Family

"You're my family, Fluttershy."

The pegasus felt the words mumbled against her shoulder as she lay under the blanket with Discord. His paw was wrapped around the middle of her dainty frame and his muzzle was pressed into her upper back. Outside a chilly wind blew hard and strong and the windows rattled. She was glad she had a warm body wrapped around her.Fluttershy turned to face Discord and began to ask him what he meant by family, but she realized the draconequus was still asleep. He was breathing steadily and he looked rather peaceful. She didn't want to disturb him.Instead she gently ran one of her delicate hooves along his long muzzle and softly kissed the end of his nose, then she rolled back onto her side, listening to the sound of the wind.

After about a minute she felt him mumble into her shoulder again: "Don't leave me."

She turned to face him again. "I'm not going to," she whispered. Discord shifted and wrapped his arm tighter around her.

"Are you awake?" she asked him.

"Mmmhmm," said the draconequus without opening his eyes.

"What did you mean by I'm your family?"

"Did I say that out loud? I guess I must have."

Fluttershy ran a hoof down his feathery chest. "Did you ever have a family?" she asked.

She felt him stop breathing for a few seconds then he sighed.

"Not that I'm aware of." Then he chuckled. "I bet someone somewhere is wondering what the heck happened with regards to my genetic ancestory. I'll bet it keeps them up at night. I imagine that lil' ol' me is probably the subject of some professor's book somewhere. I bet he or she is wondering how...you know..."--he snickered--"all those animals did it."

"So you don't know how you came to be?"

"Nope. I also don't have a belly button."

He prodded her own belly button with his paw playfully.

"That's awful."

He cocked his head at her in confusion.

"The not having a family thing, I mean. Not the lack of a belly button."

"Oh it's not so bad," he said a little too quickly. "What about you? I don't believe you've ever talked about your family. I'm assuming you have one?"

"I have a brother, but it's been years since I've seen him. He works in Manehattan."

"Any other relatives?"

"I have an aunt. She raised me."

"I've never heard you speak of her."

"I...we don't get on."

He raised an eyebrow. "Intruiging."

"Not really. It's a long and complicated story," said the pegasus.

"Quid quo pro, Clarice," said Discord.

"Who?"

"You tell me things and I tell you things," continued the draconequus. "If you tell me about your aunt, I'll tell you what I meant."

Fluttershy moved closer and nuzzled his side. Discord shivered, but it wasn't from the cold. "There isn't much to tell," said Fluttershy. "She doesn't approve of what I do. She thinks helping animals isn't a proper career because there isn't much money in it. My brother went to Manehattan to be a high-flying business pony. She thinks I'm an embarassment."

"Oh, I would love to meet your aunt," growled Discord, holding her tighter.

"She lives in Cloudsdale. She rarely visits, but if she does, she will get to meet you."

Fluttershy suspected that her choice of romantic partner would be yet another thing her aunt did not approve of. She sighed. She always felt she had to hold herself to high standards when all she really wanted to do was relax at home with her animal friends. Now that she had a mate, snuggling in bed on cold mornings was another thing she really wished she had more time for. She still got letters from her aunt asking her why she hadn't pursued the modelling career, or asking when she was going to find a nice stallion and have foals, or saying that someone as pretty as herself should not have been getting her hooves dirty cleaning chicken hutches and bathing dogs and cats.

But all of the things Fluttershy loved were things her aunt did not approve of. The pegasus was certain that one of the things she loved most of all was yet another thing her aunt would add to her growing list of disapproval. She nuzzled the object of her affection's face. "Now you have to tell me what you meant," she said softly.

Discord hesitated. Then he said: "What does family mean to you?"

"People who are meant to love you and support you."

"I thought that was friendship."

"Yes, it is, but..."

Fluttershy paused. Defining the difference between friendship and family was hard. It was more than being related, as she knew some foals were often adopted into loving homes. She didn't feel accepted by her family, despite the blood ties.

She shifted upwards, so that her face was level with Discord's. "Why do you consider me your family?" she asked him.

"Well, you and the fillies," said Discord. She knew he was referring to Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

"Okay, why us?"

"Because it's the first time like I feel I belong," he said. "You truly accept me for what I am. The girls think I'm funny. We're like their cool aunt and uncle. And you...and you..." He pushed a wayward strand of pink mane away from her face.

She moved closer and kissed him softly. He gently cradled her head in his paw and talon and returned the kiss. They pulled apart and he nuzzled her gently on the forehead.

She pressed her face against his chest and inhaled the stormy scent of his feathers. He understood, he made her laugh. He cared about her. She felt more accepted by him than by them.

"You do realize," he said to her, "That I'm already planning multiple pranks for when your aunt next visits..."

"Discord!"

"Oh, my dear. The mock outrage is quite becoming of you, but be honest now. Doesn't the idea of turning her into a chicken for the day and having you take care of her raise even a little bit of a smirk?"

Fluttershy couldn't help herself. She snorted into his feathers.