This is a tag on to the Amazing Chartreuseians An Alphabet of Love letters written with permission in hopes I can do it justice. Seriously if you haven't read that go read it now
Snowman Prompt, Helen and Nikolas first Christmas.
" A snowman?" Nikola repeated, looking at the sad forlorn lump of mud Helen proudly fussed over.
"Yes." she smiled and added another pat of 'snow' to the miserable lumpy pile. "My very first snowman."
"Really?" Nikola asked in surprise as Helen found a rock to use for the nose. She had to bend almost to the ground in order to apply it, as the creation was almost down to her knees.
It was late in the year (At least in this upside down calender the British used.) The sky had threatened snow for weeks. All his professors said if it did finally snow before the winter holidays, they would not have class. - Nikola was pleased when he woke up to find a fresh blanket of snow over the ground. Nothing as thick or deep as it was back home in Smiljan, but enough of the soft footed Englishmen to cancel class for a week.
Nikola had been enjoying his free time by the fireplace with a good claret and an english edition of Faust. He had just gotten comfortable when he heard the unmistakable thunk of ice on his window. Nikola put down his book and went to the window. irate and ready to tell off the intruder of his indulgence to take a flying leap in whatever language came handy. His anger disappeared at the sight of the 'intruder' bundled in her winter gear and smiling like a naughty schoolchild.
"Helen!" He smiled in surprise. In response she threw another snowball, but it fell apart before it reached him.
"Get down here!" she called, still grinning lie a Cheshire cat.
"That's not fair, Helen. You know I cant deny you anything." Nikola withdrew and dressed quickly for the winter day. He pulled on his new boots, a gift from his mother. they were cheap, but the quality was good. Meticulously stitched to keep out the wet snow. Nikola himself had sealed them with a double carbon polyethylene, making them waterproof. Then he slipped on his scarf, tying it carefully over his neck. It was soft and made of silk. It kept his neck warm, something his mother always fussed about. After that came his coat, and hat. The hat had been a present from his sisters, each one knitting a section of it. "With extra love to keep you warm." they had said. The coat belonged to his father. It was old and worn out, resewn once or twice and darned in more than a few places. But it was warm and familiar. Lastly Nikola put on his new gloves. They were much more expensive, but quite thin. It took him 3 jobs and 2 years to save up for them The gloves cost more than all his course books and his chemistry equipment. As long as he didn't touch the snow, they would hold up. The only thing more expensive was the scarf. He walked out
He walked out to join Helen, who threw another snowball at him, though it missed him by at least a foot. Helen giggled and ran through the snow. Nikola laughed and ran after her as she positively skipped. He scooped up a handful of snow and packed it loosely before throwing it at her. There was no one else about, most of the other men were in their dorms sleeping in or off visiting family. Helen had forgone Proper ladies fashions for more functional snow gear. She was wearing a pair of mens pants, a tapered winter coat and a furry hood, though that had fallen off in her mock flight. Her golden curls spilled out, spinning loosely in the wind. Nikola stopped to take in the sight of her. Although it was designed to be warm and well insulated, it tapered to hug her form, showing off her luscious curves and the supple lines of her body. Nikola was positively salivating. Druitt would Kill him if He found out...
"Nikola? Are you listening to me?" Helen laughed.
Nikola blushed "I was admiring you perfect..." He pulled his eyes regretfully from her backside and smirked "Voice"
Helen rolled her eyes. "Focus Nikola. I have something I want to show you." She stepped aside to reveal...
"Uh Helen, what is that?" Nikola examined the shapeless mass with a lumpy rounded to. the bottom was a slushy mess, already falling apart. Here and there were patches of white, but mostly it was made of a thick brown substance Nikola fervently hoped was mud.
"Its a snowman! " Helen laughed "What does it look like?"
Not a snowman. He thought as Helen searched for a rock to use as a nose. She found one almost as large as the snowman head. It seemed to look up at him rather forlornly as though asking Nikola for help.
"So you never made a snowman before?" One of the Serbians earliest memories was building a snow man with his brother and sisters.
They had put the body together and dressed it in their fathers best suit. Nikola was in charge of the head. While the girls searched for suitable arms, Dane showed little Nikola how to roll the snow into a tight little ball and place it atop the snowman.
"Now he needs a face." Dane set Nikola back on the ground and pointed him to the house. "Go and bring back some eyes and a nose."
Nikola ran obediently into the kitchen where Djuka was preparing supper and began checking cupboards and drawers. "Mumma where do we keep the faces?"
"Such things you dream up Nikola!" She laughed.
"Dane says the snowman needs a face."
Djuka nodded and handed him a carrot and some potatoes. "Try these on for size."
"Oh no!" Helen cried, pulling Nikola from his reverie. She had been trying to press eyes into her 'creation' and the whole thing crumpled to the ground.
"Yeah that's too bad. Well it happens. Come on Helen, lets get you inside." Where it's warm he added to himself as he wrapped an arm around her and began guiding her inside.
"No wait." Helen pulled away and went back to her clump of mud "I want to get this right. You go on in." She said, heaping the snow/mud into a pile and tried digging it upward. Like a sandcastle.
"Helen. you cant do it lie that. Its too wet, it wont hold form." Nikola crouched beside her and pried her gently away. Anyone else in the world and he would merely have scoffed and walked off. But not Helen Magnus. He superposed it was because he was so in love with her.
"Show me then." Helen smiled and shoved the snow toward him.
"I- what?" Nikola asked in surprise.
"Show me how to make a snowman!" Helen gathered more mud with a gleeful look.
Nikola sighed, knowing he could deny her nothing. He dug his hands into the snow, ruining his new expensive gloves. It was worth it to see her smile.
"See you start with a little ball of snow and roll it along to make it bigger." Nikola explained with more patience than he would show with anyone else.
"Here, let me..." Nikola stepped up beside her the small pat of snow was too loose, ready to fall apart.
I can DO this Nikola." She insisted. He smiled and watched her build a (slightly) less flimsy snowman and turned expectantly to Nikola.
"Now I need your scarf."