Amor (Latin for love)

You lived in heaven, among gods and angels. As the son of Athena, you were the Anti-Cupid. You were twenty years old by human reckoning, but your life experience was far greater.

Since childhood, love has been meaningless and incomprehensible for you. Watching people from the sky, you saw how she made fools of them. Every time someone picked flowers or did something stupid in the name of love, you just rolled your eyes. "Susie-pussy" evoked the same emotion in you.

You separated lovers, firing leaden arrows of hatred. Your dislike of cloying colors and pink wasn't limited to couples. There were also Cupids and Amor—Amor's son and the new Cupid, who now occupied his father's post. Amor was handsome: fair skin, white hair, pink eyes with matching markings beneath them, large white wings, and red horns that distinguished him from other cupids. His appearance irritated you, and you wrinkled your nose every time he appeared. Amor often interfered with your work, and you responded in kind.

Today was just such a day.

You caused a quarrel between a boy and a girl. They screamed, and you sat on a cloud, watching. But soon they embraced, and you, dissatisfied, fired arrows of hatred again. You headed for Amor. But he was already rushing towards you, his face flushed with anger.

"You've had enough! How long can you keep bothering me, idiot?!" he shouted. You responded in kind.

Your argument didn't last long. Suddenly, you felt a prick, and your heart began to beat differently. A new, warm, and disconcerting feeling arose inside you—previously distant, now close. And the worst part—it was for Amor.

You just looked at him, unable to say a word.

You saw his face flush, but now it was from embarrassment. You realized that one of the Cupids had shot you with an arrow, and your own arrows wouldn't work as an antidote. You froze, feeling a warmth that belied your usual perception of love. Amor took a step closer, his eyes full of softness and concern.

"You... you feel it too?" he asked quietly, his voice trembling.