Hope you guys didn't wait too long! This chapter gave me some difficulty when trying to make sure it flowed well. But here he is! The man of the hour.


Those who leave, eventually come back.

the lilacs were haunted


He wanted to say that it was good to be home, but he couldn't be sure. It had been 15 years since he had left this city, leaving behind everything. Including things that still ached to think about. The bruising in his heart felt like it would never heal, the purple spots never giving way for healing yellow. Just like someone with a chronic ailment that caused pain, he learned to work around it. Learned how to jostle it the least, how to prevent the bruising from bleeding anew.

He dug his hands deeper into his pockets and sighed, the air was biting in its coldness and though he could wholeheartedly say that he had missed this city, he was not sure that he had missed the bitter cold of the winters here. Next to him his best friend's teeth chattered, but the sky blue of his eyes bellied the excitement he felt at being home. They both walked towards their favorite Ramen shop, hoping that it would still be where they had last seen it all those years ago. 15 years was a long time to be away from your hometown, but in order to achieve all he wanted to achieve there had been no other choice. He returned, the prodigal son. Not empty-handed as it was expected of him, but with achievements that would cement him firmly within the Uchiha Corps. They arrived at the shop that had once been a hole in the wall, now it was much bigger and brighter than they remembered. The bell rang as they walked inside, and they were greeted by the smell of Ramen stock, pork, spices, and cooking noodles.

"Welcome," Ayame called from behind the counter, her smile frozen in place as she recognized them. "Oh God! Pa!" She screamed through the open order window. "Look what the winter storm brought in!"

Teuchi stuck his head out, and looked at the two sheepish men in front of him, his grin unbelievably bright as he welcomed them home.

Though he would never admit it, he had missed the Ramen from the shop. Naruto had dragged him around to every Ramen shop that they could find for the past 15 years, but none had compared to Ichiraku. He breathed the rich broth in, and savored every bite, the food seemed to warm him from the inside. For once he did not have to try as hard to ignore the throbbing pain that always traveled with him.

The bell rang again, and he watched the reflection of the two men that walked in. Dressed in tight fitting white Kimono and Machi, it did not surprise him that they carried Wakyo cases on their backs. The striking red hair on the slightly taller man struck Sasuke as familiar, and it wasn't long before he recognized Gaara. His striking blue-green eyes looked impassively around the shop, and settled briefly on them. If he didn't know any better he could have sworn his eyes widened a fraction, before leaning over to whisper to the youth next to him. Naruto, who up until this point had been oblivious to the new people entering the shop perked up when he heard Gaara's smooth voice greeting Ayame.

"Gaara?! Is that you?!" He exclaimed boisterously as he stood, walking towards the shorter man. Gaara greeted him with a bow, a hint of affection in his otherwise emotionless eyes.

"Naruto, I had not known that you were back." He murmured, relenting to a hug from the loud blond.

"We got back today, long overdue homecoming, that's for sure!" He exclaimed, patting his friend on the back. "Didya want to join me and Sasuke for food?" He asked, blue eyes expectant.

Gaara however, looked uncomfortable, and he glanced to his side. Naruto finally registered that there was someone next to Gaara and eyes widening he looked between the teen and Sasuke. This comical reaction was not missed by the Uchiha and he finally dedicated his full attention to them.

He had not really registered the man next to Gaara until now, it had been but a shadow trailing the red hair. Now that his attention had been called to the boy, he had to do a double take. It wasn't so much a man as it was a teen, hair as dark as his own pulled into a ponytail as if it would do anything to tame the wild locks. His side swept bangs looked effortlessly messy. He still had that softness of a young boy around his face, but the high cheek bones spoke of what his face would turn into as he aged. Sasuke was struck by how much he looked like an Uchiha while simultaneously looking nothing like one at all. His eyes were a gunmetal gray that he had never seen before, a shade almost lilac when the light hit them just right. He furrowed his brow and shook his head, as if to dislodge the thoughts from the current train they had departed on.

"Ah," he heard Gaara murmur. "This is Haru, he's my student." He said as a way of introduction. The young boy bowed politely before whispering something to Gaara, who nodded his assent.

"You're a Kyudo Teacher now?!" Naruto exclaimed. "Wow, how the time flies, a Teacher, and with your own students. I knew you had it in you!" He patted Gaara enthusiastically on the shoulder making the shorter man stumble forward a bit. Blue eyes glued to the youth as he quietly walked towards the counter to order. "Well next time, yea?"

There was something in Naruto's deep blue gaze as he followed Haru that made Gaara break out in a cold sweat. Naruto had, after all, been glued to Sasuke's side from a young age. It would not be surprising if he made a connection, however faint, about the teen's looks and how he remembered Sasuke to look like at the same age.

"You are staying?" Gaara asked, not sounding nearly as thrilled as he should have.

"Huh?" Naruto finally broke from the trance that had his eyes glued to the teenager and regaled Gaara with one of his blinding grins. "Oh yeah! We're back for good!"

The change was miniscule, and had Sasuke not been staring intently he would have missed it. Gaara had definitely paled, his eyes stealing a glance at the boy he had called Haru before looking directly at him. Panic was not something he associated with the stoic man, but it was there, if only for a moment as their eyes met.

"Enjoy your food Gaara! Good luck with practice Haru!" Naruto's voice was loud, but Sasuke could tell it was strained. He briefly wondered if Naruto had noticed something that he had failed to. The young man turned to look at him and bowed politely, before heading to an empty table at which to wait for their food.

Sasuke had not thought about the encounter at Ichiraku's again. In the whirlwind of finding suitable lodging for himself and making last minute preparations for the presentation that would reveal his comeback at Uchiha Corp, he had little time to dwell on a stranger that was familiar to Gaara but not himself.

That was until he saw him again.

Now alongside someone that most certainly piqued his interest. Sitting at the bar by the large window at a coffee shop while he worked on a report, he had decided to take a moment to watch people walk by. Wondering, bemusedly, if he would spot someone that he knew. Thinking that maybe he would see… as his mind slowly moved away from that thought he spotted Shisui. Face buried in his phone as he walked. He stopped in front of what appeared to be an eatery, one that he was not familiar with. His cousin's head snapped up and he waved enthusiastically at two approaching figures.

Smiling, Sasuke figured that Shisui was meeting Itachi for a meal. His smile faltered, as he saw his approaching brother flanked by the boy he had seen but a few days prior. Shisui ruffled the boy's bangs, and Itachi said something that made them both laugh, his stance relaxed and amicable. He had never seen his brother like that. He struggled to remember a time in which Itachi had looked so content and relaxed. They opened the door to the eatery and disappeared inside away from Sasuke's prying eyes. He sat there for what seemed like hours but was probably only a few minutes. Dumbfounded at the scene that had taken place before his eyes.

He packed his belongings, unsure, wanting to stay and wait until they left. If just to confirm that what he had seen was right. But he had been sitting at this coffee shop for hours, and the last hour or so he had spent looking blankly at the door across. Running his hands through his hair he sighed and decided it was time he went home. The thoughts, intrusive and relentless followed him as he walked at a brisk pace, finally thinking that it was now time to let his dear older brother know that he was home.

He had not waited for permission as he opened the door and marched into his brother's office. Itachi lifted his head from the paperwork he had been reviewing and removed the glasses that had been perched on his nose as he regarded his younger brother cooly.

"Ah, I was wondering when you would drop by." He said folding the glasses and putting them away in their case. He began cleaning up his desk, gathering the paperwork strewn about it.

"Huh?" Sasuke raised his eyebrow, confused, he had not told anyone he had arrived, how would Itachi know to expect him?

"Gaara told he he saw you at Ichiraku's," the impassive voice of his brother was not something he had missed.

"Since when have you been close with Gaara?" He asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Since his sister and I opened a law firm together," came the unamused reply.

Sasuke was baffled. He didn't know Itachi had a partner at his firm, let alone that it was Gaara's sister. Confused, he looked at his brother and stalked towards the chair he was now offering him with a gesture from his hand.

"You have been gone 15 years, little brother. Much has changed since the last time you bothered to speak to me." Itachi shrugged, his dark eyes impassively staring Sasuke down. At last, Sasuke managed to look contrite.

"I was busy," was the flimsy excuse that came from his mouth.

"Ah, yes." Itachi began, leveling the younger Uchiha with a unnerving stare. "Busy making something out of yourself, to return triumphant into the Uchiha fold."

Sasuke could not put his finger on it, but the hair standing at the back of his neck let him know that Itachi was displeased though he could not fathom why.

"Why did you come?" The question was blunt, concise, and Itachi made it clear in his tone that he was not here to play around.

"I came home, what do you mean why did I come?" Sasuke was offended, this was not the warm welcome he was expecting from his brother.

"I did not ask why you came home, I asked why you came here." Itachi clarified, his dark eyes looked almost annoyed as he looked at Sasuke.

He sputtered, taken aback by his brother's obvious annoyance. Confused, he gaped, looking around for something to explain why the reception he was receiving was so lukewarm and coming up short he settled with glaring at his older brother. .

"Am I not welcome?" His voice had finally hardened, and he leaned back on the chair smirking.

"Oh no, absolutely not, you are most unequivocally welcome," Itachi flashed him a smile, saccharine in its sweetness. It didn't reach his eyes. "Why would I not welcome my baby brother?"

"It certainly seems like you would like to decapitate me if given the chance, I'm not sure what I did to deserve the sentiment though." This was true, no matter how hard he tried he could not think of a single instance in the past 30 years of his life that would prompt such a response from Itachi.

Itachi cocked his head to the side, leaning forward in his chair. He regarded Sasuke impassively, it made him feel like his brother had caught him in a lie and he was about to be reprimanded. Reminding himself that he was an adult he did not budge from his leisure position, and did not break eye contact with Itachi. Whatever Itachi was searching for in his face, he did not seem to find it as he sighed, finally looking away.

There was an undertone of bitterness in the way his lips curved. Itachi had never been one to be bitter, not as long as Sasuke could remember. However, he had been gone for 15 years, a lot could change in that time. Beyond a few phone calls to check on everyone, he hadn't even bothered to come home during breaks, vacations or holidays. Fervently pursuing his goal, as if achieving it would somehow ease the hollowness in his chest.

But it hadn't and Itachi knew, he needed only to look at his brother to know. Whatever he had achieved had done nothing to dull the ache in his bones.

"I saw you…" he began, inspecting the way his brother looked at him. Hoping to discern from his eyes any reaction that might answer some of his questions.

"You are seeing me right now," Itachi replied, a smug smirk playing along his lips. His eyes were passive, almost bored.

"I saw you with Shisui," he started, Itachi gave him a look that clearly said that was not news. "With Shisui and a boy, someone I've met before." He narrowed his eyes.

Itachi was unmoved, he blinked slowly waiting for him to continue speaking.

"He came in with Gaara to Ichiraku's, he was definitely a teenager. I figured it was just his student, until I saw him with you." He explained, distinctly feeling like he was having some sort of verbal diarrhea that he was simply trying to get through the best he could. "He looked…" he swallowed, the words turning into thick syrup in his throat. "He looked like us." For once the smirk was gone from his lips and a haunted look took over his eyes.

Itachi regarded him quietly, taking note of how his lips had a slight downturn that reminded him vividly of Haru when he pouted and his heart ached for a moment. He sighed knowing this day would come, and unsure of how he would face it. Itachi searched his brother's eyes, sensing that he was confused and trying to understand what he had seen. Both with Gaara and with him. Understanding that he might intrinsically know what was happening, even if he could not fathom who the boy was.

"I took someone under my wing," he said, with a nonchalant shrug, knowing Hina would kill him if she ever heard him say such.

"You… took someone under your wing?" Sasuke repeated slowly, blinking confusedly.

"There was a rather talented youth at a Kyudo match I attended with Temari a few years back." Itachi supplied, looking at Sasuke calmly. "He's from a single parent household and I determined that it would be a waste to have his talents dampened by his lack of resources."

Sasuke fixed his brother with a stare, trying and failing to discern a lie; it was entirely plausible that Itachi had taken someone less fortunate under his wing. God knew he had too much time in his hands and a heart made of solid gold. It did not explain why the youth looked like an Uchiha from a distance.

"Is that so?" Sasuke leaned back in his chair and raised one brow arrogantly. "Do you have a picture?"

Itachi sighed, he was doing that a lot today, Sasuke noted. He watched as his older brother reached for a drawer from his desk, opening it and taking out his phone. Unlocking it and looking through it until he found a picture of Haru from the time where he had a momentary lapse in judgment and had bleached his hair to a honey brown. He handed the phone over to Sasuke. In the picture Haru was sitting at the edge of the Dojo, looking directly at the camera. He was 13 at the time and his honey brown hair fell haphazardly over his brow, the low ponytail was rustled by the wind and a small smile played along his lips. He had taken this picture, after finding Haru sitting there looking at the floor beneath him like it had wronged him in his past life. Itachi had called his name and snapped the picture as he had turned to look at him, the small smile forming.

Sasuke examined the photo, the curve of the nose and the honey brown hair. The eyes were the same shade of gunmetal that had struck him as both familiar and foreign when he had met eyes with the kid at Ichiraku's, and though he knew that Itachi would never lie to him he distinctly remembered the boy having black hair. Tilting his head to the side, he handed his brother his phone back.

"Is that his natural hair color?" He asked, watching as Itachi locked his phone and returned it to the drawer he had taken it out of.

"He is going through a phase right now, though I must admit black hair suits him. Everyone says he looks like my kid." There was a hint of pride in Itachi's voice as he said this and Sasuke felt a pang of jealousy shoot through his body.

"Well, he must be very good at Kyudo for you to sponsor him. He goes to Gaara's Dojo?" He inquired, uninterested, or as uninterested as he could be now when confirming with his own eyes the differences between him and the teen. Though he could very well be related to him, there were a lot of Uchiha out there after all, the color of his eyes were a dead giveaway of not a full blooded Uchiha. If the kid was related to him in any way, it wouldn't be a distant relationship at best, really nothing to concern himself with.

"Hm, though sometimes he trains in others, depending on the season." Itachi was back to his hard to read self and continued to look at Sasuke impassively.

"How old is he?" The younger Uchiha asked, looking at his nail beds feigning disinterest. For some reason he could not shake the feeling that this boy was related to him somehow, perhaps he was Itachi's hidden love child.

"He will be turning 15 this coming October." Itachi had not taken his eyes off of Sasuke, trying to read his face in the way his brows furrowed and his mouth downturned.

Too old. The teen was far too old to explain away the familiarity he felt when he looked at him, Itachi would have been 24 at the time of his birth, and would have been neck-deep in preparations for his bar exam. He highly doubted his brother had had the time to sneak around and produce a bastard child. And as for himself, he would have been 19, already away at University, with no one to warm his bed to help him in the production of said bastard child. He dismissed this whole ordeal as him being paranoid over nothing and simply cleared his throat.

"Ah, well…" Sasuke stood, fixing his suit jacket and leveling his brother with an unamused stare. "I'll get going, I've taken up enough of your time."

"Hm, you've been back less than a week and you're already a paranoid mess, perhaps coming back was not the right move?" Itachi said off-handedly as he moved papers around his desk. "Don't forget to visit Mother, I'm sure she would love to see you."

Sasuke did not even regale with his brother with a glare as he slammed the door shut behind him. He had found the answers he sought, but for some reason he could not shake the feeling that Itachi had not been entirely honest with him.


Some Translation Notes: (I've been slacking on these)

Kimono: Traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan

Machi: Horse riding Hakama (Traditional Japanese trousers.)

Wakyu: Traditional long bow for Kyudo.


Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews! I saw a few that were wondering if this was going to be ItaHina or SasuHina and honestly as much as I would love to give you a glimmer of the future the truth is: I don't know.

I had started this fanfic as a SasuHina fanfic, but as I kept planning and writing it kind of kept going in its own direction. This might not end up even having a ship if I am truly honest with you. Chapter 4 did make me want to go in the ItaHina direction, but I truly do not know where this wants to go. I'm along for the ride just like you are!

I saw that a few of you were worried that Hinata had not moved on based on Haru's descriptions of his mother, there is a lot more to her grief than just Sasuke, but that will come with due time.

Please keep in mind that these chapters are jumping a lot between the past and the present before converging. They are also being told by what I would consider to be really unreliable narrators, though I am doing my best to make the chapters consistent, they all want to be told in different ways.

Don't forget to leave kind words!