//------------------------------//
// Guard Dogs and Engagements 
// Story: The Haven 
// by Original Usermane 
//------------------------------//

	The doctors were good at their jobs, and within a few hours Fluttershy was in stable condition and merely being kept for observation. Discord had stubbornly refused to leave Fluttershy’s side, and was curled up on his own little bed he’d summoned next to Fluttershy’s when her other friends got contacted about her condition. They were all gathered worriedly at the hospital within minutes. It was technically after visiting hours, but since Twilight was a princess no one objected to her or her friends coming in.
“What the hay is Discord doin’ here!?” Applejack exclaimed when they walked in. The nurse that was supervising the visit cleared her throat.
“He’s the one who brought her in,” the nurse explained. “Apparently found her not too long after being bitten by the snake and brought her here. He’s refused to leave her side.”
“Really?” Twilight asked, surprised.
“Yes, really,” Discord said grumpily, turning over to face them and making them jump. They’d thought he’d been asleep. “As much as you all seem to hate me, get it through your thick skulls that I care about Fluttershy!” Her friends all took a step back at his enraged expression. He was taking out his fear from Fluttershy’s attack on them, and he knew it, but he had had it.
“Whoa, Nelly,” Applejack said. “Nopony’s sayin’ ya don’t, Discord.” Discord snorted, rolled his eyes, and curled back up, ignoring them. The friends exchanged looks, and Pinkie shrugged.
“I think he’s grumpy,” she whispered loudly. Rarity shushed her. They decided it was their best bet to stay quiet, so they all took turns standing by the sleeping Fluttershy’s side and wishing her well in hushed voices. Eventually they filtered out with another backwards glance over their shoulders at Discord. They closed the door behind them and went back out to the waiting room, where they started talking.
“He was like a little watchdog! Grr!” Pinkie said with a giggle.
“I guess I’d never really realized just how attached to her he really was,” Rainbow admitted. “I always kinda figured it was just his sense of humor, y’know? Like, ‘make friends with the shy one because we’re completely different’?”
“Me too,” Rarity admitted. “I never thought I’d see him like that.”
“Does anypony else get the feeling that he wasn’t just tense ‘cause of Fluttershy bein’ in the hospital? I get the feelin’ he’s irritated at us for somthin’,” Applejack said cautiously.
“But what?” Twilight asked, not quite buying it. “He’s the one who’s been irritating.”
“I suppose,” Applejack relented. “He did kinda stop showin’ up after we gave him such a hard time about the cutie mark incident, though.”
More discussion followed as they all headed back to the castle, where they were all staying the night so they could head over to the hospital again the next day while Fluttershy was awake.
Fluttershy was just waking up when they came, and Discord watched silently from his new post at the head of her bed as they came in.
“Hi, guys,” she said tiredly.
“Fluttershy! It’s so good to see you awake! How are you feeling?” Twilight asked.
“I’m much better, now,” Fluttershy reassured.
“No more playin’ with anything poisonous,” Applejack scolded. “I don’t care how cute the darned thing is.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Fluttershy agreed.
“I made you a ‘get better soon’ quilt!” Rarity exclaimed, presenting the blanket to the amused mare.
“You know I’ll probably be released tomorrow, right?” Fluttershy asked. “There’s really no need to worry, now.”
“Of course we’re worried!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We’re friends, it’s our job!”
“And you do it very well,” Fluttershy praised.
“You gonna survive the boredom of the hospital that long?” Rainbow asked. “I know I wouldn’t.”
“Unless she had a Daring Do book,” Twilight amended, smirking. Rainbow scowled, but didn’t deny it.
“I’ll be fine,” Fluttershy assured. “I’m sure Discord will keep me company.” The others all looked at him with frowns on their faces.
“Well… if you do need anything else, darling, please let us know,” Rarity said.
“I will,” Fluttershy promised. They stayed and visited for awhile, but none of them could spend the whole day at the hospital, so they dispersed just before lunch.
“Finally,” Discord grumbled, curling himself around her on the bed. She leaned her head against him tiredly.
“Thanks for bringing me to the hospital,” Fluttershy said softly. Discord tensed slightly.
“I wasn’t about to lose you to a snake,” he spat. Fluttershy blushed and hugged him, for both of their comforts. “I’ve already been snappish and grumpy enough, even knowing you were going to make a full recovery. If anything had gone wrong… I would never have been able to forgive myself.”
“Discord, none of this was your fault,” Fluttershy scolded. “It’s my own fault for not keeping clear of the snake until I knew for sure he was calm and approachable.”
“But if I’d been home and out there with you I would’ve been able to warn you-”
“That’s ridiculous,” Fluttershy said, shaking her head against his chest. Discord chuckled.
“Have we met?” he asked. “Ridiculous is my defining personality trait.”
“We have met, actually,” Fluttershy said with a smile. “Like this.” She pecked his forehead. “And this.” His cheek. “And this.” His nose. “And this, too.” She kissed him gently on the lips.
“You should be resting,” he reminded her distractedly.
“So?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I like your lack of logic,” he decided, and returned her kisses eagerly.
A doctor came in to check on her with just enough advanced warning for the couple to be apart and acting innocently when the door opened. He took her vital signs and ran a few tests before determining that, despite her slightly elevated heart rate, since she was making such a speedy recovery, she was allowed to leave that night. She was also told that Twilight was covering her medical bills, and not to worry about it. Normally Fluttershy would protest, but she knew Twilight would ignore her, anyway.
That night, she checked herself out of the hospital and agreed to meet Discord at home, much to his displeasure, but seeing them walking home together would arouse suspicion. He was hovering over her the second she got home, making sure she sat down and bringing her water and snacks.
“Discord, I’m fine,” she insisted, rubbing her head along his neck soothingly. “I promise.”
“I know,” he sighed. “It’s just… I’m still terrified.”
“Of what?” Fluttershy asked gently.
“Myself,” he admitted in a mutter. “When I thought there was any chance at all you weren’t going to make it, my old self started coming out. And not just the trickster me from when you defeated me and turned me back to stone. I mean… the me from before Luna and Celestia stopped me. I don’t like that part of me, Fluttershy.”
“I know,” she said, gesturing for him to sit down with her. “But you don’t have to worry about that. You’d have a hard time getting rid of me if you tried. I’m not going anywhere without a fight. You know why?”
“You love me?” Discord guessed.
“It’s like you can read my mind,” Fluttershy smiled, kissing him again.
“I probably could, if I tried,” Discord teased.
“Want to try? Just this once?” Fluttershy asked. “It might be interesting to see what you’re capable of.”
“I’ve never done it before,” Discord admitted. “Even when I was evil something seemed wrong about it.”
“What if you’re invited?” Fluttershy asked. “Go on, try.” He did, closing his eyes and concentrating. All he could pick up were flashes of feelings and images, but it was enough.
“I couldn’t live without you, either,” she summarized. Discord hesitated for only a moment, but the residual feelings he was getting from Fluttershy told him she might react favorably to the craziness he was about to spew.
“Care to make it official, then?” Discord asked seriously, looking deep into her surprised eyes.
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, eyes wide. Discord summoned the ring he’d designed and fiddled with it nervously. She looked hurriedly back and forth between his face and the ring.
“We’ve already decided we can’t live without each other,” he said. “Marriage seems like a logical step. See, you’re such a good influence I even use logic, now!” He was rambling a little, nervously. What had given him the stupid idea to try proposing, again? Fluttershy started crying and latched herself around his neck, nodding frantically. It took him a second to realize that she was responding to his proposal and not his newfound use of logic. “You’re… sure?”
“I love you,” she responded, still crying. Discord put his arms around her as well, and they sat there in silence for awhile, enjoying the moment. Things has progressed fast with them, but it didn’t seem like it was too fast. Not for them. Discord slipped the ring on a necklace chain and hung it around Fluttershy’s neck. He kissed her gently a few times before deepening their kisses, triumphantly celebrating her acceptance. She wasn’t complaining. Eventually they decided to call it a night and retreated back up to her room and fell asleep in the same positions on the bed they’d been in when their relationship had first started, though not before they’d finished off their latest scrapbook page with details of their newfound engagement.