This little oneshot is dedicated to every single one of you readers out there! Another apology for not updating on my other FF, but I just couldn't get this plot bunny out of my head...

Warning: Possible OOcness, angst and possible mistakes as this is unbetaed... English isn't my mother language so I am sorry for any mistakes!

Love was a beautiful thing; it was a sweet smelling rose in full bloom. You would want it, yearn for it. And as you reach out to pick it, to claim it, you would be focused on only the flower. But did you know that roses always have sharp thorns to protect it? Without realizing it, you've been pricked. Pricked, by the harsh protector of the rose. That's just like love, you reach for it, yearn for it, but in the end, all you get is a broken heart.

That's why, if you're clever, you should always go for flowers without thorns, without protection, for then you can pick it and keep it until the petals and stems wilts.

But Aomine Daiki was too foolish to realize that. Or maybe his attraction towards the pale blue rose that was his shadow was just too great. Maybe he just had to touch it, to steal it and gain its beauty for himself. Even if his opponent was his feared ex-captain; Akashi Seijuro. He would die for just one loving word, one comforting touch, but he had long lost the chance for such luxury.

He thought that his shadow would come to him once he had confessed, for he was his shadow, even if he was now that Bakagmi's, and he did confess to the ace in their second year, though he was rejected. Aomine did not know why he said 'no' to his phantom that time, was it because that he was dating a girl back then? Or was it because he was too arrogant and self centered to realize that he had loved Kuroko Tetsuya?

He preferred the first theory, though he knew he was wrong. The truth was just too hard to accept. He was and still is too weak, after all this time.

It was in his final year in Teiko, right after Kuroko had quit the team; that he had realized his feelings, but by then, it was too late. He had tried so hard to find the boy in school and even outside, but never once did he come close to the teal haired boy. His heart had ached for him, just a simple 'hi' would do. Anything for him to be acknowledged, anything at all. But no matter how hard he had tried, there was only glimpse of his beloved every now and then, every time he had always felt a surge of anger. But the fact that he couldn't find the shadow was not what made his blood boil, no, not at all… how could he be ever angry with him? The reason of his anger was the red haired teen that was always walking beside his Tetsu.

He had followed them, watched as he made him laugh, and watched as he shared sweet kisses with him. He could do nothing but stay rooted to the spot as he watches the scenes play out in front of him like a movie. But what told him that he was in real life were the stabs of pain in his chest. For the first time in his life, Aomine Daiki had felt the urge to kill, to shed dare Akashi Seijuro steal his shadow.

He was furious when Akashi announced his relationship with Tetsu to the group; he was even more frustrated as his Tetsu blushed at his attempts. No, he was beyond furious; his rose, his beautiful, majestic rose got stolen from right under his own eyes! He refrained himself from hitting his captain, knowing that it'd upset his love.

Akashi must have forced him into this! He had thought, so he went to confront the supposed victim, and had offered to help the teal haired boy, but he was rejected with a simple 'Aomine-kun, please do not be ridiculous, Akashi-kun did no such thing. I was the one who asked him out, after you had rejected my confession and he comforted me.'

Aomine had recalled been so shocked that he could only watch, his mouth agape, as his beloved walked down the corridor, and as he hugged another male who was slightly taller than him. He could only watch and listen as a pair of mismatched eyes gleam in the dim hall, and a whisper of:

'I've won, Daiki. You were foolish to even think of stealing what's mine. Tetsuya is mine. And mine alone. Though I have to thank you for foolishly hurting Tetsuya back then, for if you didn't, I wouldn't have had him so soon.'

Aomine regretted his actions back then. He did oh-so-much, but he could do nothing to stop it, no one can turn back time, even if you were god. Why had he not noticed his love for his phantom until it was too late? Why had he pushed away his only chance without a second thought when it was offered to him?

Why had he not noticed the small, pale rose bud right underneath his chin?

He lost Kuroko Tetsuya, who once longed to be his. That was the price that he had paid for his sins, for pushing away his chance when he had one. Kuroko Tetsuya is beyond his reach, and there was nothing he could do to stop it, not with his sharp protector; Akashi Seijuro.

'Yes… You've won… Akashi…'

He did not cry until he had reached the abandoned gym in which he had met Kuroko Tetsuya five years ago.

Aomine Daiki had seen a small young rose growing, tempting him to reach out and pick it, he did not, for he was too obsessed with a mere daisy beside it. When the rose had grown into a stunning, majestic flower, Aomine Daiki finally saw its beauty, and reached out to pick it. But he had forgotten that the rose now has sharp thorns growing on it, and had gotten pricked.

So he could only stare at the flower in wonder and longing, regretting that he hadn't picked it when he had a chance. Regretting that he had rejected its once-in-a-lifetime offer, and gave it to someone else.

Three drops of blood fell onto the rose, and then slipped off, like it had never been there before. The thorns grew, and protected the only thing that it loves, a beautiful, majestic rose.

The rose stood for a long time, along with its protector. And together they achieved a perfection others could only long for. Others, especially Aomine Daiki.

And that's all! Please do R&R~ Flames are most definately not appreciated! Thanks for reading~