Hypocrite

Melodically chopping, the blood-red wine poured into the intricately crafted glasses before the servant holding the decanter lifted the vessel again and silently retreated into the hallways of the grand mansion.

"So you... actually want to study with me?"

The poet's voice still sounded dismayed, if not suspicious.

"Yes. I come from a wealthy family which has accumulated enough property that, as the eldest son, I am free to choose my profession. And only a poet enjoys that prestige to which I aspire."

The words of the mildly smiling youngling before him seemed so gentle. And yet so reserved.

Madara really had no idea what to make of all this. He had been well aware that his reputation had long since spread beyond the country's borders. But he also knew that his name on average rarely caused recognition and veneration in other people, and was more likely to cause gossip and deepest contempt. And his young visitor had truly interpreted this miserable reputation as an inviting sign? The black-haired man had to make an effort not to let out an exhilarated snort. Apparently, people from the same backgrounds really were far more alike than one would have thought possible. And his strange guest at least knew how to express appropriate flattery, which made his request far more acceptable.

"Well, on my account", the elder finally agreed. "However, I'm currently in a deep crisis, and most of what I'm crafting is of a rather somber nature, as I've been lacking inspiration for some time."

The new student's strangely dejected face took on an almost wicked expression for a fraction of a second before smoothing out just as quickly and lowering itself in an emphatically humble manner.

"Then I will help you find it again as soon as possible. After all, I have to justify the use of your time somehow, don't I?"

The boy was really fabulously well brought up, only rarely might such a polite person have even seen the light of day - a circumstance that finally aroused the interest of the bored poet. Even if not in the desired way.

"Would you like to look around the house first to make sure this place is what you expect?"

Madara sounded unusually good-humored as he finally rose and unabashedly removed his wine glass from its place on the table.

"It probably won't be much different than your own, but this way you can cover your bases once again and pick a room to stay in while you're at it. Does that sound acceptable?"

The stoic novice nodded with a warm smile before standing up in an unexpected fluid motion and grabbing his own wine-filled goblet as well.

"Of course. I certainly won't inconvenience you either, and I'll settle for any givenness."

Hypocrite.

"Excellent, then I am sure we will get along splendidly!"

Dignified, the elder signified for his new devotee to follow him, before they entered one of the countless corridors together and disappeared into the shallows of the mansion, walking serenely side by side.

Itachi then. A son from a good and rich family. Already twenty-one years old, but still unmarried. So bored that he now sought his happiness in poetry, after war and craftsmanship had not been able to inspire him in the slightest. A guy who had apparently sought the worst reputation he could find in order to apprentice himself there. Pretty daring.

"May I ask how much household staff you have at your disposal?"

The calm voice caused Madara to instantly snap out of his thoughts and return to reality.

"What, ah..."

The black-haired man thoughtfully raised his left hand and began counting off its fingers with his right as he paced broodingly past the overly ostentatious statues of his hallways.

"To be honest, I've more or less lost track of that myself, but it'll be about forty people, I think."

"I see...", the future apprentice muttered, turning his head to take a closer look at all the corridors and rooms.

"May I ask for their services now and then, too?"

Really.

"Of course. As long as you're learning here, you're welcome to consider this mansion your home."

The younger man was about to retort, but by then his attention was captured by glistening sunlight, which danced unbearably bright and sparkling on a clear water surface. The inner courtyard, which supplied the surrounding rooms with light and air, looked unexpectedly plain. For a nobleman.

"This here is our main room. The kitchen and bathrooms are back there, and the former banquet rooms are over there." the poet explained without a trace of uneasiness, gesturing into several dark tunnels before pointing almost expectantly into an additional gloomy passageway.

"And there lie my private rooms and sleeping chambers."

He was almost amused by how mechanically his guest opened his mouth at the same moment and took a breath.

***

The intruder was still frozen in stone.

This man. This man in the photo couldn't possibly be who he thought he was, could he? No, that was too absurd. None of this made any sense at all!

"Ah, you've discovered my little secret."

The calm words rang out so abruptly that Itachi involuntarily flinched. Like a caught toddler. Shit.

Only slowly did he dare to lift the gaze of his dark eyes and tensely scrutinize his client. His client, who was leaning in the doorway with his arms folded and his brows consistently raised.

"To understand today's youth. On one hand you don't care about anything, on the other you're constantly sticking your noses into things that don't concern you in the slightest."

Madara snorted in annoyance.

"No wonder the world is degenerating..."

The scolded bodyguard made no sound. Not even when the elder snatched the picture from his hands as he passed, to put it back in its old place beside the bed.

"Considering the fact that your father praised your discretion and restraint to the skies like a fool, you sure flunked it pretty quickly. Or is it that at your age these days you're no longer able to follow the simplest instructions?"

Of course. Of course it had been a test. Of course a shady character like Madara would never give trust in advance. Not even to his own guardsman. He knew it!

"I'm sorry."

The black-haired man might have looked quite irritated, but that didn't interest Itachi in the slightest as he unceremoniously got down on his knees and turned his head toward the ground in guilty humility.

"I was just looking for the kitchen and got the door wrong. I know I had no right whatsoever to enter that room and should have repressed my curiosity better. It will never happen again."

There was profound silence for a few seconds. Then the tense boy could hear a suppressed snorting sound, which on the one hand immediately calmed him down, but on the other hand also ticked him off a bit.

"Jeez, they must have really beaten that constant adequate behavior into you by any means, huh?

Madara's voice sounded much more soothed, but it was his next words that made the guard lift his eyes again.

"So be it, you'll find out anyway."

In a strangely disparaging manner, the secretary took a seat on the wide, soft double bed and stared up at the ceiling above them, lost in thought.

"This house is mine in a way, but as you will have noticed by now, I don't live here."

Itachi nodded suspiciously before slowly rising again and remaining seated on his knees. At least the older man didn't seem to think he was completely stupid after all.

"I ceded it to my younger brother. Some time ago already. After all, he already had a family while I wasn't even married yet, and one is prepared to do a lot for one's relatives, isn't it so?"

Only hesitantly, slender fingers grasped the picture frame that had been set down before the unexpectedly icy gaze of somber eyes slid over the image. So icy that it astonished the person sitting on the floor for a moment. Did one speak of younger siblings with such an expression?

"He... really had all the opportunities and help he needed to get into the position he's in today, you know? But in the end... he did something so unforgivable that this wrong has to be erased before anyone notices it. It has to be erased before the consequences become unstoppable. And that's really the whole reason I'm on the road now. And why I need you."

Something about the way the other uttered that last sentence displeased Itachi. Even if he couldn't put his finger on what. But he would probably be able to worry about that later.

"How long has he been gone? And when will he be back?"

The sudden question seemed to throw Madara off a bit, as he gawked at his employee for a far too long moment, befuddled.

"What, since yesterday I think and until... the day after tomorrow. Why?"

Heavens, was that really so hard to understand? Actually, this guy really had no right whatsoever to keep nagging Itachi.

"Then that means there should be enough food left in the house to make something decent out of it."

With immaculate smoothness, the brown-haired man rose to his feet again and regarded his superior with a resigned yet mild indifference.

"May I at least know where the kitchen is now?"

Itachi's gut had really never betrayed him before. This idiot was indeed going to get him into some serious trouble yet, but it was still too early to take countermeasures. Itachi didn't know enough yet to somehow avert this disaster. And he was still too interested in what Madara was dragging him into regardless of the consequences. That wretched hypocrite.