//------------------------------// // Oh No // Story: Healing // by korrasami_is_canon //------------------------------// Fluttershy had explained to Angel several times that if he ever got lonely he could wake the other bunnies and extend Discord’s offer to them, and that if he ever wanted to go back and hibernate until Spring Discord could also help him fall back asleep. But he didn’t seem to be paying much attention, focusing on propping up Fluttershy’s foreleg so it bent and blocked his view of the sneaky snake beside them, and went back to grooming. It would always slide back to place however, much to his dismay, when she turned her head to Discord to talk. He’d be in the middle of licking his paws and see those red and yellow eyes peek over from her lowered leg and have to stop when he was doing to push it back up. Fluttershy might of chided him had she noticed, but she was too busy laughing at some tricks Discord was doing with the rolls. She eventually go so engrossed she shifted so much Angel couldn’t hide behind her legs anymore. He grumbled. It wasn’t so much that he was desperate for her attention at the moment--he preferred grooming first thing after waking up, and Fluttershy seemed to remember this at his dismissive behavior, turning to Discord for conversation. What annoyed him was just how much more attention Discord had been getting. He knew what he had to do. Discord had just spun one of the rolls in the air like it was a top when Fluttershy felt a soft tug at her mane. She bent down and nuzzled the bunny with a smile. “What is it Angel?” After he’d shuffled over to her from the burrow she couldn’t imagine doing anything but nuzzling him and coddling him until Spring. And his casual dismissal of her words as he went to grooming himself, like it was just another normal day, caught her by surprise in the best possible way. Perhaps it was that complete normalcy of his behavior that made her feel like nothing was out of place, and thus there was nothing to worry about; that in the end, despite her growing numbness and sorrow, she could still live as before. Or perhaps it was just that having him close again comforted her. Whether there was a deep meaning behind the relief his behavior had caused her or if it really was nothing more than his presence, she hadn’t dawdled on it. She let him be, at ease with just knowing he was in her arms again. She pulled back from Angel, wondering what he wanted. He gave her a pleading, watery-eyed look as he gently pushed his paws to her collar and licked his lips, pulling an arm back to rub his tummy for extra measure. She gave a small “oh” and pulled her half-eaten bowl of soup before her with a smile, gingerly pulling bits of chopped vegetables out with her muzzle and laying them on a napkin to soak up the broth, nudging Angel to the growing pile. “I need to go to town to pick up more food but I’m sure you’ll like this until then.” He rubbed his face against her neck oh so sickeningly sweetly before glaring at Discord and tugging the napkin to him so he could stay as close to the pegasus as possible. Discord waited for his face to brighten at the taste of the vegetables before chiming in. “Oh I do so hope you like it, Angel,” he said his name almost mockingly, though more playful than malevolent. “After all, I cooked it myself.” He held his claw to his chest, his feathers ruffling with pride at seeing the bunny’s irritated glare. But the food was too good to stop eating, so instead of following his first instinct and shoving the food away, he turned his back to the draconequus to munch in peace. Fluttershy was too distracted pulling out more food to notice the details of the exchange. After being alone for nearly two weeks, and especially after not eating properly, it was hard for her to focus on more than one thing at a time. She slurped at the broth, taking a moment to really taste it this time around, before catching Discord’s gaze. “It really is very good,” she smiled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hoof, bending down to Angel again, “isn’t it Angel?” He grumbled and turned his face to the side, giving Fluttershy the chance to look up at Discord and mouth “He likes it.” And there was something so serene, so mundane about the whole exchange of looks, the whole exchange of words, that made Discord’s heart clench. The absurd normalcy of it all, the absurd wonder that encapsulated him as she bent back down and licked the bunny’s fur, grooming him as he ate with just as much reluctance as fervor. His pupils dilated and his throat closed around a gulp, his tail coiling oh so slightly from the tension building up in him. Oh no.