Love Tipped Arrow
beccalovesbumblebee- I do not own the rise of the Guardians, or the concept of cupid, I only created my own version of Cupid. This a bit of homework I gave my friend after our little cook-out. I thought this would be a good way for her to begin her fanfiction. So I gave her the idea, and told her that I would do the same. So this is my OC Cupid, or Coop. She has a little thing for Santa Claus... *smirks*
CupidXNorth
The Man in the Moon was showing himself again to the guardians. Well mostly North, but the others could see him too.
"What is it Manny?" North asked his old friend.
The Moon never seemed to answer, but North felt like someone was going to walk into his life very soon.
She was lost, and it was almost St. Valentine's day. She had no idea where she was, but she seemed to be flying in a huge circle. It was getting cold around her, and her wings were starting to cramp.
North was out on a practice flight when he seen a figure dressed in white struggling to say airborne. At first he thought it was Jack Frost trying to play another trick on him. As he approached the being fell right out of the air, whoever it was began to hurtle downwards towards the Earth. North barely had time to react before he pulled up the reigns on the sleigh to catch what looked to be a young woman. She groaned as he caught her.
As soon as it registered that she wasn't free-falling anymore her eyes snapped open. She looked at North with a look of shock. He was so muscular. She smiled as she looked into his blue eyes, trying to hide the flood of color that rushed to her cheeks. She nearly jumped out of his arms in shock.
"Hold on little thing," North spoke to the startled Cupid. "I won't hurt you. I am sorry if I scared you, but you looked like you needed help."
"Thank you," Cupid said her light pink eyes meeting North's once more. "I was afraid I was going to hit the ground that time."
"You fall like that a lot?" North asked.
Cupid nodded. Her brown curls bobbed up, and down as she did so. "My wings really aren't made for long flights..." Cupid stretched out her small wing span.
"You are right," North said trying to hold back his jolly laughter. He observed the small woman. Even with her size those wings could only carry her so far.
"I am sorry if I have bothered you in any way," Cupid said modestly with a slight curtesy. "I will be on my way now." She prepared to take off. She jumped up expecting her wings, and the wind to carry her, but this time she only began to fall again. Cupid dropped a few feet when North grabbed her by the back of her white dress.
"I got you," North said as he hoisted her back into his sleigh. "You seem a little flightless at the moment. Why don't you let me take you back to my place until you are well enough to fly again." He wasn't trying to be forward, but he honestly didn't want her to leave just yet.
Cupid nodded slowly. She didn't know him, but at this point she didn't have much of a choice but to go with him. She couldn't fly away on her own so she was stuck, and being in the sleigh with this stranger which was better than plummeting towards the earth, and another crash landing.
They arrived at North's place. They sat in the sleigh in silence for a moment before North got out, and began to walk away. He looked back, and let out a laugh.
"Come on little flightless dove. I do not bite," North bellowed in his thick accent motioning for Cupid to follow him. She took in the man with the huge smile. Everything was huge about him, he was tall, and muscular. She took in his "Naughty", and "Nice" tattoos.
She slowly climbed out of the sleigh, and reluctantly followed North through his toy workshop, and him into his office.
North held the door open for the small female, and shut the door behind them.
"I just realized something. How silly of me! I never introduced myself to you. They call me North, but many know me as Santa," North exclaimed. She must have look taken aback by this statement, of course she knew who he was HE was Santa. He wrapped an arm around Cupid. Cupid tried to hide how nervous she was at his touch.
Cupid looked up at North who was probably a good foot, or foot and a half taller than her. It was two feet Cupid knew, but she was trying to make herself feel better.
North laughed. "What is your name? What do they call you, or know you as?" North asked.
"I am well... The name is Cupid, but I go by Coop, or Cooper," Cupid said looking up at North.
"What is a young Cupid doing all the way out here? Especially so close to Valentine's day," North said.
"I was blown off course. I think Jack Frost is trying to play games with me again, but I do not know for sure. After I lost my course I was just plain lost. I was so far gone that I couldn't fly anymore. My wings just got so cold, and they ached from the long flight," Cupid said.
"Jack Frost is a trickster, I must admit. How do your wings feel now?" North pressed, hoping to get the shy cupid to speak to him.
Cupid shook her head. "They feel numb, and stiff. I am not sure if I can move them."
"Try to stretch them out," North said kneeling down to her level. "It can't hurt to try."
"Alright," Cupid said. In the back of her mind she knew it could hurt to try, it could hurt a lot to try. She began to slowly raise her wings, as they rose to her shoulders she winced. A sharp pain shot through her wings.
"Are you okay?" North asked.
Cupid nodded half-heartedly. "My wings are just sore is all."
North seemed to examine her wings. "Let me get Tooth over here. She can tell you for sure."
Cupid nodded slowly. She wasn't sure if she was comfortable with someone looking at her wings.
Cupid just stood there, and watched as North pulled out his snowglobe. He whispered, "Tooth palace" before sending one of the Yeti's through with a note for the Tooth fairy.
Tooth showed up shortly along with all the other guardians. Jack snickered, as his eyes rested on Cupid.
"So North found the little misfit Cooper," Jack said, with a chuckle.
Cupid glared at Jack. He merely stuck his tongue out at her.
"You think you have room to call me a misfit Jack. At least people knew I existed since I was born," Cupid said.
"No, they believe in the other Cupids. I mean, hey, they do think that you all are just babies with bows, and arrows, that shoot people in the but. You are just a screw up!" Jack yelled taking things too far.
"Really? So all things that they believe are automatically true. Toothiana is far from what they believe her to be. They imagine a beautiful human like fairy, but Tooth looks like a flipping humming bird! They believe the Easter Bunny is a little average bunny, but Bunnymund looks, and talks like a KANGAROO! Right Mate?" Cupid ranted, before she shot Jack in the knee with her bow, and arrow that seemed to appear from thin air. "How's that for a baby with a bow? I'm leaving now."
"Go stop her," North muttered to Tooth. She looked hurt for a second, but reluctantly fluttered after the angry Cupid.
Bunny smacked Jack in the back of the head, as the red tipped arrow disappeared from where it was in his knee. "Why did you have to upset the Lass?"
"I wasn't trying to," Jack said. "I just know where she is coming from."
"Where is she coming from?" North asked. "Speak it to me."
"She is one of the cupids that doesn't get much work. They tend to give her blow off jobs, and make sure someone is always there to back up for her if she doesn't make it. She is the small time screw up, because of her small wingspan," Jack explained. "They tend to use her as the "you don't want to be her" so get to work.
"Oh, so is that why you blow her off course all the time?" North asked trying not to glare at the winter spirit. "Maybe you should help her instead of making her job harder on her."
"So you are the screw up?" Tooth asked.
The small Cupid nodded. "They tend to send others on my jobs, and they always do them for me."
"Why?" Tooth asked. Baby Tooth was perched on Cupid's shoulder trying to keep her calm as the Tooth fairy began to unfold Cupid's white wings. She winced at the motion. Tooth wasn't using much force, but to Cupid it felt like she was forcing her wings up.
"Jack blows me off course quite often, and I can't keep up with everyone," Coop said. She was trying desperately to ignore the pain in her wings.
"Don't keep up with anyone. Keep up with yourself," Tooth said, giving her the only advice she could think of.
Cupid nodded. Tooth began to examine her outstretched wingspan.
"Stretch it out for me," Tooth muttered.
"But they are already," Cupid argued.
"Yes, because I did it. Do it of your own power," Tooth commanded.
Cupid did as she said, and the pain subsided.
"Your wings look good. They are just small for your body, so they tire easily," Tooth said holding her wings gingerly.
"I am sorry for what I said Toothiana. I didn't mean it," Cupid apologized.
Tooth hugged Cupid lightly. "I forgive you. I know you were just mad at Jack, but maybe you should apologize to him."
They two walked back into the room with the rest of the Guardians. Jack, and Coop made eye contact for a minute before the spoke. "I'm sorry," They apologized at the same time.
"I shouldn't have been blowing you off course," Jack admitted. "And I should not have been calling you a screw up."
"I shouldn't have shot you in the knee. That was uncalled for," Cupid admitted. Her, and Jack took reluctant steps forward. They shared an awkward hug before separating quickly.
"How are her wings Tooth?" North asked.
"She can fly, but not too far," Tooth said.
The Cupid pulled out her list just as a new name appeared. "I have an assignment," Cupid said in disbelief. She walked towards a window.
"Are you sure you can fly?" North asked trying not to sound worried.
Coop nodded. She ran over to North, and jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck. North gently wrapped his arms around the small Cupid. "Thank you, so much for saving me. I don't know if I would even be able to fly again after another crash landing," Cupid muttered into North's ear.
"I hope our paths cross again," North said his cheeks becoming the slightest bit rosier. North placed the girl lightly on her feet.
Cupid walked back towards the window. Jack stepped closer to her, and said, "I'm going with you."
"What? Why?" Cupid asked.
"I want to help you make it there on time," Jack explained, before rubbing the back of his head. "It's the least I can do."
Cupid nodded, before glancing back at North. She slid the window open slowly before she jumped out of the window followed by Jack Frost.
"Are you afraid to fly?" Jack asked, as he watched the Cupid's nervous wing strokes.
Cupid shook her head. "No, I just don't move as fast as I could."
"Great, because here comes a speed boost," Jack said as the wind picked up around him, and Cupid. The wind carried her forwards.
"So are we even?" Cupid asked.
Jack nodded, with a sly smile. "Yeah, I guess we are for now."
It was quiet, as they reached their destination.
"So I see you are good at putting hooks in hearts," Jack muttered.
"What do you mean?" Cupid asked.
"You have North falling for you," Jack exclaimed, as if he couldn't believe it himself. "Can't you see that?"
Cupid blushed, but just shook her head. "Cupids' aren't meant to fall in love," She thought to herself. Cupid watched as her only friend Valerie walking into the room with her client. Val blew bubbles into the young women's' eyes.
"Go get him," Valerie whispered into the girl's ear before she walked out of the room.
Cupid watched as the name on her list went from black to a faded red. "She did it."
"What did she do?" Jack asked in pure confusion.
"Well she implanted the seeds of young love into the girl," Cupid explained.
"With bubbles?" Jack asked in disbelief.
Cupid nodded. "Some use bubbles, or dust-"
"Don't forget arrows," Jack interrupted.
"Most don't use arrows. I keep them around as a precautionary method, in case I am attacked or something," Cupid explained.
"Attacked by what? Are you afraid of the mythical magic bears too?" Jack asked.
"This isn't funny Jack," Cupid answered.
"I thought it was pretty funny," Jack muttered. "So Cooper, where we off to next?"
"I don't believe this," Coop said in astonishment. She read the name on the end of her list. She read it over, and over again each time her heart sank deeper into her chest.
"What?" Jack said reaching for the list. He pulled it out of her hand, and read it. "So what Coop? It just says North at the bottom. All you have to do is work your magic love voodoo on him, and bam the job is done."
Cupid nodded. "Are you coming?" She asked, as she began to fly back towards the North pole.
When her, and Jack made it there Valerie was there waiting for the younger Cupid.
"Cooper! Where have you been?" Val asked.
"Watching my last job being done," Cupid answered.
"Sorry Coop, but you know they send me to help you out," Val said reaching out to touch her friend's arm. "You are here. Now go in there, and get him."
"I can't do it," Cupid said.
"What do you mean you can't do it?" Valerie asked.
"I just can't. I can't bring him love with another woman," Cupid muttered quietly.
"Coop, you really don't get it do you?" Valerie asked.
"No, I don't," Cupid said sounding frustrated with her only friend, and all the questions she was asking.
"Coop your aura is turning from pink to red," Valerie said. She pointed at Coop's crystal heart choker. The small crystal was going from a light pink to a red. "You are falling in love."
"Cupid's are not meant to fall in love," Coop said. "We bring love."
"They are rewarding you," Valerie said.
"For what being the screw up?" The small Cupid nearly yelled at her friend.
"No, for all the love you have brought. Your jobs always turn out the best, because you put your own love into what you do. You never force the love on to anyone, you only give them what they can handle," Valerie said. "You have also done more jobs, than any other Cupid."
"So?" Cupid asked.
"Get in there, and work your love magic on Santa," Val said pushing Cupid towards the window.
"Alright," Cupid said. She climbed through the window, and walked through the toy workshop. She passed countless Yeti, and clueless elves before she made it to North's office. She knocked lightly on his door. Cupid waited for him to open the door. When the door finally swung open, North looked right over her head. He was about to shut the door, when Cupid spoke.
"North," Cupid said forcing North to look down at her.
"Oh little Dove. You came back!" North exclaimed resisting the urge to pick her up, and wrap his arms around her. "Come in! Sorry, I did not see you. It is just that..."
"I know the obvious size difference," Cupid said. "You are tall, and I am very short."
North held the door open for her. "Milk, cookies, or fruit cake?" Cupid grabbed a chocolate chip cookie, and ate it. She took a bite, and the cookie melted in her mouth, it was like magic.
"I was not sure when, or if you would return," North said.
"Me either, but I am here now," Cupid said. She didn't know how to do this. How was she supposed to fall in love?
Music began to play in North's office. North had an amused look on his face.
"I love this song," North said. "Would you want to-"
"Dance. I would love to," Cupid said answering the question that wasn't really asked.
North took her small hands in his, and slowly began to move as if he thought she was made of glass. Cupid moved with him urging him to move faster. North lifted her off of the ground, and threw her into the air. He held her hands in his. He refused to let her hands go. North set her on the ground, and spun her around a few times bringing her up off of the ground a little more each time. Cupid looked at him, and saw the pure joy in his blue eyes. They really were falling for each other. North held her in his arms, and gazed into her eyes.
His thick eyebrows couldn't hide his clear blue eyes. Cupid could see his aura changing now from a deep pink to a light red. North was in love. He was in love with her. Cupid inched closer to North, and North did the same. Their faces were inches apart. North's lips brushed against Cupid's lightly. He could taste the chocolate chip cookie on her lips. She pressed her lips against his. Their eyes closed slowly, as they eased into the kiss. North's beard was tickling her cheeks as they kissed, she didn't mind the feeling of his beard against her face.
Val watched as their auras turned from red to bright orange which suggested true love's kiss. Valerie fist pumped, and muttered, "Yes."
"What?" Jack asked, his acquaintance.
"They kissed, and their auras are matching bright orange." Valerie was nearly jumping up, and down. "It is true love!"
Jack nodded slowly fixing his blue hood on his head.
"Thanks for your help Jack," Valerie said as Coop's name faded from black to the pale red. Valerie flew away, her work here was done.
North sat Coop back on the ground gently. He still clutched her hands in his. "I made something for you."
"Really you did?" Cupid asked.
"Yes, I did little Dove," North said.
"What is it?" Cupid asked, trying to get North to tell her what he made her.
North pulled out a matryoshka doll that looked a lot like the one he had to represent himself. This one had well a picture of Santa standing with me. It showed how small Cupid was. North handed it to Cupid for her to open.
"Your represents aspects of you, so does mine represent me?" Cupid asked. She laughed, as she examined the doll. "The first one has you on it with me."
North nodded. "Only for comparison purposes. You are small."
Cupid opened that to reveal the next doll. It showed her blushing, and her hands being held behind her back. She didn't know what it meant. She wasn't smiling, and her mouth was clearly set in a straight face. "You are shy, and quiet," North explained.
The next layer was Cupid aiming her bow and arrow. Her aim was never off. They trained her well North knew. Cupid knew that look, that was the look that she gave Jack Frost before shooting him in the knee.
North laughed as the realization crossed her face. "You are truly a devious little Dove."
She opened it to reveal the next layer. It showed Cupid smiling, her smile seemed to light up the room. Her dress was as white as her teeth which seemed to shine. "I have a smile that lights up the world," The Cupid guessed.
"Close, You have a smile full of light," North exclaimed happily.
North nodded after he spoke letting Coop know to open the next doll. It was obviously her, but there was a light coming from her chest. It was an orange, and yellow light. That came from her chest, and made the features of her face blury. "I have no idea. I have awesome headlights," Cupid said. After she realized what she just said she facepalmed, and North bellowed with laughter.
"Well yes you do, but you have an emense light of courage. It radiates from your heart," North said. He motioned at the section of her chest where her heart is. "The last one is your center."
Cupid slowly opened the last one revealing her with a huge red heart in the center of her chest. North put a finger to her mouth, as she opened her mouth to speak. She closed her mouth again. North put up a finger to tell her to wait. The red heart slowly began to light up. It glowed a bright red. Cupid looked up at North, his blue eyes were shining with a childish wonder. She jumped up, and wrapped her arms around his neck, before she kissed him. North met her kiss with an approving 'mhmm'. The kiss was broken slowly. North held Cupid as she untangled her arms from around his neck. She held her center in her hand. North's finger brushed against her soft white down feathers.
"Do I need to tell you what it represents?" North asked.
Cupid shook her head. "But you telling me will make me feel better."
"Your center is pure love. It radiates from you. You love everything, and put your love into your work. It is just what you do Coop," North said giving her a gentle squeeze.
Cupid opened her mouth to speak when Jack jumped into the window singing, "Santy, and Cooper sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage." He didn't get much farther, than that because Cupid shot him in the knee.
"Ouch! I thought we were even!" Jack yelled, as he hopped up, and down on one leg.
"We were until you crossed me again," Cupid said with a sly smile.
North laughed. "I told you devious!"
Cupid snapped her fingers causing the arrow in Jack's knee to fade away, and return to her hand. She held the bow lazily in her other hand.
"Where did that even come from anyways? You pulled it out of thin air!" Jack exclaimed.
Cupid shook her head. "It doesn't actually. Just watch." She loaded her arrow in the bow, and tossed it up. The bow and arrow made a small silver ring, with a red stone that was the arrow tip. Jack took the small ring, and examined it.
Jack tried to make it turn into a bow again, but he couldn't. Cupid laughed, and called her ring back to her. It flew from Jack's hand to Cupid's. She held it for a second before she tossed it up lightly, and caught it on her index finger.
North took a step towards Cupid, and tapped her on the shoulder. Cupid looked up at him her pale rose colored eyes searched his blue eyes, before she smiled.
"What North?" Cupid asked.
"I want to show you something. Jack Frost, do you mind," North said. He grabbed her hand in his, and looked at Jack waiting for him to leave. Jack put up his hands, before he left North's office to explore the toy workshop.
"So what do you want to show me?" Cupid asked.
"My bow, and arrow," North said with a smile. He pulled out his twin blades that were as long as Cupid was tall. Cupid's eyes widened. "You alright?"
Cupid nodded. She thought for a second. She knew what those blades could do to her, but she just jumped up to hug North. She knew he would never hurt her, and if he tried he would be in for a surprise.
North's arms laid on the small of Cupid's back directly under her wings. They shared another kiss.
"Did I ever tell you?" Cupid asked breaking the kiss.
"Tell me what?" North asked trying to hide his confusion.
"I love a man with weapons," Cupid muttered, as she inched closer to him rubbing her nose against his.