This is going to be a wild chapter guys, hope you enjoy it! Happy reading.


Honesty is the best policy. Until it isn't.

truths left untold

(Present Day)


It felt like a lifetime ago, the last time he saw this garden. Not much had changed, at least nothing that he could see. The memories of this garden were foggy as though he was viewing them through an old picture lens. There had been good times here, as well as bad times. Sasuke looked at the peonies with longing, the ghost of his childhood sitting at the heels of his mother to try and absorb as much of her presence as possible while she tended to her flowers. He stared at the front sliding door, wondering if the house would smell as it always had in the past. Miso and flowers, adorned with Ikebana throughout. There was a warmth that was specific to this house that Sasuke had tried to but failed to replicate over the years. Something that he couldn't quite place, and words always escaped him when he tried to explain it. This was home, in a way that was inexplicable and true.

He opened the door and entering the genkan he took off his shoes, calling a "tadaima" as he did so. Taking a moment to listen to the sounds of the house around him he marveled at how things could stay the same for such a long time. His family home felt timeless, as though frozen in time. He heard quick steps approach the genkan as he placed his shoes neatly next to his brother's. Leave it to Itachi to be here early. His mother's beaming smile greeted him as she threw her arms around his neck.

"My baby!" She cooed, the mirth that was ever present in her voice also had not changed and for a single moment Sasuke felt guilty. If he had only not been so stubborn then she would not have felt so starved for his attention.

"Mother, you're hurting me." He squeezed out as she hugged him. Letting him go, Mikoto grabbed his face with her hands, looking at him adoringly.

"Dinner is almost ready, I assume you remember how to find the dining room?" The teasing smile on her face brought about the uplift of his own lips as he nodded.

She walked besides him, holding onto his arm as though escorting him through the home, and upon entering the dining room area Sasuke was greeted by both his father and his brother. Fugaku was sitting at the head of the table, sharp dark eyes staring at Sasuke as he approached, his lips had not even twitched in order to form a greeting. Itachi was wearing an apron, he had obviously been helping their mother prepare the food and Sasuke could not quite comprehend what his eyes were seeing. He couldn't recall Itachi being fond of cooking. Time was funny like that, it tended to flow, changing those around you like water shaped stone. Itachi had changed. The realization hit Sasuke square in the chest, part of him had wanted and hoped that his brother would remain the same as he had left him all those years ago. There was a gentleness to his eyes that wasn't there when Sasuke had left, a kindness to his easy smile that he couldn't remember ever seeing before.

"Fashionably late I see," the voice was joking, as though that unpleasantness in his office had never transpired.

"I'm on time," Sasuke retorted. Somewhere between the genkan and this room he had reverted back to being a petulant child, looking to gain the approval of his talented older brother.

Fugaku regaled him with a nod and a sweep of his hand to indicate that he should take a seat on the zabuton. Sasuke obliged, watching as Itachi followed Mikoto towards the kitchen, both of them whispering fiercely about something he couldn't catch.

"How was your trip?" His father broke the silence that had settled between them. Sasuke tore his eyes from a wall where a picture seemed to have been taken down to look at the Uchiha patriarch.

"It was uneventful, as you can see I arrived safely." He noticed that his father's teacup was low and grabbing one for himself from the set seating at the center of the table, he reached for the pot and poured his father and himself a cup.

"What are your plans now that you are here?" The question was expected and Sasuke was saved from answering by the arrival of his mother and brother carrying trays with various dishes in them. His mother winked at him as she gave him a bowl of rice.

Once the table had been set and the meal began in earnest much of the time was spent in idle chatter. How had he liked working entry level positions? He hated it, to be frank, everyone was incompetent and he absolutely abhored having to clean up the messes of those around him. Had he learned anything valuable despite his obvious dislike of it? Yes, of course, being a good boss is more than just demanding that their staff meet deadlines, it's providing support and making sure they felt heard. While he answered questions in regards to work he allowed his eyes to wander around the room. There have been some changes through the years. Decorations had changed , he noted absently, but there were spots he could see pictures used to live in and no longer took residence there. The pictures of him and his brother were still where they belonged, but something was missing. He couldn't quite place the feeling that was gnawing at his throat, scratching the back of his head.

"How long are you staying for?" Mikoto asked as she reached for some of the steamed vegetables to add to her rice.

"Oh, I'm not leaving. I recently bought a condo nearby." He murmured, and watched in consternation as the three of them exchanged a glance and stared at him confused.

"I wasn't aware that you were being transferred to the branch here." Fugaku mentioned offhandedly as he moved the plate with sashimi closer to Mikoto.

"Is the overseas branch doing well enough?" Itachi asked before Sasuke had a chance to answer. "I was under the impression that you were so focused on work that calling home was not possible."

Sasuke bristled and stared Itachi down. His brother's eyes were impassive as he continued to eat his meal, though there seemed to be a crease of irritation that had formed at the corner of his mouth before Sasuke could notice where exactly it had come from.

"There was a lot going on during the first few years, I apologize as I was not able to maintain the level of communication with you as you would have wanted, Brother. I didn't realize that you had enough time on your hands to keep track of how often I called." Sasuke didn't bother to look at Itachi as he took a sip of his tea but could hear the deep chuckle his brother gave him.

Mikoto sighed and looked at Fukagu who was regaling her with one of his rare smiles, as though he could not wait to see where this was headed. Itachi however did not bite and continued to enjoy his meal. Sasuke finally looked at his brother only to grow more irritated as he spied the smile that played along his lips. Feeling as though he has lost, Sasuke opted instead to continue eating though his countenance was much gloomier than at the start of the meal.

"Well, it's very exciting to have you home for good." Mikoto supplied as the silence stretched. Sasuke could have sworn that there was a tightness to her voice as she mentioned that and again could not help but feel as though his family was not truly ready to welcome him home long-term. Had his fights with his father over the years dug a rift too deep for him to patch? He couldn't be sure.

"I believe this would be a good time for us to discuss some things." Fugaku cleaned his mouth with a napkin as he formed the words. Itachi's head snapped towards his father, his eyes wide and concerned. Sasuke frowned unsure as to what this could be about to elicit such a reaction from his brother.

"A good time to discuss what, exactly?" Sasuke asked carefully, setting down his chopsticks to give his father his undivided attention.

"I tried having this conversation a few times with you while you were overseas, but we really should discuss Hinata." Fugaku bega, his voice was tight and Sasuke noticed how his mother stopped eating altogether and how Itachi was clenching his jaw.

Sasuke sighed, his own jaw clenching and stared at his father.

"I have told you several times, I do not wish to visit this relationship." He answered, hoping that his father would once again respect his wishes.

"I understand that you do not want to talk about her, but this conversation is of utmost imp-" Fugaku could not finish his sentence as Sasuke slammed his hand against the table.

Mikoto gasped, Itachi glared, and yet Sasuke pushed on. His gaze was unwavering upon Fugaku, once he was sure that everyone around him would not utter another word he took a deep breath.

"I will not talk about this, or her, or anything relating to her." He said through gritted teeth. "I do not care how 'imperative' or 'consequential' or 'life altering' you believe this conversation to be. I have no desire to discuss Hinata." He spoke clearly, his temper had obviously gotten the best of him, but he was sure that this outburst would most certainly derail the conversation enough that Fugaku would stop trying to have him discuss Hinata.

"You believe that throwing a tantrum will prevent me from having this conversation?" Fugaku scoffed. "You believe that by acting out and disrespecting me and your mother it will get you out of talking about something that makes you, what exactly? Uncomfortable?" His father had begun straightening his back, and the amicable man that had been sitting at the head of the table was nowhere to be found in his intensely dark gaze.

"By all means, you can have this conversation Father, but I will not be here to have it with. I am politely requesting that you cease mentioning Hinata. I moved on from that relationship a long time ago, what is there to discuss?" His voice was exasperated, and the irritation was now piling up in his heart.

Why wasn't Itachi agreeing with him? If there was someone on this table who would understand not wanting to talk about something that happened years ago would be his logical older brother. Mikoto looked devastated and something threatened to strangle his voice, but he was going to push forward, this was a hill that he was willing to die on.

"Are you threatening us Sasuke? Whatever will you do this time? Not visit anymore? It's not like our family isn't used to you being absent as you wallow in your own personal mistakes." Fugaku's voice was dismissive, his gaze was unwavering as he stared at Sasuke, goading him into realizing that he really had nothing he could bargain with. Fugaku was making him choose, have this conversation or walk away forever.

"I am doing no such thing." Sasuke smirked, he did have something to bargain with, something his parents were unaware of. "But I will not have your obsession with Hinata and with talking about her jeopardize my engagement."

Silence crept into the room, as though a flash freeze had razed through it. Fugaku's mouth fell agape, shock evident in his face at the implication of what Sasuke was saying. Mikoto gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as her dark eyes snapped to her son's face. Itachi paled, the blood draining from his face so fast Sasuke momentarily wondered if his mighty older brother would faint. Regret was quick to follow, it made his tongue feel as though it was made of lead, the aftertaste was repugnant and it almost made him gag. Reaching for his tea he hoped that it would help wash the taste the words had left in his mouth, but it only amplified it. The bitter aftertaste of the kabusecha did nothing to help. This is not how he wanted this to go, This was not a piece of news he wanted to brandish against his parents like a weapon. He had wanted this to be a happy announcement, a moment of shared joy between them, not this hideous use of it as a bargaining chip to get his family to stop bringing up his ex.

"Can you repeat that… Sasuke?" Fugaku finally asked, his gaze appeared almost terrified of the answer.

"I said," Sasuke began, though his voice was much weaker than it had been when he first made the announcement. "That I hope you will no longer mention her as it could jeopardize my engagement."

"What… when did you…?" For once Fugaku was at a loss for words and guilt once again pricked at Sasuke's brain.

"I've been seeing her for about 5 years now…" His voice was subdued, and despite the previous arrogance and bravado he had displayed he now refused to meet his father's gaze.

"F-five years?" Mikoto sputtered, "You… you never mentioned… Sasuke?" Watching as his pale mother searched his eyes for an explanation was again most certainly not what he wanted to see when he broke the news.

"What is her name?" Itachi finally asked. His gaze was cold and his tone bellied his lack of interest in really having a deep conversation on the topic, but he forged ahead.

"Orochi… We went to High School together," part of him flinched as he said this, feeling rather than seeing his brother's eyes narrow in his direction. "She attended the same University under a similar department, so we had a few classes together. We didn't start dating until recently, when we reconnected at a bar."

Mikoto stood abruptly, her dark eyes bore into Sasuke. Disappointment making their depths feel impenetrable, tears had begun forming but before they could fall she turned and walked away. Fugaku shot Sasuke a look that clearly said they were not done talking before standing and chasing after his wife. Itachi remained seated, his eyes staring somewhere over Sasuke's shoulder, not that he could bring himself to look at his brother in the eye anyway. The pattern of the wood under the rich lacquer of the table was suddenly incredibly fascinating to him, as the silence stretched between them Sasuke wondered if his mother would ever forgive him. He had not intended for it to go this way, but it was too late now to cry over spilled milk. Some words are best delivered when the atmosphere is jovial, not over an argument with his father and if he could get a do-over he wouldn't hesitate to take the chance. He felt like a contrite child, scolded for playing a prank on a neighbor and though there was comfort in that feeling, there was also shame.

"Sasuke," Itachi's deep timbre cut through the tension between the brothers and though he flinched, Sasuke's eyes still did not lift to meet Itachi's. "Did she come with you?"

"She'll arrive soon…" Sasuke's brow furrowed, this was a much more acceptable reaction, of course they would want to know when they could meet her.

"Don't bring her by until things have calmed down." Ice was too generous a word to describe the gelidity of Itachi's tone.

Before Sasuke could sputter a weak protest out, Itachi had stood and without a word walked to the engawaga and headed to the shoji leading into the dark courtyard where the night swallowed him without a word.


It felt as though his heart was going to explode. He was pacing along the courtyard, in the far left he could hear his parents whispering furiously, and from his pacing location he could see Sasuke rubbing his face with his hands. Itachi ran a hand through his fringe and sighed shakily. This was not what he had expected tonight to go like.

His mind was reeling. Tonight had been a gamble, he didn't know if his Father would try to bring Haru up in conversation, but was relieved when he arrived and his mother had hidden all the pictures of Haru and Hinata that had decorated the house. When Fugaku brought Hinata up during the dinner he thought for a moment that he would finally be the one to cause a scene during a family dinner, but as he scrambled to come up with something sufficiently shocking to derail the conversation Sasuke beat him to the punch.

Orochi was not a familiar name, Sasuke had never mentioned her from High School, or even during his college years. Not once had he given any indication that he was seriously dating anyone. His little brother went on dates, that was undeniable, but never more than twice with the same woman. Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, reaching into his back pocket with his free hand to pull out his cell-phone. He may not know who this person was, but he knew someone that could find those answers for him.

"Speak to me," the phone had not even managed to ring twice before she picked up. If this had been a normal night Itachi would have smirked at her dry demand, but it wasn't a normal night and there was no mirth that he could muster.

"Orochi, ask Shikamaru about her." Itachi's voice was still fighting the frost that threatened to overtake him, but he knew Temari would understand.

"One second, let me put you on speaker." He heard the tell-tale sound of the phone being set down on a table and felt, more than heard, the sigh of annoyance from Shikamaru. They were in his office, this he could tell because he heard the executive chair squeak as he moved.

"Repeat the name," came Shikamaru's drawl.

"Orochi." Itachi reiterated. "Sasuke said you went to High School together."

"You can't expect me to remember a random person from my school days Uchiha." There was a sigh, followed by the sound of the phone moving.

"Why do you need information about them, Itachi?" Temari's voice came through next, he could hear in the background Shikamaru complaining about not having the time to look for yearbooks. A third male voice could be heard, but Itachi was not sure to whom it belonged.

"Sasuke's engaged to her." There was a sharp intake of breath on the other line, and something akin to lead settled in his stomach. "He said they began dating 5 years ago."

"That MOTHER—" Temari's voice was muffled by what he could only assume was Shikamaru's hand.

"How did you find out?" Shikamaru's calm voice came through next, but Itachi could hear Temari struggling to break free from Shikamaru's hold.

"He told us over dinner tonight." Itachi closed his eyes against the headache that threatened to overtake him.

"YOUR BROTHER IS A PIECE OF WORK ITACHI" Temari had seemingly broken free and he could now hear her screaming, though she was getting further away from the phone.

"Was he being serious or trying to get out of something?" Itachi felt like laughing and crying at the same time when Shikamaru asked him such a question.

"Both? That is why I'm on the phone, trying to figure out who Orochi is." A migraine, he was sure that he was developing one, he could feel the pressure build behind his eyes and he wanted nothing more than to be at home, reading a book, pretending this night never happened.

"Sai!" Temari's commanding voice boomed, and again Itachi could hear the sigh that left Shikamaru's lips. "You're with Ino, correct?"

"I am with you two at this time." The previously unidentified voice replied. Itachi could see the glare that Temari was directing Sai now, making him smirk. He paced the courtyard, and noticed belatedly that his brother had left. Part of him felt guilty, he should have at least been there to bid him goodbye.

"That's…" Shikamaru sighed, again. "She is asking if you two are dating."

"I would not call it dating. But we are having sex." Sai clarified impassively.

"Good enough for me." Temari was heard saying. "Ask her what she knows of Orochi, and if she doesn't know anything ask her to find out."

"Why would Ino know anything about this person?" A confused question was heard.

"Ino knows everything Sai, believe me."

Itachi sighed and bid the group farewell. Holding his phone in his hand he looked up towards the sky and wondered which god decided that the Uchiha were not to have any respite. Things were only going to get worse from here, now with the addition of a fiancee Haru's existence was going to wreck havoc through lives that did not deserve to be touched by the madness that was his family. Itachi could only hope that his nephew would not fall victim of this avalanche that was sure to crush them all.


Translator Notes:

Kabusecha: For approximately one week prior to picking, Kabusecha bushes have reed screen or cloth placed over them to block out most sunlight. This enables new leaf shoots to grow without sunlight, giving the tea a darker green color, full-bodied flavor and lower astringency than Sencha. Gyokuro is another type of green tea similarly grown using covered culture, however, Gyokuro is covered for a longer period than Kabusecha - approximately 20 days prior to picking.


Hi! Hello! How is everyone! I hope you don't want to burn the Uchiha home to the ground. Papa Fugaku is always a pleasure to write and I am going to have so much fun when he finally blows a fuse. Hehehehehehehehe.

It was indeed NOT Sakura. I actually struggled a bit with who I wanted to make into the "villain" or "other woman" in this story. I researched a bunch of women in the Naruto verse because I didn't want to make an OC but no one really matched the level of mind fuckery that Orochimaru would to be completely honest. So we have a genderbent Orochimaru. I took inspiration from "A Mistake from the Past: A Face Revealed!" which is episode 72 of the original anime. Where he was most certainly inhabiting a female body. Plus out of all the women obsessed with Naruto I already knew Ino and Sai would be a on-off couple, and I am not a Sakura basher, so I didn't want to default to her. Since I had given Team Taka to Hinata I also could not use Karin, so there definitely was a lot of back and forth as to who Sasuke's fiancée would be. Hopefully I managed to surprise you!

Now, you may have also noticed that reviews take longer to be posted if you are not logged in. That is because they are now being moderated. Sometimes one or two are missed so those are manually deleted. For the sake of transparency, the reviews are read by an independent council who decides which ones are "nah fam, that's not even a review" or "Nope, that's just bashing" and which ones get to be approved. Given that I'm relying on other people to read the reviews sometimes I don't get to it until after the review is posted, so if you see reviews disappearing, now you know why! Alternatively I read them to my dog, if my dog walks away while I am reading them to her then... I'm sorry... She has spoken. (This part is a joke)

Much Love,

Emi


Author snippets for this chapter:

Sasuke meets family, pictures seem to be missing from the walls, a feeling of foreboding settles in his stomach, he catches up with Mom, Dad and Itachi. Fugaku tries to bring up Haru again, but Sasuke cuts him off again and drops the bomb. Pandemonium ensues.

Itachi calls Temari while in the courtyard to tell her what happened tonight and to try and figure out if anyone knows who tf Orochi is. Temari says she would ask the others.