Honor was not a traditional name for a Shinobi, or even a Kunoichi, Itachi knew. But the dainty, green eyed blonde intrigued him. She looked at him with clear eyes, as if simultaneously seeing his youth and experience. The only people, to date, to do so, were Kakashi and Amaya. When she looked up at him with trusting emerald eyes, Itachi felt a chill run down his back. This girl, he knew, instinctively, would play a large role in his life.
"Itachi Uchiha." He introduced himself neutrally. Those trusting eyes sparkled, further unsettling him.
"Honor Desjardins." She returned in an unusually smooth, high soprano. Itachi heaved a sigh, knowing what his mother wanted, and offered
"Would you be interested in seeing the gardens?" Honor stilled, and said in a strained manner
"I-I would, Uchiha-san, but-" She bit her lip and cast her glance around hopelessly and whispered finally
"Mama taught me what plants were for. Amaya-san has taught us control, but, I-I think I will cry and shame her if I see a proper garden." Impressed with her vocabulary, and her honesty, as well as relieved for the explanation.
"You would not shame her if you grieved the time you will not spend with your mother." He told her this seriously, and realized belatedly, that he was actually being earnest with her. Shaking off his bewilderment, Itachi offered
"Call me Itachi, please." She looked slightly shocked.
"Is it not rude to not use an honorific? Amaya-san has only taught us so much." Pleased at the chance to teach something that did not require bloodshed, Itachi explained
"If you are familiar enough with a person, it is a sign of affection." Nodding, she said decisively.
"I think I will call you Itachi-san until we know each other better." Returning her nod with one of his own, Itachi vowed then and there that she would become familiar enough with him to simply call him Itachi.
Seasons turned, headbands were earned, lessons were learned and missions taken. For seven years, just about, Itachi trained as a Steel Aspirant, and then won the title of Steel Son alongside Honor. Protecting someone, who trusted him no matter what, who had even grown to love him- not for his skill with his Sharingan, not his money or looks- it made a lot of things worth it. Kakashi had briefly given both him and Shisui a lecture on protecting Faith and Honor. He had warned them that both girls would take dangerous risks, because no matter how mature they were, they were still teenage girls, still the slightest bit flighty.
Itachi and Faith met with Shisui and Faith the day Danzo Shimura took Shisui's eye. Faith's skin, normally a sunny cream, was bloodlessly bone white, her red hair dull like drying blood. Her arms wrapped around Shisui, tears drying on her lashes. Shisui explained what was going on with Danzo, Faith hiccupping her distress into his shoulder, green eyes swamped in sadness. Honor met her cousins' eyes as Shisui gifted his eye to Itachi. Faith nodded, and permission granted, Honor unsealed her recently won katana and swung it in a helicopter motion above her head, bringing it to bear in time to stab Faith's swiftly exposed chest. Shisui, obviously having been warned of this, held his beloved to his chest as she bled out. Working swiftly, Honor sealed her cousins' body into a scroll, stuffing it into her pocket as Itachi and Shisui said one last goodbye before the elder shinobi propelled himself from the secluded cliff.
Honor stiffened when Itachi threw her over his shoulder, sweeping down the path at a civilian pace. As they reached the Village proper, Itachi pitched his voice to carry.
"That was a stupid move, especially for a brand new Chunin-" Walking through town as he berated her allowed her to let the tears fall sooner rather than later. When they reached his room, he flopped her down on her back. He stripped her of her clothes, and quickly divested himself of his own. This was NOT how he'd wanted to do this, but she needed a reason to hide, and embarrassment from her screams would be sufficient, especially if she visited her former sensei. Honor blinked at him, and sitting up hissed
"Oh no you don't. Faith warned me, so you better have fucking lube!" Tears anew trailed her cheeks, to be dashed away impatiently. Acquiescing, Itachi rummaged in his nightstand, found the tube that had been a recent gift from Shisui, slathered a generous helping on his cock, stoking it in order to harden it. Honor meowled
"Itachi, please." He wondered if he should be ashamed that those two words aroused him. Dismissing the thought, he lazily mounted her, having seen her quickly work through a contraceptive jutsu. Cradling her head in his hands, pouring all tenderness he had into the hold.
"I'm sorry." He murmured, knowing this would hurt, not wanting ever to hurt her. Honor laughed in his ear, voice more alto than soprano, but smooth as ever.
"I'm not. I'll always remember it was you." On that, he thrust in, taking her screeching and grunting as his punishment.
It was awful, it hurt and didn't feel awesome at all. Honor fumbled and cried a bit more, needing an orgasm that Itachi almost didn't give her. He, of course, finished quickly, but refused to leave her hanging like that.
Falling asleep soon after, Honor expected to be awoken by a servant, or, less humiliating but still not satisfactory, awake alone. Neither happened, as she kept her eyes closed, and allowed her internal clock to guess it was about four in the morning. Her body then registered the sensation of fingers, familiar fingers, stroking her, shoulder to hip because she lay on her side. Itachi hummed deep in his throat when she opened her eyes. Carefully, he turned her so she lay on her back, his arm curved protectively under her head, and swept appreciative black eyes over her bare skin. Blushing, Honor ducked her head, only to feel tears prick her eyes again when the events of the night before came rushing back. The Uchiha genius blanched, and half rolled, half pulled her so her face lay against his chest. Ending up sprawled on his back, Itachi thanked Kami that Honor could cry, gods knew he lost the ability long ago.
"I killed my cousin, the only direct blood relation I know of." Shattered green met unmoving black.
"I'm a monster, Itachi, a fucking monster!" stroking her hair as she cried, Itachi murmured to her, words she might never remember, restraining himself from mentioning that he was a monster too, for letting her kill Faith, for letting Shisui go without a fight.
Several weeks later, having forged the Uchiha Massacre, having made the importance of their remaining in Konoha clear to Sasuke and Amaya, neither of whom were ruled by Shinobi law, and dropping enough hints that Kakashi would know how deeply things were wrong, Itachi and Honor set out to the Akatsuki, Honor with her face hooded and body draped in an androgynous fashion, and choosing to go by the name Akira. In her pocket rode a coded scroll on her sensei's Sharingan, slipped to her as a
"Just in case of trouble." Jutsu.
Standing in front of Pein, Itachi nearly sweated upon seeing the Rinnegan, but Honor's chakra remained steadfast at his side. Pein asked who was with him, and Itachi answered as they had decided.
"My personal mednin, Akira. I have a seal that binds it to me mindlessly." With Pein pleased by the answer, Itachi was summarily inducted to the Akatsuki, and watched the sunrise outside the hideout, Honor at his side. Sasuke, I hope you can play your role, Amaya, Kakashi, I hope your own plans work.