Stupid Cupid

"I am the god of lust and physical love," he said darkly. "My mother is the goddess of love, and to be honest pleasure as well. They're all tied together."

"Then why are you the one shooting arrows?" she asked as firmly as she could.

He smirked. "Mother has awful aim."

He had her where he wanted her.

Off balance, confused, perfect for a seducing to soften her so that love could one day enter her. He was more than willing to offer her such softness.

"Selene."

He released one of her hands and caressed the side of her face. "Selene."

The sound of his voice set her on fire.

No Selene, this is a trap. No! Using all of her reserve she pried his hands off of her and made some distance. He was shocked, offended, and to be honest a little hurt. He hadn't approached a woman for some time and now he was being outwardly refused?

She ignored the heated look in his eyes. What was he playing at? She was afraid to ask. Instead, she decided to pretend it never happened.

"Aphrodite?"

"...what?"

"The goddess of love."

His face went somber then it went blank with formality.

"Yes, Aphrodite. Now listen up Selene."

"Selly."

"Selly, just let me do this. Let me, right now, shoot you with a test arrow. Just to see if you're ready alright? If it turns pink I'll be able to let you know when your match is coming."

Her face betrayed that she was seconds from taking off. No, they had made progress this year. It had taken all of last year to make her speak to him again, and all she had said was hello and a very awful curse.

"I know I messed up, but I can make things right," he said adamantly. "Besides, you and Peter had good times didn't you?"

That made her pause. "I...I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" he spat. Surely she wasn't that stubborn.

"I'm not being a smart ass," she said. "I don't remember. Not after that night you molested me in my bed. I don't remember anything but the bad memories."

"Fuck."

He turned inwards, the revelation burning like a lighthouse. "That explains it." How could she willingly take an arrow when she had nothing but bad memories of her love? And those had been bad memories.

Eros looked at her once again feeling betrayed by her actions. They weren't friends but, they were something weren't they? Even enemies had better rapport in the old days.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her.

She raised an eyebrow. "Since when have we ever been on speaking terms?"

He didn't feel like fighting so he forced himself to let it go. "Right. Well, can you agree to this?"

"If I don't are you just going to shoot me?"

"Most of me says yes, but a small part of me wants to try for a no."

"At least you're honest."

"You don't want to do that though," he warned.

"Why?"

"You won't have just me on your tail. You'll also have Anteros."

Selene didn't like the sound of that. "Who the hell is that?"

"Think of him as the avenger of spurned lovers. Unrequited love and such."

Selene didn't understand. "Is he going to...get revenge for me or something?"

"He already has."

"Then how does he pertain to me?"

"He'll be exacting revenge on you."

"What?" she said shocked. "Why?"

"You've been breaking too many hearts. "

"But I haven't even...!"

"I know I know. I don't make the rules I just follow them. If Anteros gets to you, you're either going to become obese or get something cut off."

"...Oh sweet Jesus."

Eros nodded. "So you might want to cooperate."

She stood, holding the railing as she shifted from foot to foot.

"Will it...hurt?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if it'll hurt! Fuck Stupid Cupid! Answer me!"

"No."

She inched closer to him though everything told her not to. She wanted, so much to trust him. It would make her life so much easier. It was just a test arrow right? She went until he told her to stop which was about two yards away from him.

She put out a hand.

"Can't you just prick me?"

He shook his head. "No, I have to shoot it." Actually he didn't, but it would be very stress relieving to shoot her.

"What if it throws me back over the bridge?"

He smirked. "It won't you chicken."

He put his quiver down and selected the correct arrow, and then notched the bow. Before she could worry too much he shot her.

Her mouth opened to yelp but the arrow had already hit her. Just the tip rested in her chest. He watched as it turned black then fell to the ground again, sliding back into gold.

He sighed disheartened.

"No, you're not ready. I thought..." Well he had thought she would be. He saw she was nervous so he put on a good face.

"Oh well, at least you tried. Anteros can respect that. For now I suggest going out with the first man you find sexually attractive and are the least repulsed by. Just to get some of the heat off you. In fact I'll throw someone your way. Think of him as practice."

"That sounds like a band aid instead of a cure," she said belligerently.

"It's the best I can do right now," he declared. "I'm hoping the guy will soften you up, give an arrow a fighting chance."

"Fine, now get out of here."

"Alright. Just hand me my quiver."

She bent down and granted him a nice view of the tops of her cleavage. Nice, he mused inwardly.

Picking it up with a sigh she stuck it out to him.

"Here, take your stinking— ow!"

Selene dropped the quiver into his hands and held her finger.

"It pricked me!"

His eyes widening he examined his quiver. Somehow, through some evil force, one of his arrows had been placed with the head up. But how? He had personally placed each arrow perfectly himself. Maybe his mother had accidentally put it in wrong. It hadn't disappeared, but as she looked up he frowned, filled with dread.

"Oh no."

She gasped and he prepared himself for the worst.

Selene Elizabeth Evans gave him the nastiest glare she could muster.

"Wow Stupid Cupid! You really did great there. You actually put your arrow in backwards! That hurt you simple bitch!"

Eros watched her in shock.

"You don't feel...strange?"

"No! Just irritated, but you seem to make me feel that way pretty often."

He looked down at the arrow. Well it hadn't disappeared. He turned it down as it should have been.

"Hm," he mused. "I guess you really aren't ready. But...that doesn't make any sense."

Even if she wasn't ready the golden arrow could always make someone love another.

She rolled her eyes and sneered. "Yeah whatever, I'm going back home now. If you don't mind."

He shook his head. "No, go ahead."

"Right. Goodbye," she walked by him, storming off like a force of nature. He watched her back with fondness. Goodness that woman was a pain.

"Thank you Selene."

She paused and looked back at him. A breeze whipped strands of her hair around and mystified, he watched her soften.

"It's...alright."

He stepped forward. It wasn't alright, not yet. "Thank you. For letting me help you, and I am truly sorry."

She sighed. "Let's make this the last sorry you ever have to say okay? I'm practically over it anyway."

He nodded, a small smile on his face as she strutted away. That was the closest he was ever going to get to a "thank you," or a "you're welcome."

Coming from her, it felt like a hug.

He heard a woosh and looked down to see his daughter Hedone. She had dyed her brown hair black and then dyed the black hair rainbow. She liked the washed out punk look. Frozen at 19 she was at the epicenter of every teenage fad, revolt, and protest.

"What are you doing dad?" she asked smiling.

He smiled back. She was nothing like her mother, but she still reminded him of her.

"Working."

"Oh cools. I was just you know, doing my thing."

He chuckled. To think she was at least 1000. "Sure honey."

"So, anything interesting happen?"

"We'll talk about it at home."

__________________________________________________

Chapter 2: Broken Beds

"Yes...yes! YE—ooh! Eros! Um, what are you...?"

"Mother, Ares. I need to speak with you. It's important."

He walked off, leaving his parents that were in mid-copulation to decide what to do.

"Family meeting time huh?" Ares said angrily, not that he was ever quite happy.

"Oh Ares don't put up a fuss," Aphrodite said pulling Ares' member from her. "You know he hardly asks us for anything."

Ares grunted and slipped on his clothing, smirking as he watched his wife admire him.

"You better hurry Aphrodite. I lack patience you know."

She chuckled, slipping on her clothing. "You know, you should be more caring towards your son."

"My son now?"

Aphrodite rolled her eyes at the age old argument. "Well he does have your eyes, and you were my lover."

"Among others," he said, saying it as a fact rather than a fault. "It almost makes me feel bad for Hephaestus...almost."

Aphrodite shrugged. "Don't feel too bad. I had Eros set him up with a scientist several years back. From what I've heard he's made her into some kind of robot to preserve her for all his immortality."

"Eh, whatever turns him on."

They headed into the main hall that had once been the epicenter of all the gods. Now it was just an empty room with way too many chairs. Eros stood pacing by the sundial, his brother Anteros and his daughter Hedone already sitting there. Anteros had been called from work, his quiver of lead arrows lying beside him. He waited for Ares, his imposing stepfather and biological father to sit beside his mother before he began.

"I must ask a question to you and I pray all your answers shall be the same," he said firmly. "Can anyone resist the power of the gold arrow of love?"

"No one," Aphrodite said warmly. "You know that."

"I agree," Anteros said and Hedone nodded.

Ares narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Eros frowned, staring at his own quiver with disdain.

"The human Selene, the one I have been trying to catch. She was accidentally pricked by a golden love arrow and she gazed upon me and did not fall in love. She resisted its power."

Aphrodite's face drained of color and the air around Ares seemed to darken. Anteros was left with his mouth open.

"What manner of woman is this?"

"I shot her with a test arrow first," Ero confided. "It turned black."

"Even so, that's impossible." Aphrodite said standing up. "Even if she wasn't ready the love arrow can't be stopped. You know that as much as I do."

"I know, that's what's strange about it all," Eros said gravely.

Hedone looked between them worriedly. "Father, do you suppose...she's some kind of titan?"

"Titans, gods, men and women, even animals all bow to the power of these arrows."

"Perhaps she is an escaped spirit," Anteros said frowning. "That can be the only reason."

They didn't want to think of the other reason, that their power was fading and they would soon disappear like their other brethren. It was frightening to think of.

"Well, there is one reason."

They looked at Ares who had crossed his leg in thought. They waited for him to speak but he only rubbed his chin silently.

Eros sighed. He had to be asked? "Well what?"

Are's smirked and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. He took his time lighting it and dragging a puff before saying, "She's already in love with you." Then he popped it back in his mouth.

Eros shook his head, his curls flying around in indignation. "That's impossible. I would know wouldn't I? She hates me!"

"Hate and love are a fine line," Hedone quipped.

"No, you're wrong," he said angrily. "She doesn't react to me at all. I hinted sexual intent to her twice and she refused me both times. One time I was kissing her. The other I was just speaking. She always reacts with violence."

"Hm, I like this girl," Ares chuckled.

"Violence is a reaction dull brother," Anteros said both relieved by the revelation but angry that his brother had made them worry. He leaned back against his throne as their mother sat back down, Ares rubbing her back.

"Time here has made you stupid," Anteros teased. "Stupid Cupid, that is her name for you isn't it? It is accurate. Think about it brother. In all her life's endeavors, just how much time has she vested in you? Considering all the tricks she has up her sleeve, it's pretty much obsession."

"Obsession and violent passion?"

His mother had been struck from her stupor and seemed to be chewing on the words.

Hedone sat up, tugging at a stringy pink lock. "Dad that's a recipe for love. A crazy love, but love right? My time with the hedonists has taught me loads about crazy love."

He stood there taking in what they had been saying. Slowly the information started to click and form a big picture he had been too detail oriented to see. They were right.

"I have to fix this," he said stoically.

"Why?" He looked up at his mother who challenged him with her gaze.

"Because she can't be in love with someone if she's in love with me," he stated.

"Why can't she be in love with you?" Aphrodite said dramatically. "It's not like there are women beating down your door. You live on a mountain. Son you haven't had a partner since Psyche. You don't even play with the nymphs anymore."

"Most of them are gone."

"But you know where the ones that aren't are." She leaned forward, taking charge of the meeting and changing the issue to something he didn't want discussed.

"My son, you must move on."

He stood there stiffly as his daughter and brother agreed. They could never understand. He hadn't given them love yet.

"I've got it."

"I'm glad you have," his mother said with a smile.

"She's in love with love."

"What?"

"She's in love with the concept of being in love. Since I am love personified it would make sense that her love for love and her love for the embodiment of love be on the same standard. I see it all the time, happens a lot with teenage girls."

His family stared at him in disbelief.

"Wow," Anteros said. "That name she made for you was too accurate."

"Shut up. I know what I'm doing."

"For your sake I hope you do." Aphrodite said firmly.

"Yeah, I'd hate to have to shoot my own brother," Anteros mumbled.

Eros rolled his eyes and walked off. "Great. Meeting's over. Goodbye."

"Finally," Ares huffed. He lifted up his wife and they went back to their bedroom.

"Don't they ever stop?" Hedone whispered to her uncle.

Anteros shook his head. "Not anymore. The humans can get in as much trouble as they want without their help. They've become spectators."

"And dad?"

"He's on the frontlines.

It was a few days after Valentine's Day. Selene had bought 4 boxes of chocolate for 3 dollars, courtesy of the 75 percent Valentine's Day sales that jumped out at her at every corner.

Sighing, she adjusted the plastic bag in her arm and her purse on her shoulder. She didn't know why she had bought it so big. Really it was more of a duffle bag. What was she doing hauling around a duffle bag when she was safe from her nemesis for another year? Maybe it was because old habits were hard to break, thus why she had the chocolate. She felt lonely. Her body ached, longing to be caressed, but she had cut herself off of masturbating after hearing that Cupid was peeking, sick bastard. Frowning she wondered if she could take his advice. Start a relationship she knew would be doomed from the beginning just so she could find someone she'd love eventually.

Or string along that relationship until the man wandered into the arms of his true love.

Both options sounded just awful.

She was about to duck into another store to get more chocolate when her necklace began to glow.

What the...

She turned and her eyes widened when her bag accidentally blocked an arrow. That crusty hoe! He was perched in a tree.

"Really?" she shouted. "So what, you were lying?"

She ignored the people who looked at her like she was crazy and pretended she was on a Bluetooth as she ran.

"I'm hanging up now! No, I hate you! Don't talk to me anymore!"

She took her fictional headset and crushed it into her pocket. If that punk wanted to play dirty she could play dirty.

Eros cursed and tried to notch another arrow quickly, but she was already moving.

He flew, aiming to catch up her as she headed to the same park they had had their discussion in. He hated changing their deal, but if he could make her fall in love with another person he could transfer that love to a more suitable companion. Much like he did with her friend outside of that restaurant. The new guy wouldn't be her true love, but he didn't feel comfortable having her love him. Things got too nasty when you were in love with a god, he knew that for a fact.

Selene disappeared towards a wooded path and he sighed. On foot it'd be. He landed with a skipping run and chased after where she had last been, his arrow drawn. She couldn't be far.

Selene wasn't far. She was ducked in a bush waiting for Stupid Cupid to land so she could get her revenge. She had her crossbow with her and she was lucky she hadn't left it home. She hoped the NYPD were happy that mace was technically illegal. She planned on using this as normal protection when she went clubbing. Sneakily, she peered through the brush, her crossbow level in her hands. She heard him running before she saw him.

Steady...steady...with his own arrow in her bow she shot him and smiled when he shrieked in pain.

"AH! OW, Sweet..!"

She jumped up out of the brush triumphantly as he fell to the ground.

"BOW! Right in the calf princess!"

Squinting as he rolled in pain he saw it was a golden arrow. No wonder it hurt so much. Panicked he screwed his eyes shut. Oh no, this was bad, this was so very bad.

Selene, who was impervious to his distress, waltzed up to him, kicking the bow out of his hands with a pointed foot.

"Ha! How's it feel SC? Doesn't feel so nice on the receiving end does it?"

He simply groaned, the arrow refusing to dematerialize with no object of affection. It stuck out, stinging like hell at an awkward angle.

"Hey...did you hear me?"

Selene watched him writhe for a second longer before realizing he could be seriously hurt. Oh gosh, she hadn't wanted to cripple him. She bent next to him and began to panic.

"Oh no, are you alright? Why isn't it disappearing? Cupid? Hey...Cupid!"

Eros groaned as he found himself drawn to the timbre of her voice. It sounded like harps and the fluttering of dove wings. The melody of sunshine, unfit for such lowly ears as his.

Such joy! Such rapture!...wait! Argh! No, fight it Eros. Fight it! What are you a god or a man?

"Hey, say something! Should I try to pull it out? What should I do?"

She touched it and he hissed. Selene jerked her hand away in worry.

"Cupid? Cupid? I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry."

He couldn't speak. He wasn't sure what would come out. Instead he groaned loudly, hoping she would get the hint to leave.

"Um...um...Eros! It's Eros right? Look at me! Hey!"

Desperate Selene did what she did best, she reacted with violence. Giving him a quick stinging slap she watched as his watery eyes snapped open.

"Oh no...don't tell me you're gonna cry."

His eyes widened as he took her in and the arrow in his calf disappeared. She looked down and noticed it had gone with relief.

"Oh good it's gone."

She paused. She was missing something. "Wait, doesn't that mean—ah!"

Her eyes stretched to the width of saucers as she stared at Cupid, who had roughly pulled her underneath him and was now lying on top of her. His normally teasing eyes were dark.

"You did this to yourself," he said forcefully.

Then he crashed his lips into hers.

Selene shook from the intensity of his kiss and protested fervently against him. Ripping her lips away as he sought to claim them she pushed at him with all her strength.