Cupid is walking aimlessly down the street in the middle of a gorgeous, sunny afternoon. All around him he sees beauty–the birds chirping with their mates, the wind flirting with the leaves of the trees, the people with their loved ones. It’s truly wonderful to take in what you’ve created, isn’t it? Cupid seems to think so.
Just last week, he helped a feuding couple settle their differences just by aiming his bow and shooting an arrow right through each of their hearts, and the rest is history.
‘Love’, Cupid thinks, ‘is a marvelous thing’. And he continues walking toward the park.
“Take a look at my girlfriend, ‘cause she’s the only one I got…” Cupid takes out his cell phone to answer it as he hears his ringtone sound.
“Hello,” he answers.
“Where are you?” The voice on the other line shouts and he visibly cringes. He knew he should have checked the caller ID.
“I’m, uh, at the park?” He forms his answer into a question.
“Listen, Cupe,” starts his boss, Mr. Wentz. “I don’t pay you to ‘take walks in the park’, now do I?” Cupid shakes his head and makes to answer, but Mr. Wentz cuts him off. “That’s right, I don’t. You know you have a duty to take care of, and all you are doing is ‘taking a stroll in the sun’. Is that what you think you’re job consists of?”
“Well, I…” he starts, but his boss interrupts him once again.
“Well it’s not. For your information, Cupid, you are supposed to take your damn arrow, aim at some poor dope’s head, and make them fall in love with the right person. Have you been doing your job?”
“See, I…”
“No, you haven’t,” yells Mr. Wentz. “Because last I heard, you shot a five year old kid and made him fall in love with his 30 year old babysitter!”
“He was…”
“I can’t believe you would do that, Cupid! How could you embarrass my company like that? You are supposed to be a professional, and what do you do? You make an extremely young kid fall in love with a way too old woman all because, ‘she was giving him broccoli’!”
“They were arguing! I’m sorry,” Cupid mumbles, hanging his head down in shame.
“Oh, you’re sorry, are you? I should fire your ass, Cupe!”
Cupid’s sure that Mr. Wentz is fuming at the mouth as they speak.
“Please, boss, I’ll make it up to you, I swear!” He’s pleading, and if his boss were in front of him, he’d get on his hands and knees to beg.
“You better, because if you don’t, I’ll have your wings hanging up high above my mantle,” and with that, Mr. Wentz hangs up the phone.
“Well,” Cupid mumbles out loud, “at least it could have been worse.” A small frown adorns his child-like face and he hangs his head low as he continues to walk through the park unnoticed.
‘I have to make it up to him. I have to prove myself worthy of carrying this bow and these arrows. I’m fucking Cupid for fuck’s sake! Who can do this job better than me? No one, no one can. I’m going to prove to Mr. Wentz that I am professional, that I do know what I’m doing, that I…’ his train of thought stops as he hears two people arguing.
“What do you mean ‘you didn’t know’?” A woman yells to a man standing nearby. Cupid instantly knows that this man his her husband.
“I already told you, woman, I didn’t know!” The man answers and they both are staring harshly at each other.
“I can’t believe I married you! You’re so stupid; you’re a worthless piece of shit, that’s what you are!”
Cupid hides behind a tree to better view this exchange, even though no one can see him.
“Yeah,” the husband starts, “well you’re nothing but a lousy whore! That’s right, you thought I didn’t know, but I do! You are having an affair on me with that fucking bald guy!”
Cupid hates this, he really does. So, he grabs one of his arrows and sets it up inside of his bow, aims, and then pauses for the right moment.
“What the hell are you talking about? I…”–Cupid shoots his arrow at the woman–“... I love you with all of my heart,” she says dreamily. The husband scoffs and rolls his eyes, prepared to yell some more at her.
“Oh yeah, well I…”–and Cupid sends another arrow stinging into the heart of the man–“... I love you too, honey.”
Cupid smirks as the married couple embraces each other in a hug.
“Mission: Accomplished!” Cupid yells, and then starts to break dance in the middle of the park. He’s lucky no one can see him or else he’d be one embarrassed man in a diaper.
“Take a look at my girlfriend, ‘cause…” Cupid brushes off his legs and answers his phone.
“Yes,” he says into the receiver.
“Good work, Cupe, I guess you won’t be fired after all.”
“Thank you, Mr. Wentz!” Cupid says excitedly to his boss. “I won’t let you down again, I promise!”
“Good, good, I will hold you to that. But I have another job for you,” Mr. Wentz says.
“Anything, boss,” Cupid is beaming now, happy that he is on Mr. Wentz’s good side and is getting another mission to handle.
“I want you to go to Palo Verde High School. There seems to be a couple that just doesn’t understand how right for each other they really are. You need to fix it, fast.”
“I’m heading there now, boss!” And with that, Mr. Wentz hangs up, and Cupid changes his direction.
“Palo Verde High School, here I come!” He sing-songs as he walks out of the park.
*
“Okay class,” the teacher starts, “Today I will be assigning you a lab partner and you will work on page 76 from your text book. Then, following the procedures, you will complete the lab. Any questions?”
“Yeah,” Brendon Urie raises his hand and the teacher calls on him. “Can we pick our own partners?”
“No, I said I’d be assigning the partners,” she smirks as several of the students groan. “Besides, I wouldn’t have you and Mr. Walker slacking off in the back corner.”
Brendon just rolls his eyes as the teacher starts to name off the pairs.
“Ryan, you’re with Brendon,” he hears the teacher say.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Brendon starts. “Mrs. Tuttle, I can’t be partnered with him,” Brendon sends a glance at his new lab partner, who sends him a glare. “We will definitely kill each other.”
“He’s right, Teach, for once in his pathetic life the kid is right,” Ryan says and some of the students laugh.
“Well, I’d rather be pathetic than a loser like you,” Brendon spits.
“Of course, because you’re stupid,” Ryan retorts, causing Brendon to glare and more of the students to laugh.
“Ok, ok,” the teacher intervenes. “That’s enough. The two of you, work on the lab in peace, please,” she says with distress. She turns away to rub her temples, mumbling something along the lines of not being paid enough to do this job, and plops down at her desk.
“Fine,” Brendon mumbles and gets up to walk to one of the lab stations. Ryan slowly gets up behind him and stands across from him at the table.
“You’re lucky you have me as a partner, Urie. I just so happen to be excellent at chemistry,” Ryan says smugly.
“Oh, yeah,” Brendon snorts. “What’s your grade?”
“I told you: excellent, A, duh,” Ryan says matter-of-factly.
“I know that, dipshit,” the shorter boy says and Ryan glares at him. “I meant what percent.”
“A 93%,” Ryan grins, very proud of his grade.
“Ha!” Brendon yells and points a finger at Ryan. “I beat you! I have a 95!”
“Liar,” the taller boy glares at him.
“Don’t be jealous, Ryan. Just admit it: I’m smarter than you in chemistry.” Brendon smirks, but Ryan shakes his head.
“Can we just work on this already? The longer we talk, the more I have to look at you,” Ryan spits.
“You can’t say it, can you?” Brendon smirks at Ryan, but the boy just ignores him. “Ryan Ross is afraid to say that someone else is better than him at something.”
“Just shut up, Brendon,” he mumbles.
“Make me,” Brendon smirks.
“That was a little childish, don’t you think? What are we, five now?”
“No, I’m the king at chemistry, and you’re my little green ass-wipe.”
“More like queen,” Ryan mutters under his breath, but loud enough for Brendon to hear.
“What did you say?” He flares, and even though he heard Ryan, Brendon is always up for making a scene. “Is the pot calling the kettle black?”
“Oh wow,” Ryan laughs. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any lamer, you go ahead and say that. Bravo, Brendon, or shall I say: Brava.” Ryan starts to clap, a wide smile on his face, and some of the other students turn around to pay attention to the two boys. Ryan’s smile fades and he slowly stops clapping.
“Shut the fuck up, Ross,” Brendon says, eyes narrowing in on his foe.
“Make me,” Ryan mocks. Brendon rips off his lab coat and starts to walk up to Ryan, but his friend Jon comes up in between them to hold Brendon back.
“Bren, he’s not fucking worth it,” Jon whispers into his ear. Brendon is instantly reminded of the last argument that he and Ryan had, in which they both got sent to the principle’s office and received a week’s detention. He pushes Jon out of the way, and turns back around to pick up his lab coat.
Ryan’s been smirking the whole time, and once he sees Brendon walk back to his side of the lab station, he feels incredibly victorious.
“It’s not over yet, Ross,” Brendon whispers once the students have returned to their own work. Ryan continues to smirk, knowing exactly what the younger boy is thinking.
*
The students are chanting the minute the two boys face each other.
“Come on, Urie,” Ryan taunts. “Show me what you got.” He puts down his arms and sticks his jaw out so that Brendon has better access for a punch.
“Don’t let yourself give up that easily, Ross. This has only started. I thought you’d last longer than this, but what do I expect from a guy like you,” Brendon smirks as some of the students ‘ooh’ and yell out ‘burn’. Ryan immediately gets angry and starts to tackle Brendon.
Brendon flips them over, successfully landing and sitting on Ryan’s waist. The taller boy shrieks, clutching his side in obvious pain, and Brendon’s eyes grow wide. He hadn’t expected to hurt him that easily. Brendon lets go of his side immediately, and when Ryan notices this, he grabs the boy’s arm and pulls him down.
“Never,” Ryan starts, pinning his arms behind his back, “let your guard down that easily, Urie.”
The coach counts out, ‘One… two… three’ and calls Brendon out on the first match.
Only two more to go…
The second one, Brendon is too angry to let Ryan win again, so he makes it his soul purpose to pin him. Brendon had always been a little stronger than Ryan in wrestling, but Ryan can always outwit you. Brendon pins him after a few minutes, smiling victoriously as he lets go of Ryan’s arms.
The third match says it all, now. Whoever wins the tiebreaker will win the game. Really, it’s only for practice so that the coach can see what you’ve got, but not when it’s Brendon Urie against Ryan Ross. Ryan just barely reaches the weight limit to be in this class, and Brendon is close to passing it. Ryan tries to eat more, and Brendon purposefully eats less so that he can face-off against Ryan like this.
As the third and final match begins, the coach says practice is over. He really only said that so that one won’t rip the other’s head off if the other wins, but he’ll never voice this to anyone.
“What,” Brendon shrieks. “No coach, it’s the last match, come on.” He should know better than to argue with the coach, but this is Ryan Ross he’s wrestling against! It’s the only time he can physically hurt him and not get sent to the principle’s office.
“Urie; hit the showers. We still got practice tomorrow,” the coach starts to walk away, signaling the end of the conversation.
“Fucker,” the boy mutters, pushing past his teammates and heading for the showers.
Ryan Ross hates this part of practice the most. Though the whole school knows he’s gay, he still feels slightly uncomfortable showering with all of the other guys. Maybe they don’t pick on him since he’s apart of the wrestling team, but they still don’t treat him all too well. Not like Brendon. Everyone loves Brendon. He’s so charismatic, so hyper, always smiling, and is extremely comfortable with being gay.
This makes Ryan hate him even more.
And so, as they’re in the locker room, he makes it a habit to not check out the other guy’s bodies as they change. One time he did, and though they are all friends with Ryan, they never let him live it down. And he hates being teased, almost as much as he hates…
“Are you staring at me,” Brendon says. Ryan blinks a few times before he realizes that yes; he is staring at Brendon while he’s changing. Fuck; he hates this kid so much.
“What, no… I,” he stutters, but Brendon starts to laugh and take off his towel, exposing all of himself.
“You’re lucky I’m gay or else I’d kick your ass,” Brendon smiles, and Ryan just turns around, extremely flushed and cursing Brendon’s parents for ever reproducing.
“I wasn’t even looking at your fat ass, so shut the hell up,” Ryan says, finally using coherent words to form an actual sentence.
“What?” Brendon says once he pulls his shirt over his head, now wearing boxers to cover himself.
“You heard me. You’re ass is so fat, I’m surprised you can even fit through doors,” Ryan raises his voice.
“I’d rather have an actual body than be an anorexic bitch like you,” Brendon yells. Ryan throws the shoe he’d been holding against a nearby locker. He also hates being called anorexic.
“I’m not the one starving myself just to keep in the same weight class as their secret crush.”
Brendon scoffs at his remark, and a few of their teammates who haven’t left yet have walked up to the scene–some rolling their eyes while others wished they had popcorn and a reclining chair.
“You wish I had a crush on you. Hell, I bet you dream of me at night, moan my name while you jack yourself off. ‘Oh Brendon, I want you so bad! Fuck me, please Brendon! Oh! Fuck!’…” and Ryan punches Brendon in the face mid-moan.
Brendon’s head snaps to the side with the force of the blow, and he immediately touches his cheek. He fixes himself straight before he throws a punch of his own.
A few minutes later, they find themselves- yet again- receiving detentions.
*
“I swear, Coach Reynolds,” Ryan starts, “We were just messing around.”
“Yeah, he was showing me a few wrestling moves that I haven’t gotten right yet,” Brendon lies. The coach came into the locker room to break up the ‘fight’, yelling out the word ‘detention’, and Ryan and Brendon had denied that they were fighting.
“You know I won’t believe you boys. You two are always going at it, so why should this be any different?” Coach Reynolds says, eyeing them both suspiciously.
“Because, we’re trying that whole ‘don’t kill your teammate’ thing,” Brendon answers for them.
“Well, it’s a process… but we’re working on it,” Ryan says with a shrug of his shoulders. Their coach looks skeptical, but finds himself nodding against his better judgment.
“Alright,” he sighs. “Just don’t let me catch you guys fighting again. This school has a Zero Tolerance policy.”
The boys nod their head furiously and they’re dismissed.
“Next time you touch me like that Ross, I swear,” Brendon starts, but doesn’t finish his sentence. He decides to let Ryan’s thoughts wander. He turns from Ryan, touches his swollen cheek, and starts for home.
“Yeah, fuck you too,” Ryan mutters under his breath as he too turns and walks home.
Too bad both boys live on the same block.
*
“I hate you,” a voice says. Cupid barely has time to register this as he’s being past by two rather distorted boys. The first one has a bruised cheek while the one behind has a swollen lip.
“Well, I hate you too,” the one in front says. Cupid begins to feel the way he always feels when he hears two people arguing: horrible and slightly nauseous.
He turns around to gag, nothing coming out except for some god-awful noise. Once Cupid lifts his head back up, the two boys are nowhere in sight.
‘Where’d they go,’ he thinks to himself. He looks around for a few moments, thinking that he should find them, but decides against it. He came here on a mission, and by Pete, he’s going to see to it that he completes it.
No one wants to get fired; especially not Cupid. He loves his job, really he does. Granted, he does make mistakes. And yes, Mr. Wentz is a pain in the donkey’s rear-end. But this is what he was born to do, what he was made for.
Why go against fate?
Cupid and fate go hand-in-hand, really. He was born for it, and it was born for him. In his mind, there really is no arguing with fate–seeing as how he hates confrontation.
So, like the good little Cupid that he’s supposed to be, he obeys everything that fate and his instincts tell him, and as reward, he gets to keep his job. Really, it’s a win-win; the way he sees it.
*
“I don’t get it, man,” Jon starts the moment he and Brendon walk into campus the next day. “Why do you hate him so much?”
“Jon,” Brendon sighs, “I don’t know, he just irritates me. He never shuts up, he’s rude, obnoxious, way too quiet, and he makes this weird clicky noise with his tongue.”
“Clicky noise?” Jon gasps, putting a hand over his chest and grabbing onto Brendon’s shirt tightly with his other hand. “Oh my Pete! Not the clicky noise! Why!” And then Jon falls to his knees on the floor, feigning ultimate doom.
“Shut the hell up, Jon,” Brendon says, laughing softly as Jon starts to pound his fists into the ground. “Ok, you keep doing that and I will stop talking to you.”
Jon smiles and starts to say something, but someone interrupts him.
“Hey,” says a shy voice. Both boys turn around and are met with Spencer Smith.
“H-hi,” Jon stutters. Brendon just rolls his eyes, knowing it’s all too obvious that the boys like each other.
“Did someone’s cat die?” Spencer asks with a laugh, causing Jon’s face to light up and laugh along with him, though it’s a nervous one.
“No, we were just talking about ‘clicky noises’.” Jon hits his head with the palm of his hand, mentally and physically slapping himself for not thinking before speaking. Spencer just laughs, though, which causes Jon’s cheeks to turn a deep crimson.
“Well,” Brendon starts, rolling his eyes. “This has been fun, but I’m bored and… yeah, this flirting is getting kind of dangerous, so I’m out. See ya,” and he turns to walk away.
Almost immediately, he bumps into someone, causing books to fall and papers to fly.
“What the hell…” a voice says. Brendon looks up and…
“Ross,” Brendon sends a glare towards the older boy. “Why don’t you watch where you’re going?” He then bends down to pick up a few of the things he dropped, noticing his iPod as one of the items. “You’re lucky you didn’t break this, or else I’d have to kill you.”
“Me?” Ryan scoffs. “I’m not the one whose peripheral vision is impaired and doesn’t notice people walking behind them before I run into them with my fat ass.”
“Again with talking about my ass. You know, I’m starting to think this ‘fascination’ of yours has something to do with never getting laid. Why don’t you pay someone to fuck you so you won’t talk about my ass all day?”
The two boys now have the attention of all of the students in the outdoor hallway.
“Whatever, Brendon. Just go and give some whore a blowjob. We all know you’re good on your hands and knees,” Ryan spits, and Brendon has had enough, storming closer to Ryan until Jon and Spencer step in their way.
“Bren,” Jon grabs hold of his friend to keep him back. “Just calm the fuck down. You’ll get expelled.”
“Yeah, Ry,” Spencer is also holding his friend back from getting into a fight. “You don’t want that.”
Brendon pushes Jon’s hands away and fixes his shirt. He is visibly calmer, but the smoke spilling out from his ears tells a different story. Ryan, too, has been released from his trap and is still glaring at his enemy.
*
Upon hearing a commotion, Cupid finds himself in the middle of a hallway. He’s been in crowded places before, but it still feels sort of odd for him. He’s listening, trying to find out where the arguing is coming from, and that’s when he sees them.
The two boys from yesterday afternoon. He recognizes them the moment he sees them and immediately knows that they had been arguing (he can hear the sizzle from the harsh glares burning into skin and can almost read the equally harsh words that are hanging in the air). Cupid has to control himself from gagging again.
“Is this where I’m supposed to be?” He asks aloud. The students just bypass him as if he’s not there, like he’s invisible. And he kind of is, but not really. He’s not a ghost either. He’s just… Cupid.
He looks around some more, trying to find some sort of sign to direct him to the right couple. But maybe Mr. Wentz is too busy to take the time to help out poor Cupid.
“This is why I always make mistakes,” he mumbles. “Thanks a lot Pete!” He yells, and a student nearby flinches. “Oops, sorry,” he whispers.
“Just… stay away from me,” one of the two arguing kids yells. Cupid walks closer, still trying to control himself.
“Gladly. As long as you never talk to me again, I’m fine with that,” the shorter of the two says.
“Fine,” the taller boy responds.
‘Well,’ Cupid thinks. ‘Make your decision, Cupe. Shoot the kids, make them stop arguing, risk getting fired. Don’t shoot the kids, they keep on arguing, I get sick to my stomach, and still risk getting fired. Well, at least I won’t vomit with the first option.’ He gets his bow ready, aiming at the shorter boy.
“Fine,” says the shorter boy. “And just so you know,” he starts, and Cupid draws back his bow, lets go, and the arrow flies into the boy’s heart. “I love you, Ryan.”
A few of the kids gasp and cover their mouths as if they’d just witnessed something horrible–and maybe they have.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Urie,” Ryan says angrily. Cupid aims at him next. “You’re so…” and Cupid fires, “perfect. I love you too.”
And the fighting has subsided. Cupid feels victorious. So, as he always does: He break dances in the middle of the crowd of gaping students, who are all watching the two boys make out.
“Take a look at my girlfriend…” Cupid’s cell phone rings, causing him to end his celebration early. He picks out his phone from his pocket, beaming rays of golden sun and answers it.
“Hello, boss,” he sing-songs, an extra emphasis on the vowels.
Mr. Wentz definitely won’t fire him now.
*
A battle for dominance has occurred inside of Brendon’s mouth: Tongue against tongue, spit against spit, teeth clashing against teeth.
Both he and Ryan are heavily making out in the hallway, receiving vicious glares from homophobic classmates, shocked responses from the one’s who are neutral, and are just bypassed by one’s who could care less–or don’t even notice.
Jon and Spencer share a look a shock, confusion, and mild amusement as they watch their best friend make out with a seemingly former enemy.
“Dude, what the hell?” Jon mumbles to Spencer.
“I… I don’t know,” Spencer stutters. “I mean, one minute they’re about to kill each other and the next…”
“Will you be my boyfriend?” Ryan asks Brendon once they pull away for air.
“Of course, forever,” Brendon replies, grinning like a love-struck idiot. If only he really knew…
“Next,” Jon starts once the two reconnect at the lips, “they’re honeymooning in Cabo.”
“Oh,” Spencer yells in excitement, “will we be invited to the wedding?”
“We better! I’ll be the best man and… you can be the bride’s maid,” Jon grins. Spencer just punches his arm playfully, picking up the backpack he had dropped while trying to prevent Ryan from getting into trouble.
“Whatever, Jon. I’ll see you later?” Spencer asks hopeful.
“Yeah, sure,” Jon’s grin is still permanently marked on his face.
Spencer walks down the hall to get to class, leaving Jon to stand awkwardly near the two boys who still have yet to part.
“I love you, Rycakes,” Brendon whispers into Ryan’s mouth.
“I love you, Brenbear,” Ryan replies, a glint of artificial love in his eyes.
Jon winces, suddenly feeling semi-sick from all of the ‘love’, and then walks away from the scene.
*
“What in the hell were you thinking!” Mr. Wentz yells on the other end. Cupid has to pull the phone away from his ear in order to retain most of his hearing.
“What are you talking about?” Cupid stutters and the smile that had once adorned his face is now washed down the drain.
“I can’t believe you shot the wrong kids!”
“The wrong kids? They couldn’t have been the wrong kids. You should have seen them…”
“‘They were arguing’, I know! But just because a couple argues doesn’t mean they’re supposed to be in love, Cupe!”
“Well, what was I supposed to do then, Mr. Wentz,” Cupid sighs in despair, and his head has reached a new low.
“Uh, I don’t know, maybe: Make the right people fall in love! How about that option?”
Cupid holds the receiver away from his ear again as Mr. Wentz screams at what is sure to be the top of his lungs.
“I’m sorry, boss,” Cupid says, and he lets the first sob escape from his mouth.
“Ugh,” Mr. Wentz sighs at the other end of the line, “it’s fine, Cupid. I know you were only doing what you thought was best. But sometimes it’s okay for people to argue.”
“No,” Cupid sobs. He may be a grown man, but his child-like behavior gets the better of him. “It’s all my fault. I messed up big time, boss. You should strip me of my wings and never let me see the beauty that is ‘love’ again!”
“Don’t say that, Cupe. We’ll fix this, don’t worry. In the mean time, just keep an eye on those two; make sure they don’t get into any love-related trouble. Love is your department, you know.” Mr. Wentz sighs, thinking that he himself doesn’t get paid enough for this job.
“Ok, I will, Sir.” And they both hang up.
Cupid wipes at his eyes, calming himself down a bit before he sets out to watch over his mission.
‘Well,’ he thinks, ‘at least that could have been worse.’
*
“Sorry we’re late for class, Mrs. Tuttle,” Brendon says, fingers laced with Ryan’s as the two ride into class on a cloud of love.
“Oh, please tell me you weren’t arguing,” she mutters under her breath. And that’s when she- along with the rest of the students- sees their hands.
“No way,” Ryan smiles, “I could never argue with this man. Everything he says is perfect.”
“Nuh uh,” Brendon swats Ryan’s arm playfully, “everything you say is perfect.”
“Well, you’re perfect.”
“No, you’re perfect.”
“No, you’re perfect.”
“No, you’re perfect.”
“Boys!” The teacher yells, disturbing the boys from their ‘argument’, “Neither one of you is perfect. So sit down and start the assignment!”
The two boys ignore the harsh tone in which her words were spat and make to sit down, but notice that they’re seats are on either side of the room.
“Mrs. Tuttle,” Brendon starts.
“What,” she sighs.
“We can’t sit on opposite sides of the room,” Ryan finishes.
“And why is that,” she asks harshly.
“Because I have to sit next to Brendon,” he answers.
“Why,” she asks as if it’s unworldly.
“Because I love him,” Ryan smiles down at Brendon and some of the students ‘awe’ while others continue to gape.
“Here,” a female student who sits next to Ryan stands and gathers her things, “Brendon can have my seat,” she smiles.
Both boys thank the girl and skip excitedly- still hand-in-hand- to take their seats.
“I love you,” Ryan says the moment they sit down.
“I love you too,” Brendon replies, and the ‘awe’s and glares of disgust erupt from the classroom again.
*
Cupid is sitting cross-legged in the back of the classroom, admiring his work.
“What’s so wrong about that?” He questions aloud. “It’s love, and it’s beautiful. There is nothing wrong with the match that I have created. If I hadn’t done anything, they’d still be arguing, I’d be sick, and the teacher would have a heart attack by the end of the semester. Love is love, and by Pete, I am going to make sure these two stay together forever.”
Cupid stands up to leave the classroom, turning back to glance at his match-made-in-the-schoolyard, then walks out of the classroom.
Upon leaving, he sees a rather lonely boy sitting back against one of the lockers. He instantly knows that this boy has never been in love, just by looking into his love-less eyes. The boy is muttering to himself, on the verge of tears, and this also makes Cupid sick–he is reminded of many arguing couples who have expressed this same emotion.
“I can’t do this anymore,” the boy mutters clearly. Cupid walks closer to him, channeling his inner power to communicate with the boy.
“What can’t you do anymore,” Cupid asks aloud. The boy flinches, but stays seemingly unaffected.
“I can’t be alone anymore,” he responds weakly.
“Why are you alone?” Cupid plops down next to him, a light breeze flowing by as he sits.
“No one loves me. Everyone hates William Beckett because he’s too tall, too thin, too gay. I hate it!” He sobs louder, clenching his fists at the side of his unmoving body.
“William Beckett, do you want love?” Cupid whispers into the boy’s ear, noticing a few bruises on his face caused by some of his enemies as he gets closer.
“Yes,” William nods, “yes, I want love.”
“Do you want to love?”
“Yes, I want to love,” he answers, tears pouring down his eyes now.
“Then love,” Cupid stands up just as a tall, tanned boy exits the hallway.
“Bill, you alright?” The tall boy is now crouching down next to William.
“Gabe,” William says before he is enveloped in a hug.
Cupid didn’t even need to use his arrow this time; all he needed to do was direct the right person in the right direction to the right person.
Complicated? Cupid thinks not.
*
“This is so wrong, that somehow… it’s right,” Jon mutters.
It’s after school now, and Jon and Brendon are hanging out in Brendon’s living room as usual. Only this time, Ryan is there because Brendon couldn’t go a few hours without his love. On the plus side for Jon, Ryan brought Spencer, so he isn’t complaining too much.
“I still can’t get over the initial shock of it all,” Spencer replies quietly. “Hey, do you think that’s why they’ve been arguing so much, because deep down they really love each other?”
“Hm, maybe,” Jon answers thoughtfully. “Or maybe it’s some conspiracy thing and they’re trying to trick everybody.”
Spencer snorts. “How would that be a conspiracy?”
“Maybe they’re trying to kill us all,” Jon shrugs. Spencer stares at the man, thinking that Jon quite possibly believes he’s right.
“You’re weird,” Spencer says after a few seconds of silence. Jon removes his gaze from Ryan and Brendon- who are heavily making out- and grins at Spencer.
“I am,” he responds with a nod of his head. Spencer rolls his eyes and shoves Jon a bit, but grins none the less at the boy.
“It’s funny,” Spencer says, refocusing on the two love-birds.
“What’s funny?” Jon still has his gaze on Spencer.
“It’s funny how these two make an amazing couple, but I’ve only just now realized it, you know? They just seem…” Spencer trails off, not having a word to describe what he is looking at.
“They seem perfect for each other,” Jon answers, still staring at the side of Spencer’s head. The boy then looks up, his blue eyes shimmering as they lock with Jon’s brown ones.
“Yeah, they do,” he whispers. Jon just nods his head, wanting to say more but not being able to say anything.
And right outside this house, Cupid is watching from the window. He smiles, thinking that he made a perfect match by making Ryan and Brendon fall in love with each other. If only he knew that his mission was for the other two boys in the room.