I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

Intending to turn this into a collection of one-shots. If you have suggestions, leave them in a review. This will be family, humour and friendship centered, so keep that in mind if you have requests to leave. I don't really do romance.

Hope you enjoy.

Lambo's Bully Problem

Lambo hated school.

First of all, the academics were mind-numbingly boring. It wasn't that he was stupid (no matter how many times Gokudera insulted him as being such) it was just that his attention span wasn't large enough to focus on lessons for an entire school day. He supposed his grades could be better, but really, why try? He was the Lightning Guardian for Vongola Decimo. He was pretty much set for life.

…not that he'd say such a thing in front of Tsuna. The twenty-year-old was determined that his youngest guardian finish his mandatory education. So Lambo was resorted to wasting away precious hours sitting behind his desk, doodling in his notebook when he should have been taking notes.

There had been a bit of a debate between the Vongola Guardians as to what to do about Lambo's school situation. Vongola Nono wanted his successor and his Famiglia to move into the Vongola mansion in Italy. While Tsuna was no longer fighting his destiny as being a Mafia Don, he didn't want to uproot Lambo out of Namimori Middle, especially considering it was the boy's first year there.

The preteen attempted to convince his older brothers (and sister) that he didn't mind transferring to a middle school in Italy so late in the year, but the others finally decided that it would be best to let the twelve-year-old finish his three years of middle school in Japan, so that he would have a fresh start in high school in Italy.

The ex-Arcobaleno Reborn wasn't entirely happy with the situation, but after Nono was informed of the decision he assured the hitman that he could act as the Vongola Don for another three years. With Timoteo's approval, Reborn agreed, and so the group was to reside in Namimori for another three years, not that anyone put up too much of a fight about it.

Well…maybe he did. But he felt he was justified in his annoyance. After all, he had been chosen to be the Guardian of the Lightning Ring at the age of five. When he was old enough to understand the weight and honour of the title he had been given, he was ecstatic. He held one of the most prestigious positions in the entirety of the Mafia. He wanted to move to his homeland and actually start doing his part as a Guardian. So yeah, he may have put up a bit of a fight.

A fight which quickly fizzled out when Tsuna mentioned that I-Pin ought to have finished her training stint with Fong in Hong Kong by then and would be able to join them in Italy, which meant Lambo would be able to navigate high school with his best friend.

And Reborn pointing his gun at him and Gokudera fiddling with his dynamite may have also persuaded him to stop being an annoying brat-for once.

So here he was, shuffling down the hall with a bored expression on his face, books tucked under one arm. He stepped out into the sunlight, a small smile breaking through when he thought of Mama and the snacks she would have waiting for him.

"Hey, Bull Head!"

There goes a clear escape, thought Lambo in annoyance. He flicked a gaze over his shoulder, where Morimoto Nakhti was sneering at him. Pretty much King of Namimori, Morimoto had a grudge against Bovino Lambo, who was dangerously close to usurping his position.

Ignoring the fourteen-year-old, Lambo strolled through the school gates and started down the sidewalk. He didn't make it far, as a heavy hand landed on his shoulder and jerked him backwards.

"I'm talking to you, Bull Head," growled Morimoto. His friends stood a few feet away with anticipatory smirks.

"I noticed," said Lambo flatly. He had long ago stopped referring to himself in the third person. "But I don't really want to talk to you."

Morimoto straightened up so that he was towering over the younger boy. "Think you're too good to talk to me?"

Lambo sighed. "Do I have to answer that?"

"You talk bigger than you are," growled Morimoto. "You're nothing! You're a squirt who doesn't know his place."

"If you're worried about me displacing you as the idol of Namimori, then you're in trouble," said Lambo, turning around and starting to walk off. "I'm popular by not doing anything. You're popular by trying too hard. Which one of us is going to win in the end, do you think?"

Within a second, Lambo was jerked back around and a fist sailed into his face, sending him flying backwards onto the hard cement. Morimoto shook out his fist and smirked, his friends laughing behind him. "Who do I think will win? The one who can kick butt and take names, Bull Head."

He walked off, leaving the twelve-year-old to curl up on the sidewalk, holding his throbbing eye, which was no doubt turning black. "Hold…it…in…hold…it…in…I can't!"

He burst into tears, which only caused the pain in his head to increase. Some passing students cast him glances of sympathy, but didn't stop to help. Everyone knew it wasn't wise to assist Morimoto's victim. It would only result in pain for them as well, so it wasn't worth it.

Slowly climbing to his feet, Lambo wobbled for a moment, the world blurred around him before clearing again. He removed his hand to scrub the tears off of his cheeks and take deep, shuddering breaths. When he felt he was calm enough, he started off, head down as he hurried for home.

I wish I-Pin was here, he thought miserably. She would have taken him down in a second.

But that thought only served to darken his mood more. He loved I-Pin, but it got rather annoying every time he was reminded at how skilled she was. The third most promising assassin, soon to be second, would no doubt return from her training nearly unbeatable.

Then there was him, Bovino Lambo, who wasn't even an average hitman when he left to kill Reborn when he was five-years-old. Now twelve, his skills had only improved somewhat, and his Guardian skills still had something to be desired. It sucked, when he was surrounded by people who were greatly gifted in their abilities.

"How am I going to explain this?" he muttered to himself as he got closer to the Sawada residence. "It's humiliating! Stupidera is going to laugh at me, Reborn's not going to let me forget it and Tsuna-nii is just going to be worried."

He also didn't want to explain to them exactly how long he'd been picked on by the big-headed teen.

Maybe I can slip inside, get some sunglasses and pass them off as my new accessary, he thought. Or maybe just hide out in the woods or something until it fades away.

Yes, he decided he was willing to go to extremes to hide his situation. He didn't need to hear how stupid he was, how careless or much of a herbivore he was.

"Oi, Lambo!"

"Wait up, Lambo!"

Lambo's eyes grew wide. Of course. When he wanted to avoid his brothers, they happened to show up. He picked up his pace, pretending not to hear them.

"Ahoshi, Juudaime told you to wait!"

"LAMBO! IT'S US, TO THE EXTREME!"

No, no, no, no, no, no. He could not let them see him like this.

Not caring about subtlety anymore, he broke into a run, tearing around the corner at a high speed. Calls of his name sounded behind him, but he ignored them. When he neared home, his heart dropped at the two familiar figures lingering in the front yard.

Crap.

"Lambo-kun-" started Chrome, but her eye widened in surprise when the boy ploughed past. Mukuro arched an eyebrow at the sight of the fleeing boy. He was about to halt the child in his tracks when an oof! sounded.

Grunting, Lambo rubbed his head, sitting on the pavement. "Sorry," he apologized. "I-"

"You're disturbing the peace, herbivore."

Paling, Lambo hastily climbed to his feet. "Right, sorry, Kyo-nii," he said.

Hibari, who had long since accepted the young boy as a part of his pack and hadn't bitten him to death when the address first slipped out three years ago, stared down at him. "You passed your home."

"Yeah, I know, I'm just gonna go for a-"

But he didn't get to come up with a decent excuse, as the other Guardians joined them, four panting heavily from their attempts to catch up with the oddly behaving boy.

"What's wrong with you, ahoshi?" snapped Gokudera. "Juudaime was calling for you!"

"Didn't hear," said Lambo, keeping his head lowered slightly so that his thick, curly black hair hung in front of his injured eye.

Tsuna blinked. "You didn't hear Oniisan?" he asked incredulously.

Yamamoto laughed. "That's alright, Lambo. We were kind of far away."

"No, we weren't, baseball idiot," muttered Gokudera.

"Uh, so what are you guys doing out?" asked Lambo, hoping to distract his older brothers as he figured out a way to slip away from them. He was definitely going for the sunglasses cover-up. He just needed to get to the shades, which were resting carelessly on his bedroom floor.

"We decided to go for a walk," answered Tsuna. He studied his Lightning Guardian, sensing something was wrong. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!"

Chrome tilted her head to the side. "You ran right past us."

"Kufufufu…you looked as if you were in trouble," remarked Mukuro.

Hibari's eyes narrowed. "Trouble?"

"No trouble!" said Lambo quickly.

Furrowing his brow, Tsuna followed his intuition (which never steered him wrong before) and hooked two fingers under Lambo's chin. He forced the boy's head up, causing the curtain of black hair to fall to the side, revealing a black-and-blue right eye. "Lambo!"

"What happened?" demanded Gokudera.

Yamamoto frowned, a rare serious glint in his eyes. "Did you get attacked?"

Lambo felt his stomach sink. So much for trying to cover his stupid, avoidable injury up. "Sort of. A kid at school punched me."

Chrome gasped. "Why would they do such a thing?"

Lambo shrugged. "He doesn't like me. He didn't like what I said and decked me one. I guess I deserved it-"

"There are no excuses for violence in Namimori Middle," said Hibari, his tonfas out and gleaming.

"No one punches my little brother!" bellowed Ryohei, punching the air.

Tsuna nodded firmly. "Who hit you, Lambo?"

Suddenly annoyed with himself, the twelve-year-old kicked at the ground. "Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."

"Yes, it is," returned Tsuna.

"No, it's not!" snapped Lambo. "I've been handling it fine, I don't need your help!"

A dark frown crossed his older brother's face. "You've been handling it?"

"So this has happened before," muttered Yamamoto.

Lambo winced, silently cursing his big mouth. "Yes," he admitted reluctantly. "Since my first day."

"Kufufu, that settles it," said Mukuro with a sinister smile, his trident materializing in his hands. "Are you giving a name or do I need to take a look into your mind?"

Chrome settled her small hands on Lambo's trembling shoulders. "We want to help you."

"Yeah," agreed Gokudera gruffly. "Only we can rough you around."

"There are no strays in a pack," muttered Hibari.

Lambo bit his lip. "So…you're not mad?"

Bewilderment crossed Tsuna's face. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not mad that I let myself get hit?" he clarified. "I know I'm not strong like you guys, but I should be able to deal with a middle school bully."

"You're twelve," said Tsuna, threading his fingers through Lambo's black hair. "Right now, focus on your childhood, on your schooling. We deal with anyone who messes with you."

"To the EXTREME!" hollered Ryohei.

"Hn."

"Kufufu…with pleasure."

"Maa, maa, that's right!"

"Leave it to us, Lambo-kun."

"Yeah, ahoshi."

Lambo blinked back sudden tears and nodded. "'kay. Morimoto Nakhti. He thinks I'm out to take his place as the idol of Namimori Middle."

"Morimoto Nakhti," repeated Tsuna. "Got it. Mom's got snacks waiting inside, so go ahead. We'll be back."

"Okay." Lambo ventured back towards home. "Thank you, guys."

As the twelve-year-old chowed down on Nana Sawada's famous snacks, Morimoto was currently peeing his pants, alone in an empty park, surrounded by threatening figures ready to exact revenge and teach the delinquent what happens when someone messes with their little brother.