Birds of a Feather

Lisa’s apartment wasn’t messy or dirty, she preferred the phrase, “organized chaos.” It was a forest of office supplies comprising stacks of manilla folders, photographs, and paper clips that she buried herself in with her desktop computer. Although it was 10PM, outside office hours, she had no social obligations nor did she desire any. 

Classical music from her speakers slowly filled the room, playing at such a low decibel one would question whether or not anything was actually being played, just the way her aged ears enjoyed it. 

Suddenly, a small, swirling disc appeared behind Lisa and grew in size. It opened up like a window, revealing a room on the other side. A figure stepped out of it. 

“Hey Lisa!” he said with his hands on his hips.

Lisa screamed, and in one masterful motion she grabbed the cup of hot tea next to her keyboard, spun around in her chair, and blindly threw it in the general direction of the voice. This lightly spritzed him as the tea and mug missed, thanks to his three-feet stature. The creature wore a graceful robe that covered him from neck to toe which was accented by a golden, handwoven scarf.

 “Certainly not the worst first-time reaction,” he said as he brushed off the droplets of tea from his hair. “Anyways, my name is Blue, nice to meetcha!” He greeted with a hand stuck out. 

“Who and what are you?” Lisa was still in shock. Her glasses slipped down her nose.

“I said my name is Blue, and I’m a cupid on a mission to get my wings!” His hand was patiently waiting.

“Hmm, prove that you’re cupid.”

Blue pulled his hand back and whipped out papers from underneath his robes, “My recent field report says this: Lisa Milano, 44 years old, easily startled, hates long lines at the book store, loves pranks, and would rather spend the night in on a Friday night working from home. And oh, maybe that trick would help.” He opened the portal to varying locations around the world, shutting up any doubt from Lisa.

She finally reluctantly shook his hand, “Don’t cupids have wings?” 

“That’s the fun part, you’re going to help me get my wings today!”

“By doing what exactly?”

“Confess your feelings by midnight, Pacific Standard Time, to your one true love, and you, my friend, become my most favorite human I was ever assigned.” 

“What happens if I don’t?” Lisa flipped her silver hair.

“All memories of the one you wanted to confess your feelings for are erased! You will forcibly never be able to talk to them ever again, doomed to walk the path without them for eternity! Mwah ha ha…” He was quieter and quieter as he maniacally laughed.

“So that’s really it?”

“Yes! Confess! Otherwise you risk-”

“Done, I just texted him” she said with an amused smile.

“What?! You didn’t even let me finish my speec-”

“I don’t know, if a fairy-”

“Cupid-in-training.”

“If a real ‘cupid-in-training’ is going to fly into my room and ask me to confess, I guess it’s probably the sign that I need to just tell them I like them already. Oh, they texted back, they just want to be friends, that’s cool.”

Blue felt his back, feeling for wings. There was nothing. “Dang, it probably means it’s not a serious confession since I don’t have my wings.”

“I don’t really like anyone else though. It’s been a while since I really went out.”

“You don’t have anyone else you want to confess to?”

“Nope everyone is kind of boring.” She could feel her body unconsciously turn back to her computer.

Blue put his hand on the arm of her chair to stop her in her tracks. “Can’t you just find someone else?”

“I can confidently say I’m not interested and have not been interested in anyone for a long time.”

“Then who did you text?”

“Just some friend who I thought was cool. I guess I never liked them romantically ha ha. How about you explain more about what this assignment is even for?”

“I’m not allowed to spill cupid training secrets.”

“Well, I don’t like being in the dark about tasks I’m working on. Either divulge the information or I go back to work.” Lisa threatened.

Blue shook his head in frustration like a disgruntled dog drying off from a forced bath, then let out a deep sigh. “I am a part of Cupid’s Universal Team for Effection and I am in the last phase of sprouting my wings. My assignment is to ‘have someone confess their feelings by midnight to their one true love.’”

“First of all, that’s the wrong ‘effection.’ Second, maybe the person who has to confess is you?”

This caught Blue off guard, “err, this is about you and your confession, not mine. And take it up with Mr. Cupid himself if you’re such a stickler for grammar” Blue fired back as he crossed his arms.

“Ha ha, who’s the lucky lady? What’s her name? Pink?” She said with a smirk.

“Oh shush! She wouldn’t even- this is out of the question.”

“Ha ha, how do we find this Pink gal of yours?” Blue refused to budge until Lisa revealed that she was a private investigator. She is all too familiar with relationships, the good and ugly side of it, “mostly the ugly” she added. 

“Look, speaking as someone who has followed hundreds of people, many people hire me because they don’t trust their partner. And you know why this happens? Because it’s difficult to tell the truth. You want to know what the best thing to do is? Tell the truth. You want your wings? Tell the truth.”

“Even if it might hurt me in the end?”

“Especially if it does.”

“This was supposed to be an easy day,” he mumbled. 

“Hah! It never is. Why do you like her anyways?”

“Hrmm, I don’t know, her eyes are so pretty and her smile is so beautiful! And she’s always super nice to me! I always feel seen when I talk to her.”

That’s it? Lisa thought to herself. She suppressed any comments from coming out, nodding along to Blue. “How do we get to her?”

“Well, I open the portal and I cross over by myself.”

“I’m going with you. Who knows if you’ll chicken out.”

“But-”

“This is a part of my job, there’s no use arguing with me, let’s go.”

“Ugh, but you have to pretend to be in a trance. Just stare ahead and follow my commands, I’m not risking anyone knowing that I brought a conscious human to CUTE.”

She reassured him while he summoned the blue portal to the lobby area for CUTE. Not too far ahead was the front desk and behind it, there was a winged lady who was doing well for a line that went out the door of the lobby. The gaudy lobby featured a grand fountain and at its center, a towering statue of Cupid himself. Around the perimeter of the fountain were the words, “to tell the truth is to love yourself the most.”

Blue had no time to spare as it approached 10:30PM PST, starting from the back of the line would undoubtedly take hours so he and Lisa went right up to the desk. 

“Hey Pink!” 

“Hello Blue!” Pink shined back with her signature smile. “Clarissa isn’t at the front desk today unfortunately for you.”

“Ha ha I knew that!”

Others waiting in line would rightfully be frustrated with Blue for cutting straight to the front, but Pink’s persona put everyone at ease. “I’m sorry, but you can’t cut these fine gentlemen and women, you’ll have to go to the back of the line.”

Blue could feel himself spontaneously combust at any moment. There was the anxiety from cutting the people in line, the fear that it would be discovered he brought a very much conscious human being to CUTE, and of course the act of actually saying “I like you,” in front of a live audience. 

“Ah, sorry about that, I just wanted to…walk to the end” he nervously spat out. Lisa and Blue started their turnaround to make the trek to the end of the line. 

Lisa’s experience in the field usually consisted of one of three things: spying on people from afar, conducting interviews face-to-face, or scouring an infinite pile of documents. But there’s nothing like fabricating a social incident. 

With a slip and slide, she faked a misstep, fell, and lightly headbutted Blue, knocking them both over, with Pink to witness in her front-row seat to the show. She rushed over and squatted to check on Blue. Lisa winked at Blue.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?!” Pink was close to Blue’s face, checking his forehead and feeling around for any residual damage from the fall. “That’s so crazy that your assignment crashed into you! Their world would really be in shambles without us” she laughed to herself.

“Uhh, Pink? Can I tell you something?”

“Hmm?”

“I like you.”

Pink blinked in her frozen state, as if she was trying to understand the alien garble that poured out of Blue’s mouth. “And I like…your funny jokes! You’re always a bright spot in my mornings!” With her finger, she booped him on the nose. She got up and sat behind her desk to continue the processing of the many patrons.

Blue and Lisa stared at each other as they were left behind by Pink. Blue felt his back for any feelings of wings with no success. With no other option and the desire to run away, he hurriedly opened a portal and they crossed back over to Lisa’s apartment.

Lisa felt relieved to talk again, “Sorry about that, Blue.” 

His head was down sunken into his chest. “Why?” He mumbled. Lisa reached over and put her hand on his shoulder. “Well-”

“Why can’t I grow my wings?!” Blue started crying, not a cry out of grief, but a cry for attention as a 3-year-old would. 

“You’re not even disappointed that she rejected you?”

“I guess not. And I guess that’s why I didn’t get my wings. Stupid CUTE assignment…” He kicked his feet around, grumbling and murmuring.

“So. Who do you really like?” This question stilled Blue. “It’s already 11 o’clock Blue, we need to do something for you to get your wings.”

A couple of minutes passed by. Lisa isn’t one to waste time so she decided to go back to work at her computer, giving Blue whatever time he needed.

“There is someone that I really like. But there’s a problem, she’s my boss.”

“Ooo an older woman?! No wonder you were assigned to little ol’ me!” She playfully nudged him with her elbows. “But why do you like this one?”

“Well, her name is Laila. She’s inspiring and she works really hard! She doesn’t take crap from anyone and I always feel like I want to be a better person when I’m around her. She’s the main reason why I even want these wings in the first place.”

Lisa applauded which was met with Blue’s confused face. “I can tell you actually like her because that was way more thought out compared to Pink. You basically just called Pink, eye candy.” 

Blue could feel the judgment and apologized for framing Pink in that way. There really wasn’t much time left as he glanced over to Lisa’s analog clock on her desk. He opened a portal, this time to his office space at CUTE which is right next to Laila’s office.

Lisa exhaled a hopeful breath, “Let’s hope I don’t have to headbutt you again to get you to talk to her.”

It was an ordinary workspace with cubicles that went on for literal miles. Some cubicles were decorated with the rare 500-year work anniversary plaque, but most desks just had photos of century-old memories or child-like drawings that attempted to counteract the oppressing, drab atmosphere. 

Lisa glanced around. “And this is why I left office life.” 

Blue and Lisa stood in front of Laila’s door, but he could hear that Laila was in a meeting. There was no time to waste as Blue’s anxiety levels started to rise once again, “I can’t be doing this all the time.” Just as he was about to turn around, he could feel Lisa’s accusing gaze. It didn’t need to be said, Blue knew what he needed to do.  

He headbutted her door and feigned pain (although Lisa was pretty sure he crashed into Laila’s door too hard and it was in fact, genuine pain). Laila’s office door opened and she rushed over to Blue. 

Laila could be heard from inside her office, “What in the-”

She opened the door and squatted down to check on Blue.

“How the heck did you crash into my door? Who pushed you?”

“Ha ha, I tripped and fell for you.” Blue nervously laughed.

Lisa rolled her eyes. 

Blue looked up and into Laila’s eyes, “Laila…I…like you.”

Once again, Laila blinked twice, as if in a hypnotic stupor thanks to the spell that was cast by Blue’s words. She then burst out into laughter. 

“Ha ha! I heard about what happened earlier with you and Pink. How many times have you performed this routine?” She slapped her knees in laughter and stood up. “Get up now, I know you have an assignment that’s due in-” She checked her watch. “45 minutes. I know we have long lives compared to humans like that thing right here, but you’ve been putting this task off for way too long now. You better get a move on if you want to get those wings you’ve been wanting. Go ahead, Romeo.” She shooed them out of her office and closed her door.

Blue glanced in Lisa’s direction, sensing the disapproval. He opened the portal and they entered Lisa’s apartment. 

“Alright Blue, you’re not being honest with me. Why are you doing this?! I’m just trying to help you! Didn’t we speak about telling the truth?” 

Blue was turned away from her, unable to face his frustrated partner. “I just…can’t do it.”

“Face me when you talk to me!” She grabbed him by the scarf and pulled to turn him around. In the process, she pulled off his scarf.

On the scarf, was a tag with a name in red letters. “Clarissa made this? Who is she?” 

“She’s…a friend of mine.” 

“Ah.” 

Blue was stone cold silent. 

Lisa took a step towards him. “But why lie? It’s not like I could do anything with the information.”

“Do you remember what the consequence of not confessing was?”  

“Yeah, that you wouldn’t be able to speak or interact with them again.”

“And all memories would be erased,” he finished with an exhausted sigh. “I guess I thought if I liked someone else enough, they would be the ones who were erased, like Pink, and not Clarissa.”

“Who is Clarissa really?”

“She’s actually a friend who I’ve known since we were little. I had a lot of anxiety growing up, and she made this for me to calm my nerves. We know everything about each other. I couldn’t imagine wearing something from anyone else.” 

“So you really do love her.”

Blue never really heard the words concerning her, but in that moment, it was real. “I do.”

“Well, I think it’s time we get your wings.”

“But is it worth it? I don’t want to be rejected by her, but I also don’t want to forget our memories together. Is it worth it to possibly destroy the thing you have for something there might be a chance of?”

“I…have to say yes.”

They were both silent for some time. The ticking of the second hand in Lisa’s clock was playfully in rhythm with the soft classical music that still continued to play. Lisa finally broke the quietness.

“Remember, in the beginning, when I said I texted someone that I liked them?” 

Blue nodded. 

“I was so confident that there was no one else that I liked because the person I love is gone.”

“Like you can’t find them?!”

“We dated and lived together for a couple of years and then one day when I woke up, he was gone. I guess that’s why I fell into being an investigator. Maybe one day I’ll be able to find him.”

“What about his friends and family?”

“Well, I did catch one of my friends saying that saw him a while back, but they wouldn’t talk about it.”

Blue had a worried expression, “Do you think he wants you to find him?”

This was the first time that Lisa looked away from Blue while she spoke. “I never thought of it that way.”

“Maybe the truth is that he doesn’t?”

“Hah. Maybe we’re not so different after all,” she said as she put her head down. 

Blue walked over and attempted to give her a huge hug, unfortunately, humans are a little bigger than the average junior cupid.

“Thanks” she said as she wiped her tears away. She looked over to the clock that read 11:55PM. “Blue! You have to hurry!”

“It’s fine, I’d rather just forget about Clarissa, it’s easier.”

“This is your chance, your final real chance to actually do something with the unknown. Isn’t it better to try instead of just wonder? Maybe I wasn’t able to get an answer for me, but you can for yourself.”

Blue paused for a second. “And without headbutting this time,” he slightly smiled. They both laughed. 

Blue opened up a portal to Clarissa, but this time Lisa didn’t cross over. She could see Blue enter the portal and approach Clarissa. There was no shift in her body language and Lisa couldn’t see Clarissa’s face with Blue in the way, but the portal started to slowly close. In the place of the portal was a feather that landed in the apartment.