Stupid Cupid

Selene stared at the food, and then back at him.

"This is from McDonalds."

"I beg your pardon?"

"This is the Big Breakfast pancake platter from McDonalds! You think I can't tell?"

"But you enjoy the Big Breakfast from McDonalds," he said unfurling his wings and sitting in mid air. Her bed had been the only seat. "In fact you like it a little too much for my taste, but I figured you should bulk up. You did have it rough Saturday night."

Selene scoffed, looking at the destruction that had once been her room.

"You broke my bed!"

"We broke your bed sweetheart," he said with a coy smile.

"Ugh, Jesus."

Staring at her food she began to dig in, a ravenous hunger suddenly seizing her.

Swallowing a chunk of the pancake she reached to the left to grab the orange juice and winced at the stitch in her side.

"Oh God. What did you do to me?"

Standing he went to kneel beside her and pressed his hands on her shoulders. Chastely kissing her neck, he began to massage her.

"You'll get used to it, I promise."

"Wait..." she grumbled as his hands pulled away the tension. Oh, that felt good. But her bed was broken, and she was too poor to pay for it. Mm, was he a masseuse too?

"Mm...wait...Wait!"

"What?" he said raising an eyebrow.

She smacked his hands away and glared at him.

"You can't just hand me an eight dollar breakfast and expect me to forget what happened!"

Eros wrinkled his nose. "You don't want the breakfast?"

"Yes I want the breakfast! But last night I...you..."

"Yes, we fucked. Though it wasn't last..."

"You tricked me!"

"I seduced you."

"No! You made me want you last night!" she snapped angrily. "And geez, I fell for it!"

Eros gave her a strange look. "...yes Selene, I believe that is what seduction is."

"But, but I didn't want it!"

"You just said you did."

"Not initially!"

"Thus the seduction."

He chuckled as she gave him a nasty glare. It reminded him of the looks she had given him underneath him. He walked two fingers up her shoulder.

"Shall I show you how it works?"

Selene shivered then shook her head. "No. I doubt I could walk let alone pony up with your crazy ass again."

"I don't understand why you're so adverse to this," he sighed, lying on his back behind her. "You shot me with the arrow remember?"

Selene let out a loud huff then reached to cut her eggs. Her wrist cramped and she dropped the fork.

Eros sat up in concern as she stared at her plate. Was she going to cry? Or was she going to stab him with her plastic knife? Deciding neither was pleasant he removed her tray and laid her on her back.

"Here, let me heal you," he said soothingly. She was still naked under the covers but she didn't flinch when his hands traced gentle paths on her skin.

"You can heal me?" she said, almost relieved.

"Yes," he said pulling off his shirt. It was different than the one before. In fact he was in a whole different outfit. He had time to go home?

Wait...was that her shirt? The baggy one from college?

"Are you..."

"I'll need to have sex with you though."

"You think sex will cure injuries...caused by sex?" she asked drily. "If you're trying to get your morning rocks off by lying..."

"I'm not lying," he said, irritated. "And you should be fine for the most part. We've given it time."

"Like what? Two hours?"

"Try two days."

Selene's mouth dropped open. "It's Monday?"

"Yes."

"I was unconscious for two days?"

"Yes you were."

"Oh my gosh! I'm going to be late for work!"

He watched her curiously as she tried to sit back up and hurry to her clothing. When she fell in a boneless pile by her closet he snorted.

"I already called you in sick," he snickered, placing her back in the bed. "You never look before you leap do you?"

"Ohh I'm in so much pain...Mister "I'd never hurt you." You liar! I could kill you!"

"Then let me take it away," he cooed. He placed his lips on her chest and trailed them down past her navel, and repeated the silky motion with his hand.

"I can't take another beating like that," Selene said, her body arching into his touch. He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"It won't be anything like before. I'll be gentle."

"Gentle?" she scoffed.

"I can be gentle."

Her eyes fluttered as a lazy hand caressed her nether regions until she was wet again.

"Eros," she breathed. "Why are you still here? Didn't you hear me say that I hated you? Didn't that bother you at all?"

"Hate and love aren't that far apart," he said as a matter-of-factly. "Just like sex and violence. I apologize that I might have...strayed too far from the line."

His lips kissed down to her sore achy clitoris and with a swirl of his tongue she began to feel better. He sucked and licked, making her juices a salve. Selene sighed.

"Eros?"

He looked up. "Yes."

"Hurry up. My food is getting cold."

He rolled his eyes and unbuttoned his jeans. Pulling out his erect manhood he guided it to her sloppy opening and slowly pressed inside. This time it didn't feel like he was trying to murder her. Selene lay back and closed her eyes, sighing as Eros gently made love to her.

When Selene woke up Eros was gone. Yawning she reached for her phone and checked her calendar.

"Huh. Tuesday."

Sighing she sat up and checked her alarm clock. It was 3:00 am. Pulling herself to her feet she yawned long and loud, giving her body a nice stretch. Blinking she moved her hips side to side, and then touched her toes.

"Wow. I feel fantastic."

She felt better than fantastic actually. Selene felt the way she had when she played soccer in high school. She felt like going for a run. Ok well not really, but she might go for a smoothie.

"Eros? Hey Eros," she said looking around.

Her apartment was empty. Normally her empty apartment bothered her, but she could see his touch upon it. There were flowers on her kitchen table, a bag of raisin bagels on her cupboard, and a trail of rose petals that led to her bathroom. Her necklace, which was discarded on the counter, was dull. So he wasn't here, but he had instead left things that stated he would be back. It was like he was marking his territory with love instead of pee.

Rolling her eyes she picked up a bagel and followed the trail. He had filled her rarely used tub with hot steaming water. White foamy bubbles towered over the edge and two candles lay on either side glowing softly in the darkness. Selene fought it, but she was touched. Her favorite bagel and a bath? Really, even she couldn't fault him. Besides, she was glad she didn't have to face him at the moment. She was already naked so she simply slipped inside the tub and took a hearty chunk out of her bagel. She polished it off with legendary speed. Then she sunk into the boiling bath.

When it was time for her to go to work the water was still hot. Obviously enchanted somehow, she was just glad she hadn't sprouted a tail or something. She drained the tub and dressed quickly before heading to work. With the lovely day of hooky she was guaranteed a ton of makeup work. Even so she couldn't complain. The smile that stole across her face and the light spring in her step gave her away.

That night Selene kicked the door open, her arms laden with groceries. Eros was on her couch staring at the door like he had been standing guard.

"Don't kick me out," he said swiftly. He lifted up a box that had sat beside him. "I brought pizza."

"I don't like just any type of pizza," she said plopping the bags on the counter.

"But I..." Eros declared. "Have your favorite."

She raised an eyebrow and put her milk away.

"You do not know my favorite type of pizza," she said skeptically.

He opened the box haughtily. "Brooklyn style sausage and pepperoni with green peppers and cheese stuffed crust."

Selene kicked off her shoes and walked over. Pulling off a stringy succulent slice she took a bite and sat on the edge of her couch.

"Mm, how long have you been stalking me?" she moaned, enjoying the delicious meal. She was famished.

"It's not stalking if it's for work," he retorted. "Do the police stalk people when they're in an investigation?"

"Yes."

"Well...um, that's—"

She interrupted his flustering with a good hearted laugh.

He looked at her with fondness and pulled her down next to him, placing an arm around her waist.

"I know everything about you Selene," he said softly. "I know your favorite food, your favorite color..."

"What's yours?"

"What?"

Selene smacked the juice from her lips and wiped her hands on the stack of napkins that lay on her coffee table.

"I asked what's your favorite color. Or food, I'm not picky."

Eros' face burst into an enthusiastic grin and he angled himself toward her.

"Softening are we?"

"More like gathering Intel for my next assault."

He chuckled and brushed a kiss over her mouth. Smirking he licked his lips. "You taste good."

"A Selly style pizza pie is a force to be reckoned with."

"I'm not talking about the pizza Selene," he purred, leaning over her.

She scoffed, pushing him back. "Your favorite color Eros! I haven't even finished, gosh!"

Pouting he pulled back. "White."

"White?"

"Yes white."

Selene narrowed her eyes. "Seriously?"

"What's wrong with white?"

"White is not a color. White is the union of all color."

"Oh come on, not you too!"

"What? It's the truth!"

"Did Anteros put you up to this?"

"The guy who wanted to make me ugly? I think not!"

Selene and Eros argued a bit more until eventually Eros decided fucking her was the best way to end their argument. Later a sullen Selene would polish off her pizza.

So this went on for the next week or so, Eros crashing her apartment and Selene not necessarily kicking him out. It had begun to feel normal, satisfying, even less daunting, when Eros brought up a topic one night. They were lying in bed, Selene breathing heavily and strewn carelessly on Eros' chest. He stroked her back lazily, his head bracing on her still broken headboard.

"Mm...what time is it?"

"Look to the left...are you ever going to get a watch?"

He answered by pulling her in closer.

"Guess not huh?"

"Selene?" he whispered.

She stirred. "Hm?"

"What are you doing Friday night?"

Selene pulled her chin up and looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Just answer the question."

"Nothing of great importance."

"And the weekend?"

She glared at him in response. "Spit it out Eros."

She made the mistake of looking down at his stomach and spying his lick worthy abs. When she shuddered he chuckled.

"Don't worry. We're not done."

"Bitch I have work tomorrow!"

"You won't be sore. I promise."

"Can you promise me a full 8 hours?"

"Selene I want you to meet my family."

"What?"

She sat up abruptly, pulling the covers around her and sliding to her side.

"You want me to meet the Olympian gods?"

He smirked and tugged at her sheets. "Are you scared?"

She held on fast with a frown. "You know, we've only been doing this...whatever it is, for like 2 weeks. Aren't we moving too fast?"

He gripped her sheets tightly and crawled over to her, trapping her in the bundle of clothing.

"Well one, you should know what we're doing," he said, leaning over her. "And two...no, no we aren't."

"Okay so we've been...going out for two weeks or so..."

"Going out?" Eros laughed loudly. "We're both madly in love and you say we're going out? What is it with you humans?"

"All I'm saying," she said firmly, "Is that we don't have to rush it. We have time."

Her words seemed to strike a chord within him and the teasing look on his face dropped. Instead he looked somber, strict, and sad.

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Why not? It's not like—"

"No," he said stiffly. "We don't have time. I have time."

He released her and she watched as a silent rage seemed to seize him. "You have 80 years more in this life, and that's a maybe. Your body will age and break before me in what will seem a blink of the eye in a whole eternity. You will leave me with nothing but my memories and heartache, and you tell me we have time?"

Selene realized that she had inadvertently stepped on a landmine. She swallowed, unsure of how to quell the booming explosions.

"I- I didn't mean to upset you Eros," Selene said apologetically.

"Of course. You never mean to do anything," he replied scathingly.

She put a hand on his shoulder but he would not be consoled. Instead he stood up and started to put on his clothes. Apparently she had ruined the mood. She felt strangely abandoned when he turned his back on her and instead of watching him leave she pulled the covers up over her head.

Looking back at her Eros frowned. Maybe he had been too brash, but he was still so angry. How could she not see everything he was giving up to be with her? Everything he would lose when he couldn't anymore? He refused to budge.

"Are you going to come on Friday or not?"

He watched the covers shift as she brought them tighter around herself.

"Fine. Whatever."

He stood in the tension filled silence for a few minutes before he left without a sound.

The next time they saw each other they pretended nothing happened, which suited them both. Instead Selene began to plague him with trivial questions about his folks.

"So who's older, you or Anteros?"

"I'm older. He just likes to act like he is."

"I think that's a younger sibling thing. My sister is always trying to give me advice. The problem is I keep taking it."

"Me as well."

It was Thursday night and she was very worried. So worried she was asking things of little importance just so she wouldn't have to hear the answers of the big questions.

"So..."

"Are you going to ask me his hair color next?" Eros said raising an eyebrow. "Selene I get you. I know what you're doing."

She fidgeted under his intuitive gaze. "Well, um..."

"Just go ahead. What do you really want to know?"

"Um...Um..."

"Selene!"

"What if your mother doesn't like me? Will she try to put me asleep with a box that's supposed to have like napkins in it? Is Ares a psychopath? Can they read my mind? Does Anteros still want to get me? Can you stop him? How powerful are you compared to everyone else? Can you even defend me? What will I wear?"

"Shh...shhh," he cooed, grabbing her hand. "I bought something for you. I have an outfit ready."

"Oh thank goodness."

Reaching over he began to massage her shoulders as he spoke in a calm even voice.

"Don't worry Selene. You're safe with me. Besides, my family already knows you. They were watching us way before we were together."

She gulped. "Really?"

"Yes, they're probably watching us now."

Selene's eyes widened. "Can you tell them to stop?"

"Oh please, it's nothing they haven't seen before."

"You mean they saw when we..."

Standing up in horror Selene walked off and locked herself into her room.

Eros followed, rolling his eyes. "Selene?"

"Don't come in here!"

"Fine, I won't. Be ready before sunset tomorrow ok? We're going to take Apollo's Chariot."

"Apollo is still around?"

"No, but his chariot is. Don't stress alright? Just be you. You're perfect."

Selene went felt her heart flutter and a blush stained her cheeks. She opened the door quickly.

"Eros?"

He was gone.

"Oh well," she said heading to her fridge. She needed something chocolate based. "What's the worst that could happen?

"I look...ridiculous."

"What? You look great."

"I am wearing a sheet."

Selene gave Eros a deadly glare as he fastened the loose clasp over her shoulder in place. It felt like she was wearing a distended diaper. Worst of all she wasn't allowed to wear undergarments, and a bra strap would mess up the one bare shoulder she had exposed. She was naked under a sheet.

"Togas look nice on some people," she reasoned as he forced her hair into a complicate bun. "I am not one of them. I look like I'm lost on my way to a Halloween party."

"You are seeing what you want to see," Eros said testily. "And you are lucky that you are the only one that sees it."

"I want my underwear! I feel nasty..." she whined.

She had to under dress just because he had been sired by a super freak? Not fair.

Eros finished her hair and secured it with something. Then he picked her up off the floor. He held her up by her hips and she admired her sandals. At least her footwear was rocking.

"You look gorgeous," he said smiling.

Refusing to let her say another word he whistled. A golden chariot with no animals in the front pulled beside the window of her apartment. She watched the people below waiting for the panic.

"Can they see this?" she asked curiously.

"Oh course not," he chuckled. "Come here."

Eros was about to lift her out when she held up a hand. "Wait one moment."

He watched annoyed as she ran back into her room.

"Selene I already told you, you can't bring anything," he yelled out to her.

"Give me one second!"

He sighed, crossing his arms. Women, they were never ready. When she reemerged she had a small box wrapped in white wrapping paper. He eyed it curiously.

"If that a peace offering for my mother?"

"Uh no, it's for you," she said handing it to him. He took it with surprise and began to unravel it.

"...wait, do I need a peace offering?"

"Nah, you're fine. Probably."

"Eros..."

"Shush, you're distracting me."

Pulling off the remainder of the paper his eyes widened as he looked at the gift. It was a white stainless steel digital watch.

"You never know what time it is," she said, twisting from side to side. "And you did say your favorite color was white...even though it's not a color."

Eros looked up his heart bursting with pride. So she was thinking of him.

"Well? Do you like it?" she demanded, his silence making her nervous. "I know it's not the best watch but I am not rolling in money. And I have to save up for a new bed thanks to som..."

His lips cut her off. Compared to their previous kisses it was chaste, but the sincerity of his passion made her heart skip a beat. He pulled back grinning.

"It's perfect."

Lifting her up bridal style he eased her out of the window and securely inside. She was hesitant to release him, but did so. Then she sat very still, telling herself not to look down. He slipped through, the watch on his wrist, and sat down as well wrapping one of his wings around her.

"Sit closer or you'll get cold."

"Or I can just pop in and get a jacket," she said leaning back to her window.

"No jackets on Olympus," he said sighing. "Gosh, must I explain everything to you?"

"Okay okay got it. No jackets, no duffle bags, no makeup, and no snacks. Anything else?"

"Hold on."

The invisible horses reared up and Eros laughed as he guided the chariot into the sky.

"AH!" Selene shouted wrapping her arms around his waist. "This is crazy! This is crazy! I'm gonna die! I don't want to die!"

"Relax," he said laughing heartily. "You think I'd let you fall?"

"I think gravity would let me fall," she whimpered. "Oh...I never thought I'd go out this way."

The chariot rose and rose until it evened out much like a plane would. She pried her hands off his ribcage and looked down. They were riding on what appeared to be a path of light.

"Sit tight," he said warmly. "It's going to take a while to get there."

"Couldn't we have flown?" she asked curiously.

"I wouldn't have wanted to risk dropping you," he said. "To be honest I dropped Psyche a couple of times. I always caught her, it's just...sometimes my arms would just cramp up—"

"No. It's fine. Enough said."

"We can go for a fly when we get back..."

"No no, chariot's great. I am so grateful."

"Hey Selene?"