The stars seemed low in the sky over the black ocean; lights from the shops along the esplanade obscured them from view above, but in the distance they sparkled and reflected on the waves. Fluttershy and Discord had made their way down the beach in silence, but Fluttershy broke it: “Where are we going?”

"Aren't we going to dinner or something?" Discord stopped walking and unhooked his arm from hers.

Fluttershy hugged herself against the chill. "But where are we going?"

Discord did not understand her. "I haven't picked a place. I just wanted to get out of there. Do you have some place in mind?"

Shaking her head, Fluttershy walked past him, but he said, "I don't want to rush you, but I need to tell you something. We don't have to eat."

Fluttershy did not hear him, distracted by a lively sign in the street which said, Live Nightly, Mrs. Shrimpley and the Shrimpettes! Fluttershy was mesmerized by the tiny hand-drawn singing shrimp around the border, painted in pale pinks.

“Aw!” She clasped her hands together.

“It’s a brothel, Fluttershy,” Discord said.

“Really? With shrimp so cute?”

He raised his eyebrows. “You want to check it out?” She gave him a funny look and he panicked. “No- that’s not what I meant! I-“

“What's the matter? You don't eat meat, do you?"

“What?”

Discord looked so alarmed that Fluttershy’s smile disappeared. “Have I said something wrong?”

He narrowed one eye at her. “Fluttershy…”

She made a face. “Oh, that isn’t right, is it? I was thinking ‘butcher’. Is it a soup place? Er, no, that's 'bouillon'."

Discord could only gape at her before turning around, his body shaking. Fluttershy didn’t know what to think, but when he turned back he was smiling. “I think we should just find a place nearby. Away from the brothels I mean, but I know you're worried about Tree Hugger, so let's not make this long."

Fluttershy nodded carefully, surprised at his brusque manner. "All right?"

"Brothels are where prostitutes work. They don't involve food. Not really, anyway," he added quietly to himself.

"I see," Fluttershy whispered. "Discord. We've gone far enough, haven't we? What is it you want to say?"

Discord was not happy, but folded his arms across his chest. "Don't you think it's odd? All of the strange things happening the last few days? With us?"

"No," she said, bored. "Not with you."

"What I mean is, it's not all coincidence-"

"Do you mean 'fate' or 'destiny'?"

"I, no, no, not those. I mean-"

Someone in front of them stumbled out of a doorway and waved. It was some young woman with long sage-green hair, dramatic lipstick, and a nearly-transparent negligee. "W'll, hey! It's the guy from Sunday night! How's it going? Back for round two?"

Discord glanced at Fluttershy, who wasn't smiling at him now. "Is this going to be a recurring thing?" she asked before he could defend himself.

"Aw, no box?" the woman said, looking Discord over.

"Why, no, Serenity, I am not here to bring your catering order," Discord said through gritted teeth. He glanced sideways again to see Fluttershy's reaction; she was, gratefully, looking calmer, but a new voice interrupted his brief reprieve.

"Why, the two of you!" the voice said, and even Fluttershy looked as horrified as Discord felt when Celestia stepped out of the same doorway as Serenity and stood beside her. "And looking so well, Fluttershy" she added, before gasping, “Oh, Discord! Your face is purple.”

“It’s nothing,” he said nobly.

"Your eye is swelling shut. Whatever happened?" She looked again at Fluttershy.

"I didn't touch him," Fluttershy said quickly.

“It doesn't even hurt," Discord said. "You may not have known this about me, Princess, but I am not bad in a street fight.”

Fluttershy shook off her disbelief to look at the sky. Getting owned is not a street fight, Discord! She kept the thought to herself to save his dignity. Truly, he had been very chivalrous. She touched the warmth rising in her cheeks as she looked at him.

“Oh, my,” was all Celestia said, impressed.

Discord lacked the social skills to keep from asking Celestia what Fluttershy could not bring herself to ask: "What were you doing in there?"

Celestia patted Serenity's shoulder. "Serenity here has been telling me about the working conditions. She has been very helpful." She looked down at Serenity. "I will write up the document tomorrow. Please don't worry about it."

"I'm just grateful Princess Luna told you about us. She said she would, but I didn't think you would actually come. Thank you." Serenity waved to her, looked Fluttershy up and down with vague disinterest, and winked at Discord before returning inside the brothel.

What is going on? Fluttershy thought. Discord seemed obtrusive and uncomfortable, aching to get away from Celestia. He touched Fluttershy's back and nodded to the side to indicate they should get going. "Fluttershy, there's something really important I think you should know. Let me explain something before they all start in."

Fluttershy held her ground, frowning. "Weren't we done with this sort of thing?"

"Not about this," he cried, frustrated.

"Then, yes, I think you'd better say it now," Fluttershy said. Discord noticed, as she did, Lyra and Bon Bon walking directly toward them. A crowd of interested onlookers was also beginning to appear around them.

"Take my hand so we can get out of here," Discord cried, reaching for her, but she stepped out of his reach.

"What's going on? I want to hear what they have to say, too." She turned away from him. "Lyra? Bon Bon?"

"Luna told us to come here for... something..." Lyra said, confused and uncertain by the awkward display in front of them. She and Bon Bon stopped walking.

Tears stung Fluttershy's eyes, and she rounded on Discord. "Did you set me up?"

"What? For what? I didn't set you up," Discord flailed. "This has nothing to do with me!"

"Isn't this what you were going to say? I don't know what you want me to do. You want me to give an answer I can't give. I'm confused." She forcibly wiped her eyes with her arm. "I'm not going anywhere else with you right now. This was set-up? A game?" She turned sharply to look through her tears at the princess. “Celestia?”

“Oh. No, Fluttershy, I would never,” the princess breathed, looking just as shocked as Fluttershy.

“NOT HER,” a new voice said, loud and commanding and familiar. “IT WAS I WHO WAS LOSING MONEY.” Princess Luna appeared, dark and imperious. The crowd around her backed away.

“Luna, really,” Celestia said, turning to face her sister.

“DID THOU NOT SEE THE PINK SEA SHELL OF LOVE I SENT YOU?”

Fluttershy, taken-aback and cowering, remembered the odd shell Bon Bon and Lyra had found on the rock island. “Shell…?”

“IS IT NOT THE SHAPE OF LOVE?” Luna inquired, looking unsure.

“Sister, please lower your voice,” Celestia whispered.

“BUT WITHOUT THE… the symbol of love, what will happen to them, sister?”

“It isn’t our business to meddle in others’ personal affairs. Especially if it is only over a bet for money.”

“But you lost money, too,” Luna almost cried.

Celestia blushed. “This is neither the time nor place.”

Fluttershy's mind raced to catch up with everything she was hearing while also coming to the realization that Discord had disappeared.

Luna, for all the humiliation Fluttershy felt, looked sincerely depressed. “Even though I tried, I could not make it happen, and therefore-“ here her voice crescendoed again like a thunderclap- “THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE WAS TO BRING THESE TWO DOWNTRODDEN LOVERS BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.”

Celestia squeezed her sister’s arm to remind her to modulate her voice and Luna caught her breath. “Who do you think told Tree Hugger about the Gargonzyle? I sent her a VISION OF WHAT COULD BE, UNDER THE DARKEST DEPTHS OF THE SEA!”

Fluttershy could believe that, but knew Luna was probably not aware of Tree Hugger’s heavy drug use.

Celestia seemed worn out trying to correct Luna, and merely sighed as her sister continued, “AND, HO, THE CREATURE APPEARED.” She swiveled her head to stare at Fluttershy, still slightly behind Lyra. “DID IT NOT?”

Fluttershy nodded, too embarrassed to speak.

“THE GARGONZYLE IS A CREATURE OF LOVE. IT BRINGS TOGETHER LOST HEARTS.”

“Under the sea?” Lyra whispered.

“I saw… I saw something when I hit my head in a boat accident,” Fluttershy said. “It looked kind of like a squid.” Everyone was looking at her now. “Tree Hugger says she saw the Gargonzyle, though. She said it looked like a merman.”

“IT SINGS A LOVE SONG…” Luna trailed off, at last noticing everyone covering their ears. She cleared her throat. “It sings a love song that no mortal can resist. I know Discord’s mortality is ambiguous, however I thought it best to try.”

Celestia was rubbing her temples. "Luna, you didn't call me here, to this very brothel, for this very night... because of Fluttershy and Discord, did you?"

“But the money, sister. I owe someone cold, hard cash.”

Celestia whispered harshly in her ear, “Then you tell me about it in private, and we take care of it together.”

Luna, quite relieved, asked Fluttershy, “Where is he?”

“Discord?" She blinked. "He- was..."

"Why don't we take you to your hotel?" Celestia said, smiling down at Fluttershy. "I hear you've been through a lot the past few days."

Fluttershy fell into silence, allowing Celestia to guide her away, Luna and Bon Bon trailing just behind. She was not even sure where it was anymore; she was still lost and distracted by Discord's uneventful disappearance. Lyra and Bon Bon were whispering their antipathy about Luna's exploits.

"Well. How embarrassing," Lyra whispered loudly to Fluttershy when they reached her hotel. Bon Bon shook her head sympathetically. Lyra coughed. "I hope you sleep well, Fluttershy."

"I'm sure things will look brighter in the morning," Bon Bon added, though she and Lyra exchanged grim looks as they turned away.

Luna had been stumbling behind them, apparently trying to avoid the spotlight, but Fluttershy found her voice when her heart ached for the princess. “Princess Luna, thank you. Thank you for trying to help.” I have never been so embarrassed by someone's generosity, she thought.

Luna perked, surprised she had done something right. “It was my pleasure, Fluttershy.”

Celestia kissed the top of Fluttershy's head. "I don't want you to fret too much about things. Perhaps all will be resolved once you return home."

Fluttershy gave her a wan, half-hearted smiled and returned to her room, rubbing the spot where Celestia had kissed her. She found Tree Hugger snuggled up with an armful of drug paraphernalia, fast asleep.

In the morning, though Fluttershy did not sleep at all, Tree Hugger told her Discord had dropped by and replenished her precious belongings; the knowledge made Fluttershy's heart ache again.

As Tree Hugger tuned her ukulele for the day's adventures, Fluttershy packed her suitcase, said good-bye, and stepped out of the room. Making her way down the hall, she heard the ukulele twanging away and her friend singing, “Marry him, you lovesick fool, even though your man’s a tool~”

* * *

Equestria was a strangely welcome respite for Futtershy. She hadn't realized how exhausted she was and, once home, slept for the better part of an entire day before Angel's hunger-induced harassment tore her from her bed.

Over the next few weeks, cool rain washed over Ponyville, and Fluttershy was glad for it not just because of the change in climate, but because it matched her depression. She had tried to find one sign from Discord- any clue or hint of his being there. She'd asked all her friends and even Angel, to no avail. At length, she realized he must have returned home for good. Either that, or he had no intention of seeing her ever again.

She felt like a cad. She felt like a monster. She felt sick to her stomach, but angry, too, and so she trudged through the town one cold morning, thinking dark thoughts, until Spike stopped her with a scroll from Celestia. The letter invited Fluttershy to the castle that afternoon, though no reason was given and she was not certain she would accept. Her mind went in various directions. Had Discord left a letter for her saying to leave him alone? Was Discord there, waiting for her? Was he there with Celestia? For all his sweet words to her, she somehow still could not trust him entirely. By the time she reached the castle, she did not know what to think.

In a cozy private room, Celestia gestured for Fluttershy to sit on a cushioned bench which sat in a spectacular bay window. “I want to apologize if you ever got the wrong idea about myself and Discord," she said, settling herself on a chair.

“Oh, no,” Fluttershy said, embarrassed. “Not at all.”

“He’s my friend.” She regarded the young woman. “We talked a lot about you.”

Fluttershy looked down at her lap to hide her face. “I’m sorry.”

“You apologize far too much.” Celestia rose from her own chair. “I was going to discuss something with you, but I see I shouldn't wait. I have something for you.” She took a small figurine from inside her sleeve. “I’ve been holding onto it for Discord for you.”

Celestia passed the figure to Fluttershy, who first felt its coldness. When she looked at it she saw the minutely-detailed figure of the sea creature she had seen when she hit her head. She felt another pang of guilt. "What is it?"

"Didn't you see something like that? Your friend was going on so about that creature, he wanted you to see it so..." Celestia paused and giggled. "So that Tree Hugger would leave you alone. He made himself too busy, poor man, although my sister didn't help. She gave him far too many responsibilities."

Fluttershy's middle twisted again, feeling all sorts of emotions, both pleasant and painful.

"He didn't know a thing about Luna's scheming. None of us did. She was caught up in a rather, ah, 'underground' betting ring. She and I have had a long conversation about it. It will not happen again."

"Why didn't he just tell me? About the creature?"

Celestia smiled. “Wasn't he about to when we all met up? I think he tries too hard sometimes. I imagine he’s back home. He isn't angry, Fluttershy. I’m sorry I can’t send you there; my magic isn’t that powerful. However, I can try to get a letter to him, if you’d like.”

Fluttershy remained still for a while, then said, "I don't know what to say."

“I'm afraid I can't help you with that, but I think there’s a courier there," Celestia continued. "Speaking of which, if you do see Discord, ask him to send that poor man home, won’t you?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy said, flustered.

“His children don’t have a father.”

“I’ll try, but I’m not sure I’ll see him again.”

Celestia smiled. “There’s no one quite like him, is there? Perhaps he deserves a little more credit at times.”

Fluttershy took the ink, quill, and parchment Celestia was handing to her. Probably Celestia was right; she always was.

* * *

She hadn't thought it a very good letter in any fashion, and days passed without word, and Fluttershy fretted again. Her closest friends invited her to spend time with them, and this time she accepted every invitation. It was refreshing to be among her best friends, for they both consoled and motivated her to follow her own heart, whether Discord was a part of it or not.

Angel did not seem to mind Discord's absence, but Fluttershy's melancholy eventually wore down his own glee. Several weeks after she had met with Celestia, Celestia and Luna arrived at her cottage. Luna was beaming, though Celestia's smile was reserved.

"The funniest thing," Celestia said. "Luna and I have been working hard to find a way to Discord's realm, and there must be something open on his side, because we were able to make it work. If you'd like, we could create a new one for you now."

Fluttershy was thrilled, but forced herself to think practically. "I'm not sure he wants to see me."

"Dear Fluttershy," Celestia said, "I cannot know what he is feeling, but no matter how angry he may be with you, he would never hurt you. Allow yourself to hear the truth from each other, without everyone else's plans getting in the way." She shot a dark look at Luna, who lowered her head.

Fluttershy reluctantly agreed, with the assurance that the portal would be left slightly open, and that if she did not return in three days, the princesses would go to Discord's realm themselves and retrieve her.

The portal led her directly to Discord's front door. His house hadn't changed; quaint on the outside, with all a manner of bizarre things bobbing around it. The door opened suddenly, before she had a chance to knock, and at first Fluttershy thought Discord had used magic to do it, but a second later he stuck his head out of the doorway and looked around. When he looked down and saw her, he struggled to find his voice. “Fluttershy.”

She searched his face, but it revealed nothing. He did look a little worse-for-wear, but she felt she looked the same, and somehow she had the strangest urge to cry. “I’ve been trying to find you. Why did you leave without saying anything?”

He was looking at her strangely. “We were done talking, weren’t we?”

"I wasn't," Fluttershy said, shaking her head.

He raised an eyebrow. “We talked. And we talked some more, and then more. I figured you’d really made up your mind. You’re too polite to hurt me.”

Fluttershy let his words sink in. “I’m not polite. Discord, I’m sorry. I’ve been making a mess of everything. I tried to explain myself in my letter, but I know I didn't do it right."

"Letter?" He blinked, then looked her up and down before stepping aside to let her in. “Tea?” he asked, and his formality hurt her heart.

“No, thank you.” She sat on a sofa which Discord brought down from the wall and cleared her throat. “I wrote a letter to you a while ago. Didn't you get it?"

Discord shook his head. "What did you write?"

Fluttershy squirmed. "Nothing, really. That is, I wanted to see you. Thank you for letting me in. You look better. Your face.”

Discord touched his cheek. “It did hurt.”

“Sorry.”

“Don't apologized. I remember.”

Fluttershy studied her hands in her lap. “Princess Luna was trying to get us… that is…” She tucked her long bangs behind her ear. Just say it, Fluttershy! “I know I don’t want to be apart. I don’t like it when we’re not together. Not at all. I don't try to be difficult. A part of me still doesn't quite understand how all of this is supposed to work, either."

“This is a change.”

“Not really.”

Discord stroked his chin. “Are we going to break up again?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll fight for us. I know what you tried to do.”

Almost scowling, Discord sat across from her on the floor. "We are a pair, aren't we? Miserable together, miserable apart."

"Oh, Discord," she said, frustrated, "we weren't miserable. I'm not miserable now. I love you. I've always loved you. It's just not enough. We have to put work into it."

“Then where are we going from here?” Discord raised his eyebrows when she looked at him. “You said you didn’t want to go back to how things were.”

“I only meant that I don’t want us to get into a rut again. I don’t want us to fight, and here we are again."

He still wouldn’t smile. “We’re very different. Not expecting us to fight again is going to turn out rather badly, don’t you think?”

“I know.”

“I don’t want a repeat, either.”

“Then let’s not,” she said. “Let’s take it slower this time. There’s no rush. You don’t have to move back in with me.”

“I want to.”

“I can’t keep you from your home."

“I can go whenever I want,” he said dismissively. “When you’re at work, or when I need to. But there’s nothing here for me.”

Fluttershy shook her head, but smiled. “I think we need a bigger house.”

“I like your cottage, but you know I can make it bigger. If you want.”

She grinned. “I know.”

Discord laughed and lay his arm across her shoulders, tucking her to his side. Squirming, Fluttershy said, “Can you let me out, please?”

“I just had a bath.”

“And you smell like peach blossoms,” she said kindly as she ducked from under his arm. “I still can’t breathe when I’m plastered to you.”

“How about this?” He lifted her up so she lay across his arms. “Or this?” He hoisted her over his right shoulder, her bottom in the air, and patted it.

Fluttershy felt blood rush to her head and gasped, “I am not a sack of potatoes.”

“Dumplings, maybe.”

Fluttershy gave up and let him carry her around the house. He walked down a new stairwell and they ended up on the second floor where a wide balcony appeared. There was a sky outside now, purple and blue and filled with bright stars.

Discord set her down and she leaned against the banister, catching her breath, so she could enjoy the view, although she did not enjoy it for long when she remembered Celestia's plea. “That reminds me; is it true a courier from Equestria is still here?”

“Courier?”

“Celestia told me he came here a long time ago and hasn’t been able to leave.”

Discord was surprised, and stood still, lost in thought. He pointed at the sky. “There wasa fellow… but that can’t-“

“Discord, he has kids!”

“I didn’t know he couldn’t get out.”

“Can you find him?”

He snapped his fingers. “Done.”

“He’s home?”

“He’s home.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “You really should be more…” She trailed off; he was giving her that innocent look again, but she’d never entirely trusted it until now. “Thank you.” She took his hand and looked at the stars stretching out forever around them. “It’s beautiful.”

“I think so.”

“Can we stay here for a while?”

“On the balcony?”

“At your place.”

“My home is yours, Fluttershy. It’s wherever you are.”

In the starlight, Fluttershy smiled at him, closing her eyes and pressing her face into his body. The top of her head reached the center of his chest, so she was able to snuggle into the softer part of him below his ribs, hugging him around his waist.

Discord placed his hand on her head and gently moved his fingers through her hair. It was wild now, unkempt and tangled and bunched around her shoulders, but he loved it that way. He could spend endless hours lying with her, detangling it with his hands. He bowed his head to take in its still-salty scent.

They held each other for a long while, tired and happy and comforted, when Tree Hugger ran toward them from the darkness, screaming, arms outstretched. They broke apart, Discord standing partially in front of Fluttershy. He was still rather afraid of Tree Hugger after what had happened earlier, but he’d fight her off to save Fluttershy if he had to.

"I heard the-" Tree Hugger was nearly yelling, but had to stop speaking several times to catch her breath. "News that-" here she stopped and sucked in a long, shrill breath of air while Fluttershy waited patiently and Discord waited, alarmed- "You two were gonna give it another go! Huzzah."

"Thank you," Fluttershy told her, trying to calm her racing heart.

Tree Hugger jabbed Discord with her elbow. "Thanks for the, you know, parting gifts."

"I, er, yes," Discord said, clearing his throat. "Uh, how did you get in here?"

"Celestia and Luna left a sliver of the portal open, so I, you know, jumped in to see what was on the other side." She squinted her red-rimmed eyes suspiciously at her surroundings. "I think I saw something like this before. Didn't I?"

*** Epilogue ***

Fluttershy and Discord were nestled together under the large ash, Fluttershy tucked into his side, his arm wrapped around her back. They’d been reading and discussing a small manual, Adding to House and Home. Discord was ready to expand Fluttershy's cottage at his own fancy, but Fluttershy had more practical ideas in mind.

Yawning, Discord set the manual down, and Fluttershy rubbed her cheek on his shoulder. “This is just how I like it.”

Discord squeezed his arm around her. “Yes, who needs a house at all? It doesn’t get much better, does it?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she blushed. “I can imagine things could be a little better.” She smiled at his confusion and stretched up to kiss his cheek.

Discord flinched when something, then another, hit his head. He looked up, one eye shut, just in time to see a third acorn dive toward and hit his face.

Angel was on the lowest branch of the tree, cackling. A flock of birds, silently above him, showed how he had even gotten up there.

“Angel,” Fluttershy gasped. “Get down from there this minute! What do you mean by dropping acorns on him?”

Angel at least had enough decency to look slightly ashamed. Discord was at his side in an instant, and picked him up by his scruff and set him rather harshly on the grass. Angel stuck out his tongue at Discord.

“Angel,” Fluttershy said, “listen to me, because I won’t tell you again: leave Discord alone.”

Angel gave an indignant squeak before folding his forearms across his chest and turning away, but Fluttershy didn’t feel sorry for him. “I love you, Angel,” she said, “but I love Discord, too. I’m in love with him, and you’re just going to have to get used to him being here with me.”

Angel spun around, his jaw dropped. He threw a short tantrum, then stared moodily at her, his chest heaving.

Fluttershy hooked her arm around Discord’s. “He isn’t going anywhere,” she said firmly. “We’re not living apart again, not even for you.” Angel’s jaw fell further, but when his shock had passed he proceeded to flail around in a dramatic display of heartache.

Fluttershy watched him calmly, and when she spoke her voice was steady and soft. “Yes, Angel, I imagine we’ll be together for a very long time.”

Angel stomped around.

“Yes, probably,” Fluttershy said.

He jumped up and down and patted his head before rolling his eyes

“I imagine so,” Fluttershy said, closing her eyes with a nod.

He began a hacking series of coughs, holding his neck and falling onto his belly.

“We might very well,” Fluttershy said. “In fact, I would expect it. More than once.”

Angel gasped, looking up at Fluttershy with deteriorating hope. Discord had been watching their exchange with interest and now raised his eyebrows at Fluttershy.

“He asked about our future, you and I,” she told him. “He seemed concerned we might be serious about staying together, and I told him we were. We might even live in your realm for a while, and we’ll probably get married.”

“And children?” Discord’s eyes sparkled.

“Of course.”

Discord smiled wickedly at Angel. “Don’t worry, Angel. Children love pets. They name them, collar them, squeeze them into dresses and baby buggies, you know, that sort of thing."

Angel made an obscene gesture at Discord before dropping his shoulders in defeat and skulking toward the forest. He paused after a few steps and grabbed several red wildflowers, tearing the petals off and tossing them up into the air in congratulations. He then hopped away, and Discord turned his attention back to Fluttershy, his eyes kindled. “Married? Really?”

“You don’t want to?” Fluttershy cold feel her cheeks warm. “I didn’t say we absolutely would, but I-”

“I do, but I want to ask you.”

“Not yet,” Fluttershy said, wrapped her arms around his waist to rest against him again. “We still have some work to do. And anyway, I like things as they are exactly right now.”

Discord closed his eyes, leaning back against the tree. He slowly traced her back with his fingers. “I’ll make sure it’s a surprise.”

Author's Note

Ahh, all for a bet. For shame, Luna. For shame.

I am sure Flutters and Discord will have their most happiest of endings, but I do like imperfect relationships. Real relationships are imperfect, and rarely dull!

Somehow two years went by. I don't remember so much time passing, but I was very unwell for a lot of it, so I apologize deeply for the ridiculously long wait. I will re-edit this in a day or two, as usual.