Ladybird

Spending the day with a bunch of busy body cupids to prepare for this event tomorrow isn't how I'd normally like to spend my day. However, the likelihood that I'll get to boss people around and be around Gloom and Cupiō while I do it is a positive.

I'm just about to leave my apartment when there's a knock on my door.

No one ever knocks on my door.

It better not be some cupid soliciting some bullshit or else I'll have to work on some sort of legislation with Cupiō to ensure that solicitation is banned.

I swing open the door, fully prepared to ruin the person's life on the other side. But when I open the door, there's no one there. Just a large black box with a satin ribbon wrapped around it.

I glance down each side of the hallway and there's no one there either. Peculiar.

If there's something malicious in the box, I'm going to go nuclear. But curiosity gets the best of me, and I bring the box inside, setting it on the kitchen counter. There's a black card with my name in silver script. I free it from the box and open the letter.

Ladybird,

The perfect dress for a goddess.

Yours,

Gloom

I smile and read the short card a few more times. But nothing prepares me for when I tug on the ribbon and take off the lid of the box. Inside is the most beautiful sparkly black dress. It reminds me of the night sky on Earth and I have to push a rogue tear away from my eye.

I feel seen.

Pink is a great color, and I really don't mind it. But if I had a choice? It wouldn't be my first one, but everything sold in Cupidale is pink.

The fabric feels luxurious against my fingers and as much as I'd like to try it on right now and never take it off; I hang it up on the back of my closet, admiring it for a few more moments before I have to spend the rest of the day outdoors.

There's a pep in my step as I leave my building and head to the park. The swans are in full force. There are pink LED lights in the lake that make it look like we're setting up for some psychedelic rave. But none of it matters.

To be frank, the party doesn't even matter to me. I couldn't care less about how it goes. All I care about is Cupiō being happy with the event and not making a terrible impression on Gloom's reaper friends who come.

Shit.

What if they think I'm not good enough for him?

"There she is," Gloom's voice startles me, and I turn around to face him.

It's odd, this feeling I'm working through right now. If I had to describe it, I suppose I would use giddy, which is just as revolting as my earlier thoughts.

"Thank you for my dress," I tell him, and his perfectly sculpted cheeks heat.

"You like it?" he asks, and I wonder if he feels just as insecure as me.

Maybe the three of us have just been alone for so long that none of us know how to act like normal people.

"I love it. You did an amazing job picking it out. I can't wait to wear it tomorrow."

He smiles and bites his lip. "I can't wait to see you in it."

"I'm in trouble with you," I joke, and he comes to stand next to me, interlacing our fingers.

"Speaking of trouble. Manual labor is kind of bullshit. Love has about a hundred of those pink fuckers doing her bidding. Do you want to show me around for a little while before we have to do actual work?"

I squeeze his hand. "Do you want to see my favorite place in Cupidale?"

"Please tell me there are no swans?"

"Absolutely not. Follow me."

We slink away, as I take him down a back path in the park. There are no bugs in Cupidale, however, there is the artificial noise of cicadas in the background.

"What's Purgatory like?" I ask him, his hand still comfortably in mine.

"More urban, lots of rain, quiet."

"Do you like it?"

"I used to think it was the best place someone could live."

"And now?"

"I'd call anywhere home for the right people. And Cupidale isn't much of a hardship either."

I smile, feeling so unlike myself at the moment, but I don't hate it.

"Just through there," I say, pointing at the cave entrance.

"A cave?"

"Ah, not just a cave. You trust me, don't you?"

He looks at me and nods his head as I take him in the entrance. You can hear water dripping, and thankfully there are enough gaps above that there's natural light as we make our way deeper.

Gloom stops in his tracks as we reach the light pink waterfall, the water trickling into the grotto below.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

"It is," he replies, but when I turn and face him, he isn't looking at the waterfall or the pool in front of us. He's looking at me. "Should we get in?"

I'd usually say no, I'm not spontaneous or particularly fun. But there's something about Gloom that brings out a side of me I didn't know existed.

"Unzip me," I tell him, turning my back.

He's slow, dragging his knuckles against my back and pressing a kiss against my shoulder as he relieves me of my dress. My heels are quickly knocked off as I stand confidently in front of him in my pink, lacy undergarments.

"It seems wholly unfair that I haven't seen you undressed," I tell him.

"Is that what you want, Ladybird? Do you want to see a reaper naked on his knees for you?"

I take a few steps toward him, grabbing his black shirt and bringing my mouth close to his jaw. Close enough that he can feel my breath. "No, not just any reaper. I'm sure most of them aren't good boys who are excellent listeners. Isn't that right, pet?"

The seductive breath that whooshes out of him tells me everything I need to know as he grabs the hem of his shirt and throws it over his head.

His body is a fucking work of art, devoid of any markings or scars. Only perfectly sculpted abs and a v shape leading down to his pants. His abdomen is clenching as he breathes heavily and his gaze meets mine.

I know we haven't fully kissed, and part of me is getting a deep satisfaction out of making him wait.

"That's not naked," I remind him.

He eagerly unfastens his belt, and it clunks to the floor. I wonder if it reminds him of the night at the restaurant. I know it's all I can think about.

Until he removes his pants and underwear in one swift movement, showcasing his glorious pierced cock.

I tilt my head, examining his very impressive member.

"That was unexpected," I say and his length twitches.

"In a good way?"

"In a very good way," I promise him.

"What about you? Are you going to take these very cute, very pink underthings off?" he asks, grazing his fingertip over my bra strap. "And while we're at it, do you have any of those pretty pink wings you'd like to show off?"

I clear my throat and unfasten my bra while contemplating whether I want to let them free. I'm not sure why, but I've always been slightly insecure about having my wings out.

But the way Gloom specifically brought it up has me letting my guard down as I let my bra fall to the floor and release my pale pink wings. They're far lighter than most cupids I know, almost nearly white, not a perfect bubble gum or rouge pink.

Gloom invades my space, dragging his knuckles along my wing, and I do my best not to shiver or stare down at his cock that's pressed against my flesh.

"They're beautiful. You're beautiful," he whispers.

It's almost too much to handle. So instead of speaking, I wrap an arm around his neck and bring his mouth against mine for a kiss. Gloom groans as he splays his hands against the apex of my wings and I can't help but moan against the feel.

Why have I never let anyone touch them before now?

It's like sensitivity overload, and I can't take it, so I pop them out of existence, making Gloom readjust his hands on my ass.

His skin is warm and smooth under my fingers as I explore his chest while we kiss. The metal ring at the tip of his cock is cold against my hip, but he doesn't grind on me, his length just resting against my body.

Gloom squeezes my ass before grabbing the waistband of my panties and tugging them down.

I'm completely exposed to him, not just in the literal sense of being naked. But I feel like Gloom sees me for me and likes every jagged corner of who I am. It feels heady and I want more.

I push against his chest, and he makes a discontented sound in the back of his throat. His hands don't leave my hips, however. I slide my hand down, grabbing his and taking a step towards the grotto's edge. When I glance over at him, the only thing written on his face is excitement.

So we jump in together, like the most figurative leap of faith I could ever imagine.

The water is warm and welcoming. When I reach the surface, I'm greeted with a blurry laughing Gloom. I can't help but follow suit, even realizing my glasses are probably on the bottom of the pool floor.

The strong reaper swims toward me, and I instinctively wrap my arms and legs around him.

"I love your laugh," he says and I shake my head, knowing that it's a ridiculous laugh, but loving the compliment all the same.

"What else do you like?" I ask, raking my nails against his short hair.

"I like that you're bold, that you don't give a fuck what people think, and that you're bossy."

"So if I told you to press me up against that rock ledge and slide your cock into me until I come, you'd do it?" I ask.

"Ladybird, as far as I'm concerned, you own my cock."

"Prove it."

Gloom swims us over to the rock's edge, my ass pressed against the cool stone as he leans in and kisses me. He slips his fingers between us to toy with my pussy where I'm already wet and ready.

He groans his approval before fisting his length and slowly sliding inside of me. The motion makes the water ripple even more, and I look for purchase against the rock.

His piercing drags inside of me, hitting all the right places, and I dig my nails into his back.

I grab the back of his head, forcing his mouth onto my breast, and he licks and lavishes my nipple with a level of enthusiasm that can't be manufactured. His lips suck while his cock pushes in and out of me in the most delicious and satisfying way.

My moans along with the water splashing fill the cavernous space as I hold his head where I want him and dig my heels into his muscular ass.

"Right there," I urge him, needing him to keep the same pace.

I feel like a true cupid with the amount of lust and desire ripping through my veins.

"I'm going to come. You want to feel my cunt milk your cock, don't you, pet?"

He moans, his hand gripping my ass harder as he fucks into me. His lips leave my nipple for only a moment, just so he can whimper. "Please."

It wrecks me as he pushes deeper into me, the ring on his cock gliding against my walls as his mouth switches from one breast to another. He sucks hard, making me gasp and causing my orgasm to rip through me.

The sounds in the space are salacious as I fall apart, shuttering against him.

"Please," he moans again, near desperation.

I ache for his desire for me, and so I show him mercy by grabbing his chin and whispering against his face.

"I want you to come inside of me."

Gloom doesn't waste a second. His hips snapping against the water as he pounds into my pussy, filling me with his cum. He nuzzles my neck and chest as he does so, and I hold his head and shoulders as he reaches his release.

We stay like that for a long moment; me holding him against my chest and him holding me against the rock. The water splashes in the background and our hearts are thundering against one another.

"We probably need to get back," he complains, rubbing the bridge of his nose against my jaw.

"I lost my glasses," I say, and he finally looks up at my face.

"Give me a sec."

Gloom pulls out of me, causing us both to wince, before he takes a deep breath and dives beneath the surface. He's gone a considerable amount of time before finally popping up with my glasses in the air.

"My hero," I exclaim as he swims over and hands them to me.

We both walk up the makeshift stairs to our discarded clothes. I clearly didn't think this through. My hair is going to be a fucking disaster and there's no time to go home and shower, even if we portalled there.

"Are you okay with your friends guessing what we did?" Gloom says as he pulls up his underwear and pants.

"One, I don't really have any friends and two, if anything, they'll be jealous."

He gives me what I could only consider a boyish grin as we finish dressing. My hair is a wet mess, but I don't give a single fuck as we make our way to the park to help set up.

Of course, the first person we're greeted by is none other than cupid of the year herself, Love.

"Where the fuc—" she starts and then immediately stops talking as soon as she sees my wet hair.

I'm trying my best to not be rude or curt with her, she's Gloom's friend, no matter how much her over enthusiasm for life may be annoying.

"Hey, Love. Where do you need us?" Gloom asks, and Love shifts her gaze between the two of us.

"Um… if you could go make sure the balloons behind the DJ booth are set up?" she says, more of a question than a command.

"Great, thanks," Gloom says, barely paying her any mind as he holds my hand, and I enjoy that more than I'd like to admit.

Gloom lifts the helium tank with ease as we fill balloons up and tie them onto strings.

"There you two are," a familiar deep voice says, and we both look up. "Birdie, why the fuck is your hair wet?" he asks, and I push a piece of damp hair from my face.

"Gloom and I went for a little swim," I say, getting annoyed at tying another fucking balloon knot.

I'm not sure what to expect from Cupiō. Will he be jealous? Irritated? But I should have known better. Instead, a wide smile takes over his face, and he leans against the DJ booth.

"A swim, huh?" he asks.

"A naked swim," Gloom says, nearly showing off. I like it more than I should.

"That hardly seems fair," Cupiō complains.

"You said slow," I remind him.

He sighs, resting his chin on his hand and watching as I attempt to tie yet another balloon and fail with my nails.

"Birdie, I had a cupid asking about a job replacement and I don't feel like it. Would you mind?"

I perk up immediately and I can see Gloom laughing and shaking his head out of the corner of my eye.

"Where are they?" I ask.

"Over by the big willow tree," he replies.

I graciously get up from my despicable manual labor job and when I'm passing Cupiō, he grabs my wrist and tugs me against his chest. My breath hitches as he leans down to whisper in my ear.

"I'm done taking it slow. Tomorrow night, you're mine." Cupiō's eyes meet mine, then he looks over to Gloom. "You're both mine."

I'm blinking at him wildly when he grins and lightly taps my ass. "Now go handle the annoying cupid. I'll see you later," Cupiō says.

I leave feeling completely dumbfounded and like this might be the best day of my life. Well… except for tomorrow.