Impress Me Not: The Architect

Chapter 23

He dismissed everyone from the office after that, even his own brother. Anteros wasn't always this angry, especially not when it came to the Cupids. They typically left each other to deal with the employees in their specific departments. Will was just a special case. One that had been difficult to figure out the outcome for.

His department was designed to spread love everywhere. And he was dedicated to doing so. So much so that he hand-picked every cupid that he hired. He remembered bringing Will into the department. He had talked to Will plenty of times. It used to be about promotions and good things. But recently, it had been the opposite. After all the problems that he's had with this worker, he couldn't help but smile when he saw those chocolate brown eyes sparling so excitedly at him. Will reminded him of a child in a way: always full of life and happiness.

And a confidence, even when the chances for it working out being slim.

"That's a big gamble you're putting on your head," Eros told the cupid. He wanted to talk to him alone for just a little bit, before his brother tried to embarrass him some more. And, knowing Will, he was probably going to disappear into the city where his case was located to steer clear of the gossip that was for sure going to happen. Unfortunately, Eros couldn't do anything about that.

"I don't really think so," the brunette smiled at him. He reminded him of when he first hired the man. He was so bright-eyed and eager back then. It had been a long time since he had seen that kind of confidence in him. Recently, it seemed like he was finally getting it back.

If only he didn't use that confidence to do something crazy like this. All it caused was a migraine for him.

"And why not?" he asked.

"Do you remember when you told me that sometimes it's best to let nature do the work?" he asked. "When you talked about the butterfly needing to struggle to get out of it's cocoon in order to straighten it's wings out rather than having someone do it for them?"

"That was for something very different, Will."

"Different, yet the same," the cupid argued. "These two have a natural connection to each other. They did when they first met. It was the first time Valentino got so interested in a stranger, and actually talked to them. And he was the only one that made Casimir keep smiling even after he left that day. If they had that strong of a connection, how can you tell me that fate doesn't have something better in store for them?"

Eros looked at him from his papers. He still had so much to do that day, and he wasn't too fond of his lessons being changed and used against him. But he still couldn't help enjoy the child-like excitement on his worker's face.

"You've always been a man of passion, Will," Eros shook his head and started writing reports again. "You're dismissed. I wish you the best of luck on your mission."

"You won't be disappointed," Will said.

"I hope not," he sighed.

The doors shut as Will walked out with a smile on his face and tense shoulders. He had at least done something right, even if it risked him retiring to the afterlife. He was sure that was going to spread everywhere really quickly. Both cupids and anticupids alike love to gossip.

He had a lot of weight on his shoulders from what had just happened, but he rather enjoyed it. When he was mortal, he worked best when under pressure. Deadlines and difficult projects were what pumped adrenaline in him and had him excited to get to work.

"Will!" Benny ran up to him as soon as he got back to the breakroom. It was their favorite one, and the same one that they had been stuck in on their last case. "Why did you do that?!"