Choices...

"Why would they choose you if they could choose me?"

"Why do you think you are better than me?"

"Because I'm Love. I'm Love. I can't really say anymore than that. They will choose Love. Love makes them feel better. I make them feel complete."

"But I make them feel more. And more deeply. And for longer. Love fades but Anger? Anger lasts."

"Nobody is going to choose you. They will choose me. Always. That's what makes you Anger. You know that you are not the first choice."

Anger and Love debated their rightful place in the newly made Humans. Which of them would be the favored one. Which of them would take their place at the top.

"Anger, you just need to know that I will work forever to replace you. To make you a fleeting thought."

"Love, you should understand that it won't work. People are always going to be easier to Anger than to Love."

"Whenever you are both finished preening the rest of us are ready to work."

"Fear, I didn't see you there. Tell us, what do you think? Who will reign supreme? Anger or Love?"

Fear smiled at them both. "Whichever one of you does me the most good in the moment, I suppose."

Love frowned. Anger scowled. 

What they didn't know is that while they were arguing with each other Fear had been building alliances. Partnerships. Fear knew that to reign supreme there needed to be a plan. And Fear had one. 

"Anger, you are nothing without me. All Anger is is a reflection of what they fear. Without Fear there is no Anger. I have an agreement with Anxiety to help push them my way as long as Anxiety gets a space to be."

Love smirked. "So that puts Anger down a peg. But I am still the main choice. Anxiety won't help you with me."

"Won't it? People will be anxious about finding Love from a very early age. Will they find Love? Will they never find Love? Are they even worth Love?"

"But once they do find Love they won't be anxious anymore. I have my partners as well. Desire will help me."

"What if Desire leaves them? Or worse what if their partner finds Desire somewhere else? And Desire understands that a healthy dose of Fear will keep people always striving to be worthy of Desire; to be desirable. Desire is with me. And then when they find that they are not as desirable as someone else? Jealousy."

"Jealousy is my partner."

"No, Anger, Jealousy is with me. We are working together. You might get a flash of someone letting in Anger as well, but mostly it's just Fear. Jealousy knows that without Fear of loss there is no space for Jealousy."

"Well I don't believe you. I think that they will choose Love. I don't think anyone would choose Fear over Love. It's not possible."

"But don't you? Just a little? Don't you think maybe you could be wrong? That you could be replaced? Maybe not by me but Anger has you concerned for sure. You two have been debating for a long time if you weren't just a little worried that you might not come out on top. Can you really only imagine a world full of Love? How would they even appreciate you if they didn't have to work to achieve Love?"

"Careful, Love, you might just let me win here and now."

Fear turned toward Anger and smiled, "You see how this works better don't you? See how even Love could turn to Anger with just a little touch of Fear. If I set Anxiety and Jealousy on Love then you have Anger very quickly. We could make a very strong partnership."

Anger got quiet. It was never good when Anger was quiet. Then came the nod. "Yes, I see. You feed me and I feed you."

Fear cast one more look at Love. "Are you with us?"

Love took a deep breath. "No. No I don't think I am. I think they will choose me. I have to believe that. I don't believe they can survive without me. I will fight you all if I have to."

Fear looked at his alliance. Desire, Jealousy, Anxiety and Anger. "Looks like you do."