Confusion
It was a slow Italian day. Fat snowflakes floated lazily from the sky, like bright white paint splotches against a grey canvas. The rolling hills were covered in the snow, the rustling wind carrying the powder sugar through the crisp winter air. Kids dotted the side of the hills, their backs pressed against the fluff, moving their arms up and down crazily, hoping for the best snow angel. Lambo was no different from the other children, pulling another child up the hill with some difficulty behind him in a nostalgic red sled.
"Tasso, why are you so fat?" Lambo exclaimed, his cheeks turning pink with exertion. His body was encased in a white puffy jacket with black splotches littered across its nylon shell, covered in a coating of Polyurethane, keeping his jacket waterproof and virtually indestructible. Bouncing up and down in the sled behind Lambo was his mirror image, clad in a brown puffy jacket. A hood was pulled over his head, with fur and afro framing his flushed cheeks. "Tasso," Lambo started up again, before reaching the top of the hill. "Maybe you should quit eating the takoyaki and give me more!" He exclaimed, with an explosion of triumphant laughter. He stood akimbo on top of the hill, with his gloved hands resting on his hips, where his black snow pants were pulled way above his belly button: the picture of an overprotective mother.
Laughter echoed from Tasso's lips. "As if, Lambo!" He giggled, waving at his mother, who sat in the kitchen of their cozy cottage, keeping a watchful eye on the kids. The petite brunette waved back at them, with a smile touching her soft pink lips – a sight both the kids smiled at. It was funny how a simple upturn of the mouth could raise their spirits, or in this case, encourage them to toboggan down the slope with more fervor than the previous times.
"Tasso, it's your turn to pull the sled now," Lambo insisted breathlessly, his chest heaving up and down in exhaustion. "I've been doing it for the past five hundred thousand billion times already!" He whined, dropping the rope that was attached to the sled.
"Oh, one more time, Lambo!" The other Bovino pleaded, before Lambo shook his head. Tasso's begging quickly turned into angry pestering, which only made Lambo more frustrated. "No," he repeated. "No!"
"But, Lambo, please!"
"I said no, you stupid cow!"
Tasso's clear blue eyes narrowed, and in an instant, the child clad in brown was on top of Lambo. The two figures rolled around in the snow, fighting for dominance. Outraged shouts and grunts filled the air, before Lambo finally broke free from his twin. In a split second, he ran into the house, slamming the door behind him. A look of concern crossed their mother's face.
"What's wrong Lambo?" She asked, before Tasso ran in, jumping on Lambo again.
"Mom's gonna send you away! You're being mean to me! She said she was gonna send you away! So you'd better be nice to me!" Tasso threatened, before the small brunette lifted her son up by the hood. Slightly pale, she gave him a tight-lipped stare.
"You'd better be nice to Lambo, Tasso. I saw him, trudging up that huge hill pulling you up the sled. Go to your room for time-out," she said, in a commanding voice.
"But mom-!"
"Go," she repeated before dropping him back onto his feet and turning back to Lambo. The damage was already done. Lambo sat on the ground looking up at him mom with a confused look on his precious face.
"Why're you sending me away, mom? Don't you love me? Why? Why are you sending me away?" He asked, his bottom lip trembling before tears flowed down his face. "Why? Why! Why…?"
"Lambo, Lambo. Nobody's sending you away." A soft voice said, his large, brown eyes peering down at the Bovino Mafioso.
"He's been like that all night," a woman's voice murmured, brushing a hand through Lambo's curly hair. "Tsuna, can't you do anything?"
"I can't. He won't wake up, Haru," the boy said, a look of concern touching his features. The child rested beneath the covers with a look of worry and confusion on his face.
"Why did you send me away?"
Outside, the wind blew furiously, a monster fighting to get inside the house. The snow whipped against the window panes.