Discord woke up slowly, the way you do when you are in no hurry and feeling very comfy and happy. And why wouldn’t he? There was nothing better in all of Equestria than to wake up next to the most beautiful, lovely mare in existence.
He was curled around Fluttershy’s tiny frame, with her pressed against his heart, the way they fell asleep each night. Every evening they would go to bed to snuggle, until sleep overtook them, and he wouldn’t let go of her until morning.
When he was just about ready to open his eyes, he felt her stir. She carefully rolled around, until she was facing him.
”Mmm good morning sweetheart,” Fluttershy muttered, giving him a kiss on his nose. ”Did you sleep well?”
Discord smiled at her. ”How could I not?” he answered, and nuzzled her face. ”When my little angel was right here, in my arms?”
She blushed and giggled. ”I’m glad you did. Now, how about we get some breakfast? I could make some nice oatmeal for us…” As she tried to get up, Discord tightened his grip on her.
”Not yeeeeeeet,” he protested, ”I haven’t gotten my fill of cuddles yet!”
”Sweetie, we just cuddled all night!” Fluttershy laughed. ”Don’t you think we should get the day started?”
”Those were night cuddles! I need my morning cuddles!” he whined.
She sighed, and gave him some extra kisses. ”I know you like to snuggle, but we have plans today! Don’t you remember? We are going to visit Japony to see the sights,” Fluttershy reminded him.
”Oh yeah!” he exclaimed, his ears perking up, ”I suppose we should get up, then! Oh I can’t wait to see how the place has changed! I haven’t been there in an age!” His tail was practically wagging with excitement.
”Yes, I’m sure this will be a wonderful trip, but breakfast first! We wouldn’t want to explore with an empty stomach,” she told him, happy she managed to motivate him to get out of bed.
”Yes dear,” Discord said, sweetly. He scooped her up and teleported them to the kitchen.
After a hearty breakfast of oatmeal, toast and a fruit salad that somehow managed to stay in the shape of an accordion playing a polka, Discord conjured a backpack for himself and saddlebags for Fluttershy (filled with all kinds of things one might use while traveling), and they were gone in a flash of light.
It was already late when they returned. Both of them had bags full of souvenirs, and both were wearing colorful yukatas (Fluttershy’s had a pattern of morning glories and butterflies, Discord’s a mix of graffiti, rubber duckies and ice cream cones.)
With a sigh, Discord shed his luggage on the living room floor and sauntered to the sofa. He sat down, his ears drooping.
Fluttershy looked at her husband, worried.
”Discord?” she said, tenderly. ”Are you all right?” she asked, knowing exactly what was bothering him. However, she wanted him to open up about his feelings by himself. It would help him feel better.
”Mmm’sppose,” he grumbled. ”I just… wish they wouldn’t do that, anymore.”
Fluttershy climbed next to him on the couch and gently laid her hoof on his paw.
”Sweetheart, I know their reaction was umm… not the most positive at first, but they got over it in the end, right?” She tried to comfort him.
”They ran away from me, screaming! All the ponies looked at me like I was going to EAT them, or something! They called me ”the chaos monster!” I haven’t done ANYTHING to them in eons!” Discord ranted.
”Umm, well, seems like you did unleash chaos on them a long time ago, and it became a long-lived myth, from what they told us… and the news of your reformation hadn’t reached them, apparently,” Fluttershy pointed out.
”Yeah, I know, I know… But I just don’t like it when ponies react to me like that…” he muttered.
Once upon a time, he would have reveled in the welcome he had gotten, basking in the chaos of the stampede his mere presence had caused. It was a testament to the effect love and friendship had had on him, as he no longer wanted to scare anypony.
”Oh sweetie, I know,” Fluttershy sympathized, ”But we had fun in the end, didn’t we? Once they calmed down, they really liked the fireworks display you gave them, and invited us to the matsuri! That was nice, wasn’t it?” she coaxed him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Discord gave her a soft look, and finally smiled. He picked her up, and sat her on his lap.
”Yes, yes, it was darling! The carnival games were fun, and the food was AMAZING! We really need to make yakisoba at home, sometime, and those deep-fried bananas with chocolate were yummers…” Discord was practically drooling, remembering all the tasty treats they had sampled that night.
”See? It was a great trip! So please love, don’t be sad,” Fluttershy pleaded sweetly, stroking him.
Discord took her hoof, and kissed it, nodding.
”Want to go cuddle?” she asked him, knowing the answer.
He gave her another nod, and in a flash they were on their bed. Discord instantly coiled around his darling wife, burying his muzzle in her mane.
For a while, they lay there, gently petting and touching each other. It made Discord feel better, but still…
He gave a deep sigh.
After all their years together, Fluttershy had learned to read her husband’s moods and expressions like a book. And this was definitely a ”I’m Happy to Be Here, But I’m Not Totally Ok Yet” - sigh.
”Discord? Is something still wrong?” she asked him.
”Well… no, not… really,” he said, hesitantly.
Trying to think of something that he might need to feel better, she asked: ”Don’t you feel like snuggling after all? Do you need a little space, instead?”
Discord gasped dramatically, and grabbing her under her forehooves, he lifted her up above him so he could say this with all the necessary gravitas: ”Fluttershy! How could you even suggest such a thing?! You know full well that if it was up to me, we would be spooning morning, noon, and night! It’s just, well…” he trailed off.
”Yes?” she gently prompted him.
”Well, sometimes I’d like to be the little spoon,” he admitted with a sheepish grin.
”Oh sweetheart!” Fluttershy exclaimed, her heart melting, ”Of course you can be the little spoon! You can be the little spoon whenever you want!”
Discord beamed, and laid her down on the bed, and shrunk himself down to the size of a ferret.
Wasting no time, he burrowed himself in her now-huge tummy. He purred happily, even in this size, her fur was as soft as a dream.
Fluttershy smiled, carefully petting him, glad he seemed to cheer up, finally.
”Feeling better?” she whispered.
”Much,” he answered. ”To think you feel just as cuddly in this size! I need to explore.”
Before Fluttershy could ask what he meant by ”explore,” he started scampering all over her like a hyperactive squirrel, touching her as much as possible. It tickled quite a bit, so she couldn’t help but giggle and squirm, as her husband enjoyed her velvety coat.
Finally he slipped under her wing. Oh, this was incredible! It was extremely comfortable, laying on her soft fur and being kept warm by a blanket of her delicate feathers.
”Mmm why haven’t I tried this before?” he asked, poking his head out, ”This is the best place to nap!” He happily hummed against her back.
Fluttershy laughed. ”I’m glad you like it so much, my love,” she told him, ”You can nap there anytime.”
”I think I will,” he hummed.
”Oh, but, it is too bad…” Fluttershy mused.
”What?” Discord asked, getting a bit worried. Did she not like being the bigger one, after all?
”If you spend your whole night there, I can’t kiss you,” she pouted, her eyes sparkling.
Discord smirked. ”Now that is a pity! How do you suggest we solve this dilemma, my little snuggle-bubble?”
”Well, how about you grow a bit bigger, so I can hold you against me?” Fluttershy suggested.
Smiling, he emerged from under her wing, and nestled his back against her tummy. He let himself grow just large enough, so she could comfortably wrap her hooves and wings around him.
She placed soft kisses on his neck and nuzzled his mane, making him close his eyes with a sigh of bliss. He felt every worry and tension in his heart and body melt away, here in his wife’s arms, safe and sound.