I had the best of the worst sides

And I had these lungs

- Eden (Drugs)

_____________

They were told to leave the police station but Sasuke didn't remember anything from after they witnessed Shisui's confession. The detective had told them that Shisui would be sent to Juvenile prison. He had confessed to mass murder and he would be sentenced to life in prison.

Then, Sasuke was blank.

When he regained any semblance of thought, he was being gently prodded by Itachi and they were sitting in a mansion. "I have to go for identifying the bodies," his brother had said in an oddly detached voice, like he wasn't really processing what he was saying. "Will you wait for me to return here?"

Where was here?

Sasuke had turned to look at the pale eyes man standing next to Itachi, a pitying look on his gentle face. He was hyuga. They were in the Hyuga mansion.

He had nodded.

Itachi hadn't said anything before he left, Sasuke watching his retreating back.

_________

They stayed at the Hyuga mansion that night. Sasuke wanted to go home but Hyuga Hiashi had summoned them in his study, his face cruel and stoic in the light.

"Your home is a crime scene right now," he had told them directly. "You may stay in the Hyuga mansion until your guardian arrives,"

"Guardian?" Itachi had asked, stepping forward uncertainly. Despite the questions in his eyes, his expression had been resolute. "We're the only ones left,"

Hiashi regarded him carefully. Then, he shook his head. "I've called for your uncle,"

Sasuke had never heard of an uncle in the 8 years he had lived. Itachi seemed to recognize the relative that was being spoken of. "Our Uncle? He hasn't been seen since he was 16,"

"But he's alive," Hiashi said, "We know it,"

"How?"

"Because he had been corresponding with your father throughout the years,"

Itachi stilled. Sasuke guessed that fatherhad never mentioned this to his son. "How do you know this and I don't?" his older brother asked instead.

"I was the one who helped your father send his brother away," Hiashi told them calmly. "And I know how to contact him. You're too young to run the whole family business by yourself, brilliant though you may be,"

"So he's going to be our guardian? A man we haven't seen or spoken to once in our lives?" Itachi snapped, slamming his hands on the table behind which Hiashi was seated.

"Unless you want your properties seized by the government and your brother separated from you in a foster home," Hiashi offered. He leaned back in his rolling chair and watched the young boys.

Itachi didn't answer, instead straightening.

Hiashi nodded. "He'll be here in a few days. In the meantime, we have funerals to arrange,"

________

Sasuke didn't attend any funerals of the family members. He didn't watch the TV either, because all there was to see was news of his family: the tragedy of the Uchiha Clan.

His parents' funeral was kept for last- since they had been head of the family and also because they were waiting for the uncle to show up.

On the day of the funeral, Sasuke was provided with his black 3-piece suit from the compound and he dressed up in silence. He was accompanied to the funeral site with his brother and Hiashi in a sleek black car.

"Keep your head low and don't talk to anyone," Hiashi advised them before they got out of the car. Sasuke felt confused at first but he understood the man's meaning when they stepped outside, where cameras flashed at their faces and everyone called out to them.

"Itachi, Itachi can you tell me-"

"-why Shisui could have-"

"Hiashi-sama, is it true that-"

Itachi had his arm around Sasuke and they both walked in front of Hiashi. It was quiet once they were across the gate- as if someone had turned off a noisy channel.

"It's okay," his brother muttered to him. "It's going to be okay,"

Sasuke just shook his head.

____________

There were many family friends and associates attending their parents' funeral at their family shrine, but their uncle still hadn't arrived. Hiashi didn't know if he would even be able to make it to the funeral but the funeral couldn't be delayed anymore.

There were the prayers. People spoke about his parent's. Fond memories and anecdotes. Sasuke didn't listen to any of them. He felt like there was a constant ringing in his ears.

The doors burst open, midway through Hiashi's farewell words. Everyone turned to look at a young man briskly walking inside, dressed in an immaculate black suit. His hair was short cropped, black and suited his narrow face. There were a number of prominent, converging scars on one side of his face.

He looked like an Uchiha.

He walked in, stared at the faces staring back at him until he spotted Hiashi on the altar. He immediately made his way over.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," he said loudly to the people in the room.

"Ah, everyone this is the younger brother of Fugaku, Obito Uchiha,"

Sasuke stared. Obito was looking around, until his gaze fell to the front row where Itachi was seated with Sasuke. His eyes widened.

"Obito, would you like to say a few words?" Hiashi asked.

Obito struggled visibly before he went to the altar steps. He was quiet for a long time before he breathed in deeply and started speaking.

"...Fugaku was my older brother," he said. "I owe him a great deal in life. He was more like a father to me than a brother,"

When Sasuke had imagined an uncle, he had imagined someone close to his father's age. Not...this young person who seemed closer in age to Itachi than their father. Not this person who's eyes showed such shock while standing on the stage.

"I never imagined this day would come so fast," His uncle was saying before a bitter smile appeared on his face, "or so tragically,"

Sasuke closed his eyes.

______________

Afterwards, Sasuke didn't remember his parents.

Not that he couldn't recall who they had been or that he couldn't think about times he'd spent with them. He remembered fragments; short, foggy memories that sometimes sprang up from the well of his mind if he let them. They pulled him down into the murky waters; where no matter how much he tried he could not recall anything more.

And what he could remember with perfect clarity wasn't something he wanted to think of a lot.

He could picture them so sharply, the images of his parents in coffins lying side by side while he stood at the side, watching various friends and acquaintances and distant family members coming up to give their condolences to his older brother and uncle.

Itachi would later tell him about the strength of their father and the kindness of their mother- but it always felt like fiction to him. He didn't remember anything, although he'd been at his mother's skirts ever since he was a child.

Every time he tried to think of them- of a time before they died, it's like his mind blocked it. And after a few frustrating times of trying to conjure up his parents in his mind and failing, he stopped.

No, instead every time someone mentioned family or parents or kin, his mind could only conjure up his older brother or Uncle. They had raised him and Sasuke only knew the sort of ruthless love taught to him by his brother and uncle and to them by their family.

The Uchiha Empire didn't have a downfall, like their foes had hoped. Obito took over the family. He was a cold-blooded leader, dealing with traitors and foes alike. He recruited new people into their organization, vetted and trained them. He trained Sasuke and Itachi almost cruelly, making sure they were prepared to deal with almost anything.

Living with them, Sasuke only knew the kind of love with cold strength, honor, integrity and no vulnerability.

He didn't know the kind of love that could be soft or open or warm. He didn't know the kind of love that could coax gentle smiles out of him and make his heart feel so full instead of the aching emptiness inside it.

Not until he met his future wife.

But that doesn't happen for a long time.

___________

Author's note: This is officially the end of part 2. We'll be back with Sasuke and Hinata in part 3, dealing with the aftermath of Sasuke finding Hinata. Let me know what you think of the story so far <3