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Chapter 3

Her solitude

They were both smiling. Boss had a full blown grin. Chrome's was shy, but elegant. She had a tint of pink on her cheeks. She never believed someone would openly call her a friend so naturally. She still didn't know if she thought of Boss as her friend, but it was a warm, comforting feeling, knowing he did. "Thank you, Boss." She said with a smile, she barely showed.

Tsuna had a blush. He never seen that gentle smile of hers. They were always fighting enemies, so seeing the regular side of her was a fresh change of pace. "You're welcome Chrome." He then remembered a question he always wanted to ask her. "Um, Chrome, why do you call me Boss, anyways, you don't have too?" He asked with an embarrassed blush grazing his cheeks. He found it a little uncomfortable, she was his friend. She didn't need to act so formal around him.

Chrome couldn't help but give him a confused, blank eye. The question didn't make sense to her. Boss had a nervous look in his eyes while she stared at him. He was going to retract his question, but she answered. She spoke with a hint of confusion, but also answered as if it was obvious. "You're Boss." That answer made perfect sense to Chrome. She was his mist guardian and he was her Boss.

'That makes no sense! I'm Boss because I'm Boss?!' Tsuna thought with disbelief. "...Oh that makes sense." He spoke. He gave up and accepted her answer. Chrome just nodded, it did make sense. "But you can call me Tsuna if you want." He said with a smile. Chrome shook her head.

"Boss, that would be disrespectful to you." She answered honestly. She didn't want to be rude to the person who helped her start her new life as Chrome. He always treated her nice, she didn't understand why, but wanted to be respectful to him, for all the kindness he showed.

Tsuna was taken back at her words, she didn't want to disrespect him. He really didn't understand it though, but could easily accept that about her. She wasn't social with many people, and he didn't want her to be uncomfortable around him. He smiled at her. "Chrome, you can call me Boss all you want ok?" He said. She nodded at his aproval.

Chrome took a bite of her food, her mouth opened a little and made a cute bitting sound. "Hmp," She quietly let out while she bit. Tsuna never heard such a cute sound. He blushed, then thought how her body digested the food with her illusionary organs. He grew worried at the thought of her organs. She never really talked about it, but he had seen her almost lose her life too many times cause of it.

He looked worried while he thought about a question he felt he needed to ask his friend. She glanced over at him after gulping down her food. He looked worried, and was staring directly at her stomach. She felt uncomfortable with his stare and how worried he looked. Why would he be worried for her. She didn't want the attention. She glanced at him and asked, "Is something wrong Boss?"

His eyes rose and met her gaze. He looked so concerned for her. She grew a little frustrated at his worry, he had no real reason to be concerned for her. He looked anxious and could only stutter out his question. He felt like it was a touchy subject and didn't want to over step his boundaries. "Um, C-Chrome, are your organs alright? I know you rejected Mukuro's illusions, and created your own... But what if they cave in, like when you fought during the ring conflict." He finished sadly looking at her. He didn't want to remember seeing her body like that and wanted to know if she would really be ok.

Chrome hated the question he just asked her. Why was he the only one worried about that? Nobody else ever asked her about her body. Nobody else cared. Why did he? She created her own organs, she didn't need people to be worried about her. She was strong enough now. She didn't need his concern. "My organs are fine Boss!" She snapped. It was still quiet, but she spoke harshly and fast.

Boss flinched at her reply. He quickly looked down, trying to hide his fear. 'I'm such an idiot... How could I ask her about that...' Chrome softed at his frightened nature. She felt guilty. He clearly didn't mean to offend her. But she grew frustrated when he asked her. She wasn't mad at him, she was angry that he was the only who was worried for her, nobody else was...

Tsuna felt guilty. 'We were finally having a normal conversation and I ruined it...' He was mentally beating himself up for his uselessness. He dared to look at her. He had a guilty fear in his eyes. He was going to apologize, but she beat him to it.

"Sorry Boss... it's just nobody ever asked before... I don't want to be a burden on any of you... please don't worry about me." She answered. She had an apologitc look in her eye. He was always polite and nice to her. She shouldn't of snapped at him, he was only worried for her. Tsuna had wide eyes at her apology.

'She doesn't want people worried for her... no that's not it... no one ever has been before.' He grew sad at the thought. He never really saw anyone take care of her. She lived alone and didn't talk to anyone at school. She only involved herself if danger was around. He grew even more guilty at that realization. She was completely alone.

"Chrome, you're my friend! Of course I'm going to be worried about you!" He spoke firmly, piercing into her big purple orb, with his caring brown ones. Chrome gasped. Boss was usually timid and shy, but for him to speak full of resolve. She felt her heart skip a beat at his words.

'Boss cares about me...' She grew tearfully happy at the thought. 'He really is... he truly is my friend. My first ever one.' Boss noticed a tear almost escape her, he began to panick. Maybe he shouldn't have spoke so roughly. Chrome was always shy after all.

"Boss..." She began. She was lookin at him with a tearful eye and the most heartbreaking, warm, smile Boss had ever seen. "I never had a friend before... You are my first and only one..." She spoke honestly to herself and him. She couldn't deny how special she felt around him anymore. She was always alone, so alone. He was the only one who bothered to acknowledge her. He was always looking at her so warmly. He was always genuinely happy to be around her. Nothing he did with her seemed forced. He was the only person that she could truly call a friend.

"Chrome..." He gasped out. Her words were so true. He never heard her be so honest with him. He always considered her to be mysterious like the mist she was. But in truth, she was only alone. He choked back the frog stuck in his throat. He found it hard to speak normally. He was her only friend. It broke his heart finding out she felt so isolated from everyone. He gulped trying to form the words he wanted to say.

"I'll always be your friend Chrome. Nothing you do will ever change how close you are to me." He spoke as he reached for her hand on her desk. He placed his over hers and squeezed it in a warm loving gesture. Her tearful eye grew as he spoke and reassured her with his squeeze. It grew soft as he finished his words. She had a small happy blush spread across her cheeks. Her eye had a liquid shine in it. Her smile was small, but it was full of joy for his honest words. She nodded and let a tear of joy escape her as she closed her eye. Her smile grew into a beautiful toothy grin.

Boss smiled back at her equally happy. She was a precious family member of his. Nothing would be the same with out her. He was Boss and she was Chrome. Nobody could replace her. She was different from the rest of his family. He felt like he didn't need to hide anything from her. She never made fun of his useless habits or occasional falls. She was always kind to everyone. He felt a special feeling being called her friend. He never knew how reserved she felt about calling someone that, but he was overjoyed that he was her first.

She felt that warm feeling spread around her again. She knew what it was this time. It was friendship. His friendship. She didn't want to lose this feeling. She wanted it to grow. She felt like it was going to become something more because he was really close to her now.

She grew flustered as she noticed how close he was to her. His face was only inches away from her. It was driving her crazy. 'Boss i-is going to k-kiss me...' She could feel his warm breath tickling her nose as he spoke. She noticed more of his features. His eyes were a liquid golden brown. His lips were were in a warm smile and she couldn't help but desire them on her own lips. His bangs were pushed down, because of his strawhat, reaching his eyes, playfully dancing around them, but never blocking his sight. That strawhat that he always wore was gracefully on his head, diplaying a few of the spikes in the front his bushy hair, but covering the rest.

Tsuna noticed her flustered expression. Her eye was staring back at him, with anxious excitement. Her eye kept shifting between his eyes and his lips. She had a cute, innocent blush already spread across her soft pale cheeks, as if breathing life into her. Her lips were slightly parted in a gasp, almost waiting for something. They looked so appealing to Boss. He wondered what they tasteed like. 'Wait! What did I just think!' He quickly realized how close they were and how intimate it all looked. He grew a blush and backed away to his seat. "Hiee!"

"S-Sorry Chrome! I wasn't trying to do anything! " He stammered out quickly. He was nervous and rubbing the hat on his head out of habit. Chrome was pulled out of the trance, she barely realized, she was in. Her blush grew more before she shook her head.

"D-Don't worry Boss." She replied just as embarrassed as him. But after she spoke, she looked down to hide her smile. It was her first romantic experience, and it was with Boss...

Boss couldn't look at her. He was too embarrassed. His eyes were darting around the room to find something else to talk about, and change the tone of the situation they were in. He didn't mean to be so close to her, he just wanted to comfort her as his friend, but it came out so intimate and romantic. He didn't want to think about Chrome that way, but buried deep in his heart, he felt the want to kiss her in that moment of theirs.

His eyes landed on the chalkboard. He read what he saw aloud. "The sports festival..." Chrome dared to look up when he spoke. Her head was tilted to the side confused, until she followed his gaze. On the chalkboard board were a list of events, and next to that were names of the people who would compete. Some events were still left blank.

Chrome was shy and didn't volunteer, even though she wanted too. Boss was clumsy and didn't want to disappoint anyone. He then looked back at Chrome, she was looking at the events with desire. "Do you want to participate Chrome?" He asked after his blush finally left him. She quickly turned her head at him in panick. She was going to deny the claim he made, but he had innocent curiosity in his eyes, and she found it hard to lie. She let out a sigh of defeat and nodded her head.

Tsuna smiled at the adorable action. Then he glanced back at the board and searched through all the empty ones. There weren't many left, but one caught his eye. He glanced back at Chrome and asked her, "Want to do the three legged race with me?" He asked hoping for her to enter the festival. He knew she would be to shy to participate solo and that was the only team event left. He mentally cringed at the thought though. 'I'm so clumsy!'

Chrome gasped out. She really wanted to compete in the sports day, but didn't have the courage to write her name on the board. She peeked at Boss's expecting face. "Y-Yes, if you want to Boss." She shyly spoke with her head to the side. Her face was turned so he could only see her eyepatch and blushing cheek.

His eyes lit up at her answer. He could tell how hard it was for her to answer honestly at his question. "Of course I do Chrome!" He waited for her to make eye contact with him, before continuing. "Your Boss will always be here for you ok, I promise!" He comforted her shy nature with his warm, sky like, smile. Chrome grew more flustered, but also happy.

'He is my Boss... my friend.'

There relationship is developing to the extreme! I hope you enjoyed! Till the next chapter! :)