Running on Fumes

by TheTalentlessPony

Rating: everyone
Tags: Discord, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Comedy, Fluttershy
Length: 4057

Fluttershy comes home one day, and Discord is there. She's not... herself. Discord isn't sure how to feel.

Discord welcomes all sorts of chaos. He relishes it, in fact. It's almost his favorite thing in the whole world!

Almost. He loves Fluttershy much more, even if he hasn't quite found the words to say it yet.

Though, when Fluttershy and chaos combine, he's not sure what to think.

just something dumb I wrote that came from a single idea; not really my usual fare

FEATURED ON 2/2/17-2/4/17 ARE YOU FOR REAL??????

Published 2017-02-02 02:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-02 02:40:01 UTC

Fluttershut Her Away For Now

"Ohhh, Fluttershyyyyy!"

Discord's voice rang loudly through the cottage, startling a few animals as he teleported himself in. His smile was large as he looked around for his best pal, only to realize that he hadn't received a response and there was no Fluttershy in sight.

Impatient as ever, his hands turned into cymbals, which he banged together to make himself known if he wasn't before. "Fluttershy? It's your most lovable handsome friend, Discord!" Oh, how he wished there was an echo.

Still receiving no response, he squinted. The animals were glaring at him now for all the noise he was making, but his priorities were elsewhere.

He flew into the kitchen, looking around. There were a few animals eating from her little basket of assorted fruits, but she kept one of those around for them all the time. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

He searched her bedroom next; nothing, though Angel was sleeping on her bed and giving him a glare, likely annoyed by his noise too.

Discord rolled his eyes at the rabbit, then left, his earlier enthusiasm from just a few minutes ago starting to dissolve into concern.

He frowned to himself, flying back downstairs and daring to peek into the bathroom. Once more, he only found disappointment.

This wasn't like her. Fluttershy so rarely left her house, and when she did, he usually knew about it. He ran down a mental list of the times she tended to leave, but none of them interfered with the time it was now.

He teleported his eyes outside, taking a very thorough look around the premises. No cute yellow pegasi with pink hair were in his sight, no matter how much he looked.

His eyes dropped back into the house through the roof, taking a moment to clink back into his head like some sort of bizarre pinball machine.

However, he was certain he'd passed through something that wasn't the roof on the way down. He glanced upwards, seeing a note hanging on the ceiling. He stretched his neck up to it, relief filling his system as he recognized Fluttershy's writing.

Dear Discord,

I know you like to pop in from time to time, and I didn't want you to worry, so I thought I might write you this letter. Spike visited me this morning and asked if I could help someone who used to be called the "Dragon Lord" with a nasty illness he'd been having. I was so terrified at first - you know how I feel about dragons - but I couldn't just leave the poor thing! Spike made him sound so nice!

I shouldn't take too long, but just in case, I wanted to make sure you knew where I was.

Be back soon! (I hope)

Fluttershy

He took the note from the ceiling and read it over once more. Of course she'd be taking care of someone.

Still, a dragon? She'd certainly gotten a lot bolder since he first met her. Granted, it was for one of her friends, but he was impressed nonetheless. At least now he knew she was safe; if she was requested by a Dragon Lord, even if they were no longer the current ruler, no dragon was likely to give her a hard time, and he'd just teach them a serious lesson in chaos if they did.

Though, who would put a note on the ceiling?

...Oh, I would actually. She probably did that for me.

He chuckled, smiling fondly as he magicked the note away. He supposed that he had no other plans for the day, so he went over to the couch and laid down, deciding to just wait for her. He normally wouldn't, but for Fluttershy, he'd wait all day if he had to.

He wasn't entirely sure of how long it took, partially because he'd fallen asleep halfway through, but the cottage door opening caught his attention, so much so that it actually startled him.

Not that he got startled easily - he absolutely did not - but this wasn't how the door was usually opened. It hadn't just been opened; it'd been flung open with great force, and that was not something that happened often in Fluttershy's house.

A familiar-yet-not-familiar giggle followed. "I'm hoooome~!"

Discord sat up on alert, sensing something odd in Fluttershy's tone as he watched her wander in. The animals rushed her as they tended to do whenever she returned home, and she gave them forehead kisses, as she tended to do.

But these weren't her normal kisses, oh no. These were over-the-top smooches, followed by a big, "mwah~!" each time. Discord could swear he saw a little heart pop up for every kiss. He smiled weakly at the sight, stroking his beard. Maybe she was just overly affectionate today?

He looked outside to gauge the time, seeing that it was near nighttime, the sun mostly set. How long had she been gone exactly? She had said that Spike asked her 'this morning', but when did she leave? Even if she'd only left just before she got there, that was still a lot of time, and there were too many factors to take into consideration on how exactly she got there.

He got up from his place on the couch, walking over to her and deciding to get answers himself. "Fluttershy, my dear, wherever have you been?" He found it hard to believe that she was with the former Dragon Lord all that time. "You've been gone all day with only a note and then you come home giving—" he paused briefly as she smooched another one of her animals, then gestured to prove his point, "...those, to anything that moves!"

He stared at her harder, his comedic side failing him as he noticed that her face was flushed red. Understandably so, he couldn't help adding on, "Are you... feeling all right?'

She drifted her gaze lazily to him, her eyes somewhat glossy. For some reason, it made him uneasy.

She offered him a lopsided smile. "Why? Are you jeaaaalous~?"

Discord's face immediately turned red, and he sputtered out sounds he didn't even know he could make, followed by a flat, "What."

She bit her bottom lip while smiling, eyeing him up and down, then started making her way towards him. "If you wanted one, all you had to do was aaaaask~"

"What," he repeated, staring her down as he backed away involuntarily.

Fluttershy pouted, flopping to the floor in a cute fuzzy heap, using her mane as a pillow. "Pleaaaaase don't be mad. I'm sorry I was gone so loooong."

She twiddled her hooves and nuzzled her own mane. "The Dragon Lord was just sooooo very sick. It took a bunch longer to help him than I wanted..."

Another giggle followed. "His breath tickled though~"

Wait... breath...

Discord's mouth gaped, as if he'd just had an epiphany. "F-Fluttershy, have you been..."

He got closer to her, sniffing the air around her as she made fruitless attempts to boop his nose, whining as she realized that her hooves weren't long enough to reach.

"Have you been breathing in dragon fumes!?"

She giggled louder. "I didn't think it would dragon for so long~"

Discord had to really struggle to suppress his sudden laugh. Fluttershy making puns was too cute; far too cute. But, this was a serious matter. Dragon fumes, especially from the Dragon Lord, were particularly detrimental to ponies, dulling their senses and mind. It was only temporary, but he didn't want her doing anything stupid. Still, at least now he knew why she took so long to return, especially if she flew at least part of the way back on her own. He wasn't sure if she knew or not, and maybe she was just doing it anyway as she didn't expect to take long, but the details didn't matter to him anyway.

"Y-you need to get to bed," he told her. Gosh, he hated being the responsible one. That was Fluttershy's job for a reason.

She looked so heartbroken, letting out a whine. "Noooo. Dissy, don't make me, please~!"

He squinted. "Dissy?"

She scrambled a bit and slid across the floor, clinging to his leg. "Let's go flying together instead~! All by ourselves~! <3"

Okay, that was weird. She'd already said a lot of weird things, but wanting to go flying was officially the weirdest. "Fluttershy, I may not have been your designated driver, but I am your designated friend!" He went to grab her, but she squirmed in retaliation. "You, my dear, are not going anywhere!"

He couldn't lie; it was ungodly amounts of amusing seeing her act this way, but he knew he had to suppress it, for her sake if nothing else.

"Whyyyy~?" she asked in a half-whining manner.

"Dragon fumes are not something to be taken lightly." He inwardly cursed himself for not considering this outcome. "They're very toxic to ponies if left unchecked."

She looked up at him with amusement, eyes half-lidded. "Toxic?" She grinned. "Like you?"

"No! ...Well, yes, I am quite toxic." He grinned proudly, but immediately waved his hands, dismissing the thought. "But, no, not like that!"

He was about to use his magic on her, but she fought back, smacking his hand away and tackling him to the ground. He let out a grunt as he hit the floor, turning red again once she started running her muzzle up against his chest. She was surprisingly strong when she wanted to be.

Up close, the smell of dragon fumes was powerful; her usual scent was completely masked by something that, while not unpleasant exactly, was strong beyond belief. He imagined that the animals earlier only tolerated it because it was on her.

"Mmm, hello, handsome," she cooed, pressing her face into his fur.

His ears perked, his snake-like body immediately sliding out from underneath her. He was standing up on the couch in an instant, awkwardly pressed against the wall. His fur bristled. His face was red. He wasn't used to this. He'd called himself handsome a million times before, but to hear Fluttershy say it, even if she wasn't in the right mindset, had his emotions on overdrive.

Needless to say, the realization that she was actually flirting with him wasn't helping.

Fluttershy flapped her wings. She still seemed determined, eyes set on him. "Dissy~!"

She licked her lips, making Discord swallow nervously and cover his mouth with a hand. This pegasus was going to send him to his grave.

It was chaotic, how she was acting. He loved chaotic but, no, this wasn't right. He wasn't sure how much of this she actually meant, but acting on it, whether to please her current state or not, would make him feel like he was taking advantage of her.

He couldn't do that. He'd never forgive himself.

She leapt at him, but he scurried away immediately, diving under the couch and popping back up on the other side. She gave chase, running him all around the room while her various animals fled with confusion. They tried to call out to her, but it was like her mind was in another dimension.

Discord himself considered just teleporting away, but he knew it wouldn't be a smart idea to leave her.

"Come flying with me!" Fluttershy pleaded once more.

"Not on your life!"

A squeaky giggle left her. "Not on my life, on you! My life isn't something you can ride, silly!"

He tried to hold back another laugh, but couldn't help snorting. He desperately wished this wasn't a serious situation, because almost everything about it was funny. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of such thoughts. He'd never felt so conflicted in his life.

Finally, he found himself braced himself against the bookshelf, looking down at her.

Fluttershy, now almost predatory, ran at him and pounced again with fervor.

He shut his eyes, snapping his fingers. In a flash, Fluttershy was bundled up in a blanket and on the floor, trapped. She wriggled and squirmed, but couldn't seem to break free.

"D-Dissyyyy..."

Opening his eyes back up, he sighed, slightly relieved. He hadn't wanted to trap her to get her to obey him, but there didn't seem to be any other option. He gathered up Fluttershy in his arms, making sure she was secure, then went for her bedroom. Fluttershy pressed her face against his chest, looking up at him with her big cyan eyes, as if pleading with him to release her, but he did his best to ignore it.

Angel was still laying on her bed, but a simple turn of Discord's head sent him tumbling off with a bit of magical influence. The little rabbit got up to complain, but noticed Fluttershy and dashed out of the room, probably not wanting to be caught almost sleeping in her bed.

Discord set Fluttershy down, though she definitely whimpered a little over it, squirming further in his trap. He frowned, then turned, ready to leave her to sleep.

"Waaaait!"

She'd managed to get her forelegs out from inside the blanket, using them to grab hold of his hand. Her grip was firm, so he turned his head to her, at least giving her focus for a moment. He owed her that.

"S-staaay with me," she pleaded, looking particularly pouty about it.

He hesitated, then opened his mouth, only to shut it again. No, it'd be better to not say anything. He'd only rile her up more. Anything he said would just get a bigger reaction out of her.

He pulled away from her, though finding it rather difficult to walk away from her while she was in such a state.

"Nooooo~!" she slurred, now upset and desperate for his presence.

He managed to turn, back facing her.

"No, no, Dissy!"

Ears flopped to help block his hearing out, he went for the stairs and started going down.

"N-no, but, Discord, I love you!"

A jolt went up his spine at that, freezing him in place.

He jerked his head around, watching Fluttershy flail uselessly in an attempt to get to him. For a moment, he could've sworn that she hadn't slurred that; he was certain she'd called him by his actual name and not that "Dissy" thing, but... no, no, she couldn't have. Her eyes were still glossy and her face was still red, small tears of clear over-emotion pouring down her face.

Though he fought with himself over the matter, it was far too hard to leave her now. He just couldn't do it when she was looking at him like that.

He groaned internally, relenting and moving up onto the bed. Her face brightened up as he relaxed, her hooves pawing at him. He tried to tease her, just to make himself feel a bit better. "I swear, you ponies are—"

She embraced him immediately as he'd gotten close enough, bubbly giggles coming out of her mouth. If Discord didn't know any better, he'd say she had a genuine Fluttershy-ly smile on her face. Still, his face felt a bit warm and his voice had become soft at her touch.

"...so very clingy."

He hesitantly brought his arms around her, feeling her burying herself into him. She breathed out, the warm breaths against his chest only ceasing to make him more flustered.

He promised himself; as soon as she was asleep, he'd back off. Fluttershy would only have more questions in the morning if he didn't.

The Details Are a Bit Shy

Thump, thump, thump...

"N-ngh..."

Fluttershy couldn't comprehend why her head was throbbing so hard. Every motion she made caused her to become dizzy - well, more dizzy - and her face felt particularly hot. She could even hear the pounding of her heartbeat echoing in her ears.

W-what happened...?

She squirmed, her blurry vision still able to recognize that she was on her bed, though she couldn't recall ever actually going to bed. Well, almost, but it was so foggy that it might as well have been a non-existent memory.

She placed her hoof down against the mattress, then pushed, attempting to sit up. It was a bad idea, only making her head throb further.

"I've taken care of all your little chores for the time being, Fluttershy. You can rest easily today."

"H-huh?"

Despite her swaying, she shifted, seeing Discord relaxing on a wooden chair near her bed; well, as much as a large draconequus like him could relax on a chair made for a pony.

Her hoof was at her cheek as she wondered why he was there in the first place. "W-what time is it?"

"Far past the normal time you typically wake up at," Discord taunted with an amused smile.

Her eyes widened, and she nearly panicked before his earlier words caught up with her. "...W-wait, you... did everything for the animals today?"

"Don't get any ideas!" he said in typical over-dramatic fashion. He was at her side in a minute, gesturing to himself. "I have no intention of taking your job! I simply took over while you were," he paused, "incapacitated."

"Oh gosh, was I?" she asked, rubbing her head. "B-but I don't remember... what happened?"

He debated on whether or not to tell her, but she was staring at him, as if begging him to.

"...Well." He briefly considered telling her the fun Discord-y way, but it didn't take a genius to see that loud noises and bright flashes of magic would only startle and make her current condition worse. For once, he'd be considerate about telling someone a story.

He tried to leave the more... "enthralling" details out, but he didn't skip anything important. He told her the story, explaining how she came home, how she was affected by dragon fumes, and how she practically had animalistic - as he'd described them - instincts while chasing him around the cottage. He still had to suppress the occasional chuckle.

Fluttershy listened carefully, though gasping as he talked about her pouncing on him. She couldn't imagine herself doing such bizarre things, but Discord wasn't a liar, so she believed him.

As much as Discord had tried to leave her exact words out, a certain three were digging into the back of her mind.

She seemed to notice, leaning closer to him as if pressing for the whole truth.

"...It was the oddest thing, really," he began, looking off in the distance. "The moment I tried to leave you to yourself, you belted out in the clearest voice," he made a dramatic gesture with his hand, "a declaration of love, Fluttershy, just for your old buddy Discord!" He snickered at the memory, despite the warmth across his muzzle. "I've seen ponies on dragon fumes before, but nothing quite as bizarre as that has ever happened! I wonder if it was because the former Dragon Lord was the one affecting you?"

He looked back to get her opinion on it, but faltered as he noticed her face. She looked like she'd just seen a ghost, her pupils shrunken in as she stared down at the blanket. Was she embarrassed? Horrified?

He brought his head down to be within her field of view, but she immediately averted her gaze.

"Y-you... you think it's weird, d-don't you?"

He tilted his head. "Fluttershy, you weren't yourself! You didn't mean—"

He noticed her wince, and it clicked with him. She had meant every word. She might not've been in the right mindset, and a few of the silly things she did definitely weren't things she'd do, but the affectionate phrases she'd used at him and the love she declared were very much real.

He was silent for a long moment, seeing that Fluttershy was looking rather miserable about the whole thing.

Then, he snorted. The snort turned into chuckles, and the chuckles turned into loud fits of laughter, like he'd just heard the funniest joke in the whole world.

Fluttershy's eyes widened at him, and of course her immediate thought was that he found her crush funny. She hung her head, embarrassed beyond belief, then moved, trying to get off the bed.

Discord stopped her, trying to calm himself down. "I-I'm sorry, Fluttershy! It's not you! It's just too hilarious!"

He shook his head, his laughter slowly dying down. Fluttershy was near tears, not understanding, but then noticed that Discord's expression wasn't mocking in the slightest. In fact, he looked positively elated. She'd never seen him so happy, actually.

"Here I was, avoiding you that entire time, when I never had to!"

It took another moment until he was finally calm. Fluttershy was still gazing at him with the most confused expression he'd ever seen on her. "W-what do you mean?"

He smirked. He predicted that reaction.

"It was ridiculous to think you wouldn't have actually fallen for me, wasn't it? I agree!" His voice was actually shaking with delight, dripping with the essence of his previous laughter.

Fluttershy squeaked as he took her face in his hand, looking up at him with a small blush on her face. "D-Discord?"

"Now now, my dear," he waved his free hand dismissively, "let me apologize properly like the gentleman I am."

She only had a moment's notice on that before he suddenly kissed her. Her ears straightened. The warmth in her cheeks intensified and spread to the rest of her. The throbbing in her head eased. For the moment his lips made contact with hers, she felt back to normal, and even a little better. She was in a state of bliss.

The daze she was in returned as he pulled away, though she was unsure if it was due to her condition or the kiss itself.

He loved her, he really did, just like she loved him. She couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face.

Discord was looking adorably smug about it, probably due to how flustered he'd made her. She looked down at the blanket below, lightly running it between her hooves to shyly avoid his gaze. "Discord?"

"Mm?" His smile was full of even more confidence than usual. He could tell that she liked the kiss.

"W-would it be too much trouble if I asked you to make us some tea?" She blushed. "I'd like to relax and have tea with you today."

"And you don't like to relax and have tea with me any other day?" he asked with mock hurt. The pillow thrown in his face by a flustered Fluttershy gave him his answer, the two sharing a small giggle over it.

He got up off the bed, glancing back at her before leaving in typical Discord fashion, turning into a slinky and fleeing down the stairs.

She smiled, then turned, laying on her side and pulling the nearest pillow to her.

A small squeal of delight left her, and she hugged the pillow lovingly while fondly whispering Discord's name. Even if she hadn't confessed in the way she wanted, she still did it.

She spent the rest of the day with him at her side. They drank their tea, and she occasionally uttered sweet nothings to him, almost as if she was back in her loopy state of mind.

Only this time, she was fully aware of what she was saying, and felt great joy in not needing to hide it.

Author's Note

So, I've already been writing a lot of Fluttercord lately, but I had this random idea in my head and wanted to make it happen; something silly, but also not.

I'm always nervous to go outside my usual boundaries; I stick to what I know and, even when I try to go outside my usual range, I get too scared to do anything with it, so it ends up collecting dust on my laptop. But, I'll never get better if I don't try, so while Fluttercord is obviously something I'm comfortable with, the idea of a character acting like Fluttershy is... well, it's not my usual range.

My only hope is that you guys enjoyed it and/or am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone. I was really shy about posting this so I'm doing it while I'm half awake and not in the proper mindset to freak out about it. :raritydespair: