither noticed when she obtained all the components for the decoration. Orange and red and brown leaves color the forehead, sticks are placed for curved eyes, and pebbles for the grin and nose. Leaf stems are used for the red whiskers. When taking the snow sculpture in full, the cat-shaped head is a little unsettling to the two round sections beneath it. She argues that it truly represents and captures the cat-youkai's cuteness. Nyanko-sensei agrees, ego kindled at the gift.

"Enough offerings and I may become a god," he tacks on.

They all laugh, and Natsume then smiles despite the tight pull. He looks between Tanuma, Taki, and Nyanko-sensei, cheeks burning.

Cold, yet warm.

Natsume Yuujinchou Secret Santa 2017 Recipient: wintersmeltintosprings

About time I wrote these guys! I apologize for the lateness. I hope you enjoy this.