I was beginning to agree with thesis that some truth were better off dead. And buried.

-Simona Panova


The silence was comfortable, both Uchihas lost in their own thoughts. They had shifted from the kitchen to the living room, where they were sitting on the floor, elbows resting on the table in front of them.

Kazue was turning all the information he now had around in his head, his mind running at all the things that had been revealed to him mere minutes ago. It was a lot to take in, so he sat on the soft cusion, letting it all sink in.

However, he frowned, coming to a sudden realization. Yes, his father was a murderer, but he had done it to stop war, hadn't her? And if the people knew all this, then why did they hate him?

It's not fair, for them to look at the bad he did, while ignoring the good.

But, he soon realized that the village was a huge place, and surely there had to be someone who accepted both his sides. And yet, everyone he'd come across always remembered his father with curses. It was impossible, for all of them to have the exact same mindset.

Which meant one thing.

Kazue clenched his fists.

"They don't know, do they?"

Sasuke blinked, snapping out of his thoughts, when he heard Kazue's voice. Turning his face to him, Sasuke cocked his head slightly, in question.

"The people." Kazue clarified, "They don't know why papa did it, do they?"

As the implication of the words dawned upon Sasuke, he pursed his lips.

"Itachi wanted to keep it hidden." He frowned, "According to his plans, I was supposed to be the redemption of the Uchiha Clan. Someone who had hunted his traitorous brother, and brought him down to restore the honour of his Clan."

Clasping his hands together, Kazue pursed his lips.

"But?"

Feeling the weight of his shame, Sasuke looked away.

"But, I gained power from evil means. Itachi had expected me to stay in the village and grow stronger. But, I was blinded by hatred, so I turned into a rogue too."

Placing his chin on his palm, his elbow resting on the table, Kazue hummed in thought. His eyes turned to Sasuke.

"Does the village hate you, too?"

Sasuke flinched slightly at his blunt words. He grimaced, carefully choosing his next words.

"The village...mistrusts me. It's like all those years ago. People only see the wrong I did, forgetting that the one who suffered the most from the massacre was me too."

Kazue cocked his head, confusion shining in his eyes.

"But, why hide the truth? Will it not make everything better?"

Sasuke closed his eyes, contemplating.

"The people of this village trust it's elders to make decisions that benefit the village. What I gave you was an outline of what happened. In addition to Danzo, there were two village elders who approved of the execution order."

Turning to Kazue, Sasuke softened.

"If the village found out the deeds their elders have done, what do you think will happen?"

Kazue looked away, his words bitter.

"They will lose faith in them. They will hate them, and they will mistrust them. Because, they will think that elders did it once, so they can most certainly do it again."

Sasuke smirked for a second, then nodded.

"But, that's not just it. Some Shinobi will demand an explanation and expect punishment, while others who are loyal to their elders will claim it be just another scheme of the Uchihas. The village will fall into chaos and fighting."

Kazue gritted his teeth.

"Is that how you're going to live then? Hated by the village, and forever hiding the sacrifices made by our clan?"

Sasuke frowned at his argument.

He wants me to tell them.

"They will forget, Kazue. And they will learn to trust again. The village has seen war, and they don't want to go through that again. That's why, now is the best time to make them realize that we mean to harm, as they will be more ready to accept us."

Kazue shook his head, furiously, clenching his fist.

"They didn't forget when Uchiha Madara lost! And certainly not when the nine-tailed fox attacked! They won't forget this either. They will tell their children all that they've seen, and then those children will tell their children. The cycle will go on and we will continue to be hated, if we don't do anything."

Kazue shook his head again, unaware of Sasuke's intense eyes on him, watching him.

"You said that the village forgot that we suffered in the war, too, right? Well, if we don't tell them, then they'll forget again. Even worse, what if they haven't even realized it yet? That we suffered too, and have been doing so ever since the village was formed?"

There was silence, as Kazue waited for a reply. He got none. Turning to his uncle, he found him staring at him, eyes wide and a dumbfounded look on his face.

Kazue turned red, getting self-conscious.

"W-What?"

After staring at him for a second more, Sasuke suddenly smirked.

"You're damn smart, you know that?"

Kazue blushed even more at the compliment, quickly focusing his attention to his hands resting in the table.

After a moment, when his face had cooled down, Kazue sneaked a peek at Sasuke. He was staring at the opposite wall, deep in thought. Sensing his gaze, he turned to him.

"I thought I was the only Uchiha left. So, I had planned to do things my way, living hated by people, and taking the secrets of my clan to my grave."

He paused for a second, them continued.

"You, however, change things. The village might forget what I have done and accept me, but I doubt they're going to forget Itachi's actions anytime soon. Especially when looking at you will constantly remind them."

Sasuke contemplated.

"The best way to ensure your safety, would be to tell the truth. But-"

Sasuke groaned slightly, fisting a hand in his hair.

"God, this is so messed up."

Kazue nodded solemnly in response.

After a moment, Sasuke sighed.

"Give me some time." He said, quietly, "I'll figure things out."

Kazue hesitated for a second, then nodded.

Once again, silence reigned over them, covering them up like a blanket. Then, a thought hit Sasuke.

"Do you hate me?" He asked suddenly. looking at Kazue.

Kazue, not expecting the question, widened his eyes.

"Huh?"

"Despite my reasons, I did kill Itachi. Do you hate me for it? And for hiding the truth?"

Kazue bit his lip, deep in thought.

Do I hate him?

A moment later, he was shaking his head.

"I don't hate you. I understand that what you did was wrong, but I don't hate you for it. I'm a little sad, I guess."

Kazue looked up at the ceiling.

"You were confused and hurt about what happened, and the path you had chosen was what seemed right to you at that moment. In the end, I suppose you were a child too, weren't you? A child who had everything taken from him?"

Sasuke felt his throat grow heavier with every word. When Kazue was done, he clamped a hand over his eyes, and turned away.

Kazue's eyes widened.

"W-What's wrong?"

He received an almost-hysterical laugh in response, as Sasuke shook his head, wiping his eyes.

Tears, Kazue realized, Tears of relief.

"It's nothing. I'm just...really happy."

No sooner had the words left his lips, Sasuke turned back to Kazue, smiling openly.

Quietly, Kazue got up, and walked towards his uncle. Wrapping his arms around his neck, he pulled Sasuke's face against his shoulder. Then, he patted his back.

"There, there."

He heard a muffled chuckle, as Sasuke wrapped his arms around him, covering his up with warmth, comfort and protectiveness.

Both were enjoying the comfort the other provided, when a sudden thought hit Kazue. A sudden and very important thought.

He pulled back slowly, looking up at Sasuke with narrowed eyes.

"You hurt mama."

Sasuke blinked.

"Oh."

"I didn't know how else to stop her." Sasuke admitted, after a moment, "There was a possibility that you had the Sharingan, and I couldn't let that go without confirming. Plus, I warned her too."

Then, Sasuke's arms tightened around Kazue, his face darkening.

"If someone else had been the one to find you, I doubt your mother would've been the only one hurt."

Kazue gulped, shuddering slightly at the thought.

Accepting his answer, Kazue relaxed again, resting his head against Sasuke's chest. He listened to his heartbeat.

"Where does mama come in all this?" Kazue questioned, his throat parched from all the talking he'd done. He coughed slightly.

Noticing this, Sasuke poured a glass of water from the jug on the table, and handed it to him.

Things were better now, warmer, unanswered questions no longer keeping them from trusting each other. Sasuke sighed, relieved that their conversation had taken a turn from painful topics. He thought about the question.

Kazue took a sip of water, sighing when it tended to his dry throat. He glanced back at Sasuke with surprise, when he heard him sigh in frustration.

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself. No one had expected Itachi to have a wife, let alone a child."

He leaned his head back.

"Itachi was the kind of person who always planned about a hundred steps ahead. And yet, no matter how far back I look, I can't seem to find any sign or mention go Hinata, which means only one thing."

Kazue looked at him in question.

"For once, my genius big brother miscalculated how things would turn out and the moment, Hinata stepped in, his plans were foiled completely."

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at the thought. It seemed that even his prodigal brother was prone to failing. The thought was nothing if not comforting.

Eventually, it was time for Kazue to go.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked, extending a hand towards Kazue. Kazue hummed in response.

Stepping outside the house, Kazue couldn't help but shiver at the familiar feeling of abandonment in the compound. It wasn't neat evening, but the compound was as dark as ever, with its ever-blowing breeze.

Looking around the compound once more, Kazue stopped and clasped his hand together. Then closing his eyes, he prayed.

Beside him, Sasuke smiled.

So, the Hyuga had instilled some manners in him.

His smile turned into a grin, as he recalled his own mother doing the same. Placing a hand on his chest, Sasuke noticed the absence of the heavy feeling that accompanied his past.

He wasn't going to shed tears on his memories anymore. Glancing at Kazue, Sasuke's eyes softened. Instead, it was time to make new ones.

As they reached the gates of the compound, Sasuke paused. Before he knew it, he was kneeling in front of Kazue, his back facing him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Get on."

Kazue grinned, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's neck as Sasuke stood up, his hands supporting Kazue's legs.

There were whispers and gasps as they walked through the village, the people spotting the resemblance and finally having an inkling to who the boy was.

And this time, Kazue noticed. He noticed the glares, the whispers and the hatred.

Beside him, Sasuke noticed too. But he ignored them, making sure they understood the meaning of the blatant statement he was making by parading Kazue around the village.

Hurt him. I dare any of you to.

"Kazue?" The boy in question hummed in response.

"Your mother. What else did she tell you about Itachi?"

As absurd as it sounded, this was Sasuke's way of catching up. Catching up to everything he'd missed.

"He loved Dango." Kazue began, his eyes shining as he recalled every tiny detail his mother had ever told him.

"He was really stubborn, too, and curiosity was his biggest enemy."

"He had an amazing smile. And even though he laughed rarely, when he did it always took mama's breath away."

"Once, he even blushed, and it was the funniest thing ever!"

Sasuke raised his eyebrow at that, lips curling into an amused smirk, as he tried to picture a blushing Itachi.

Nope, he couldn't do it.

As Kazue went on, Sasuke stopped, looking at the sky.

You've lived quite the life, eh brother?

Sasuke only wised he'd been there to see it.

It wasn't long before they reached Kurenai's.

"There." Sasuke said as he set Kazue down. Then, he knocked at the door.

After a few seconds, Kurenai opened the door, her face breaking into a wide smile when she spotted Kazue. She quickly pulled him into a hug.

"Kazue! I'm so glad that you're back!" Then, her eyes narrowed, as she took is face in her hands, looking for injuries. "That Uchiha didn't hurt you, did he? If he did, just say the word and I'll-"

Kazue laughed, cutting her off and placed his small hands over Kurenai's.

"Relax, Kurenai, I'm fine. In fact, I'm better than before."

Kurenai stared at him for a moment. It was true. He seemed happier than before. Lighter, even.

What had the Uchiha told him?

Shaking her head, she smiled.

"Kazue?"

Another voice cut through.

Looking at its source, Kazue's eyes lit up. He grinned as a figure launched itself at him and tackled him into a hug. He laughed.

"Hi, Mirai."

The girl grinned, looking up at him with shining eyes.

"I missed you so much!"

Kazue's eyes widened as he stared at her.

Woah, she's really pretty!

"Me too." He muttered, looking to his side to hide his growing blush.

Beside him, Kurenai squealed. Sasuke only rolled his eyes, though he was also smiling lightly. Mirai, oblivious, to everyone else, took his hand.

"Come on, let's play!"

And with that, both of them were gone.

The silence between Kurenai and Sasuke was awkward as both contemplated what to say. Then, Kurenai cleared her throat.

"Thank you."

Sasuke's eyes widened as he looked at Kurenai, questioningly.

"For bringing Hinata back."

Sasuke regarded her silently.

"I had my reasons."

Kurenai only inclined her head slightly.

"All the same, I am grateful."

Sasuke let her words register, as he looked away from the woman in front of him.

He made up his mind.

"Thank you, too."

Kurenai's head shot up, as she took in what he'd just said.

"What was that?"

Sasuke couldn't do anything to prevent the warmth from spreading across his cheeks. He was embarrassed.

Being nice is hard.

"I said thank you."

At her dumbfounded look, he gritted his teeth.

"For taking care of him, and not looking at him the way others do."

For a long moment, Kurenai just stared. Then, she grinned.

"So, you do have manners."

Sasuke's eye twitched, a tic appearing on his forehead. He grumbled, and turned away, vowing to never be nice to anyone ever again.

Not if they stare at me like I've grown two heads. And then, they wonder why I'm not nice.

However, he stopped in his tracks when he heard Kurenai speak again.

"I have my reasons too."

Making sure she had his attention, Kurenai glanced at him.

"I know Hinata. Better than anyone else. And it is because I know her that I can say that she did not choose you brother just like that. Despite not seeming like it, Hinata is smart, her eyes capable enough to see what none of us can."

Sasuke had a feeling that she wasn't just talking about the Byakugan. He looked back, when he found Kurenai staring at him.

"I know you're hiding something." She stated, bluntly, "About Itachi."

Sasuke stiffened.

"And I know Kakashi knows what it is and is hiding it too."

Sasuke listened to her, silently questioning what to do.

In the end, he told her what he'd told Kazue.

"Give me some time." His tone was quiet, "I'll figure things out."

Kurenai pursed her lips, but said nothing. Instead, she nodded.

And, just like that, Sasuke was gone.

Kurenai closed the door in thought.

Maybe the Uchiha wasn't that bad, after all. At least he cared about Kazue.

Pushing those thoughts out of her mind, Kurenai grinned devilishly, pulling out a camera.

For now, she had more important things to do.

Like snap pictures of a certain Uchiha crushing on a certain Sarutobi.


There you guys go!!

So Kazue finally accepted Sasuke. Any thoughts?

I know you're all waiting to find out how our lovers met, but, unfortunately it will be a few chapters until we get there.

God, you guys have no idea how hard it is to stop myself from publishing all my chapters at once after reading your comments.

I can't wait to finally hear what you guys have to say about them, when I finally publish that chapter!!

Either way, thanks a lot for those heartfelt reviews!! I really enjoy reading them, and hearing your thoughts!! They encourage me to continue writing!!

Thanks for taking time to read this story too!! It means a LOT AND A LOT to me!!

Enjoy!!

-Your grateful author.