Applejack opened her eyes, rays of golden light heating her face and making her pupils shrink. She yawned and tried to get up but, with a grunt, realized there was something weighing her down. Now that she thought about it, she felt unusually warm, and there was something pressing into--

Wait a minute.

She looked behind her only to see none other then Sombra cuddled into her back, his snout buried in her mane and his warm breath on her neck. His foreleg and hind leg were draped over the mare, pulling her body close to his, and a slight, low rumble that was akin to a purr sounded from his throat. Her face flushed red, but there was a part of her mind stopping her from getting up. After all, she still had some time before Celestia raised the sun. Though, as soon as she closed her eyes a familiar voice yell her name.

Twilight.

She bolted upright and stood on all four hooves, waking the pony beside her who, to her surprise, blushed when he realized the position that they had been in. Applejack ran to her friend, Sombra following close behind. Twilight looked frantic but upon seeing Applejack her features softened. She trotted over to her friend.

"Thank Celestia you're okay! Sombra didn't come back last night and I fell asleep while waiting and he wasn't there when I woke up andIwasworriedhehurtyouand--" Applejack shushed her but before she could say anything, Sombra interrupted.

"So what? You think just because I didn't show up one night I hurt someone?" He snarled, "I have been doing well. I don't have my magic, I don't have my armor, I don't have my kingdom! I don't even have my pride!"

"Sombra, what about the sewing needles, the fire, the breadsticks."

"He had it coming and they were the perfect weapon! You know what sparkle ass, if you hate me having my last bit of magic left then cut my horn off and call me an earth pony. 'Cause I basically already am." He spat the last bit out like poison and ran towards the castle, his face contorted in rage.

He heard Applejack call to him but ignored her. He was angry and it didn't matter what anypony said to him. He was Sombra. He wasn't going to be forgiven and he didn't want to be.

He strolled through the darkness of the everfree, destroying anything that was foolish enough to attack him. He traveled until he came across a strange hut where he saw a zebra brewing potions. Sombra approached her.

"I have been expecting you, it is nice to see a face that's new."

Did she just rhyme? It was so easy NOT to rhyme and she rhymed. Of course. He rolled his eyes.

"What the fuck do you want, witch?" Sombra answered sharply.

She chuckled, "Why do you ask that to me? When you are the one who cannot see."

"You know what. No. I'm going back. I'm not doing this, zebra. Being in that town with those ponies is better then being here. Okay? Nope." Sombra walked away then broke into a sprint while repeatedly muttering 'nope nope nope' under his breath.

"If I do say so myself, a job well-done, for I have gotten him to run." She chuckled.

It was already midday by the time he reached the orchard. He was still angry of course. But despite how much he wanted to rip their throats out he could do that once he had his magic back, once they trusted him enough. He could wait. After all, he had forever.

"But for now," he thought as he saw Applejack selling apples to a mare, "I'll just enjoy the simpler things."

Sombra made his way toward the mare, remaining out of sight by weaving between trees (though maybe he did take a small pit stop to 'speak' to the buyer as she left.) His tail thrashed as he almost became one with the shadows cast by the tree line. Every muscle in his body tensed and he could have sworn time slowed down. Finally, he pounced! Right as she turned around. A high pitched yelp was heard and, suddenly, because of the unfortunate movement, they wound up in a very awkward and, to Applejack's dismay and Sombra's delight, provocative position. After the initial shock passed, Sombra's signature smug ass grin, that AJ had a love/hate relationship with, spread across his face.

"Don't." It was a simple command from her. A code word for 'I swear to Celestia, if you make one wrong move I will hurt you.'

Well, it's a good thing he understood code.

Sombra reluctantly scrambled to his hooves as AJ did the same, though, with a lot more grace. Sombra felt a forceful hoof tap his chest.

"Where the hay have you been?!" She growled at him.

"Forest. Why?" There it was again. That shit-eating grin. "You care 'bout me or something?" He batted his eyes dramatically.

"Naw' ah just need my free workforce." Applejack let out a relaxed chuckle, "Time to get ta' work."

Sombra let out a hearty laugh and followed the mare as she traveled into the orchard.

They bucked trees until it was pitch black and they had a few cart fulls of apples. Sombra settled down at the base of a thick tree trunk and let out a yawn.

"Don't ya have to go back to Twilight's?"

"Nnnyah..." He groaned, "Screw Sparkle butt and whatever she thinks." Sombra then gestured with his hoof for her to lay beside him.

With a roll of her eyes she did, but not too close, just close enough to barely touch him. He let out a satisfied grunt and soon fell into a deep sleep. AJ just sat there for a while until she decided 'a few minutes couldn't hurt' and snuggled into the dark, sleeping form beside her. As she drifted off to sleep the last thing she thought was 'if anyone sees, i'll say there was a chill in the air.'

Author's Note

Remind me to never write dialogue for Zecora ever again, those were the most frustrating hours of my life.
Also working on a series of one-shots that im going to write little by little in advance then release when theres a long wait for a chapter because ya'll are impatient XD (just kidding i love you guys <3
As always comments are appreciated, thanks for reading!
P.S. double update, expect a short chapter in a few hours :D