Angel and Cupid

She was an Angle with a shotgun.
He was Cupid with a crossbow.

She never knew love, and longed to be human. She longed for the love and the children
she knew she would never have. She had requested time and time again to made human, but her requests were denied because she had broken the rules to many times.
All he knew was love, he hated having to pretend to be human, he wanted to be a full time cupid, but like the angel had broken the rules to many times.

She spent her nights shooting bullets of-
Acceptance
Faith
Freedom
Courage
Hope
Her days where spent taking photographs and writing for a rock magazine.
Her human friends knew her as the five foot three, ninety five pound take no shit person that she longed to be.
The few otherworldly friends she had knew her as the quiet blonde haired, crystal blue eyed bad ass you didn’t fuck with.

His nights were spend shooting arrows of love-
Love for one person.
Love for all.
Love for oneself.
His days and some nights spent performing for his fans.
His human friends knew him as the gentle giant. Always kind and smiling at everyone he met, and he genuinely loved people it was his job to love, but all he wanted was to be able to make people love all the time.
His otherworldly friends knew as the Cupid that would take the most risky of assignments
because he truly believed that love conquered all.

Neither knew the other existed.
Of course the Angel knew Cupid’s existed but had never met one.
Of course the Cupid knew that Angels existed but also had never met one.
Until the night they had the same assignment.

He assignment was to make a man who had lost his young wife in child birth-
Accept her death and the birth of their daughter.
Give him the faith in himself to raise his daughter.
Give him the courage to take the journey of fatherhood alone.
Give him enough hope to make it through it.
Give him the freedom to make the choices, and decisions that would need to be made.
The strength to do what he had to both for him and his daughter
In return she would be granted the humanity she so dearly wanted.

His assignment was to -
Help the man to love his daughter
Love the people that are there to help and guide both him and her
Love himself so that he could raise a daughter that would love herself.
In return he would be promoted to a full time Cupid just like he wanted.

The night arrived and as expected it was raining, and so many clouds you couldn’t see the stars
It was just after dark when the Angel arrived even though they were in California it was chilly with it being only mid April so she pulled her leather jacket tighter around herself.
She closed her eyes a prepared for a fight she knew in her gut was coming.

Cupid arrived long before the Angel he was nothing less than punctual.
Instead of letting the Angel know he was there he stood and watched her.
She was beautiful, short pixie cut blonde hair, crystal blue eyes dressed in all black, he wondered how she managed to stand with the giant red wings on her back. Situated between her wings was her shotgun.

The Angel immediately sensed that it was not only the man that would need but his daughter as well, but the sense that she wasn’t alone was overwhelming. She drew her gun and spun around aiming directly at the tall being’s heart.
When the Angel around and took aim at him instinct took over and he pulled his crossbow and aimed at her like she was aiming at him.
“I’m not your target.” He stated.
“You don’t know that.” She pointed out with a grin.
Neither moved.
Blue eyes stared into brown eyes.
Red wings unfurled prepared for any move he might make.
Black wings unfurled prepared for any move she might make.

The Angel took in the Cupid before her he was tall, with brown hair and eyes, light stubble on his jaw, a small silver hoop in his left nostril.
Cupid dropped his crossbow as he heard the whisper, “I’m sorry sir we did everything we
could but your wife didn’t make it.”
The Angel heard it too she quickly put away her weapon and turned towards the door as she heard, “But your daughter is fine, and she’s beautiful.”
“I don’t want my daughter I want my wife!”

They both took off running.
The two arrived at the maternity ward and quickly located the man in the corner crying and angry.
“I’ll take care of him you go take of the baby.”
She only nodded and walked towards the nursery, quickly locating the crib that held the infant she needed.
The tiny baby girl was screaming, she gently placed a hand on the child’s chest yet again breaking the rules.
She smiled as the baby gripped onto her pinky and thumb holding on tightly.
She wanted so desperately to pick her up but she was already breaking the rules by touching her.
So she leaned in a whispered, “Your mama loved you so much that she gave her life for yours, that is ultimate gift of love, sacrifice.”
The Angel was so distracted by the baby that she didn’t realize that Cupid and the man had left the hospital until she heard the gun shot.
The Angel leaned down and whispered, “I’ll be back little one.”

The she was out of the room in a flash, she flew through the hospital at lightening speed reaching the parking lot in a matter of seconds.
When she reached the parking lot all the lights were out it was pitch black, this gave her a chill. It only happened for one three reasons.
The first when an assignment has died.
The second it that an other wordly creature is hurt whether it be mentally, or physically.
The third is because on us had broken the rules and the triad is punishing them.
Her senses told her that it was all of those reasons.
She spread her wings and followed the sound of Cupid’s thoughts and sobs until she found him.
When she found him it took her a matter of seconds to realize what had happened.
The man had tried to shoot himself and Cupid had physically stopped him getting himself shot in the process. When Cupid stepped back the man had succeeded in taking his own life.
Cupid had his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees leaning against the cars tire crying.
For the first time since their earlier meeting she studied him.
He was tall well over six foot, one arm sleeved out with tattoos.
Dark brown hair, light stubble one his face.
She landed quietly and sat next to him pulling the sobbing man into her arms,.
It was then that I realized I was not only holding a Cupid who had lost his assignment but a man who was heart broken.
I also realized he loved being Cupid and his punishment was going to be one he wouldn’t hate.

“I couldn’t save him.” He sobbed, “I broke the rules again and physically intervened and tried to stop him and I still couldn’t save him.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” I told him making him look at me, “He loved her so much that he couldn’t live without her, and thought of having to look at his daughter everyday would be torture. You’re Cupid aren’t you supposed to believe in that kind of love?”
“I do believe in it, I’ve just never experienced it.” He answered, “I’m gonna lose my Cupid status over this a become human.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I replied, “I give anything to become human, to be able to find the love of my life, get married, and have babies. I broke the rules tonight too so I’m probably gonna have to stay an Angel.”
“Maybe one day we’ll both get what we want.” Cupid stated.

It was then that everything froze.
The cars on the street, the people walking, even the rain that had been coming down at a steady pace all night.
They both stood as Apollo, Irene, and Aphrodite appeared almost out of no where.
“I told her he wasn’t right for this assignment.” Apollo stated.
“He was the only one who understood the assignment, that believed in the assignment.” Aphrodite countered.
“Both of you quiet.” Irene boomed, “It neither matters whether he was the right person or not. What matters is he broke the rules by physically trying to stop him. He also f ailed to complete it.”
“So did she.” Apollo pointed to me, “ She touched the child, and she left her assignment with Cupid.”
“To calm her, and because her assignment was both of them.” Irene argued.
“The both need to be punished.”

We both waited for out punishment me with my head held high I was not ashamed.
Cupid reached for my hand and I held his tightly.
“We have decided your punishments.” Irene stated, “Cupid?”
He stepped forward and hung his head.
“Seeing as how you failed to save the man and we have a child without a father, it has been decided that you will become her father. You may keep you band and it’s success but will not longer be a Cupid.” Irene told him.
“This was given to you because of you ability to love other so whole heartedly.” Aphrodite explained.
I let out the breathe I was holding it was a light punishment they could have taken everything from him.
“Angel.”
I stepped up my head high my shoulders straight.
“Because you have failed to complete both your assignments we have decided that not only will you not become human, you will become the child’s guardian angel for as long as she believes in Angels and will reassess at that time.”
I wanted to cry but I held it in and nodded instead.
“You will be able to physically interact with the child as it is your job to protect her.” Irene added.
At least there was that, I looked over a Cupid to him being human was the worst possible punishment ever I was hoping if I could talk to him I could make it sound like a good thing so I decided to make a request.
“Can I make a request please?” I asked.
“You may.” Irene answered.
“He loves being a Cupid and I have seen his ability to love so there is no doubt in my mind that he will a good father to the little girl.” I explained, “I am requesting that you give me until the sun is completely in the sky to convince him that he is capable of doing so.”
“Very well.” Irene nodded, “But he is your responsibility until then. As soon as the sun has fully risen he will be human. The stipulation to this is neither of you are allowed to be in your current form for the rest of the night. For this night you are to remain in human form.”
“Anything that you do with the next twelve hours will not be held against you, this only for tonight.” Aphrodite added looking right at me, “Could I speak to you alone for a moment please Angel.”
I nodded and followed her as she walked, when she stopped and turned to me we were far enough away that we couldn’t be heard.
“I know how badly you want to become human and find love. That being said I’m going to do something for you that could get me into trouble but I don’t care because I know what it’s like to want a love you may never find. I am granting you your complete humanity for the next twelve hours, as well as making Cupid human too. It’s the only way to guarantee no punishment from the triad after the twelve hours has passed. Live, love, do everything you can’t do as an Angel and a Cupid. I know you better than any of them, this is your loophole.” She kissed my forehead.
With that she walked back to everyone and the triad disappeared.
“Loophole. The fuck is she talking about?” I wondered out loud.
“You okay?” Cupid asked joining me.
“Yes.” I nodded.
“Did you get into more trouble?” He asked.
“No, actually she granted me my humanity for the next twelve hours because it’s the only way that she could guarantee that neither of us would be punished for anything we might do.”
“My car is right over here.” He nodded his head in the direction.