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The busy hum and chatter of the market in the morning was something you knew you’d never tire of. The air was still cool, a pleasant contrast to the warmth of the sun on your face as you set out your wares for the day- baskets, small pots, and a few textiles, along with some sweets you had managed to make the night before.
You had circled around to the front of your stall to neaten up your display when you heard the distant shouts of guards. You briefly looked up, but ignored it for the most part- the guards were almost always shouting about something. But then your attention was captured by the confused shouts of your fellow vendors above the rhythmic slapping of running feet.
You turned around just in time to see a man in hooded white robes drop from a ledge above you, landing in a crouch, light on his feet like a cat. Dark eyes flashed beneath his hood as he rose to his full height, muscles coiled and tense, ready to fight or run.
He snarled to himself when he heard the guards yelling at the far end of the market. You froze and watched him quickly scan his surroundings for a way out, a place to hide.
Then, his eyes locked on yours.
Before you could process what was happening, he had grabbed your hand, yanked you back behind your stall, and shoved your body against the building at your back. You let out a soft grunt, your knees almost buckling. Your heart positively raced in your chest and your entire body trembled as the man in white- who you now knew to be the Assassin the entire city was looking for- covered your body with his.
“I pray you forgive me,” he growled softly, his fingers curling and biting into your shoulders. You had barely taken a breath to ask why he wanted forgiveness, and his lips were on yours, warm and insistent.
You squeaked at the intensity of his kiss, eyes wide and the breath stuck in your throat. Your hands briefly flailed before settling on his biceps with a gasp. The Assassin continued to kiss you as he watched the street out of the corner of his eye. Your eyes fluttered shut for a brief moment as you melted into the unexpectedly incredible kiss, but then snapped open when the guards’ yells grew closer. Just yards away from your stall by the sound of it.
Your lips parted just long enough for you to take a gasp of air and then he was kissing you again with just as much passion and intensity as before. This time, you let yourself get lost in the sensation- his lips were slightly rough and chapped as they moved against yours. They parted slightly every now and then, but he never moved to deepen the kiss. One hand moved from your shoulder to cup the back of your neck and tilt your head so he could press into you even more.
When the guards had disappeared and you finally parted, you were both panting for breath. A red flush had suffused your cheeks, and the Assassin was staring at your lips as if seriously contemplating kissing you again. His hands fell to his side and he lowered his gaze, almost reverent.
“I am in your debt,” he murmured softly. “Safety and peace be upon you.”
He turned to leave. You shouted “Wait-” wanting to at least ask his name. But by the time the word left your mouth, he had already vanished into the crowd. Your eyes darted back and forth, looking for the tell-tale white hood, but he was gone, as if he had never been there at all. Your fingertips ghosted over your lips where you could still feel the remnants of his kiss, and you wondered if you would see him again.