A/N: And now, my first official 2796 fic! This is a request fic from LittLEMizZy, so I hope you'll like the story~ Please R and R people of the world and I hope the characters aren't too OOC, I hate those even when reading a fic so, let's get it started!

When I was typing this; I was listening to Arigatou by Kokai so… if you try it while listening to this… I dunno; maybe you'll feel it too? Plus, it sorta became my inspiration :)

Disclaimer: I don't and never will own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! And now if you will all excuse me… I'll be on the corner and sulk all about it.

Important

-0-morbidsweetie13-0-

x-x

What is the most important thing for you?

Your guitar?

Your pendant?

Your cell phone?

It may not be a material thing, maybe an important person; a friend, a family member, a loved one.

For Chrome Dokuro, there is little for her to treasure. She left everything that was connecting her from Nagi, her former self. The sheltered little rich girl that was anti-social and never once played with others outside when she was younger because her mother forbids it. She left her clothes, those itchy clothes that were very hard to breathe in; she left the lifestyle of having maids, those very women who gossiped at any moment when they wish. She left her parents; more specifically her mother; she never knew her own father, she heard from the maids that her father left her mother when she became pregnant. Is it her fault? That her mother became a very bitter woman that she won't try to save her own daughter's life? Her fault that her mother became so vain with herself that she forgot that she even has a child?

Sometimes, when it was raining outside, she would just bundle up with her thin blanket and close her eyes, wishing for it to stop and if she was lucky, she might get a glimpse of a rainbow. She remembered it vaguely; it was raining and she was lying on the hospital bed. Her body was prodded by doctors and impaled by numerous needles and she could hear the soft beeping of a machine. She could also hear the doctors explaining to her mother about her condition;

"Madam, please; think about your daughter's life!"

"So you're saying that I should give my organs to replace hers so she could live? That's not a very good theory doctor; I'm paying thousands of yen just to get her treated. Tsk, that stupid child, just for a dirty, disgusting cat."

After that, she blocked out their voices and just wandered off to her subconscious. There, she met the strolling Rokudo Mukuro, and was she beguiled by him. Not because of the words he used, nor was his appearance but rather the gentleness he emitted when he approached her. No one had ever been gentle with her; no one in their house, no one at her school, absolutely no one. He promised to let her live, as long as she comes with him, and she accepts without hesitation; a chance to be free from those chains, a chance to live like a regular person, anything, absolutely anything just to get away from the miserable life she has.

0x0

Those chains, ever restraining, are still around her. She knows, she always knows there is no such thing as absolute freedom. She currently is in the Namimori Park, munching on a chocolate pocky while watching the park's new fountain. This was a rare opportunity for her just to sit back and take it easy, like a normal middle school girl. Though her appearance screamed weird since her hair is in shape of a fruit she doesn't like, she' wearing an eye patch like she came out of a pirate movie and wearing a military uniform from a school that was at least a mile away from where she was staying. It was a fine summer's day and children are enjoying their free time playing with each other. It was a tranquil scene, except for-

"Get to it!"

"Gyaaaah! Wait, don-!"

BANG!

She jumped from the bench she was sitting and peeked behind the trees to see Tsuna being chased around by Reborn with a tire tied on his back. "Reborn, this is torture!" Tsuna cried with tears cascading from his eyes like waterfalls. Reborn kept on firing on his feet so that he would move faster, "Idiot, this is what we trainers called 'Tough Love'!" 'Why don't I feel any love?' Tsuna cried in his mind as he kept running in circles but stepped on a rock and tumbled with the heavy tire on his back. Reborn sighed and muttered, "Useless…" and walked towards Chrome's hiding place.

"Ciaossu, Chrome" he nodded, while Chrome blushed at being caught by the hitman; "I'm sorry! I was– I wasn't-"

"I'm just going to buy something, make sure dame-Tsuna runs ten laps with that tire on his back. And make sure it's ten or else both of you will be in serious trouble." Reborn ordered, "You seem reliable, if I took Gokudera here, he will be the one carrying the tire for that clumsy Tsuna"

"…"

Chrome didn't say anything as she doesn't know how to react. If she will have to guard the boss, then it would mean that she would have to stay with him. The thought made her cringe, not because she dislikes him, it's quite the opposite really. He was kind, caring and brave. He gives her food even when she told him it's not necessary and always checks up on her in Kokuyo from time to time, much to Ken's irritation.

"Ah, Chrome!" Tsuna yelled as he sat on the ground as sweat fell from his forehead down to his T-shirt. She nervously looked down and her voice quivered, "Hai… Reborn-san… the baby; asked me to guard you. Is it acceptable?" she asked as she looked up to see Tsuna scratching the back of his neck meekly, "Oh… sorry for dragging you into this. Reborn had been all out since after the fight with Byakuran, it's like he's a trainer from hell…" he grumbled as he rotated his shoulders then sighed as he felt something pop from his shoulder. He stood up straight and wiped the sweat from his face, "Well, I better start before Reborn comes back. Um… can you count how many laps I've made? I sometimes lose count…" She nodded and silently leaned on one of the surrounding trees as Tsuna started to run again.

She focused on his face, even if he looks innocent and, dare she say it, with a weak constitution; his face was ablaze with determination and focus as he turned and ran until she could see his legs were already protesting. She waved at him to stop, telling him that he already made ten laps. He gratefully took off the rope from his back and the tire fell in a dull thud. He sat next to Chrome who stiffened at the almost close contact; Tsuna misinterpreted her action and scratched his head meekly, "I'm sorry; I must've smelled terrible…" She quickly shook her head, "No! You don't smell anything at all… you- um…" she trailed off and looked down with her warm face.

Minutes ticked by before Tsuna broke the silence, "How have you been lately? Have you been eating well?" Chrome stared at him like he was growing a pineapple out of his head and made him blush like he spouted out nonsense. "I'm… fine…" she whispered, making Tsuna strain closer to hear. He looked up and said, "That's good. I was beginning to worry that you're always eating chocolates-" He noticed her fidget and sweat dropped, "Oh… you're still eating them huh?" She didn't say anything as she held her school bag close to her. Tsuna exhaled loudly, making her look at him as he scratched lightly on his cheek, "You shouldn't always eat junk food, it's not healthy."

'That's all I can afford' she answered in her mind yet she said nothing, making Tsuna look at her with worry, "Chrome? D'you want to talk about it?" now he felt like he's trying to be a counselor. She opened her mouth but closed again; she did this several times, making her look like a fish gasping to breathe. It took a couple more minutes before,

"Boss?"

"Hm? Nani?"

"… what's the most important thing to be strong?" she asked him, her eye looking into his brown ones.

He blinked a couple of moments before exploding, "EEEEH? Why did you ask me that? I'm not that strong, you should ask Gokudera-kun, or Yamamoto-kun or Hiba- on second thought, don't ask Hibari-san!" Chrome waited for him to calm down and leaned on the tree they were sharing, "I'm not that strong to protect myself before meeting Reborn. I was always the wallflower. I'm a failure when it comes to academics and sports. Really… what kind of Mafia boss am I going to be?" he more likely asked himself as he hugged his knees with his arms.

Chrome watched the emotions flooding on Tsuna's face and hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look at his slightly with a look in his eyes that she have never seen before from him. Insecurity. She thought she was the only one who'd ever experienced it, understandable due the countless times she was insulted, pitied and protected in a way that she can't be known by her own existence but rather in an alias of "Rokudo Mukuro's vessel" She took a deep breath, hoping she can somehow make him better, "Boss… you're strong not because you use your power to hurt but rather than hurt others. Strong people use their strength to protect themselves; an even stronger person protects others…"

Tsuna didn't say anything and continued to stare at her, making her face heat up and wrapped her own arms around her legs, "Um… at least, that's what I think so…" Tsuna smiled and nodded, "No, you're right. I just doubted myself for a minute there. But I seriously don't want to join the mafia! That's too scary!" he sighed. Chrome smiled in spite of herself and whispered, "I would like it very much…"

"Huh?" he asked as he titled his head on the side, "Can you repeat that?"

She fumbled with her bag's buckle and repeated her words more clearly, "I would be very happy, if you stayed my boss…" Tsuna hummed and played with his fingers, his face growing warmer by the second, "… but, that would mean that you will want to stay in the family?"

"If… it displeases you, I can-"

"N-no! That's not what I meant!" he yelled and waved his arms around like a headless chicken, "I mean, why would you stay in the mafia world? Wouldn't you rather be a normal person?"

She looked forward but shook her head slowly, "There's nothing for me to go back to."

Tsuna didn't want to pry at her business and settled to comforting her, "If that time comes, then we'll always be here for you!" This time, she raised her head with a surprise look on her face, "What?" Tsuna looked confused about her reaction and repeated, "I mean us, all together. Even if I didn't become the Tenth Vongola Boss, we would still be together right? All of our friends?"

She looked at him with surprise on her face then smiled but suddenly dropped her smile, "I wonder…"

"Hm?"

"If I shall die… would anyone be sad? Wou-"

"Don't say that!" Tsuna suddenly yelled, making her lean a bit farther away from him, "Of course we will be sad! The girls, Gokudera-kun, Lambo, Yamamoto-kun, me! And Mukuro! We will all be sad!" She looked down with doubt written across her face, "No one… acknowledges me before. I'm not that important…"

Tsuna grabbed her by her shoulders firmly, making her look at him, "Boss?" Tsuna swallowed and gasped, "You're a very important friend Chrome! No matter what anyone else says, you're always a part of my family, if I become the next Vongola boss, I-!"

"And cut!"

"Huh?" they both looked up to the branches to see Reborn filming the scene with his usual smile. Tsuna let go of Chrome's shoulder and stood up, "Re-Reborn! What are you doing?" he asked, his voice jumping over a few octaves. Reborn jumped down and landed on Tsuna's head, "Blackmail of course. You just said here that you ARE going to be the Tenth Vongola boss. Next time you whine about training, I will make sure everyone will have a copy of this in their e-mails" Tsuna's mouth dropped to the ground comically while Chrome stood up and brushed the dirt away from her skirt. Reborn turned to her and nodded, "It seemed that the training is over. For today."

"For today?" Tsuna repeated incredulously. Reborn kicked him on his side, "Don't be a broken record. C'mon, momma's making ume onigiri." The duo was about to leave when Tsuna came up to her smiled, "Why don't you come and have lunch with us?" She was about to reject but her traitorous stomach growled, making her blush and Tsuna chuckle, "Well, I guess it's a yes then!" While they left the park, Chrome ran by Tsuna's side and inconspicuously grabbed onto Tsuna's hand and blushed while Tsuna looked at her sideways with surprise on his face, before squeezing her hand back with his blush mirroring her own. Neither of them noticing the tutor smirking cunningly at their linked hands.

Somehow, his thoughts of marrying Kyoko-chan are dissolving little by little.

A/N: Whew, how was it? It is bad, good, meh? If you have suggestions, comments or constructive criticism, then please review :) I don't accept flames thought, remember! Bye bye for now!