Mukuro blinked at the solemn face before him. "Chrome? Do you not know what Christmas is?"

Chrome didn't look up from where she was currently staring at the ground. "H-hai Boss. My parents were n-never around much and I heard Lambo-kun yelling about Christmas p-presents and-"

"Chrome," Mukuro interrupted, wondering at what Chrome's childhood must have been like if she had to ask what Christmas was. "Your paren- no, that scum does not deserve to even be called human for what you must have suffered. " His red eye burned bright with fury. "We'll make it up to you this Christmas. In fact, Vongola is celebrating with a Christmas party tomorrow so why don't we attend?"

"B-but Mukuro-sama, you-"

"No buts, my dear Chrome. We need to show you what Christmas is."


As soon as Chrome had given him a smile and run off, Mukuro was immediately shaking Ken and Chikusa awake. Chikusa merely opened his eyes to question his master silently while Ken groaned half-slid, half-fell out of his tangled blankets.

"Get up," the Mist Guardian ordered. "We're going out today to surprise Chrome with presents for Christmas."

"Mukuro-sama." Ken mumbled around his pillow. "Merry Christmas to you."

Chikusa started to pull his clothes on while frowning at Ken. "It's Christmas Eve, Ken."

Ken whined and sat up, his hair sticking up wildly. "Kaki-pi! You told me that it was Christmas!"

Chikusa merely snorted and stood. "I said Christmas was tomorrow, you just didn't hear all of it because you were too busy jumping around in excitement."

Ken's reply was cut off by his shriek as Mukuro flung the curtains open, unleashing the sunlight into the room.


Twenty minutes later, Ken and Chikusa found themselves being dragged along the newly opened shopping strip in Namimori. Mukuro was towing them along a speedy pace, turning his head to peer into the windows of every store they passed, all the while muttering fiercely under his breath.

Ken's stomach grumbled loudly as they passed a sweet shop advertising a sale on chocolate for Christmas. Then Chikusa could literally see it when a bright idea popped into his mind. "I know what to get Chrome for Christmas!"

Chikusa pushed his glasses farther up his nose and peered at Ken. "You seem enthusiastic enough to get Chrome a present." Ken's reaction blush was instantaneous.

"S-shut up, you four-eyed kappa! I'm just buying her a present like Mukuro-sama told us to!"

"Knowing you and your simple-minded way of thinking, I doubt you'd get something she'd appreciate. You don't even know what she likes." In reply, Ken scowled at him.

"It's not like you could do any better!"

"Well I hardly think you could find a suitable enough gift for Chrome."

"I could! It isn't that hard to find a present for such a stupid girl!"

"Kufufufu, no need to fight over something so petty, boys. Obviously, my dear Chrome will like my gift best."

Chikusa's eyes flared at the words. "Do want to see who can get a present that Chrome likes best?"

Mukuro's eyes narrowed at the challenge. "Why would I bother when I will have the winning gift?"

Ken grinned and his tongue lolled out in excitement. "I'll meet you guys back here at sunset!"

In a flurry of green and blonde, he dashed off into a side street, leaving Chikusa blinking after him and Mukuro swiftly scanning all visible shop windows.


Ken was practically twitching with excitement as he burst into the shop he'd spotted earlier, nearly running down an orange-haired girl exiting the shop. His stomach growled with anticipation as he contemplated the wide variety of sweets before him, before remembering that he wasn't here to fill his stomach. He ran his eyes over the refrigerated displays of brightly decorated cakes and cookies and frowned. Chikusa had been right when he'd said that Ken had no idea what Chrome liked.

Ken canvassed the entire store twice before a flicker on a shelf caught his eye. Pushing aside jars of candied walnuts, Ken reached behind a stack of packaged peanut butter brittle to close his hand around the purple sparkle.


There! Mukuro spotted a shop he deemed acceptable and strode down the sidewalk, his destination a colorfully decorated shop four doors down. However, when he swung the door open, he collided with a…Christmas tree? Who in the six paths of hell places a Christmas tree in the doorway?

Then the Christmas tree shifted to the right, and Mukuro realized it was a moving Christmas tree. Then he looked down and realized it was a…girl? Wearing the Christmas tree.

"Hahi! I'm so sorry! I couldn't see where I was going, desu!" The purple haired girl bobbed her head and attempted to exit out the door.

Mukuro nearly went blind at the sheer amount of lights and shimmer radiating from the girl's Christmas costume. Trying not to stare directly into the eye-watering mass, he looked away from the twinkling Christmas lights and promptly laid eyes on an even more disturbing sight that topped even the horrors he'd seen in hell.

A huge overly muscular man with a horrible excess of body hair was standing behind the counter, attempting to cosplay Sailor Moon. How Mukuro knew where the girly pink outfit was from, he'd never tell but he shuddered, wondering if there was enough bleach waiting for him when he returned to Kokuyo Land.

Mukuro gingerly approached the countertop. The man eyed him as he neared, shifting his weight and folding his arms across his hairy chest.

He began smoothly, trying not to think about the grotesque image he was being treated to.

"I'm looking for a certain outfit…"


Chikusa would be damned if the other two got better presents than he did. Strolling through the stores, he idly thought of Chrome's interests. He remembered her spending time with that one orange haired girl that was tolerable, and the purple haired girl that was a bit less tolerable. After she spent the daywith them, she would always come home with delicious food.

She must really love to cook, he mused. Chikusa glanced around and spotted a home appliance store. He thought over it briefly, but dismissed it. There really was no point in getting her cookware or cutlery when they had no kitchen.

He let out a small sigh.

"Ah… You're… you're the person Chrome-chan always hangs around with." Chikusa heard a sweet, clear voice.

Chikusa looked up to see that orange haired girl that he'd just been thinking about. She had a couple of bags from the sweets store down the street. Lucky for him, he could ask her a thing or two about cooking.

"Hi," he stated hesitantly.

The girl giggled lightly. "Hello, Merry Christmas. I could swear I saw one of your friends near the sweet shop."

He glanced sideways; that must have been Ken, and mumbled, "Merry Christmas… I was wondering if I could ask you something about Chrome." The girl looked surprised for a bit before smoothing her face into a gentle smile. "What is it? You can ask me anything," she replied.

"Do you know anything cooking related I could get for Chrome? Nothing that's associated with the actual cooking part though, for our lack of a kitchen." The sentence came out rushed because he was feeling a tad self-conscious about openly admitting his care for Chrome.

Luckily the girl seemed to pick up on his discomfort, and didn't question him. "Just down the street there is a really nice bookstore with a bunch of new cook books," she pointed to his right, "you should get her a nice cookbook. I'm sure she will love it." The girl gave him a small smile before bowing slightly to take her leave. Chikusa thanked her and made his way down the street. He had spent too much time idly wandering around; the sun was already starting to set.

He quickly made his way to the bookstore where he found a great amount of different cookbooks. Not wanting to waste any more time he picked up the nearest cookbook, which coincidentally turned out to be for Italian dishes.


Chikusa could feel his stomach rebelling. The stench of wet dog was overpowering and he could barely resist the urge to retch.

They'd gotten to Kokuyo Land, only to find that Chrome had already returned before them. Mukuro had shoved them into the nearest closet and they proceeded to huddle there while Chrome peered curiously into the "empty" hallway. After the sound of her footsteps had faded away, the three boys burst out of the closet, Chikusa heaving deep breaths while glaring at Ken. "How many times have I told you take a bath? You smell worse than a possum that with natto breath. "

"And you would know what a possum with natto breath smells like." Ken retorted.

Mukuro jabbed them both in the ribs. "Shut up, you two. Chrome might come back if she hears you being loud."

"But what about the presents, byon?" Ken hopped up and down excitedly. "What did you get her, Kaki-pi? I bet my present is better. Do we give them to her now? She'll like my present best, byon!"

Chikusa pushed his glasses up and glared daggers at Ken. "I'm not telling you what I got for her. You'll have to wait and see when we give her our presents tomorrow when it's Christmas, which is when you're supposed to give presents. "

At that moment, Chrome decided to reappear, her footsteps echoing as she approached.

Ken was lifted up and thrown into the closet on top of the presents they'd hidden there, Mukuro dragging a protesting Chikusa in after him.

Chrome once again surveyed the hallway. She could have sworn she'd heard voices in there but it was as empty as it had been two minutes ago. Hmm, where could Mukuro-sama be? He wasn't in his room nor were Ken and Chikusa in theirs. She decided to look on the upper levels one more time, unaware of Chikusa gagging on Ken less than two feet from her.