Summary: Shisui feels guilt for what he's done and encounters his first real taste of politics.
Notes: Here's chapter 3. I'll be posting a chapter every few days until I'm caught up with AO3.
Being Hokage is hard, though he knew it would be. Everyone wants a moment of his time, everyone has things that must certainly and indeed could really only possibly be done by him. He finds himself holding babies, reading reports and even mediating disputes between genin. Everyone wants to see the new Hokage.
And, as the Hoka- as Sarutobi-san and his council have repeatedly told him, the order in which he sees each person means something. He must meet with all the clan heads to find out what want to see in the new government, but those meetings cannot be combined, and they cannot be done by multiple people, and if he speaks to just one clan head out of turn, it could signify the end of the village as they know it. Or so he's been told.
The first person he speaks to, after his inauguration and despite the clamoring of the council, is Itachi. His cousin has been a constant shadow the past few weeks and, even when they are alone, has asked Shisui no questions. Shisui knows Itachi is unhappy with his choices, but he can't help but take strength from the fact that his cousin still stands beside him. Before he can be swamped by well-wishers and sycophants, Shisui retreats to his new office and banishes everyone, including his ANBU guard. Only once he is assured they are alone does he grabs Itachi's shoulders and thank him. Thank him for his trust and his support. Thank him for his loyalty and silence. Thank him for knowing the truth.
Itachi is hardly the only person to have helped and supported Shisui the last month while he transitioned into office, but he is the one Shisui most trusts. Sarutobi-san had been very helpful, always there with advice and encouragement. But something about knowing what he did to the man makes it hard for Shisui to be in the same room. His guilt grates on his nerves until the mere sight of the man, smiling and telling him what a wonderful Hokage he is and what a great start he's already made, makes him feel sick with horror.
Shisui knows that he is an awful person, not for who he has killed or the missions he has done, but for what he is willing to do to those he cares for. What sort of monster, of traitor, can look his leader in the eye and steal his autonomy? Can do it so thoroughly the man thanks him afterwards? But even worse, Shisui feels most guilt for knowing he would make the same choice again.
Itachi remains silent throughout Shisui's outburst, but it is a kind silence. He does not shift or remove Shisui's hand from his shoulder, merely waits for Shisui to finish. Shisui has never been more grateful for Itachi's presence in his life.
Once he is in control again he looks at his cousin carefully. He wants to give Itachi a chance to talk, to ask whatever questions he has or to tell Shisui to his face what a moron he's been about this whole thing, but there isn't time. Instead, he nods once asks for Itachi's allegiance again. It's redundant, as his Hokage Itachi is bound by law to do whatever Shisui asks. But he doesn't want the loyalty of a subject to his king, he wants the trust and loyalty of his friend. Itachi doesn't even hesitate before he drops to the ground and bows. "My life is yours."
Shisui feels conflicted. He's relieved, so unbearably relieved, that despite everything he has done and anything he might do, Itachi is on his side. But he isn't sure unquestioning fealty is what he wants from his cousin, his friend. Seeing Itachi bowing before him leaves a bad taste in his mouth, so he reacts as he always does, with a smile and joke. He orders Itachi up again and offers to get him dango or anmitsu for behaving so well at the inauguration. And Itachi relaxes enough to feign upset at Shisui's patronizing manner and points out that at thirteen, he's more than old enough to have graduated the academy and become, technically, and adult in the village. Though never once does he actually reject the offer. Shisui smiles as he leaves his office, bolstered enough to face whatever wolves and vultures await him outside. As difficult as betraying Konoha and claiming the position of Hokage is, at least it saved Itachi from executing the clan and damning himself. His cousin might not have had an enviable childhood, but at least he won't be a mass murderer before puberty.
His advisors greet him almost before he's out the door, wanting to know what was so important he couldn't finalize his appointments, couldn't sign off on treaties, couldn't take on his responsibilities as Hokage. Shisui grins and pretends to listen to their complaints. He wishes he could replace them. But, he's too new in his position and they are too respected. There is no acceptable reason he could give. After all, they have done nothing wrong. It's his fault really, he just has trouble dealing with them after what he did to them, to the Hoka- to Sarutobi-san. And who could he replace them with? Itachi is too young and too related. His genin teammates? He hasn't seen them in years. Shisui has few peers and fewer he would trust.
It turns out that the most pressing item on today's agenda is deciding who will get the honor of his presence first. Traditionally, that has always been the Senju and their closest supporters. But, if he follows tradition he is almost certain the Uchiha will complain. If he had not already insulted his clan, he could afford to keep them until last, they would feel secure in the knowledge that he was one of them and respected them. Realistically though, the Uchiha must be seen first if he wants any hope of further negotiation. But to show any preference for his clan could be dangerous. Already he knows there are those that fear he will be a puppet ruler for Uchiha Fugaku and any others upset with decades of Senju rule.
It winds up being Itachi who finds a solution to the problem when he asks why they should see any of the clan heads first. Why indeed? He already plans on breaking traditions, why not start with this one? Of his advisors, Homura is the more intrigued and brings up the very good question of if not clan heads, who? Shisui thinks. He could visit the academy, he's already got a number of things he wants to discuss, including stricter graduation requirements, but the current headmaster is affiliated closely with the Nara clan, and that could be construed as playing favorites. He could talk to the civilian leaders first. That would show his commitment to including them in government and improving communication between ninja and civilian officials. But choosing anything overtly political will anger people. He needs to find someone safe, someone that no one can malign without harming their own reputation. He decides to make a tour of the Konoha Children's Home as well as the apartments of all current wards of the state. As the current director of Youth Services is from a civilian background, there's nothing remotely political about it. It'll also give him a chance to check on Minato's son. While ANBU routinely guard the child, it's from a distance.
Within an hour he's ironed out all the details with Homura, Koharu occasionally adding her input. Once a runner is able to confirm Kado-san's, the Director of Youth Services's, eagerness to coordinate things on her end, it becomes official. The next three days will be dedicated to meeting Konoha's orphans.
Despite one issue resolved, there still remains determining the order of precedence for clan meetings. Much as Shisui wishes he could handle them alphabetically or by lottery, like with the children, he knows enough about politics to see how that would offend. So instead he tries to work the list to make mitigate harm rather than curry favor.
Ultimately the Uchiha are first, with their current ire, he can't afford to further insult them. Then come Hyuuga and the rest. It takes far too long to get the thing done, and by the time Koharu pronounces it good enough, the sun has long since set. He's already dismissed most of his staff for the night, so the tower is quieter than he ever remembers it being. With only Homura, Koharu, his guards and Itachi, it almost feels peaceful. As long as he ignores the guilt.
Since they all missed dinner and it's late, Shisui manages to convince even Koharu to eat at a serviceable place that tends to keep later hours. One of the perks of living in a ninja village is the sheer number of establishments willing to cater to the ninja lifestyle. The food is good enough, for the price, and it's open late. All nine of them, including the guards, troop in just before closing. They're taken to a quiet table in the back of the room and Shisui tries to relax. Tries to box his guilt up and shove it away. It doesn't matter, he tells himself, that these people like him for a lie. Who hasn't lied to their friends before? He tries to tell himself that they would have chosen him even without his genjutsu, or that after they've seen what he can do, that they might forgive him his crimes. And somehow, Shisui is able to enjoy dinner. While he is definitely not a good man, he thinks, he is a good enough liar to fool even himself.