Mate

/bleh/ Naruto talking to Kyuubi mentally.

Sometimes life can be one cruel son of a bitch, one minute you're due to inherit your father's fortune, and then the next you're being pushed down a well by your own sibling.

Nineteen-year-old Uchiha Sasuke cursed beneath his breath how could he had been so reckless. He knew it was only a matter of time before his older brother tried to murder him. Hell, their father had done the same to their late uncle, so it was sort of a family tradition. The official heir gets their clan's fortune.

He could hear his brother Itachi's barely audible words from atop the sealed off Well. "My apologies but it had to end this way, as our father's second favorite I can't allow you to inherit his fortune. We can only hope your death is a swift one. Maybe, in another life, you'll find it in your heart to forgive me." And with those final parting words, his brother was gone, leaving him there to tire and eventually drown.

At that moment, Sasuke pressed against the annular shaped brick wall of the Well to keep his body afloat. If his brother had not used a nerve stunning Jutsu it would have been simple enough to get out.

At first, it took Sasuke a minute to notice the bubbles rising to the surface at the other end of the Well. The ebony-haired shinobi knew if he found that breach, he might actually find freedom even in the sheer darkness of the Well. He was unable to judge exactly how deep down the Well goes, but he would have to take that risk.

And so, he sucked in a deep breath dipping his head beneath the cool water surface, following the trail of bubbles. Relentlessly, he had a tough time swimming, what with only half of his body functioning properly it was hard to dive.

Only a few feet down did Sasuke notice the bubbles were coming from an inch-long gap between the cobblestone structure. This would be his first time ever attempting his Chidori submerged, albeit there was a first time for everything.

With all the Chakra he could muster Sasuke had focused his energy into his palm until it glowed an eerie blue and even then his Chidori was much weaker than normal. He was able to breach through and with one hard thrust of his fist. However, what the raven had failed to anticipate was the power of the Well's suction, once it had collapsed. The water plus one Uchiha had broken through the cobblestone reservoir. He was thrashed around by the water before coming to an abrupt halt.

When everything stopped reeling and moving was when Sasuke sat up. Cautiously, he had clutched his paralyzed limb before climbing to his scandal clad feet. There in the distance, he saw bewteen the blanket of large pipe vines was a massive brick structure that stretched up towards the heavens.

"Well, what do we have here?" Sasuke turned in time to see two Shinobi wearing dark green vests, smirking at him.

The Raven vaguely thought what the hell had he just stumbled upon, as the two Chunin swooped in on him.

Defeated, twelve-year-old Uzumaki Naruto had slouched in his seat, fighting the urge to flee.

As yet again, Hatake Kakashi showed the youth another potential mate. This time, however, it was a woman who looked like she belonged in a coffin. The elderly woman spun around giving the juvenile a good view of her shape before sending him a come-hither kiss.

The twelve-year-old gagged, sticking his tongue out at her in disgust.

Most of the villagers wanted the perks of being a mate of the vessel. They wanted the title, the wealth, and also a share of that unlimited Chakra. Konoha had revered the youth for his sacrifice. He was selected at birth to harbor Kyuubi-no-Kitsune so that the demon could stay attached to their realm and guard the village of the hidden leaf and its powerful hidden scrolls.

It also helped that over the past centuries the Village of the Hidden Leaf was believed, by the other rival countries and villages to be nothing more than a Myth, which quickly turned into a Legend. Since no one has ever seen it, or Live to Tell the Tale for that matter.

"This is Ayame. She's seventy-six years old. Her spouse is recently deceased, so she's available and she's also the great-grandmother of four." The Ashen-haired Shinobi announced before winking at the youth who was forced to sit there and go through all his selected engagements.

"Alright! Just stop Kakashi! I'm done. I can't sit through another one." He protested. Naruto has hopped out of the chair fully ready to run if need be. He had been at it for a total of three hours now, which felt more like three days.

Kakashi nodded before escorting the pouting grandmother out of the boy's Japanese style manor.

/What's the matter Kit? Is she's not to your liking? / Kyuubi blooming voice ringing throughout the boy's head.

/Have you seen her!? She's much too old. It's gross! /

/Don't be that way, or are you saving yourself for someone special maybe a certain pink haired girl perhaps? /

The pre-teen blushed / What no! /

/Pity, I thought I sensed her Chakra signature outside/

Naruto straighten up in his seat /Really? /

/No not really! Take my word for it Kit she's a young woman now, and not interested in a little boy she wants a man./ He heard the demon's mocking laughter echo in his head before fading away.

/Sometimes I hate you/

Kyuubi did not respond.

Ayame and Kakashi didn't get very far. The paired had paused at the front steps as they saw a bunch of village people beginning to gather in the center of Konoha.

Curiously, the blonde had poked his head between both adults, as the three watched the public spectacle that was taking place. Never had this happened before. Never had they caught an actual outsider and brought them back to the village!

Instinctively, Naruto had jetted off even as both Kakashi and Ayame's protest.

The sun had beamed down harshly on alabaster flesh as Uchiha Sasuke was shoved to his knees, by the same two shinobi who had found him. His arms were bound tight behind his back by a thick woven rope, which began to cut into his wrist. His ankles were shackled, making it virtually impossible for any escape.

It also didn't help that half his body was still under the effects of the stunning Jujitsu. So, this is it? Sasuke wondered as a hand clenched tightly to the nape of his damp raven locks, forcing his head to tilt back heavenwards. A tense groan slipping from his lips, in one minute he was following his brother into their families wood and the next he was having another attempt on his life! Life had always of been funny like that or at least his life has.

The shinobi that had yanked at his tender nape began to shout towards the fast growing crowd attracting villagers and other shinobi attention.

"We have found this intruder snooping near our borders. We all know that our survival depends on Konoha going undetected throughout the years!"

The crowd had erupted into into panic-stricken shouts to kill him. They were obviously scared. The shinobi clenching Sasuke's soft mane had tugged his head back more until it was literally hard to swallow. His Adam's apple had jutted out further than normal by this action.

By now, Sasuke had clamped his inky black depths shut. If he were to die, then his only wish would be or a swift one.

Just then, he heard the crowd start to quiet down as the shouting began to turn into bewildered whispers. He could hear light footsteps approaching, so this must be his executioner Sasuke wondered, as the footsteps drew near. Sasuke could feel the cool shadow of the other bathing his body like that of the grim reaper itself.

However, what had happened next was something Sasuke could have never conjured up not even in his wildest of dreams. He felt the sensation of tiny fingertips cupping his chin.

For some reason, his sharpened senses knew that something was bridging the gap, and subconsciously he braced himself, for what? He did not know exactly and yet his eyes still remained firmly shut that was until something very strange happened.

Without warning, he felt light pressure of something kind of soft and moist pressed against the corner of his mouth in dare he says a kiss?

It sure had felt that way, although a bit clumsy. He could hear the crowd that had come to witness his public execution all break into gasps and bewilderment at the scene.

Slowly, onyx colored orbs opened at the soft sensation, on the corner, of his mouth separated with the other individuals.

What he saw was a shaggy mop of golden-blonde hair and bright cobalt color hues' staring back at him. But this was all wrong those eyes belong to a very young looking face.

"I choose you," The boy kneeling in front of him had announced loud enough for all to hear. He flashed Sasuke a bright smile which lit up sun-kissed features before he was swiftly ushered away by two rather angry looking shinobi.

Curiously, the blonde kept looking back at Sasuke until he disappeared completely into the throng of bodies.

However, Tsunade The Hokage of Konoha was not convinced. She had an inkling Konoha's Vessel would pull a stunt like this.

Her mouth had drawn into a tight line at the announcement. What was the brat playing at? However, she had reluctantly, mind you, signaled for her Shinobi to release the raven from death's clutches.

Tsunade knew as soon as Naruto had seen them dragging outsider and parading him about the village streets that the boy would find some absurd way to save his life but not this.

Naruto practically belched his declaration, so there was no doubting that.

Thankfully, Sasuke felt his head being released with a sharp jerk. He had escaped death a second time.

"You got off lucky boy," one of the shinobi grumbled.

Hopefully, everybody loves the first Chapter R&R to let me know how I did :)