Warning: This chapter does contain some intimate scenes that would put this chapter at more of an M rating. Its not a lemon it is a little Lime. So if you are not comfortable with that just skip over, they are pretty easy to pick up when they are beginning.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Will and Want

Ancient Greece:

"But their numbers exceed ours!" protested a council member.

There was a chorus of murmuring as several others nodded their heads in agreement.

Another council member stood and walked to the center. "Are we really going to submit ourselves to an alliance with those cherubs!?" He yelled over the murmurs. "They would have us bowing down to mortals and asking them what bidding they would have us do!"

As several more began to voice their own opinions, Madara sat darkly on his throne, listening, watching. And the more members he saw swaying into agreeance and the more he heard them voice their support, the angrier he grew.

His dark eyes roved over the scene, stopping occasionally on specific individuals. Fugaku sat with the same sour face that he was born with. His hereditary dark eyes quietly skipped from one speaker to the next, showing no emotions as to which form of action he thought would be best. It was a smart tactic on his part. Madara's eyes then fell upon Sasuke. His young eyes darted around frantically trying to keep up with the debate. There was something about him that had changed and Sasuke had improved immensely over the past year . He had drive, he had direction. It gave Madara's greedy mind hope for him yet. He had been worried when he first took an interest in him, thinking that he would never quite hold up to his brother. He had the potential but until recently, Madara had been worried it was wasted potential. Moving on from his hopeful prodigy, his eyes settled onto Itachi. Unlike his brother and father, Itachi's eyes were not moving. Instead they were set directly at him, unmoving and unflinching, even when Madara's higher evolved eyes met his.

And then he smiled.

There was a taunting victory in Itachi's face and it rubbed against Madara's patience too rawly. He was the Demon Lord, he was a god in the underworld, his Will was law.

It erupted out of him like a sonic wave, rushing over the congregation and rendering them silent. He sent out another pulse so strong that those who were standing fell to the ground, overcome with his influence. With slow movements, he rose from his throne. Without the raised dais beneath his feet, he already towered among most of them, but from the raised platform he loomed at a mountainous height as his eyes bled red into the highest level that any of them had seen since Indra.

"You all speak as if this decision is to be debated, but I have spoken," he said darkly, his voice deep and reverberating within their bones. "I vow to you, in one year hence, we will defeat our enemies. Their numbers may be more, but they are weaker." He looked around the various council members. "We are the descendants of Indra, the true heir, and the true inheritors of the divine realms. We will take back what is rightfully ours. They named us the fallen," he announced, raising his hands into the air, "then let us rise."

What was once filled with debates of peace, was now filled with raucous cheers of battle cries as Madara's Will was forced upon those present. Even Itachi, with his peaceful ideals and desire to coexist and work alongside the blessed, found his blood boiling for the need to spill blessed blood. He strained to keep a small hold on the now nearly cold coals of what was once a burning fire for peace. Pain surged through his body at the resistance but he kept his face shaped into one of indifference as Madara's eyes settled on him, challenging him. He glared back as sweat began to form on his forehead and it was only when a group of merry demons blocked his line of vision, that he looked away.

With a deep intake of breath, he cast his attention to the side and saw his brother. Sasuke was sitting on the stone bench next to him, his face construed in pain. While he never wished for any harm to befall his brother, seeing that pain on his brother's face was the greatest relief, it meant he was trying to resist as well. But was his brother strong enough? Was he strong enough? To keep from being fully consumed by Madara's influence over them?

He needed to stop this, he needed to break free of the Will. It was the only way he could warn the blessed. But he could not afford to be cast out of hell, not while his brother was being preyed upon by the Lord of the realm himself. He needed to preserve him, preserve that innocence that reached out to mortals and made friends with the blessed. It was seraphs like his brother that the future needed, not Madara. Therefore, he needed to find a way to break free from Madara's will without him knowing.


Two years, it had been two years that had passed by faster than a blink of an eye. Even for Sasuke who was immortal and counted his years in decades and centuries not weeks and days, thought it should have been longer. Sakura had just finished her worships for the coming harvest, and now, it was his turn to give worship.

The sound of their bodies moving together, the heavy breathing, and the serene sound of Sakura's moans brought about a delight within him that made him yearn for the next time he would hear it before it had even ceased. As they copulated against the granite statue of what the mortals thought were gods, Sasuke only found it befitting that they chose Demeter as their surface in which they held their bodies against each other. Some would label such an act as defilement or even blasphemous, and if it were any two other beings, Sasuke would perhaps agree.

But between them, it was nothing but befitting of worship that was being performed. He was worshiping her divinity, worshiping her essence. She was the only goddess that he had ever felt inclined to pay homage to. As he moved within her, Sakura let out a cry that echoed through the temple, filling his ears with sweet songs of pleasure that pulled him into his own euphoria. With her head arched back against the statue, he let out a grunt into her hair as their bodies convulsed as one. As one they rode out their ecstasy until their movements stilled. All that was left was their heavy breathing as the lingering exhilaration rippled through their bodies.

Sasuke lifted his head to look into her lusty and sated eyes. A shiver ran down his spine and his grip on her legs that were wrapped around his waist tightened. She gave him a tired smile and he could not help but press a gentle kiss onto those lips that formed such a warmth. When he pulled away he let his forehead rest against hers as he gave them another moment to recover their breath.

But it was just a moment before Sakura's hands moved up his arms, took hold of his head, and pulled him to her lips. She kissed him hungrily which he fed such hunger until a chuckle escaped him and she pulled away from him.

"So eager for more," he purred as she allowed him to nip at her neck. He moved up to her ear and grazed it with his teeth before speaking into her ear. "Unfortunately while my stamina is far superior than any mortal you can find, even an immortal needs his recovery time."

With that he let her down slowly, savoring the feeling of her body, slick with sweat as she slid down his body. With her feet now on the ground, he brought his hands to her hair and tucked the tangled mess of her locks behind her ear. She was exquisite like this.

He stared down at her, letting his fingers wander her face as he gazed into her eyes, admiring the glow that she always gained after their times together. It was because of his admiration of her features that he caught the hint of sadness wash over her face.

His brow crumpled. "What troubles you?" He asked, tracing the lines that emerged on her forehead.

"My father received a letter from his brother the other day. And it has been decided that I will be going to the mainland to stay with my aunt and uncle after the grafting."

Sasuke let his fingers run through her hair, gently untangling the knots he had made with their rigorous activities from earlier. "Good," he said. "It's about time you experience the world beyond the tides of this island. But why does that sadden you?"

"Because I don't want to leave you," she said honestly. "It was everything I ever wanted but now...if I leave that means I will leave you! And I.." she looked down at her twisting hands. "I know that we have never-"

She stopped speaking when Sasuke's laughter began to take over her quiet voice. When she looked at him in confusion he ran a hand across her face as he let his laughter die down. "Sakura, I can travel from one realm to another with the ease of a step, do you really think traveling to any part of the mortal realm would be any harder?"

She blinked a few times, as if the thought that he could be present anywhere else had never crossed her mind. "You mean, you would follow me?"

"Tch," Sasuke let out sarcastically. "Sakura, the only reason why I even lingered more than a few months on this island is because of you. I would be more than happy to never come back here so long as I could see you somewhere else." His hand tilted her chin and he placed a kiss on her nose. "I will follow you. No matter where you are, I will always find you."


There was a slight chill that came with the changing season. They lay in the abandoned field as the night stars shined down on their bodies. As the wind rustled through the long grass, Sakura snuggled closer to Sasuke's warm body. Too tired to get dressed, she pulled the shawl from the pile of their clothes and spread it over her like a blanket.

"The grafting was finished today," she said quietly. "My uncle will be here within the week to travel with me."

Sasuke let out a lazy hum, not bothering to open his eyes as the fatigue from their vigorous ministrations to each other began to set in.

"Sasuke, I need to tell you something" Sakura called. He released another hum to tell her he was still listening. Sakura bit her lip as she debated on whether to speak or keep it to herself. "I...I don't, I'm not sure if this will matter to you or not...but, I feel as if...if you feel the way I do…"

"Just say it Sakura," Sasuke sighed out as he readjusted his arm to serve as a better pillow than the grassy ground.

"The reason why I am being sent to the mainland is so that I might...be-paired-with-a-suitor," she finished her explanation in a hurried jumble of words.

The flood of words did not register instantly, but when they did, Sasuke's eyes snapped open to see Sakura propped up and looking at him nervously. He took in the way her teeth bit at her bottom lip then to her eyes as they moved back and forth between his, waiting. He lifted himself up, propping himself with his arms as she sat up off of him.

"And you are telling me this because…"

Her face slightly fell. "Um...I just thought that maybe..." She waved him off. "No reason. I guess I just got carried away with myself. I was just nervous about it but I suppose it's something I will have to do eventually. I just thought you...that we..." she turned away from him, only to have her face forced back to him as his hand cupped her cheek.

When she met his eyes, he gave her a look that made her insides twist. "There is no need to be nervous about courting Sakura," he said comfortingly. "I will be there every moment to make sure-" Her eyes feel in disappointment only to snap back up with his next words- "that every single one of them does not have a chance to even speak to you.

"None of them will ever have the pleasure to know the silkiness of your hair. For their hand will be broken before they manage to touch even a single hair," he said as he caressed her head. Then his hand moved down her jaw to her chin where his thumb moved up to trace her bottom lip. "None of them will ever know what it will be like to breath your sweet breath nor know the smoothness of these lips. For their tongue will be ripped from their mouth before they could even taste you." He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss to make a point. As he withdrew, he set his eyes to her and gave her a look that was lustful but dark with malice. "And should any of them even dare think they would ever know your body in a way that only I know it, I will rip their spine from their throat and end their pathetic mortal life before they could even form the thought."

A shiver ran down her spine. His words were dark and sinister. She was not used to such images within her mind. Yet, even as the bloody and gory imaginings of his words made her shiver with a disturbed unsettling, it would be a lie if she did not also find them thrilling.

She had no reservations in giving herself to Sasuke. Knowing full well that more than likely someday it would end, be it her old age or him just tiring of her, Sakura had been content with what he would give her. Be it one night or a thousand. Now, after she had a taste of it, the thought of losing such a thing was unimaginable. And it was not just how he made her body feel. That in itself made her more than willing to sell her soul to the darkest of devils just for one more time with him. But it was the way he made her feel within her mind, soul, and her heart.

He made her feel like she was his whole world, despite the fact that he wandered many. The way he listened to her prattle on about her mundane life, it told her that everything about her was important to him as he seemed to glean every once of information she was willing to present to him. He made her feel as though she were his everything, and at this moment, she felt that he was her everything.

In a whirl of movement, she found herself on her back as he crawled over her, his lips marking a path as he slowly moved over her. Pulling the shawl that once partially covered her, he exposed her body to him. He started with at her ankle and then moved to her shin, curving her bent knee before moving down her thigh as he pushed her legs straight as he placed a lingering kiss on her hip bone. As he dragged his tongue more central, her heart began to beat wildly as her body eagerly awaited his lips to meet the destination in which a throbbing was forming. She let out a mournful groan when he fainted and moved up towards her belly instead.

He chuckled against her sternum at the heady moan but it turned into a hum of pleasure when his hand dragged up her thigh. In a blissful delirium, she found his face hovering directly over hers as the bliss ended and his fingers moved up her sides.

"I assure you Sakura," he said huskily. "No matter what, we will be together."

She wanted to accept that, she wanted to believe and let this moment continue. "But how?" she could not help but voice. "Sasuke, you of all people should know. This," she managed to pull a hand up and point between them, "this will not last forever. Some day, my parents will die and as a woman...I cannot survive without the support of a man." She said, her voice slightly bitter. "And while I have no wish for any other man, eventually, I will have to depend on one who can exist along with mortals. And while I will gladly give myself to you over and over, you have to realize, it will not always be. Someday I will have to…" she couldn't finish that sentence. And given the dark look on Sasuke's face, it was obvious he didn't either. "We have to be realistic," she said with regret. "I know you will never share me. Which means, someday, this will-"

She was silenced with a finger to her lips. It dragged down her bottom lip as his dark eyes commanded her to remain silent. "I will find a way," he promised. "I will find a way for us to be together at all times, in all ways, and there will not be any sharing nor sacrificing family or lives."

He had no knowledge on how to grant her such things, but as he said it, as he promised it, he knew he would make it so. No matter the cost on his part, Sakura would have everything she wanted. She would be with him, she would travel the world, and she would still have her family. His uncle was the ruler of the fallen, he was practically a prince, royalty. And if there was anything he had learned from mortals, it was that royalty got anything they wanted.

He would earn favor from Madara and get permission for her to come to his realm. She would live with him and be with him always. Anytime she wanted to see her family he would grant that wish. He would bring her back to this gods awful island so that she could check on her pitiful little garden, hug her mother, and tend to her father's ailing joints.

He thought about the most recent council and what Madara vowed to do. Soon they would rule every realm, not just rule, but command. With such power, the unimaginable would surely be manageable. He could make the impossible possible. For example, make a mortal, immortal. Sakura would not just be with him, she would be with him forever.

As the delirium from such intoxicating ideas sobered, Sasuke looked down into Sakura's eyes. As he looked into the green irises that he knew had golden flecks when the sunlight hit them just right, he knew he would do it. Everything he imagined, he would make good on his promise.

"I swear I will make it so Sakura," he said with determination. "Just give me a year...no, less than that," he corrected. "On the anniversary of our meeting, I promise. Just give me until then, can you do that."

Without hesitation her head nodded vigorously. "Yes," she said breathlessly with a faith filled tone that told him she believed him.


The room was dim but the lack of light was nothing for the two persons within the room. Orange flames of ever fire burned in the intricate sconces to give a shadowed illumination about the room. However, the two pairs of Sharingan saw to it that their possessors saw every detail of the room with flawless precision.

Sasuke stood in the middle of the room, his shirt drenched with sweat as he breathed in rapidly from the vigorous training that had commenced for the past hour. Circling around him, Madara appraised his movements and improvement of his swordsmanship.

"Your ever growing skill with your blade is impressive," Madara commented, causing Sasuke to pause in his stance and look at his uncle. "As is the work you have been doing lately. The souls you have been collecting have been certainly impressive. I am glad you have begun to see the value in claiming a challenging soul as your conquests have been lately. The more innocent, the farther the downfall, and therefore far more stronger on our behalf."

Sasuke nodded, knowing full well that a verbal acknowledgment would not be any better of a response in his uncle's case. While he did his best to seem indifferent to the praise, Sasuke's mouth still twitched in the slightest of triumph. He knew that changing his type of souls would gain such acknowledgment. And if he was honest, deep down, he was growing to like it more and more. The power that it brought, and the satisfaction to watch a person fall lower than they had even thought themselves capable of, was invigorating.

Sasuke had never been great at collecting souls...until now. And he had figured out why. It was because collecting was monotonous and a waste of his skills. However corruption was not. Corruption was proving to be Sasuke's forte. He had a natural aptitude for it and the thrill of it was exhilarating. And that was not the only reason why he had decided to go for the more innocent.

It was because he knew, if done right, it would catch Madara's attention. And with the acknowledgement he had just received, Sasuke knew that it had proved right. He was gaining Madara's favor and therefore, growing closer to granting his promise to Sakura. She would most likely not approve of such things, but what she did not know would not hurt her. So long as they were together, that is all that mattered.

Double post weekend! As promised lots of Sasuke/Sakura fluff. Next chapter I am not sure if it will be present day or ancient greece again. There are some events that happened in the past that will be referenced in present day and I am trying to decide how I want it introduced. I pretty much have them both done just the endings of each one I am working out so maybe it will be whichever I finish first. Anyways, Thank you all for your support and comments. You guys are awesome!

Also, I am not sure why my brain is obsessing about the rating but it is. So far everything that has been posted is as much swearing, violence, sexual content, etc. theme there will be. Anything further will not go beyond this standard of content just because that is my comfort zone. Since everyones opinion of ratings varies I want to get an idea of what ya'll would mark this for. I don't want to upset people who came her for the M rating wanting more but also don't want to put a T rating and people reading something they were not expecting. Now that I have figured out my balance, I am thinking it could be a T with maybe just a warning at the beginning of slight M for occasional chapters since really most chapters are a safe T rating. Like I said its not a big deal but for some reason I am unnecessarily debating it back and forth (its just the way I am). Anyways, if you feel inclined help me out and tell me what you think.