Author's Note

I got bored and decide to rewrite Love and Sickness with a bit of difference from the original one shot chapter I wrote back in September.

I hope you enjoy reading this somewhat of a remake chapter, and leave some feedback if you have the time to do so!

... and in health

It's snowing.

Snow signals the start of Heartshwarming season, the time where creatures celebrate everyday with joy and laughter. The same can be said for a particular group of students playing a game of snowball fort wars at the snow covered running field of the school.

Gallus throws a snowball at Smolder right in the face, "Gotcha!" He chuckled after.

Ocellus retaliated by throwing two calculated snowballs at Gallus, both of which hitting him directly in the face. "Awesome! My calculations are correct!" Ocellus then scribbled down her results in her small notepad.

Fort Smolcellus consists of nothing but simple sandbag like snow structures, with a bucket of snow prepared in any case an enemy gets too close at their fort.

"I'll get you for that! Show em, Silverstream!" She jumped out from behind, dumping out a large portion of snow from her bucket down on Smolder. Ocellus tried to run away, only to be met with a hail of snow balls from the ambush Yona and Sandbar have prepared.

"Hah! Yona makes best snowballs!"

Sandbar chuckled as he kept throwing snowballs at Ocellus, at this point the changedling is practically a snowpony as she is covered in dripping snow as a result from the ambush. She falls to the ground on her flank, giggling.

"Alright, guys! You got me! Ocellus exclaimed.

Smolder emerged from the heaping pile of snow dumped onto her, shivering a bit and sneezing. "Ah-ah-AAACHOO!" Smolder sneezed.

Ocellus quickly got up and went to Smolder's side. "Oh dear, are you alright Smolder?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm- Ah-ACHOO!" She sneezed again.

"Yona thinks Smolder is sick."

"Oh no, I knew dumping a big bucket of snow down on you was a bad idea!" She gave Gallus a glare, before putting a claw on Smolder's forehead. "Oh dear, you're heating up, Smolder! I'm so sorry!"

"I'll go on ahead and call Professor Fluttershy!" Sandbar said as he left the field to get Fluttershy.

"G-guys, I'm fine don't worry. I- ACHOO! ACHOO!"

Ocellus shook her head, "Smolder, it's obvious you're not well. Here, wrap yourself with this." Ocellus took out a blanket from her saddlebag and draped it around Smolder's back, to which Smolder smiled at the gesture and wrapped it around her body.

Not too long, Fluttershy and Sandbar arrived along with her medical bag for checkups. She then placed a hoof on her forehead, and the neck after a few moments.

"Hmm, it seems that you just got the common cold, Smolder. Nothing too serious." Fluttershy said.

"But?" Smolder asked.

"But you're gonna have to stay in bed, stay warm and cozy. You're lucky you didn't get frostbite or hypothermia from that huge pile of snow." Fluttershy said with concern. "Next time, don't do that okay, Silverstream?"

"Of course, Professor Fluttershy! I'm really sorry, I didn't know that could happen!" She said, feeling guilty.

"But I don't want to rest! I want to go out and have fun with my friends- AH, AH, ACHOO!" She sneezed once more.

Fluttershy shook her head. "Absolutely not, Smolder. You need to stay warm and rest. Don't worry, I'll task Ocellus on keeping an eye on you."

Smolder's cheeks warmed red at the mention that Ocellus will be watching her.

"As for the rest of you, make sure to never do that again to any creature. Understand?" Fluttershy asked.

"We promise, Professor." The students said in unison.

"Good. Now Ocellus, take Smolder back to her dorm and keep her rested. As much as I'd love to stay, Headmare Twilight needs us for an important meeting. Can you do that for me, Ocellus?"

Ocellus smiled, and nodded eagerly. "Will do, Professor!"

It's been a week since Smolder was confined to her bed. A week of dull, empty and boring things occupied her brain.

She didn't think that she'd get sick in a time like this. She can't blame Silverstream though, the Hippogriff was having fun as much as she and the others are to think about dropping a big bucket of snow on somecreature.

Smolder sat by her bed, reading the Fantastic Adventures of Mare-Do-Well comic, Issue #5, all the while wearing her purple colored coat. As much as Smolder didn't liked reading books, she has a special affinity for action and drama comics. Secretly speaking, she also has the habit of reading romance comics when alone, often fantasizing about a lovely relationship.

As much as dragons seems tough on the outside, Smolder knew that she and her compatriots have a softer and gentle side.

Taking a sip from her cup of water, she got up and trudged to the kitchen to begin cooking some soup, until...

Knock, Knock. "Smolder, it's me, Ocellus. Can I come in?"

"Yeah. One sec, Ocellus!" She put down the box of soup and opened the door for her.

The Changedling is wearing her usual snow coat and hat, with a bit of snow covering her back. She gently took off her coat and hanged them dry by the rack.

"How's my little Smolder doing?" She teasingly asked.

"I-i'm not small! And I'm fine, thanks for asking! Hmph!" She crossed her arms, before going back to the stove.

Ocellus chuckled, before looking at her. "Smolder, you should be resting instead of cooking."

"Eh. I got nothing better to do besides read comics and cook soup."

Ocellus shook her head and took over, "No, no, no. That is not what you should be doing right now. Don't worry, I'll cook the soup for you instead. You just sit down and wait."

"But-"

"I insist." Ocellus smiled.

Smolder reluctantly agreed and sat back down, realizing that she needs to hide her romance comics underneath her pillow. Doing so after, she quickly sits by her pillow and began to read Issue #6, her newest addition to her comic collection.

The smell of corn soup invaded the young dragon's nostrils, taking it in and sighing contently. As much as she disliked Ocellus watching her, secretly, she loves the idea that Ocellus is taking care of her, even if it's at the request of Professor Fluttershy.

After a few quiet moments, Ocellus then handed over Smolder a bowl of corn soup, of which she accepted. "Thanks."

"No problem! I love helping!" The Changedling happily exclaimed.

The two creatures then ate quietly, with Smolder looking at Ocellus reading her journal. The way she smiles, the way she eagerly studies new things. Those eyes of hers and her pink fin like mane, everything about the young Changedling tugged Smolder's heart.

"Uh, Smolder? Are you alright?"

Her question snapped Smolder back to reality, realizing she had been staring at Ocellus for quite a while now. "Y-Yeah! I was just thinking about something is all."

She continued to eat her soup, before drinking down her cup of water. Ocellus then asked Smolder a question.

"Smolder, do you like reading romance comics?"

The young dragon blushed a bit, clearing her throat before answering Ocellus's question. "Not really, no. Why'd you ask?"

"Because I saw The Love Thief Issue #34 by your pillow."

Smolder froze at the words. She looked back and indeed saw the comic lying right next to her pillow. Her heart sank and her cheeks blushed. Ocellus chirped happily.

"I didn't know you read romance comics! Oh, oh! What's your favorite?" The Changedling asked..

Smolder gulped and smiled nervously. "T-The Prince and Princess, and the c-comic you just mentioned."

Ocellus clapped her hooves and smiled, "Same here! I actually have some of them in my saddlebag! Wanna read it with me?"

Smolder thought about it. If she does this, she'll be exposing her softer side and make her look like a complete softie. On the other hand, she could really use a friend that shares the same interests.

She made up her mind. "S-sure, Ocellus. Let's take a read."

Ocellus clapped her hooves again and took out the comics from her saddlebag.
Colorful, chic and bright comics adorned the table as Smolder grabbed the comic titled "You and Me" Volume 1.

The two young creatures read quietly, before Smolder started to share her love for comics and other things she normally doesn't reveal to any creature, to which Ocellus promised not to tell any creature without Smolder's permission.

Getting tired of waiting, Ocellus asked Smolder the question she wanted to ask for quite some time now.

"Do you have a crush on me, Smolder?"

This caught the dragon by surprise, as her cheeks blushed madly. "Of course not!"

"Really? Because you're giving off some strong love there, and it's usually a sign that a creature has a crush on someone else."

Busted.

Without any excuse and with Ocellus taking a hint thanks to her love sensing abilities, Smolder sighed and looked Ocellus in the eyes.

"I'll be honest. Yes, I do have a crush on you." Ocellus gasped. "It's just that, being a dragon means to be tough and I was afraid that by telling you my feelings and all would jeopardize me and the dragonalnd's reputation for being hard, and tough as nails."

Smolder then fidgeted with her fingers, blushing even more madly. "Since when, Smolder?"

"Ever since after our first Hearth's Warming Eve. It was after our friends played a joke on us by putting a mistletoe above us while we were chatting and I had to kiss you on the cheek."

Ocellus blushed at the mention of the mistletoe joke Gallus and her friends pulled off. She genuinely liked the peck on the cheek, but brushed it off as it might have been just that. A simple joke orchestrated by Gallus.

That is, until now.

"So yeah, that. I just hope that you'll accept my feelings for me and keep this a secret from our friends. If that's okay with you, since I'd like to break this news to the others when I feel ready enough to face the tunes."

Silence took over for a while, with both creatures looking at each other's eyes. It wasn't until Ocellus pulled Smolder in for a kiss on the lips did she broke the ice, and they stayed that way for a few seconds as they both take in the wonderful moment.

As they pulled apart from the kiss, Smolder smiled and looked at Ocellus.

"I accept your feelings for me, Smolder."

The young dragon smiled even more, and embraced Ocellus. She gave her a kiss in the lips this time for a short while, before embracing her again.

"Thank you, Ocellus. I... I love you..." Smolder said, looking at her eyes.

Ocellus smiled and gave Smolder a peck on the cheek. "I love you too, Smolder.

And so, Smolder felt relieved to have let out her feelings for Ocellus. She can now accept that love will be a part of her personality, and she has Ocellus as proof that dragons are capable of intimate love.

The End.