Bairer
Legacy Name: Bairer

Part One
It was a beautiful, sunny day with a mild temperature. The wind was blowing gently, and though almost noon, the warm rays had yet to make the day unbearably hot. Maybe Spring was still in the air and too determined to change over to Summer yet. Or maybe there was something else in the air... like love?

Bairer almost chuckled at the thought. Like Love would permeate the air akin to some sort of toxic chemical or contagious spore! How silly mortals are!

"Let's see here... according to my information, he should be here soon," the sweetheart cybill muttered softly. Sitting at a picnic table in the park on such a balmy day wasn't the worst way to spend time, but Bairer was ready to be done with their work for the day. They were ready to go get some lunch with their fathers, and this job was just taking way too long! Plenty of people had come passing by... but Bairer was waiting for one man in particular; their next target.

Being cupid sure isn't rainbows and sunshine all the time...

Bairer sighed before laying on their back along the long wooden bench. Spreading Love was a great thing. They acknowledged that. But gosh, it could sure be boring! Getting this timing thing right was so tricky!
Catch the man at the right time.
Suggest the right thing.
Ready their heart for new love.
So tedious!
If only everyone would just... set these things up themselves! It sure would have made Bairer's job easier!

"I wish everyone was more like dad one and dad two! Then I wouldn't have to be stuck on Subeta... so much..." Bairer was glad people never paid them any mind, because they regretted the words as soon as they came out of their mouth. Subeta wasn't such a horrible place to be; at least not now that he had a family to be with!

Speaking of which... Bairer took their phone from their pocket and dialed "Dad One," a.k.a. Soki, and impatiently waited for their father to pick up. No answer. Well, it was a busy time for him... a new edition of his fashion magazine was coming out, and that new summer line was supposed to be ready for production next week. Bairer frowned. He promised we'd all go out to lunch when I am done with this cupid call, and he better keep his word!

Bairer would have spent more time thinking about it, but they were interrupted by an older woman approaching them. It was pretty obvious why. The anyu was carrying around religious pamphlets and passing them out to all who passed. She was probably coming to sit on the bench for a rest, so Bairer sat up to give her room. Not like she would have noticed them anyway. Mortals could see cupids, but they often ignored them unless the cupids started the conversation. The cupids jokingly referred to it as "Selective Sight."

The woman seemed a bit out of breath and tired, wheezing slightly as she sat down with a thump. Bairer glanced around. The Target still wasn't here... might as well help an old woman out. Karma is a good thing, right? They jumped to their feet and scurried over to the drink vendor just down the park path. It took a moment to get the vendor's attention, but once successful, Bairer skipped back to the woman with a bottle of water in hand.

"Excuse me," Bairer spoke to the anyu. She was startled, not noticing that the cupid had already sat down beside her again. "You look thirsty. You can have my water if you want. I haven't even opened it up yet."

The old woman smiled, reaching out for the drink. "Oh my, what a kind little soul you are, young ma--... la--..." Her eyes examined the sweet cupid beside her, searching for the proper gendered noun, but clearly, she couldn't figure it out. And she wouldn't. Bairer was genderfluid. As a cupid, it was nonsensical to select a gender for any sort of permanent status. They could not reproduce, and biologically were sexless. And Bairer thought both boys and girls were pretty in their own ways... so why choose to be one or the other? Every morning, Soki would get Bairer out of a bed and ask which gender they wanted to be for the day. Based on that decision, Soki would then help the cupid get dressed. The wardrobe had pants and blouses, dresses and slacks, skirts and cargo pants. Whatever Bairer was in the mood to wear! In fact, some days Bairer would even ask for makeup, and Soki would obediently dress up his recently adopted little model. The two both found it to be fun, and Dad Two (a.k.a. Lurando) always asked for a morning fashion show from Bairer, including a cat walk and hair flip.

Bairer giggled at the old woman, their bright teal eyes shining behind the platinum blonde bangs. Today Bairer was neither male nor female. With a touch of makeup, they wore their favorite pink jeans with a purple dress shirt and blue vest. And of course, since they were "on the job," they made sure to wear their favorite heart studded belt. They were so androgynous that this poor old woman would never guess.

"Sorry, but you really don't need to finish your thought. The Thank You was good enough as is! Enjoy your water!" Bairer replied, grinning wide as they stood up. They couldn't help themselves; the irony was too humorous. They'd caught a glimpse of the pamphlets the woman had been passing out: "God Wants Only Men and Women!"

Some people will never learn... Love is LOVE. No gender here!

The Target had finally shown up, so it was time to leave the confused woman to her rest. They waved her goodbye and walked down the path towards another occupied bench.

Time to get to work!

Next -

Part Two
As soon as Bairer spotted the male keeto, they knew. This was indeed the fellow they were waiting for.

On a bench, under the shade of a large willow, the weary man sat. He was hunched over a piece of paper in his hand; a photo of an old lover.
It was clear to any mortal that his heart was broken.
It was even more clear to any cupid.

The man was still obsessed with his former lover; his wife of five years. The widower had lost her two years ago, but still felt the pain as if the tragedy had occurred just yesterday. Every squealing motorcycle made him relive those moments.

Bairer approached the sullen man quietly. This man needed to feel better, and Bairer was here for him. The man just didn't know it yet.

"Excuse me?" the cupid spoke softly, standing eye-to-eye with the sitting gentleman. The man jerked his head up in surprise, and his eyes actually met the cupid's.

"Sometimes I am the bearer of good news.
Sometimes I am the bearer of bad.
But I am ALWAYS the bearer of truth,
So just learn to accept,
And begin your search anew."

Bairer said the words in monotone, a special ritual to prepare a mortal. Just as expected, the man's eyes glazed over and he relaxed in his seat. Now ready, the cupid took a seat beside him, resting their hand on his shoulder. The two then spoke in unison.

"It has been a painful two years. I miss her so much. But... she wouldn't want this. She wouldn't want me to waste my life and my love on longing. My heart is large. My heart is strong. My heart is ready for something new."

Hypnotized, the unified chant took hold on the man. Now he was quiet as Bairer spoke to him. "You know, I think I'll start to put myself out there. Just, just see what this old fishing rod can reel in. No rush of course. But I think, I think I want to fill this hole in my heart. I'm going to do this. I'm going to get another girlfriend. Or, or maybe just some coffee at that place around the corner. Coffee first, then love." Once the words were spoken, they took their hand off of the man's shoulder.

The man's eyes regained their shine, and he slowly looked down at the photo, forgetting the cupid beside him. He stared at the photo for a long moment, and then sighed heavily. "You know, I think I'll start to put myself out there..." he spoke aloud, addressing only himself. "Just... just see what this old fishing rod can reel in." There was a hesitant tone to his voice, so he added, "No rush of course." He paused, mulling over his own words. "But I think... I think I want to fill this hole in my heart."

He took a deep breath and then stood up, mustering all the confidence he could manage. "I'm going to do this. I'm going to get another girlfriend." The confidence dimmed quickly as he looked down at the photo again. "Or... or maybe just some coffee at that place around the corner." Shaking his head, and his worries aside, he slipped the photo into the pocket of his trench coat. No, this time he wouldn't give up. "Coffee first, then love!" He puffed out his chest, if only to impress himself, and then walked down the path and out of the park.

Bairer watched the keeto as he'd repeated the suggested words. His heart would heal soon enough. The cupid had already made sure that the keeto's next lover would be waiting there, at that very coffee shop. "Heh, I'm not sure if "love is in the air," but it just might be in the coffee!" they joked to themselves as their phone rang. Finally, dad one was calling!

"Perfect timing! Daddy, can we go get lunch now?"

Bairer could almost feel his father's cheeks flushing through the phone. Neither of the couple was used to being called "Daddy," especially since they were both only in their mid-twenties, and hadn't expected to adopt a loving, "pre-teen" cupid at their age. The two had only been together two years when they'd met Bairer, and now, nine months later, they were just getting ready to accept their new titles.

"Yay! I'll see you both very soon!"

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Part Three
"Daddy, can I get ice cream?"

"We've discussed this. You may not be a mortal, but that doesn't mean you don't have vegetables to eat! You can't live on just ice cream!"

"I keep telling you, I am fueled by ice cream! It gives me life~!"

Soki laughed and shook his head at Bairer. "Well, you can eat your fuel after you eat a real meal. It can be a kids meal though, since I know the only thing you are willing to eat gallons of is ice cream."

"Are they already asking for ice cream?" Lurando commented, walking over to the table and surprising the two. They'd been patiently waiting for "Dad Two" to arrive for a few minutes now.

Soki smiled and laughed. "When are they NOT asking for it?" Soki stood and the two exchanged a quick kiss. Lurando was a telenine, about six inches taller than Soki (a kumos), and more muscular, but both men were attractive and wearing the finest in fashion.

"And I'm not about to forget you," Lurando joked as he leaned down and gave Bairer a kiss on the forehead. "Did you both have a good day?" he asked his family as the couple took their seats again.

Soki discussed his day before the waitress finally came to take their order. Once their food order was placed, Lurando asked Bairer to talk about today's assignment.

"Oh, nothing too special or romantic. Just a coffee setup," Bairer replied with a shrug.

"Were they soulmates?" Lurando asked with a knowing grin.

Bairer smiled before chuckling, catching the inside joke. Mortals always assumed "soulmates" were two individuals who were meant to be together in a romantic sense. However, this translation of the cupid tongue was wrong. "Soulmates" was a category of relationships referring to connections between people that were meant to occur (which could be positive OR negative). There were three:
1. Platonic, or people you meet that change your life without any long lasting contact (such as the person who crashes into your car- the meeting was meant to happen, but it is a short relationship);
2. Familial, or people you meet that change your life in a longer term, but that are either: romantic but not long lasting, or platonic but long lasting (such as first loves and family members);
3. Romantic, which was the standard long lasting romantic relationship that mortals talk about.

Because of these different types, literally everyone that a person meets is SOME form of soulmate. The majority of these relationships are platonic, but among the cupids, they still count as soulmates!

Lurando and Soki knew this, as they were some of the only people that Bairer had ever told about it. Knowing this, the three had an inside joke: sometimes Lurando or Soki would ask if a job involved "soulmates."

As usual, Bairer replied, "Don't they all?"

After sharing the laugh, Lurando began to discuss his day, but Bairer didn't listen. Instead, they observed the couple. It still amazed the cupid... how unusual these two were. Even knowing that Bairer could tell them if they were "romantic soulmates," something Bairer had offered them several times, the couple always turned down the knowledge. They would rather live together for as long as it lasted... to be this happy for as long as they were meant to. They didn't want to know if it would end anytime soon. That was something rare. It wasn't that they were secure about their relationship, because they weren't. But they were happy, and saw no reason to ruin that.

Bairer smiled wide. The couple had offered to take them in after meeting them at a family party (where the cupid was working on a still pending job for some family members). Bairer had accepted the invitation because these two didn't want to know about their relationship. It was so different and refreshing! These two were so enjoyable to be around! And besides... even if they didn't know the truth, Bairer did.

This family would be around for a long time.

Subeta really isn't such a bad place to be when I am around these two~

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