Notes: No beta, sorry. Started writing this during Camp Nanowrimo when I got a little tired of fussing over my original novel. I've had this idea in my head for over 6 years, and I thought it was time to let it loose.

****I am still working on this so updates will be sporadic. ***** I am very sorry about the lack of consistent updates. But I am motivated by reviews. That's not a bribe haha, I just like talking about my silly stories with people.

Please note the angst tag. There will be a happy ending, but it'll be a hard won one.

Chapter Title from the song Crystalized by the XX.

Thank you all. Please enjoy.

oOo

Chapter One: You've Applied the Pressure

Itachi understood that as Hokage, he was mostly warming the seat until Naruto could take it. That did not mean that Itachi was not dedicated to his job. On the contrary, he saw his appointment as the highest honor. And if he could join the ranks of Hokage that managed to survive their tenure, he would be a happy man.

He was not happy at that moment, however. He looked around the meeting room in the Hokage tower, where all the other clan heads sat. Their faces were a mix of boredom, anger, and indignation.

Kakashi had his head down in the corner. Itachi's expression was placid, but he was amused to realize the Copy Nin was sleeping. Shikamaru was as well, but that was to be expected.

One of the new civilian representatives, who knew about subtility, but didn't care for it, leaned towards another.

"Are they always late?" The representative hissed.

The other representative sighed while fanning themselves with a folding fan. She covered her mouth with the item but did not bother lowering her voice. "Every time."

The new representative frowned. He opened his mouth to say more, but she snapped her fan shut. She held it against his mouth in rebuke. He colored and sat back.

Itachi felt a bead of sweat meander its way down his neck. While the ceiling fan was working overtime, and the windows were open, the day was too hot and there were too many bodies in the room.

The Hyuga were famous for their careful manners. But they never forgave the council for appointing a Uchiha genius as Hokage, instead of a Hyuga genius. They showed their distain, and their power, by being impolite.

It could have been worse, Itachi reasoned. They could have appointed Shisui. Or heaven forbid, Sasuke, instead.

Itachi would not be able to retaliate. And the Hyuga knew it.

Itachi's hands were hot tucked into his sleeves. He went to take them out, but Shikamaru's eyes opened.

The rest of the party sat up straighter as the Hyuga contingent entered in the doors. An undercurrent of interest threaded through the room as everyone registered who Hiashi brought with him.

He brought his heir, Neji. But trailing behind them with her head down, was their former heiress, Hinata. No one had seen her since she had been demoted and sealed. Her bangs had grown out to her chin and were parted in the middle. The seal sat fresh and sickly green against her pale skin.

Neji, like his cousin, wore his forehead protector around his neck. His forehead was bare.

The Hyuga contingent ignored the stares and kneeled in their designated spot. Hiashi and Neji sat next to each other. Hinata, behind them.

As one, they kneeled in deference to Itachi.

Itachi greeted them.

They sat silent as Itachi began the meeting. He did not look at them, but the image of the Hyuga cousins with their foreheads exposed felt imprinted on the back of his eyelids. He saw it every time he blinked.

They ran through the monthly reports quickly. Everyone wanted to get out of here, if only to spread the gossip.

The civilians mentioned their farmers were struggling with this year's rice crop. Itachi promised to assign more D-rank missions to aid them. Shikamaru shared more intelligence about the groups of raiders who had been terrorizing travelers in different countries, including Fire Country. The Cypher Corps made a quick report about their new discoveries.

"Does anyone else wish to bring a matter to our attention?" Itachi asked.

"I do, Hokage-sama." Hiashi announced.

Stifled groans were heard around the room.

"Please proceed, Hiashi-sama." Itachi said calmly.

"You have been in this position for over a year now, without a personal assistant. I strongly advise you remedy this and offer my daughter Hyuga Hinata for the purpose."

Itachi glanced at Tsunade. Her eyes, which were red and heavy lidded, narrowed even further. Her whiskey eyes glinted but she did not object.

Fugaku spoke for the first time this whole meeting. "The assistant has to be a jounin. She is only a chunin."

"I am a tokubetsu jounin, Uchiha-sama." Hinata breathed in her soft voice. She had not looked up this whole time. "Therefore, I qualify."

"All right, Hinata-chan!" Naruto exclaimed.

Hinata blushed and ducked her head further. Itachi raised an eyebrow at Tsunade. That promotion had not happened under Itachi's watch. Tsunade nodded.

"She has helped the main branch with organization and paperwork for over five years." Neji said. "She also does the accounts. With her experience with our clan administration, she has the abilities to aid the Hokage."

"Who will take over for her in the clan, then, if she is needed?" Kakashi's question was not barbed, despite the pointed words.

"She understands the needs of the village supersede that of our clan. She has already trained her replacement." Hiashi said imperiously.

Itachi spoke next. "With all due respect, why bring this up now? I have functioned just fine without a dedicated assistant."

Delight hid inside Hiashi's cold, pale eyes. Itachi bit the inside of his mouth.

Shit. A trap.

Hiashi held out a hand. Neji pulled out a scroll from the folds of his clothing. Hiashi unfurled it and started reading out loud.

He read out a date. Then he read out the name and number of a document that had been filed late by Itachi, and the potential consequences of it being late. Then again. And again. And again.

Itachi held up a hand. He was uninterested in having his mistakes read out loud in front of the people he was supposed to lead. Fugaku's rage was potent as he fumed in his spot. Tsunade grimaced and leaned away from him.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama, I understand."

Hiashi let the scroll snapped shut and used it to point at the civilians. The male representative shrunk back. The female glared over her fan.

"And as another example, you have not had the time to assign more D-rank missions. You have been busy with far more complicated matters. Having an assistant will help you manage your time immensely, Hokage-sama." He said.

"Are you saying the Hokage does not have good time management skills, Hyuga-sama?" Inoichi asked in a deadly voice.

"Not at all." Hiashi waved it off. "I'm merely pointing out inefficiencies that can easily be fixed."

Itachi wanted this to be over already. "I'll have an open call for assistants. Everyone who is qualified deserves the opportunity to apply, according to our by-laws."

Hiashi handed the scroll back to Neji. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

The Hyuga did not often look smug. Sasuke said often that Hyuga did not know how to make facial expressions. But this time, Hiashi almost looked smug.

"I'll open up the position and advertise it. Is there anything else?" Itachi asked the room at large, trying to keep the tiredness out of his voice.

There was nothing but silence.

"Then you're dismissed."

There was a flurry of bowing, and then the room was finally empty except for Tsunade, Naruto, and the clerk writing down the transcript.

Tsunade produced a bottle of sake and a cup out of thin air. She poured a shot and offered it to Itachi. He shook his head. If he drank every time the Hyuga tried his nerves, he would have poisoned himself by now.

"Wow." Naruto said into the heavy silence. "Hiashi is a dick."

Tsunade started snickering. The clerk wrote Naruto's words down.

Itachi sighed.

oOo