V. Shake On It

Deidara rubbed his feet together. He'd kicked off his boots discreetly underneath the mammoth desk and was basking in the warmth that emanated from the nearby fire. He glanced over at it. Why didn't Itachi just come to his study if he wanted a fire? It would be easy enough to sneak some bread in here, wouldn't it? Deidara wasn't sure, but he thought he'd give it a try. That's if he was going to always be up here, and as of yet, he still didn't know what he was doing with Itachi. He glanced over at the Duke, who was still writing, and wondered if it'd be annoying if he started talking to him. After all, he didn't have much to do.

"You're going to have to help me seal all these later,"

Deidara turned to look at the Uchiha, who peered up at him. Several seconds of complete silence passed between them, Deidara's gaze puzzled and Itachi's hesitant but firm.

"So…I'm helping you now, am I, hm?"

Itachi couldn't look at him when he answered "yes," because it was just plain awkward. And was it suggestive? Itachi couldn't tell what Deidara was thinking, but he hoped that he wasn't the only one having butterflies in his stomach.

"Ah…hmm…I see," Deidara brought his hand up to his mouth and faked a cough, but he was smiling widely behind it. Part of the reason was because he thought the stable was a bit of a shithole, despite all his friends, and the other part…there was certainly going to be very interesting experiences to be had if you were with the Duke, right? He mock-sighed and looked around the room more observantly, now that he was going to be a very regular visitor here. Rising slowly, he took a glimpse at Itachi to see if it was okay for him to do so, slipped into his boots again, and was reaching out to take a book from the shelf when there was a knock at the door. The knocker didn't wait for an answer.

Itachi didn't have to look up to know who it was. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Deidara withdraw his hand from the book and turn to face Danzo.

"Sire, I—oh. And who is this?"

Deidara sensed the atmosphere between them almost immediately and jauntily strode forward and bowed, because the man was his elder, and an advisor of the Duke.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Deidara,"

"Deidara…," Danzo repeated. He looked at the blonde through his I've-seen-it-all-and-done-it-all wrinkly eyes and clasped his hands together. "And what is your business here, Deidara?"

The tiny hairs on the back of Itachi's neck rose and he stood up. He wanted Deidara to have as little to do with Danzo as possible.

"He's here to assist me," he said, daring Danzo to challenge his decision. "I need somebody…else…to help handle my affairs,"

"If you wanted somebody, you need only ask," Danzo reasoned, but there was something in his tone to suggest that he wasn't going to send Deidara away. It made Itachi relax a little.

A little.

"But I will acknowledge your choice. I will re-arrange his employment in due time,"

"Then go and do so,"

"Deidara, will you come with me?"

The newly former stable-hand glanced at Itachi, who was too busy focusing his mysterious eyes on Danzo, who, conversely, was doing a pretty good job of ignoring the Duke completely. Deidara smiled quickly.

"Okay,"

Itachi watched them leave the room carefully. Sure, he wanted to stop them, but on the other hand it might be useful to know what Danzo was planning…that is, if Deidara would tell him. Itachi knew exactly where Danzo was going to take the guy—to his own study. He should've known this was going to happen, and probably should've forewarned Deidara, but he was too muddled up in his own mind as to what he was doing inviting the blonde back in the first place, and it had escaped his mind.

Nervous, he tapped his fingers against the wooden surface of the table.

As the door closed behind them with a soft thud, Danzo stepped around Deidara and sat himself down slowly behind his own desk, smaller than Itachi's but still big. Deidara didn't feel the need or want to sit down, so he just shoved his hands in his pockets and waited.

"So he wants you to be his...hm…companion, I suppose you would be called?"

"I guess, un. I mean if he says so, then yeah?"

"Indeed. It has been known for Dukes, Viscounts, Earls, men of all ranks of nobility to want to have one. But our Duke…," Danzo made a note in a large logbook that was bound by what looked like leather. He didn't look at Deidara, but Deidara somehow felt like he was being watched and judged. "…it seems a bit unusual that he would select you out of the so many people available,"

Deidara shrugged, obviously not wanting to mention the kitchen incident. That would be stupid.

"You must know our Duke is a difficult one," the old man continued. He put down his reed pen down and only now did he look at Deidara. "I want you to keep a sharp eye on him. You realize as his companion, you are a man of many responsibilities? You will be the closest to him. Right now, you may not be, but later, you will know him better than any of us will, and I have worked with him since he was a boy. If he ever comes under any unexpected danger, you must defend him, you realize that?"

Uh…Deidara nodded but didn't say anything. Now that this elderly dude was in front of him, telling him everything he must take on, it felt all the more peculiar that Itachi plucked him out of the blue, and only after a single meeting. And during that meeting, they hadn't exactly struck a warm rapport with each other.

Nevertheless, the blonde decided not to give it too much thought, but clearly Danzo was.

"He hides many things from his advisors. If he told us things he is meant to tell us, he wouldn't need you,"

Deidara nodded again.

Obedient as a dog, Danzo thought. And thoroughly lost. He narrowed his eyes a little.

"I want you to tell me if anything interesting arises," he said. "I worry about the Duke. I want to be prepared if wants to try anything abnormal,"

"Like what, un?"

"Anything at all. I want to know everything,"

Deidara looked directly into Danzo's eyes. It was the first time he really looked, and he was giving Danzo a strange, curious, "are-you-seriously-telling-me-to-spy-on-him" look. But the ex-stable-hand didn't ask him anything. It wasn't a bad thing or a good thing.

Go on, Danzo prompted silently. Agree with me.

"There will be…extra money involved," was what he said aloud.

"Sure, un," Deidara replied, almost instantly. He smiled craftily. "I'll help you,"

Danzo regarded Deidara very, very carefully, taking in every muscle of the blonde's face. He detected no deception behind them and stood up, offering his hand. With the smile still plastered on his face, Deidara took two steps forward and grasped the advisor's hand firmly in his, shaking it.

Deal.