CHAPTER 23
The cupid put Castiel down and looked brightly at Sam.
"And look at you." He walked over to Sam.
"No. No." Sam started to walk away but cupid got him. Leigh wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or vomit. Sam held his hands in the air, not knowing what to do with them; definitely not wanting to hug the naked dude.
"Is this a fight? Are we in a fight?" Dean asked worriedly.
"No, this is their handshake." Castiel told him."
"I don't like it." Dean said wide-eyed.
"No one likes it."
Cupid put Sam down and started towards Leigh. Sam stepped in front of her in protection. Part of it was because he didn't want her to be crushed by the thing's grip, but most of it was because he didn't want any guy touching her; especially not a naked one.
"You touch her and I'll rip your dick off." Sam said defensively. The cupid smiled and stepped away.
"I see, you don't want me touching your lady. I respect that."
"She's not my lady." The cupid's expression turned from happy to sad. Leigh's amused look also turned to one of disappointment and even though she wished they hadn't, she knew everyone, including Sam, saw it.
"W-why?" the cupid asked "You have strong feelings towards each other and you've been marked by an Elder's cupid." He said and Leigh remembered when Coop's ring had flashed pink.
"Marked?" Leigh asked "Uh, does that mean we're next?" she asked frantically.
"Next?" the cupid looked confused.
"No, don't worry, he didn't mark us." Sam told her reassuringly, ignoring the cupid.
"Why are you doing this?" Castiel asked the cupid.
"Doing what?"
"Your targets, the ones you've marked, they're slaughtering each other."
The cupid looked sad again. "What? They are?"
"Listen, we know." Dean slowly advanced on the cupid. "We know you've been flitting around, popping people with your poison arrow, making them murder each other!"
"What we don't know is why." Castiel said.
"You think that I…" the cupid pouted "Well I don't know what to say." He said and started blubbering and walking off.
"Uh, is he crying?" Leigh whispered to Sam who nodded in confirmation "Should someone, maybe, go talk to him?"
"Yeah, you're right." Dean said. "Give 'em hell Cas." He gave Castiel a pat on the arm. Cas looked perturbed but went to the cupid.
"Look," he began but looked lost for words "we didn't mean to um," he looked at Sam, Dean and Leigh for help, they all smiled in support "hurt your feelings."
Cupid turned around fast and pulled Cas into yet another hug. Castiel reluctantly hugged back.
"Love is worth the world to me. I love, love! I love it! And if that's wrong I don't wanna be right." The cupid said.
"Yes, yes. Of course, I, uh, I have no idea what you're saying." Cas replied and the cupid let him go.
"I was just on my appointed rounds; whatever my targets do after that it's got nothing to do with me. I was following my orders. Please brother read my mind. Read my mind you'll see."
Cas stared intensely at him. He turned slowly and walked back to the group. "He's telling the truth."
"Jiminy Christmas, thank you."
"You said that you were just following orders?" Dean asked. The cupid nodded. "Whose orders?"
"Heaven silly, heaven." The cupid laughed.
"Why does heaven care if Harry meets Sally?"
"Mostly they don't, but you know certain blood lines, certain destinies. Like yours."
"What?" Sam asked.
"Oh yeah. The union of John and Mary Winchester very big deal upstairs; top priority arrangement."
"You're saying you fixed up our parents?" Dean said.
"Well not me, but yeah." Cupid replied with a smile. "It wasn't easy either. They couldn't stand each other at first." He said with a laugh "But when we were done with them, perfect couple."
"Perfect?"
"Yeah!" cupid said with a broad beam.
"They're dead!" Dean shouted.
"I'm sorry but the orders were very clear. You and Sam needed to be born. Your parents were just meant to be." The cupid started dancing. "A match made in heaven, heaven."
He was cut off mid-song by Dean's fist connecting to his jaw. The cupid didn't seem fazed, but it looked like Dean broke his hand. He turned back to the group, holding his hand.
"Son of a bitch." He muttered.
"Guys." Leigh said "he's gone."
"Where is he?" Dean asked "Where'd he go?"
"I believe you upset him." Castiel said.
"Upset him!"
"Dean enough." Sam said.
"What?" Dean snapped.
"You just punched a cupid!"
"I punched a dick!"
"Are we gonna talk about what's been up with you lately or not?" Sam asked.
"Or not." Dean said and walked away.