While Discord was off and away, hopefully being safe, Fluttershy decided she'd use her time...smartly? by dealing with her own troubles.
She was actually surprised, though, when the next day, as she walked to school, a part of her brain on the defense, Rainbow was outside the school gates.
Fluttershy gripped her school bag tightly, head held high.
"Rainbow. Waiting for someone?" She scolded her voice for being meek. She didn't WANT to sound unsure.
The way Rainbow held herself had Fluttershy almost sighing. It was like Rainbow was trying to be relaxed, but she kept tensing. She looked unsurely to Fluttershy, biting her lip. "I-Uh...haven't heard from you in almost a month. You must've been taking a different way to-to school."
Fluttershy wore a pained expression, clearly remembering that day. "Just cut to the chase, Rainbow. Please...I'm so tired of the bullshit."
Rainbow gulped. "What the fuck was that? That day? I've never seen you so mad."
Fluttershy sighed. "Of course I was mad. I admit, I could've handled it better, but at the time, it was like if you had saved up all your energy for a big race. It all...unraveled. Shining Armor forced a miscarriage on Chrysalis, who is a friend I hold dear. Twilight allowed her's and Sombra's families to bad talk me, my family, and Sombra. I'm done, Rainbow. If all of you will believe what you want, then so be it."
Rainbow stayed quiet for a moment, processing. "That...that's terrible about your friend. But...but Shy...what about everything else?"
"Would you actually believe anything I said? You all showed me pretty clearly what you all thought." Fluttershy hugged herself, the hurt arising.
When Rainbow, one of her longest friends, reached for her, Fluttershy couldn't stop the step back. Rainbow looked as if Fluttershy struck her. "Shy-"
The pain in Rainbow's tone made Fluttershy bristle. "Of course I changed, Rainbow! I went through something where I HAD to change in order to SURVIVE. But all of you were so focused on who I let in my body to even try and hear my words. I GOT you were concerned. Rainbow...we've been friends longer than any of the others. I thought if anyone believed or trusted me, would stand on my side, it would've been you." Fluttershy said back, cutting her off.
Rainbow opened and closed her mouth, looking away guiltily. "I...I couldn't understand how you'd left for a year and came back so different. Then you're hanging out with older people and doing things I know you never would have! Fluttershy, please, you have to see from our point of views on this. Of course we'd think they were taking advantage of you."
Fluttershy crossed her arms over her chest, her voice soft in volume but firm in tone. "I tried, Rainbow. That's why I wanted you all to get to know them. I thought you and Pinkie had seen that."
Rainbow bristled. "So you'd choose these adults over your friends?"
Fluttershy bit back her snarl. "When did I ever say that?"
Rainbow snorted humorlessly. "You just did. And-and allowing these guys to touch you-"
Fluttershy took a deep breath. She should've known Rainbow wouldn't be reasonable. "I never said that. Rainbow...I just wanted you guys to see that they were good people and that I was safe with them. You're putting words in my mouth."
Rainbow threw her hands in the air. "What about the blood thing?! I know I wasn't seeing things."
Fluttershy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "What if I have a kink?" She probably did, but no one needed to know that.
Rainbow spluttered, horrified. "What?! Since when? That's so gross!"
Her comment made Fluttershy feel that dirty feeling. Judged. "It's not like I could help it, Rainbow." She sighed. "Why did you want to talk to me if you were just going to judge?"
Rainbow opened her mouth. "Judging wasn't the intention. I just wanted to ask some stuff."
Fluttershy could get that, though she could feel her walls rising within. "I swear if it's about me FUCKING someone-"
Rainbow raised her hands, hearing the venom in her tone. "No! I just wanted to know why you didn't come to us!"
Fluttershy sighed, burying her face in her hand. "Even grieving, I wasn't about to burden you all. I wasn't about to disrupt your lives."
"You wouldn't have. I would have asked my parents." Rainbow tried.
"No, Rainbow. You just! It's not that simple! I still have trauma. That nightmare the night of the sleepover...those are normal. The lightning agitated it but those types of dreams or memories are normal for me. Even sleeping by myself is hard. So no, I can't burden you guys. Or...I wouldn't have done so." She looked down and they both ignored the first bell, having moved to talk more privately.
"What makes you think you'd be a burden?" Rainbow asked.
Fluttershy let out a humorless snort. "Come on, Rainbow. You have your family, boyfriend, you're going to a sports institution and you're a Wonderbolt. Applejack has her business degree she's working on and she's going to take over her family's farm, with her siblings and Granny Smith. Rarity is going to a high class fashion college to open her own line. Pinkie is going to open a party shop next to her aunt and uncle's bakery. Even Twilight has whatever college she wants and to become a professor."
Rainbow rubbed her arm. "Yeah. And you?"
Fluttershy let out a deep breath and smiled sadly. "I have to start over. I'm beginning to find my happy again! Yes, everything has been hard and sometimes I just wish..." her breath shuddered, not wanting to go down that dark thought, "Yes, Rainbow. I decided to live with a few older friends and a woman who was a family friend. Yes, I haven't told you guys everything, but I know there's things you all haven't said to me or each other as well."
Fluttershy smiled, though it saddened her, she felt a strange weight lifting. She got closer to Rainbow. "Think of it...like a track race. We were all running as fast as we could, all in the same direction. Once the baton was passed to me, the ground underneath turned to tar. I fell...over and over, trying to get unstuck so I can catch up. I tripped, I made mistakes. As you all got farther, closer to first place, I found myself running through the muddy grass, on a different direction to my own finish line...though I can't see it clearly yet."
Rainbow was holding back tears, what Fluttershy was saying, sinking in. "What can I do?" She croaked.
Fluttershy looked at her wide eyed, before she smiled fondly. "Let me go. No matter how angry you all made me, I still love you. But right now, life is too complicated. Please, Rainbow. Be my cheerleader," Fluttershy could feel the lump as tears formed but she laughed, thinking of Rainbow's parents, "and be there to at least push me forward instead of forcing me down everyone else's lines."
Rainbow broke into tears, nose and cheeks red and blubbering. "I'm-I'm so sorry, Shy! I'm sorry! Please don't hate me for taking their side!"
Fluttershy smiled, wrapping Rainbow in a hug. "Hush, hush, Dashy. I could never hate you, truly. The most loyal thing you could do for me, is be there. You don't have to understand my decisions. Just...be a text or call away. You can live your life but understand I can't follow behind."
Rainbow blubbered and buried her face in Fluttershy's shoulder. "Okay. I can do that. We-we'll have to schedule dates, though! Even just lunch ones! And you'll buy!"
Fluttershy giggled. "Very well."
They pulled away and after Rainbow began gathering herself, she held out her hand. "Palm up, Shy."
Tilting her head, Fluttershy listened. There was no trick in her voice. "If you say, Dashy."
Rainbow gulped, still shaky, she took out the Element of Loyalty from it's gold necklace, the gold evaporated into dust, and set it gently in Fluttershy's palm. "I hope I'm making the right decision."
Fluttershy's eyes were wide, her breath stopped. "Rain-"
"Just...just tell me. Do you know who these baddies are?" Rainbow looked in her eyes.
Fluttershy looked right back. How did Rainbow know? But Rainbow's small smirk said it all. She knew Fluttershy. "Yes."
Rainbow groaned, face palming. "It's not that creep is it?"
Fluttershy began laughing. "One of them."
Rainbow hummed. The wind blew, pushing Fluttershy's hair about and Rainbow gasped, pointing. "Is that a hickey?!"
Fluttershy hummed questioningly, feeling where Rainbow was pointing and feeling it was a bit sore still, she blushed deep, unwillingly giving away Rainbow's suspicions. "I-uhm-he-uh-I mean-uh-"
Rainbow made a disgusted look, one similar to the one she made that summer on the trip, so Fluttershy knew it wasn't true disgust. Or at least, not how Rarity had said about him. "Ewww, that's so gross, Shy. He's all long limbs and he's freaky looking. No offense."
Fluttershy snorted a laugh. "How is that not offensive? I think he's plenty attractive." She blushed deeper, remembering what he looked like without his shirt or his lips on her's.
Rainbow deadpanned. "Of~ course you do. Don't bother trying to convince me WHY he is. I'll never understand. Just... promise me one thing." She held her pinkie out.
Fluttershy put her's up. "What?" She hoped Rainbow wouldn't get into the whole "he's older" argument.
Rainbow latched her pinkie to Fluttershy's quickly, linking them tightly. She grinned rottenly at Fluttershy. "I get to be GodAunt of your first born! I get dibs. Super-cool-awesome-Wonderbolt promise?"
Fluttershy felt tears come to her eyes for a few reasons. That topic held so many thorns before you could see the flower, but she grinned big, nodding her head repeatedly. "Super-cool-awesome-Wonderbolt promise."
They both walked into school silently, enjoying the other's silence. They had different classes, so with a back rub and a thumbs up, Rainbow parted to her class and as Fluttershy put the Element in her bra, close to her heart, she went to Home EC. That was one Element down. She had to wonder how to get the rest. Or if she'd need to.
Fluttershy didn't really interact with the other's during the week and she usually hid during lunch or left after. Rainbow sent her texts here and there, but still kept her distance, mostly because her schedule was getting busy.
Friday afternoon rolled around and according to Capper, Discord wasn't there at work, which meant he was on another assignment through the week. If that were the case, Fluttershy hoped he was unscathed.
Chrysalis binged a few movies with her and she studied with Sombra until both had to go to bed. Chrysalis for work and Sombra because he had an early lecture he didn't want to miss.
So she decided to take a shower, feeling a bit gross and due for one.
She hummed happily until she dropped the shampoo bottle. Chuckling to herself, she bent down and stopped. On the inside of her thigh, high up, so high it was almost at the point where hip bone and femur met, was the brand. A design burned into her skin and once healed was tattooed over. A brand on two levels. It was an ugly thing. No one except her and the ones who did it, knew of it. Not even her family had known.
She jolted at hearing a loud thud along with not so quiet cursing of a familiar voice. She suddenly realized the water was ice cold and so was she. The water was still scalding, last she knew.
Shivering, she quickly got out, got her pajamas on, and went to investigate where Discord was.
She could tell he was upstairs at least, so by deducting she had to guess his room. When she knocked and he opened his door, he was shirtless with fresh and old blood painting his skin and his jeans.
He smiled at her. "Hello, my Dear. Did I wake you? You look like you just got out of the bath, actually."
She smiled back at him. "Yeah, the shower. I would've left you hot water if I knew you'd be back."
His eyes roamed her and his smile fell, brows furrowed. "Are you feeling alright? Enough food and rest?"
She gulped. "Kiss me?"
He chuckled lowly. "Very demanding first thing, are we? Answer me first."
It wasn't that she didn't want to answer. Her skin was already feeling the crawls and she needed a distraction, so, being the stubborn Queen she was, she reached up and pulled him down by his neck, roughly kissing him, trying to forget about the brand. Discord let out a surprised noise, but melted a few seconds after his brain processed what happened.
He kissed back, making it gentler and holding her close.
She held his face when they parted. "I fed off Chrissy and Sombra. Just...bad memories was all, so..."
Without saying a word, he bent down again and kissed the corner of her mouth before lifting her slightly off the ground and setting her on his hammock. She turned her back with a blush so he could finish changing, part of her just wanting him there but enjoying his scent. She shivered, curling into a tighter ball. It was seldom she remembered she had the brand. Not because it wasn't noticeable, but more so so much had been happening, and it was in a spot one would usually not bat an eye at on themselves.
She startled at feeling warm fingers brushing her hair behind her ear and those beautiful eyes she's come to care for got in her field of vision.
"My Dear? Are you alright?" His voice was gentle.
She smiled at him. "I'm fine now. So...are you okay? I can tell it's not your blood."
He nodded. "Had to do some assignments I couldn't get out of. Sorry I was gone."
She smirked. "If you snuggle me, I'll forgive you."
He laughed lightly, a grin splitting his face. "You would've forgiven me anyway, but, I suppose, to quote Wesley, "As you wish"."
He then got over her to be on the opposite side, pulling her close.
Fluttershy sighed and immediately relaxed in his embrace. She wanted to sleep, but the scent of blood egged her to move.
Discord hummed at her questioningly as she moved from his side to on top, her eyes glowing and knees tight against him. She cupped his face with one hand and bent down, lapping up the blood on his neck and his cheek. He let out a moan, covering his mouth after with a blush.
Her fangs pulsed. "Can I...can I bite?"
He nodded, exposing more of his throat. He must've thought she meant to eat. She lightly dragged her fangs down, causing him to shudder, then bit as he was distracted by her clawing down his clothed stomach. She held as still as she could, enjoying the pressure on her fangs and the hot hands on her thighs, nails digging into them. She hoped they'd scar.
Her movements and actions began to make him breath shallower, chest heaving as the blush traveled to his ears and down his neck.
Fluttershy continued to lick and suck the blood off his skin, occasionally dragging her fangs over.
She stopped for a bit, observing his flushed face, heaving chest and dangerous glowing eyes.
She couldn't be any better.
Taking his chance, he snapped his fingers, getting rid of the remaining blood. She whined. He fixed her a half hearted glare, still breathing fast. "Don't look at me like that, my Dear. If I...it was...it was getting to be too much for my control. Too stimulating."
She nodded, getting up and she remembered she still had the Element Rainbow gave her, in her room.
It took her a moment, going from the hazy hum to more aware and her usual self. "I'm sorry! Uh-um- I'll be back. Hope-hopefully that lets you calm down. And-and for the scent of-of blood to leave my nose." Her legs were shaky but she left his room to get the Element.
She was still shaking when she returned, the Element in her hand. He was sitting on the edge, looking like he calmed down as well. She blushed. "I'm sorry. The blood got to my head."
He made a noise, rubbing the back of his neck. "At least we're in control now. What's that?" He pointed to it.
She nodded, walking over. "Rainbow gave me the Element of Loyalty. It's one of the magic items that would've destroyed you all. She...Rainbow understood when I explained some things. I'm going to try and live my life, just as she will her's. I think...I think this is her saying "I'm not apart of it now", or something." She held her palm out, the scarlet gem glowing beautifully.
He hummed, about to pick it up and look, when his magic sent out a jolt to the gem, making a black, oily barrier around it, the gem sparkling. From out of the oil, crystal flower petals rose upward, before it fell between them on the hammock, the weight heavy for the small object.
Hesitantly, Fluttershy picked it up. It was warm, almost feeling alive. Discord poked it, out of curiosity, his brows risen even when his eyes were uninterested.
That made her giggle.
Getting up, she placed it on his desk, not wanting to go downstairs, then crawled back in beside him, making him chuckle.
"What?" She asked, not getting what was funny.
Getting a mischievous smirk, he gave her little pecks all over her face, making her squirm, before settling down and holding her in his arms. "You just amuse me."
Fluttershy rolled her eyes, a light blush on her cheeks. She didn't reply, but she did snuggle into him, liking his embrace. She looked up at him though, when he began laughing.
Pressing his nose up against her jaw, his breath tickling her neck, he began snorting from it. Before she could ask, he began quoting more Princess Bride.
She groaned, trying to push him away, embarrassed, but he only held on tighter and laughed louder.