Shattering a Heart of Darkness

The black stallion shot up into the air, whooshing into the sky over the Crystal Empire like an arrow released from its bow. Sombra could taste the cold air, feeling it fill his lungs and pull at his teeth as he ascended, his mighty black wings beating against the winds. Invisible fingers combed through his mane and coat, the wind lashing against his body but he hardly noticed. I am alive. He closed his eyes and flapped in place as the sun's rays fell upon him, bathing him in the warmth of their glow while his mane tossed and tumbled behind him. I am truly alive.

A jubilant whooping sound grabbed Sombra's attention and his eyes shot open just in time to catch a glimpse of a violet blur speeding past him like a small comet. He smirked and shook his head as the blur corkscrewed around him before coming to a full stop, revealing a winged mare, her violet eyes shimmering with excitement. Her wings were smaller and broader, requiring light flaps instead of the huge beats that his relied on. It was like the difference between a hawk and a dove, one large and powerful and the other smaller and graceful. "Enjoying yourself, are we?"

Twilight grinned, "So much! Look at us up here!"

They both "stood" on their hindlegs, their hooves reaching out to touch the other's as they drew closer and closer. Their hooves connected and Sombra felt the light weight of Twilight's head on his bare chest, her long mane billowing in the breeze and tickling his flesh. He sighed and inhaled her scent, a mix of wild berries and spring rain. This...is perfection.

Light filtered in through the semi-closed curtains, piercing Sombra's face and he opened his eyes, annoyed at having another pleasurable Twilight dream so abruptly interrupted. He began to rise to close the curtains when he felt a weight upon his chest and noticed that he was practically sweating from a foreign source of heat. A dark blue mane with streaks of purple and raspberry rested beneath his chin and upon examination, smelled exactly like wild berries and spring rain! Sombra's heart skipped a beat. Twilight is in my bed. Did we...have we...? Racking his brain, he recalled how they ended up from Point A to Point B. He showed her the last memory of his father, confessed his love for her, they locked lips like horny teenagers and then she... Wait, Twilight said that she loves me too. She loves me!

There was a light moan followed by some muttering and Twilight puzzlingly lifted her head up, her face freezing as their eyes met. Neither of them moved for the better part of a full minute before Sombra gulped and laughed uneasily, "Good morning, Twilight. Um...how did you sleep?" The mare's immediate response was to throw herself off of him and attempt to jump off of the bed, only to get her ankle twisted in the sheets, resulting in her rolling off and landing in an undignified heap on the floor. If it wasn't for his concern for Twilight's safety, Sombra would be laughing his head off at the sight.

"Are you okay?"

Grabbing the edge of the bed, Twilight hoisted herself up and stared at him through half-lidded eyes. "Yes, I'm fine. Sombra, did we...?" She moved her hoof between the two of them then reached down to inspect herself, a sigh of possible relief whistling past her lips. He noticed the fear in her eyes but there was also a hint of something else, something he couldn't identify.

"No, we did not," Sombra answered and stepped out of bed. While he still wore his crown and cloak, his gorget, greaves and vambraces lay unceremoniously in a pile next to the green drape leading to the memory crystals. It all came back to him: after their professions of love, they furiously kissed one another and in the heat of the moment, his armor came off and they ended up in his bed. Upon realizing her current location, Twilight stopped and profusely apologized, explaining that she wasn't ready for something so monumental. He had agreed and they decided to just cuddle, which then led to them dozing off as a result. "Your virtue is still protected."

"Oh thank Celestia!" Twilight cheered and then immediately stared guiltily at Sombra. "I-I didn't mean it like that."

With his armor securely back in place, Sombra poured himself some wine and took a large gulp. "I know. You don't need to apologize." After refilling his glass, he took another swig and then inhaled deeply. "Twilight, I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to be absolutely honest." He turned to meet her, his face serious and weary. "When I told you that I loved you, you said that you loved me too. Did you really mean it or did you say it to make me feel good?"

Sombra expected a shy denial or a befuddled apology. What he hadn't expected, however, was for Twilight to practically snarl at him, grab a pillow and start hitting him in the face with it, her blows random and frenzied. What the hell?! He grabbed the pillow and struggled to rip it out of her grasp. He used his magic to toss it aside and yelled, "Will you stop that? What is the matter with you?"

Twilight seized her head and muttered something before pointing an angry hoof at him. "What is the matter with me? You just accused me of toying with your emotions! I can't believe you'd do that! When I tell somepony I love them, I one-hundred percent mean it! Don't you trust me?!"

"Of course I do! I'm just scared, that's all!"

They stood there panting, their anger quickly evaporating. "You're scared?"

Tears threatened to spill as Sombra softly nodded. "Yes, I'm scared. I'm scared that once again, I'm in love and that means that I'm vulnerable. Vulnerable to heartache, to-to-to having hope and joy. I'm scared that if I open my heart, that it'll get broken again. I know what I am, how Equestria sees me. And you...you're perfect." He sank to one knee and gently took Twilight's hoof, surprised that she offered no resistance. "I'm scared...that none of this is real, that I'll wake up in my bed and be alone again. I love you Twilight Sparkle and that means I'm scared of losing you."

He dropped his head and clamped his eyes shut, exhausted and afraid of his confession, of being left emotionally wide open. All his life he was taught to shield himself, to not let anypony in. Yet, for the second time, he was ignoring his training. Hope is a double-edged sword. It can lift you up above the clouds but it can also seize you by the throat and send you crashing down to earth, breaking your spirit into a million pieces. Something worked its way beneath his chin and tilted his face up. Twilight's eyes were filled up tears, her bottom lip trembling as she wiped Sombra's cheeks of tears he wasn't even aware that he shed. "Sombra, that was without a doubt the most romantic thing I've ever heard."

He opened his mouth to respond but her hoof was placed firmly against his lips. "I'm not finished. I'm scared too. I've never been in love before. No stallion ever caught my interest enough to even consider romance. And yet here you are. I was terrified of you. I even hated you for what you did to my friends and to the Crystal Empire." Twilight's whole face scrunched up as the next words came out in a sob. "But then I got to know you and hear your story. You saved my life and went out of your way to make me happy. You should stop putting yourself down! You're the most handsome, sweetest and noblest stallion that I've ever met and when you told me that you loved me, I nearly passed out I was so happy!"

Sombra reached up to stroked Twilight's cheek, a gesture that formed a small smile on her face as she chuckled through her tears. "I'm scared of what my friends might do to you. I'm scared that you'll love me and then leave me for some mare prettier or smarter than me. I'm scared that you'll decide that one day I'm too old and ugly for you. You're an umbrum; you'll age slower than me and I'll spoil like rotten milk and you'll be left with an old hag and a life of regrets."

Rising to his hooves, Sombra kept contact with Twilight's cheek as he pulled her into an embrace. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I have many regrets but you are certainly not one of them. There will never be a mare prettier or smarter than you. Yes, you'll get old and I will age slower. But you'll never be ugly. Not to me." Twilight lifted her face and stared at him awestruck. "I love you."

"I love you too," Twilight whimpered and closed the distance between their lips. "With all of my heart."

Their kiss was fiery, their lips mashing together as Sombra lifted Twilight and cradled her in his forelegs, his hooves caressing her sides and shoulders while she grabbed at his mane and pulled, which both hurt and aroused him. Tartarus, I've got her worked up! Cautiously, he touched her chest, marveling at its softness and, hearing no protests, trailed down her chest and stomach until his hoof felt the hot flesh between her hindlegs. "Twilight...?"

Drunk with desire, Twilight nodded through half-lidded eyes. "Yes. Yes, please."

Sombra gasped at the heat coming from off of her folds. He withdrew his hoof, completely blown by how wet she was. Noticing her disappointment, he very carefully plunged the tip of his hoof back inside and was met by a vice-like grip. He stared down at her. "Twilight, how far should we take this?"

"Put me down on the bed," she moaned.

He stopped and looked at her carefully. "Twilight, are you sure? I don't want to take this from you."

Twilight slid her hoof against Sombra's cheek and gave him the most radiant smile that he'd ever seen from her. She had stopped crying and looked as though she was going to burst from joy. "I'm ready, Sombra. Just don't forget that you won't be taking this from me. I'll be giving it to you."

Sombra nodded and gently laid her down on the bed, taking in her curves of her body as she lay there expectantly waiting. By Ahriman's veil, she's a goddess! Slowly, he removed his crown and cape, promptly tossing the latter over his shoulder as if it were a crumbled up piece of paper. "I love you."

Twilight smiled sweetly as he climbed on top of her and replied, "That's why I'm ready."