After dinner, Discord and the Shy family sat around the table drinking mulled wine and eating frosted cookies. Discord had regaled them with harrowing tales of the Chaos realm and his adventures in Equestria, conveniently leaving out any details where he might be portrayed as the instigator. Fluttershy's parents seemed quite taken with him, and that's all that really mattered to her.
When she felt her head begin to swim, Fluttershy stood from the table. “It’s getting late,” she told her mother.
“Oh, so it is,” said Mrs. Shy.
“Uh, Discord and I were going to go for a walk.“ She felt Discord’s gaze land on her. “We’ll be back maybe in a couple of hours or so.”
“Well, all right, dear,” her mother said, yawning. “Dress warmly.”
Fluttershy helped her parents clear the dishes and Discord helped her into her coat. As soon as they stepped out of the house, he snapped his fingers and they appeared on the outskirts of a small village in snowy hills with falling snow and starlight.
“Where are we?” Fluttershy asked, her voice loud in the stillness.
He shrugged. “Not Ponyville. We don’t want to run into everyone, do we? Ponyville is so... cacophonous.”
She hid her smile by grabbing hold of his arm and leaning against it as they began working their way through the drifting snow. “Well, you do think of everything.”
“I learn from the best.”
They chuckled and Fluttershy felt a new warmth growing in her middle. She snuggled his arm against her.
“Cold?”
She shook her head. “Mm-mm.”
They meandered past small houses with wreaths and twinkling lights. Snow drifted down in small flakes, swirling every now and then on a breeze. Fluttershy fitted her hand against his and he took it. She was just mustering the courage to ask him what he thought of her when she heard the sound of jingle bells.
A couple in a white cutter whizzed by, bells ringing, mixing with their laughter.
“That’s so much better.” Discord snapped his fingers and they were in a shining red cutter pulled by a sparkling skeleton horse with a long starry tail glowing in the moonlight, prancing along across the hill. A blue and gray plaid blanket edged in silver threads covered them from lap to feet, seated snugly side by side.
He lay his arm across her shoulders and she found herself grinning.
“It’s like flying,” she laughed in the wind.
Their own sets of jingle bells rang merrily under the snow and stars and they waved as yet another couple in a cutter dashed by. Fluttershy tucked the blanket more tightly over her lap as their horse kicked up snow and ice, then leaned against Discord as they sped around the countryside.
She did not realize she was yawning until Discord said, “Tired?”
She covered another yawn with her hand. “Only a little.”
“We can go back.”
“No, no.” She held onto his arm. “I love this.”
They drove on a minute longer before Discord turned the sleigh into a sled and they careened down a hill. The horse, upon the drop, turned into a dozen silver and gold butterflies, flying away.
Fluttershy was screaming, but just as they took on air and she felt herself being hurtled from the sled, Discord grabbed her and they floated gently to the ground. Discord was still laughing as they touched down and forgot to let her go for a moment.
She was still breathless and frozen-cheeked. “I’m awake now.”
“And so full of life.” He lifted her against him, squeezing her, then put her down.
She smiled, watching him sideways as he took in their surroundings.
“So, what’ll it be?” he asked. “Shall we ride some reindeer across the sky? Snowshoe through the ice cave? Find the yeti?”
How about I jump on you like a little yeti and we roll around in the snow for a while? She cleared her throat. “Whatever you’d like to do. I always have fun.”
She had just finished speaking when a broad reindeer appeared beneath her and began galloping away with her. She clung to its neck as it took off into the air and felt herself sliding before it bucked her clear off and she landed face-first in the snow.
“Sorry,” Discord said, appearing beside her and pulling her out of the crater she’d made. He held her steady and scraped the snow from her face with his mittened hand. “All right?”
She nodded, taking over for him and rubbing her face with her scarf.
“Here.” He turned and squatted down, lifting his arms behind him. “Come on.”
“W-what?” She put her hands to her face. “No, no; I’m all right.”
He wiggled his fingers. “Hop on.”
“I…”
“It’s freezing. Hurry up.”
Pressing her lips together, she stood over him and leaned against his back. He tucked his hands beneath her thighs and stood, hoisting her up. At times she did not realize just how tall Discord really was, for now she could see from his vantage point. She felt like a bird and wrapped her arms gently around his neck.
He was warm, his hair freshly washed. She breathed him in and closed her eyes. They meandered through the trees, the village now a glow at the top of the hill, and his solid form beneath her eased some of her tension.
“This is nice,” she murmured, hugging his neck. She saw him smile, but he didn’t answer and she felt her heart warm even more.
Working their way back up the hill was slow and cumbersome, and she wondered why he didn't just snap his fingers to transport them to the top.
“Discord?” she said, after a long silence.
He turned his head. “Hm?”
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. Getting warmer?”
She nodded, then, remembering he could not really see her, rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. “Toasty.”
“Like a marshmallow.”
They went on in silence again, one she found almost physically painful. “I've missed this."
“We haven't done this before."
“I mean spending time together. Having an adventure."
“Well, sure."
She tried to calm her pounding heart, which she worried he could feel, and bit her lip. “We’re so- we know each other so well, don’t we? And we like each other. And I thought, maybe… you might want… me.”
“Tch. Of course I want you,” he grunted as he worked his way through the drift.
The admission was so candid she nearly let go of him and fell out of his hold, but her throat seized as she tried to think of something else to say.
“Hold on,” he said as his foot sank with his next step until his knee was almost covered in snow. He struggled out of it and onto the lane the cutters had used. “So, where to?”
Fluttershy felt the familiar pain in her body and she looked away into the trees beyond the lane. Is that all you’re going to say? How can you just leave it like this? She debated whether or not to get off of his back.
“The village, I guess.”
They set off in silence and she fidgeted, trying to find a way to break it. “Should I sing a song? I want to sing a song.”
“Anything but ‘Jingle Bells’-”
“Jingle bells! Jingle bells! Jingle all the way!”
He stumbled again, perhaps from her weight or the new drift beneath them, and she sang her heart out.
“Beautiful,” he said grimly when she had finished.
“It’s such a happy song.”
“Not right in my ear.”
She pecked his ear and leaned her head against his. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.”
“I mean about… putting you on the spot a few minutes ago.”
“Ah,” said Discord, stopping. “Smell that? Chestnuts. You want some?”
Fluttershy’s budding smile disappeared, but the scent of roasted chestnuts filled the air. “All right.”
He approached the vendor and bought a bag, handing it to Fluttershy.
“Would you like some?” she asked, holding the bag out for him.
“I don’t care for them.”
She tucked the bag in her hand, holding it against his back. Her anxiety welled inside her and she lay her cheek against the back of his head. “This is nice,” she murmured, hugging around his neck. She saw him smile, but he didn’t answer and she felt her heart warm up again. She held him tighter.
She held on for a minute until she heard Discord’s strangled voice say, “Fluttershy... can’t breathe…”
“Oh!” She let go. “I’m sorry.”
“Want to head back? It’s getting late.”
She agreed and he snapped them back to the front door of the house, and set her down. Just before opening the door, he lay his hand against her cheek. “Still cold. Warm bath, maybe?”
It did sound lovely, but why would she waste time in a bath? “Maybe. Oh, it’s almost midnight.”
They crept into the dark house, with only the tree lit up and dying embers in the fireplace. Fluttershy took off her coat and mittens and rubbed her hands together to warm them.
Discord inspected the mistletoe hanging between the dining and living room. “Thank you for inviting me. It’s been nice.”
“I should have invited you a long time ago.”
Their eyes met and lingered, but, true to form, he turned away from her and leaned against the mantel, looking out the window. “Only once a year, huh?”
“That makes it better.”
"What's this?"
Briefly, she couldn't believe she'd had the audacity to consider snagging a kiss from Discord under the mistletoe, but she couldn't ignore it now. "Mistletoe."
"Why's it hanging here all by itself?"
"It's... I don't know. You can put it any place where people walk under it."
"Good luck?"
She shook her head. "It's where couples... people can kiss each other."
His expression was now something like strained disbelief or horror and Fluttershy looked at her wet plaid skirt, dark brown and cream and woven through with gold threads.
"What?" he asked. "How does that work?"
Fluttershy shrugged. "It's a very old tradition. If someone you like or are close to catches you under it, you kiss each other."
"'Catches'?"
"Not like that," she laughed knowing what he was thinking. "You're standing under it now, so I... someone could..."
"A kiss," he said to himself. "How bizarre."
Laughing again, Fluttershy joined him, reaching her hand up to cup his face. "Would you like to try it?"
Disappointingly, Discord did not sweep her into his arms and plaster her with kisses, but hesitated, confused, before easing his face to hers. She laid her gentlest kiss against his lips and was pleased to feel him reciprocate, but they broke away simultaneously.
“I see. Well, I should hit the hay," he said, ruffling her hair before walking out the kitchen door and across the cloud to the guest house.
Fluttershy hugged herself before collapsing onto the sofa and screaming, very quietly, into a throw pillow. She loved spending time with him even with her family around, it was true, but she still felt cheated. How many more signs could she give him? She'd even asked him if he was interested and he said yes so easily, but then seemed to forget she’d brought it up at all.
Does he not find me attractive? Too weak? Clingy? Is my family too stiff? Too weird? Is it my brother? It has to be my brother. Or does he just not have the capacity for such feelings? He isn't really human, after all. Her mind raced through the options, but it had been seven years, so perhaps he had made his choice and she'd been to stubborn to acknowledge it. But what about what he'd said on their walk? Why couldn't she be strong enough to ask him? Why couldn't he come out and say what he really thought?
After hitting a throw pillow and writhing on the sofa, she rolled off and made her way to her room to change out of her damp clothes and into her long flannel nightgown. She paced around her room, trying not to think of Discord, and finally crept to the kitchen to make some cocoa. As she worked she thought Discord might as well have some, too, and took her time.
Well, a real kiss is something, she thought, but not exactly what I was hoping for… She supposed it was too much to ask for, but after what he’d told her… could he still not make up his mind, even now?
Her face was still furrowed with worry when she knocked on the guest cottage door holding two mugs of cocoa. Just as her heart leaped to her throat, the door opened, and Discord stood there in blue and white snowflake pajama bottoms and a quizzical face. His black hair had fallen somewhat from its rather spiked coiffure.
“I thought maybe you’d still be awake, being stuck in there alone and all. Would you like some cocoa?”
“Y... sure.” Discord pulled his door open wider and Fluttershy handed him the red mug, still confused.
“I always liked midnight cocoa when I was little.”
Discord lifted one shoulder to indicate she could come in, which she did, her eyes on the rug; the planes and lean muscles on his arms and torso were far too distracting. She strayed to the window on the far side of the room and watched the snow fall in silent sparkles. She was too self-conscious to see if he had shut the door, but he joined her at the window momentarily.
They were a dull pair, neither saying anything. Fluttershy sipped her cocoa silently, as Discord slurped his, but at last she set her mug on the window sill. “I’m sorry you had to put up with my brother.”
Discord raised an eyebrow. “Fluttershy, I’ve had birthday dreams that were worse than him.”
“I know,” Fluttershy admitted, “but he can be so frustrating. You shouldn’t have to hear all that when you’re our guest.”
“What are brothers for?” He smiled at her when she glanced at him.
“I don’t suppose you have any siblings?”
Discord shook his head and drank again. “Nope.”
“Or a family, even?”
“Not that I recall.”
“How do you... I mean, how do you feel about it?” She wrapped her hands around her mug to warm them.
“I don’t know. No one’s ever asked me. Do you like it?”
She smiled. “With nice brothers, it’s nice. You have someone to take care of you and look out for you. Sometimes. Well, not really…”
“I suppose.”
“You're sure you had fun tonight, though?"
"I had a great time. Didn't you? Besides the reindeer debacle, I mean. You're not hurt, are you? You look a little pale."
“Of course not, it’s just that you said you w-w-wuh-wuh... wanted me.” Fluttershy had to cover her face for how hot it felt. Could I be any more pathetic? "And I thought..."
She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, but heard him set his own mug down as he said, “Well, then?”