Discord slept in the corner of the room, managing with a heavy bundle of blankets and a pillow that he got from God knows where. Celestia stared blankly from her bed at the creature not far away from the foot of her bed. She didn't really planned on where he'd be sleeping, but it's clear that he took the initiative to find his own spot. The same spot he took when he was sneaked into her room as a mere child.

She snickered at the thought. He didn't change as much as she thought he would. He looked so sound in his sleep, curled up and resembling almost of a sleeping cat.

However, her day had started. Grudgingly, she got out of bed. Her eyes continued to stare at him, contemplating on whether she should wake him up or not. He has nothing to do anyway, there's no problem for him to sleep in. Maybe she'll leave a note instead, he could read it himself when he wakes up telling him where she'll be at. But.... then again he has the ability to appear in front of her whimsically just to bother her time and time again. Obviously he didn't need a note to tell him of her whereabouts, she reasoned with herself.

She walked to her bathroom, the door clicked as it was pushed open. At that moment, she could hear him shifting himself in his spot. She cringed at the thought of accidentally waking him up, and whispered a slight sorry before closing the door ever so quietly behind her, wanting to tend to herself for the day awaits.

He could hear the tap running in the bathroom. His eyebrows furrowed as slowly he woke up. That damn sound. And he was so comfy in his spot too.

But, for someone like him, going back to sleep after accidentally waking up is a challenge. He went from tossing and turning to burying his face into his pillow and to burying himself under his hill of blankets. Still, he couldn't sleep.

He groaned. He didn't want to wake up yet.......

From under his blankets, he faintly heard the tap cut off, along with the clinking of glass and whatever she was doing in there. Finally, his head emerged from the blanket hill and stared at the bathroom door. And as expected, the door clicked as Celestia emerged from the bathroom, with now a robe on, wiping her mouth with a small cloth.

Sigh, a scene so familiar to his eyes yet so vague.

She too realised the new pair of eyes on her, staring back at the draconequus. She lowered the cloth from her muzzle and offered a greeting smile. "Good morning." Discord turned his head away, his face turning crimson as he saw the Princess in a robe. Right, scratch what he thought earlier. This scene was of most familiar to him indeed.

Celestia didn't take notice of his red face and went to her vanity, taking a comb and untangling her messy morning hair as she stared into the mirror. Her eyes peered sideways to the draconequus, who started again, staring blankly at her. This time however, he spoke when she looked at him. "Can your tap get any more annoying?"

She merely smiled. "My apologies if I have woken you up. I should've known the Lord of Chaos needed his beauty sleep," she smirked.

"Why of course, you mares aren't the only ones that want to feel beautiful in the morning," he added on to the joke as he snapped cucumbers above his eye lids and a pink towel wrapped across his head. "Although, as a hungry draconequus such as myself in the morning, I can't have myself bare time for such nonsense," he said as his forked tongue flicked the cucumbers off his eyelids and ate them.

Celestia rolled her eyes. "Well, get some breakfast. The maids should be done with breakfast by now downstairs. Usually they'd wake me up ion the morning but with you here I feel rather punctual," she said. "Can't have myself sleep in whilst the Lord of Chaos roams the castle causing havoc on its own, you almost encourage me to wake up earlier than expected."

And as if on queue, her doors were met with swift knocks. "Rise and shine, princess."

Celestia opened the door with her magic, and looked to her maid with a smile, almost proudly. "Good morning, Bella." On the other end of the door stood a maid, her coat as white as fleece and her hair a soft pastel peach, up in a bun. Behind her was a cleaning cart.

"Mornin' to ya, princess," she backed up and pushed her cart into the room. "You're rather early today, your highness. You have an important meeting or some- woah!" she said in surprise as her eyes landed on Discord, as he looked to the mare with only a raised brow.

"Really?" he deadpanned. "Never a good morning or a hello, just a shriek of surprise or the eyes of terror. How expected of you folk."

Bella held a hoof to her chest, but in surprise rather than offended by his stereotyping. "Ghh- my apologies, uh, sir. So the rumours were right, the princess did bring in the Lord."

"That wouldn't be a problem now, would it Bella?" asked Celestia as she lowered her hair brush.

Bella shook her head. "Why of course not- it's your castle! Just....." she looked back to Discord, who still wore the same look. "We weren't really....informed of a guest coming to stay. Of course- we have no problem with it!" she said, fearing of offending her highness.

"Good," was all that Celestia said as she turned to Discord with her signature smile.

"My apologies, uhm....." she looked to the draconequus, eyeing him. "...s-sir. A very good morning it is to see you," she offered a smile, although seemingly reluctant. Discord merely rolled his eyes. "But arhm, h-how long would you be staying? I'd have to tell the others that your stay is indeed true."

"Do the others not believe?" asked Celestia.

"W-well, the guards wasn't sure if it was true that he was staying, just that you had told some of the other maids to ready our guest a room. Is this a private affair? I-i'm sorry for asking...."

Discord looked to his talons, gritting them as he looked to Bella. "Hmm....I don't know how long I'll be staying. Depends on how long I can do this for until the princesses get tired of me......"

"By all means, Discord. You're free to stay as long as you're pleased," said Celestia, knowing whatever he was trying to do was annoy her. As if she hadn't endured this as a filly and weren't used to his antics by now.

"Well then, guess I'm staying here permanently!" he exclaimed proudly. The maid looked surprised, but too afraid to say anything else rather than solemnly nod.

"O-oh. Then I guess i'll tell the others that...."

"No need to worry yourself, Bella. I'll hold a meeting with the staff later to discuss of our....current arrangements. Meanwhile, you should focus on your tasks at hoof," said Celestia as she headed to the still open door. "Discord?"

He grinned at the maid before exiting along with the princess, leaving the maid to gulp as she started thinking of what she had bumped into.

Discord closed the door on the way out, and grinned at the princess. She rolled her eyes. "Trying to scare my staff?"

"I was only clearing up her said confusion. Am I not just a great friend?" he chuckled. They continued their way to the dining room. It was mostly quiet as they walked. Discord was in deep thought of what had happened earlier. "......Celestia?"

"Hmm?"

"Am I really allowed to stay as long as I please? Or was that just you scaring your staff further for me?"

"I though you said you weren't trying to scare my staff?" she reiterated.

"Well whatever you believe it to be, it's that. But that's not the point. Am I....really allowed to stay here?"

"It would be cruel for me to leave you roaming on the outskirts of Equestria homeless now would it?" she wore the smile. The smile. Somehow, he sensed reassurance from it. But....

"So you're letting me stay out of pity?" he asked, feeling rather confused.

"I'm letting you stay because I want to. You are my friend, and I am yours. Besides, who helped me earn my way to princesshood? You did. Without your help, I wouldn't even have this castle. So, have at it."

Discord frowned. "You know I have enough magic to potentially make up my own castle and stay in my own castle and make more of my own castles, right?"

"Then why aren't you? Surely if you had the power and heart, you would had made a new dimension to live in, you'll be safe in your own little space, with no ponies there to disturb or harm you. Yet you came to me," she said, her smile drooped a little. "Discord, you're doubtful of my offer because of what? Trust? Because you fear that I'm doing this out of pity? Discord, if I pitied you when I was a filly I would have let you roam on your own because you wanted freedom. I on the other hoof decided to offer you more than that. Acceptance. You can't get that from pity, Discord, you really can't. For you to truly accept something is for you to see that it isn't something to pity. You are not someone to pity, Discord."

Discord fell silent as he was taken into deep thought once more. She smiled, but said nothing else after that.

He confused himself, he really did.

As they got to the doors of the dining room, he finally spoke up. ".....thank you, Celestia," was all that was said however as Celestia answered with a mere nod. finally, they went in for breakfast.

Author's Note

me: *writing this chapter today as i was very disappointed that no americans died in the area 51 raid *

also me: *actually very glad no one died so that I could continue to meme with no worry :D *