More Than a Friend

by Tatsurou

Friendship

Fluttershy carefully finished her tasks for the day, smiling to herself after seeing her friend off. It was always a bright spot in her day when Discord made time to pop in unannounced for a visit. With everything that the others had happening in their lives, group outings had taken a sharp decrease in frequency. While the others didn't really notice this, it was quite noticeable to Fluttershy, who had little to no social interaction outside their circle. She was just too shy to connect with strangers. Not that she would complain. She had her animals, after all. And especially her Angel, her baby.

She was glad that Angel had accepted her Friendship with Discord, despite bad blood initially. Things had smoothed over when Angel had told her that his hostility was nothing personal against Discord as a person. It was just that Discord had hurt Fluttershy. To Angel's mind, that meant Discord had to die. Admittedly, a few things got in the way of that - the vast difference in their size, Discord's magic, the fact that Discord was a predator while Angel was a prey animal - but Angel didn't let that dissuade him from trying to put Discord in his place. Fluttershy had forgiven Discord and befriended him, however, and eventually Angel had accepted that as well.

As Fluttershy cleaned, Angel tugged on her mane and she turned. "Angel? What is it?"

Angel pointed to Fluttershy's bed, then to Fluttershy herself, and then to the still bouncing tea set, a question in his eyes. Fluttershy understood the question just fine, even without using her animal speech ability. She actually enjoyed trying to interpret Angel's messages without resorting to her special talent, just as Angel enjoyed trying to communicate with her through means other than animal noises. "Yes," she replied, "Discord stayed over last night. It was good for him, since he really needs someone to help him with the issues from his past he's been dealing with. I'm glad he chooses me to come to with those issues."

Angel once more pointed to the bed, then wrapped his little arms around himself. "Oh, the cuddling?" Fluttershy replied. "Oh, that was just comforting him. It's comfortable sleeping curled up to friends. You've seen me cuddle up with the girls."

Angel held up one paw, then the other, looking between them. "No, it's no different from then," Fluttershy asserted. "It's just like cuddling with the girls. Discord's no different."

Angel made a rather distinctive gesture indicating a major difference, and Fluttershy blushed bright red. "It's not like that, Angel!" she said, very embarrassed. "We didn't do anything! We just cuddled, and I helped him past his nightmare. You'd be able to smell it if I did, you know that."

Angel tilted his head questioningly, making an open motion with his paws. Fluttershy blinked for a time. "I'm...afraid I don't understand, Angel."

Angel put a paw to his face, then made his point distinct with animal sounds. "Why not?" Fluttershy gasped in shock. "Angel, we aren't in that sort of relationship. I don't feel that way about Discord." She turned away. "I just don't. I...don't."

Angel hopped around in front of Fluttershy, raising his paws again, but Fluttershy interrupted. "Yes, I know I sound like a mare trying to convince herself against the evidence of her own mind. But...but Angel, I can't. I can't put my problems on Discord. He...he's dealing with so much already. The pain of his past, trying to fit in to the present, the lack of acceptance..." She sighs. "When he comes here, it's a place of safety from his problems, an oasis of calm in a sea of tribulation. I...I can't take that away from him...just because of a...stupid crush..." She shook her head. "Besides, even if I did feel that way about him - which I don't - it could never work. He's the Spirit of Chaos, the immortal ruler of Disharmony. And I'm...just a pony. Just like any other." She hung her head. "It wouldn't work."

Fluttershy turned to Angel. She expected him to look at her in sympathy, or sadness, some form of empathy. She had not expected him to be staring at her in frustration, looking like a tea kettle about to explode, and then storm off in high dungeon. She tilted her head, unsure of what had gotten into him. She giggled. "He's just like a little colt sometimes," she said happily. She blinked for a bit. "It's a bit strange for him to be trying to arrange my love life, though. Hmm...I'm going to have to keep an eye out for any single bunny maids going into season. That should help Angel settle down, in more ways than one."

Finishing up with everything she needed to do for the day, she once more checked her schedule for the day. Seeing it was once more empty, she sighed a little to herself. Sitting down on her couch, she entertained herself with a book she'd picked up from Twilight's. At first she'd thought it was a book about gardening, but she soon found herself enthralled in the story of the animal society represented in Mossflower.

After reading through several chapters, she saw that it was getting late, and she got up. She needed to see to the preperations for her nocturnal friends who would soon be waking up, or she wouldn't get any sleep. She found herself hoping, however, that Discord would come back to stay the night. As the sun sank lower and lower, the possibility of that became slimmer and slimmer. As the sun fully set, and the nocturnal animals began to awaken and clamor for their food, she sighed in defeat. She was certain he wouldn't be showing up. Then again, he did say he wouldn't. Something about her reputation, and to ask Angel...

Fluttershy's head shot up as she blushed bright red. It couldn't be. Discord was worried ponies would think they were...But why would he worry about that? No one would really take that idea seriously. Even if Fluttershy was Discord's only real friend, he was too flighty to consider such behavior seriously, and he wouldn't treat it as a joke with his only friend, so why would anyone think he was trying anything with Fluttershy, unless...

She shook her head. No, it couldn't be possible. After all, he was as close as Equestria came to a genuine divinity, a living god of chaos. And she was just...just Fluttershy.

Blinking away a few tears she didn't realize had formed in her eyes, she finished tending to her nocturnal animals and went inside. She was surprised to see that Angel was already ready for bed, waiting for her. He normally fought against having to go to bed, just like any child. "Oh, Angel," Fluttershy said happily. "You're being such a good boy for Mommy. I think you deserve a little reward."

Angel pointed to the bookshelf. Fluttershy raised her eyebrows, surprised. "You want a bedtime story? Oh Angel, you haven't wanted one of those since you were a kit." As Angel pointed insistently, Fluttershy chuckled indulgently. "Alright. You pick out a good story, and I'll read it to you."

Hopping over to the shelf, he pulled a book off and brought it over to her. She picked it up and examined it. "Beauty and the Beast?" she asked happily. "Oh, it's one of my favorite Fae Stories. I've always loved reading about Belle Dame and the Beastly Prince." She chuckled. "That bit at the start where the prince is cursed for his beastly behavior, it kind of makes me think of the way Rarity described Prince Blueblood at the Gala." She paused. "I've never really been able to look at this story in quite the same way. But I do so love how Belle was able to see past his appearance to his kind heart. Such a beautiful story."

Settling down around Angel, she opened the book and began to read, not noticing Angel roll his eyes and facepaw.

Comments

[Moustache Queen]

Settling down around Angel, she opened the book and began to read, not noticing Angel roll his eyes and facepaw.

Lol Fluttershy

[Iamsorry]

damn you Fluttershy! take the hint! XD
i like this story hope to see it continued X3

[floppyfluttercord]

Good story
In the end I laughed a lot!!
Fluttershy.. XDDDDD
And sorry my bad English.. :S

[Gdenofa]

Gotta love that expressive little silent rabbit

[DisneyFanatic23]

Flutters! Come on! DUH!!!!

[BrinnyTheBrave]

ooooh foreshadowing!!!!!!!

[tana1100]

hm.. mossflower? from the redwall series? those are good stories.

[Fire in the Night]

Ah I see we have a brian jaques fan, the redwall series books were very good and I'm glad to see someone else did as well, my favorite os probably mathias if I recall the name correctly

[BulletFodder80]

Mossflower? As in, from the Redwall books?

...Okay, I immediately love you. I believe Mossflower was the book in which Martin the Warrior overthrew that crazy wildcat despot, right? That one's great. :D

[spudbud16i]

I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for asking this but… what is the redwall series

[Nightmare Loopy]

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DISNEH