4/29/2025, 7:10 PM
![[Image: cupid-chirpeax.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/wj8G0kHm/cupid-chirpeax.png)
His sense of smell was keen, his attention often drawn to it in lieu of his sight as a distraction. Cupid followed the trail his daughter had taken through the woods, toward the sea. He wanted to take a moment to catch his breath, instead forced to take shallow sips of air as his terror squeezed his ribs tighter, then tighter still. He wanted to take a moment to process this anger and fear within him, let it pass, lest he say or do something he couldn't take back. Something he'd regret.
What the fuck was he doing? Who in the world had thought him fit to bring children into the world, to raise them? Was everything he'd done a misstep? Had he doomed his pups to falling victim to the same cycles of unfortunate fate that had once befallen him?
Why had Freya left him, here, alone? She'd said she'd be there for him. But she'd left him here alone, lost, and taken Cupid's mischief with her. It'd just been him and Tyr, and now, Tyr was gone too. Maybe he'd return. Maybe not.
Cupid followed Astrid's trail, but he wasn't sure he should.
As he walked, he tried to pocket his emotions for later. They weren't for Astrid to manage, and they weren't meant to be inflicted upon her either. He did need to ensure she was safe, and they had a serious conversation about some of her reactions.
The anger she wielded was so righteous, and he knew that was his fault - she got it from him, he just knew how to hide it and temper it.
He stepped onto the beach, and felt another pang of concern - had Astrid decided to cross, already? He'd told her she wasn't fucking going....
Cupid inhaled, the brine stink of the sea scrubbing the cloying anger clean from his lungs. He held the breath for a moment, sightless eyes shut against the world, before exhaling. Another inhale, and he realized blood was on the air along with Astrid's scent, and a distant hiccupping sob.
Fuck,
Astrid. ASTRID?The father trotted forward to try to close the gap, eventually realizing there was another scent on the beach. He wasn't sure who the blood belonged to. Selfishly, he hoped it was the other girl. He knew the thought was awful, but didn't quite feel guilty for it yet.
