Mate

Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto nor any characters or locations thereof. The only thing we gain from writing this is perverted amusement.


Warning: Violence and plenty off it. Today we have vampires fighting, a vampire smacking a human around some, and someone kicking the bucket. That's right boys and girls we kill someone today. Who? Read and find out.


AN: This story is a collab between Trulywicked and myself, half this story is hers, it’s only posted here because we don’t have a joined account on this site. Trulywicked is amazing and make sure to check out her work if you haven’t.


Please enjoy and please do review and tell us if you liked it and what you liked about it.


Ages:


Sasuke - Appears 25, actually several centuries old
Nagato/Pein - 25
Konan - 25
Yahiko - Appears 30, actually several centuries old


Translations:


sød en - sweet one
lille røde - little red
kaereste - according to Ash this translates roughly into darling

MATE

Part four.

Pulling on his coat Nagato stepped out of his apartment and locked the door behind him. He wasn't going clubbing tonight but he was going to meet Konan at her place. Apparently she had sparred with another cat and dislocated her shoulder. She would be fine but Nagato wanted to make sure for himself. Nagato always felt a little uncomfortable among all those weres but Konan was always there for him so going to see her was the least he could do. Besides, what place could be safer?


Nagato shivered as a cold feeling trickled down his spine, he looked around but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He pulled his coat tighter around him and hurried down the street. The sun had just set so he should have some time to get to Konan's house.


A shadow detached itself from the wall ahead of him and amber eyes glinted at him. "Going somewhere Nagato?"


Nagato's heart jumped into his throat and fluttered like the wings of a little bird as he stiffened...he literally couldn't move. His hand went to his pocket where he kept a knife, it wasn't much of a weapon against a vampire but Nagato would go down fighting.


Yahiko began to saunter towards the redhead with a mocking laugh. "Oh my little toy you don't honestly think you can fight me do you? You're far too weak. Too slow. Too human to succeed." Slow, measured steps moved their owner closer to Nagato. "What did you think hmm? That by taking the brother of the city's master as your lover you'd be safe from me? That the Uchiha could free you from me?" The rogue vampire's voice was deceptively mild, almost pleasant. If not for the mad gleam in his eyes one would think he was discussing the weather. "Little fool I own you. I scarred you, signed you as my property and you think you can escape me you little slut!" With the last word Yahiko used a burst of vampiric speed to knock the knife out of Nagato's grip and backhanded the redhead, knocking him to the ground. "Your lover isn't here to protect you tonight bitch. You're mine, as you always have been and you will learn your place!" Yahiko drew back his foot to kick the human in the ribs.


A savage snarl accompanied a dark blur that launched itself at the rogue, shoving him away from Nagato.


Spitting out blood where a tooth had cut into the inside of his cheek Nagato got up on his knees. His ears where ringing from the hit Yahiko had given him. He saw two shadows snarling, kicking and moving at a speed Nagato found hard to follow. He saw his little knife lying on the sidewalk and he scrambled over to take it, clutching the handle tightly in his hand. He moved closer to the two fighters, they were so engaged in each other that they didn't notice him. Nagato had to do something, he was so tired of being a victim and he still didn't want Sasuke to get hurt. Gripping the knife, Nagato swallowed and plunged it into his tormentors shoulder. It wouldn't kill him by a long shot but maybe it would slow him down.


Yahiko snarled in pain and flung out a fist towards Nagato that was intercepted by Sasuke's hand. The Uchiha's eyes were blood red, his fangs and claws extended and he was pissed that the rouge had struck Nagato and was attempting to do so again. The Uchiha glanced briefly at Nagato. "Run. Get to the were enclave as fast as you can Nagat-" He broke off with a snarl as Yahiko used his momentary distraction to claw a deep gash into his upper arm. Sasuke threw the rogue into the wall and bared his fangs. "I'm going to rip your head off and free Nagato from your sick games you fucker."


Yahiko laughed, it was a disturbing sound with no sanity in it whatsoever and those who heard it felt like they'd just listened to nails scratch down a chalk board. "You think you can Uchiha? Then come on. Show me what you've got." He lunged at the other vampire who dodged the blow easily.


Nagato paled when Yahiko sunk his claws into Sasuke's arm. This was it; he wouldn't let Yahiko hurt anyone else that he...loved. Oh fuckitifuck...he loved Sasuke. More blood pooled in his mouth and he spat it out with a grimace of disgust. He'd made a decision and now he would stick to it. "I'm done running." He said lowly and jumped on Yahiko's back, trying to weigh him down. If Yahiko killed him then so be it but he wouldn't die afraid.


The rogue vampire flipped him off his back and sent him crashing into the wall, the human's head hitting brick with a sickening crack that sent Sasuke's anger sky high. The Uchiha used Yahiko's momentary distraction to send a clawed hand ripping through the rogue's chest, crushing the heart. His other hand went to Yahiko's head and with a forceful wrench he ripped it off. Sasuke dropped the vampire corpse to the ground along with the head and rushed to Nagato. "I swear kæreste, if you ever do something like that again I'll..." a frustrated growl rumbled in his chest as he inspected his mate and searched for a proper consequence for scaring the shit out of him.


Pain had exploded behind Nagato's temples and every breath felt as if a knife was stuck right into his brain. He heard Sasuke talk to him and he wanted to reach out to him and assure him that he was okay but his body wouldn't obey him. Nagato could feel warm blood run from the back of his head and down his neck to pool under the collar of his coat. Finally he could manage to get his eyes open and he saw Sasuke's worried expression. "I..I need to puke."


Sasuke helped the redhead as he bent and emptied his stomach, the vampire's own stomach clenching and roiling at the sight and sound of his mate bleeding and ill. When the human's heaves ceased, Sasuke peered carefully at the back of Nagato's head and prodded gently. He saw a nasty split of scalp to the bone and a monster lump was forming where his mate's skull had met the wall but fortunately found no fractures. "Hold still." Sasuke carefully licked at the gash to heal it. Once that was finished, he picked the human up and carried him to his car, parked three blocks away. He couldn't take his mate to the human's hospital but he could bring him to the were enclave's clinic. He was fairly certain Nagato had a concussion and while vampire saliva could heal cuts and even mend bones a concussion was another thing entirely.


He wasn't particularly looking forward to the ass-chewing Nagato's friend was likely going to give him about this mess.


oo—oo—oo—oo--oo

If looks could kill Sasuke would have turned into a pile of ash in a second. Konan was growling deep in her throat as she looked from her best friend, lying pale and bruised in a clinic bed to the vampire standing next to it. "You were supposed to protect him and you bring him here with his skull cracked open. How is that protection?" She hissed like the cat she was.


Nagato looked up with hazy eyes. "It's okay Ko...not S'uke's fault." He let out a slightly hysterical giggle. "Do ya know that he licked my hair? Like a big pussy cat he did..." Nagato winced when moving hurt his head. "He's not a kitty though...you are." He pointed at Konan before promptly passing out.


Konan thanked the fates that the pain meds were finally taking effect. She stroked Nagato's cheek before turning to Sasuke with narrowed eyes. "I'm still not done with you, how could this happen?"


Sasuke ran a weary hand over his face. He was exhausted from the fight, hungry, and his arm was burning like a motherfucker since it wasn't what you'd call a minor wound. That bastard's claws had gone to the bone. He really wasn't in the mood to be snarled at. "He got it into his head that he needed to help me fight. I was a little preoccupied trying to keep Bloodrage busy and Nagato jumped on his back."


"Nag jumped on his back?" Konan asked in disbelief as she thought of Nagato and his paralyzing fear when it came to the vampire stalking him and toying with him. "Wow, he must really love you."


For the first time since Sasuke had brought Nagato in; she really looked at the vampire, noting the tense lines around his mouth and how pale he was, even for a vampire. Konan reached out a finger and poked him in the injured arm but she quickly pulled the finger back at the threatening growl that rose from Sasuke's throat. Her eyes softened a little.


"Go get that taken care of and feed. We'll look after your mate."


"Hn." Sasuke turned and leaned down to press a kiss to Nagato's split lip. "Stubborn kæreste. I'll be back soon." He left the room to do as Konan suggested, just in reverse order. Feeding would enable his arm to heal much more quickly. He also pulled out his cell phone to check with the enforcement division to see if the cleanup of Bloodrage's body had been completed as he drove to a vampire blood bank.


Nagato woke up bathing in sweat and with a pounding heart; his drugged sleep had been filled with nightmares where Yahiko killed Sasuke. He sat up in bed and looked around warily, he was unsure of where he was until he saw a head of familiar blue hair resting on the bed next to him. He reached out and poked Konan, startling when she jumped out of the chair she'd been sitting in with a snarl.


"Sorry." He apologized meekly. "Where's Sasuke? Is he okay?"


Konan snorted. "You've been awake for a minute and that's what you're asking?" She sat down again and took pity on the redhead. "Your vampire is fine, he had some things to take care of but he should be back shortly, don't worry. Concentrate on getting all better now...so that I can beat that scrawny little ass of yours to the ground. What the hell were you thinking taking on a vampire?" Konan barely restrained herself from shaking her friend like a ragdoll.


"I had to do something, Sasuke was hurt and I had to help. I couldn't run away and leave him there." Nagato looked at her in defiance. "You must understand."


"I do understand moron, you love him."


Nagato opened his mouth to deny it but closed it again...looking down at the sheet covering him. "Yeah...I think I do."


oo—oo—oo—oo--oo

Sasuke was in a private feeding room at the blood bank draining several bags of blood dry. Suddenly the door opened and in strode Itachi, looking as immaculate and calm as he always did. Sasuke felt the temperature in the room drop a few degrees. Naruto came in behind the master vampire and Itachi closed the door. Black eyes met black and silence stretched in the room for at least a full minute before Itachi hissed. "What the hell is this I hear about you being wounded in the course of extermination? An extermination, I might add, that excessive force appears to have been used for."


The younger vampire raised a brow. "What your little minions didn't get the whole story? I'm surprised Itachi. Are your employees' standards slipping?"


A rather feral growl came from Itachi's throat. "Explain what's going on. Now."


Sasuke leaned back in the chair he was lounging in. "It's a long story, one I really don't have time to go into presently, so you'll get an abbreviation now and an expanded explanation later.
I found my mate; the rogue was threatening my mate."


Naruto caught sight of the tick in Itachi's temple and hurried over to take his mate's hand. He didn't want Itachi to do something that he would be bound to regret later...killing his brother would be such a thing.


"So who's the unlucky bastard who will be stuck with you?" He asked in an effort to break the brothers staring contest. Naruto continued to hold Itachi's hands, running his thumb smoothly over Itachi's knuckles.


Sasuke's brow twitched. "I seem to be one of the lucky," the word was spat out, "ones. I recognized my mate at the first touch. So far he isn't stuck with me and he most likely never will be. Thanks to the rogue he alternately hates and fears vampires and the possibility of a relationship, the odds of him agreeing to be bound to me for eternity are slim to none. So lucky escape ne Naruto?"


Itachi's hackles lowered immediately and his eyes softened in sympathy. It would be hell for his little brother, knowing who his mate is and being unable to claim them.


Naruto stepped closer to Itachi his eyes widened in sympathy, he couldn't imagine being without Itachi now, they were one. "Aw come on Sasuke...I didn't mean it like that, your mate would be crazy to reject you. And you are an Uchiha...I heard all this stories now about how great you are and how you can charm the leaves off a tree. Go get your man." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "I...I could talk to him if you want, I didn't handle my mating all that well at first either as you well know. I'm human so if he's scared maybe talking to me could help."


The younger Uchiha snorted. "I don't think so. It's a completely different situation usuratonkachi; you hadn't had your throat ripped out by a rogue vampire who continued to stalk you just to fuck with your head before you met my brother. Besides, he's sedated right now. He tried to help me take down the rogue despite me telling him to run and ended up with a concussion."


Blue eyes locked on Sasuke sharply. "So you're telling me that this scared human stayed and fought the vampire that has hurt this all this time? You don't find that weird at all?" Naruto let go of Itachi's hand to stroke his fingers down his lover's neat ponytail instead. "He cares about you enough to fight his worst nightmare to protect you. I would do the same for Itachi. I don't think you should give up hope just yet."


"I didn't say I had no hope. I said the chances are low and right now, I'm tired, I'm wounded, I've already had one ass-chewing today, and I'm worried about my mate. Adrenaline causes odd reactions blondie, he may have just been trying to get some of his own back on the rogue or been caught up in the moment. I don't know and I don't wish to speculate. I just want to fill up then get back to him." Sasuke's eyes met his brother's and he received a nod.


"We'll let you do so then otouto." Itachi cupped Naruto's elbow and tilted his head towards the door. He could see that his brother was too spent from the night's events to deal with lectures or advice right now.


"Kay then Sasuke-bastard, we'll leave you to it...good luck." Naruto waved as Itachi lead him out of the room, he reached down at took a hold of Itachi's hand again, he didn't care that Itachi was the Master vampire of the region. Naruto just needed to touch his mate, especially after Sasuke's story.


oo—oo—oo—oo--oo

Nagato sat in bed fiddling with his phone, his fingers hovered over the buttons before he gathered his courage and dialed the number he had already memorized without having dialed it before. He placed the phone to his ear and waited for Sasuke to pick up.


"Uchiha."


"Um...Hi. It's me, I just wanted to hear how you are, that you're alright." Nagato gripped the bed sheet with his free hand as he spoke.


One the other end of the line Sasuke's eyes softened at the sound of his mate's voice. "I'm fine Nagato. It's not a serious injury for a vampire, by tomorrow night it will be completely healed. How's your head feeling?"


Nagato let out a breath of relief just hearing Sasuke's voice. He knew vampires healed fast but he still worried. "I'm fine, a bit of a headache but nothing serious...thank you for helping me."


Affection filled Sasuke's tone. "I told you I'd protect you kæreste. I wanted to protect you."


"You did." Nagato agreed. "And I wanted to protect you right back...granted that was a big fat fail but when I saw him slicing at you something in me just snapped." Nagato needed to get these words out and it was easier saying them over the phone instead of face to face where he might lose his courage. "He's really gone...right? Yahiko. He won't come back?"


The corner of Sasuke's mouth kicked up as he turned the corner onto the road that lead to the clinic. "He's gone. When he threw you into the wall I lost it a bit and you could say it was a bit overkill. The cleanup crew also cremated the corpse. Nothing could possibly bring him back to life now."


Nagato gripped his phone tight enough to make the plastic groan in protest. "Good, I'm happy he's dead." He fiddled with the sheets again. "Will I see you sometime soon?"


"I'm almost at the clinic now. I should be there in about five minutes."


The corner of Nagato's mouth turned upwards in a small smile and he hissed when his lip split opened again. "Kay, see you then." Nagato flipped the phone shut and stared at the green walls of the small room he was in. He wasn't magically cured of his fear and his distrust of vampires because Yahiko was dead. Sasuke was different though and Nagato wanted to see him again.


It actually took Sasuke less than five minutes to get back to Nagato's room. He knocked lightly on the door and stepped inside, giving his mate a small, close-lipped smile. "Hey."


"Hi" Nagato gave the vampire a crooked smile as he looked him over; trying to make sure that Sasuke didn't have any hidden injuries. He placed his hands on the mattress on either side of his body and scooted upwards so that he was in a more sitting position.


Sasuke walked over and sat on the edge of the bed and his eyes went to the split lip and huge bruise that Nagato sported. He raised a hand and brushed his fingertips ever so lightly around the edges of the bruise. "I'm sorry I didn't get there before he did this."


"Don't apologize; I didn't exactly make it easy for you...or Konan." He took a hold of Sasuke's hand and held it in his own. "I'm sorry you had to kill."


The vampire shook his head. "Don't be. It's what I do, what I've done since I grew out of being a fledgling. I am an executioner for my kind Nagato but this was much more than a simple execution, it was personal. He hurt you and no one who does that will escape my wrath, ever."


Nagato's cheeks pinkened and he squeezed Sasuke's hand tighter. "I'm not...I'm not okay. I'm still a mess, paranoid, scared, untrusting and with pretty severe ocd syndromes." Nagato sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "This isn't coming out right, simply put I'm a basket case but I want to have you in my life. I want to see what we could be. I just need time and patience. Maybe we could like....date?" Nagato looked up at Sasuke pleadingly. "You know getting to know one and other and...hold off with the biting..."


Anyone who'd ever thought Sasuke couldn't truly smile was proven incredibly wrong as the brunette's lips curved up in a relieved and happy smile. "I'd like that. I'd really like that a lot kæreste. I won't bite you unless you want me to, I give you my word." ¨


"You're beautiful when you smile." The words just slipped out before he could stop them and Nagato felt like hitting himself for being such a girl. "I look forward to getting to know you then." Nagato smiled at him.


A slight blush accompanied Sasuke's smile now but it didn't dim. "I'm not the only one who's beautiful when they smile kæreste." He leaned forward to murmur against the redhead's lips, "And I greatly look forward to getting to know you better," his tongue flicked against the cut on Nagato's lip to heal it before he pressed a gentle kiss to his mate's lips.


Nagato pressed back with his lips but he didn't try to deepen the kiss, this was just perfect for now. The moment was ruined though by the gigantic yawn escaping him. "I apologize, I'm just really tired. Maybe I should sleep now...You could drive me home tomorrow...or later today and we could talk more. Our first date." Gray eyes drooped and another yawn fought its way to the surface.


Sasuke brushed a tender kiss across the human's brow. "Rest kæreste. I'll be here when you wake and I'll drive you home when the doctor releases you."


Snuggling down into the pillow Nagato closed his eyes, not letting go of Sasuke's hand as he drifted off to sleep.


TBC…


AN: So Yahiko is dead and Nagato is finally free. All that is left now is the epilogue. Will Nagato ever trust Sasuke enough to let him bite him and allow them to be true mates? Does Sasuke have the patience to wait for Nagato? What do you think?