Merry Christmas everyone!

Hope you're having an awesome day. I suppose you're wondering why I put up a picture as a header for once, that is because this picture inspired me to actually write a Christmas special this year. So it'd only be just to add it. Right? Anyway, won't hold you up any longer, enjoy~.

Holy Road's victors sat close to the bonfire amidst the vast sea of coldness.

The teens rubbed their hands together, still quivering in place. Tsurugi withdrew his hands, cupping them in front of his mouth and breathing warm air into them. "I regret leaving the cosy living room for this." He groaned.

Kariya snorted at what he considered to be a pitiful display, yet he quickly redirected his gaze when receiving the stone-cold striker's signature death glare thrown at him.

The indigo-haired lot rolled his amber eyes, slowly, dragging the movement out. Shindou and Kirino, who sat closely beside each other chuckled, both at once.

"How on Earth are you not cold, Tenma?" Kariya called out, glancing over his shoulder, watching his fellow first-year and Shinsuke build a snowman.

"Dunno," responded Tenma, standing up and walking around.

As the brunet walked off, Yukimura neared the group of Raimon students. His attire was thin. The sight alone sent a shiver down Kariya's spine.

"Why the killing–" yelled the tealhead, only to be cut off a snowball in the face. With a single swoop, he cleaned his face. He narrowed his eyes, glaring at Kirino, who had tossed the snowy orb into his junior's face. However, the effect of Kariya's glare was a world apart from those of Tsurugi. The first-year let out an annoyed sigh, then continued as if nothing had happened.

"Why have you not turned into a walking icicle yet?!" He shrieked, inaudibly cursing how unjust he believed everything to be. He was walking in thick ski pants, a warm, Windstopper jacket and a woolly hat.

"No clue, I suppose I'm just used to the cold, unlike you townspeople." Yukimura chuckled, removing his gloves. Quickly afterwards, he opened his vest's zipper to mock further. He did his best at holding back an uprising smile, but after a few seconds, was no longer able to.

Kirino turned his head away, not able to withstand the unamused look in a certain boy's golden brown eyes. The pinkhead had covered his mouth with his left hand, muffling himself. 

Out of the blue Tenma waved, somehow dismissing the ever-growing awkward atmosphere. He yelled: "Tsurugi," running towards the teens, a grin plastered on his features. He grabbed Tsurugi's arm, dragging him off.

Taken off guard, the boy with a ponytail in the wiping wind uttered a question, "Tenma, w-what are you doing?"

The brunet closed his eyes for a moment, looking at the ground, then back to his friend. "Just come, I've got a surprise for you!" He smiled broadly, his eyes pleading.

"...Fine." Tsurugi answered, crossing his arms, rubbing his bare hands over his coat.

Yukimura murmured, just loud enough for the other striker to hear, "I warned you, it'd get pretty chilly out here. But you just wouldn't listen, eh?" He held an extra pair of mitts in the air, then put them back in his pockets.

Tsurugi followed Tenma's footprints in the snow, not wishing to trip again like earlier that day. Whack. At the very moment that precise thought ran across his mind, he managed to slip over a camouflaged branch.

The first-year scolded. Words, as unholy and sinful as could be, rolled over his lips, echoing forth through the vast wintry landscape.

Tenma tilted his head, sheepishly looking at his fallen friend.

"Shinsuke and I built your twin," said the brunet, slowly raising his arm as if forcing a dramatic entry. The midfielder took a few steps forward, turning left after a broken tree. "Snow White with modern day eyeliner." He chirped, presenting the snowman with horizontal sticks below its rocky eyes.

The striker hissed, "Tch," clicking his tongue. He turned around, seeing Raimon's one and only prankster watching them.

The tealhead approached, mischievously smirking. "Hm, that would explain why Tsurugi-kun is as cold as ice–or rather snow." he teased, stopping dead in his tracks; sticking his tongue out. However, he soon regretted. The white frost cut deep like a knife, immobilising Kariya for a second.

And a split-second was all it took for him to crash into the snow veil.

Tsurugi broke a barely noticeable chuckle, then returned to the camping site.

Back inside the large mansion, in which Raimon's members resided during their stay in Hokkaido, Shindou, Kirino and Sangoku were decorating the one and a half stories tall pine tree. Lights shone from the start of most branches. Two purple, glittery garlands went up the Christmas tree in a helix pattern. Silver baubles hung everywhere, near the top, the middle, yet not at the bottom. Instead of having put baubles or garlands near the ground, the students had hung candy canes in their place.

"Kurama," Shindou called out.

The second-year rolled his eyes, then looked over his shoulder. Without saying a word, their eyes locked. Kurama was the first to back down, averting his gaze to the living room's ceiling. More specifically, he stared at the chandelier illuminating a warm glow through the estate. He sighed, "What, Shindou?"

"Could you please put the peak on the tree?" The wavy-haired boy had asked his classmate, pointing at a box next to the couch.

The tanned boy shivered, his eyes widening. "Y-You mean I've got to climb that goddang ladder?!" He yelled, stuttering.

"Basically, yes."

"I don't have acrophilia, nor a deathwish, unlike Amagi and Sangoku!" Kurama retorted, crossing his arms, turning back to the board game on the coffee table.

Amagi whispered with a smile on his face, "I was able to climb that ladder, so you shouldn't worry, lightweight."

His statement having annoyed the other student, "The more reason to avoid using it." Kurama muttered under his breath, rolling the dices.

Shindou frowned, posing the same question to Kirino quickly afterwards. His classmate accepted and grabbed the peak. The pinkhead ascended the stairway to the great heights.

Three steps up the ladder, the mansion's double door's entrance flung open. A chilling wind breezed through the comfortably heated building. A few of Raimon's players, who were used to more so-said 'healthy' temperatures, froze in place, Hikaru dropping his glass of water on the burgundy carpet.

Suddenly, along with countless snowflakes, a soccer ball flew into the hall. It bounced off walls, zigzagging across the room, slowly making its way to the living room.

At Kirino's fourth step on the stable, metal ladder, the soccer ball had made its way into the main room, crashing into the tree trunk.

Shindou and his childhood friend swiftly exchanged gazes. The tree wobbled; candy canes falling off its branches accompanied by baubles.

Then it tumbled down like a sack of potatoes. 

Hearing the clattering, people looked up– forcefully pulling themselves away from their mantras. They all blinked, surprised, confused and disbelieving. The great tree that once shadowed all others had snapped.

Hamano covered up his mouth with his hand. Desperate to hold back his laughter, he was. The midfielder regained his self-control. "At least we have enough fuel for the fireplace now." He spoke with the hopes of raising the grim mood.

"Luckily! I almost feared we'd freeze to death here!" Hayami cried. 

Four heads poked around the corner. The culprit's face showed up. Teal eyes peered at the chaotic display. Shattered pieces of candy canes, baubles and a peak peppered the planks floor. Only a second or two afterwards, Tenma, Tsurugi and Shinsuke took in the sight.

The former Raimon captain noticed. "You first ruined Tsurugi's cooking at the bonfire." He started. His bottom lip trembled as he paused. His grey locks were shadowing his eyes. "Now you demolished the symphony we've composed all together." The boy continued, again; pausing. "I'm so done with it! You idiots, this is unforgivable!" The former captain shrieked at last. His eyes flickering, the blood in his nerves pumping faster.

Tsurugi spoke, "Shindou, don't do anything stupid you'll regret." he had narrowed his cat-like eyes into a frown.

The greyhead did not listen. Strange, supernatural waves ran over the planks as if it were rippling water. A burst of aura blazed into existence. A four-armed musician manifested.

Endou and Fubuki, who remained sitting on the couch, alongside Kidou, Gouenji and Kazemaru, looked over. "Quit it, you guys." Hakuren's coach yelled, a thought of prediction coming to mind.

Again, Shindou ignored. The soccer ball which had destroyed that what the others and he had forged in the heat of struggles lied ahead of him.

The midfielder raised his leg, preparing to make a shoot.

In the three seconds that felt like each lasted an eternity, Hakuren's old Prince of the Snowfields had neared. The planks were suddenly covered in frost. The adult slid across the room like a dancer on a stage. After a leap, he pirouetted gracefully in the sky. He soared down, one foot smashing the ice, sending forth a tremor of spikes.

Yukimura smiled, "One Shindou a la popsicle, please." he managed to say before losing it. Tears of joy streamed down from his wintry eyes.

Endou face-palmed, "Now that our infamous drama queen chilled down, where did you guys leave Kariya?" Endou asked, sipping from his cup of chocolate milk.

Tsurugi snorted, recalling the memory. "Eating dirt–or rather snow, like usual."

Laughter was all that met his answer.

Well, that's going to be the end of my Christmas special this year. I hope you have enjoyed reading– and of course, have/had a lovely Christmas day. Please do tell me whether you enjoyed this one-shot, seeing at it is the first time I write comedy and alike.

As always, votes and comments are very much appreciated :D. Please be looking forward to future one-shots.

Hope to see you next time!

~Tieg

|| Statistics ||

|| Time of writing: December 20 - December 24, 2018 ||

|| Publication: December 25, 2018 ||

|| Last edit: December 24, 2018 ||