//------------------------------// // Home for the Holidays // Story: Daddy Dearest // by AlextheBordercollie //------------------------------// Archie stood motionless in the doorway for a moment. He held a suitcase suspended by a spell as he stood before his old bedroom on the second floor of Fluttershy's cottage. The green wooden floor felt familiar beneath bare hooves. That wasn't all that was familiar. His older brother's bed remained pressed against the left wall as it always had. His brother never did move out so the space was very clearly lived in. Metal band posters were plastered all over the left wall and the bed was woefully unmade. A few inappropriate magazines sat on the bed and nightstand in plain view. Despite this it was what rested against the right wall which left him frozen in place. This was his first time staying with his parents since he had moved out over a year ago. His old bed still rested against the wall as it always had. A few of his favorite foalhood books sat on the nightstand and their old toy box rested between the two beds untouched. Slowly Archie crept over to his old bed brushing a hoof along his old nightstand. It was pristine. A sudden voice made him jump slightly. "Hey Archie!" Chaos blurted enthusiastically behind him. Archie spun around to greet his brother. Chaos had a habit of sneaking up on him ever since they were foals. "Will you ever stop doing that?" Archie huffed with mild frustration. "It's not my fault you're so jumpy." Chaos remarked. "I made sure to keep your side of the room clean for you, in case you needed it, you know." Archie looked up at his older brother with a touch of surprise as the weight of Chaos' words truly hit him. His notoriously, slovenly, irresponsible brother, whom had never done his own laundry a day in his life, had purposefully, and regularly, washed Archie's old sheets and dusted his nightstand. "Why, thank you." Archie stammered. His brother gave him a toothy grin. The kind of proud, childish smile he often flashed in his moments of personal triumph. "C'mon, Mom's making Hearths Warming dinner and you promised to help." "Of course, I'll be down in a moment." Archie replied. Chaos darted off downstairs leaving his younger brother alone in their time capsule of a room. Chaos was the elder brother by six years. Despite their age gap however Archie was always the more responsible of the two. While Chaos remained in their parents home devoid of any real responsibility, Archie had gotten a job working as Princess Twilight's librarian and purchased a small cottage of his own. Memories of Hearths Warming's past fluttered through his mind as he placed his suitcase on the bed. As different as they were, and as much as they argued, it was profoundly comforting to know his brother had kept a place for him. The thought made him smile. It was a sweet but naive gesture. With their uncle and grandparents arriving soon it would likely been more pertinent for Chaos to hide away his PlayPony magazines first. Foal steps he thought to himself. After unpacking some of his personal effects he made his way downstairs to find his father and brother working together to decorate the tree. They were laughing and making a mess as per usual. Discord had managed to tangle his lanky frame in a long string of popcorn. As soon as he noticed his other son at the base of the steps he waved to him excitedly. "Archie over here! I could use some help!" Archie shook his head and clapped his hooves together. With a light "Poof" the popcorn strings disappeared leaving behind a rather disappointed Discord. "Aw you take the fun out of everything!" He complained. "Yeah!" Chaos chimed in, "You can't just use magic to fix everything!" "Can't I?" Archie challenged with a playful raise of his brow. Just then a knock came at the door followed by a loud bang as the door swung open. "ZephyrBreeze is in the house baby!" Archie looked over to see his uncle in the doorway with a sack of gifts slung over his shoulder and a great big smile on his face. Their grandparents followed close behind looking notably more modest. "Zephyr be careful with the door, you don't want to break anything." Their grandfather urged gently. "Relax Popsicle I got this. Besides my bestist bro'n'law can fix that ole thing up in an instant" Zephyr replied. "Ain't that right Dissy!" He called. "Indubitably," Discord replied with enthusiasm as he flew over and with a snap of his fingers a brand new door, with a distinctive Heartwarming theme, was closed shut behind his N'laws. There was once a time when Zephyr and Discord weren't nearly so chummy, and Mr. and Mrs.Shy were a tad frightened of him. But these days the family was as close as any pony else. Chaos ran over to uncle Zephyr. Archie followed a moment then stopped outside the kitchen door. "C'mon Archie get over here and give your uncle a hug!" Zephyr called out as he held Chaos in a headlock. "Maybe later, I have to help mom with dinner." Archie called back. "Oh, oh let me help!" his grandmother replied as she pushed her way past the three men who had inadvertently trapped her and her husband in the doorway. "I'll teach you how to make my super, special, yam surprise." "You think I'm finally ready eh?" Archie replied with enthusiasm as he helped his elderly grandmother to the kitchen. "Whelp all the mares are in the kitchen then." Chaos announced as soon as the two had disappeared into the next room. "I heard that!" Archie called back. Archie breathed a sigh of relief as he saw his mother chopping carrots in the kitchen. Her hips swung lightly as she hummed softly to herself. He could hear his father, brother, and uncle laughing and and making marry in the living room. They were loud and rambunctious, especially when you got all three in a room together. It was a relief to be away from that and spend the evening cooking with his mother and grandmother. "Not in the mood to play games?" FlutterShy asked without so much as a tilt of her head. She always did have a great sense of her sons. That maternal instinct that meant she always seemed to know just what they were up to. "Well I couldn't just leave you without your kitchen buddy," Archie chuckled as he removed his ascot and rolled up his sleeves. Taking his place beside his mother she directed him to a bowl of unpeeled potatoes. "You know those boys dear," Grandma chimed in. "Always making such a racket. Not like you Archie dear." She praised as she pinched at his cheek dotingly. "Grandma!" Archie complained as he batted way her hoof. She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek before shifting through Fluttershy's cabinets. "Fluttershy dear where do you keep the baking pans again?" "There're in the drawer under the stove mom." "There we are, thank you dear." FlutterShy used to call Archie her "kitchen buddy" when he was a foal as he was always eager to help her with the cooking. It wasn't so much about the cooking, though Archie wasn't a terrible cook, mostly he simply enjoyed sharing alone time with his mother. They spoke very little but their was usually no need to. FlutterShy understood Archie in a way his father and brother never really did. For some time they simply enjoyed each others company as they prepared a great holiday feast. They sung carols together and shared some light banter. Archie it seems had inherited his mothers relaxed soft spoken demeanor though he was never meek. Meanwhile back in the living room the initial uproar was dying down as things settled into more casual conversation. "So how's the new job going?" Zephyr prodded his nephew. Chao's face flushed bright red as he shied away from the question. "Weeelllll, it's uh..." "He was fired last week." Discord replied as he took a sip from a mug of cider he had materialized from the ether. "Again!" Zephyr scolded. "Hey Uncle Zephyr I can explain." "No, there's no explaining here boy. You promised me you'd be moved out by next year, I don't appreciate you taking my big sister for granted." Zephyr huffed. "Uhm, excuse me Discord may I have a glass?" Grandpa asked meekly with a tap on Discord's shoulder. He could tell Discord was getting annoyed. Discord snapped his fingers absently and a mug appeared in his father'n'law's hoof. Grandpa Shy sipped at it wearily as he braced himself for the inevitable. "What does it matter? As soon as he gets his magic back he won't need a job." Discord chimed in. "Work is for common ponies" "Excuse me Discord, that might work for you but there's no way in tartarus I'm letting any nephew of mine laze about like a freeloader." "What did you just call me?!" Discord growled back, taking the comment a bit to personally. Chaos made a few feeble attempts to but into the argument but ultimately shied back behind his grandfather who continued to sip at his cider. Discord and Zephyr continued to argue. After a few minutes Grandpa chimed in. "So Discord, how's your family?" Discord stopped dead. His father'n'law had spoken up to make sure he had heard him. The old man who was normally so timid sat there calmly staring up at him. "Well I, I'm not sure what that has to do with anything." "I'm just curious, you never talk about them, surly you must have a family." See Mr.Shy had come to understand his son'n'law rather well over the years. He knew how to distract him. The question was intentionally weighted to through him off and Discord knew it but simply couldn't think of a response. A sudden knock came at the door. "Chaos can you get that?" Archie called out. No answer. "Uhg," Archie grumbled as he poked his head out of the kitchen with wet hooves. Discord was stammering about something as his grandfather listened intently. Everyone in the room seemed fixated on whatever conversation they were having. Archie grumbled to himself as he dried his hooves on the apron he was wearing and headed over to the door in response to another set of knocking. "Coming!" he called out. His frustration was replaced with surprise has he opened the door to find a stranger on their doorstep. It was a purple, earth pony, mare in a green propeller hat. Her strangest feature was her spiraling eyes. He had never seen anything like them. "C-can I help you," He stuttered as he realized he had been standing silent in the doorway for an uncomfortably long time. "Is this the Discord residence?" She asked tilting her head to peer into the house. "I'm sorry," Archie responded as he realized what was going on. Chaos had a habit of getting into trouble with random towns ponies. "If this is about property damages I'd be more than willing to cover the repairs. Please come back after Hearths Warming." with that he moved to close the door. Suddenly the mare caught a glimpse of Discord sitting on the sofa. She stuck out a hoof to catch the door. "Daddy!" She called out.