//------------------------------// // XI: Child Sickness // Story: The Flutterheart Diaries // by lilinuyasha //------------------------------// 10-5-12 Been a while since my last entry. Flutterheart’s been able to walk around for a few weeks now. She still can’t fly, and that frustrates her, but I keep reminding her that baby steps are the key. I think she’ll be well enough in time for Nightmare Night. Well enough to toss out candy without any complications, anyway. I’ll keep you updated on that part. Not sure what sparked the conversation, but somehow Flutterheart and I got started talking about marriage. Then the conversation led to children and such. Anyways, we had a serious (?) talk about marriage. Debating whether things would work, how we would do things, what place to live in and blah blah blah. It was slightly awkward, yes, even though I want to marry her. I don’t know...it just seems that it may be a little early for that. What’s it been...2/3 months? Is that long enough? I don’t know how these things work, and I don’t know a lot about marriage either. All I know is jumping the gun on the issue, so to speak, isn’t a good idea. I tried to veer the topic off of marriage for a bit, but I couldn’t help but keep with it for some reason. I’m sure if I was just facing her it would have been less difficult, but she was snuggled up against me, looking up at me with those damn eyes. I can’t do anything for myself when I see those eyes. I just lose control...and losing control in this situation meant keeping on the marriage topic. I tried to remain diplomatic, trying not to give it away that I secretly did want to marry her. When the opportunity presented itself, I changed the subject to kids, thinking at the time that would be better, but later realized that’s an extension of marriage and probably sparked a wildfire. One thing I did learn, though, is that she has always wanted a filly named Flutterwing. Apparently that name holds significance to her, from her grandmother or something. When she asked me, I simply said I’d like a colt. “What would you name him?” “Uh...Anacrusis.” I said. Anacrusis is the musical term for a pickup note, and, if my colt was fast and above the competition, he could get a jump start of them, a physical anacrusis, so to speak. I don’t know. Maybe he deserves a better name than something music related. It’s always so difficult to name your foals. You just sort of name them and hope they evolve into their talent. Sounds like an old Game Colt game I had years ago. Of course, I spent the night again last night. I’ve been helping take care of her as much as I can. Really, it’s a good excuse to spend all the time I can with her. Not that I needed an excuse to begin with. Spending all the time I can with Flutterheart, Trey *** “Good morning, sleepyhead!” said Fluttershy, as the messy maned Anacrusis groggily stumbled into the kitchen. “What’s for breakfast?” Trey and Fluttershy laughed. “Son, it’s 1 PM.” said Trey. It was unlike him to sleep this late. “Oh. Well what’s for lunch?” “How’s a daisy butter and hay sandwich sound?” Anacrusis made a small “ungh.”, laying his head on the table, hooves over his ears. “Are you ok?” asked Fluttershy. “Yeah...just a headache.” “Do you feel nauseous?” asked Trey. “Feel what?” “Like you’re about to throw up?” “Oh...I already threw up.” he said, alerting both Trey and Fluttershy. “You go check on Flutterwing, I’ll lay him down.” Trey didn’t feel a particular need to send Anacrusis to Nurse Redheart. Fluttershy had lots of medical equipment for whatever reason, and she knew how to take care of ponies. She worked wonders for bruises. Trey set Anacrusis on the couch, covering him with a blanket. He then wet a washcloth and put it over his head, bringing a small trashcan with him. “Use this if you feel like you’re going to throw up, ok? I’ll be right back to take your temperature.” he said, heading off to get a thermometer. Fluttershy appeared out of Flutterwing’s room, a small look of concern on her face. “Is she ok?” “It looks like she’s sick, too...I hope it isn’t serious...” “I’m sure they’ll be fine in a day or two. Looks like I’ll have to wait to show them Frisbee another day.” said Trey, slightly sad. “Oh well. I love you!” “I love you too.” said Fluttershy, quickly kissing him before getting a washcloth herself. “I love you, Anacrusis. Just sleep and everything will get better soon. Let me know if you need anything, ok?” “Just take a rest, Flutterwing...everything will be all better soon. I love you! Let me know if you need anything. Daddy and I are here all day.” “So we’re here all day, huh?” asked Trey. Fluttershy sighed, carefully taking a seat on the couch where Anacrusis was. She gently stroked his mane, humming her lullaby as he shivered underneath her. Trey smiled to himself again, noting how cute she was as a loving mother. *** Anacrusis and Flutterwing burst in the front door, clamoring to get their parents attention. “I want to show her first!” “No, me!” “Mine’s better!” “Mine’s cooler!” “Calm down, guys...” began Trey. “I take it the end of your second week of school went well?” “We made you something!” said Flutterwing, handing a piece of art to Fluttershy. Anacrusis handed his to Trey. “Oh, what are these?” asked Fluttershy. “They asked us to draw something that makes us happy, so I drew mommy and I together!” said Flutterwing, proudly beaming at her piece of art. “And I drew Dad and I playing catch and stuff.” said Anacrusis, pointing out a crude, but recognizable, drawing of he and Trey (Labeled “me” and “Dad”) throwing around a hoofball. “Our children’s first art projects. I know just where to put these.” said Trey. “Where?” “The refrigerator, of course. Now, get a magnet and put it somewhere on the fridge. That way, anypony who comes to visit will see what a great job you did!” “I call the Steven Magnet.” said Anacrusis, hurrying to get the magnet with a face on it. The packaging was called “Steel’n Magnet” but ever since he was little, he called it a “Steven Magnet”. “That’s no fair!” yelled Flutterwing, chasing after him. “Well, from here on out, our fridge is going to be covered in drawings of pink and yellow squares. We’ve hit the next milestone in parenting.” said Trey. Fluttershy giggled a bit, leaning against him as they both watched their kids place their artwork, which they were oh-so-very proud of, as high as they could on the front of the fridge. 10-31-12 Fluttershy and I had our first Nightmare Night together. She handled it really well, I think. Not any real complications. She gnashed in pain a few times trying to bend down to pick up the candy bowl on the porch, but other than that, she’s been perfectly fine. Recovery seems to have taken a lot longer than it normally should, but still...excuse to care for her! I like her depending on me though. I know I’ve mentioned liking the mare that’s slightly dependant, and I feel like I’m getting that here. At the end of every day, the way she leans against me and snuggles me, thanking me for everything and apologizing for being a bother is just so cute. Then she looks up at me with those eyes I can’t get over. Then, slowly and tenderly, I kiss her, with the most amount of passion I can muster. She deserves the best, and I want to give it to her. And another thing...I can’t help but stroke her face. Her wound is gone, and the scar is essentially unnoticeable. I think that whenever I do it, she feels beautiful again. She senses nothing but care in these rough hooves of mine, nothing but compassion when she looks into my eyes, and nothing but love in my lips whenever I kiss her. Trust me...I do that a lot, too. Simply put, she’s the most amazing mare I’ve ever met, and I could never get tired of saying that. Just the moments where we don’t say anything but look into each other’s eyes and have a conversation that way. A non-verbal conversation. Angel seems to like watching, for some reason. He thinks I don’t notice him keeping watch from the top of the stairs, but I do. I think he’s happy for Flutterheart. Whatever the case, Flutterheart is mine, her eyes are mine, those soft, supple lips, her soft, caring hooves, her soft, warm skin...everything is soft about her, really. Her skin, hooves, face, hair...and her heart. On more than one occasion, we’ve been known to start shedding tears of joy simply being in one another’s company. I shed little tears of joy to myself whenever she falls asleep on my chest. Then I lightly stroke her mane and fall asleep myself. I’ve never been happier in my life than I am with her. I do want to marry her...but my stupid social inhibitions are getting in the way of me taking that risk. I’ll worry about that later. I’ve got to rest up. I’ll be taking care of my precious Flutterheart tomorrow. And the day after. And the months and years to come, hopefully. Taking care of his precious Flutterheart, Trey