Love and the Time Travel Paradox

05:00AM

She woke up bright and early to the first rays of sunlight.

Her bed was made, and all of her hygienic rituals were completed.

It didn't bother her too much that it was sunny, because she had been waiting for a chance like this.

There would be no missions today for her, because she had much to do.

Today she would begin cleaning up and packing her bags.

05:30AM

At the sight of the small magic kit, her hand froze.

Seeing it brought so many memories of her childhood.

In the past, she had wanted to be something else. Someone else. Practicing one of the most basic magician's tricks, the sleight of hand, had been her quiet rebellion against the infiltrator role that many kunoichi had been forced to take.

Nobody had appreciated it, of course. These kinds of things had no merit on the war front.

Of course, she'd never stopped practicing the art of the sleight of hand on her down time, but it became distantly second to the medical training that her master was giving her. And one thing led to another.

She couldn't possibly throw away something that held so much sentimental value for her. Something that had actually saved her more than once in certain kinds of missions. It was a part of her identity, and weren't these past couple weeks all about finding herself again?

The kit was reverently placed on top of her kitchen table.

06:00AM

She was just returning from taking out the trash when she was accosted by her ex-student. It had been at least five weeks since they'd last seen each other, and he had been on his way home from reporting in another successful diplomatic mission.

The blond was bewildered upon entering her condo.

Over the course of a month, her dreary little home had transformed into a lively one.

He stared, open-mouthed, at the sight of pots simmering on the stove. He blinked rapidly at the clean surfaces and polished floors. His blue eyes watered at the sight of their old team photo cleaned up and standing proudly on top of the coffee table.

She rolled her eyes, but she felt glad all the same.

For such a long time, she'd worried him and the others with her own self-destructive tendencies. Wasn't she already an adult? Hadn't she already grown past throwing tantrums, and hiding within herself like a child?

But somewhere along the way, she'd finally begun putting herself back together.

And it was only the beginning.

06:30AM

The blond gave her a forlorn look, but at the same time it was so very wise.

If she hadn't believed in him before, when he claimed that he would become top dog of the village one day...

Now, she would believe it. He wasn't in office yet, but she could see he had all the makings of a great leader.

He did protest at first. It was him, he always did this no matter how many years had passed. But then he smiled and wished her good luck in her new journey.

The hug they shared was sad, yet happy.

A hug between two comrades who had experienced many hardships together. A hug of farewell, we will meet again.

07:00AM

Her student had left, and she'd finished her packing in record time.

All of the required paperwork had been processed thanks to the combined efforts of her master.

It was just a matter of finding the right time to break the news to her ex and their son, followed by finding the right moment to leave.

A quick glance out the window showed that the sky was a beautiful, cloudless blue.

It was then she decided that it didn't matter what the weather was like.

07:20AM

When she stepped out of her apartment and into the sun, she wasn't holding anything. No bag, no umbrella, no book.

There was nothing for her to use as a shield.

She checked her watch, purely out of habit and need. A strange need to keep careful track of the hour.

Now was the time to stop pretending that she did not know what was happening between her and the man she'd met in the park.

08:00AM

It was the faint coppery scent that made her feet halt right at the entrance.

As a seasoned kunoichi and medic, coming across this particular smell in her special hideaway was like meeting an old acquaintance from the past. An old acquaintance she was never fond of, but tolerated because it went hand in hand with her line of work.

As a veteran shinobi, she was hardened against any possible hostile confrontation.

She squared her shoulders and stepped into the lion's den.

08:05AM

Under the cheerful sun, the playground, the overgrown trees and grass looked like a completely alien place to her.

And standing there, in the center of it all, was the man.

After several heartbeats, he shifted slightly.

Jade met emerald.

She didn't know what to expect.

The morning light was enough to illuminate the splotches of red on his dark clothing and shoes.

Some things should have remained in the shadows. Some things should have remained hidden from the sun.

She shouldn't have come without the cover of clouds.

But now that she was here, she could see the manic light in his blank eyes.

It was the look of a person who has just killed another.

His presence in front of her now was a quiet declaration of who was the killer.

And inside her chest, her heart felt as if it were encased inside a block of ice.

08:10AM

After a moment, she realized that his lips were moving, and that he was trying to talk to her.

"I did not expect to see you here, today."

His voice, the voice she had come to love, was as gentle as always.

And perhaps it sounded rueful as well.

Guilty.

It was so wrong.

She felt herself being scrutinized by his blank eyes.

A trail of cold perspiration trailed downwards, in between her shoulder blades.

Killing wasn't always as simple as people thought it was these days.

Especially now, with the alliance of the five major shinobi powers, and foreigners leaving and entering the village on an almost daily basis. During war, it was just another number on the ledger. But in peace time, it was murder. And it was a threat to the alliance.

"You don't have your bag. Were you not planning to stay?"

It was a small miracle that she was able to find her voice.

"I came here to look for you. To talk to you. It was just a sudden impulse I had; I wasn't expecting to actually find you."

She gestured helplessly.

"What... what happened?"

He did not respond.

She took one step towards him..

08:15AM

"Don't."

Her body went rigid.

"Don't what?"

"Don't come any closer."

He was quietly pleading her.

It didn't make any sense, because wasn't she the one who was supposed to be saying such things?

And it was too late to go back now.

He knew it. She knew it. He knew that she knew.

But it didn't stop him from trying to salvage what was left. Stealing whatever he could from time's suitcase.

"I never meant for you to see me this way."

The gleam in his eyes became stronger. His words were strangely hypnotic.

"I just wanted you to see the better part of me. But in the end, I always end up betraying myself. Over and over... and over..."

It was so very hard to breathe in the heavy tension, much less talk.

The bond they'd formed over the course of five weeks seemed to evaporate before her eyes. To be replaced with fear. Uncertainty. Distrust.

Despite everything, she could not look away from those blank eyes. Something told her not to look away no matter what, or she would lose everything.

At the corner of her mind, a memory began to surface.

Many years ago, she had met someone who had the same exact expression as the one he had now. Like a child who had been caught doing something bad and was afraid of retaliation or punishment. Similar circumstances as now.

Clouded skies. A swing set. Sand for as far as the eye can see.

Within her mind, those memories super imposed another, much younger face on top of his.

Yes. It all fit.

He was not as much of a stranger as she thought.

And suddenly she wasn't looking into the eyes of a possible murderer, but the eyes of a scared little boy who was left behind.

08:20AM

Later she could muse on the irony of it all but now was the time to take action.

It was difficult to explain the leap she'd made. It was like flinging herself off a steep cliff.

There is everything you know, and everything that is happening. When the two do not line up, a choice must be made.

She saw a man who shared the same space with her. She saw a man who was possibly more dangerous than she expected.

She saw a little boy who was scared and needed reassurance.

Underneath the underneath.

As if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, her breaths came easier.

He saw her at her worst, and he'd stayed.

So she would do the same.

She gave in.

Off of the cliff.

Like it was just another day for the two of them, her body relaxed completely.

And after taking a pointed look at his clothes, she spoke.

"Want to use my shower to wash off that blood? I can't promise you hot water, though."

He exhaled harshly. His next words were even harsher in spite of the deceptive calm.

"You don't know what you're doing."

She was an adult, therefore she did not need to answer him with unnecessary dry retorts.

So she met his bluster with all of the warmth she could muster. All the warmth that she felt for the boy who had looked at her like she was the most incredible thing in the world. All the warmth she felt for the man who'd quietly stayed by her side when she didn't even want to live in her own skin.

Moving slowly as to not startle him. Turning both of her palms gently upward.

Beckoning him to come closer with her smile, the same one that had worked years before.

08:25AM

She didn't know what she would have done if he didn't follow her out of the playground.

But he did.

The trip back to her apartment was short. They could not linger outside while he was still wreathed in the same coppery smell.

She opened the front door and walked in first. She stopped and turned when she noticed that he had yet to do the same.

"What's the matter?"

"Are you sure it's alright to invite a stranger, and a man, into your home?"

His words. The way his eyes didn't quite reach hers.

She sucked in a breath.

He knew. He knew.

There was no question about it. Somehow, he'd discovered what had happened to her, and the information was slowly killing her inside.

He was being considerate of her despite his current state. His kindness was shattering her composure once again.

Tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

"Are you a stranger?"

Are you going to hurt me? was what she was really asking.

His jade eyes softened before becoming resolved.

The door closed behind him.

TBC...