For once, Discord was at a loss. He sat on the roof of Fluttershy’s cottage and looked down at the lovely yellow pegasus as she played in the freshly fallen snow with a red fox. The fox flung a pile of snow at her with its tail that landed with a plop on her back. She let out a little gasp of shock, before she giggled and tossed a snowball back.
Discord rubbed his goatee with his taloned hand, a small smirk on his lips as the two played below. Yes, Fluttershy was for sure the sweetest, prettiest, most kind-hearted mare he had ever known. He couldn’t think of any other creature who would go out of their way as much as she, to help a non-pony in their time of need. “How do I tell her? Would she even accept?” he mumbled to himself.
There was no question that she’d be perfect for the job, but the rest? He knew she counted him as a good friend, and that they’d had plenty of wonderful tea parties since he had been fully freed from stone, but could there ever be more? “Only one way to find out,” he said and snapped his fingers. He teleported down to Fluttershy and her fox friend and let out a groan as a pile of snow fell off the roof to bury him up to his forehead. His long ears, horn, and antler poked out of the snow pile above him, while he blinked his eyes to clear the snow away and grin over at Fluttershy as she finally noticed him.
“Oh my! Are you okay, Discord?” she asked, her soft voice soothing any anger he might have toward the cold snow. Her fox friend followed the shy mare up to Discord and helped her dig him out of the snow, then took a few steps away to eye Discord warily.
“Thanks,” he said with a nod to the fox, then gave Fluttershy a warm smile. “Yes, my dear Fluttershy, I’m okay.” He nibbled on his inner lip for a moment, suddenly nervous. What the hay do I have to be nervous about? I’m the Lord of Chaos!
“Oh good, I am so glad,” she beamed with a bright grin. Discord shook his hooved leg as the snow around him melted into a puddle of water, from the warmth that smile sent his way. “Would you like to come in for some tea? It always helps me warm up after a day in the snow. Oh, and Mr. Rusty could join us too, if you don’t mind?” She pointed to her fox friend, who gave a happy bark and rubbed up against Fluttershy with that long, bushy tail of his.
“Oh, um, sure Fluttershy.” Discord facepawed at his awkwardness. “Tea would be wonderful.”
She nodded and led the way inside, where she hung up her woolen hat and scarf and set her boots by the door to dry. “You two sit down by the fire and I’ll start the tea,” Fluttershy said and trotted into the kitchen.
Mr. Rusty hopped onto Fluttershy’s couch and curled up on one cushion, his muzzle facing a crackling fire in the hearth. Discord gingerly sat down next to him and crossed his legs together. “Rusty, is it?” he said to the fox, who nodded at him. “Hmmm,” Discord hummed as he pondered. “Can you be trusted?”
Rusty looked over at Discord and rolled over onto his back, his creamy belly fur now slightly pointed toward the fireplace and nodded with a little huff.
“Well, you don’t have to be snarky about it!” Discord snorted. “I have something big to tell Fluttershy today, and I don’t want any creature getting ideas.” He just had to thank his luck that evil little Angel Bunny was out visiting family somewhere, or something like that. Fluttershy’s mane had caught on a tree branch when she was telling him the other day, and his mind had been more preoccupied with untangling those soft, delicate, locks.
Rusty just rolled his eyes at Discord and let out a deep sigh, then made a wow-whuff kind of sound as if to say. “I would never do anything to hurt Fluttershy.”
“Good,” Discord said firmly. A wide grin fell on his face as Fluttershy returned to the living room, a tray with a teapot-wrapped in one of her homemade tea cozies- and three cups nestled on her back. “Ah, you’re back!” Discord beamed and sat up straight as Fluttershy put the tray on the coffee table in front of the couch.
Rusty followed suit, his tail wagging as he gave a pleased wow-wow sound and sat up in his seat.
“I’m glad to see you two getting along,” Fluttershy said with a grin and pulled her own chair a little closer. She lifted the teapot with her wing and filled all three cups, before hoofing them to each of her guests.
Rusty lapped at his tea, tail still wagging behind him, while Discord gingerly held his cup, turning it around in his clawed hand with his paw. He had to tell her. If things were going to continue, he had to tell her. “Fluttershy, I…” he paused and ran a furred toe around his teacup.
“Yes, Discord?” Fluttershy asked as she took a sip of her own tea. “Everything okay? The tea isn’t too hot, is it? Or too cold? Oh! This isn't one of the flavors you don’t like, is it?”
“No, no, no, none of that Fluttershy,” Discord said and waved his furred paw at her. He smiled as she breathed a huge sigh of relief. “No, this is… more to do with the holidays, among other things…”
“You know you are welcome to celebrate with me and my friends,” Fluttershy whispered. “They have mostly forgotten about that um, incident, last year.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” he said and finally took a sip of his tea. “Though I might be… busy this year.”
“Well, that is fine too,” Fluttershy said and took a sip of her tea. “Did you meet somepony new? Do I know them?”
“No, no, not that!” Discord fumbled his teacup and almost dropped it before catching it. This was not going how I planned! He took in a deep breath and then let it out quickly. He glanced over at Rusty, who nodded at him encouragingly. “Fluttershy,” he began, and waited until those beautiful teal eyes glanced his way. “You know those reindeer Pinkie met last year?”
“The Gift Givers of the Grove?” Fluttershy asked to which Discord nodded. “Yes, I remember her saying they helped her with her gift to Twilight. What about them?”
“Well, you see, they are not the only ones to help during Hearth’s Warming.” Discord scratched the back of his neck and wondered if she would even believe him. “I’m… I’m what many call Father Hearth’s Warming.”
He watched as Fluttershy’s eyes widened and her mouth gaped open in an ‘O’ of surprise. “Really?” she asked and set her teacup down. “What did they do while you were, um, stone?” She meeped out, cheeks red with blush. “If-if you are okay with talking about that.”
“Oh, oh yeah, that is fine,” he said and waved his paw at her. “I’ve gotten over the whole stone thing.” He glanced over at Rusty, to see the fox had finished his tea and had curled up on his cushion, watching the two of them. “Anyway,” Discord continued as he flew up to settle on the head of Fluttershy’s chair, his front half curled around the right arm. “Before all that happened, Hearth’s Warming gifts were more… silly.”
“I never heard that part of the story before,” Fluttershy whispered and rubbed her forehooves together.
“Celestia wanted it to be more ‘heartwarming’ or something like that,” Discord snorted and rolled his eyes. “So, she and those three reindeer changed it while I was gone. Anyway,” he continued, “it was the most chaotic of times! But I know you ponies are not as into that these days,” he sighed and shook his head. “So now, we bring better gifts.”
“So, you'll be delivering gifts this year?” she asked.
“Yes, and that is what I wanted to talk to you about.” Discord slithered forward to where he was facing Fluttershy almost muzzle to muzzle. “Aurora has come down with a horrible flu bug, and we need some extra help with the gifts.”
“Oh my! That is terrible!” Fluttershy gasped, hooves to her mouth. “Um, well, would it help if I delivered some for you? Gahhh!”
She let out a yelp as Discord scooped her up into his arms and hugged her close, rocking her a little bit. “Oh yes, yes! Could you? I know you and your friends always have your get-togethers…”
“Oh, I’m sure they’ll understand. This is very important!” Fluttershy hugged Discord before he sat her back on her chair. “I am not very fast, but I will do my best to help!” She gave him a warm smile.
“That is all I ask for,” Discord patted her gently on her head and ran his taloned hand through her mane. Oh yes, this would be perfect! He would show those reindeer they were wrong!
Author's Note
Just the start, of course, more to come! This is a late Hearth's Warming present for Nailah Things have just been crazy, and with so many re-writes, I didn't get it finished just yet, but wanted to make sure she had something before the new year at least!
I hope you all enjoy this silly idea of mine too. ^.^
