The Second Time Cupid Fell - C.A Cupid × Alistair Wonderland

𝟑𝟎

Cupid felt her heart started to pump fast again, beating out of her chest. Cupid looked at the words, unmoving.

The fog slowly disappeared, leaving a stunned Cupid.

Her hands shook, eyes wide as the fear fully sunk into her.

Cupid's face crumpled. She broke down into a sob, putting a hand over her mouth. She screamed into her palm, tears falling down her cheeks in a second. She sobbed, feeling absolutely terrified. And she was so sick of it. So sick of feeling scared. So sick of this feeling.

Cupid sucked in a sharp breath, hitting her chest, trying to get herself to calm down.

She put her hands over her eyes, letting the darkness consume her vision for a short while. She wiped the tears away, letting out short, uncontrolled breaths. Cupid sniffled, wiping her cheeks. She stood up and walked to the mirror, patting down her hair and clothes. Taking a deep breath, she then walked out of her room, like nothing ever happened.

Cupid walked to her father's office.

He never sleeps.

Well, at least, Cupid had never seen him sleep.

He was a busy man, he said once. But no matter how busy he is, he never fails to free some time, to make his daughter's life hell.

Cupid didn't realize that she was already standing in front of his office.

The oak door was tall and wide, painted a deep, dark brown. On the door was carved a heart. Cupid dragged her eyes up the door. She dug her nails into her palms, trying to not tremble. Trying not to let her fear show and seep through the cracks of the door. She took a deep breath, and let it out. Cupid lifted her hand, about to knock on the door. But she paused, letting her arm fall. She took a reluctant step back. Cupid felt erratic, so disturbed.

"Come in."

Cupid tensed at the sound.

She stood there, unsure of what to do. But there was nothing left to do other than open the door. So she did, carefully and slowly, prolonging the time. The door was thrown open by a force, the oak hitting the wall with a hard sound. Cupid flinched involuntarily.

She took a step inside, and the door behind her closed on its own.

Cupid's eyes landed on her father's chair. He was facing the tall glass, looking out at the rain. His table was long, and on it, were neat papers stacked on top of each other. And relics, some familiar, some not. Cupid looked around. It's been a while since she'd been in here. There were new additions on the wall. Some new paintings and portraits. The biggest one that caught her eyes was a portrait of Eros himself, an oil painting that probably took a long time to make.

Her eyes moved to a slightly smaller picture, it was also a painting. And in it was Eros again, but with a woman beside her. If Cupid had to describe her in one word, it would be beautiful. She was breath-taking, truly. The lady had long black hair, cascading down her back in beautiful waves, her cheeks had a tint of pink, lips red. Her smile was graceful. She looked prettier than Aphrodite herself, but Cupid could never say that out loud, not if she wanted to stay uncursed and alive.

If you looked at her, you would think that she was a goddess. And she is. But she wasn't always one. She used to be a mortal like anybody else. Of course, that was until she married Eros, and was gifted immortality.

Psyche.

"That painting was painted so long ago, I don't even remember when your mother looked that happy by my side," he chuckled.

Cupid's head snapped to her father, and her guard was back up.

Eros' chair was now turned to the front, facing her. He stared at the painting, his chin on his knuckles. He sighed contently, "I did marry one beautiful woman, didn't I?" Cupid gulped. She didn't answer, simply looked at the side of his face. Eros turned his eyes to her, and Cupid quickly looked down at her feet, hands clasped together.

Eros rolled his eyes. "So fearful aren't we?" he leaned back on his chair, his hands folded on his lap. Cupid bit her cheek. Eros laughed. "I can feel your fear, darling. It's flooding the floor, what a mess you are." His voice was amused. Eros stood up suddenly, making Cupid take a step back, even though he was standing far from her.

"You are scared, aren't you, Chariclo?"

Cupid exhaled. She nodded and braved herself to lift her head up.

"Yes father," she answered, her voice barely heard. Eros tilted his head, stepping away from his chair, "And why is that, my love?"

Cupid blinked a few times, her lips trembling once more. She opened her mouth, but clamped it shut again. She stayed quiet for a second, trying to control herself. Cupid licked her dry lips. "Because I don't know what you're going to do to me, father," she whispered.

Eros' lips tilted up. He took slow steps towards her. "What is that?" he gave her a smile, "Speak up darling, I can't hear you." He looked so menacing, walking towards her with a smile and a certain glint in his eyes that she knows all too well. Cupid felt herself shrink even more as he got closer. She gripped the hem of her nightgown tightly, her knuckles turning white.

"Because I don't know what you'll do to me father," she repeated, louder this time.

Eros smirked, he crossed his arms to his chest. He walked closer and closer. Too close. Cupid kept taking steps backwards as he stepped forwards. Eros stopped. Cupid stopped too. 

"And what do you think I'd do?" he asked.

Cupid felt her fingers shake. Eros noticed, his smirk widened. Cupid closed her eyes for a short second, and opened them again. "I think you'd punish me," she answered.

"Why would I punish you my dear?"

"Because-" she inhaled, "Because the whole school saw that recording, of you and me on Parent's Day." Her voice wavered as she spoke. Eros' smile slowly dropped. His gaze was sharp. He let out a dark laugh. "Did I make it too obvious?"

He looked to the side, at the portrait of himself. Eros clucked his tongue. "What were their names," he chuckled, "Duchess Swan and Sparrow Hood, wasn't it?" Eros frowned mockingly. "How sad. Even the big bad wolf was able to find love, but now, they will never be able to."

Cupid snapped her head up.

"What-" she gulped, "What did you do to them?"

Eros looked back at his daughter, the look on his face feigning innocence.

"I cursed them, of course."

Cupid's eyes widened in horror.

Eros scoffed. "You can't expect to humiliate the god of love himself, and expect to continue on unscathed." He said it like it was the most obvious thing. And maybe it was.

Cupid's lips parted. Eros's eyes darkened. "All the love that they have ever felt and ever will in their lives had disappeared, just like that," he snapped his fingers, "Vanished into thin air. They will love, they will search for love, as if their lives depended on it." He shrugged, "But they will never get it. They will love a thousand people, but not even one will love them back. How miserable, don't you agree?"

Cupid let out a disbelieved gasp.

"How-how could you?"

She hated them both. But they weren't killers, they weren't psychopaths. They didn't deserve that, a life without love.

Eros ignored her question.

He directed his attention back at her.

"Don't ask me that. You, out of all people know what I'm most capable of," his expression was hard to decipher. But one thing was clear, he was furious. Eros shook his head slowly, his jaw tense. "I'm so disappointed in you," he whispered, "You were supposed to control your brainless friends, but instead, you let this happen."

Cupid's eyes narrowed slightly. "But they're not my friends," she whispered back, "Duchess and Sparrow had always loved messing with people's lives, I can't control them and what they do. It wasn't my fault." She looked into her father's eyes, trying to convince him. Eros shook his head again. 

"That's the part where you're wrong," he replied, 

"It was your fault."