not beta

Sorry if this is late. Despite being off another day of school, it has been a day from hell for me. At 2 am, our alarm system went off because of a faulty sensor. I had to sleep on my grandparents couch because I was too scared to go home. Then, my parents took about 45 minutes to pick me up. I starting to think they had forgotten me by the time they came. Please keep in mind, we live five minutes away. Then when I got home, instead of typing this up, I had clean my driveway and car off for an hour and fifteen minutes. And now, I'm tired, cold, wet, and very cranky!

Please enjoy this chapter

Warning: I have no clue how the Japanese school runs so I made it end in May like ours. So, this chapter would be placed about 7 months ago.

Chapter 10 One Year, One Dance

(Nearing the end of third year)

Rocky was walking alone to the site. She had ditched her body guard/ driver a few streets ago. While she loved being an Akashi, she hated the pressures that came with it. As Rocky neared her destination, her mind wandered to the past year. The boy she saved on the roof the school had to go home back to L.A., but they had stillmanaged to stay in contact. The Miracles had grown apart so much that even a blind person such as her self could blatantly see it. And continuing the subject of rifts, her family, if she could still it that, had all, but renounced blood. She could easily be the only thing hold the two Akashis together. All seemed so well, but went to hell after Uncle and Sei-kun got into a fight over a matter concerning Tomoko-chan. Akashi wanted to throw away his future as the next CEO of the Akashi Corporation and marry Tomoko-chan. He was and still is crazy about her, but Uncle had arranged a marriage for Sei-kun long before even Rocky's father had died.

Rocky was brought out of her thoughts by the scent of decomposing bodies. She was here, the cemetery where her aunt and mother lied. She walked through the gated and caught the strong musky scent of her uncle's cologne.

"You know, you could have brought me along, Uncle?" Rocky called out to her uncle. This caused him to screech out like a little girl. The older Akashi turned around to look at who had called him out. He saw Rocky and sighed.

"Oh, it's only you." The Akashi relaxed at the sight of her.

"Of course it's me! Who the hell else calls you "Uncle"?" Rocky snarled at him, but they both knew there was no malice behind the words. She briskly walked up besides him.

"True." He laughed dryly. When he stopped, the older Akashi's face became solemn. "It is hard to believe it has been one year already." Tears started to form in his eyes. "Kami-sama, I miss them!"

The tears fell.

Rocky gestured for him to come into her arms like she had done with her cousin last year. He practically jumped into her arms, almost knocking her over.

"Whoa, okay big boy. No offense, but you're heavy." Rocky grunted as she struggled to hold up both their weights.

"Sorry Rosa-" "Rocky!" "-But I don't understand why they had to die. I mean they never committed a sin. (AN: A sin is an act regarded as wrong in your religion or society. Sin is not solely Christianiac!) They were good girls. And this hit Seijuro so hard... I'm losing him. I have no could what to do with him. And you look just like your mother, same fire too. She would be so proud of you, fighting and all." Uncle cried. Then, he realized something. "You've never had a chance to cry, have you?"

No response. Uncle sadly smiled at this.

"You're just like your mother even more. She never liked crying in front of others, too. She, too, thought she had to be strong for others."

"If you know, then, please leave it alone." Rocky barely whispered.

The older Akashi kissed his non blood niece on the forehead. "My car is around the corner, when you're ready. Seeing as you ditched your ride, I will take you home." He informed her as he walked out of the cemetery.

As soon as his steps were out of Rocky's vast hearing range, she broke down in front of her mother's grave. "Mommy, what am I going to do?"

(time skip- 5 days after the Touou match)

(11 am) (AN: Yes, time is important at this moment.)

Kagami was pacing in Aomine's apartment, his patience wearing thin. Kagami's bag sat on the couch with his tuxedo in it. Said red head gazed around the room at the mess.

'Note to self: Get Rocky to move out.' Kagami mentally noted to himself. 'If not for the smell, then so I don't have to sit awkwardly in Ahomine's house.'

Aomine's glare followed the impatient red head. He was still very upset that he lost to the shorter power forward, but Aomine didn't pursue the feeling. (AN: No AoKaga! I absolutely don't like that pairing.) Just watching the red head squirm while waiting was enough, at leat for now.

The silence was thick in the room. Aomine was the one to break it.

"So you're the lucky bastard that's been forced to take Rocky to that dance or whatever." The blue haired teen jested, a smirk plastered to his dark skinned face.

"Why? Are you jealous?" Kagami retorted back.

"No, I pity the fool who has to meet her deranged family. Can you bring me back some fancy food? Rocky would just yell at me if I asked her."

"What?!" Kagami shouted in shock. How could Ahomine say that so nonchalantly? 'Meet the family? What the hell? He didn't sign up for this!

"Oh, you didn't know? You're to an elite, high class ball that is only known to the elites and select lower class people. This 'gathering' is thrown the Akashi family every year for who knows how long." Aomine's voice had started out in teasing manner, but the more he talked the darker his tone became. For some reason, Kagami knew this spite was direct at someone else, but he didn't know who. "And guess what? You're bringing the main event to said ball." Kagami felt sorry for whoever was meant to be on the receiving end of this hate.

"Aomine! Play nice." Ordered Rocky. The scowl that had formed on his face melted in favor of a perfect poker face. Rocky walked out of her temporary quarters into the room the other two makes occupied, carrying her dress for the night in her arms. "I'd bet my money's worth that he's already nervous enough that he does need your 'help'." She made air quotations on the word help. "Am I correct, Tiger?"

Kagami said nothing, a blush forming on his face. Aomine laughed at the blushing teen.

"Oh, shut up! You would be scared shitless. Uncle loves to show new people his bee farm. He loves his home made honey." Rocky saved Kagami, but now had a maniacal smile on her face. That shut the blue hair idiot up.

"Ha!" Kagami laughed.

"Anywho, let's get going. Other rich people are already getting prepped for tonight. We haven't even left for the mansion yet." Rocky said. "Later, Aomine.

The two had barely made it before the train doors closed. Rocky stood by Kagami, clogging on to him because she could reach the straps above. There was a silence between the long time friends and an unspoken question on Kagami's behalf. They stayed like that until Kagami couldn't take it any more.

"Why did you ask me to come along with you?"

It was a simple question, but he could see it struck something deep inside her.

Rocky sighed. "There are many reasons I chose you. One is because I absolutely couldn't go by myself without getting a lecture from Uncle and for many more reasons I can't explain to you yet. Tatsu, Midorima, and Mura-ku are all busy tonight. Everyone on the team (AN: Seiren) is also busy or is Riko-chan and Tomoko-chan. Aomine can't come for obvious reasons if you saw his apartment. To get more into the more... political reasons, the women here, like everywhere else, love Kise and they already view me as a threat just for being the daughter of the Akashi family. Let alone the fact I'm a 'close' friend to the great model, Kise. The girl population would label me even more so as a rival or a disgrace if that blonde idiot was my date. If I want my plan to work, I will need the support of the women that will be there. I needed someone with manners, more or less, good looks, and someone I know will listen to me no matter what. Someone not scared of my cousin." She calmly explained. "So my cousin was an absolute no."

'Well I see she put great thought into this.' Kagami thought. A second after he thought that, Rocky let out a dry chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"He is absolute, ain't he?" She whispered in English. Kagami stared at her, not understanding what she meant by that. Then he remembered Kuroko saying that Akashi was always stating how he was...

'Absolute...' Kagami thought. 'An absolute asshole, that's what he is.'

"Next stop: Kyoto!" The friendly dislocated voice announced.

"Well, get ready to meet the Akashis." Rocky told him. Kagami could only hope that the Akashis he knew were the only insane ones.

I know it is short. Sorry. The next chapter might not be posted, or written for a long while. I just got a new job and the new school semester is coming up. I will be busy. Sorry.

The Lonely Rose Petal