She lets out a soft sigh, 'I can't believe I let her make me do this.'
The class is barely full. Ten minutes remained before the official start time for the class, but Mouse was surprised to find that Sakura wasn't already present and ready. When she'd left the apartment this morning, the pink haired woman was nowhere to be found.
Uchiha Itachi sits in the front, behind his desk, radiating sex. Long strands of inky hair fall over his shoulder in a ponytail, like a thin snake, and shorter strands frame the sides of his milky skin. He sports the normal attire of a Shinobi, dark gray shirt tucked into matching pants, ninja sandals, and various weapons strapped to his leg. A large Uchiha-Fan is sewn into the back of his shirt.
Mouse knew he was observing the class. She kept her gaze glued to the open book in front of her and hoped her face wasn't the color of a radish.
"MOUSE-CHAN."
Her grip on the page tightens. Her insides cringe.
Lee almost knocks over several desks in his haste to claim the open seat beside the small girl, who closes her eyes and tries to remember that murder is illegal. Two horribly strong, green arms coil around her neck, like pythons. She scowls and pushes at the boy's chest as he lifts her out of the chair and twirls around.
"You have until the count of five to release me."
"Sorry~" He chimes, setting her back down in her chair, "I'm just so excited! I didn't know I would be sharing class with such a youthful beauty like yourself-"
Mouse twitches.
"Come here, Lee." She beckons him forward with a finger.
Lee starts to bend closer, large dark eyes blinking innocently.
"Don't do it, Bushy-Brows, -ttebayo!" Naruto shouts, waving his hands wildly. He skids to a stop before the two and grabs Lee, dragging him back out of Mouse's reach.
Sakura pushes past the two, rolling her eyes. The chair Lee had been aiming for slides out and the pink haired girl plops down in it, huffing softly. She smiles brightly at Mouse. "Good morning."
Mouse, still sour about her victim being stolen, grumbles under her breath, "It's never a good morning."
"Mouse is not a morning person. She gets really, really scary; worse than Sakura-chan!" Naruto is a horrible whisperer. He shakes Lee back and forth by the shoulders, both boys wearing a terrified expression.
"I heard that." Mouse doesn't bother to look away from Sakura, who giggles in amusement.
The boys squeal like pigs and scurry to a random corner.
"I'm here. Now the party may officially start." A chipper voice announces. The chair in front of Mouse slides out and an icy blonde with cornflower-blue optics slides into it. "Mouse, Forehead." She dips her head in greeting.
"Pig." Sakura scowls.
"Hello Ino." Mouse smiles slightly.
"I didn't know you'd be here, Mouse-kun." Another feminine voice chimes. A tall girl with brown hair coiled into two buns sits down in the seat next to Ino, beaming up at Sakura and Mouse.
Said girl sighs and slumps forward, resting her cheek against her book. "I wasn't going to. But this one-" Cue kick to Sakura's leg here. "-decided to add in my name at the last moment."
"Owe." Sakura shoots her a glare.
The brunette glances over, blinking innocently. "Wasn't me."
"Oh, right." Sakura rolls her eyes, "It must've been a mouse."
Mouse scowls at her. "Very funny, Cherry."
"Rat."
"Fruit-thing!"
"Ladies, please, we all know I'm gorgeous." Ino holds her hands up, cutting the two off before they can bicker more. Tenten snorts loudly, laughing so hard that she has to hold onto the back of the chair so she doesn't fall out of it. "Fruit-thing?" She asks Mouse.
"Well excuse me for not remembering if a cherry is a fruit." Mouse huffs, rolling her eyes.
"It's a fruit." Sakura nods slightly but the pauses, "Right?"
Mouse fake-gasps loudly, "What's this? The all-knowing Sakura doesn't know the answer? Oh! What has the world come to?"
Sakura sticks her tongue out at her, fighting back laughter. "I'm pretty sure it's a fruit."
"I'm pretty sure it is too." A sultry voice floats up the front. It's smooth, velvet-like, and it sends shivers racing up and down Mouse's spine. "But before you embark on a debate, I'd like to start my class now."
All eyes turn to the front. Uchiha Itachi still sits there, in his chair, in all his magnificent glory. His dark obsidian orbs are locked onto the small group of girls; the corners of his lips are tugged up, in a ghost of a smirk.
Mouse scowls and glances over at her friends, who are all blushing bashfully and turning towards him attentively. She sighs and rolls her eyes, arms folding across her chest. Amber optics flicker back towards the front and lock almost dangerously with dark onyx.
"Alright then, let's begin." His eyes flash and then scan over the class. "Today will be a fairly easy day. We'll start with introductions and then I will explain what is to be expected throughout the course. When it is your turn, tell us your name, age, and three things about yourself. Starting with," His eyes return to Mouse, without skipping a beat, "You."
Everyone seems to swivel around in their chairs to stare at her expectantly.
Feeling like a frog about to be dissected, Mouse frowns and narrows her eyes at the Uchiha. "Weasel-sensei's first."
Itachi blinks. And then his dark eyes narrow dangerously. He glares at her icily. The room drops several degrees and Mouse scowls at him. For a few moments, there is nothing but pure silence, and then, "You will see me after class."
"Fine." She shrugs, gaze not wavering.
His glare darkens.
It takes every fiber of her being not to shiver, not to cave.
"Next." His eyes flash to Sakura, who gulps at the sudden onslaught of intensity.
Shooting him one last glare, Mouse turns her gaze towards Sakura. "My name is Haruno Sakura and I'm twenty-one. I work at the local hospital and have an apprenticeship under Tsunade-sama, and..."
Mouse tunes her out. She knew the cherry-haired female like the back of her hand.
Tenten and Ino went next. All of their introductions are similar and short, to the point. Boredom seeps through Mouse like a tidal wave. She slides down in her seat, ignoring the worried look Sakura shoots her way.
And then the last person is finished speaking and the Uchiha stands. He walks around the desk and sits on the edge, eyes flashing over all of the students. "Alright. Now I will introduce myself."
He shoots Mouse a pointed look.
"I am Uchiha Itachi, your instructor. I am twenty-six. And I am the captain of the ANBU police force, the elder brother of Uchiha Sasuke, and heir to the Uchiha Clan."
Several girls let out dreamy sighs.
Mouse rolls her eyes. Ino, the residential stalker of anything and everything Uchiha, had made the girls recite basic information about each Uchiha-hottie until everything was memorized. And everything Itachi had just said was way beyond basic.
His introduction was something they taught in the Academy.
Thus, there was absolutely nothing special about it.
"This class will be fairly simple. I will assign you homework from the text book and other reading materials, you will complete that homework, and we will discuss it the next time we meet. You will be tested on that material as well, so I suggest you do the homework. There is one project for the course, where you must write a five page essay on a famous ninja. Details for everything are in this syllabus." Itachi walks around the front, handing a small stack of papers to each of the people in the front row. The students in the front row, who aren't trying to flirt with him, pass the papers back to the people behind them. "Tonight's homework is easy. Read through chapter one in the text book."
Itachi stops moving. "That is all, you are dismissed."
Everyone moves in some way, shape, or form. Several of the guys race towards the door, happy to be out of the class, while most of the girls take their time. Sakura gathers her things and puts a hand on Mouse's shoulder.
"Don't provoke him. You need a passing grade." She reprimands softly.
Tenten shoots the tiny girl a grin and Ino mumbles something along the lines of, 'Lucky bitch.' under her breath.
And then it's just Mouse and the devil, himself.
Itachi stares at her for a few silent moments. He leans against the desk, arms folded across his chest. She quirks a brow at him, still slightly slumped down in her chair. He blinks and then starts towards the door. "Walk with me to my office."
Mouse scowls. "I'd rather not. If you're going to kill me, I need witnesses."
He pauses, glancing back over his shoulder. "Then should I just go to Tsunade's office?"
"I'm coming, quit your bitching." She grabs her book. Picking her copy of the syllabus up off the desk, she folds it in half and slides it in between two pages of her book. Then she makes her way towards the door.
The walk to Itachi's office is quiet.
He opens the door for her. She walks inside, frowning. His office is of moderate size, with a large dark wood desk, a shelf behind it, and two small chairs in front of it. It's dark, lit by red candles and two small lamps. Everything is clutter-free and neat.
Mouse swallows thickly, finding it harder to breathe.
Itachi allows the door to shut. He gestures for her to take a seat as he sits down in his chair behind the desk. He rests his elbows on the desk, fingers lacing together in front of his mouth.
After a few moments, he finally speaks, "I don't tolerate disrespect."
She blinks. "You mean to tell me that you," She points at him, "The almighty Uchiha Itachi, got offended because I, a small harmless little girl, called you a weasel?" Her brows furrow. "Even though you are one?"
The glare he sends her could make glass shatter.
"I'm serious." Mouse tries to justify her new nickname for him. "Your name means weasel in Japanese. So I didn't think it would be much different."
"You thought wrong."
"Then I'm sorry for hurting your feelings."
His eyes narrow at her. She didn't hurt his feelings. He just didn't like the disrespectful attitude. No one talked to him that way. Ever.
Mouse sighs softly, arms tightening around her torso. She tries not to shift around in the chair uncomfortably. Tension coils thickly in the air, like thousands of snakes poised to strike. Her heart starts to beat a little faster, trying to work the thick, oxygen-less air through her lungs. Something ice cold grows in her stomach, spearing through her from the inside out.
"I believe you are in my next class as well."
She jumps slightly. Wide eyes dart to his face, which remains impassive, and her brows furrow as she thinks back to her schedule. "Yeah, I guess."
"Come along then." He stands elegantly, sliding his chair back into place behind him. She follows his lead, grateful to get out of the thickly aired space. Now she'd be able to put some distance between them and she'd be able to breathe properly again.
He holds the door open again.
She ducks under his arm and steps out into the hallway. A girl with bright, radish red hair and sleek matching glasses perks up. She leans against the wall across from the Uchiha's office, arms folded behind her back. Her bright red eyes flash. "Itachi-sensei!"
Mouse quirks a brow and pauses, glancing back over her shoulder as the redhead practically corners Itachi to the wall. Her mouth moves a mile a minute and her eyelashes flutter seductively. The small brunette snickers in amusement, especially when Itachi's eyes flicker towards her.
She turns her back to him and continues to walk.
The college is set up simply, with one large building filled with classrooms and a huge training-ground located near the back. It sits smack-dab in the middle of several apartment complexes and a bunch of restaurants-that way the students couldn't complain about the lack of a cafeteria.
Since sparring class would be mostly fighting, Mouse assumed they'd be held outdoors.
She makes her way to the training grounds, book opening. Careful not to lose her new bookmark, she turns to the page she'd left off on and begins to read as she walks. She may not be a ninja but, after years of practice, she'd perfected Kakashi's technique.
After a couple of minutes, she reaches the grounds. Sakura stands in the corner, off to the side, chatting with Sasuke and someone else Mouse doesn't recognize. He wears the Uchiha crest on the front of his t-shirt, however, so she assumes that he is related to Sasuke. The girl doesn't stop walking until she reaches Sakura's side.
Sakura jumps slightly, glancing down and smiling. "Mouse! How did it go?"
"Sasuke," Mouse glances up from her book long enough to shoot the unamused Uchiha a look, "Your brother is a pansy."
Sasuke smirks slightly, running his fingers through his spiky locks. The Uchiha beside him blinks down at Mouse, dark eyes wide. His lips stretch into a wide, play-boy smile. "Well, I think I'm in love."
Mouse blinks at him, confused.
He throws an arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his chest, and turns her away from her friends. "How about we blow this joint and go spend a little quality time together at your place?"
"Shisui, leave her alone." Sasuke glares at the back of his head.
"Don't be jealous Sasuke-chan." Shisui glances back over his shoulder, shooting the younger Uchiha a cheeky grin. "Just because Juliet likes me more doesn't mean that-"
The side of a book slamming into the side of his face cuts him off. Blinking, Shisui turns back, only to yelp loudly and dive away from the brunette as she swings out at him again with her book. The second he hits the ground, the Uchiha rolls slightly and then jerks to the side, barely dodging the book as it sails through the air at him.
Mouse glares at him. "I don't like you like that."
"Ah," Shisui pokes his head out from behind Sakura's shoulder, "But you admit that you like me!"
Sasuke sighs and shakes his head. "Just ignore him, Mouse. He'll go away soon."
Mouse scowls at them both. She picks up her book and dusts it off, hugging it to her chest. Sakura swats at Shisui, shooing him away from her. The two share a look and roll their eyes. Mouse had heard of Shisui. He was the only Uchiha male that took advantage of his bloodline. It was rare that a girl was chosen by Uchiha Itachi to bed and, if he did find someone, it was never the same person twice. Shisui, however, came home with a girl every night. Her identity didn't matter to him.
He was a play-boy.
"Alright class." Itachi's smooth voice travels through the air, easily gaining everyone's attention. Everyone turns slightly and watches as the Uchiha folds his arms across his chest and glances over everyone. His eyes linger on Mouse. "I will pair you up with your partner for the semester. You cannot change partners. Today, both of you will demonstrate what you already know when it comes to fighting. I will walk around and observe your techniques."
Mouse stiffens and looks towards Sakura, eyes narrowing into a deadly glare. Sakura smiles slightly and throws an arm around the small girl's shoulders, whispering, "It'll be okay. Maybe he'll partner you with me? Or Sasuke."
"And if he doesn't?"
"You'll be fine. You're tough." Sakura squeezes her shoulders.
Mouse hisses at her like a cat.
"Sakura, you will be partnered with Sasuke." Itachi approaches their small group. Already, duo's have separated from the rest and are sparring quietly by themselves. Sakura shoots Mouse a hopeful smile as she and Sasuke step away.
An arm coils around Mouse's shoulders. "She's mine."
Itachi's eyebrow twitches slightly. Shisui's grip on Mouse's shoulders tightens and the unusually emotional Uchiha grins cheekily at his younger cousin. Itachi mentally sighs. "Actually, Shisui, she already has a partner. You will be my partner."
"But you can't separate us, yet!" Something soft, Shisui's cheek, rubs against Mouse's. "Our love is new! It's fresh! She needs me like-"
"You have to the count of five to let me go."
Shisui frowns and lets her go, wary of her book. "But Juliet~"
"Don't call me that." Mouse shoots him a scowl. "My name is Mouse."
"Juliet suits you better."
"No it doesn't."
"Ah~" Shisui clasps his hands together, beaming down at her. "Our first lover's quarrel."
Itachi surveys the situation carefully, trying not to smirk in amusement. And as much as Mouse hated to admit it, the Uchiha's dramatic antics amused her as well. Trying to hide a smile, she shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Okay, okay. Who's my partner?" Her eyes flicker towards Itachi.
He glances back, behind him. Mouse peers around him. A tall man with wide, broad shoulders stretches out his arms, thick muscles flexing with the movements. He's shirtless; his tan skin is exposed like an item on display. His short silver hair is slicked back with loads of gel. A nasty expression is etched into his face.
Mouse's stomach drops through her feet.
"Fuck my life."
"What was that?" Itachi blinks at her, brows lifting.
Mouse exhales slowly, trying to remember how to move her leg muscles. Carefully, she makes her way over to the silver haired man, book digging into her chest. His bright pink eyes flash towards her, filled with malice. She gulps.
"Are you the fucking bitch?" His eyes flash over her timid form.
"Maybe." The fear slowly fades, stubborn anger replacing it. "Who the hell is asking?"
"I'll fucking kill you, slut." His knuckles crack. The words slide through his teeth, a low and dangerous snarl that makes her shudder. He stalks towards her, muscles bulging.
She sets her book on the ground and takes several steps away from it. "Bring it."
He lunges at her.
The sharp, terrified shriek clogs her throat. Unable to make a sound, she squeezes her eyes shut and waits for the pain. But the impact doesn't come. Mouse pokes on eye open, shoulders slumping with relief. Sasuke stands in front of her, the silver haired man unconscious at his feet. He shoots her a reprimanding look. "Why didn't you tell him?"
"Shut up." Mouse scowls at him.
"Don't tell me to shut up." Sasuke walks towards her, eyes flashing dangerously. "Why didn't you tell him you can't control your chakra? He wouldn't have paired you with Hidan if he knew. Hidan is a professional fighter with a short temper. You could've gotten hurt, Mouse."
Mouse glares at him.
"You're lucky Naruto wasn't here." Sasuke glares down at her. "He wouldn't have been able to control himself." His eyes dart up, away from Mouse, locking onto something behind her. "Aniki-"
"I will train with her." Shisui cuts Sasuke off, earning a nasty look from said Uchiha, as he steps up beside Mouse. She frowns and shoots him a cautious sideways glance."I can help her with her chakra control and I promise I'll take good care of her." He locks eyes with Sasuke. "Relax, little cousin."
After poking Hidan once with his foot, Itachi steps forward and shoots the bickering Uchiha's a chilling look. Sasuke falls silent, arms folding across his chest. He avoids his Aniki's gaze. Shisui looks towards Mouse, completely ignoring Itachi. He holds out his hand. "I just want to check your chakra points, make sure they're flowing correctly."
Mouse sighs and resists the urge to roll her eyes. She lifts her hand and sets it into his palm. "Seriously, it's not that big of a deal. I don't like fighting anyways."
"And yet you are a very violent woman." Shisui smirks playfully, poking her nose with his free hand.
"I only abuse those who are close to me." She snorts, smirking back slightly. "And only when they deserve it."
Shisui's smirk widens. He squeezes her hand, finished with the chakra-check-up, and then lets it drop. "So I'm close to you, eh?"
"Don't get your hopes up."
"Well, well, well~" Shisui's dark eyes flash towards his cousins. Sasuke stiffens, face dark, yet impassive. Itachi is as cold as ever, but his dark eyes shine with amusement. Shisui chuckles lowly, "I like her. She's a flirt."
"Hn," Mouse rolls her eyes, shaking her head.
Shisui throws his arms up into the air. "And she speaks the sacred language~! By gods, the perfect woman does exist."
Sasuke scowls at him. Sakura appears at his side, lips twisted with a grin. "Is everything okay? Class is almost over."
"No." Sasuke huffs and then glares heatedly at Shisui as he steps in between him and Mouse. "Shisui, you're not going to be partnered with Mouse. Stay away from her."
"A little protective, aren't we, Sasuke-chan?" Shisui teases lightly, dark eyes flashing mischievously, "You don't…like her, do you, little cousin?"
Mouse's eyes dart to Sakura. The two share a look and then burst into laughter. Sasuke didn't like Mouse any more than Kakashi and Naruto did. While she was never assigned to an actual team, Mouse managed to weasel into Team Seven's lives and became extremely close with each of its members. And had Sakura been in the same position as Mouse was in earlier, Sasuke would've done the exact same thing.
Sasuke rolls his eyes.
Before anyone can say anything else, Itachi steps forward and reclaims their attention. "Well, that was a waste of time." He shoots the four a reprimanding look and then turns to the rest of the class. Even though they are all still sparring, the second Itachi's icy gaze travels over the masses; everyone pauses and turns to face him. He nods slightly. "Good job for today. I've already spoken to those of you who need improvement. Class is dismissed."
"Anyway," Shisui glances over Sasuke's shoulders, "Mouse, your chakra points seemed fine. Are you able to build up an amount of it? I couldn't see anything wrong with your chakra."
"She's never been able to do anything with her chakra." Sakura explains, looping her arm through the brunette's, "Even when we were little." The pink haired kunoichi smiles slightly, "She's also extremely lazy and hardly ever trains too."
"Oi, I train with you and Kakashi!" She scowls in response.
"Then why didn't you try to dodge Hidan?" Itachi's eyes narrow. Mouse shoots him a dirty look. "Because when you're less than one-thirty and you see a four hundred pound glob of ugly rushing at you with the intent to kill, sometimes you freeze up in fear."
Shisui snorts, raising his hand to high-five her. "Here, here!"