Chapter Text
Emile Picani had been a cupid in training for 3 years. He’d mastered the quizzes, aced every identification test he took, and was trained under the most recognizable cupid of his time.
There was just one problem.
He was fine with most arrows, friendship matches were his specialty, and he even managed a breakup arrow after the first few times. But when it came to the true love’s arrow, the spectacle of all cupids, he failed miserably.
The day he met Thomas he just knew he was going to match him with somebody perfect. Roman saw, even pat him on the back for such a strong candidate! And it had worked for the first few months, everything was smooth sailing and Emile thought he might actually earn his official Cupid’s license.
But then came the Guys and Dolls incident. Everyone told him no one could’ve seen it coming, that it just came out of nowhere, but Emile knew better. He’d set up an imperfect match, and he’d failed at his one purpose.
That was what led him here, up in the clouds, surveilling for someone to grant love to. He couldn’t choose Thomas again, certainly not after what he’d done that first time. What was he missing? Why couldn’t he do what he was made for?
“Are you still thinking about Guys and Dolls?” No one dared utter the names of who Emile had failed to set up, but that didn’t mean there weren’t whispers.
“Go away Roman, I’m not done sulking.” He’d be more mature. He just needed another half hour to be dramatic about his feelings.
“No can do Cupid Barton, you gotta shake out your wings and try again. Can’t have you quitting on me, can I now?”
“Did you just try to make a pun out of Hawkeye and cupid? Nevermind, that’s not the point. You don’t seriously expect me to get out there again so soon after what happened?”
Roman smiled serenely, squeezing his shoulder for good measure. “Not like you’d be doing much good wasting away up here Em. You want to get your license as much as I do, probably even more.”
“I can’t fail anyone else, not after…” Emile cut himself off so his voice wouldn’t crack.
“You won’t, I know you won’t. Now, let’s go visit that awful potions maker to get those wings hidden!”
“Huh?” Why would he need his wings hidden? Cupids only did that if they were travelling down to earth.
“You need to see things from their perspective Em! How do you think I got Dot and Larry together? Not by watching on a cloud, I can tell you that much.” Getting Dot and Larry together was Roman’s crowning achievement, Emile should know. No one let him forget.
“Why do you hate the potions master so much anyways?” Roman talked about the man constantly, and honestly Emile thought the cupid might like him more than he knew.
“I just do!” Yeah. Roman definitely liked the guy. A sense of dread pooled in Emile’s gut as they got closer to the telltale stand.
Something told him that this wouldn’t go away so easily.