Author's Note: Remember that poll I posted on my profile before Christmas? If not, it was concerning which of my four favorite KHR couples I should write a short romance one-shot for. Well, I finally wrote it! Took me long enough... anyway, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

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• {In So Many Words} •

"Oh, I-pin! You look so beautiful!" Haru giggled at the slim Chinese girl, who's cheeks were as red as her silk dress. "I'm so glad you asked us to help you get readying for your first date!"

"I'm glad you accepted!" The seventeen year old answered, examining herself in the mirror. "When I looked in my closet, I almost panicked, thinking I had nothing to wear! But then you guys showed up and now... oh, just thank you all!" I-pin threw her arms around the nearest woman, who happened to be Kyoko.

"Oh, you're welcome, I-pin-chan!" She returned the hug. "It's so cute to think you have your first admirer!"

"Though we did all think it would be Lambo." Hana remarked causally. "Not that I'm disappoint."

"Hana!" Kyoko reprimanded her best friend sharply.

"I do like Lambo-most of the time-but he is a bit of a good-for-nothing. I think I-pin's going out with other people may straighten him out a lot more than being with him would."

"It really doesn't matter," I-pin interrupted politely. "As Lambo-kun and I don't see each other that way; we're perfectly content being friends."

"Really?" Haru raised an eyebrow, obviously not convinced.

"It's true!"

"It reminds me of mine and Tsu-kun's first date." Kyoko skillfully changed the conversation.

Chrome, who had been quietly listening to her friends' comical interactions, now asked, "Could you tell us about it, Kyoko-chan? It's a very sweet story."

The young wife laughed gratefully. "Oh, Chrome-chan! Why would I bore anyone with that old story tonight? Maybe someone else has something they'd like to share?"

"Oh! I do!" Haru waved her hand above her head, the childishness in the girl having not disappeared in the young woman. "Hayato did the sweetest thing, yesterday!"

"Hayato?" I-pin and Hana asked together.

"He doesn't exactly strike us as the 'sweet' type."

"He has his moments!" The brunette replied, indignant for her fiancé. "Anyway, we went shopping yesterday for a wedding dress. Of course, right off Mr. Superstitious was all nervous about the thing. 'It's bad luck for the man to see the woman in her dress before the wedding!' Ugh, it was all I could do to keep my temper! But I eventually got him to the bridel store and we found a nice clerk to help us. But every single dress I tried on he turned down! 'That one's too big. That one's too small. That one's too white.'"

"I'm sorry, but I'm missing the whole 'sweet' thing." Hana interrupted.

"I'm getting to that. After about the eighth dress he degraded, my nerves were so shot I couldn't stand it anymore. I finally yelled at him to buy his own dress and wear it down the aisle, before marching off to sit on a bench and cry. After a few minutes, Hayato came over to me. I figured he was going to yell at me for making a scene, but instead he completely shocked me by bending down and kissing my cheek gently. As if that wasn't enough, he then told me to buy whatever dress I wanted, because he wasn't getting married for the party or the outfits or the food, but for the woman who meant more than any of that stuff."

"Aw..." A quiet sigh, that which only a woman can produce at such events, came from each of the mafia females in the room.

Haru's face suddenly had a smug grin on it. "See? I told you Hayato could be sweet!"

"Oh, it's so nice to be in love!" Kyoko swooned. "Always having someone there to comfort and care for you and to do the same to. When I think about it, it makes me fall in love with Tsu-kun all over again!"

"You're just a silly girl!" Hana shook her head wisely. "Marriage isn't easy, but that's the impression you seem to be giving these poor maidens." She gestured to Haru, I-pin and Chrome. "I should know. I have one of the loudest men in the entire world for a mate! It's a woman's job to keep her husband in line and make sure he behaves properly. In my case, I have my hands full trying to keep Ryohei's voice at a normal pitch."

The women shared a long laugh at this. As soon as she recovered her voice, though, Kyoko asked, "Chrome, what do you do for Mukuro?"

The warning looks from the other women came too late. The purple haired twenty-four year old was busy pinning up I-pin's long black hair expertly. As soon as the question left Kyoko's mouth, though, the hairpin in Chrome's hand missed and stuck her finger painfully.

"W-what do you mean?" She asked softly, trying to sound causal about the touchy subject.

"W-well," Kyoko began, wishing she hadn't brought it up. "I mean... so you like Mukuro?"

For a minute or two, Chrome went on silently doing I-pin's hair. "Yes, he's very good to me." She finally answered.

"Okay." Kyoko tried to let the conversation end there, but Haru's curiosity got the better of her.

"And does he like you?"

Again Chrome was silent, biting her lower lip as she diligently continued her work. "I... I don't know.

"I mean, we do spend a lot of time together." The illusionist continued, hating the pitiful looks her friends gave her. "But, we haven't exactly stated anything that would mean we were a couple..."

"I haven't seen you dating anyone." Hana remarked.

"I-I don't know many men..."

"Maybe you should go out more." I-pin suggested.

"You should come shopping in town with us more often." Haru offered.

"We could introduce you to some people." Kyoko agreed.

"T-thank you..." Chrome tried to smile, but at that moment she really just wanted to get away from her friends and their helpful offers. "But I'm fine."

She finished I-pin's hair quickly, then excused herself from the room. She spent the next few days avoiding the other women.

•~•~•~•~•~•

"Chrome? You haven't finished your chocolate. Kufufu~ that's quite unlike you." Mukuro purred teasingly.

The other illusionist wasn't paying attention to the sweet in her hand. Her thoughts were faraway, in the private room with the rest of the Vongola women last week. Their words, questions and offers played repeatedly in her head, making Chrome cringe and scowl.

"Nagi? Are you alright?"

The purple head finally returned to the present. "I-I'm sorry, Mukuro-sama. Did you say something?"

"Nothing really," He replied coolly, studying Chrome's face critically. The woman blushed under the stare.

The two illusionists were coming back from a small mission within a large, Greek city. At Tsuna's request, they had set special security cameras throughout an entire underground mafia base, to keep an eye on the suspicious doings of one of the Families who was requesting an alliance with the Vongola. In case the cameras were discovered more quickly than anticipated, the Decimo had sent his two most inconspicuous guardians, with the orders of get in, walk out as if nothing had happened. They weren't even allowed to make a getaway as soon as the mission was done. The car had to be parked outside of the city.

"The more people you're around, the less likely you are to be spotted. Or, the more people who spot you, the more casual your visit seems and the less likely you are to be considered suspicious!"

Chrome found this reasoning of her boss' a bit strange, but she couldn't blame him. He had returned from his honey moon nine months ago and was still spending countless nights trying to catch up on the paperwork.

Mukuro and Chrome walked for sometime in silence. Even in her uncomfortable state of mind, the female illusionist couldn't help but appreciate the beautiful city around them. The beige bricks that made the buildings and streets. The greenery that flourished in the late summer air. The clear blue sky that stretched out in all directions and the golden sun that beat down gently on the large crowds of tourists and citizens that were walking under its embracing rays.

I wish I wasn't in such a bad mood so I could actually enjoy it. Chrome smiled weakly to herself, feeling foolish that the words of her friends still stun. They didn't mean it! You're just being stupid, now.

"Chrome," Mukuro asked again.

"Yes, Mukuro-sama?" Chrome answered this time.

"I know something has been bothering you for the past few days, and I'd like it if you would tell me what it is."

Chrome looked at her mentor in naive surprise. Mukuro laughed softly. "Kufufu~ you really don't think I know my little Chrome well enough to know when she is or is not herself? You've been unusually quiet lately, even for you. You have been avoiding your various female friends and are not eating your chocolate. Now tell me what's wrong or I shall have to find out for myself."

"M-Mukuro-sama," Chrome stuttered. "I... It's just... Sigh, I'm sorry, Mukuro-sama. Kyoko, Haru, Hana and I-pin said something the other day that upset me. I know they didn't mean to, but I just haven't been able to forget it. I'm sorry if I have been unpleasant, lately..."

They again walked in silence for a few moments. When he saw that she wasn't going to continue, Mukuro asked, "What did they say?"

"Oh, nothing!" Chrome tried to laugh, but it sounded much more nervous than she had even expected. "They were just talking about I-pin's first date and how sweet Gokudera-san is to Haru-chan and how nice marriage is for Kyoko-chan and Hana-san! And then, Kyoko asked me if you and I were in love! It was... funny..."

Chrome knew she sounded like a fool and wished she had bitten her tongue off rather than said those words. She watched anxiously to see if they would have any affect on the other illusionist's features, but Mukuro's face remained as hard to read as ever.

"And what did you say?" He asked casually.

"I said I wasn't sure." She whispered, dropping her head in shame that she had brought it up.

How could I do that to Mukuro-sama! She screamed at herself. Why did I say anything?

Chrome and Mukuro walked on in silence, the former in a state of agitation. They entered a particularly crowed market area, where wooden stalls with fruits, vegetables and tourist items were for sale. One stall held beautiful porcelain figures.

The most prominent statue was of two people, a man and a woman, holding hands and smiling. It was beautiful, with a mixture of whites, greens and purples. Without thinking about it, both illusionists stopped to take a long look.

"It's amazing." Chrome breathed in awe. Mukuro didn't answer, but just continued to stare at the statue.

Eventually, Chrome began to walk away, looking forward to getting the long journey over with and locking herself in her room. She hadn't gone very far when she relized Mukuro wasn't following her.

"Mukuro-sama?" She asked in concern.

He was still staring at the statue, his eyes focused on it intently. Finally he turned to face Chrome, his usual smirk growing on his face.

"Chrome, I'm sorry."

The young woman stared at Mukuro in confusion. "What for, Mukuro-sama?"

"For not saying anything. I've never been one to tell everyone my thougts or feelings and I never will be; but sometimes you have to, if you want anything to be different."

He pulled Chrome closer to him, his mismatching red and blue eyes staring kindly into her pale face. "Nagi, I do love you. You were never a normal girl; you weren't afraid of me when we first met, you trusted me, you grew stronger at first for me, but then for yourself, which made me love you more. You aren't the naive child you were when we first met. But a strong, independent woman. But you still need that acceptance from me and now I realize I've been more than a fool for not showing it to you. Nagi, will you forgive me and marry me?"

"W-what?" Chrome muttered weakly.

"Nagi, will you-"

"Of course!" She cried, interrupting Mukuro.

"Kufufu~" And then he leaned in and kissed her.

"Aw...!" The crowd of people who had gathered around the unsuspecting illusionists cheered loudly and even cried at the sweetness of the situation.

"Decimo is not going to be pleased," Mukuro smirked, still holding Chrome. "We were supposed to not draw attention to ourselves."

"Boss will understand." Chrome smiled.

"Kufufu~ I believe he'll have to."

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Ending Note: Well, that was my first attempt at romance (not including Bambino, but I think that wasn't quite the same or as hard to write)! My sister said it wasn't very good... or "not my best", actually. But at least I tried, right? If you have any suggestions, I would be more than grateful to hear them!

(: Thank you for reading! Please review! :)