//------------------------------//
// Caring 
// Story: One Big Awkward Family 
// by PropMaster 
//------------------------------//

Cadance sprawled on a sofa in the royal suite of the Crystal Palace. Shining Armor sat across from her in an overstuffed armchair, snoring lightly. They both looked rough, but Cadance felt... right. Exhausted, but right. In the middle of the room in a ivory-colored crib sat the source of their sleepless night. Flurry Heart, tiny alicorn that she was, had been up at all hours, crying at any noise. Cadance had finally, after another thirty minute stretch of soft lullabies, silly faces, and feeding, managed to get her to sleep once more. Shining had immediately passed out for a power nap, a skill that he'd perfected with the help of Sir Spike. Not many ponies in the Crystal Empire knew it, but their fearless hero and savior was also a skilled nap expert, and had taught Shining Armor the finer points of tactical nap deployment. It had proven essential in the past month. Flurry had never been an easy baby, even when she'd first been born, but all baby ponies quickly gained their own temperaments and personalities, and Flurry had been a handful. Twilight, Celestia, and Luna had all taken turns with Flurry Heart, and Shining's parents, Twilight Velvet and Night Light, had been an amazing source of support. But tonight, as with most nights, she was all theirs.

Cadance sighed happily, surveying her little family and stretching out on the sofa, burying her cheek into the fluffy pillow next to her. She needed to get some rest while she could.

There was a gentle knock at the door. Cadance blinked, squinting across the dimly lit room to peer at the crystalline door. She sighed and stood up, quietly trotting over to the door and opening it. "Whatever it is, I certainly hope it's important."

"Cadance!" Discord said, a few decibels too loudly. Behind her, Flurry Heart hiccuped and gurgled awake with a whine.

Cadance glared at Discord. "You are the worst," she growled, while she turned and kicked the door shut with one hoof, slamming it in Discord's face. 

Shining awoke with a snort, blinking rapidly. Flurry Heart began to whine louder, and Cadance bent over the crib to scoop her up in her magic. She returned to the couch with Flurry Heart in tow and sat up, leaning slightly against one arm of the sofa, and she cradled Flurry Heart in her arms. Shining looked across the room at her, rubbing at his bloodshot eyes. "Honey? What's up? I thought she went down." 

Flurry gurgled inquisitively, eyes drawn to the door. Cadance glanced over and noticed that Discord had peeked his head into the room. Cadance gestured to the door with her horn, scowling. "Somedraconequus woke up Flurry Heart."

Shining Armor got up and yawned, stumbling across the room to Discord and looking up at him. "What do you want? This is a bad time."

Flurry Heart was especially sensitive to emotion, something she no doubt had gained from Cadance, and she began to whimper, working herself up to a good cry. Cadance held her close, hoping Shining Armor could get the God of Utterly Poor Timing out of their castle before he set off Flurry, but that looked to be happening no matter what at this point. She could hear Discord and Shining Armor having a whispered conversation, hissing at each other as they debated some point. Flurry Heart had had enough of this nonsense, though, and she began to cry, loudly and with all the force her Tiny Royal Voice could muster. Discord leapt nearly a foot in the air as Flurry Heart began to wail, and he spoke up beyond a whisper. "Gracious me! You've got a set of lungs on you, kiddo!"

Flurry Heart kept up the wailing, and Cadance scowled. "Well, I suppose there's no point anymore. Come on in, Discord."

Discord gave Cadance a sheepish grin and entered the room, Shining rolling his eyes and trotting over to sit next to Cadance on the couch. Discord sat in the overstuffed armchair that Shining had vacated, his eyes darting between Cadance and Flurry Heart. He chuckled, barely audible over Flurry Heart's crying. "She's certainly cute, if a bit... cranky."

"Thank you. Now, please tell me what was so important that you felt the need to show up unannounced and wake up my daughter?" Cadance said with barely constrained hostility.

"I have a... relationship question. You and I, we've never had any problems, Cadance, so I figured—" Discord began, but Shining interrupted him.

"Never had any problems? How about the time you stole all her magic? Or my magic? Or betrayed Equestria?" Shining Armor said, glaring across the room at Discord. Flurry Heart's cries grew louder.

Discord scowled, "Shining Armor! You're making the baby upset! Also, I figured that we'd let bygones be bygones. I sincerely apologized for my little part in that whole unpleasant Tirek episode. Aren't we all friends, now?"

"Nope," Cadance said, shushing Flurry Heart. "We were never friends, Discord."

"Oh, please! I went out of my way to rescue Twilight and the rest of the captured ponies from the Changelings. When Chrysalis's magic was broken, it freed your entire family, including your adorably loud, apparently half-siren daughter," Discord said quickly.

Cadance and Shining Armor glanced at each other. He wasn't wrong, there. Cadance stood up and placed Flurry Heart on her back, and trotted across the room to Discord. "You're right."

Discord scowled, obviously about to object, but he halted, surprise writ large across his face. "... Oh. Well, ah, I expected to have to argue a bit more, so now I'm just at a loss."

Cadance gave him a wan smile. He certainly wasn't her favorite, but he'd proven himself a friend to Twilight and her friends, most especially Fluttershy. Flurry Heart continued to cry, her wings fluttering and her tiny arms flailing slightly as Cadance bounced her on her back, trying to soothe the tiny alicorn. Discord chuckled. "You look a little ridiculous."

"She likes this, sometimes. The trick, really, is finding what she needs and getting her to settle down again," Cadance explained, returning some of her focus to Discord. "So, you said you had a relationship problem."

"Yes... well..." Discord suddenly clammed up, which was unexpected of him. Cadance had rarely seen him pensive, or even quiet for any stretch. "It's complicated, and rather embarrassing, but you're the expert alicorn, here. Celestia recommended me to you, you see."

"Celestia sent you?" Cadance said, surprised, and shot Shining Armor a quick look. Shining Armor shrugged, obviously exhausted and frusturated, but he didn't seem intent on challenging Discord any further. Cadance looked back at Discord, "You have my attention."

"Fluttershy told me that she loves me," Discord said.

Cadance nearly stumbled in shock as she bounced Flurry Heart on her flank. Flurry Heart continued to cry. "Oh. Oh! Congratulations!"

"That's great. Congratulations, Discord," Shining Armor added, giving a tired but genuine smile. Cadance smiled at her husband.

Discord gave her a look. "Everypony keeps saying that. It's more complicated than that."

Cadance resumed her slow trot around the room, giving Flurry Heart a pony ride. "Oh? Why?"

"Well, I'm immortal, for starters. That certainly puts a damper on my future prospects with dear Fluttershy," Discord said.

"Well, that's certainly a valid concern... for the long term. What about the short term?" Cadance asked.

Discord gave her a look. "Cadance, when you're immortal, short term is about a hundred years, give or take. You'll have to be more specific."

Cadance chuckled airily, pausing to collect her thoughts while she made silly faces at Flurry Heart. She spoke after a few attempts failed, and she trotted over to Shining Armor, who took to the silly face task with gusto. "I'm surprised by that, Discord. I know that immortals have a thing about mortal time feeling like the blink of an eye, but you've always stuck me as a... here-and-now type of draconequus."

Discord frowned, though Cadance could tell that it wasn't directed at her. "That... is a fair point."

"So, what's got you worked up and thinking long-term? Is it, maybe, because you value Fluttershy's time? That you don't just see a relationship with her as a here-and-now deal, but something that is lasting?" Cadance pried.

Discord stared at her, unblinking, before slowly nodding. "You're... right."

"So, you want it to last. That's a good thing. She's bringing you beyond your usual in-the-moment attitude. Why?" Cadance asked, before nuzzling Flurry Heart. She was still crying, unfortunately.

"Why?" Discord replied, looking confused. He had a remarkably silly face when he was confused. Cadance trotted Flurry Heart over to the draconequus, hoping that maybe his silly appearance would get her to giggle.

"What's special about Fluttershy? Why does she get you twisted up and second guessing? You're a god of chaos. Love is one of the most chaotic, passionate, crazy things that can happen to a pony."

"She's... well..." Discord swallowed hard, looking down at his hands, which were clasped in front of himself. Cadance could feel his love, in that moment, like a wave of heat that filled her body and left her feeling shaky. Discord continued, suddenly. "Every day, she wakes up to chaos. Madness. Animals that run amok, screaming to have their needs met. Every day, there's two things that terrify her and she has to overcome them to move on with her duties. She does it all, though. She calms the savage beasts, quiets the cries. She fights through the fear and accomplishes everything she sets out to do. She..." Discord paused, inhaling, "She's a goddess. A goddess of order."

Cadance was quiet, staring at Discord and filled with emotion. Flurry Heart was silent, too, staring up at Discord with wide, blue eyes. Cadance smiled, wiping at her eyes. "Wow, Discord," she said, giggling, "you have it bad."

"I do, don't I?" Discord said, his voice soft.

Flurry Heart laughed a tiny baby laugh, hiccuping, and then spontaneously fell asleep. Cadance sighed, feeling the tension drain from her body. "Yes. It's my professional opinion, as the Alicorn of Love, that you're in deep, deep trouble. Because if you're here, that probably means you ran away screaming when Fluttershy told you she loves you."

Discord winced. "Well, screaming is a strong word..."

"You should probably give it some thought, but I can tell that you're very much in love with Fluttershy. I think you need to recapture that sense of here-and-now. Stop thinking long term, and let things happen as they may. Go think up a great apology. Make her feel like the goddess you think she is," Cadance said, removing Flurry Heart from her back and holding her in her front legs.

"Right... yes. Of course. But... while I have your attention..." Discord frowned slightly, "I, uh, I know that Fluttershy wants children, someday. And, well..."

Cadance stared at Discord for a moment, then held out Flurry Heart. Discord gave her a shocked look and laughed nervously. "Cadance, I know you're tired, but you can't go giving me babies."

Cadance laughed, "Hold her. Please."

Discord stared down at the sleeping alicorn foal, his face a mixture of pure terror and deep curiosity. He looked from Cadance to Shining Armor, and then slowly and gingerly took the baby into his arms. Cadance had never seen Discord so... still. She spoke softly. "Alicorns aren't supposed to be able to procreate, either." Discord looked up at her with shock. Cadance smiled at him, her gaze drawn to her sleeping foal. "I can't tell you the hows or whys, but with enough love, anything is possible, Discord. So... stop worrying."

Discord stared down at Flurry Heart, and then nodded. "You're right."

Cadance took Flurry Heart from Discord, and set her back in her crib. "So...?"

"So? So now, like you said, I think up a great apology," Discord said with a small laugh.

Cadance nodded. "Good. Now, get out of here, and don't come back until you've sorted things out with Fluttershy. We'll be here if you need more advice."

Discord stood up, brushing himself off, and made for the door. He opened it, his face filled with determination, and strode into the hallway. He peeked back in a moment later, looking sheepish. "Oh, and, thank you," he said, nodding to Shining Armor and Cadance, before with a snap of his fingers he disappeared. 

Cadance shook her head and trotted back over to the couch and sat down next to Shining Armor, hugging him tightly. Shining chuckled, holding her close. "Good work, honey."

Cadance smiled happily. "They're going to be very happy."

Shining Armor smirked. "Really?"

"No doubt. She's his goddess of order. Opposites attract, and I can't think of anything more opposite than chaos and order. They'll do fine."

"As long as Discord doesn't screw up," Shining quipped.

Cadance laughed quietly and gave him a little shove. "Shiny! Bad pony."

"Sweet princess," he countered, giving her a playful shove back, before bending down and sharing a loving kiss with her.