It was a cold, snowy morning over winter break. Natsume would have slept in a bit if Nyanko-sensei hadn't catapulted himself off of the bookshelf and into Natsume's stomach. It was a rude way to waken someone. As a result, Nyanko-sensei was unceremoniously dumped out of the window and onto the roof. This is not what the youkai wanted. He spent the next hour wailing at Natsume and scratching on the window.

Natsume finally gave up in defeat.

"If you want food that badly, just go down stairs," Natsume groaned as he dragged himself out of bed.

Nyanko-sensei whined something back, but due to the window being closed, Natsume wasn't sure what it was. Eventually the cat shaped youkai disappeared.

Natsume was yawning a bit as he dressed himself and headed downstairs for breakfast. He found that both of the Fujiwaras were already at the table. Natsume's apology for being late died on his lips as he spotted the brightly wrapped box at his seat at the table.

His heart plummeted. He knew what this was for. He gingerly took his seat, not sure if it was safer to ignore the box or focus on it. Touko answered the question for him when she pushed the box a little closer. Natsume looked down at it with trepidation.

"What is this?" he almost didn't want to ask.

"It's your present," Touko smiled.

Natsume bit his lip.

"For me?" he hoped that hadn't heard right.

"Yes, Takashi, for you," Touko nodded.

"Oh," Natsume's shoulders slumped, even though he tried not to show any fear and disappointment externally.

"Is everything alright?" Shigeru asked softly.

Natsume swallowed hard and nodded. His eyes prickled slightly, but nothing hurt as much as his heart. He had liked it here and had hoped to stay here longer. Apparently everything good ended for him. It was nothing less than he deserved.

"Are you sure?" Shigeru frowned.

"It's fine. I've been expecting this for a while now," Natsume forced himself to smile.

He shouldn't make them feel bad for this. He had been living here for five months already. Most of his foster families didn't make it through more than two or three. The Fujiwaras had far exceeded his expectations.

"Well, yes, Christmas is on the same day every year," Touko nodded.

"Christmas?" Natsume blinked.

This was a new excuse. Ah, well. It made sense that they would try to spare his feelings.

"Of course. What did you think this was for?" Touko frowned.

"I… erm…" Natsume looked down at the brightly colored box in his hands as a way of avoiding eye contact.

"Takashi?" Touko sounded worried.

She was nice. Natsume didn't want to do that to her.

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry," Natsume insisted.

"That's not what I asked," Touko pointed out.

Natsume winced. His current foster parents were far more intune with his attempts to avoid questions than his other foster parents had been.

"What is it, Takashi? Is something wrong?" Touko pressed.

"It's fine. Your hospitality has been more than enough," Natsume attempted to return the gift to Touko.

"What are you talking about?" Touko refused to accept the present back.

Natsume decided that it was best that he face the problem head on.

"How much longer?" his voice came out in a whisper despite his best attempts to be brave.

Would he have time to go to school one more time to tell his classmates goodbye?

"How much longer until what?" Shigeru spoke this time.

"Until you pass me off," Natsume wanted to make it sound as least accusing as possible.

"Takashi, we're not going to get rid of you. Why would you think that?" Touko sounded aghast.

Natsume was very confused.

"Isn't that why you are giving this to me?" he held out the box once more to see if it would be accepted back.

It wasn't.

"Hasn't anyone ever given you a Christmas present?" Touko asked.

"Of course. My previous families gave me things right before they would pass me off to someone else," Natsume mumbled.

He risked a glance up. Touko's face had a look of horror on it while Shigeru seemed to be silently fuming. Natsume didn't know what he had done this time, but he knew that he would have to correct it fast if he wanted to get out of this unharmed.

"I'm sorry," he bowed his head once more, "I didn't mean to offend you. I accept the gift in addition to your hospitality."

He stood up to go to his room and begin packing up his meager things. He wondered who would be burdened with him after this move. As he was turning to leave, a pair of arms warped firmly around him from behind. Natsume went stiff as a board. Touko was hugging him from behind.

"You are staying, Takashi," Touko insisted, "You are staying right here with us. We're not getting rid of you."

"I don't understand," Natsume's voice broke as he said this.

"It's a Christmas present, not a going away gift," Shigeru said in a gentle but firm tone.

He got up from the table and joined his wife.

"We got you a gift because we care about you. That's what people do at Christmas time," Touko hugged Natsume a little bit tighter.

"You're not getting rid of me?" Natsume croaked in disbelief.

"Never," Touko insisted.

Shigeru nodded in agreement with his wife. After a moment, the couple let go of him and tugged him back to the table.

"Are you going to open your gift?" Touko encouraged.

Natsume looked back down at the present in his hands. He had forgotten that he was still carrying it. Natsume did as Touko requested. Inside the box was a long, light green scarf. It was soft to the touch and far nicer than anything else that Natsume owned.

"I know it's not much, but we hope you like it," Touko smiled.

"I do," Natsume nodded before a thought struck him, "I'm sorry. I don't have a gift for either of you."

"That's alright. You are a better gift than anything you would be able to buy," Shigeru smiled gently.

Natsume didn't know what to say to that.


The next year, Natsume was far more prepared for Christmas to come to town. He managed to scrape together enough pocket change to buy small gifts for Touko and Shigeru. The Fujiwaras however were not to be out done. When Natsume opened his gift for that year, he was shocked to find a stack of papers awaiting him.

The bold heading on top read 'ADOPTION PAPERS'.