Don't Mess with Cupid's Work

       Ruse was Cupid’s lesser known, mischievous, cousin. He liked to amuse himself at the expense of Cupid’s couples. He, of course, wouldn’t act immediately. No, he would wait years, following them and learning their patterns. Anything that he could use to cause distrust, anger, and sorrow. Sorrow was his favorite.

             He had been following a particular couple for quite a few years. He had been watching them very closely as he knew just how hard Cupid had worked to bring them back together for the third time. Cupid knew that these two people were destined to be together since they were kids and he had made it his mission to get them together ever since they had come across his radar.

             Well, he had finally succeeded about 7 years earlier and now Ruse saw his chance to mess with Cupid’s work. He knew just the way to do it too.

             He would bring the woman’s insecurities into play along with her fears. Her depression and anxiety battles were just icing on the proverbial cake in his eyes. He knew that by doing this he would probably destroy the woman’s soul, but that was just half the fun to him.

             He started his little game by introducing the man to a woman who was a lot prettier and skinnier than the woman he was with now that shared his same interests. The man started talking to this other woman behind his woman’s back.

             The woman, looking something for on her man’s phone for something for him, stumbles across the conversation between her man and the other woman. Cupid can feel her love falter for her man.

             “Ruse!” Cupid shouted as he confronted his cousin.

             “Hey cousin, how’s it going?” Ruse greeted innocently.

             “Why have you tried to drive a stick between that woman and her man? You know that she has done nothing to deserve this. We had a deal. You would only break apart the ones who deserved it. Why have you done this?” Cupid asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Obvious disappointment on his face.

             “Come on, cousin. Where is the fun in that? Those people never feel true sorrow. I feed off sorrow. You know this about me. I needed to spice up my routine. I am sorry, I just couldn’t help myself. Besides, I know that you will sweep in and save their relationship like always. What is your obsession with this particular couple anyway?” Ruse asked as he lounged back on his throne.

             “That poor woman has been through enough in her life. Death took her parents and every time she thinks she has found love, it has played her. You yourself have put this woman through more heartache than one person can handle in a lifetime. Her fears put her through pain continuously. Even though I made sure that everything went perfectly when I brought them back together, from getting her out of the ever increasingly dangerous relationship that you put the poor girl in to him making sure that she was safe and showing her how love was really supposed to feel, she still fears that her man will leave her for another. Because of everything you have done to her, Ruse. I do not want to lose this woman to your nonsense. Its not fair to her. You have caused her enough sorrow, find someone else to pick on,” Cupid said, anger thick in his voice.

             “I don’t remember causing her any sorrow. Are you sure that wasn’t Loki? I would remember causing someone as much sorrow as you are describing, cousin. Honest.” Ruse said, trying to pretend like he was sorry.

             “Just leave them alone. I am declaring this couple off limits,” Cupid said with as much authority as he could put into his voice.

             Ruse sighed, “Fine. I am sorry, Cupid. I will not mess with your personal project.”

             “Thank you, that is all I ask. There are plenty of other people to cause sorrow to without messing with mine,” Cupid said as he turned to leave Ruse’s throne room.

             As the door closed behind Cupid, Ruse uncrossed his fingers on the hand he had put behind his head.

             “If my cousin thinks I am going to stop messing with this woman just because she has had a rough life, he has another thing coming. Oh, the sorrow and pain I could cause,” Ruse said to the empty room as he laughed.

             He knew exactly how he would do it, too. He would space it out over time. Putting the other woman on the man’s mind every month or so, causing him to constantly have her name on his phone whenever his woman looked at his phone.

             But he wasn’t the one causing her the most sorrow. She was doing that to herself. Her fear of confrontation and anxiety seemed to prohibit her from being able to express her anger and hurt to her man. Cupid knew what Ruse was doing but he didn’t pay him another visit.

             Could Cupid have really given up on this couple that he had worked so hard to make sure ended up together because he believed them to be soulmates? Ruse thought as he felt the woman’s sorrow rising yet again from finding the other woman’s name on her man’s phone. It was much stronger this time. Stronger than it had been before. Then he happened to catch her thoughts as they raced through her head.

             Maybe he would be happier if I weren’t here. Maybe everybody would be happier if I weren’t around anymore. I am just in the way of people’s happiness apparently.

             Oh, no. Ruse thought, what have I done? Cupid was right, she has been hurt too much. I didn’t want this to happen. I must find Cupid. I need his help to fix this.

             Ruse rushed to his cousin’s chambers.

             “Cupid, I need your help. I am so sorry I didn’t keep my promise to you. But now I have really messed up. I never wanted her to hurt herself. I am so sorry. I never meant for it to go this far,” Ruse said, breathlessly. For the first time that Cupid could remember, his cousin sounded like he was about to cry.

             “What happened?” Cupid asked, gently.

             “She is thinking about ending it all. You were right. She had already been through so much pain. I mean, I like causing sorrow and pain, but I have never pushed anybody this far. Cupid, I really messed up this time and I don’t know how to fix it,” Ruse all but sobbed in fear.

             “Can you take the other woman’s name out of her man’s head? Make him forget about her entirely?” Cupid asked as he walked over to his crystal globe in the middle of the room.

             “I am not sure about entirely, but I can try,” Ruse said, trying to take a calming breath.

             “Then do it,” Cupid commanded gently, knowing that Ruse was, truly, sorry for what he had caused.

             Ruse nodded. He closed his eyes and focused on the man. On his memories of the other woman and slowly changed them to memories of his woman.

             “It is done. I am not sure if it will stick or for how long. I have never had to take something back that I put there. I feel terrible,” Ruse hung his head.

             Cupid waved his hand over the globe, then he began watching something very intently. He motioned for Ruse to join him by the globe.

             “It is already working. Look,” Cupid stepped aside, letting Ruse next to the globe so he could see. “By just changing those few memories, you helped the man see that something was wrong with his woman. They are talking about it and working it out as they should. Her pain is already lessening. She is seeing that he does genuinely love her and only her. You did that Ruse.”

             “I did?” Ruse asked shocked.

             “Yes, you did. You are a god, and no god wants to see their subjects hurt or worse if they can help it. Unless your Death of course. Your reaction was perfectly normal and then you were able to fix it, with a little guidance. Congrats,” Cupid said as he wrapped a brotherly arm around Ruse’s shoulder.

             Together they watched as the woman hugged her man with happy tears running down her face.