Winter is in full swing and everywhere is getting ready for the holidays. I paid the guys a visit with a few things to warm them up. Mostly things to bake cookies with and make hot cocoa so I'm sure there will be something they like.

"Hi, [___]!" Altair greeted me as I walked into the mansion. There was a wonder in his eyes as he saw me dust off the freshly fallen snow.

"Hi, Altair. Yep, it's snowing." I look out a nearby window and sighed. "It's enough to build a snowman with."

"More like a snowman army!" Ichthys stood with his fists on his hips, that mischievous grin on his face. He was dressed in Winter gear and had a scarf on like he was an adventurer. "Who's with me?"

"Ooooh, me!" I turn to see Teorus bundled up as well and ready for action.

"Can I come, too?" Altair looked like the little boy he was meant to be.

"Of course!" Ichthys beamed at the tiny assistant. "Go get dressed." Altair ran as quickly as he could. "What about you, [___]? Care to help resurrect my snowman army?"

I giggled a little at the image I saw of these three doing that. "Maybe later. I have stuff to make cookies and hot cocoa with."

The gasps from those guys were like that of kids on Christmas morning. "Cookies!" They all clamored around me like school kids.

"Calm down, you guys. I'll make plenty for when you're done building your fort." I smile at them and turn to go find the kitchen.

"Woman." Scorpio greeted me in his usual manner. He was leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed and a stern look on his face.

"Hello, Scorpio. I do have a name, but I'll accept your acknowledgment just the same." I'm not about to let him ruin my good mood.

"Feh," Scorpio smirked as he watched me head towards the kitchen. "You should be grateful I even notice you exist." He turned to face outside. "And what the hell are you doing?!"

I turn around and see a huge white wall stood outside the mansion doors. Stepping back onto the stoop, I see that a sizable fort was built. "Holy cow," I mutter to myself as I gazed at the stunning detail they put into their design.

"Oh, it's a cow alright," Scorpio said as he stood next to me. "It's full of-"

Splat!

We turn to see a lump of white fluff stuck to the wall next to me. Turning to the snow fort, we see Ichthys, Teorus and Altair each with snowballs in hand. Altair gulped in dread and hid behind the wall of whiteness.

Scorpio squinted at them. "You have work to do and you're shirking your duties to act like fools?" I think I saw steam slowly rise from his head in anger.

"Oh, come on, Scorpy," Teorus pouted. "All work and no play makes us dull gods. We all need to have fun once in a while." He proceeded to make another snowball in mittened hands.

"Yea, Scorpy." Ichthys chimed in, tossing a snowball into the air and catching it. "We all need a little fun." He's grinning that mischievous grin of his. No good can come of this.

Scorpio watched them carefully. "You better not be planning to make the same mistake Altair just did. I won't punish him since you two morons dragged him outside for this, but if Zyglavis gets wind of this, you'll be in worse trouble than you already are."

SPLAT!

Turning to Scorpio's side of the doorway, an even bigger ball of white fluff was stuck to the wall and this time Teorus seemed the likely suspect. "Heh," he said as he rubbed the back of his head with a worried smile on his face. "Must have slipped out of my hand somehow." He quickly hides behind the fort's impressive walls before he could get cursed at.
That left Ichthys and he did not look like he was going to stand down. He was now juggling several snowballs and grinning like he has a plan to win this stand off.

Scorpio took a couple of steps out and looked up at the Pisces god who was peering over the wall at his adversary. "Fish boy, you better not be thinking what you're thinking. I took the liberty of giving a damn for that human woman by leaving her there. But if you throw a single snowball at me, I sw-"

Spa-spa-spa-splat!

I covered my mouth in horror. Not one, but four snow balls called Scorpio's face their new home. Ichthys was laughing like a hyena and you could hear Teorus snickering behind the wall while Altair was muttering worried nonsense.

I could clearly see the steam rising from Scorpio's head as he turned around and returned to the house. "Woman, dry me off." He stormed past me into the house and climbed the stairs. I quickly left my things by the door and ran to catch up, hearing Ichthys laughing and claiming victory over the big bad Scorpy. I just know things will not be pretty later on, but I'd rather not be on that hit list. "Hurry up!" I jump as Scorpio bellowed and I ran as fast as I could to catch up to the seething god.