Veil of Darkness | Yan! Itachi x Reader |

Chapter 2

Y/N spent the rest of the week trying to convince herself that what had happened in Itachi’s classroom was nothing. She was probably reading too much into it. He was a professor—he had to interact with students, and sometimes they had to stay behind for clarification. Right? That’s all it was. But no matter how much she repeated it to herself, the way Itachi had looked at her that day kept creeping back into her mind.

She’d avoided him as much as possible, skipping office hours and sitting further back in the classroom. But it didn’t matter. His presence still loomed over her, like a shadow she couldn’t escape from.

It was Friday now, and she was determined to make it through class without a hitch. She sat in her usual spot, notebook open, pen in hand, trying to keep her focus on the lecture. But as soon as Itachi walked into the room, her heart started racing again. He didn’t look at her—not immediately—but she could feel him. It was like a pressure, an unspoken force that weighed down on her with every word he spoke.

Y/N’s eyes drifted to him despite herself. Itachi was an enigma. He never smiled, never joked with the class like some of the other professors. His expression remained cold, distant, but there was something captivating about it. Every movement he made seemed deliberate, controlled, as if nothing could rattle him. Even the way he lectured—he made topics that should’ve been dry and monotonous feel like life-or-death debates. There was a quiet intensity about him, and it drew her in, despite the fear that lurked in the back of her mind.

“Power,” Itachi’s voice echoed through the lecture hall, snapping Y/N out of her thoughts. “It’s always about power. Whether we’re talking about governments, institutions, or individuals, it all comes down to control. The ones who have it, and the ones who don’t.”

His eyes flicked to hers, just for a second. A flash of black that sent a shiver down her spine.

“Those who control power shape the world,” he continued, his gaze moving to the rest of the class. “And those who understand how to manipulate it control the future.”

Y/N’s pen stilled on her notebook. Something about the way he said those words felt personal, like he wasn’t just talking about political theory. He was talking about something else. Something darker.

Her mind wandered back to the look he’d given her that day after class. It had been so intense, so deliberate. She could still feel the weight of it, the way his eyes seemed to see straight through her. It was unnerving. And yet...

Her fingers tightened around the pen. Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him? Why did she feel so drawn to him, despite everything in her gut telling her to keep her distance?

The lecture continued, but Y/N’s focus was gone. She couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t pull her thoughts away from the way Itachi moved, the way his voice carried through the room like a dark melody that only she could hear. She felt herself sinking deeper into a strange, dangerous curiosity about him. Who was this man, really? Why did he seem so... different from every other professor she’d ever had?

When the class ended, Y/N remained in her seat, waiting for the others to leave before making her move. She needed to ask him something. She didn’t even know what, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that if she didn’t confront him, the question would haunt her forever.

As the last student filed out of the room, Y/N stood and approached the front of the class, her steps hesitant. Itachi was packing up his notes, seemingly unaware of her presence. But she knew better.

“Professor Uchiha?” Her voice was softer than she intended, and she cursed herself for sounding so nervous.

He turned slowly, his eyes locking onto hers with that same intensity that made her skin prickle. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating.

“Yes, Miss L/N?” His voice was smooth, cold. Almost detached.

Y/N swallowed hard, trying to find her words. “I... I wanted to ask about what you said earlier. About power.”

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Itachi’s lips. “And what about it, exactly, are you curious about?”

She hesitated, unsure of how to phrase what she was really thinking. What was she really trying to ask here? That wasn’t the question gnawing at her insides. No, she wasn’t really asking about power. She was asking about him. His hold over her thoughts, the way he seemed to dominate every space he was in.

“You said the ones who understand how to manipulate power control the future,” she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. “But what happens to those who... don’t have that kind of control?”

Itachi’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, Y/N regretted asking. But then, he stepped closer, just enough that she could smell the faint scent of his cologne—something dark and earthy. His presence was suffocating, overwhelming, and her heart pounded in her chest.

“Those who lack control,” he murmured, his voice low, “are destined to be controlled by others.”

Y/N felt her breath hitch. There was something in his tone—something dangerous, like he wasn’t just talking about theory anymore. This wasn’t a hypothetical. He meant every word.

“Why are you so interested in control, Miss L/N?” Itachi asked, tilting his head slightly, studying her. “Do you fear losing it?”

The question caught her off guard. Did she? Fear losing control?

“I... don’t know,” she admitted quietly, feeling the tension between them coil tighter. “I’ve just been thinking about it a lot lately.”

Itachi’s gaze softened, just for a moment, but it was enough to make her stomach twist. “Curiosity can be dangerous,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Especially when it leads you down paths you’re not prepared to walk.”

Y/N’s pulse quickened. Was that a warning? It felt like it, but she couldn’t decipher what he was trying to say. And then, before she could respond, he turned away, picking up his briefcase.

“Be careful, Miss L/N,” he said, his back to her now. “Not all questions need answers.”

With that, he walked out of the room, leaving her standing there, her mind racing. His words echoed in her head, heavy with meaning she couldn’t quite grasp. Was he warning her off? Or was he inviting her into something darker, something she wasn’t ready for?

As she left the classroom, Y/N couldn’t shake the feeling that Itachi had pulled her into something she wasn’t sure she could escape. His words, his gaze—they lingered with her long after he was gone. And the more she tried to push him from her mind, the deeper her curiosity grew.

By the time she returned to her dorm, she realized something terrifying: she didn’t just want answers about Itachi Uchiha.

She needed them.