We Were Rivals
Chapter 3: The Runaway Child

.x. Disclaimer .x.
I do not own Gundam SEED or any of the characters in Gundam SEED. The only thing I own is characters I make up. That is it.. Oh, and the plot that I came up with.
.x. Warnings .x.
This is a shounen ai fanfiction so that means boy x boy. There is going to be some swearing and fighting parts, but I don't think any gore.
.x. Pairings .x.
Asuran x Yzak and slight Asuran x Kira, hints of Nicol x Asuran (in this chapter).
.x. Summary .x.
AU and Shounen ai Asuran Zala's father is dating someone, but who? What happens when it turns out to be the mother of someone he thinks ill of? What happens when these two fall in love over time? Anything could happen.
.x. Dedications .x.
I would love to dedicate this story to five of my best friends, Tenshi, Shadow, and Zags! Love ya!

.x. Author's Note .x.

Italic is for thoughts
"Quotation Marks are for speaking"

Thank-you for all the wonderful reviews. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a really long time, but really to tell the truth, I grew rather bored of my fanfiction. That was till I finished watching the end of Gundam SEED Destiny, and since none of my friends really go online that I could role-play with I just started to finish writing the end of the chapter, and BAM! I got interested again. I hope you enjoy this chapter of We Were Rivals.

- - - - -

Running quickly through the garden of his mothers, Asuran glanced back to the mansion. The wind had lashed at him making it harder to run in the away from his home. Almost as if it didn't want him to go away. No, he didn't care about his father, the wind, or that person that his father was dating had to say! He was old enough to make his own decisions! He was able to take care of himself! Who was there to take care of him when his mother died?! No one. It just proved to him even more that he was better off to be with some that cared for him, than with a father that did not care about him.

Rain pounded on his body as he ran. Wanting to escape the hold of this nightmare… He had escaped it, only temporarily though. He knew he would have to face his father sooner or later and then Kira. The gate to his house soon came into view. There would most likely be someone standing guard and question him why he was running out in the rain when he could take a car instead. If they questioned his running, then he would reply. The sound of his foot steps couldn't be made out do to the fact that it was raining rather hard. As the metal front gate neared, the boy turned his head quickly so he could get a glance at his house. Pained emerald eyes, quickly turned back to what was in front of him.

His legs carried him past the gate, whose guard stood by and watched him. A young female about the age of nineteen. Her voice called to him through the rain. "Zala-san, where are you going in this weather? You should be inside with your father and his guests."

She didn't know. But maybe he could trust her, it was the only few times that he had stopped and chatted with her. "And why are you here playing the role of the guard? Don't you have a better place to be? Like your family?" he asked. It was somewhat rare to see a girl guarding a mansion like this. Usually they would hire one of those buff guys or something, but here it was skinny girl. Asuran walked slowly back to where she was standing post.

"I'm using the money to pay for my college tuition, since my parents died in an accident two years ago. We weren't that rich so the money that they left was used for finding a home of my own," she spoke gently. "You did not reply to my question though…"

"I'm running away from home," he told her.

"Why?" she asked simply. Though his eyes told her that something was wrong.

"Because that person I call father, does not care about me. Just about himself, his money, and his new girl friend…" Asuran's eyes were now downcast at the ground beneath his feet. "And the women that he is dating happens to have a son that I loathe, someone that took someone away from me that was special."

"Kira. Kira Yamato?" A smile crossed the young women's face, and surprised shock came across Asuran's. She had been right. "I've seen you with him countless times and they way you look at him. It is clear to say that you are in love, but I do not know this other person that you hate. I won't tell your father which way you've gone, and I'll keep it a secret, people need to be alone at times to think things through. I find when my friends are around when I need to think things out, I can not think properly and I get distracted easily and often make the wrong choice," she said, giving her words of wisdom to him.

"Thank you.. Umm.."

"Vienna. Vienna Rosaline. You'd better hurry wherever you're running away too; I don't think the rain is going to let up."

Asuran nodded, before he turned around and began to walk away from the older teen and soon he began to run. The rain was coming down so hard that he seemed to disappear from the sights of the Vienna. He had better get to his destination before he had gotten hit by a car, unable to see in this weather and time of day. He could hardly hear the sounds of his own running foot steps against the pavement. The sound of all the rain hitting the ground covered it up.

Crossing a street, he had made sure that there were no cars coming, but also made sure his father wasn't following him. Emerald eyes looked over to the road that led to his street, and nobody was coming. In a way it was good, but a few limousines past him. Probably going to his father's house and he had hoped that whoever they were, did not see his face. In a way he was grateful for this downpour of rain.

As he ran, he saw many rain drains where twigs, leaves, and other debris had blocked a side sewer drain, causing little water to go through. A build up of water began to form. Hopefully the river wouldn't flood. Lately they've been getting nasty rain storms like this, and since Asuran was one that watched the news, often he knew that the river was close to flooding. But lately they've been opening up the damn on the other side of the city to let some water flow out of it, so that people would not get their homes flooded. The river was fairly close to his house, but he did not worry. He only worried for the safety of the people and not the large house.

The rain began to die down for a few minutes; he could finally hear his own foot steps that came down on the pavement. His pace slowed a bit, his running quickly jolted to a walk. Running in the rain sure exhausted him much. If it was just his luck he would catch a cold because of this. The sound of the car blaring music had passed him, accidentally going into the build of water and splashing him. Now the term, 'soaked to the bone', applied to him. Probably a bunch of adolescences thinking that they owned the streets or something like that. Asuran would've yelled at them like some old man would, but he just let it pass. This Friday was bad so might as well not complain too much about it.

The chilling wind had come at him with a blast. It seemed that his clothes did no help to protect him from the wind. Nicol's manor was still a ways away and if he continued at this pace his father might catch up with him. Without another thought he began to run again.

Eyes looked up to the street signs, looking for the correct one to go down. Navy blue hair stuck to his face as he attempted to push some of it away with a free hand. He could feel the coldness of his hand against his face as he brushed the stray hairs away. Once the hairs were gone, his hand shot back down into his pocket where they could warm up. Turning a corner the wind lashed against his face, it was one of the things he hated was the wind against his face. Emerald eyes looked around, seeing if he could get a ride with someone. Asuran really didn't like walking, or running in this case, in this weather period. Maybe there was a bus stop around here! Then he could catch a bus to Nicol's house, but he doubted it the current moment. Though there was one problem, he rarely took a city bus, and he didn't know the routes.

The minutes felt so long as he ran. Never mind that, they felt like hours. The speed he was going at he was going at he knew he would be there in no time at all, though father time didn't make it really short. Asuran began to think he was in some sort of nightmare. Maybe he was! It was nonsense he had been through! He just endured two days of school, with Yzak being the ass he was to him. It had also been really tough… Kira was gone, his happiness once again taken away. No, this was every bit real. It wasn't a dream, it was all real, the kisses, the fights, the homework, the yelling, and all the sounds around. They were all real. Asuran had finally convinced himself that it wasn't a really bad nightmare, but just another day in life. Now he ran on the streets, regardless of the few cars that passed him every now and then. He didn't care; he was already soaked to the bone. What difference did it make if he got splashed by a car driving through puddle?

Once more he took a quick turn down another street, and let out a sigh of relief. He was almost there, this was Nicol's street, and soon he would be safe from everything. He could already hear Nicol's piano playing in his head. Asuran could mentally see Nicol's hands gliding over the keys of the piano. The soft sound of playing seemed to cloud his mind. Opening the gate to the manor he walked forward. The piano seemed to now capture is mind now, as if something possessed him. He was now stumbling, trying to keep is walk forward to the door without fainting. Reaching forward, as if trying to grope something, his hand landed on the door knob. Slowly his hand began to wrap around the cold metal knob, but his grasp of the knob disappeared. Asuran collapsed against the door, his mind was completely clouded over. His body came crashing against the door, the smile on his face was gone, and replaced with a face of pain. The limp body pooled at the door, and from behind the door fast foot steps came to answer the door.

The door opened. "Asuran!" Nicol's voice called, as he bent down to check out his friend. Asuran's face was so pale. "Hachi! Call a doctor!" yelled the teenaged boy to his butler, while he tried to get Asuran to wake up. "Asuran! Wake up!"

It was no use, the boy's soul was not responding to the shouts.

It was lost.

-

"Oka-san…" a familiar voice said.

"Asuran…" a very familiar to Asuran, replied. "Don't worry about it. I'm here now. Just rest."

"Oka-san, where am I?"

"Shh, I said rest."

The boy nodded is head slightly before looking up at the sky. Though his mother had told him to rest, he didn't. Mind wandered about, while his mother was close by humming a song. That song seemed to occupy most of his mind now. It was a song he knew well, he knew he had heard it before, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He had no idea where or who he had heard it from in the past, but the song meant a lot to him. The fragrance of flowers filled his nose, it made him question his location more now, but he seemed to have a pretty good clue to where he was. Also he knew what was going on to. It suddenly began to flood his mind. Sitting up he seemed to give his mother quite a fright at the action suddenly. He saw the small fear that sparked in her eyes, but his emerald eyes looked everywhere. He was in the green house at the Zala Manor… But the green house had been condemned years ago. He recalled that the last memory he had was when he was at the Amalfi Manor!

Asuran was rather confused about everything now, and looked to his mother for answers.

"Asuran, dear, you should rest," his mother told him.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?! What is the date?!" he now demanded, since she wasn't giving him what he wanted. Was this some sick joke?! His mother was dead! She had been dead for a good while! He placed a hand on his head, it felt rather warm, his face also felt flushed. Now he didn't begin to feel good. What was really going on?

His mother, Lenore Zala, softened her looked at him, regardless of his demands. "Hush, now. I'll tell you everything since you want to know so much," she said with the sweetest smile. A smile Asuran hadn't seen a very long time. "Just lay back, and I will tell you everything," her voice said, sounding so reassuring.

"You fainted because you were running outside in the rain last night. When you were running away from your father. In the end result of you running away was catching a cold. It seemed it has also affected you in this state of mind," she explained, but continued on moments later. "I know, I know. I suppose to be dead, and I am, but some how you've reached my soul in this other world."

Asuran looked surprised at her. Another question popped in his mind. Was he dead?

"No no, you aren't dead Asuran," she said with a smile on her face.

Oh how Asuran hated when his mother use to read his mind like a book, even in the after life she still did that.

"I've seen what you've been through, but don't let that bring you down. Though your father may not love you like I do, he does. You got to continue on with your life regardless. I also saw what happened between you and Kira, yesterday. I can't see the future, but I feel that things won't patch up. Call it a mother's feeling," she spoke as calmly as ever.

"But why?!" Asuran nearly yelled. He loved Kira, his mother knew that for sure… then why would she say that? Out of rage, he jumped out of the bed he was in, his eyes already watering with tears. He saw a vase of some sort and just smacked it off the table. When his arm and gone through the glass object, shards of glass seemed to cut him. Slumping down to the ground, he held his arm, eyes looking up more full of rage.

"Asuran!" his mother yelled at him. She walked quickly over to him. She saw that he was bleeding, but that was his own fault, he knew he shouldn't have broken that vase, but he had yet to learn his lesson. Bring up her hand, she quickly brought it across his face. He was slapped by his own mother. It was a thing she rarely done in the past to him, but she found he deserved it.

Blood.. It dripped from Asuran's wound on his arm. His face stung like crazy. He could only recall two other times where he had been slapped. And they both hurt, but he knew he had deserved this one. Though he was unsure if this was even a dream. The pain, the blood, the feelings that rushed to him, everything felt so real. Or maybe he was in nightmare that wasn't letting go of him. Many ideas filled his mind, but he only looked to his mother. Wanting answers to why he felt pain in such a surreal place. The azure haired male looked to his mother who went off to go check on some more plants. As he clutched his arm, he glanced to the ground to see the broken pieces of the vase. Without thinking of himself anymore he began to pick up the pieces of the vase. Not being careful, the boy cut his hand now, but not enough that would kill him. Blood slowly to seeped out, but he refrained from looking like he was in pain.

Once all the major pieces that were off the ground on to a table, he looked around, blood seemed to cover his hand. In the corner of this place which looked like his home, he saw a broom. Standing still, waiting to make itself useful. Slowly Asuran walked over to the broom, even if this was a dream, he had to make things right. Though he felt it was too real to be a dream, walking bare foot over the broom, he reached out with his bloody hand a grasped the wood handle of it. Wincing slightly when he grasped it, he wandered back to the spot with all the broken glass that he thought had shattered into a ton of pieces was to much to pick up by hand. He became to sweep regardless how much pain it caused, but in the end he only grasped the wood handle of the broom harder.

Unaware that his mother was watching, he began to space out while his body was on autopilot, sweeping up his mess. Though as he swept up his mess, he began to notice that there wasn't as much pain as there was before, and slowly it began to disappear. Without realizing it, his noticed his hand began to fade. It was only till the voice of his mother and brought he back to what was going on. Her voice still sounded like it did when she had said goodbye to him that morning before dying in the afternoon. It pained him much in the heart, he looked to her eyes, his own eyes almost in tears. Feeling his mother's soft hand grasp his and bring it up to show him, he looked horrified. His hand was fading away.

Jumping back, he looked down at his clothes. He was fading too! Was it time for him to go, what was even going on?! Was this dream ending or something? No he didn't want to go, not just yet, he still wanted to talk to his mother, but he assumed somebody had found laying outside of Nicol's house. Maybe it was for the best. Asuran's head quickly looked down to the ground where his bangs covered his eyes. Soft sobs began to form as he slightly cried. He didn't know what to do. His father was such a jerk, Kira was gullible, and also he had to face Yzak at that too, and then there could've been the possibility that he could turned out to be his brother in the end. How life sucked. "I don't want to go.. I hate that life.."

His mother reached out to him, but quickly retreated her hand. He had to learn to deal with problems, and be able to stand on his own two feet. "I know Asuran, but I can't always be here for you..." she spoke softly, wanting to embrace her son before he disappeared to the world of reality. "Things will get better."

Those were his mother's last words before he disappeared. Asuran's world went black. Though he could not see he felt his body falling into a see of black. The air that his body ripped through, seemed to just be passing through him. Like he was ghost or a person that did not exist. Another thing he felt was the tears that he shed, and the pain that had once been in his hand was gone. It was all just a dream. Nothing more. Nothing less. But was it really his mother trying to talk to him? Or was he just being crazy? He wasn't sure anymore. Life itself he began to think was not worth this pain. Opening his eyes, all he saw was black. Moving his thought injured hand to his face to looked at. Though he could see nothing, he felt as if there was no wound there. It must have been a dream. Still falling in this deep hole which seemed to go on for ever, he finally let his body rest. Eyes closed, mind turned off, body fell limp. He just wanted to sleep in this darkness.

-

Though what seemed like days in that dream world was only in fact was just hours. Three to be exact. The boy's body lay in the a bed in the Amalfi manor. The room was only filled with the soft sound of the piano. It was the only noise that was really heard. Only two people had been in the room. Two boys. Nicol and Asuran. The green haired male had called his parents, and knew what was wrong. Since Asuran had come to him that afternoon and told him everything he knew what to do and not to do. Every so often Nicol's face would look over to the sleeping teenager. His face as pale as a ghost, he showed a lot of signs of sickness and his mother had called a doctor earlier to take a look at Asuran. And evidently the doctor had given the same diagnosed as Nicol did. Just a cold. Being somewhat relieved, he played the piano. Fingers danced gracefully over the black and white keys. The song was sad, but somewhat relieving one. The odd mistake, but there was no mistake in art. Nor in music.

Nicol waited and waited for the boy to open his eyes. Three hours went to four, then to five, and then to six. And now it was already early morning. The boy had continued to play the piano though with some pause to get a snack or go to the washroom. Every time he came back into the room he would check if Asuran was awake. He would've liked to discuss what was wrong, but he had heard from his mother and father that Asuran had run away from his father. Fighting off sleep was a hard thing right now, but it had to be done sooner or later, maybe Asuran would be up by the time he was awake. Practicing and playing the piano for some many hours was kind of fun, but then again, he was running out of songs to play. Being the curious boy that he was he didn't want to start on a new song and make a ton of noise, so he stuck to the ones he knew.. Or mostly knew.

On the seventh hour Nicol had laid down his head onto the floor and fell asleep. The sandman had won the battle, it was always the outcome that the sandman won. Plus, poor Nicol had not much experience when it came to staying up very late. And this was his first all nighter, it was seven am, and that was the time Nicol had gotten up twenty four hours ago. Not wanting a blanket or a pillow, the green haired boy just laid his head onto the hardwood floor, and just before he had fallen asleep he had muttered a few words and name. "Asuran…" was all that was barely audible.

Nicol had no dream, he wasn't one of those people that dreamed often, so it was mostly darkness he slept in. Not a sound, not a movement, and not a sight to see anything. When he heard his mother calling his name, he heard it clearly. "Nicol... Nicol…" Romina said over and over again. It was clear as day when he heard his mother's voice, but he saw nothing, so his nap or sleep must have been over and it was time for him to get up. Liquid red eyes slowly opened for his mother who was shaking him awake. Something seemed to be draped over him, most likely a blanket, but the hard floor was no longer there, but was merely replaced with the soft cushion of a mattress under him. His father had probably dragged or carried him in to the bed. He wasn't much of a sleep walker apparently. Now taking a look around, he lifted himself into a sitting position he was in his own room. One of the first things that came to his mind, once he rubbed his eyes after a couple of times was: 'How was Asuran?!'

Ripping off the covers, he didn't bother to say a word to his worried looking mother. Nicol shot off the bed and to the guest room with the piano. His socks that he had on before were off, probably kicked them off in bed during the night. He didn't run down the hall, but gave a quick brisk pace to the guest room that was just doors down the hall. Nicol shivered at the cold floor at his feet, maybe he should've put some socks on.. The hardwood floors were always cold when he woke up... Ignoring his own needs he went to see the health of his friend instead, slowly he moved his hand toward the handle of the door and grasped it gently, hoping he wouldn't wake up Asuran, if he wasn't already up. Slowly he turned the door knob to the side, making sure that it wouldn't make a sound, as soon as he had turned the door knob all the way to the side he pushed open the door to look upon the already awake Asuran. His figure was sitting up straight as he looked out the window that was to the side of him.

As Asuran heard the approaching steps of the male, he did not look to face him. His heart pained from what his mother said in his dream and from what happened yesterday. His attention was caught when Nicol's father, Yuri stepped into the room with a loud entrance. Blinking once then twice, Asuran just let out a hearty laugh, despite his pained heart he had to give Yuri some credit for trying to cheer him up. All Nicol did was just blink at his father's cheer up method and it had worked too, and soon he joined Asuran in a laugh, but when the teenager in the bed started coughing, the laughing was severed quickly. Apparently laughing was not the best medicine when you were sick with a sore throat. Asuran hadn't really discovered that he had one, this was the first sound he made since he woke up, but his throat was bothering him somewhat, though he thought nothing really of it.

The ugly hacking stopped, and all the pale teenager did was place a small smile on his face signalling he was okay. "I'll be fine," he told them in whisper now, it hurt to talk now. Maybe laughing like that was too much strain on his throat.

"Don't worry Asuran," Yuri spoke up. "We'll talk good care of you. Nicol told us everything." Walking to Asuran who was sitting up in the bed, he placed the lunch he had made for him on his lap, though he back unsure if Asuran should really be eating that. He did have a sore throat after all, maybe he should take it back or give it to his wife, Romina and make Asuran some soup. "Would you like some soup instead Asuran? I didn't realize that you might have a sore throat…"

Nicol told him everything then that would mean his father was here. Right? "He isn't here... Is he?" he asked rather impatiently for an answer.

"No, we knew what was going on really and found it best to be away from your father really. The way you acted at the party, gave it away that you were going to run away, but we didn't expect you to come here. So when Nicol called us at the party we came home right away and didn't bother telling Patrick," Yuri explained calmly.

"Oh.. Good," Asuran said softly, looking at the food with his emerald eyes. He was glad to have a friend like Nicol... "Thank-you…"

"Don't worry about it Asuran," Nicol told him, with a soft smile.

Returning the smile just as softly, Asuran closed his eyes once again, wanting to rest more. Sure he would've like to talk more, but his throat was just killing him. He also knew that Nicol would understand that he was sick. 'But that dream,' his own thoughts in a whisper, he opened his eyes before closing them soon after. Sleep felt rather wonderful right, as long as he wasn't plagued with some sort of nightmare. The sounds of his mother once again told him not to worry about thing, it was the way life went. Her words, filled with such knowledge it made him always listen. Though, he wondered was this is just mind telling him this or, was it really his mother. He wanted to believe it was his mother really making contact with him, he really did. And so that is what he did. It was nice to go back in time and sit with his mother, even if it was only in his dreams. It made him feel happier, and better, regardless of his now broken heart.

Who could forget Kira? He was a kind person, though he was older, by a couple of months, Asuran was the one that felt older. Always looking out for him. He wished everything would be as it was years ago. His mother still alive, Kira with him, his father treating somewhat half decent. He wished that, but wishes never came true.

-

As his stay with Nicol's family, went on for days, Asuran's father had been informed of his son's location. But to great happiness Asuran was going to stay with Nicol, he really didn't mean for Nicol to pick sides between Kira and himself, but where else was he suppose to run to? Nicol, and Kira, were his only real friends. And Kira's house was totally out of the question, because of what happened Friday afternoon. Nicol had stuck by Asuran, regardless of what things had been said around school. You could say he was in a state where he was mostly quiet and cold. Kira wasn't helping much either by not talking to him. Nicol was really his only friend now. When he was well enough to return to school his head was bitten off by Cagalli, and he really did was just stare blankly at the girl. That is till Nicol had managed to push him away from him. School felt like hell and back, his only retreat place was in his sleep now. His mother always came to talk to him now, it felt so wonderful. Though he wasn't sure if he should tell anyone this because they might think he was mental or something along that kind of lines.

A week later Asuran had finally returned home, his father somewhat nicer to him. Maybe a parent to parent talk by Yuri had helped. The fact that he had told Kira not to tell his parents about the neglect he had been given, he just lived with it. Maybe he should've told Kira's parents along time ago about his own problems. But none the less now it was his turn to give his father the cold shoulder and swat him away like a fly. During that whole week of school by all means, Asuran had avoided Yzak. Heck it really only came down to skipping, and gave the teacher a legitimate reason for his absence. Nicol's doctor had written him a note for gym, excusing him from activities that included running. But like the good student Asuran was made up for those classes by being in the school library researching the old Olympics. He was glad his gym teacher was an Olympic fan. So for all those marks he had missed in participating in class he made them up.

It wasn't till his father had suggested that for the first week of Summer Vacation that the Joule family, and the Zala family spend sometime camping. He could say that Yuri's talk hadn't quite gotten through his mind.

- - - - -

Okay, after a long time of having half the fanfiction chapter finished and on my computer for about four months, I finally decided that I should finally work on my fanfiction. The chapter was short compared to my other chapters, but I liked it. More like bittersweet in a way. Hints of Nicol x Asuran in there. I promise for all those Yzak fangirls, that Yzak will be more in the next chapter. Please I don't want to be mean and leave Kira all alone by himself. I would like some pairing suggestions for him. Also the characters are a bit, off with their personalities, but heck they aren't in war here, so it will differ. Please no flames, but reviews and anything about my writing you'd like to point is nice.

I hope to update way sooner. I already started on the next chapter. So it should be up soon.

Already there has been a few suggestions for the following Kira pairing:

Heine x Kira.
Shinn x Kira.

Remember you are also able to suggest someone for Kira. Anyone, just not Asuran or Yzak.
R&R! And please review!