My next fanfic. Kept the physical aspect down this time around. Hope you all enjoy it anyway, especially now that I know how to use the horizontal lines. Enjoy

Kyoko burst out of the room, weeping. They all looked up, surprised.

"She...she...WAAAAA!" Kyoko wailed, falling into the arms of her older brother.

Ryohei looked up, staring at the door. "Its hopeless. No one can get to her." He looked at his companions. All the guardians, including Mukuro, were present. Haru was trying to comfort her friend. The kokuyo gang were all milling about the house, throwing dirty looks their way every once in a while, as if blaming them for this problem.

They wouldn't be wrong. thought Sawada Tsunayoshi, the boss of the Vongola crime family...and everyone present.

"It's extremely hopeless!" Shouted Ryohei, reaffirming what he said earlier.

"We can't just leave her like that." commented Yamamoto Takeshi, leaning back in his wheelchair. The doctors practically nailed him to the thing after the fight with the Shimon a month earlier.

"No shit, baseball brain! We don't abandon family members!" shouted Gokudera Hayato, jumping on the chance to rebuke his rain counterpart.

"Then what do we do, Octopus Head! How do we save her...?" trailed off Miura Haru, trying to comfort Kyoko while pleading with Gokudera and, inadvertently, Tsuna.

Tsuna heard a soft thunk on his kitchen table behind him, and turned. Hibari Kyoya walked out of the room, leaving behind a small bottle of pills and a pistol. Tsuna shuddered at what Hibari was implying. It was amazing that he did anything in this situation, but then again, he probably blamed himself in his own way for what happened.

"Oi, Oi, are those toys for Lambo-sama?" asked the annoying cow Lambo, oblivious to what the objects were meant for.

"Kufufufufufu...i don't think so, little guardian. These are for our sweet friend." said Rokudo Mukuro, picking up the objects and looking them over, ignoring Lambo's protest. " A bottle of anti-depressants for calming her down..." he said, holding up the bottle. " And if they don't work, then..." he stopped, holding up the gun.

"We get it, Mukuro." said Yamamoto, his cool gaze trailing between the gun, bottle, and the open door left by the cloud guardian. "We have other ways. It'll all work out if we just talk to her." he whispered softly.

"Do that and we run the risk of making her worse. Better to medicate so that she'll be able to fight." responded Gokudera. "Only SHE can use the mist ring, so we need HER to be battle ready in case the Shimon attack."

Ryohei looked up from his sister, who had quieted down. "But WHY, to the EXTREME!" he asked. "Mukuro can use the ring!"

Gokudera snorted. "No way in hell I'm giving the ring to him. Who knows when he'll try and posses the tenth?" he glared at the now smiling pineapple head.

"Always on guard, aren't you, Gokudera? Good. You should be. It makes things...fun." said Mukuro, laughing in his soft, creepy way.

Gokudera looked worked up, like he was about to attack Mukuro right then. Before he could pull out his dynamite, Tsuna spoke up. " How is blowing up my house going to help Chrome?" he asked, beginning to panic. I can't even keep Gokudera in line! How can I help her?

"No matter what we do, we can't do it today. Lets wait till tomorrow, when Tsuna can decide then."

Tsuna, although very happy, hid it with an exasperated yell. "Reborn! Why do I have to decide?"

The arcobaleno smiled, knowing that Tsuna was happy for the backup in the situation. Reborn answered the same way he'd answered for close to three years, almost like a ritual. "Because you're the boss." he said offhandedly.

Tsuna just snorted as Reborn rushed everyone out of his house.

The baby looked at Tsuna, who tossed and turned in bed, not being able to sleep. Finally, the boss sat up and looked at Reborn. "What now?" he asked.

Reborn shrugged, thinking the same thing. "You're the boss. That much is true."

Tsuna slightly paled. "But you're my advisor. So ADVISE. Please"

Reborn just shook his head. "This one is all you. Remember what I taught you. You can't hide behind me. Not on this one."

Tsuna just replied by scratching his head furiously. "This is different from every other decision I've made. We aren't fighting anyone. There are no enemies to hit that can solve this problem. I...I don't know if I can make the call on this one, Reborn."

Reborn jumped from his hammock to Tsuna's bed, landing at his feet, staring right at him. "And that's precisely why you'll make the best decision." When Tsuna looked confused, Reborn explained "You are kinder and gentler then most normal people Tsuna. You called me an advisor earlier? I'm a hitman first. The only reason I've advised you on anything is because its always been about a battle. Your Guardians are the same; they're warriors. Out of all of us, you're the only one who's not like a fish out of water when dealing with a problem that can't be hit. That's why Ken and Chikusa aren't killing every single one of us for losing Chrome. That's why we always turn to you when we have a problem. Because you CAN fix things Tsuna. You can find the best option, the one where we all get a happily ever after."

And so finishing, Reborn went back to his hammock. As he crawled in, he heard Tsuna take a breath, about to panic again. Reborn shut his eyes and said "You aren't panicking because you can't make up your mind. You already know what you're going to do; you just know that no one is going to like it. Thats what I've been trying to say. In the end, whatever you decide we'll go with...because we know its the best path."

Less then ten seconds later, both student and teacher were blowing bubbles out of their noses.

Tsuna put his hand on the knob, carefully balancing the tray of food in his other hand. It would be a couple hours until Ken and Chikusa came around for their own to talk with Chrome, before everyone else arrived. He wanted some time with her first, to see if everything would work out as he hoped...felt it would.

As he opened the door, he looked at probably the messiest room imaginable. Blankets were strewn around the floor, chairs toppled over. A desk had been pushed at an awkward angle, and a mattress had been destroyed. Sitting in the back corner, so that everything was in her view, was Chrome Dokuro. She had wrapped herself in blankets, a pile of pillows at her back. A tray of food sat two feet in front of her, the food picked at but largely uneaten. The water had only been sipped at, the glass still four fifths full.

She had looked up, both startled and afraid when Tsuna entered. He turned on a light as he walked towards her. Maybe the way he walked purposefully frightened her, because she tried to back herself up even more with each step he took. He stopped when he heard her beginning to whimper. He sat down, setting the food tray down mere inches from her blankets, silently cursing Katou Julie and whatever he did to their friend. The next time he and his Guardians were able to get the bastard alone, there would be hell to pay.

Tsuna waved away the dark thoughts clouding his mind. He was starting to think like Gokudera. He needed to concentrate on helping Chrome.

He made eye contact with her, simply staring. He didn't say anything. What could he say? Sorry that they couldn't help her? Sorry that she got put through what she did? That she needed to suck it up because outside her room, the Shimon still stalked Namimori, trying to find the time to attack again while they were a ring down and a guardian short?

He said nothing. He simply sat there and held eye contact, letting his mind wander. It was at times like that when he really began to appreciate Chrome. He'd never cared about her past, just as she had never wondered about theirs. But now that he thought about it, isn't that why they were having such trouble getting through to her? They didn't really understand her. She was a tool. She did what she was told, fought when she needed to, then went away when she wasn't needed.

Tsuna clenched his teeth. No more! No more will Chrome be an extra. No more will she be a spare hand, a helpful boost, a backup fighter. From that moment onwards, she would be a human. A human who fought alongside them. Who bridged the gap between her groups of friends. A human who shared both her triumphs and downfalls, making everything that much more easy and enjoyable.

And why hadn't they done this earlier? Why hadn't they worked to accept Chrome, as the girls had done? Why did they constantly take sweet Chrome for granted? The same Chrome who was now sitting in front of him because they had led her into a trap. They had never asked her whether she had wanted to go or not. They had never double checked to see if she had still wanted the position of Mist guardian. Tsuna himself had tried time and again to abandon his position in life, yet they were always dragging Chrome and her split allegiances along with them every time they needed to fix a problem they had inadvertently caused.

They always placed her in danger. With her pineapple hair, and slight frame, thin arms, long, barely clothed legs, her small but oddly arousing chest...

Tsuna mentally shook himself. Too much wandering. Need to concentrate again.

He sat there for another two hours...Ken and Chikusa would be here any minute...and Chrome hadn't relaxed at all. Just as he heard the doorbell ring, he sorta blurted out "Do you like ice cream?"

Chrome looked taken aback at the random question. Tsuna barreled on "The kids like it a lot, and I'll eat it if we have it, and we're all looking an excuse to get some because mom never buys any, so I thought that with your support she might get at least a bit for all of us..." he winded down, trailing off.

Chrome just stared. The doorbell started to be rung repeatedly and quickly. Tsuna stood. "Think about it." he said, backing off and shutting the door behind him. As the door closed, he turned and said "Make sure to eat!"

He went to the door, turning the doorknob and jumping back as Ken about blew the door open with his loud shout. "WOULD YOU OPEN UP ALREAD-oh...hey Vongola. Thanks for opening up." He strode inside, Chikusa behind him.

"How is she?" asked the quiet yo-yo meister, pushing up his glasses.

Tsuna shook his head. "She doesn't scream anymore, so I think you'll be able to go inside. But if you wanna talk, try and keep your distance. She still locks up if you get too close.

Chikusa nodded. The two of them entered Chrome's room, softly closing the door behind them.

Tsuna sat down in his entryway, thinking. Chrome was staying here only because this is where they brought her unconscious body after the battle with the Shimon. When she woke up, Nana and I-pin watching her, she seemed to lose her mind, forcing the both of them out of the room, destroying everything. Ever since then, the only people that hadn't been treated to a flurry of illusions and screams as they ran out of the room were Haru, Kyoko, Bianchi, I-pin, and Nana. In truth, it had been a gamble for him to go in at all.

Tsuna closed his eyes, vaguely hoping he would never find out the details of what caused Chrome to fear the presence of men so much.

He opened his eyes as he heard a familiar set of creaking wheels roll up the walkway. He looked out the open door to see Yamamoto being pushed by Gokudera, the latter complaining about everything involving the former.

They both said hi when Tsuna called out to them. Their eyes darkened when they saw the bags under Tsuna's eyes and the expression he wore.

"Not sleeping well, Tsuna?" asked Yamamoto.

"Actually...yesterday was the first night this month I'd slept at all." replied Tsuna, smiling at the irony.

"So, Tenth...what were you planning on doing about Chrome?" Gokudera asked hesitantly.

Tsuna looked at his right hand man. They had all gotten badly hurt by the fight with the Shimon, but Gokudera, as the only one not amazingly exceptional at athletics and not an illusionist, had gotten hurt the worst. But even now, with his arms still bandaged and his walk still containing a slight limp, he worried about the other Guardians first.

Tsuna stood and looked Gokudera in the eye. "Yesterday I took the anti-depressants and the gun and melted them down to pure liquid in my backyard."

Yamamoto smiled a smile of victory as Gokudera nodded, his face impassive. It was as Reborn said. They didn't know what was best to do in this kind of situation, so they simply trusted Tsuna's judgement. They knew he would make the right choice.

Tsuna sat in front of Chrome again, just holding eye contact. It had been a week since he had last come in here. He mentally sighed, preparing himself. It was make it or break it. If this failed, Chrome would never look at him again. If it worked, then he'd keep moving on.

He stood up. "Mom picked up some ice cream the other day. She said you said you liked it." No response. "Would you like some?" She raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were filled with mistrust; like she was wondering what he would spike it with.

Tsuna turned around, heading for the door. When he left, he didn't shut the door, instead going to the freezer and grabbing the half gallon of rocky road ice cream his mom had picked up yesterday. He walked back into the room, setting down the carton next to a tray of food. He picked two bowls from the stash of extras Nana had given Chrome, and began scooping out a bit of ice cream with a scoop. He handed a bowl to Chrome, and kept one for himself.

She watched as he began to eat, looking for signs of nausea or drowsiness. His senses never dulled. His wit was kept about him. By the time he had finished half his bowl, Chrome was staring at hers wantonly.

Tsuna saw that she wasn't eating the ice cream. "Chrome, do you want the ice cream?" he asked. She nodded. "Can you pick up the spoon to eat it?" She shook her head. "Why not?"

She looked at Tsuna, then spoke for the first time in five weeks. "My hands have cramped...and I have poor blood circulation."

Tsuna blinked. Of course, she hadn't changed position in over a month. It made sense that she wouldn't be able to move too much. And now he knew why she wrapped herself in blankets all the time.

Suddenly he blushed. He set down his own bowl and tilted his head down, his eyes looking up at her. "Do...d-do you want me to...f-feed you?" he asked.

Chrome blushed heavily. "A...n...mm..." she mumbled incoherently.

Tsuna got on all fours and crawled next to her, unable to look her in the eye now that he was so close. he picked up her bowl and got a spoonful of ice cream, lifting the spoon with his eyes till he got an inch away from her lips. She was staring at him, disbelief coloring her eyes as blood pumped to her cheeks. Tsuna could feel his own ears start to burn.

She closed her eyes and ate the ice cream. She softly moved her lips around the spoon, sliding off and swallowing as she looked back at the bowl in Tsuna's hand. "More..." she muttered. Tsuna obliged, hand faintly shaking as he got another scoop out for her. They continued like this, Tsuna getting more and more comfortable with each spoonful, until the bowl was empty.

At that, Chrome looked at Tsuna. They really were close. If he wanted, he could put the bowl down and pull Chrome into a hug. He'd be able to whisper into her ear that it's all over, that she doesn't have to be afraid of him, that he will always be there for her.

But he didn't.

He just smiled at her warmly, and put the bowl with the other dirty dishes that he had to take to the sink. Now I know I'm forgetting something... he thought...but what could it be?

He froze, and his eyes snapped to the half gallon of ice cream that had been sitting in the room for a good half hour, open. It was soup now. Tsuna felt his life be sucked out of his body as he realized that all the other people that mooched off of his mom would kill him for this.

"A-aah, Chrome...I gotta go do something about this. I'll be back tomorrow..." he bent over to pick up all the things he needed to take to the kitchen, still trying to think of a way that he could explain all that happened and not get killed.

"...thank you, boss." whispered a small voice from the corner.

Tsuna stopped, then smiled to himself. "Your welcome, Chrome." He stood up to bring everything to the kitchen. "Lets do it again sometime."

Tsuna left the room with Chrome slightly nodding her head.

"Then we tried throwing I-pin out the window, but her hair got caught, so she was there hanging out of my window, about to blow up."

"Wai...you threw, I-pin? Boss..i thought you were better then that..."

"Well, she was about to blow up! and we've done it before, she always comes back okay."

Chrome gasped. "Boss! that doesn't mean that you should do it!" she scolded.

"Sorry...anyway, just as she was about to blow up, Lambo shot the ten year bazooka, and it hit her, so the explosion happened ten years in the future. But, we slipped up and accidentally said a code word that makes ten years later I-pin blow up, so we all got fried anyway." finished Tsuna, sighing at the memory from before the fights and pain and death.

Chrome looked at boss quizzically. "What was the code?"

Tsuna smiled. "Broccoli monster."

Chrome giggled. Tsuna's smile grew bigger. Over the past three weeks, he'd been telling stories to Chrome about their daily antics before she met them. She seemed to enjoy hearing about everyones funnier side. She'd only ever saw them when they were all serious, on the verge of a fight.

But a couple things really didn't make sense to her. "So, the two boys who think of themselves as your arms, Gokudera and Yamamoto, were really that stupid when they were younger?"

Tsuna looked at Chrome, trying to sugar coat his words for their sakes. "Well...Yamamoto didn't really get that we were seriously mafia until sometime in the future...and Gokudera-kun was always trying to pick fights...but they were, ya know, helpful and friendly and stuff..."

Chrome looked back at him disbelievingly. "Gokudera-san tried to blow you up after knowing for a day, and Yamamoto-san tried to kill himself after one conversation with you."

Tsuna sighed. Yes, he knew.

Chrome continued. "But I guess thats a good thing."

Now it was Tsuna's turn to look at her disbelievingly.

She nodded furiously. "If the two people who would do those extreme things after meeting you are now this close to you, doesn't that mean that all the other people who've tried to do similar things...Hibari, Xanxus, Enma...will one day be close friends?"

Tsuna thought about that. "I hope so." he replied. Then he gasped. "What about Mukuro?"

Chrome closed her eye, leaning back on the pillows. "I'll keep Mukuro-sama in line until that point, boss." she half opened her eye. "...for you."

Tsuna blushed. "Th-thanks C-c-chrome."

She smiled in return. He really did like seeing that smile.

"From that position, please raise your right arm, and fully extend it. Then bend to the left till your fingers are parallel with the ground."

Tsuna and Chrome raised their right arms, then tried to bend to the left. Chrome cringed slightly in pain, but was otherwise able to make it. Tsuna felt like his muscles had just decided to go down the wrong way on a one way. "Your fine, boss." Chrome said to try and calm her boss's panicked face.

They had been doing aerobic exercises to try and loosen Chrome's muscles for the past couple days. It seemed to be working, though Chrome would never tell Tsuna how much pain that first day was. It was working, and he was doing it with her, so why should she complain?

"28...29...30! Very good. Now reverse your feet, and to the same with your left arm."

They both rose back to their starting position, then bent the other way. This direction was much harder for Chrome for some reason, but she closed her eye and pushed herself past the pain.

Her fingers finally parallel to the ground, she quickly breathed in through her nose. Its for boss, its for boss she thought to herself over and over again, trying to calm herself from the pain. She felt her body trying to tighten up, and she desperately extended her arm to its full to try and maintain the pose.

Chrome felt her fingers brush something soft. It reminded her of a cat's pelt. Smooth and silky, yet somehow you could feel each individual hair. She opened her eye to see what she was touching.

Tsuna looked at her with bewilderment as her fingers softly stroke his hair.

Chrome blushed furiously. "Boss..." she softly called. "I'm sorry!" she suddenly regained her senses, straightening up. Owwwww she thought, putting her hand to her side.

Tsuna saw the action and panicked. "Chrome...are you alright?" he asked, straightening himself and turning towards her.

"I'm fine, boss..."

"Then why are you holding your side? Did I pick something too difficult for right now?"

Chrome took a step back from the center of the room, the only place with enough space for the two of them to safely stretch. "No...I'm fine, boss."

Tsuna's hyper intuition told him otherwise. "Chrome, your breathing is labored and your walking is filled with soreness. Lets quit for today."

Chrome's eye widened. But that means that boss is going to leave... "No!" she said. She tried to change direction, to go forward instead of backwards, when she stepped on one of the cotton blankets.

Her foot, not getting any traction, slid forward, Chrome's body following. Her outstretched foot nailed Tsuna in the shin as she fell, Tsuna now a second behind. She landed on her bad side, her breath leaving her. He landed on his face, his nose not happy with the way things had turned out.

Chrome struggled to breathe as she rolled over to get off her bad side. Tsuna turned towards Chrome to see if she was okay. "Chrome...are you-"

He stopped mid sentence as she stopped turning. The stared at each other, their noses less then 5 centimeters from each other. Chrome's back was arched in pain, but Tsuna didn't know that.

He slowly reached out his hand, slipping it under her frame as she relaxed. He wrapped his arm around her as she turned her full body towards him. He couldn't deny that after all these visits he felt something for her; but he didn't know what. Friendship? Brotherhood? ...Love? he didn't know.

"Very good. Now, from the start position, raise your left leg until the knee is bent at a ninety degree angle, with your foot still parallel with the ground."

Chrome slowly raised her leg until it hooked around Tsuna's hip. "Chrome..." he whispered, not quite believing this was happening.

"Good! now, lets count from ten, shall we?"

But the moment wasn't giving him much time to reflect. Chrome had started to breathe again, and he was so close he could smell it. Now that she had started to open up, Nana forced her to take care of herself, practically throwing her into the tub at times.

"10...9...8..."

And right now Tsuna was thanking his mom in every way he could think of. She smelled like lavender, her breath like peaches, her hair like roses. Tsuna wasn't really thinking straight anymore.

"7...6...5..."

"Boss..." Chrome whispered, her eye half closed. She wiggled her body closer, her nose brushing against his. "Tsuna..."

"4...3..."

He closed his eyes.

"2...1..."

"VONGOLA! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"

They jumped apart as Ken yelled at them, Tsuna getting to his feet faster then light traveled from the sun.

He stood at the door with Chikusa directly behind him, both glaring at the red faced boss. "You mean this whole time...the only reason you..."

"N-no! I want to help Chrome!" Tsuna defended himself.

"Yes, we know that." said Chikusa. "But do you want to help her with her problem, or with her clothes?"

Tsuna felt like his head was going to blow off with all the blood in it. "Chrome...is...my friend. I am...trying to...help her...not make everything WORSE!" he panted between deep breaths.

Chrome stared at him, still on the ground. Her eyes looked slightly clouded as she stood.

Ken looked like he was about to explode. "It's alright, Ken." she said. "...there's nothing between boss and I."

Ken looked at Chrome, the anger in his face gone. Chikusa stared at her, wide-eyed. "You...can talk?" he asked, pushing his glasses up.

Chrome gave a little smile. "Last time I checked Chikusa, yes, I can talk."

Ken looked at Chrome, a slow smile spread across his lips. He began to laugh. It turned to a full blown cackle as Chikusa shook his head, awed at what Tsuna had been able to do by himself.

Tsuna smiled at the friends rejoicing. He turned to leave. "Sorry for earlier." Chikusa whispered as he left. "...and thank you."

Tsuna just smiled, and shook his head. If you looked at him then, you would think he would be happy. His eyes told a different story.

Tsuna paced back and forth in his kitchen, everyone watching him. The Guardians had once again gathered, having a meeting to decide what to do after reviewing the info they had gathered over the past month.

The kokuyo gang tagged along with Kyoko and Haru when they all heard that Tsuna had a report about Chrome. They jumped at the chance to hear about their friend, and when she would be out and about like a normal person.

The Guardians were a bit skeptical. It had only been two months since Tsuna had begun his daily sessions with Chrome. How much could he really have done?

Hibari had just finished his two sentence report on the disciplinary committee sightings of the Shimon. Next it was Tsuna's turn to report anything major that had happened in general in the past month.

Gokudera was about to ask Tsuna if he was going to speak when Tsuna held a finger to his lips, pointing at a bowl and glass of milk in the living room. They all stared at it, waiting for it to do something amazing like spontaneously combust. But it just sat there, chopsticks laid across the top of it.

Tsuna knew he had about three seconds before Ryohei lost his patience. Just as the boxer took a breath to begin yelling, Kyoko gasped and clamped a hand over her brother's mouth.

Chrome had come out of her room in front of other people for the first time in three months.

She sat in front of the T.V., watching some anime that played late at night.

Almost everyone in the room were switching their gazes between Chrome's almost bored face and Tsuna's triumphant one. He turned on a light in the kitchen and softly called out "Chrome."

She turned to look at Tsuna. "Yes, boss?" Then she saw everyone behind him and her eyes widened like a deer about to be hit by a car.

"We're in the middle of a meeting. Would you like to join us?" asked Tsuna

Chrome slowly stood, her bowl of food in hand. She looked around at all the faces behind Tsuna and froze. She slowly walked forward until she was right in front of Tsuna. She looked around him again, then stepped into the room.

Tsuna followed behind her, returning to his original standing point, in front of everyone else, Chrome now at his side. She was looking down at her bowl of food, eating slightly faster then normal.

"So...as you can all see, Chrome is doing...better..." Tsuna reported, slightly confused as to what he was doing exactly.

"Um...in other news, Reborn says that the Ninth is going to be sending some men to join up with us. They're going to be under are command, and I've been told we can use them as we see fit."

Everyone sorta nodded at what Tsuna said, only partially paying attention. Except Hibari, who never payed attention.

Tsuna waited for another thirty seconds before saying "Okay then...meeting adjourned."

Everyone stood and began milling about the house, Hibari made a beeline for the door. Lambo and Ryohei made a beeline for the fridge. And Kyoko and Haru made a beeline fro Chrome.

"Chrome-chan!" they practically shouted. Chrome had just enough time to set down the bowl before they pulled her into a hug. Tsuna smiled at the scene. Even though it made her slightly uncomfortable, he knew Chrome was happy to see her friends again.

He tried to leave only to have his sleeve tugged at. He looked down to see Chrome's hand holding it. He looked at her as her eye turned towards his, looking him in the eye, pleading him to stay.

He took a step toward Chrome, and her hand slipped from his sleeve. As the girls began to ask Chrome a storm of questions, Chrome smiled. The girls thought it was because their friend could finally talk to them again.

Tsuna knew it was because of their intertwined fingers.

Two days passed.

Chrome sat on her now fixed mattress, Tsuna next to her. She told him her story. About her greedy mother who tried to turn her into a porcelain doll. Her step father who cared only about his job and the image his boss's thought about his family.

She told him about her love for cats and sweets and how much she missed her real dad, whom she hadn't seen or heard from in over five years. She told him about her dreams both before and after she met Mukuro.

"So you wanted to be a social worker?" Tsuna asked.

Chrome nodded. "I never really liked my life. I figured if fate conspired against me and made me live it out till I was old, in the meantime I might as well try and help people from getting the same fate as me."

"And after you met Mukuro..."

"...everything I did was for him. He helped me get out of my old life. So I wanted to help him get out of his prison, so he may start over as well."

"And now that you've done that, what are you going to do?"

Chrome shook her head. "I haven't given it much thought... I was actually going to concentrate on the short term for a while."

Tsuna looked at her thoughtfully. "Really? and what would that be?"

Chrome blushed. " Well...there's this guy I like...and I think that I'm going to concentrate on making him happy."

Tsuna blushed. But, him being thicker then the average bunker wall, didn't know who she was talking about. "Is it Mukuro?"

She shook her head.

"Hm...what about Ken? he seems pretty into you? Or Chikusa? he has the quiet, sensitive man feeling going. Don't girls like that?"

She shook her head again. "Ken...I thought about him for a while, but I just don't think that it would work with him. And Chikusa has never been interested in me, nor I him."

Tsuna scratched his head. "well...then who?"

Chrome looked at Tsuna, blushing, a smile on her face. "Think boss...think."

And so he did. He thought about the way she had blushed as he fed her ice cream. He thought about the way she had said she would protect him. He thought about the way she had stubbornly stuck with the yoga videos he picked. He thought about the way she had held his hand.

He thought about their almost moment.

Tsuna looked at Chrome, his eyes softening.

She crawled over to him and hugged him around his neck, resting her head against his. "I love you, Tsuna."

His hands surrounded her, slowly stroking her back. "Chrome..."

She shook her head. "Nagi...my name is Nagi."

He pulled away slightly and looked at her. "Nagi..." he corrected. "...do you think Ken or Chikusa will be bursting through the door any second now?"

She shook her head. "Why?" she asked.

Tsuna smiled. "Well, that means we have time."

Chrome tilted her head. "Time...?" she asked.

Tsuna nodded. He softly petted the back of her head, his hand moving from her hair to the back of her neck. He began to rub the back of her neck as she blushed, understanding what he was implying.

She leaned forward as he closed his eyes. When their lips met, he paused for a second to take in everything he was feeling. Her lips that fit his like a glove. Her tongue that slowly passed across his bottom lip. The teeth that he could slightly feel against his lips that seemed to radiate coldness while the rest of her mouth was warm and sweet.

Then he rolled his eyes and began to move his own lips, his tongue brushing up against basically everything inside her mouth as his fingers tangled in her hair, one of his fingers and a thumb softly pinching her earlobe.

She quietly moaned as Tsuna broke off. She stared at him with a warmth that Tsuna had never felt before, and he liked it. He looked at the time and sighed. "Well...I guess I better get going...Ken and Chikusa will be here soon, and you know they don't like me being alone with you..."

"With good reason." she said. "I never know what's going to happen next when you're around." She pressed herself against him, her head beneath his.

Tsuna loved this. These feelings coursing through him. The way that she almost seem to reserve herself for him, being emotionless for all others. It probably wasn't something he should like, but he was a mafia boss who didn't deal drugs, or hurt people, and concentrated only on protecting his friends. He could afford a little bit of obsession.

He stood up. "I really should go, Chrome."

She pouted, a motion that caused Tsuna's legs to turn to jelly. "Fine..." she said.

Tsuna left her room, eager for everyone to finish visiting so he could be alone with his girlfriend.

"...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" everyone finished singing as Tsuna was presented with a large chocolate cake. Everyone was present for their boss's 16th birthday except Hibari, who chose instead to send Kusakabe with a present for Tsuna; a notice that if his grades didn't improve in the next two months, he would be held back a year.

"CONGRAGULATIONS, TO THE EXTREME!" Yelled Ryohei as a package the size of a small wolf was shoved into Tsuna's face. He unwrapped it to find modified boxing gloves.

"Master Pao-Pao gave these to me, saying that if you wore them on top of your other gloves, you could fight me with that EXTREME version of boxing you use!" explained Ryohei.

Tsuna turned his pleading gaze on Reborn, who was smiling under his hat in the corner. "Reborn...help me outta this!" pleaded Tsuna.

Reborn just responded by blowing a bubble out of his nose.

Tsuna was saved by Yamamoto, who was wheeled over by his father, to give Tsuna his present. "Its twenty all you can eat coupons, for a maximum party of thirty five." explained Yamamoto.

"Wai...but, wouldn't that drive your store out of business?" asked Tsuna.

Yamamoto's dad laughed. "Not with all of the business men eating so regularly. Besides, if it's for the boss, then of course you get special rights!"

Tsuna tensed. Their parents were slowly being given information, but none of them understood the scope of what Tsuna was the boss of.

"Hmph...stupid muscle freaks."

Gokudera popped up out of almost nowhere, directly behind Tsuna. He handed Tsuna a skull decorated cube. "Its a rubics cube, Tenth. For just in case you ever have to play therapist for any other stupid woman."

Tsuna sharply looked up at Gokudera. He smiled a smile no one had ever seen before. "Oh, Gokudera-kun? Insult Chrome ever again, and I'll make sure you're the one who needs therapy."

Everything stopped, including Gokudera's heart. All eyes were trained on Tsuna, who only looked at his right hand man, with a steel no one had seen before. Well, except after Uni had died. That didn't turn out so well for Byakuran.

Tsuna, now sure that his threat had been taken seriously, went to go eat some cake.

Tsuna sighed. The party was over, and everyone was milling about his front lawn, not wanting to leave the free food but trying to keep their pride.

"Tsunayoshi" a voice called to him from behind.

Tsuna turned and came face to face with Mukuro. Or rather, neck to face, since Mukuro was a good four or five inches taller than him.

"...Thank you." said Mukuro. He didn't have to elaborate. Tsuna knew that Mukuro may be 'evil', but he had laws and rules. He was contained. The Vongola needed him if they were to remain balanced. But even through all that, he still had a soft spot for his followers. He cared about Chrome's well being just as much as Tsuna.

Mukuro's quick emotional spell over, he softly laughed. "I would give you a present, but from what you said earlier, and the way Chrome can't seem to stop looking at you, I think you've already taken something of mine, no?"

Tsuna's reply was to blush and fumble his words a bit before saying " I'll make her happy."

Mukuro smiled. "you already have."

The kokuyo gang walked over, Ken and Chikusa looking bored but full, MM throwing herself onto Mukuro and complaining about something along the lines of not having enough money for a diamond handbag, and Chrome giving Tsuna a quick hidden wave before blushing and looking at Mukuro.

"Heeeeeeey, Mukuro-san, lets get outta here. They're almost outta food." complained Ken.

"Thanks for the invite." Chikusa said to Tsuna.

Mukuro softly chuckled. "Very well. Something tells me that we've almost worn out our welcome with the other guests anyway." He turned to Tsuna. His smile went from knowing to mischievous. "Just as soon as Chrome gives Tsuna his present, we can all be on our way."

They all looked at Chrome quizzically. Chrome stared at Mukuro with a blush that could've lit a cave. "It wouldn't be fair to us for you to keep it a secret...this way you can kill two birds with one stone." Mukuro replied to an unasked question softly.

Chrome nodded, reaching up and undoing her hair, quickly shaking it out so that it fell down her shoulders properly. She smiled at Tsuna as he tried to remember how to breathe. It wasn't that large of a change, but it seemed as if she had completely remolded herself with that simple action.

She walked over to Tsuna, rolled on her feet, and quickly kissed him. In front of everyone they knew. Pulling back, she winked at Tsuna, saying "See you tomorrow, Tsu-kun."

"Oh yeah." was his not quite lucid reply. "Definitely see you tomorrow, Nagi."

She giggled, then turned and walked away quickly, Mukuro following, escaping just before the barrage of questions hit Tsuna. He waved them all away, turning bak towards his house.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING SAWADA!" Asked Ryohei oh so kindly.

Tsuna looked at his sun guardian, walking backwards as he talked. "The faster I go upstairs and go to sleep, the faster tomorrow comes."

And so saying, he shut his door and was in his bed in under thirty seconds, eagerly awaiting the sun rise.

And thats it. Thanks for reading. Please review, so that I know what you all want out of a story. Until next time.