Disclaimer: I do not own Inu x Boku SS.
"I must say that you look adorable in your puffy snow gear, Miss Ririchiyo," Shoushi said. It had snowed around 4 inches the previous night. Ririchiyo was dressed in dark purple snow pants and a marshmallow-like winter jacket colored white with multicolored spots.
Ririchiyo sighed. "Let's just find the others." They spent the rest of the elevator ride in silence.
"There you are Chiyo. The snow looks good enough to eat," Karuta began to pull her towards the front door. She was wearing a similar outfit, only her pants were black with pink polka dots and her coat was pink with black polka dots.
"Hold on just a moment." Ririchiyo stopped Karuta from dragging her outside. "Miketsukami. I need my hat and gloves."
Shoushi pulled a pair of white gloves and a purple hat out of his pocket and put them on Ririchiyo. "Have fun out there, but be careful. Please come in if you feel too cold. We wouldn't want you to catch the flu." Shoushi smiled sincerely at her. "I'll miss you every moment until you return."
"I'll only be about an hour. Besides, I'll be right outside the building. Don't worry yourself so much," Ririchiyo was pulled away by Karuta before he could reply.
Shoushi had noticed subtle changes in her behavior towards him. She had finally accepted him as a bodyguard and sometimes even showed him kindness. Not that Ririchiyo was ever cruel to the fox spirit, but she now lessened her actions of rolling her eyes or ignoring him when he expressed gratitude or asked for forgiveness.
Just last week, she allowed Soushi to make them both dinner on the conditions that they acted as friends and he did not fawn over her. He gladly accepted the invitation and they both ended up rather enjoying the evening.
Soushi smiled at the idea of them becoming friends...or maybe even more...but for now, simply being around her as a bodyguard was good enough for him. He sat down at a table with a few other bodyguards, waiting patiently for Ririchiyo to return.
Karuta sat in the middle of the lawn across from Watanuki and gestured for Ririchiyo to join them.
"I think we should build a big igloo. One where I could store lots of cold foods. We could have picnics inside of it," Karuta suggested between her bites of the snow around her.
"Yeah, let's do it!" Watanuki exclaimed. Both eagerly looked at Ririchiyo for her answer.
"I suppose we could try," Ririchiyo sighed. "But I'm going inside if I get too tired."
"I brought supplies." Karuta reached into the wall of snow next to her and pulled out three identical square tins.
"Let's get to work then," Watanuki said, grabbing a tin and packing snow tightly inside it.
After an hour of work, the three kids had managed to build an igloo large enough for ten people to sit in comfortably. It was a difficult task, but Watanuki worked quickly to make Karuta happy, and Karuta transformed into a skeleton to place the top pieces on the igloo that were too high for any of them to reach.
They all plopped down in the snow around the igloo, exhausted. After admiring their masterpiece, they headed inside to warm up.
Soushi greeted Ririchiyo immediately as she walked through the door. "Miss Ririchiyo, may I take your gloves and hat? I have prepared hot chocolate for the three of you." He gestured towards the table where three large mugs sat.
"Thank you, Miketsukami," Ririchiyo said. He handed him the gloves and hat, also giving him her large coat.
"It was my pleasure, Miss Ririchiyo. I hope you had fun today. I'll leave you with your friends," Soushi smiled at her as he always did. "I'll wait outside your room and draw a hot bath as soon as you return."
"That sounds great. Thank you, Miketsukami." Ririchiyo joined her friends at the table and sipped her hot chocolate. Miketsukami always made it just right.