//------------------------------// // Surprise Gifts // Story: Holiday Fun // by atomicpuffin //------------------------------// Fluttershy walked around her cottage as she cleaned up from the party. Her five best friends had all gotten together for Hearths Warming Eve and exchanged gifts. She was happy that she had gotten to see them one more time before they all left. Naturally all her friends were going to be spending the holidays with their families. Rainbow had invited her to Cloudsdale to spend it with her and her father, but Fluttershy had politely declined. She was used to spending the holiday alone, ever since her mother had passed away three years ago. All her animals were hibernating for the winter, even Angel would spend most of the days in the cottage sleeping. She sighed as she started picking up some wrapping paper scattered around her tree. Her hoof brushed something sharp. She laid down on her stomach and realized it was one more gift. “Strange...I thought I had gotten them all?” She whispered as she pulled the present out. Now that she could see it clearly, something was strange. This wasn’t one of the gifts she had wrapped for the girls. It was a patchwork of different colors and swirling shapes. Fluttershy looked at the tag and gasped, it was for her. She smiled as she thought that Pinkie must have forgotten one of her gifts. She untied the ribbon and pulled off the lid. She looked in and frowned, it was empty… The box began to shake and she shrieked and dove behind her couch. There was a small explosion and she peeked over the couch’s back. The explosion had caused white smoke to settle in her livingroom and as it disappeared a tall figure was left standing there. She sighed in relief and then leaped from behind the couch and flew to give her friend a hug. “Oh Discord! What a pleasant surprise!” He smiled and returned her hug. “Ah my dearest! I was starting to worry that I would be sitting under that tree for another thousand years!” He flashed out of her grasp and she looked around for him. She finally spotted him sitting on top of her tree, he had shrunk himself and was eating one of the ornaments. Normally she would be against this, but it was the holidays and she was just too happy to see him. “I’m so happy you came by, I’ll make some tea. How have you been Discord?” She asked as she trotted into the kitchen. Discord watched her go with a raised eyebrow. He had been expecting her to react to him eating the decorations, but she was always surprising him. Probably what kept him coming back all the time. He teleported into the kitchen and sat at the table smiling at her. “Tea sounds wonderful Flutters. Canterlot has been dreadfully boring! After all the fun I had on Nightmare Night, sunbutt has been keeping me on a shorter leash.” He groaned and placed his paw over his forehead in woe. Fluttershy giggled and continued to make them some tea. He watched her trot around the kitchen, enjoying her natural grace. She’s so beautiful.... He jumped, where had that thought come from? He looked at her again and she turned to see him staring. There was a small blush on her cheeks and she smiled back at him. When she would have carried the tray to him, he used his magic to levitate it to the table. “Oh thank you. You are always so helpful Discord.” She whispered and her words made him blush slightly. He was the Lord of Chaos, he wasn’t supposed to be considered helpful, he was supposed to be a nuisance. However, when he was around Fluttershy, he didn’t want to be that. He was actually pleased that she genuinely enjoyed having him around. She was his best friend and it was part of the real reason he had come to see her. However when he had seen the other mares here he had decided to stay hidden until they left. “So Discord, what are your plans for Hearths Warming?” She asked as she watched her friend. He looked at her as he drank his tea and wondered if he should lie? There was no reason, but he felt slightly self conscious about admitting that he had never celebrated this holiday. At his hesitation Fluttershy frowned, he usually answered her right away and the only time he didn’t was when he was trying to hide his feelings. She watched him and realization dawned on her. He doesn’t have any plans! Her eyes began to water as she looked at her friend and she could feel the sadness coming from him, even if he tried to hide it. She stood up and flew over to him and without a word wrapped her forelegs around his neck. He stiffened and stared down at her, “Uh...Fluttershy...what are you doing?” He asked as she continued to hold him. She shook her head and pulled back to look up at him. Discord panicked slightly when he saw the tears in her eyes. He hated to see her cry and always tried to avoid upsetting her because of that. Ah crap... “Discord...Would you like to spend Hearths Warming with me?” She whispered and his mouth fell open. While he had planned on visiting, he hadn’t expected her to want him here for that long. “Um…” He hesitated, even though his instinct was to shout in joy. Again, something that he would hate to admit out loud, for that would indicate he was growing soft. When he didn’t continue to answer, Fluttershy’s face fell. She didn’t realize how much she had wanted him to say yes. For some reason, she felt her heart crack at his obvious dislike of her suggestion. “Oh...ne-nevermind, it was just a silly idea. Obviously you have other plans...I just thought...thought…” She hid behind her hair, to hide the tears threatening now. “Oh no, no, no Fluttershy!” He hushed as he lifted her chin to turn her stare back to him. He smiled down at her and brushed her hair out of her eyes. He didn’t want anything obstructing his view of those delicate orbs. “My dear, please don’t cry. I didn’t hesitate because I don’t want to be here. The opposite is true. It’s just that...I don’t want to be a bother to you. Anypony else yes but...but not you my dear Fluttershy.” His words raised her spirits again and she graced him with a beaming smile. She giggled and shook her head again. “Discord, you could never be a bother to me. I would be happy to have you here. There’s no one I’d rather spend the day with.” Discord blushed slightly as she wrapped him in another hug. The sincerity of her words touched him in a place long forgotten...his heart. The two moved to the living room, where they sat in front of the fire talking through the night. Discord would entertain her with stories of Canterlot and how he had started to corrupt Luna. She was now a willing participant in most of his harmless pranks. Fluttershy in turn told him all about town and the adventures she and her friends had been on. Even though Discord interrupted her when she tried to talk about the others and would bring her back to herself. Finally, Fluttershy started to drift off curled up next to him. Snuggled against his warm fur in front of the fireplace. She felt his tail wrap around them, sheltering her further and she smiled softly as she let herself fall asleep. Discord in turn watched her sleep for a while before an unsettling thought came to mind. I’ve got it bad...she’s not just a friend to me is she? The thought should have sent him running for the hills...but he found himself smiling at her and a strange warmth filling his heart. He leaned forward and gently nuzzled her behind her ear, breathing in her heavenly scent. She mumbled in her sleep and snuggled closer to him. He felt a shiver run up his spine as she pressed against him. He thought about her and their friendship. He snapped his fingers and a small box appeared in his paw. He had planned on just leaving it under the tree when he left, but now that she had invited him to stay… He looked at her again and sighed as he gently moved away from her. He lifted her into his arms and carried her up to her bedroom. As much as he enjoyed having her at his side, she should be sleeping in her bed. He pulled back the covers and settled her underneath them. Then he let his claws stroke her soft cheek and felt the urge to kiss her. He shook his head and sat her present on the nightstand, where she was sure to see it when she woke up in the morning. He went to his own room, a guest bedroom that he often occupied when he came to visit. He stretched and decided that redecorating could wait until he got some sleep. He floated onto his bed and sighed. He always thought that this mattress was much more comfortable than the one in Canterlot. Maybe it was the location and not the bed in question? He yawned and rolled over to get more comfortable. That’s when his eyes fell on the bright box sitting on the nightstand, just as he had left Fluttershy’s gift. He sat up and stared at it in confusion. His curiosity got the better of him and he picked it up to read the tag. He was surprised to see his name written neatly in Fluttershy’s hoofwritting. Also a small note from his friend. Hopefully I can get this to you before the holidays are over, but if not, well I hope you like it anyways. He frowned and looked to the closed door of his room and then back to the gift. He ripped open the paper and lifted the lid of the box. He reached in and pulled out the scarf nestled inside. It was hoofstitched, a simply grey with different patterns stitched into it. He recognized Fluttershy’s cutie mark butterflies, but there was also some tornados and swirls all over the scarf. He smiled as he realized the two represented him and Fluttershy. The two of them together… He wrapped the scarf around his neck and felt a tug in his heart as the fabric caressed his fur. He had never been given a gift before and for his first one to be a hoof-made gift from such a kind pony made it all the more special. He started to put the lid back on the box when he noticed something else inside it. He stopped and frowned as he pulled the frame out. He turned it over to see the picture and his mouth fell open again. The frame was red with different Hearths Warming designs painted along the edges. There was even a small piece of mistletoe in the top corner. The photo was one of him and Fluttershy. When had this been taken? They were sitting on a picnic blanket together. The sun was shining down on them and both were laughing as the tea set danced. He remembered this day, it was the first time he had been brave enough to use his magic around her. Showing her how he had been learning to control and contain the chaos to more playful methods. She had been overjoyed to see her dishes dancing around in the sunlight, bowing to her on occasion. He remembered how her laugh had struck a nerve in him, as it always did. He loved to hear her laugh, it was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard. “Yeah...I’ve got it real bad…” He muttered as he looked at the laughing pegasus in the photo. “Discord? Oh you are awake…” Her soft voice startled him and he turned to see her standing in his doorway. He blushed slightly, considering where his thoughts had just been. “Did I wake you when I moved you my dear?” He asked, grateful his voice wasn’t shaking, but its usual smooth tone. She smiled and flew over to sit next to him on the bed. She lifted her hoof to her throat and his blush increased. Now he remembered why he was going to leave it and run… “I wanted to thank you for this beautiful gift Discord...it’s wonderful and...and I love it.” She whispered as she also blushed and turned her gaze away. She was indicating the locket he had given her. He had made it using his magic to morph a piece of silver into the shape he wanted. It was three small butterflies, just like her cutie mark, and inside were three photos. One inside each butterfly, her rabbit, Discord and...her mother…the last had been with the help of Luna. She had gone into Fluttershy’s dream and pulled the image from the pegasus. Luna had rebelled at the invasion, until he had explained why he wanted it. After she had finished teasing him mercilessly, she had done the favor for him. Celestia knows what she’ll ask for in return someday. “I’m glad you like it...you can always replace my photo with another if you want. I...I just didn’t know what else to put…” His blush intensified at the lie. He had wanted to believe she would want his photo… “No. I’ll keep it as it is. This way you can always be close to me. Even when you can’t be here...just like mom…” She said and smiled up at him. He found himself returning her smile and his heart exploded. Celestia...I am falling in love with her...kill me now… “Oh! I see the scarf does fit! Oh good I’m so glad. I was worried that I hadn’t made it long enough.” “It’s perfect dear Fluttershy...just like the pony that made it.” He whispered and she blushed again, but there was a small smile on her face. He smiled as well and showed her the photo, “What I’m most curious about is when was this taken?” She looked at the photo and laughed. “Oh Angel was playing with my camera while we were on this picnic and I think he accidentally snapped this photo. I’m happy he did though, it’s one of my favorite of us.” He grinned and with his claw on his chin held the photo away from him. He examined it by turning it every which way and then grinned down at her. He moved his snout closer to her and held the photo above them to show her. “I think your pest may have caught my bad side. What do you think my dear?” He asked and was surprised when she didn’t answer. She was looking up at the photo with wide eyes and a deeper blush on her cheeks. “Um...Dis-Discord...do you know...what you’re doing?” She whispered, her blush deepening. He frowned and tilted his head in confusion. She noticed his confusion and pointed at the frame, his eyes followed and he choked. He had accidentally put them under the mistletoe on the frame. He shot back and chuckled nervously to try and break the awkwardness that had settled over them. “Oh well...if it’s on a frame as decoration I don’t think it counts…” He stopped as he felt her soft lips peck him on his cheek. His entire face flamed up as he turned to look at her, her face was the same shade as his was. “Fluttershy…you didn’t...why did you…” He tried to speak, but found he had lost all ability to do so. She hid behind her mane and whispered, “It’s tradition…” He looked at the mistletoe and got a crazy, wicked, get him back in stone idea… He peeked over to the doorframe and snapped his tail so she wouldn’t see. Fluttershy’s shyness got to her as she realized what she had done and she jumped off the bed. Wishing him a quick goodnight and trotted to the door. When she reached it she shrieked as she felt his body coil around hers like a snake. “Discord...what are you…” Her words trailed off as she stared into his amber eyes. They were so mesmerizing in their intensity. She didn’t realize what was happening until his lips were against hers. She stiffened, but almost instantly relaxed against him and returned the kiss. Discord felt his entire body alight with fire as he felt her lips soften beneath his. He couldn’t believe that she was not only accepting his kissing her, but was returning it with as much heat and pressure. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest as his deepest desire was coming true. He pulled away slowly and watched as her eyes fluttered open. She stared up at him in wonder and whispered, “Discord...what was...why did you…” Much the same way he had when she had pecked him. He grinned and pointed above them, her eyes followed and then widened at the string of mistletoe running along the top of the frame. She looked back into his eyes shocked and he rubbed his nose against hers in a nuzzling way. “It’s tradition right? Which means we have no choice?” He purred and she tried to fight it, but the smile finally broke on her lips. She met his eyes and hers were sparkling with happiness. Discord didn’t know it, but his were shining with the same emotion, and something deeper still. Fluttershy nodded and surprised him by pecking him once more on the lips before moving past him. She looked at the clock that read midnight and smiled. She turned her head to see Discord watching her, a goofy smile on his face. She giggled at the fact that he seemed unaware of the floating hearts flying above him. One day she would get up the courage to tell him just how much she cared for him, but for now… “Merry Hearths Warming Discord.”