Author's Notes:

Something I came up with on the fly. This is what happens when I'm bored and I don't want to sleep. Enjoy. :)

''Hey, Anon. You wanna hug me?'' Princess Cadence's honey-sweet voice rang through the chilly evening.

''Princess, you've been following me since I came out of bed this morning. I don't even know how you managed to get in my house, but please, go home.''

''I hid in your pantry, but then I got hungry waiting for you so I ate all of your cookies,'' she replied innocently.

''Those were my chocolate chip cookies! I still haven't forgiven you for that,'' Anon replied grumpily.

Cadence pouted, and spread her soft wings invitingly for him. ''Here, let me make it up to you. They're very soft and will keep you warm.''

''No thank you, princess. I'm almost home anyway.''

''Well, let me at least keep you company. I don't want you to get mugged or anything.''

Anon stopped walking for a moment, and gave the smiling princess a look of disbelief. ''Princess, I live in the safest area of the town, in the safest city of Equestria. The chances of me getting mugged are practically nill.''

''Hold it right there, buddy,'' a familiar voice suddenly shouted. A white stallion in a ridiculous outfit appeared out of the shadows in front of them, carrying a wooden stick with his magic. ''Fork over all that you have and nopony will get hurt.''

''Oh no,'' Cadence cried dramatically, putting a hoof to her head. ''This ruffian is about to rob us...''

Anon looked at the absurd spectacle incredulously. ''Is that Shining Armor?''

''Hold me, Anon, I think I'm about to faint.'' The pink princess of love had her hooves spread already, ready to cling herself against Anon's body.

''I know it's you, Shining Armor!'' Anon yelled, blocking Cadence by simply sticking his hand out and denying her access. ''You can stop this nonsensical charade right now.''

''I'm not Shining Armor. I'm... Dimness Shield! Clearly, you are mistaken. Don't make me use this stick.'' He waved it a few times unconvincingly in the air.

''Anon, what shall we do now? This good looking stallion, but not as good looking as Shining Armor, is notorious for stealing stuff from princesses! I heard he even stole Twilight's book on: How to raise an alicorn foal for eggheads!''

''Hey!''

Anon rolled his eyes, and simply decided to ignore both Cadence and Shining by moving forwards.

''Not a step closer, pal! I’ll have you know I graduated top of my class in Stealing From Princesses University, or SFP for short, and I’ve been involved in numerous secret raids on Princess Celestia's castle, and I have over 300 confirmed stolen royal items!''

''Shining, I just want to go to bed.'' Anon grabbed the wooden stick from out of the air, and snapped it in half. ''Weren't you supposed to babysit Flurry Heart anyway?''

The stallion's eyes turned wide as saucers for a moment. ''Impossible! How could I, Dimness Shield be defeated like this?'' he rambled quickly. ''This isn't the last you've heard from me, Anon. Vengeance shall be mine, or something.''

He took off immediately like a guy who knew that was screwed.

''Oh, Anon, my hero!'' Cadence said dreamily, almost swooning. ''You defeated that big baddie who's definitely going to sleep on the couch tonight. Let me give you some snuggles as your reward.''

''I appreciate it, princess, but I much rather find the comfort of my home.''

''Wait, you can't deny my request.'' Cadence seemed to fidget nervously and her tone was a few pitches higher than normal.

''I do believe I can, princess.''

Cadence ruffled her feathers and stomped her hoof on the ground childishly. ''No you can't!''

''And who says I can't?'' Anon asked.

''The... rules?'' she replied sheepishly. ''Yeah, the rules! It's well known that a royal reward can't be denied.''

''The rules?'' Anon questioned doubtfully.

At once, the princess activated her magic and a book titled: Da Rules, came into existence.

''It's somewhere on page 600 to 800,'' she said sweetly.

Anon perked a brow. She couldn't be serious. ''These rules aren't legitimate.''

''They are, silly Anon. Everypony has a copy.'' She managed to inch closer to him bit by bit.

''Fine, then arrest me in the morning for denying a royal request. I'm going to sleep.''

''No, wait! Look here, I found it.'' She blocked his path by shoving the large book right in his face on the right page.

Anon read it out loud. ''Every sentient being denying a royal reward receives a punishment. This punishment consist of snuggling with the princess for at least ten minutes.'' He looked at the giddy princess flatly. ''Did you just add this rule a second ago?''

''No, why would I do that?''

''The font is off with the rest of the book, and it looks like you tried to erase something that was written under it.''

''I would never do such things!''

''Princess, you wrote it with a red crayon.''

''Now, that's clearly written that way because it's a very important rule.''

''I can still read what's underneath.''

''No, you can't.''

''And why's there a doodle of me getting hugged by you at the bottom of the page?''

The princess gasped. ''There is? That can only mean it's authentic! Let me snuggle you now!''

She tried to wrap her wings around him, only to find the emptiness of Luna's evening air. Anon had walked off and was now fidgeting with his keys in front of his home.

''Anon,'' she whimpered, her eyes getting watery while her lower lip quivered. ''Don't leave me here all alone. I'm scared.''

''The castle is around the corner, princess.''

''I won't make it that far all by myself.'' She looked at him with the best puppy eyes she could muster.

''There are literally two guards patrolling this section of the city and making their rounds every fifteen minutes.''

''Please, come with me. I feel much safer with you at my side.''

Anon huffed. ''Princess, I'm tired. I'm going inside now, okay?''

He opened the door, only to hear the pink alicorn quickly trotting up to him. ''Can I at least come inside with you?'' Her voice was pleading, something Anon couldn't resist.

''Oh, All right. But if you're planning on staying the night, you're going to have to sleep on the sofa.''

''Thank you, anon! I won't eat anymore of your cookies, I promise.''

''That's because there aren't any left.''

''What about those biscuits?''

''Those aren't cookies. They're dry and flavorless.''

''Then why do you have them?''

''Because I bought them accidentally.''

''Oooh, now I understand why they're expired for almost two years.''

''You didn't try to eat them, right?'' Anon asked flatly.

''Well, I might have tried one or two...''

Anon closed the door behind them without saying anything more. ''Toilet is down the hall, but I guess you know that already. I'm going to bed now.''

''But Anon, aren't you going to tuck me in?''

''What?''

Cadence pouted innocently. ''You have to tuck me in, otherwise I might go sleep walking and eat all of your other sweets.''

Anon muttered something under his breath, before grabbing a couple of extra sheets. Cadence giggled giddily, and lied herself down on her back on the surprisingly soft sofa.

She was eyeing Anon with big, warm eyes as he spread the sheets and put it all around the pink alicorn.

''Thank you, Anon,'' she said gratefully. He moved closer to her to even out the edges, and when he did, he could hear her soft, feminine breaths. ''Have I already told you how sweet you are?''

Anon's reply was soft and gentle. ''You have. thirty-five times today. I've been counting them.''

''It's because it's true. I've never met anypony with such a kind heart as you.''

He smiled. ''Now you're just flattering me.''

Cadence giggled. ''Maybe a little. But they were all genuine. You are my beloved subject, Anon. And as the princess of love, I care a lot about you.'' She was holding out her hooves, something that she had done hundreds of times today. But this time, Anon couldn't refuse her.

He felt himself gently be pulled in her sweet embrace. Cadence's magic moved away the sheets to make room, freeing her wings in the process. He felt her hooves wrap around his neck, and her wings around his midsection, until his cheek was softly pressed against hers.

There, she wrapped him in almost a cocoon of fur and feathers, until he was as close to her as he could get. Cadence sighed, and nuzzled her cheek lovingly against his, before moving the sheets back over them.

''Your breath is labored,'' she noted and cooed lovingly. ''It's okay. Stay with me tonight.''

''I will, princess.''

Cadence gave another, satisfied sigh, sharing her body heat with Anon before both of them fell into a deep, well-deserved slumber.