New Traditions (CSI, Gil/Greg)

Gil took the proffered garland and held it above his head while Greg balanced somewhat precariously on the step ladder with a staple gun in one hand. In the back of his mind, Gil was trying to remember if he’d ever run across a crime scene with this kind of situation. He remembered a number that had involved staple guns, though most had been ruled as accidents. There had been the one with the Christmas tree but that had involved a hacksaw and twine.

“This isn’t necessary, you know,” Gil commented calmly. His words fell on deaf ears. He knew exactly the kind of response that comment was going to get. This was not the first time they’d had this argument recently.

Greg glared down at him briefly before turning back to the garland. He wielded the staple gun with more force that was strictly necessary. “Yes. It. Is.” He punctuated each word with a click of the gun.

“Your parents will understand if the apartment isn’t brimming with ‘festive cheer’.” That’s what Greg had been calling it all weekend, while they forced themselves through crowded stores hunting for last-minute decorations and enough food to feed twice the number of people that were coming.