I realized that I haven't quite done any of the other Guardians except for Takeshi so I figured, why not Chrome next? Also, I realized that I'd only put up angsty stories on this even though it was supposed to have angst and fluff as a sort of heartbreaking omg-im-crying to frick-the-fluff-is-killing-me/can-you-not. This one features both her as Nagi and Chrome and while I tried to make it flow smooth as possible, please let me know if you can see anyway to make it better, and please enjoy!

Summary: It is single-handedly the most ironic thing that has ever happened to Chrome-the people who made her miserable the first half of her life caused her utmost happiness and joy for the rest of it. Her parents hated her and never wanted her, but when she looks at Mukuro-sama and Boss, she barely remembers who they were anyways. Who could ever be unhappy when they had all this?

She knows her parents didn't want her-she was unexpected, a variable that didn't fit in their perfect lives filled with models and millionaires-the plus sign who had the nerve to show up when her mom took a pregnancy test. Of course, they never say it to her face, and the first four years of her life are pretty normal; she gets toys, they have the decency to pretend they wanted her, and her nanny becomes the only person she can call her friend.

Then she starts seeing the little things. The way her mother looks at her sometimes after she comes back from a party or the way the smiles they have are so plastic Nagi can almost hear their skin stretching-the way her parents argue most nights when they send her off to bed after the nanny leaves.

"I can't believe I have to deal with this! I went to the lunch today with the girls and one of them was talking about how adorable her baby is and how she's so worth all those nine months and then they turn to me and start asking me about her!"

"So?"

"What do you mean 'so'? Have you seen that girl? She's always pale and her hair is the most horrid color I've ever seen-which she gets from your side, by the way! She can't even talk properly with her stupid stutter! The only reason I kept her is because your parents wanted a grandkid, and look what happened. She's not even normal, forget something I can talk about. Ugh, this is all your fault."

"My fault!? What do you mean, my fault? You're the one who had to go around telling everybody you were pregnant and that you were so excited to have a damn baby!"

"Well, you-"

It only gets worse from there. At one point, her mother stops pretending all together and barely spends time in the house, much less with her. Her father's busy with his company and her nanny quits when Nagi's eight because her husband is weak and needs more help after a recent heart attack.

They don't bother hiring another nanny.

She's hidden from the public eye under the excuse of her fragile health, an embarrassment to her family and name. She goes to a private elementary school and hides her face, clutching to her books as a lifeline and walking as fast as she can to avoid the whispers and laughter. One day, she hears a group of girls chatting about a new makeup line and remembers the huge collection her mother has at home. Biting her lip, she thinks that maybe-just maybe-if she put makeup on and wore prettier clothes, her mom would like her more and her dad would stop hiding her from his friends.

Grabbing for her courage and holding onto it tightly, she purses her lips and pulls out the shiny debit card her dad had given her a long time ago. She's never need anything or used it before, but she figures she might as well start now.

Nagi books an appointment at a salon and gets her hair, nails, and makeup done, paying special attention to what the lady there tells her about all of it. She looks at herself in the mirror before she leaves and blinks at the girl who stares back at her. It might not be a lot (she'd been too nervous to do anything too adventurous) but she really does see a difference and it lifts her spirits. All she needs is a pretty dress to finish this off, something her mother would approve of. Too scared of walking into a designer store in a pair of jeans and a sweater, she rummages through her closet to find that one with the floral pattern her nanny had sent her for her birthday and puts it on after ironing it meticulously.

It's like a totally different girl is in her place, but she feels hopeful that maybe this is what it'll take for to be the daughter they need, they daughter they could want.

The doorbell rings and she answers nervously, knowing from the impatient tip-tap from behind the door it's her mother in all her heeled and shiny glory, waiting for her open the door. She's probably carrying tons of shopping bags and can't be bothered to take her key out.

When Nagi opens the door, she doesn't recognize her.

"Oh, hello," she says, doing a double-take when she opens her mouth to complain at her daughter and instead finds this surprise. "Are you…friends with my daughter? I'm sorry about that girl, making a guest open the door for her-she's absolutely ridiculous. Can't do anything right. I'm surprised she was able to make friends at all, much less such a cute one like you. I don't why you chose to hang with someone like her, but thank you for lowering yourself to her level."

"Hello, auntie," Nagi whispers, her throat clogging up. "It was no problem, I was just on my way out."

Swallowing, she dips her head vaguely in her mother's direction and runs out the door. Her mother will probably figure it out eventually once she realizes no one else was in the house and might be angry that she ran off but at the moment she can't really bring herself to care. She's used to being a hopeless case and she already knew how they felt, damn it, but it still feels like someone stabbed her. Her chest hurts and she feels tears burning at her eyes and it's difficult walking in heels even if they're the tiny ones.

She runs as fast as she can with not a single place in mind, just feeling the need to get as far as she can from that house and her mother. At one point it starts raining and she doesn't notice until she starts getting use to the pain in her feet and slips, breaking one of her new heels in the process. She's soaking wet and her knees burn as the scrapes come to life but she still thinks it would be better than another minute in her house right now.

By some stroke of luck, nobody's decided to brave the deluge for whatever reason they normally have and she's sitting all alone on the sidewalk, watching cars pass.

'I wish I was a car," she thinks suddenly, watching the light from the cars fade into the distance. 'I'd drive far, far away from here and do whatever I want. I'd see pretty flowers and animals and eat tasty things and never ever have to feel like this again.'

She's lost in thought when she hears a distant 'mrrow' and sees a dirty and tiny kitten trying to make its way across the street. She stares at it as it pads across the road, splashing into puddles and shaking water off its fur, nearly all skin and bones. She was never allowed to have a pet. Distantly, she notices the truck coming and stares at the cat.

'Get out of the way,' she wants to yell, but she can't. 'Look out! It's coming right behind you!'

She suddenly thinks about its so young, how it deserves more than to be hit by a car and lay there until someone takes pity on it and moves it off the road. She's seen people drive over dead cats and dogs all the time, as if there wasn't an animal who had died and was still there, waiting for someone, anyone, to lay them to rest. She wonders what its like to be constantly surrounded by the sound of rushing cars and horns honking in traffic as you die young. Before she knows what she's doing, Nagi kicks her heels off and throws herself across the crosswalk, reaching the cat just in enough time to curl around it protectively as the truck's horn blares.

"I've got you, neko-chan," she murmurs right before everything blacks out.

Years pass and Chrome never once regrets the decision she made that day. She laughs and laughs the first time she realizes her parents had inadvertently made her the happiest she's ever been by refusing to give up their lives so she could live.

The very people who ruined her life and hated her brought her the one thing she wanted most: a family.

Chrome likes this one so much more than anything she and her parents could have been-so when Tsuna, her beloved Boss, nervously asks her if she ever feels like she wants her old family back while fidgeting, she smiles at him.

She does have one other person to thank than her parents and Boss, though. Scanning the crowd, Chrome perks up when she sees his familiar hair and makes her way to him. Smiling widely, she sneaks up behind him and pecks his cheek with a giggle.

"Kufufu, and may I ask what that was for?" Mukuro asks amusedly, turning to face her and dropping his conversation with one of the guests.

"I love you," she answers cheerfully, and Mukuro's eyes soften. He lifts her chin and places a soft kiss against her forehead and smirks.

"Same," he says before Chrome loses him in the sea of guests rushing forward to greet her. It's okay though-he knows she meant it, if only because the last time she ever said 'I love you' to someone she had been five.

"Alright, let's get out of here," a whisper comes from her right and a harried looking Tsuna appears. "Come on, I sent Hayato and Takeshi ahead and the others are on their way, quick! Kyouya already left long ago and I can't take another one of those women pinching my cheeks again. If I never have to go to one of these parties again, it'll still be too soon."

Chrome laughs and they sneak out, politely saying goodbye to their host before exiting and making their way to the limo.

"Thank God," Tsuna mutters, loosening his tie and breathing properly for the first time since he put his suit on. "I thought I was going to end up being carried out of there pale and lifeless before they left me alone. I probably wouldn't even get a break then-I'm telling you, this bachelor thing is a serious danger to my health. Why did I decide to go solo again?"

"Because we're all you need," Chrome answered, hesitating before laying her head on his shoulder. While she had grown more confident and was now able to casually touch the other Guardians, she still had doubts sometimes and was unsure. They never minded.

"True," Tsuna replied, finally grinning at her as the others climbed in and they scooted over. "By the way…"

"Hmm?" she asked, watching Lambo to make sure he didn't accidentally get his coat caught in the door again.

"I totally saw that kiss with Mukuro earlier," he whispered in her ear.

"I was just saying thank you," Chrome said, blushing when she realized what it might have looked like to everyone else.

"Oh?" Tsuna asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her and sending her into a fit of giggles.

"Kufufu, what are you two talking about over there that has my precious Chrome-chan laughing so hard?" Mukuro asked, raising an eyebrow at Tsuna.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Tsuna retorted cheekily before whispering something in Chrome's ear and causing her to laugh harder.

"B-Boss, I swear," she tried to say through her laughter.

"Shhh, Boss knows best," Tsuna hushed, wrapping his arms around her for effect and pulling her close, stroking her hair. "Don't worry, I'll be sure not to cry when I walk you down the aisle."

"But we're not-I didn't mean-"

"It's okay, Chrome, we'll always love you for who you are, no matter how…questionable your choices may seem," he interrupted her, eyeing Mukuro. By now, the entire car was staring at them and he himself was struggling not to burst into laughter.

"C-come on, Boss," she choked out, tears pooling in her eyes as another giggle slipped through her lips. "You trust my choices, don't you?"

"Please; we all kn-knew this was coming for a l-long time. I don't-I don't even trust my own choices when it comes to Mukuro," Tsuna retorted, giving in and laughing into her shoulder. "Have you heard the l-ladies? Psychopathic and h-horrible hair-sense is what they want in a m-man now. He's the new b-bad boy."

They fell over each other laughing and the entire car watched them, unable to hear their quiet conversation and watching them incredulously.

"Are they drunk?" Lambo asked Takeshi warily, who simply laughed.

"Nah, they're just having a bit of fun," he answered cheerfully, watching them with a smile on his lips. In fact, all of them were smiling now; Chrome had opened up, yes, but it was still a treat hearing her laugh though she gave her smiles as freely as she could. It was nice.

After they finished, occasionally hiccupping with a stray laugh, Tsuna leaned his forehead against Chrome's.

"Seriously though," he told her, searching her eyes, "you know we'll be happy for you no matter what you choose and love you, right? I mean, really, Mukuro? But we do."

"I know," she said, her smile tooth-less but beautiful all the same.

"Good," he nodded, pulling away.

"So," Lambo broke in, "mind telling us what that was about?"

"Chrome's questionable choices in life," Tsuna answered promptly, his answer startling the rest of the Guardians.

"Questionable choices?" they echoed.

"What do you mean, questionable choices?" Hayato demanded, turning in his seat to look at Chrome properly.

"They're really not that questionable," Chrome started, only to freeze as they all started shouting at once.

"Alright, alright," Tsuna soothed, raising his hands for silence. All at once, they all turned to him in stopped talking. "I feel that as Chrome's famiglia, we should support her choices, no matter how insane they seem and Chromego!"

So busy in their questioning, the other Guardians hadn't noticed the car rolling nearing the house until Tsuna threw open his door and shoved Chrome out while it was still moving, snagging Mukuro by the sleeve and sending him out with her.

"Run," he called out, cupping his hands around his mouth. "I'll distract them!"

"What?" Mukuro asked, still thrown off from being tossed outside the moving car and into the cold. Chrome giggled and waved bye, mouthing a thank you to which Tsuna responded with a wink.

"Go get 'em, tiger," he whispered before rolling the window up and facing the rest of his dumbfounded Guardians.

"Come on," Chrome said after a moment, summoning her courage and grabbing his hand. "We have to go before they catch up or Boss will be angry at me for making his sacrifice useless."

She led him away, her heels clicking against the pavement, pulling him along while running as best as she could in them. Her heart was thudding loudly in her ears and she could feel the warmth of his hand seep into hers; she grinned as loud shouts were carried by the wind and pumped her legs faster.

She thought of that night a few years ago when Tsuna had asked her if she wanted her parents or to walk away from being one of his two Mist Guardians.

'Are you sure you don't want your parents or-or any other friends from before?' Tsuna asked uncomfortably, fidgeting and looking unsurely at her.

'Boss,' Chrome answered with heartfelt sincerity, 'I have never in my wildest dreams wanted what you gave me anyway. You are my family; you're the only ones I need.'

Tsuna stared at her before a grin broke across his face.

'I feel the same,' he whispered as he hugged her slowly, still somewhat hesitant.

She buried her face in his shoulder and said 'thank you' to God for what seemed like the thousandth time since she died and met Rokudo Mukuro.

"Kufufu, you'll need to be faster than that to outrun them," Mukuro chuckled, the kanji in his eye switching to the one for physical strength. Blinking, she shrieked wordlessly as he picked her up bridal style and ran. Throwing her head back and feeling the cold wind run its way through her hair, she grinned and sent her dearest wish into the sky as a shooting star flew by.

'I hope this never changes.'

So while I made Chrome more open and less shy, she's still not as boisterous as say, Haru. She's more at a Kyoko level now in those terms. Anyways, while I left the ship for Tsuna open, I kind of tipped the direction towards 6996. If it's not your ship, then whatever because I can't help what you ship and don't ship, but if is, great for you! Either way, I hope you guys find this satisfactory because I'm going to go slink into a schoolwork filled hole right now.

~ForeverBlackSun

Published 2/18/2015