Starlight had just finished neatly tucking in Spike, as she pulled up his small white blanket up to his chest.
"Comfy, Spike?" Starlight asked as she brought both of her front hooves from Spike's blanket back onto the floor. The bundled up dragon looked back at her, smiling, and gave her an assuring nod.
Afterwords, Starlight walked over to the open window that Spike's bed sat next to. She stood up on her hind legs to reach said window, in order to pull it down, thus ending the stream of cold winter air that was filling the room. The smell of frozen air still lingered around the windowsill.
"Sure is cold out tonight..." Starlight said to herself, as she pulled down the curtain, which drowned the entirety of Spike's room in darkness.
"Uh, Starlight?" Spike said with a chill in his voice.
"Huh? Oh. Sorry, Spike." She said as she pulled the curtains back up, letting in what little light the moon had been illuminating through the window, dimly lighting up Spike's room again.
"Well, good night, Spike!" Starlight said cheerfully as she pranced towards the exit.
"Hey, uh... Starlight?" Spike called. Starlight stopped, and peeked her head around her neck, looking at Spike, snuggled up in his blankets.
"I think you forgot something." Spike continued.
"Oh yeah?" Starlight asked, as she turned around, and walked over to Spike's bed once more.
Once she got there, she looked down at Spike. The two were still, looking into each other's gazes. A moment went by, but it must have been no less the a few seconds before Spike reached up his arms towards Starlight, undoing the neatly tucked blankets she had left him in. The sight of the Spike's big, green, adorable eyes made it impossible for Starlight to decline what he was clearly asking for.
"Aw, Spike..." Starlight let out as she bent down, wrapping both of her forearms around little Spike.
Spike of course, hugged her back. The feeling of having any creature at all for Starlight to hold in her embrace, felt... amazing. Even if it was only a good-night hug. After all, Starlight really couldn't remember the last time anypony wanted a hug from her. She thought this as Spike nuzzled her chest-fluff, which made Starlight feel a tug on her heart. Starlight was... really enjoying this moment. She was really enjoying Spike's physical company. Spike must have been enjoying this physical contact, just as much as Starlight. After all, it had been nearly a month since he had snuggle, or even a hug from anypony.
Starlight began to squeeze tighter, in an attempt to get out as much of her snuggles as she could before she had to let go of Spike, go back to her own room, and slept on her own again. After what felt like forever, Starlight finally loosened her grip, and gently let Spike's head rest back onto his pillow. Despite the room still being freezing cold due to the winter air that accumulated in Spike's room throughout the day because of the window being open, Starlight felt surprisingly warm and... fuzzy. The wide grin that had stretched across her face during the previous event between her and Spike, had grown into a faint smile. Starlight put both of her front hooves back onto the ground, and turned towards the door.
"Good night, Spike."
The door closed behind Starlight, and Spike was suddenly no longer feeling tired. Spike... couldn't sleep. That hug from Starlight just then, must have began to turn gears in Spike's mind, because his head was now full of thoughts.
Spike thought for what must have been no more then a few minutes, as he got out of bed to look out of the window Starlight had just shut a moment ago. It was until then when he finally grasped onto what had been keeping him from sleeping. Spike was... worried. He was worried about...Twilight. While Spike was being hugged by Starlight, he was reminded of how Twilight always hugged him before bed. He was reminded about how much he loved Twilight. He was reminded of how much he needed her in his life. She was like a mother to him. Spike couldn't even bare the thought of something happening to her. She meant everything to Spike... she was there for him since day one. Panic started to overflow his mind. Just then, Spike's thoughts nullified... and got the best of him.
An all too familiar phenomenon had broken out in the crystal empire. Just as she had always done, Princess Cadence went to go check on the crystal heart before Celestia set the sun, and the night was drawn. While Cadence was doing so, a silhouette of a pony, raging with evil intent, struck at her from behind. Cadence didn't even have time to react. She was found in critical condition. The mysterious figure banished from the scene, and made no further appearances. In the heap of the moment, not only was Cadence harmed, but the crystal heart had also suffered a great deal. Cadence, being an alicorn, meant that she was immortal. A fatal wound would not seize to take her life... or so she thought. Alicorns were immortal to all things, accept dark magic. Cadence was growing weaker and weaker... and it was clear that the enemy had used such magic to cause her fatigue. Princes Cadence could no longer fight back, and she couldn't protect the crystal empire, or the ponies living there anymore.
Word got out, and panic spread like wildfire. A terrifying amount of black clouds were now towering over the Crystal Empire, and these clouds even made it's way towards north of Canterlot. Due to this, Princess Celestia was set off to help save the Crystal Empire from the mysterious attacker, while Luna stayed behind.
The threat towards the Crystal Empire grew by the minute, with Princes Cadence no longer being able to use her magic to fight back the clouds, Shining Armour sitting on the silver line between life and death trying desperately to hold up a magic shield around the Empire in place for the crystal heart, and the citizens panic across the entirety of the Empire. It was because of the nation-threatening situation, that Twilight was summoned to the Crystal Empire, to help neutralize the situation.
"If all three alicorn princesses can't fight off this enemy that isn't even identified yet... what chance does Twilight have...! The enemy used the only magic that could actually kill an alicorn..." Spike's mind started to erupt with overwhelming thoughts.
"Twilight... very well could die..."
Spike felt his heart start to race, and his blood was boiling. Such thoughts he was having sickened him to his knees with fear, and anxiety. Little time passed, before started to hyperventilate, due to a panic attack. Spike could barley remember what happened afterwards. All he could comprehend was a familiar sweet voice calling his name.
"Spike... Spike!" The voice was growing louder and more clear. Spike's mind was still fuzzy, and he could hardly make out what was going on. After no more then a few seconds, his vision cleared, and he was face to face with Starlight.
"... What... Happe-" Spike was cut off before starlight quickly wrapped him up in her arms, burying her muzzle in his chest.
"Spike!" Starlight called with a hint of releif in her voice.
"Uh... Starlight...? What happened?"
Starlight loosened her grip, and looked up at confused Spike.
"I came to check on you, and you were just lying here... and I tried to wake you up... but you just weren't..." Starlight paused for a moment.
"I was so scared Spike..."
Starlight must really have cared about Spike. The fear and anguish in her voice said it all. Starlight was... so quick to hug Spike after he had woken up... she truly was worried about him. Spike was a little confused. Starlight... seemed to care about him just as much as Twilight did. Spike was thinking this as Starlight started to hug him even tighter.
"Spike, are you alright? How did this happen?" Starlight began with a whimper in her voice.
It took Spike a moment to regather his thoughts. After a moment, Spike's mouth had finally opened.
"I'm... worried. I'm worried about Twilight. What if something happens to her...?"
Spike was suddenly feeling calm, even with the return of these horrible thoughts. He was feeling... surprisingly soothed, as Starlight began to caress his back with the tip of her hoof.
"Spike..." Starlight brought Spike closer to her, and held him like a mother would hold their own child.
"Twilight will be just fine..." Starlight said reassuringly, as she looked down towards Spike.
"After all... Twilight has you to return to..." She gave Spike a cozy smile. After Starlight said this, Spike awful thoughts started drift away.
Starlight, nonetheless, wanted Spike to feel better during these times.
"Is there anything that I could do to make you feel better, Spike?" Starlight asked with a comforting tone, while still holding Spike in her arms.
Spike looked up at Starlight. He didn't know what to say. Spike knew how much he missed Twilight's cuddles... but there was no way he could ask Starlight for all that. As much as he may have wanted to.
"Um... thanks, but you don't need to do anything..." Spike said uncertainty.
A few moments of silence went by, and without even realizing it, Spike found himself nuzzling Starlight's neck, as she was still holding him.
"Aw... Spike... If you wanna cuddle, just tell me so."
Spike, realizing what had just happened, started to blush a little bit. He wanted to be respectful, and try to refuse, but the feeling of Starlight's warm, cuddly fluffiness in that moment, made it impossible for him to refuse.
Starlight lifted him onto her back, and stood up slowly.
Starlight walked into the living room of the castle, still holding Spike on her back. She jumped onto one of the couches that sat in the middle of round spacious room, and perched on the comfortable cushions, lying Spike down next to her. The two sat no more than an inch apart from each other on the couch. In the comfort of the moment, spike curled up into a little ball, and snuggled up against Starlight's belly. Spike's doing of so was easily enough to make Starlight coo.
Without giving it second thought, Starlight wrapped both of her forearms around the sleepy dragon, pulling him closer into her embrace.
To Spike, Starlight's fur was so incredibly soft to snuggle up against. He was feeling a strange warmth surrounding his body. The kind of warmth you would feel while wearing a heavy sweater under a big blanket. The kind of warmth that serves to be so comfortable... you just wanna embrace it, and never move. The kind of warmth right in between hot and uncomfortably hot. A perfect balance. Such a feeling is quick to make you sleepy. But this time, Spike wanted to stay awake as long as possible, so he could cuddle with Starlight.
As Spike made an attempt to move has arms to an even more comfortable position, Starlight squeezed him tighter, and burrowed her muzzle deeper behind Spike's neck.
Starlight pulled up her hind legs up next to her belly, in order to surround Spike in even more of her softness, and it worked. Starlight's whole body was now completely curled around little Spike.
Starlight lifted her head up, and brought it down towards Spike once again, and nuzzled his cheek. While she was doing this, Starlight felt a smile stretch across Spike's face. Starlight then moved her head back up to where it was originally, and closed her eyes.
Spike turned over, now nuzzling Starlight's soft tummy, as she calmly giggled at the tickling feeling. Starlight hugged Spike even tighter, and pulled him in even closer. The two found great comfort in the moment, and stayed still for a while. Spike in Starlight's warm embrace, and Starlight having some creature to care about and cuddle with... was amazing. Soon, Spike found keeping his eyes open to be a challenge. He was falling asleep, languishing to Starlight's warm, soft embrace.
Starlight used her magic to move a blanket off of the couch across the room, and bring it over to them. She curled the blanket around her and Spike, for a great deal of extra comfort.
Starlight opened her one of her eyes slightly, and looked down at Spike, who had just fallen asleep. Such an adorable sight made it impossible for Starlight to resist squeezing the snuggled up dragon tightly once more before she had also set off to sleep, and lose the battle to keep her eyes open any longer.
"Good night, Spike."
Author's Note
My first fan fiction... feels weird. But i'm glad I've decided to start writing them :)
-Please let me know what you think! Feel free to be brutally honest :>