Discord sniffed loudly. He hated being sick, rare as it was. He typically only ever felt sick if he was surrounded by pure order, struck with something potent he wasn't expecting, or deliberately giving himself some odd illness to mess with ponies.
Apparently, cuddling next to his sick wife all night was another way to get infected.
Fluttershy was flittering around him, fluffing his pillows and pulling the blankets up to his chin. He sighed, sinking into the softness of the bed, and sniffled loudly again. She passed him a tissue box, asking, "Do you need any more pillows?" She had already grabbed enough that he could make a fort.
He shook his head. "...But some chaos might make me feel better," he admitted. She smiled, nodded, and tipped over the vase on their nightstand. She flew around the room, overturning most of the objects in their room, though leaving some alone. He sighed in contentment, the small acts of chaos making him feel relaxed.
She came back to his side. "I'm going to make some breakfast. Do you promise to stay in bed?" He nodded. "If you need anything, just call, alright?" He nodded again, and she flew out the door.
He blew his nose, and snuggled into an armful of pillows. He would have preferred snuggling into Fluttershy, but he couldn't stand the thought of making her sick again, creating an awful viscous cycle. He sniffed, and grabbed another tissue. His nose was clogged, and his throat was already feeling a little sore. He wasn't sure how Fluttershy was able to work in the sanctuary for so long, if she felt anything like this.
After two more tissues, he wondered when she was coming back. How long has it been? Ten minutes? Fifteen? He glanced at the squiggly-handed clock on the wall, smiling for a second when he saw it was upside down. That smile fell when he read the time. She had only been gone for two minutes.
He rolled over onto his stomach, then onto his back again. At this rate, boredom will kill me before the illness even gets a chance, he thought.
He glanced over at a piece of furniture that had been untouched by Fluttershy's adorable chaos spree. It was a small, pastel green bookshelf, filled with all sorts of books. He had added it so Fluttershy didn't need to go to the library to get one of her favorites if she wanted to read before bed.
A book sounded great right now. Thanks to the influence of his wife and Twilight Sparkle, he had developed a taste in books that didn't involve eating them. But alas, his personal favorites were in the library, and he was confined to his bed. He could easily reach her bookshelf, but Fluttershy's books had never appealed to him.
Realization hit him, and he couldn't help but laugh at himself. Obviously, magic was the solution here. He snapped his fingers, picturing one of his favorite novels.
A book appeared in front of him. He reached out to grab it, but it flapped its paper wings, evading his grasp. He growled and sat up, reaching up again. The book flew away again, its pages contorting into thin appendages it used to scuttle across the ceiling. Annoyed, he threw a pillow at it, hoping to dislodge it. The pillow struck true, but the book creature held on.
Its cover turned to face him, thin slits narrowing. The bottom part of the book started to detach, and he watched as the paper began to fold into numerous pointy fangs. He gulped, sliding back until his back was against the headboard.
The door creaked open, and in walked Fluttershy, carrying a tray on her back, smiling softly at him. Her brows furrowed when she saw his expression, and her head lifted to follow his gaze. She saw the book monster, which was shifting its focus (and teeth) between its attacker and this new creature. It scuttled into a corner, gnashing its teeth at both of them.
"Oh, there's no need for that," Fluttershy said softly, setting her tray at the foot of the bed. She carefully flew over to the creature, hoofs outstretched in peace. Discord watched carefully, ready to lunge forward and shield her. The book creature gnashed its teeth, but Fluttershy shushed it.
"It's okay," she whispered. "No creature's going to hurt you." The book slowly closed its mouth, the thin slits above it widening as she came closer. As she reached out, it dislodged itself from the ceiling and flew into her hooves.
Discord watched, mesmerized, as she stroked the book's spine. Its pages ruffled, and it snuggled into her chest. Carefully, she flew over to the window, opened it, and released the book from her hold. It grabbed onto her forehooves, clinging on, but she gave it a gentle nudge with her muzzle. Slowly, it let go, and flew out the window with paper wings.
She closed the window and turned to Discord. "What was that?," she asked as she picked the tray back up and brought it to him.
"It was supposed to be a book," he said with a cough. "But I think my magic got a little out of hand with making it." He slid down the headboard, relaxing against the pillows.
Fluttershy set the tray on his lap. There was a bowl of yogurt, a mixture of different flavors, a slice of toast covered with butter and cinnamon, and a tall glass of chocolate milk. He smiled and grabbed the bowl, greedily eating the chaotic concoction. She simply sighed and picked up a napkin, cleaning whatever he spilled.
"Why were you using your magic?," she asked as he dropped the bowl and began to munch on the toast.
"Well, I was bored. And I couldn't leave the bed, so I figured magicking up a book would be the perfect solution," He said between mouthfuls. He grabbed the bowl again and his tongue slithered out, slurping up the last of the dairy product.
He gulped down the chocolate milk, and she dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. "I don't suppose I could convince you to go to sleep?" He shook his head. She sighed and picked up the tray. "I'll be back in just a minute. Please just try to rest...and no magic, please." With that, she walked out the door.
He snorted, his head falling back onto his pillow. Like he could sleep. He was too restless to close his eyes, but something seemed to be draining at his energy. It wasn't enough to make him sleepy, but it did make him tired, and a bit irritated. He rolled over onto his side, then rolled over again to stare at the clock.
He watched the minutes hand tick slowly by, resisting the urge to make something to entertain himself. His ear perked up when he heard the door open, and his head quickly shot off the pillow. Fluttershy had entered, holding a book in her hoof.
She pulled the small, wooden chair he had made last night to his side. "I thought, maybe...I could read to you?," she said quietly.
He rose an eyebrow, glancing at the title of the book she was holding. The same novel he had tried to make. "Are you sure? You might not like this story. It's quite chaotic, and nothing like the books you read."
She smiled. "I'm sure. Besides, I want you to feel comfortable, and that means you shouldn't be bored."
She opened to the first page. "In a distant and second-hand set of dimensions, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly, the curling star-mists waver and part..."
He slowly blinked awake, glancing around the room. His throat felt sore and itchy, his nose was running, and he felt a pressure in his chest. He breathed heavily with a wheeze, looking around for Fluttershy. She was missing, but the book was sitting on the chair, bookmarked.
A glance at the clock told him it was a little after noon. He was surprised. He'd apparently been asleep awhile, if he'd drifted off towards the beginning of the book.
The door opened, and Fluttershy came in with another tray. She'd made him tomato soup this time, with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side, and a tall glass of ice water. This time, she spoon fed him, which he was grateful for. His claw kept shaking when he was trying to eat his sandwich, and she had to help him hold onto his glass so he didn't spill water all over himself.
She flew away with the tray, returning quickly. As she started to pick up the book again, he stopped her. "It's alright. I'm not quite in the mood for that story anymore," he said raspily. Don't really feel like laughing. She put the book down on their nightstand.
"Are you feeling any better?," she asked.
He shook his head. "Worse, actually. Especially my chest." She looked at him questioningly. "There's some kind of pressure."
She gently placed a hoof on his chest. He winced, a small cough escaping him. "I think some rest should be able to clear that up." He groaned, his head falling back on the pillow.
"But it huuuuuurts," he moaned. "My throat, too. Why can't I just snap it away?"
She rubbed at his back. "Sweetie, you know what happened when you tried to make a book. Do you know what could happen if you tried to use magic on yourself?" He huffed. "I just don't want you to hurt yourself."
He crossed his arms, sniffling. She sighed and rubbed at his side. "I think I know something that might make you feel better," she said. "Can you roll over onto your stomach?"
He grunted and shifted. She slowly flew over him, landing on his back. She slowly rubbed her hooves on his back, somehow managing to press her hooves deeply into all of his sore muscles. He sighed, his arms dangling limply at his sides. He breathed deeply, feeling some of the pressure leave his chest as his muscles relaxed.
If he was using his magic, he would probably have melted into a puddle by now. Instead, all he could do was let out another sigh and let his eyes drift closed as her hooves dug in deeper into his chest, lightly massaging the rest of his back.
He blinked awake again, yawning as he rolled onto his back. He took in a deep breath, realizing the pressure in his chest had lessened. He felt a soft hoof at his side, and turned to see Fluttershy, sitting in her chair. "How are you feeling?," she asked.
"Not great...but much better than before," he said with a sniffle, leaning into her touch. She smiled and felt at his forehead.
"No fever," she said. "That's good." She glanced towards the clock on the wall. "Oh my, its past dinnertime! You'll be fine if I leave you for a few minutes, won't you?" He nodded, and she handed him the book on the nightstand before leaving the room.
He laid his head back on the pillow and flipped through the book. He glanced at the clock every few seconds, his tail swishing impatiently at how slow the minute hand was moving. The small coughs that came from his throat weren't improving his mood, either. He flipped his book upside-down and settled down, finding it easier to read.
Soon, she came back and placed the tray in front of him. She fed him the vegetable soup, then rubbed at his shoulders while he nibbled on the various cheese slices she brought. He was halfway done with his orange-grapefruit juice when she spoke up.
"Um, I know you haven't had a fever, but...I liked it when you gave me a bath, so...do you want me to..." She tapped her hooves together, a bashful blush on her face.
He blushed, then threw his head back, drinking the juice with one gulp. He pulled back the covers and flew into the bathroom, before hovering above the tub, tapping his fingers together as Fluttershy slowly followed him.
With her face still a bright pink, she turned the knob, letting the tub slowly fill with hot water. She twisted the knob back and forth, switching between hot and cool water. When it was about halfway full, she glanced up at him. "H-How's the temperature?"
He slowly dipped his tail in. The bath was pleasantly warm, and some of the steam made his nose feel much clearer. He sighed and slid in the rest of the way, closing his eyes as he leaned his head on the edge of the tub. He heard Fluttershy fly somewhere and back, and opened one eye to peek at her.
Her hooves were absolutely full of different bottles of liquid. She placed them next to the tub as best she could without dropping them, before grabbing one bottle out of the pile and heading back over to the faucet.
She poured a generous amount of the pink liquid into the water before turning the water on again. Large suds began to form, and Discord flicked his tail to bring some closer to him. He began to mold the bubbles into a chaotic shape, rejoicing in that his nose had cleared enough that he could smell the bubblegum scent of it.
Soon, the tub was filled to the brim with warm water and bubbles. While he molded a pile in front of him into the shape of his old statue form, Fluttershy rubbed at his mane, lathering shampoo in. He sighed and shifted backwards, trying to move closer to her. She squeaked. "D-Discord, you poked me with your horns."
"Oh! Sorry," he said, shifting back. She continued rubbing at his mane, and he closed his eyes contentedly.
As she worked from his head down his body, she switched between different bottles of shampoo. He had to admit, she was much better at this than he was. She was gentle with him, never doing anything surprising or sudden, making sure he knew exactly what she was doing.
Eventually, she pulled away. "Alright, time for bed." He whined, sinking into the warm water, hiding in the bubbles. "Sweetie, I know the bath is nice...and I'm sure it helps you feel better...but a good night's sleep will make you feel even better. Besides, that water's going to be cold soon."
He sighed and slithered out of the tub, standing on all fours and shaking himself dry like a dog. Fortunately, Fluttershy already had a towel on hand, and managed to shield herself from the aqueous onslaught. She giggled and lunged at him, wrapping the large towel around him and furiously rubbing him dry.
He laughed and playfully thrashed, trying to get away. She giggled again and rubbed at his head—a little roughly, but still in a playful, gentle manner. Soon, he stopped struggling, laughing as he took the towel and dried himself off. He floated back into their bedroom and flopped down onto his pile of pillows, waiting for Fluttershy to follow him.
He raised an eyebrow when she flew past the bed, towards the door. "Where are you going?" She smiled.
"Just getting something from the kitchen," she said before flying out the door. He smiled and snuggled into his ramshack pillow throne. A before-bed snack, right after dinner? Not usual, but when have I ever cared about that? He licked his lips, wondering what treat she might bring them. An apple or an orange? Perhaps a cookie or a candy bar? Maybe even a bowl of ice cream?
She came back inside, holding three containers. He sat up, but froze when he got a closer look at the contents. That's not food...
"Actually, Flutters, I feel fine," he said with a laugh. "I don't need to take any—" He coughed, but continued, "M-Medicine."
She frowned. "Discord, you've been saying how awful you feel all day. And you slept for hours, when you almost never take a nap for more than thirty minutes, and I have to drag you to bed sometimes." Her eyes widened, almost becoming 'The Stare'. "You're taking this medicine, buster, no ifs, ands, or buts."
He gulped, biting his tongue before it decided to get him in trouble. She opened the first bottle and poured a thick red liquid out onto a spoon. "Open wide," she said. His jaw popped open, unhinging almost completely. "Maybe not that much," she said. He reached up and popped his jaw back into place before opening his mouth normally.
She stuck the spoon in his mouth. He dutifully swallowed the syrup, though his nose wrinkled and the overly-sweet, terribly-fake cherry flavor. When she set the spoon aside, he could help but stick his tongue out in distaste. Without even looking, she handed him a glass of water.
He chugged it down, but groaned when she saw he had opened the second bottle. "Do I have to take all of those?," he groaned. She sighed.
"You don't have to eat these ones, Discord. They're topical medicines." Seeing his blank expression, she continued, "They go on certain places on the body. Can you lift your head, please?"
He did so, and shivered as she rubbed some cold goop on his throat. "This is suppose to help your throat. Head down, please." She wiped her hoof on a cloth and opened the next vial, dabbing some of the liquid on his nose. He sniffed, biting his lip to contain a sneeze. "And this is suppose to help clear your nose."
She set down the vial. "I'll put these away in the morning," she said, before walking towards her side of the bed. Discord's tail slid forward and stopped her. She turned to him, and he twiddled his fingers.
"How do I say this...I'm sorry," he mumbled, hanging his head. "I'm sorry for how I've behaved today. I just...really hate being sick, and not able to use my magic. I truly appreciate all you've done for me today, trying to make me feel better." He glanced away. "I'm sorry I haven't really shown that in my...behavior."
His ears lifted when something soft pressed against his cheek. He turned his head slightly, glancing out of the corner of his eye. Fluttershy pulled away, stroking his mane with a hoof. "Discord," she sighed. "I know you're frustrated because you're sick. And you've listened to me, even if you acted stubborn about it."
"Let's just go to sleep, and hope you feel better in the morning," she finished, pushing his tail away. As she climbed under the sheets, he pushed a pillow against her chest, holding her back.
"Are you sure this is wise?," he asked. "I mean, I got sick sleeping by your side. What if you catch the same illness again?"
She pouted. "But...like I said, I sleep better next to you."
He sighed. "I know. And I sleep better with you next to me, too. But I'd sleep even better if I knew you were safe and healthy." He laid back. "Either of us could take a guest room. I think we'll survive one night apart."
She tugged at one of the pillows he was lying on. "But, what if we made..."
"Fluttershy. Your side of the bed is still soaked with sweat. And if we switched, mine is covered in germs. The Great Wall of Pillows won't change that." He sighed. "Guess we'll clean the sheets tomorrow. But, please...go to a guest room."
She nodded and headed towards the door. She paused at the doorway, looking over her shoulder. "Good night, Discord. I love you." She blew him a kiss.
He snatched the kiss out of the air before blowing her two of his own. She giggled, smiling softly as she turned out the lights and closed the door behind her. He sighed and snuggled into his pillow pile. He didn't like being a voice of reason, but if it keep Fluttershy safe...
He nodded off, dreaming of his kind, caring Fluttershy.