Three Second Romance
For shinobi, love is given a fleeting glace. Especially with someone not from their world.
She was shopping, looking blandly at a selection of apples and peaches that were slightly old and slightly bruised and would turn to a crumbly bitter ash in her mouth. Her face was drawn, her eyes haggard and her frame gaunt. Her hair was unkempt and drawn back hastily, but it could not dull it's natural luster or flecks of silver and gold hidden in the deep madrone brown.
He was shopping as well, although he didn't know the fruit selection here was always poor. He had never been here before, and he was hungry enough to probably eat the limp carrots or the half-fermented peaches. She couldn't see his face or his eyes, but she supposed that they would be as relaxed and easy as his posture.
His one visible eye, a deep steel grey, stared into her tired ones. He gave her a nod and she moved her head in what might have been acknowledgement.
He was ninja. Forbidden. He was probably ruthless, a killer and an uncompassionate man that would just as soon stab her as kiss her. But that didn't stop her mind, her imagination from imagining their life together. How he would feel as he held her, his lips at her throat and his body thrumming next to hers. Their children, growing up beautiful and safe and sound and he would leave his ninja life behind.
A simple fantasy, but she turned from her peaches and her apples to see him pick up a bag of celery and a hefty radish. She watched him turn to stare at her, his eye soft and understanding. She felt something blossom in her chest, something long repressed and forgotten about.
He smiled through his mask, and she felt the pinprick of tears at her eyes. She moved her lips, forming the words, but no sound came out and he turned his head. His head was averted as he walked past her, and she could hear his voice in her head, "I am not yours to have. We live in separate worlds."
Her heart broke and he paid for the radish and celery.
One last wave from his perfect hand and her future walked casually out of the market.
She turned back to her fruit.
Just a drabble. I was thinking about love at first sight, and then the thought arose, "What if someone fell in love with a ninja that way?" and because they know that it would be futile, I imaginged that it would be bittersweet. And then I used my favorite shinobi for the job.