I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
Deck the Halls
Boxes were stacked in front of the fully-decorated Christmas tree in the drawing room. Baubles and special ornaments hung from the branches and tinsel dripped gracefully from the tips. Lights were strung neatly around the tree and a silver star shone proudly at the very top.
I-Pin admired the majestic pine. "It's beautiful."
Lambo grinned. "It'll look even better when our presents are underneath it."
The girl rolled her eyes. "Shut up and help me finish opening these boxes."
The pair were in charge of putting the rest of the Christmas decorations around the mansion. I-Pin and Lambo rummaged through each box, unearthing a pile of shimmering garland, a collection of fragile Christmas figurines wrapped securely in newspaper, sheets of window decals, extra strands of lights and an assortment of wreaths and holiday symbols intended to be hung on doors or walls.
"Where should we start?" asked I-Pin, carefully unwrapping a miniature glass reindeer and admiring it.
"Divide and conquer," decided Lambo. "You take the first floor. I'll take the second floor. We don't have to worry about the kitchen or dining room. Haru-chan and Kyoko-chan have already taken care of those rooms."
"I noticed. The gingerbread tablecloth is so cute."
"Gingerbread," said Lambo with a dreamy smile. "That'll be next on our Christmas to-do list" He grabbed a few strands of shiny red garland. "All right, let's start decking these halls."
Lambo went into the hallway and over to the grand staircase. He looped one end of the garland around the pole of the bottom banister. Skipping up the steps two at a time, he twisted the rest of the garland through the glossy wooden rails until he reached the top. Securing the other end at the tip of the top banister, he stepped back to admire his work.
"It's uneven."
Lambo glanced over his shoulder. "What do you mean, uneven?"
Reborn approached the twelve-year-old, lifting his fedora back so that he could study the child's handiwork. "I mean what I mean, idiot cow. The garland is bunched at certain intervals. You didn't spread it out smoothly enough."
"It looks fine," defended Lambo. "Right, Leon?" The small green lizard flicked out his tongue twice. Lambo nodded. "See? You're just trying to annoy me."
"Doesn't take much to accomplish that." Reborn smirked. "Where's your partner in crime?"
"Decorating downstairs. I'm in charge of the upstairs." Lambo glared sternly at the hitman. "That means you can't argue with my creative vision."
"I can argue all I want if your creative vision sucks," returned Reborn. The ex-Sun Arcobaleno moved passed the child and started down the stairs. "If I see even a shred of tinsel in my room, I'm going to beat you."
Lambo pouted. "You have no Christmas spirit."
He followed after Reborn and received a slight smack on the head when he went to divert from their joined path and head to the drawing room. I-Pin was no longer there and he seized the rest of the decorations he would need for the second floor.
"I-Pin!" he hollered, making his way slowly to the stairs, peeking over his festive and sparkly pile. "How are you doing?"
"Good!" she called back, sounding to be a few rooms away. "I just have a few more windows to do!"
"Whoa, what are you doing to the windows?" Gokudera shouted from somewhere, his voice sounding rather concerned.
"I'm putting Christmas stickers on them! They come off, don't worry."
Gokudera responded, "They better!"
Lambo snickered and inched his way up the stairs, careful not to drop anything. Setting his Christmas collection on the hardwood floor, he studied them for a moment before selecting a sparkly Santa Claus door decoration.
"This one will be for Tsuna-nii." Lambo went over to the desired door and dug a roll of tape from his hoodie pocket. He secured the string attached to the top of the cut-out to Tsuna's bedroom door. Pleased with his work, he began to do the doors for the rest of his siblings.
"A reindeer for Take-nii, 'cause he's kinda graceful like one," hummed Lambo as he went about attaching the cut-outs to the proper door. "A Christmas star for Ryo-nii, who shines just as bright. Turtledoves for Mukuro-nii and Chrome-nee because they're a perfect pair. A gingerbread cookie for Kyo-nii because he's just like oneāhard on the outside but soft on the inside. And I'll take the shiny red and green present because I'm certainly a gift."
With one door in the hall left to decorate, Lambo went through the remaining plastic cut-outs. He came across one that made him burst into devious laughter as he imagined it on Gokudera's door. He cheerfully went over and taped the cute design onto the wood.
"What are you cackling about this time?"
Lambo looked over his shoulder and grinned at the approaching Bianchi. "I found the perfect decoration to put on Stupidera's door."
He stepped out of the way so that the pink-haired woman could get a clear view. A smile curled across her face. "I hope you are prepared for Hayato's wrath."
"It'll be worth it." Lambo smiled proudly at the little elf that hung from the Storm Guardian's door. "I mean, an elf to Santa Claus is kinda like a guard dog to a master. Fits Haya-nii perfectly." He glanced over at Bianchi. "I'm heading to your wing next. What door decoration do you want?"
Bianchi inspected the leftover decorations. "I want the candy cane."
"You got it."
Lambo gathered his supplies into his arms and hurried down the hall. He turned the corner, going passed the bathrooms, closets and sitting room, eventually entering the girls' wing. He promptly put the candy cane on Bianchi's door and decided to give Kyoko the gingerbread house, Haru the Christmas tree and I-Pin a glittering wreath.
The last remaining door decoration was a snowman, sitting amongst sparkling garland. A sudden idea struck him and though it was a rather dangerous idea he could not ignore it.
He hurried around the corner to where Reborn's and Shamal's rooms were located. He stuck the snowman to Reborn's door and took off its detachable mouth. He turned the smiling face upside-down and reattached it, so that the snowy creature was frowning.
"There. A grump for a grump." Lambo grinned and went across the hall to Shamal's door. He untangled some glittering gold garland and used it to frame the doorway.
"Boy, what are you doing?"
Lambo smiled innocently. "Making the place look Christmassy."
Shamal did not look moved by this. "Did I say you could vandalize my door?"
"I think you need to brush up on your definition of vandalism," informed Lambo. When Shamal narrowed his eyes, he clasped his hands together. "Come on, Shamal-sensei."
He deliberately widened his eyes, knowing the act made them look particularly shiny. He arranged his lips into a soft pout. Not fooled in the slightest, Shamal pinched Lambo's cheek. "You're a manipulative brat. The second Christmas is over, I'm taking this crap down."
"I love you too," sang Lambo.
A brief smile flicked across Shamal's face as he watched the child skip off. He glanced at the eyesore on Reborn's bedroom door and snorted. "He's going to get shot for that one," he said in amusement before disappearing into his quarters.
Lambo entered the upstairs sitting room. He used the remainder of the garland to drape around the room and placed the wreaths in the picture windows. Deeming his decorating to be more than acceptable, he went back downstairs.
He'd hoped that there might be some window stickers left over. But his hopes were dashed when he discovered snowmen, snowflakes, presents and other Christmas-themed decals plastering every window he passed.
He stepped into the drawing room to see the empty boxes. With a shrug of his shoulders, he went to inspect the display I-Pin had arranged on the windowsill. His best friend entered as he was admiring the glass reindeer set. "Couldn't leave some for me?" he asked, turning to look at her.
I-Pin set her hands on her hips. "I realized that you left me to decorate the space that has the most rooms. So you can't complain. I needed the majority of the decorations."
"Eh, it's all good anyway. I just thought if there were extra, I would put them in the sitting room. Are we done?"
"Almost. We've just got one more thing to do." I-Pin removed the collection of traditional stockings and handed half to Lambo. "Stockings on the mantel."
They made quick work of it. "That's what I call teamwork," said Lambo with a grin. "How did you finish at the same time I did if you had more to do?"
"I did not spend all those years training with Master to come out with nothing to show for it," replied I-Pin. "Speed is my speciality."
"Show-off," grumbled Lambo. He lifted his arms over his head and stretched. "Well, guess we better do something about these boxes, huh?"
Before she could reply two shouts travelled down from the second-floor, filled with dangerous intent that caused Lambo's stomach to drop to the floor in fear.
"Ahoshi! What did you put on my door?"
"Idiot cow, I warned you. Prepare to be shot."
