Safety.

It wasn't something Pinkie found herself thinking about much in her life, what with her insane acts and bouts of randomness that more often that not caused her to throw caution to the wind. And she especially thought about where it could be found, which is why she was so questionable as to how safe she really was.

But, being in Sombra's embrace seemed nothing less of "safe", in her eyes. His strong hold on her kept her close to him, her head held against his firm chest as his reassuring presence kept her there without question. The lovely rhythms of his questionably black heart seemed to hold a hidden meaning within the beats, much like that of a ballad meant only for one.

It was so strange to be so comfortable next to him, the ex-ruler of the Crystal Empire, a unicorn who was thought to have a heart as black as the night itself. He had done so many awful things in his life, she knew, the most recent being his attempt on taking back the kingdom he held no right to, her being a witness to the event.

But, if you had reminded her of that at the time, she wouldn't have cared. She was content in his embrace, despite all the horrible things he was and, doubtedly, still is.

"Pinkie..." she heard him say, his vocals chords strumming near her ears.

She closed her eyes in blitheness at the symphonic sound, holding her breath as she felt the sound resonate through him and then her.

"Yes?" she questioned, her voice light and dreamlike as she cherished his voice.

Pinkie felt a rush of cold air as Sombra pulled away from her, her state of content security disappearing as quickly as it came. With a surprised expression, she looked up at him, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of him.

His chiseled, devilishly handsome features was gracefully accented by the moon's luminescent light, making Pinkie silently thank Princess Luna for her beautiful night. His luscious, dark locks of onyx messily hung past his shoulders, slight curls teasing the ends of the obsidian tresses.

And his eyes, rivalling Rarity's collection of rubies with their endless depths, shone like stars as they looked at her with an unreadable expression, making the orbs all the more enticing.

Pinkie couldn't remember the last time she found herself so captivated by such beauty, especially in that of a stallion.

"It's late," he told her, his gaze shifting off to the side awkwardly, "I should probably leave before Sparkler gets worried and starts an uprising."

Almost immediately, Pinkie felt her heart drop as she remembered how Sombra wasn't allowed out of Twilight's library without any supervision from Twilight or herself. And it only fell further as he stood up and turned to the closed door, his hoof placed on the knob as he was about to turn it.

Pinkie perked up as a thought reached her and decided to use it to her benefit, despite the fact she hated to be selfish.

"Wait!" she called out, leaping to her hooves and over to him.

Sombra froze for a moment, his head turning to look at her with surprised eyes. Pinkie felt her face grow hot as she realized her own desperation and she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"I..." she tried to say, her gaze flickering to the floor nervously.

"You what?" Sombra questioned, turning all the way around to look at her.

Pinkie felt her uncharacteristic timidness grow as he looked at her intently, his gaze making her heart thump like a kettledrum. Finally, with shaky limbs, she looked back at up at him.

"I don't think Twilight will mind if you stay over," she said finally, forcing her blush to disappear so he wouldn't see it.

Sombra blinked in surprise, breaking through his awkward state of being. "What?"

Pinkie felt her face grow in temperature again, but she didn't try to fight it. "I mean..." she stammered, trying to find the words to say.

"You mean what?" Sombra questioned, his eyes narrowed peevishly, "Sparkler isn't going to be happy about us having a sleepover, if that's what you think."

Pinkie felt herself frown at his tone, her earlier thoughts on him fading for a brief moment as his true colors reappeared. But, as she also reminded herself of what he had done for her in those moments, she felt her anger fade with those negative thoughts.

"Twilight won't get mad," she told him, trying to sound sure of herself, "I'm your reformer and I get to say what happens in your behavior."

Sombra gave her a surprised look, which immediately turned to annoyance. "And what makes you think that I'll stay here?" he questioned, quirking a brow.

Pinkie chided herself mentally as he found the linchpin in her plan, angry that she was so careless as to not think up an excuse.

"Because..." she started, her gaze turning hard as she stared into his eyes defiantly.

Sombra returned the look as he continued to inspect her, trying to find a weakness within her hard exterior.

"Because..." Pinkie repeated, her confidence fading.

Sombra's gaze lost some of it's hardness as he recognized the negativity in her tone, interested by what her next action could be.

Pinkie let out a tired, ragged sigh as she looked down at the floor abashedly. "Because I don't want to be alone."

Pinkie didn't dare to look up at him, fearing what his reaction was to her words. He was undoubtedly judging her, which, knowing him, would become vocal almost immediately.

But, she was surprised to feel him put a foreleg around her shoulders, her breath hitching in her throat in shock. Pinkie looked up from the floor to see Sombra seated next to her, an unreadable look upon his features, which made him look even more handsome in her eyes.

"You're such an idiot," he told her, shaking his head as he looked at her.

Pinkie ignored his insult towards her and leaned into his embrace, letting a small sigh as she sought out Sombra's soothing heartbeat. But, she felt her journey come to an abrupt end as he leaned away from her, somewhat surprised by her reaction.

"What are you doing?" he questioned, taking his foreleg off of her. He didn't sound angry. He sounded confused, if anything at all.

"I..." Pinkie started shakily, then swallowed her fear, "I like it when you hold me."

Sombra gave her a bewildered look. "What?"

Pinkie felt a rush of heat come over her features. "It's nice," she told him, her gaze shifting nervously, "it makes me feel..."

She was silent for a moment, wondering if it would really be worth telling him. But, she found herself without a choice as Sombra gave her a hard look, his patience wearing thin as she continued to be timid.

"Feel what?" he questioned irritably.

"Safe," Pinkie said finally, meeting his gaze, "I feel safe."

Sombra gave her a wide eyed look, his jaw agape as he struggled to come to terms with her answer. Finally, after a long period of silence between them, Sombra gave her a conflicted, grim look as he furrowed his brows in thought.

"Why?" he asked quietly, "That makes no sense."

Pinkie gave him a surprised look, not sure what to make of his response. He wasn't angry with her for her strange comfortability near him, nor was he disturbed. Instead, he seemed confused, almost as if he had never heard such a compliment towards him.

"I-I don't know," she admitted, her gaze flickering nervously, "I just do..."

Sombra's gaze softened as he sighed. "You're so strange..." he said, shaking his head slightly.

Pinkie didn't have it in her to fight the wave of heat that took over her face, her need for discretion disappearing as she looked at the floor dejectedly.

"Why is your mane straight?" Sombra asked suddenly, breaking through the awkward air.

Pinkie looked up at him, then at her mane, her heart clenching as she looked at the straight locks. With a dainty hoof, she touched the magenta strands and sighed as she put her hoof down.

"It only gets like that when I'm sad," she told him, her gaze going to the floor once again.

"Why are you still sad?" he questioned, curiosity apparent in his tone.

It wasn't like him to be so interested in her, but that didn't stop her from answering dejectedly. "I don't know."

Sombra frowned at her, his questioning gaze turning soft. "Is this because of what happened earlier?"

Pinkie felt her body freeze as she remembered the horrific events the night held for her, her heart constricting in her chest. She began to shake as she recalled how awful she had acted, her eyes filling with tears.

Sombra wasn't prepared for Pinkie pulling him into a tight embrace, small whimpers escaping her as she shakily clung to him.

"J-Just hold m-me..." she whispered into his chest, "I don't w-wanna..."

She was surprised by Sombra putting a hoof to her lips as a light hush escaped his lips, his other foreleg wrapping her small form.

"I thought I made you feel better," he said, his tone somewhat chastising, "weren't you listening?"

"Beauty is not skin deep; you've proven that."

Pinkie felt more tears spring to her eyes as she remembered his words and she held Sombra tighter as she screwed them shut, the salty liquid secreting from her eyes rapidly.

"It st-still hurts..." she whispered, "I know what you said, but..."

Sombra put his down from her lips and put it around her with his other one, his hoof rubbing her back lightly. Even though it was almost nonexistent, Pinkie felt a rush of warmth go through her at his touch and leaned into his form.

"What do I have to do to make you realize?" he questioned, sounding somber, "Why is it so hard for you to see?"

"I..." Pinkie tried to say, her words catching in her throat.

Why was it so hard for her to listen to him? He had said it loud and clear before, so she should have understood. But, she still felt a part of her doubt the genuinity in his words, despite how deep and thoughtful they sounded.

'Actions speak louder than words,' she heard a voice in her mind tell her.

Pinkie felt her heartbeat increase as she realized what she needed for Sombra to do; what she needed to be done. With shakiness like that of an unstable foundation, she pulled away from him so she could see his face.

"Prove it," she whispered.

Sombra blinked in surprise, almost as if he were questioning if he heard her right. "What?"

"Prove it," she said louder, confidence backing her, "if you really meant what you said, prove it to me."

"How am I supposed to do that?" he questioned, his eyes narrowing in peevish anger, "What could I possibly do?"

Pinkie said nothing to him, deeming words inappropriate as a way to explain. She positioned herself to where she was able to look at Sombra close enough to his height, her body leaning towards him. She felt him freeze as he tried to process her actions, not sure what to make of them.

Finally, Pinkie closed her eyes as she leaned towards his face, her heart beating faster as she grew closer and closer. Then, after moments of edgy tension, she pressed her lips against his.

Sombra was frozen, completely immersed in shock as Pinkie continued to kiss him. With a slight turn of her head, Pinkie managed to deepen the kiss, causing Sombra to lean into incidentally. She was surprised to feel him turn his head in return, the kiss finally reaching a full connection.

Pinkie let out a small noise of surprise against Sombra's lips as he placed his forelegs under her and hoisted her up to where she was his height, the shift in position causing him to fall onto his back with Pinkie on top of him.

Still surprised by his action, Pinkie wasn't prepared for Sombra placing his hooves on her rear and pushing her closer to him, the kiss deepening exponentially as waves of pleasure went through her. Pinkie let out a contented sound as she accepted the actions taking place and leaned into the kiss once more.

After a moment of intense emotional release, Pinkie pulled away with a slight pant, her cheeks flushed red. Sombra's eyes remained half-lidded, somewhat dazed by the situation as lust shone in his eyes.

"I need you," she whispered against his lips.

"I know," he responded, pulling her close again.

And with that, they returned to their loving embrace, finally releasing the years of emotional distraught that they never knew they carried.

Pinkie sighed in content as she heard the beat of Sombra's heart, her temporarily straight hair now curled and bouncy like before. A light brush of Sombra's hoof on her back sent shivers down her spine, her emotions lingering as she laid with him.

"It's been years since I've done anything like that," she said quietly, pulling him close to her.

She felt Sombra chuckle. "Try a millennia, dear," he whispered in her ear, "though, you aren't out of practice, I'll give you that."

Pinkie gave him a small smile. "Neither are you," she replied, "it's surprising how 1000 years doesn't take from your ability..."

He chuckled again. "Time only adds experience," he told her, tracing a hoof over her back.

Pinkie sighed in content as she shifted her hind legs, which were entangled in Sombra's as they laid together in consensual companionship. With a light snuggle from her head on his chest, she closed her eyes as she listened to the reassuring sound of Sombra's heartbeat.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"What for?" Sombra questioned, shifting his position to look down at her questionably.

"For proving how beautiful you think I am," she told him.

"I don't think you're beautiful," he said simply, holding her tighter, "I know you are."

Pinkie turned to look up at him, her eyes shining with affection as she looked at his handsome face.

"You are, too, you know," she told him, leaning towards him with a soft look.

Sombra gave her a shocked look, his eyes widening as he struggled to comprehend her compliment.

"What is it?" she questioned, turning over to where she laid on his chest.

Sombra looked away from her, despondence taking over his being. "I don't think that's possible."

Pinkie felt herself frown at his implication, her gaze hardening as she looked at him. "Sombra," she said firmly, "I don't care about what you've done in your life. That doesn't matter now."

Sombra looked over at her, somewhat surprised by her negative tone.

"Because, underneath all that darkness is something I never thought I'd see," she told him, leaning over to him as she wrapped her forelegs around his neck.

Pinkie felt his breath hitch as she leaned towards him with half-lidded eyes, her lips parted as they neared his.

"I saw beauty," she whispered against his lips, "and to have to look through all of the darkness within you to get to it..."

Sombra's heartbeat skipped as her nose brushed his, the break in rhythm only motivating her.

"...it was worth it," she finished, closing the gap between them.

She kissed him again, though it didn't hold the hunger or need for emotional consolation. It was soft and sweet, devoid of anything but love. She felt her heart skip a beat as he returned it wholeheartedly, his forelegs wrapping around her.

"Thank you," he whispered against her lips as he pulled away.

"Anytime," she replied, laying her head next to his.

And with that last exchange, they embraced one another, their woes forgotten and their feelings realized.

Pinkie could only hope she would never forget this night.

Author's Notes:

Yep, this finally got written. I hope you guys enjoyed it~!