Snowman
The snow was falling heavily outside the small house. It looked so soft as it was falling silently on to the ground, as small sparrows flutter about through it and a few foxes were playing quietly along the bushes. They chirp and cry out to each other until the doors slide open.
Quielty, a girl in a pretty pink yukata with flowers on it, a purple haori and a brown cloth hold it around her waist stepped outside with her pretty cyan eyes wide in awe. She moved through the snow slowly as a man in a tengu mask slowly stepped out on to the porch and went to sit on it in order to watch her.
It was a rare day for her to be able to go out and play without training first. Maybe her sensei wanted her to enjoy the snow for a bit before he sends her off to do her final training. She hummed a soft little tune as she took her time to take everything in.
The last time she ever got to play in the snow was when she was a very small girl and her mother would join her.
She turned back to Urokodaki who sat quietly and was carefully carving some wood with a sharp silver knife. He tilted his head up and then waved at her gently before turning back to his work. Makomo smiled at him before she turned back and carefully picked up some snow in her hands.
However before she could start rolling it she suddenly heard two voices coming from on top of the hill.
"Guuuuuh, Neesan why are we travelling through the cold like this? Shouldn't we be training or something!? Himejima said—"
"—he asked us to deliver these to Urokodaki-san. He said that he liked using the wood around his estate to make masks and little figurines for his apprebtices."
Makomo blinked when she sees two other girls carefully coming down the hill. One had two pretty butterfly pins in her hair above her ears as she smiles calmly, while the shorter girl had one pinning her hair back as she was grimacing. Both wore white haoris as they both walk towards the house carrying wood in their arms.
The taller one looks at her and then waves, "Ah! Good morning! Are you Urokodaki-sama's apprentice?"
She tilted her head at the two butterfly girls before a small smile forms on her face as she nods in response. The taller one beams at her...then suddenly she takes the wood from the shorter girls arms and moved behind her to nudge her forwards.
"Go on Shinobu! Go play with her, while I bring these over and talk with Urokodaki-sama," Kanae smiles at her with a soft chuckle.
Shinobu blinked, "Wh-but Neesan! I have a job—"
"No buts~ Go on now!" she continues to nudge her forwards with a soft giggle before she goes on her way.
Makomo blinked when she finds herself and just the girl call Shinobu as the older one steps on to the porch. She blinked at her as she tilted her head before Shinobu seems to sigh in defeat and shuffle over to the older girl.
"...Hi," Shinobu mumbled.
Makomo blinked before she slowly smiled and tilted her head, "Hello."
Awkward silence fills the air as the two stand there. The short younger girl avoided eye contact as the older one tilted her head curiously. When it continued for a few more minutes, a soft sigh left Makomo before she crouched down to start rolling up a ball of snow.
Shinobu blinked, "Wh..what are you doing?"
"I'm going to make a snowman," she replied softly, "I liked to make them when the snow is like this. Then the snowman will hold a little longer and hopefully keep the bad things away for a while."
She proceeded to hum and roll out the first ball of snow, not even looking up at the other girl as she worked. Despite how petite and delicate Makomo looked to anyine else she pushed the large ball forwards through the snow until it was taller then she was.
Once it was to the size she wanted she turned back to Shinobu and then blinked when the shorter girl's eyes were wide in awe.
"H-how did you manage to keep pushing it like that!?"
"Hmm? Like what?" Makomo tilted her head blinking in confusion.
"That!" Shinobu rushed over and tried to push the snow...only to slide down with a growl of frustration when the snow gives out under her feets.
The older girl blinked...then she smiled and giggled softly, "Oh, I see. I just use breathing style constant as my sensei showed me. It's meant to help keep others in good form since they use breathing styles so much while battling demons. It also helps when one needs to move quickly or move objects."
Shinobu blinks before her purple eyes widen and she has a touch if pink to her cheeks. This girl was cute when she giggled...
"Wow...so how do you um...?" Shinobu motions at her as if beckoning her to continue her explanation.
"Hmm? Oh! Well you know how you breathe in a special way for your techniques?" Makomo slowly moved behind her, gently took her hands and place them in the snow, "You have to keep breathing like that constantly even while you sleep. It requires a lot of practice before it feels natural to you. Now take in a deep slow breath and start rolling a ball for the snowman's head...now. Breathe in..."
From the small porch of Urokodaki's home, he and the young flow breathing demon slayer watch Makomo and Shinobu. Kanae was smiling happily at seeing her little sister making a snow man with another girl. They both were so cute working together like that.
"Hmm...I haven't seen Makomo act this way with anyone before.." Urokodaki hummed as he placed down his first figurine. He then picked up a second block of wood and began to carve it carefully.
Kanae nodded, "I have never seen my sister like this either for a long time. She usually focuses so much on training she forgets she can still do fun things like we used to.."
A small giggle left the older sister when Shinobu starts jumping up and down when she successfully pushes the snow man's head into full form and then she lifts it up with a shout of victory. Makomo actually laughs as she then moved to lift Shinobu on to her shoulders with ease.
The deep blush on the younger girls face at being lifted by another has Kanae gushing quietly. She's sure if the former pillar didn't have his mask on he would be smiling too at the sight.
Makomo smiled as she pulled out stones from her pockets and handed them to Shinobu although she can't help tilting her head at the younger girl's blush.
Shinobu carefully placed the snowman's face on while trying to ignore the harsh beating of her heart. Was this the feeling her older sister always mentioned to her when going on about romance? It was so warm and light yet heavy and deep at the same time. It made her feel like there was fluttering in her stomach and heat in her face.
"What is it?" Makomo asked gently.
Shinobu bowed her head, "...You're...really...really really cool you know that?"
She blinked up at her...then her own face darkens in a blush and she looked down while twisting her heel.
Unbeknownst to the two girls, Kanae was already becoming all giggly over her little sister's declaration and small reactions.
It was absolutely adorable that Shinobu had a crush.