Hi Everyone!

I started a new story because… well… I needed a break from my other one. I love it but I don't like always writing sad stories. This is slightly AU in the sense that Athrun and Cagalli will be attending the same school along with other characters from Gundam Seed.

I hope you like it

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or any references made to it.

Affronted Affections

Chapter #1: The Arrival and the Rival

"We are pleased to announce that we have now approaching the moon. The temperature is exactly 11C and it is exactly 1.pm. Thank you once again for riding Orb Air and we hope you choose to travel with us again."

A light movement brushed against his arm, causing the young man to stir. Curled up in his chair, head against the window, he blinked a couple of times before it finally occurred to him that he had arrived. As the world gradually fell into focus, he slowly lifted his head to see what was happening.

The narrow aisle way of the shuttle was now jammed with passengers anxiously pushing to get off. The elderly man who had occupied the seat next to him flashed him a toothy grin as he picked up his briefcase and took his place in line.

"Best wake up son," His voice was rough yet kind nevertheless. "We're here."

The young man nodded, understanding nothing of what was being said to him and stretched, scratching the top of his head. His mind seemed to be processing very slowly and he glanced about as if confused for a few brief moments. They were on the moon already? It seemed as if he had just taken his seat to leave the PLANTS.

Yawning, he lethargically pulled himself up to his feet, careful not to strike his head against the low ceiling above. His dark, blue hair fell loosely into his emerald eyes as he took in the situation around him. He sighed when he realized that there was little hope in trying to break the line of people to the exit of the shuttle and simply sat back down in his seat to wait for them to clear.

He gazed dreamily through his window as he snuggled into the soft padded chair as he had while sleeping. Resting an elbow on the arm rest, he peered out at what was to become his home for the next 8 months. A chilling wave of uneasiness washed over him as he shifted to find a more cozy position. The winds hammered against the window causing him to cling to the warmth of his faded, black jacket all the more.

Athrun Zala gulped, trying to repress any sort of anxiety he was feeling. This was no different than the boarding school he had stayed at during his elementary school days. Born in the son of a politician, he had moved from one colony to the other. After that, he had attended a private, boarding school on one of the PLANTS while his father busied himself with his work and his mother cared for the home. He had spent most of the last four years on his own, focusing mostly on school and keeping the odd job here and there. Now, however, all his hard work had paid off for now, he was going to the best private school in the galaxy. The Lunar Preparatory School of Higher Learning was the best school on both the Earth and the PLANTS and offered its students boundless possibilities - Needless to say, it was a little overwhelming.

Just thinking about it made him tremble.

Digging his left hand into his jacket pocket, he frowned as his fingers felt around the edges of a crumpled paper. His fingers closed around it as he pulled it out to take a closer look. Carefully, he began to unfold it sighed as he read it – Directions to LPS.

Straightening, Athrun noticed that the line was coming to an end and quickly stuffed the paper back into his jean pocket. There would be time to read it later. Sliding out from his seat, he grabbed his backpack and, swinging it over his shoulder, took his place in the line to leave the shuttle.

It only took a few minutes before Athrun managed to push his way off the shuttle but the moment he stepped onto the pavement, he found himself being swept away with the crowds. Inhaling sharply, the world around him seemed to blur as directions and signs became illegible. Voices were barking all around him, echoing in his ears and roaring in his head while he stumbled to keep from getting steamrolled by the pressing crowd.

"I hope this is the right way…" Athrun mentally groaned as he tightened his grip on his backpack and picked up his pace. In his mind, he immediately began formulating a list of actions to take. First, he had to find his luggage, secondly he had to get to the school campus and then find his residence… how hard could that possibly be?

In his peripheral vision, the 16 year old caught sight of a large group of people waiting by what seemed to be an open hatch where a man dressed in an Orb Air uniform was busy unloading suitcases and baggage before their watchful eyes. It instantly caught his full attention.

"Sorry … let me through… pardon me," Athrun rambled on with a series of apologies as he squeezed in front of the people standing in the front. Ducking between a couple's arms, Athrun frowned as he swiftly did a visual analysis of the luggage that had already been removed and was lying on the ground. His suitcase had been black but his mother had used tape to write the letters A.Z on it to make it distinct.

"Excuse me!" A lady snapped sharply, violently breaking through Athrun's intense concentration. "Watch it!"

"I beg your pardon?" Athrun gracelessly side stepped to his left and just narrowly avoided being pushed onto the pile of bags himself as the women wrenched forward and heaved her suitcase up and off the ground. The bag swung in the air and Athrun scrambled backward, desperate to prevent being struck in the face.

"Good lord," He muttered under his breath. He wanted to get away from here more than ever. Throwing a passing gaze to his left, he snorted in disapproval at the sign flashing above his head indicating that the shuttle would be leaving shortly for Earth.

"Who would ever want to go there?" He thought and shuddered at the thought. He had briefly studied geography in school and had made the conclusion that the Earth, while beautiful, could be, in some places, wintry and desolate with unpredictable weather patterns – It was a place that he was certain he wouldn't want to be.

Something else caught his eye and his face paled. Across from him, he caught sight of a young man with thick, purple hair, about his age, picking up a particularly familiar bag and moving away. His eyes widened with shock and recognition and for what seemed like an eternity, he just stood there, stunned - watching in disbelief with the understanding that his luggage was leaving without him!

"Hold up!" He cried and, forgetting all the manners and public behaviorisms he had been taught and grabbing his backpack, pushed through the crowds, racing towards his suitcase that was leisurely slipping from his view. Even from a distance he could see his initials on the side of the suitcase as he flew past and through people. The youth in possession of his belongings didn't seem to notice his desperation though as he simply continued to walk towards the bus terminal.

"No, no, no…" He chanted over and over as his expression hardened. He only stumbled once – loosing his balance while trying to hurdle over a young boy and his mother. The older women's eyes flared as she harshly pulled her son against her and spun on her heels, clearly agitated.

At that same moment, he misjudged his footing and his left ankle bent awkwardly as he tripped over the curb. With a startled cry, he fell forward towards the other boy, his arms doing pinwheels in the air as he tried desperately to steady himself.

At that same instant, the other young man turned, obviously hearing Athrun's surprised yelp. Athrun had only a second to overlook the stranger and was surprised to see that he was much taller than him and by far much sturdier. Frantic for something to cling to in order to break his fall, his fingers slipped around one of the straps on his suitcase just as the other boy responded with a harsh tug.

The sudden motion combined with his continuing momentum downward sent Athrun hurdling into the other young man. Athrun was barely able to react as his body connected with the other's and the two of them crashed to the ground. Wincing, Athrun snapped his eyes shut and hissed as a sudden jolt of pain shot up his spine. He dropped his backpack and felt as if he had exploded. When he hesitantly opened his eyes, he grimily realized that he had.

All the contents of his backpack were resting on his stomach, pinning him to the ground while his suitcase had landed a few feet away. What hadn't emptied onto him was now dispersed along the road side. That wasn't the only thing that caught his attention though. Panicking, Athrun grunted as he pushed his belongings off his chest and sat up. His eyes widened as he realized that the other boy was recovering and now starting to pull himself to his feet.

"What is your problem!" He exploded as he dusted off his jeans and tossed back his head. Agitated, he picked up his own backpack and frowned when he noticed that his words had had little effect on him. "Why don't you watch where you are going?"

Athrun returned his frown with a confused stare of his own while scrambling to gather his possessions. He struggled to get to his feet and straightened while shifting his backpack on his left shoulder.

"I am sorry," He inwardly grimaced as the words sounded forced and awkward. His tailbone hurt and his eyes narrowed as he noticed the taller boy reach down and grab his suitcase, again. "I didn't mean to."

"What?" The youth shook his head. "What is that suppose to mean? You're sorry? Why were you following me!" Glancing down, he noticed a crumpled piece of paper on the ground and made a motion for it. Athrun's eyes followed those of the other young man and when he realized what he was looking at, he hastily attempted to bend down and pick up his map.

The other boy's fingers found their way around the wrinkled map and picked it up while Athrun's hand grabbed at air.

As the stranger read it, his brow furrowed as he looked up from the paper back at the sheepishly looking young man in front of him. "Going to the prep house?"

"Huh?" Athrun blinked. "What?"

"The school," The other rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "That's where you're off to isn't it?"

Athrun shook his head, not trusting his own voice. He could feel his cheeks redden as he fought to contain himself. He didn't like the way this newcomer was looking at him nor did he appreciate his tone.

"Hmmm," The stranger glanced away, as if considering something before turning back to Athrun. Snickering, he crumpled the paper up into a tight ball and threw it casually at Athrun who scrambled to catch it. "I'm not surprised that they would let people like you in. Coordinators always seem to find their way in here… especially rich ones – Athrun Zala."

Athrun scowled at the way the other boy spoke his name mockingly by mimicking his low and gentle tone. How did he even know his name? Unfolding the paper in his hand he instantly understood – he had written his name on it. With a tight smile, he pointed at his suitcase that was held firmly in the other's right hand.

"If you wouldn't mind giving me back my luggage, I'll be leaving."

"How do you know it's yours?" The other challenged and Athrun's shoulders slumped as the other boy tossed him a smug grin. "I don't see your name on it."

"Well actually it is," Athrun motioned for the boy to look at the letters taped on the side of the black case. "Those are my initials."

"I see," The other boy nodded. "And what makes you think that my name also doesn't start with an 'A' and my last name with a 'Z'?"

"I don't know," Athrun replied a little more tersely than he would have liked. "That, however, is my bag."

"Then where is mine?"

"How should I know?" Athrun unconsciously clinched his fists. This boy was really trying to edge him on and it was taking all the resolve he could muster not to let himself get drawn into a brawl in the middle of the street. He had been raised better than that, or so he hoped. "Perhaps back with everybody else's."

"Or perhaps yours is back there. I say we open it and find out."

"Open it?" Athrun asked and, looking around, he sighed. He really didn't want to open up his suitcase for the public eye but there really didn't seem to be any other options. He cringed when he saw people stare at the two of them curiously as they passed by and could only guess how juvenile they must have looked. It didn't seem to faze the other boy though because he just continued to grin knowingly at him.

"You don't seem so sure," the boy waved a taunting finger at him. "I guess it's not really yours after all."

Athrun crossed his arms and simply shook his head disbelievingly. This was ridiculous. He nodded once and immediately the other boy set the bag down and popped open the snaps that kept it sealed. Athrun flinched at the sharp sound but watched in impatiently to be sure that nothing was stolen. His blood boiled as the boy sifted through his belongings, holding up shirts and other personal possessions for the world to see. He remained still, silently seething until he saw the youth reach for something. Something, while precious, was incredibly embarrassing.

"Hey!" He lunged forward but it was too late.

"This is so cute!" The purple-haired boy snorted before breaking into a deliberately loud laugh. Athrun felt his face flush and his heart clinch in his chest. Lowering his eyes, he growled lowly as the stranger, still snickering, held up his old, mechanical toy dog up for everyone on the street to see.

Athrun swallowed as he found himself gazing down into the button eyes of his first mechanical creation. He could feel other's eyes on him but he refused to look at them. It seemed childish but inwardly he hoped that if he didn't see them, perhaps they wouldn't see him either or just how red his face was becoming.

"Does he have a name?" The stranger jibbed, seemingly amused by all this.

"I think we've established that the bag does undeniably belong to me." Athrun gritted out and angrily snatched the toy dog from the other's hands. Hastily, he jammed it back into his suitcase and reattached the snaps that kept it shut. Straightening, Athrun turned and gradually began to pick up the contents that had spilled from his backpack. His heart thundered furiously against his chest despite his rational mind trying to neutralize the urge to lunge at the guy who had embarrassed him in front of everyone.

"I guess so," The other laughed softly and smirked. "Anything else in there of interest?"

"Why don't you just leave me be?" Athrun shot back as he raised his head to stare the other boy right in the eye. Burning a hole through him with his gaze, he spoke with deliberate slowness. "I've got places I need to go."

"What did you say?" The boy's expression hardened and inwardly, Athrun realized that there would be no backing down from this. If this other boy wanted a fight, Athrun himself had just taken the bait.

"I am certain you heard me correctly," Athrun replied with equal intensity. Looking his opponent up and down, he came to the conclusion that he could most likely best him in any sort of scuffle. Although the other boy was taller by about 3 inches, underneath his bold words, Athrun was positive he was nothing but an overly-vocal coward. His limbs looked stiff and Athrun doubted he had any sort of agility. Athrun wasn't overweight and despite being lean himself, he could only assume that he was much more fit than this arrogant annoyance. "Unless you're hard of hearing which I somewhat doubt."

"Well," The other crossed his arms and chuckled, adding to Athrun's already seething anger. "If you are looking for a bus to the school, they aren't running today because it's Sunday and it's a long walk."

With that, the boy threw his head back and laughed loudly as he strolled down the street. Athrun continued to glare at him, taking note of the name written on the back of the other's backpack – Yuna Saran.

He sighed and wiped his brow. He hoped that was the last he saw of that boy.

Slowly, Athrun unfolded the crumpled directions in his hands and glanced down at them to find his bearings. He was at the shuttle/bus station and the school was on the other side of town. Yuna hadn't been lying – it would indeed be a long walk.

He took a step forward, resolving to make the journey. What other options did he have? Readjusting the grip on his suitcase, Athrun began the hike to his new school. He hoped that registration would go much smoother but, judging how his first day on the moon had begun, he somewhat doubted it.

TBC

Well, that's just the start. Athrun will meet up with Cagalli in the next chapter and then the fun begins. I remember the first time I ended up in a new place when I started University... scary stuff lol.

Anyway, thank you for reading and let me know what you think ok? Please review? I know it's still early in the story. This will be my first attempt at a romance-like story… so please don't laugh too hard. -.

Until next time,

Krilyn