Twilight began to stir as she woke up, humming contentedly as she pressed back into her snuggle buddy’s embrace. She nuzzled against the ashen-gray hoof that held her close, then looked up to see Sombra smiling down upon her.
“You look pretty cute when you’re sleeping,” Sombra said, his soft, yet deep tone sending butterflies flitting around Twilight’s stomach. “Sleep well?”
“Snuggling with you? Always.” Twilight pushed herself up and languidly stretched like a cat, a long yawn forcing itself past her lips. “Feel like some coffee?” she asked. “You don’t have to get up; I’ll just bring it to you.”
“Very well. Can you pour mine into my crystal mug?” he asked with a smirk.
With a playful roll of her eyes, Twilight giggled as she fluffed her wings. “Oh, you...” She trotted into the kitchen, her eyes drifting around the small room. As part of Sombra’s reformation, they had restored an old cabin near the base of the mountains many miles away from the Crystal Empire’s castle, far away from prying eyes and ears. With their combined magic, instead of taking a month or two, it had only taken them about a week to make it livable. The blankets had been worn and tattered, unused for years, so they had ended up snuggling for the first week just to stay warm at night.
Twilight had learned very quickly that Sombra was a very experienced snuggler, making her feel like putty in his embrace, a fact that made her cheeks hold a never-ending blush every time they slipped into bed.
Tossing a few logs into the stove, she lit them with her magic and let its heat banish the biting winter cold from her fur and feathers. She opened her wings and held them in front of the open stove, a light smile tugging the corners of her lips upwards. Once she had filled up with the coffee maker she’d brought from home, she jumped when someone frantically began knocking on the front door.
Taking a few deep breaths to slow her racing heart, she walked over to the front door and paused. Wondering who it could be, she took a few steps to the left and peered out the window, recognizing her brother’s blue tail. “Uh oh...” she groaned. Her ears flopped down as she pondered whether or not to even answer the door. Before she could form another thought, the door’s handle glowed with her brother’s magic, then it swung open wide.
Twilight had kept Sombra a secret from everyone, save for her closest friends. She had everyone’s help with reforming all of the other villainous beings of Equestria, so she wanted to see what she would be able to do on her own, and without help from the Elements of Harmony.
Twilight feared what her brother had on his mind, and as he walked through the door, it was obvious that he knew what was going on. “Shining, what are you doing?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she blocked him from walking past her.
Shining brushed the snow from his back with a quick spell, then kicked the door shut. “I could ask you the same thing! Somepony told me what you have going on out here, and I won’t tolerate it! You know who he is and what he’s done!” His gaze snapped up over her head, his eyes narrowing as his upper lip curled up in a snarl.
Twilight glanced over her shoulder and saw Sombra leaning against the doorway to their bedroom, making her shoulders slump down in defeat. “It’s really not what you think, Shining,” she said dejectedly. “I know what it looks like, but he’s nice now! He’s not a threat like he used to be!”
“Oh yeah? Then why did your friend Pinkie Pie tell me that you two were sharing a bed?! Are you sleeping with the enemy? Has he cast a spell on you?” He ground his front right hoof into the floor, his eyes locked on Sombra.
Twilight’s eyes went wide. “No, I’m not sleeping with the enemy!” she said with shock. “Well... technically, we are sleeping in the same bed, but we aren’t having relations!”
“Then why are you snuggling with him when you can be snuggling with anypony else?” he asked. “You don’t have to snuggle with him!”
“Yes, I do! It’s been an important part of my reformation process, and he’s as good a snuggler as you, if not better!” Twilight shot back. “And we’ve made a lot of progress! He is not evil anymore!”
“Yeah? And what makes you so sure of that?”
Twilight huffed as she rolled her eyes. “Because he swore to me that he’s given up on his dream of conquering the Crystal Empire! He gave up because you and Cadence put up such a big fight that he no longer wants to waste time conquering, and now, he just wants to be treated like any other pony.”
Shining glared at her. “I don’t see how that’s possible. He enslaved so many ponies!”
“I thought you would say that, so I’ve decided to let him stay with me in Ponyville. He’s already given up his kingship, so why shouldn’t I help him like I’ve helped Discord? Like Starlight? Both did horrible things, but with my help, they’ve become normal citizens of Equestria! Well, save for Discord, but he’s a lot better than he was before!” Twilight stepped aside and gestured at Sombra. “Does he look like a threat to you? Did he try to hurt you when you barged in?”
“No, but—”
“Exactly! No, he didn’t.” Twilight trotted over to him and sat down next to the old ruler of the Crystal Empire. “If he’s as bad as you think, then don’t you think that he would have attacked you as soon as you came inside?”
“Well, uh... yeah, I guess,” Shining said, rubbing the back of his head with a hoof as he glanced off to the side.
“And did he do that?”
“Uh... no?”
“No, he did not. If I can give him a second chance, then don’t you think you can give him one as well? Don’t we all deserve a second chance?”
“I suppose...”
“Good! Now shake hooves and put your differences aside,” Twilight said. Sombra took a few steps forward and stopped in the middle of the room. “Come on, Shining. Gotta meet him halfway.”
“...Fine,” Shining grunted. He took a few slow steps forward, his eyes locked with Sombra’s. “Do you give me your word that you do not want to retake the Crystal Empire?” he asked, his voice tough.
“Why, but of course,” Sombra replied with equal strength.
Shining noticed an odd glint in his eye, but thought nothing of it as he shook Sombra’s hoof. “Good.” He saw Twilight twirling her hoof in front of her, motioning for him to go on. “So, uh... in an effort to smooth things over, would you care to join Cadence and I for tea tomorrow? We have a lot to talk about.” Twilight’s smile grew threefold.
“I would love that.”
Since Shining was willing to give Sombra the benefit of the doubt, he was completely blindsided when Sombra dethroned him and Cadence the very next day, instating Twilight as his Queen of Snuggles.