Feathering the Nest

by My Little Pastafarian

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Original Character, Fluttershy, Discord, Slice of Life
Length: 4112

Fluttershy and Discord have a lovely little family now. This is a week in the life, filled with love and homemaking and fun, as only they know how to do it.

Fluttershy and Discord are married, and are happily raising their baby. This week, they do all kinds of things, both fun and necessary around the house. Theirs is a home full of love and laughter, with cozy moments and affection, play and satisfying work.

Published 2021-11-22 20:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-11-22 20:30:01 UTC

One Week

MONDAY

Discord jolted awake. It was still the early hours of the morning, but his daughter made it loudly known she was now up and in need of nourishment. He uncoiled from around his sleepy mate, and hurried to the crib.

“Hush hush sweetiepie, daddy is here,” he cooed as he picked up the tiny cub. “Let's get you fed, okay?” He floated back to the bed with the baby in his arms and nudged her mother gently with his nose.

“Fluttershy? Our little one is hungry,” he whispered. His wife cracked her eyes open and smiled sleepily at them, rolling to her side and pushing the comforter off herself. Discord placed the fussy foal next to her soft belly, and she quickly found her mother's teat. As she nursed, Discord lay down next to them, buried his muzzle in his wife's sweet-smelling mane, and curled his long body around his family in a protective circle.

He smiled warmly down at the two girls that were the center of his world: his heart, his best friend, his mate, his wonderful Fluttershy, and their pride and joy, their greatest treasure, their adorable daughter Levity.

She had inherited her mother's pink tresses, and while she turned out to be a draconequus like her father, her colors were very pony-like: a soft yellow head that smoothly transitioned into a jade green body, which ended in a long turquoise snaketail. She had her father's eagle arm, but her right paw was that of a panther. Discord liked to call the black spots on her yellow paw her “tattoos” that surely were a mark she would turn out a rebellious young lady. He couldn't wait. He also appreciated how the spots clashed nicely with the zebra stripes on her left leg. The right one was a dragon leg like his, but it was purple.

She was undeniably the most beautiful baby girl that ever existed, and nopony could tell him otherwise.

Fluttershy stroked little Levity's back as she finished her meal. Satisfied, the tiny draconequus yawned cutely, and buried herself in her mother's embrace. All three of them dozed off, enjoying each other's warmth.

A couple of hours later the sun had risen and the little family got up to start their day.

Fluttershy made blueberry pancakes for her's and Discord's breakfast, while he fed Levie mashed carrots. Their cub squealed with joy at the silly noises and faces her father made as the choo-choo train of carrot came to her mouth. In her excitement she admittedly managed to splatter her dad more than once with pureed root vegetable, but he just laughed it off.

After breakfast (and a bath for both baby and daddy,) Fluttershy started to clean. She swept and washed the floors, dusted and wiped, did the laundry and the dishes. When she started polishing the silver, Discord sidled next to her.

“Sweetheart? What are you doing?” he asked her.

“Polishing the silver we got as a wedding present from Princess Luna. Why?” she said.

“Well, you've been doing chores all day! And you really don't need to, I can just snap everything clean if you want,” Discord reminded her. “Wouldn't you rather come and play with me and Levie? We built an awesome pillow fort in the Pillow Lounge!”

“Oh sweetie, that does sound like fun, but I just really feel like cleaning today!” Fluttershy told him with a slightly apologetic tone.

“You feel like cleaning?” he asked, “Why?”

“I... I don't know, I just do. I want to make our home comfortable and to look nice. I'm sorry if I've been neglecting you and Levie! I didn't meanMMMmm...” She was cut off when Discord gave her a gentle kiss.

“It's alright, you clean if you feel like it. But come and play with us later, okay?” he coaxed her, giving her his best puppy eyes.

Fluttershy giggled. “Alright. I'll finish this and then we can take a stroll and play in the park together. How is that?” she asked him.

“It's a date!” Discord grinned, and with a final peck on her lips he teleported off to conquer the Castle of Cushionlot with his trusty knight Lady Levity.

TUESDAY

Fluttershy was picking berries out in the garden. It was the height of blackberry season, and she had already filled three baskets with the dark, juicy fruit from the sprawling bushes. Discord preferred to keep the garden slightly wild, and the blackberries had conquered a sizeable area. Not that Fluttershy minded. She, as well as many of her animal friends, liked them and the bounty they yielded.

At the same time she kept one eye on her husband and child, who were playing in the enormous sandbox Discord had given his daughter. They were having a lot of fun, Discord making gravity-defying, animated sand sculptures, and Levity trying to hold as much sand in her tiny paws as she could and looking bemused when it slipped through her fingers.

“Sweetie! I'm done picking the berries,” Fluttershy called him after a while. “I'll go in and start making jam. Are you two okay out here by yourselves?”

“Oh we are fine, darling,” he assured her as the sand peacock he just made cawed and showed off its handsome tailfeathers, much to the delight of Levity. “We'll come inside before dinner.”

“Okay then! Call me if you need me. And don't let Levie eat sand,” she said with a glance at the baby, who had grabbed a sandy feather and was trying to aim it at her maw. Chuckling, Discord picked up his daughter and freed the peacock, who gave them a disapproving look and strutted away.

Most of Fluttershy's afternoon was spent making huge batches of blackberry jam. She made both traditional jam and spiced ones, which were Discord's favorite. It was immensely satisfying filling jar after jar with the delicious, thick concoction, that would surely be much appreciated in the coming weeks and months. The cozy kitchen smelled of berries, vanilla and allspice, which brought back memories of her childhood and her mother's cooking.

“Mmmmm smells DIVINE my dear,” Discord said as he strolled in with their little one in his arms. “Your jams are the greatest, and I'm sure you have outdone yourself yet again!” he said and kissed her cheek.

“You always say that,” Fluttershy smiled with a slight blush, “But it's the same recipe every time.”

“So? There is no way the homemade jam my beautiful wife has made with her dainty hooves isn't the greatest delicacy in the universe, and it deserves every praise!”

Her blush deepened.

“Now that you've been so diligent and cooked all day, why don't I make dinner? How does Blue Minestrone Cheesepuff Surprise sound?” Discord asked.

“It sounds lovely, thank you honey,” Fluttershy answered (altough she was not exactly sure what a “Blue Minestrone Cheesepuff Surprise” was,) and flew up to scoop Levity into her arms. “I'll feed her and put her down for her nap while you cook, okay?” she said, kissing her daughter and smiling.

“A fair and equitable arrangement, my darling,” he purred.

WEDNESDAY

Discord appeared in a flash of magic in front of their front door. It had been a hoot, and an afternoon well spent, playing Ogres and Oubliettes with Spike! With his new duties foisted on him by Princess Bookhorse, and his own immensely important task of taking care of his family, they had way less chances to slay evil wizards and find treasure in Spiketopia these days. So it had been a really good time, but he had to admit, he found himself missing his precious ones after a few hours apart.

He opened the door quietly and peeked inside. It was around the time Levie usually had her afternoon nap, and indeed, Fluttershy smiled up at him and silently gestured to the cot next to her. He glided over to it and smiled at the adorable, sleepy bundle in it. Leaning down, he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

“Hi munchkin! Daddy is home now,” he whispered to her. She just snuffled in her sleep as an answer.

“And hello to you too, sweetheart,” he muttered in Fluttershy's ear as he sat down on the couch next to her. “How have my darling girls been?”

“We have been fine. Levity has mostly been playing in her pen, and today I tried if she liked mashed beets,” she told him.

“Well? Did she like beets?” he inquired.

“Umm... no. She umm... spit it out. Or more like, sprayed it out. On me. And the kitchen wall. And the ceiling,” Fluttershy admitted.

Discord thought he would break his ribs from trying not laugh raucously and risk waking up his daughter.

“Ooooh I'm sorry I missed that,” he said when he finally got his guffaws under control. “Also, what is it you are working on there?” he asked, pointing at the knitting needles in her hooves and balls of colorful yarn next to her.

“I'm knitting a new blanket for us. It's still summer, but making a throw big enough to cover a draconequus is going to take a while, so I thought it would be best to start it well before the weather turns cold,” Fluttershy answered, showing him her work so far.

“I'm sure it will turn out wonderful, my dear,” he murmured into her mane as he nuzzled her.

Fluttershy pressed against him and made herself comfortable. She continued with her knitting, humming softly as her needles clicked. Discord looked at her. She seemed so content and relaxed with her task it was almost palpable.

“She is mesmerizing even when doing the simplest thing, isn't she?” he sighed in his mind.

Not wanting to distract her from her handicraft and not wanting to lose the sweet feeling of having her small frame warming his side, he summoned himself a book, Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed, to keep himself entertained.

THURSDAY

Fluttershy took down another bundle of sheets and started to check them over. She divided them in three piles: one for sheets that were clean and whole, one for sheets that needed mending, and one for the ones that were too worn to be fixed (to be used as wipes and pads for animals who needed medical attention.)

She had taken one look in the linen cupboard that morning, and felt it needed to be organized. And since Levity was on a playdate with Lil Cheese, she had the time.

“Flutteeeers! Where is my beautious wifey?!” a cheerful voice rang out from the door.

“I'm here my love! In the linen cupboard!” she gave an answering call.

“Oh! Are you looking for a sheet to dress as a ghost? Or are we going to have a spa day and wrap ourselves in warm towels from head to foot?” Discord asked excitedly as he poked his head in the closet.

Fluttershy snickered. “No, sweetie. I'm organizing the cupboard.”

“Organizing?!” he gasped, “We have an afternoon to ourselves and you are using it by, bleagh, putting things in order?”

“Well, I though I should...” Fluttershy said, scuffing at the floor.

“But Flutterbutter,” Discord whined, “I was so hoping we could do something much more interesting...” he purred the last part silkily, as he stooped down on her level and pressed a firm kiss on her lips.

“Discord...” she tried to protest, but before she could summon an argument, her husband had toppled her on top of the piles of sheets she had oh-so-carefully sorted and nipped at her neck, his claw worming into her mane.

“Dis... Wait... AH!” Fluttershy gasped as he gave her sensitive ear a tender lovebite.

“You can organize to your heart's content later. But right now I don't think I can keep my paws to myself, not when there is such a tasty treat right in front of me,” he growled. He started trailing slow kisses down her chest, making her shiver.

"Mmm... okay..." Fluttershy moaned in response, and melted into his touch.

FRIDAY

It was so hard, choosing! It took Discord several moments of umms and uuhs, before the answer came to him.

"THIS ONE!" he cried triumphantly, holding up his weapon of choice.

"The hydra in a potato costume? Those will look very nice, I'm sure," Fluttershy said sweetly, as she rifled through their large assortment of cookie cutters. "I think I'll use the deer one, and maybe make a couple of these smiling clouds. I think Levie will like them too," she said fondly, nuzzling the giggling draconequus cub in the baby carrier strapped on her chest.

"What do you think, will these make nice cookies? Mommy and daddy will make some for you too, using a special dough that won't be hard on your little tummy. Yes we will, yeees we wiiiill..." she cooed at her baby, placing kisses on her cheek.

Fluttershy had no way of knowing how difficult it was for her husband not to melt into a literal puddle of molten sugar at the sight.

"So umm... why are we baking today anyway? Is somepony's birthday coming up I forgot about?" Discord asked, mostly to keep her from noticing how he needed to subtly free his now-sticky feet off the floor.

"Oh, no! Nothing like that. I just thought we should, so we would have snacks stocked, and it's been a while since we last did a good amount of baking," she told him.

Discord gave her an inquisitive look. She wanted to stock up on snacks? While he whole-heartedly approved of anything that resulted in having more yummy treats in the house, let alone his darling wife's delicious cooking, she wasn't usually all that hung up about having a stocked pantry. Having a partner who can manifest any amount of food from nothing meant that she never had to worry about depleted cupboards, so this was a bit strange...

"Then again," he thought, "she is the nurturing type, and making cookies IS a lot of fun! Especially if you happen to have the Lord of Chaos around to add some zest and flair to the proceedings!"

"Okee dokee then! Let's get cracking!" he exclaimed, crackling the joints in his hands almost obscenely loudly.

The afternoon wore on merrily, the batches of baked goods getting more and more colorful in ever-more random flavour combinations, until every single rack, table and horizontal surface (including the ironing board and chairs,) was filled with cooling cookies. In the end, the whole family was dusted head to foot in flour, with bits of dough stuck in manes and under claws, but a long swim in the hot tub (Levity under VERY close supervision by her parents) took care of the mess.

SATURDAY

Fluttershy skipped happily along the path, enjoying the warm sun on her coat and the twittering of the dozens of birds in the meadow. She was carrying a large wicker basket in her muzzle, empty except for a pair of gardening shears.

Discord followed close behind, pushing a neon pink, glittery pram. Levity was snoozing in it, clutching the colorfully embroidered baby blanket her auntie Rarity had made her (as expected. The energetic draconequus cub had spent all morning bouncing all over and getting piggyback rides from her parents, so she konked out pretty much the moment she was laid down.)

Suddenly Fluttershy stopped, as something caught her eye. She turned to look at her husband and pointed to a patch of leafy plants growing near the path. He nodded, and parked the baby carriage in the shade of a nearby oak tree. Fluttershy put down the basket, and started to carefully cut the plants and gather them into bunches.

"What did you find there?" Discord asked, sitting on the grass next to her.

"Lemon balm. It's a wonderful herb that can be eaten, or used as tea, or in rubs or baths! It has a lovely citrus scent, see?" Fluttershy said, taking a couple of the fuzzy leaves, rubbing them between her hooves and lifting them so he could take a sniff.

Discord stooped down (and took the opportunity to hold her soft hooves,) and took in the scent. Indeed, the plant smelled remarkably like lemon and lime, but with a nice herbal note.

"Ooooh that does smell good! And it's edible? Can we have that for dinner today?" he asked, smiling.

Fluttershy giggled. "Well I don't know if it's all that nice if you eat only lemon balm! But sure, we can make a salad and add some, or make a sauce out of it or something."

"Mmmm you are making me hungry! You best be careful, or I'll gobble up all the herbs you find before we even get them back home," Discord teased, nuzzling her cheek.

"Don't you dare!" Fluttershy said, booping him on the nose, "I intend to pick a good amount that will last for months, after I've preserved them. Oh just think how nice it will be, having tea and fragrant baths! Wild herbs have so many uses, many of them can be used as medicine too, and that will be so helpful if one of the critters gets the sniffles..." And she was off, blissfully explaining how such-or-such plant can help animals with different ailments.

Discord simply listened, helping her pick any useful botanicals she found and pushing their daughter along in the pram as she looked for more. He liked it when she opened up and came out of her shell to wax lyrical about her favourite subjects. Even if he himself wasn't all that interested in animal care, her voice was so soothing and the happy twinkle in her eye and the spring in her step made his heart almost burst!

By the time they returned home, Fluttershy had filled several baskets with not only lemon balm, but also mugworth, yarrow, spearmint, chamomile, wild garlic and echinacea, among a few others. It took a good long while to hang them all up to dry, except for the ones that were preserved in jars in paste form.

Discord had to admit, the visual impact of having lots of drying bunches of different herbs hanging from the ceiling and the clashing aromas they emanated was both delightfully random and comfortingly homey.

"Just like us, eh Flutternutter?" he asked in his mind, as he scritched her ear.

SUNDAY

It was a slow, drowsy sort of morning. All three of them slept in, and took their time laying in bed snuggling, baby Levity happily wedged between her parents. After a good long while (and many many nuzzles and petting and kissing shared by all,) they got up to have breakfast.

Discord made some oatmeal all of them could enjoy, topped with blackberry jam, and sweet herbal tea for himself and Fluttershy, and milk for Levie.

"So my dear, any plans for today?" he asked, stirring honey to his porridge, "Or shall we just play it by ear?" he added, transforming his earlobe into a lute and giving it a thrum with his claw.

Fluttershy tittered at his antics and scooped another spoonful of cooled down oatmeal to feed to Levity.

"Well, I haven't really thought about it..." she mused, "But I suppose the garden could use some pruning! Or maybe I should sew some more nappies for Levie, or fix some of the sheets I didn't get to on Thurday."

"More chores again?" Discord asked, a bit dissappointed. "Don't you think we should have a wonderfully chaotic day of fun instead? How about a trip to the amusement park, or I could conjure a school of fish that breaths air for us to play with, or how about a mudpie fight? I mean, you have been busy with something or other around the house all week!" he said, jutting his lower lip.

"Oh I'm sorry sweetheart if we haven't been doing enough of the things you want to do! I really didn't mean to not listen to your wishes..." Fluttershy said, looking quite sorry. She thought back, recounting the last few days. "It's just..." she started slowly, "I've really felt like I should take care of the house, and prepare for upcoming months. But I didn't mean to neglect you, I'm sorry if I have!" she told him, her eyes already moistening.

Seeing the waterworks coming on and knowing her tendency to be overly apologetic, he quickly retorted "No! No you haven't been neglecting me, I didn't mean it like that! We have had lots of fun this week, chores or no, so there is no reason to be sorry my love," he assured her, gently wiping her eyes and kissing her forehead.

"And if you really really are in the mood for doing all this housemake-y stuff then that..."

He suddenly froze.

"Is... fine..." he finished. He pulled back and gave her a long, searching, look.

Fluttershy looked up at him, puzzled. "What?" she asked.

"...Flutters? Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Discord asked, trying to keep his voice level.

She tilted her head in confusion. "Tell you?" Fluttershy repeated, trying to think of something she had forgotten to mention to him, and coming up with nothing, "I, I don't think so. Why?"

"Well, don't you realize what you've been doing all week? And come to think of it, most of last week too?" he asked, firmly.

"Ummm. Household work?" she said, more perplexed by the minute.

Lowering down so his head was on level with hers and looking her straight in the eye, he said, simply:

"You are nesting."

Fluttershy blinked.

"Nesting?" she said, not grasping his meaning.

"YES, nesting! And it's not the first time I've seen you like this! And if I'm correct, the reason is not too difficult to figure out, either."

And with that, he suddenly scooped her up, making her squeak, and nestled her in the crook of his lion arm. Closing his eyes in concentration, he let his claw slowly travel down her undercarriage. Fluttershy lay there, still a bit startled, and felt the familiar warm tingle she always felt when he used his magic on her directly.

Finally, he left his claw laying on her stomach, and his eyebrows rose. Slowly, steadily, a smile spread across his muzzle. And as he opened his eyes and looked into hers, they were shining with love and unshed tears of happiness.

"You are carrying another baby, my love," he said in a voice choked with emotion.

Little fireworks of shock and elation exploded in Fluttershy's chest, stricking her dumb. Her eyes widened when all the puzzle pieces she hadn't even noticed fell into place. She had indeed been a busy homemaking bee when she was pregnant with Levity, too! And then there were the sudden cravings for cookies and blackberry jam these past few days, and she had been wondering why the herbs seemed to have a much more potent smell than usual...

As the realization sunk in, she cried out in joy and grasped Discord's head to kiss him fiercely in celebration! He returned it with interest, tears streaming down his face.

"Oh Discord, oh sweetie, I'm so happy! Another baby... Levity! You will have a brother or sister!" Fluttershy exclaimed, reaching for her daughter. Discord picked her up too, and squeezed his precious ones close.

"I'm beyond excited too! Two little ones, and the best, most beautiful and kind wife anypony could ask for... I'm the luckiest draconequus in the multiverse! I love you, all of you, so much it hurts!"

"And we love you too, always," Fluttershy answered, kissing him gently on the nose.

Dedicated in Loving Memory to My Parents

Author's Note

As you see above, I dedicated this story to my late parents. I lost my father a few months ago, and my mother passed away in 2007. I miss them and love them both so much.

I based parts of this story on my early childhood memories and stories I've been told about those days. My parents did things like picking herbs and berries, and made jams and stuff, and doing those types of things gives me a warm, comfy feeling to this day. That is the feeling I wanted to convey.

And the thing with spray painting the parents and half the kitchen with mashed beets? My brother actually did that as a baby :rainbowlaugh:

I thought I'd name their daughter "Mirth" at first, but decided "Levity" was a much prettier name for a baby draconequus with a pony mom.

Hope you like the story!

EDIT 19.01.2022: Fixed some tiny errors.