The wind howled violently, outside Andrews home. The long, sorrowful whistling coming through the gaps in the window, sounding as if the Windigoes had returned. Rain began to patter against the glass, adding to the chilly feel of the room.

The only defensive measure against the oppressive cold was that of the roaring log fire, that dominated the living room. Its warm, inviting glow flicking around the dim room.

Also within said room, was a snoozing human, and strangely, a quite pegasus. The two were wrapped in the same thick rug, lying on the soft couch, with Rainbow Dash reading one of her favorite novels whilst lying atop Andrew.

It seemed that the two pets of the house, had decided to take a page out of their respective masters books. Eureka snoozed quietly, curled up in a little ball while laying atop of Tank whom had retracted into his shell.

Rainbow paid them no mind however as she continued reading. She was so immersed in her book, she failed to notice her human wake underneath her, and snake his hands up until they rested on her back, just below her wings.

Setting the book down she eyed her lover playfully.

“Welcome back,” She joked.

Andrew simply stretched in the confines of the rug before responding by nuzzling her. A pony gesture that the human had eagerly adopted.

“I forgot how uncomfortable this lounge was,” He grimaced, shifting around.

Another echoing gale, blasted the house, making the small pup in the corner shiver, just by sound alone.

“I’m so glad I got the day off,” Rainbow said gratefully, relaxing into Andrew.

“I wouldn’t wish Winter storm duty on anypony,” She added before leaning down to rest her head in the crook of Andrews neck.

“Oh believe me, no ones more grateful than me,” Andrew responded.

Rainbow simply mumbled incoherently in response, intent of sucking all of the heat she could out of her mate.

“This is the life in’n it? Laying around the house in bad weather, cuddled up to a beautiful mare in front of a real fireplace,” Andrew said thoughtfully, gently massaging Rainbows scalp through her mane.

“True, but remind me why, we got out of bed in the first place?”

“Because I had to keep an eye on the fire, and you wanted to read,” Andrew replied, now scratching her ear.

“Speaking of fire,” He added, suddenly remembering his one chore for the day. Carefully he peeled Rainbow off him and unwrapped himself from the cocoon of warmth.

With a sigh, and a bone popping stretch he made his way outside to the woodpile stacked underneath a small lean-to against the side of the house.

Pulling on a heavy coat, and grabbing the nearby wood crate, he kept besides the back door, her braced himself for the weather.

Channeling the cold resisting blood of his ancestors, Andrew quickly opened the door, exposing himself to the freezing winds.

Making his way over to the small hut, he rapidly began to fill the crate with sizable chunks of thick wood. As he loaded up, he spared a thought for the poor souls who were in the sky right now, freezing their tails off in order just to make a living.

It almost made Andrew feel bad about having a stay at home job where cheques arrived in the mail every week.

Almost.

Finally the crate was topped with wooden fuel, and Andrew wasted no time in returning to the warm embrace of both the house, and Rainbow.

“Geez it’s a bit fresh out there,” He joked as he entered through the archway to the living room. Setting the crate to the side of the fire and throwing a log on for good measure he turned back to his mare.

In a rare display of affection. (Well, rare to anyone who wasn’t Andrew.) Rainbow sat upright in the ruins of the blanket wrap with her hooves outstretched towards Andrew.

Waving her hooves back and forth in a recognisable gesture, she simply said one word.

“Hug.”

Of course, it was impossible for Andrew to deny her request. Especially when she employed those gorgeous eyes to drive it home.

After a few moments of shuffling, the pair had finally managed to return to their previous positions, accompanied by a, now reinvigorated fire.

However, there was no fire, not even that of the sun, Equus or Earth, that could compare to the fire of love they shared for one another. A true companionship, an unrivaled feeling of completeness and joy.

The power of love.

And even though it took Rainbow most of her life and many failed relationships to realize this, there was nothing she was surer of. This being the case, in her time dating Andrew she had radically changed.

Sure, she was still the boisterous, brash, awesome pegasus that everypony knew her for, but when she was with Andrew, she just melted. He treated her the way she wanted to be, even if she hadn’t realized it.

He treated her like a princess, like nothing else mattered. He was always there for her. She was his whole world.

Maybe that’s why all her previous relationships failed. She was so hell bent on proving herself to the stallion that she scared them off. Nopony wanted a mare who excelled at everything, then as soon as she hit a speed bump would break down.

But Andrew was different. When things got rough, he made sure he was there. In a land where females outweighed males five to one, most stallions didn’t even bother with ‘problem mares’.

Andrew wouldn’t have a bar of that. His human nature forced him to fight for his woman, even if his woman was a mare.

Never once did he give up on her. Never once did he think that it was too much work and look for another. He, just like her, was loyal.

To a fault.

“I’m so glad I found you,” Rainbow said dreamily, into Andrews chest.

“Mmhm?” He responded drowsily, coming back from the cusp of nodding off.

“I mean, you could have any mare you wanted, a couple probably, yet you chose me.”

“Oh Dash,” Andrew said, sobering up.

“I’ve told you, I didn’t fall in love with you because you were the best option. That makes you sound like an object.”

“I fell in love with you because I love you. That includes all the faults,” He said warmly, brushing a part of her mane out of her face.

“And as for having more than one mare? You know that doesn’t sit well with me,” Andrew stated.

This was a fact Rainbow appreciated more than anything. Because of the skewed gender ratio, many stallion had more than one mare in ‘herds’.

While a viable solution for lonely mares, the idea just never sat well with Rainbow. She believed that love couldn’t be divided or shared amongst more than one lover. She assumed this was because of the fierce loyalty she was known for.

When she had told Andrew about this, she was overjoyed to learn that he felt the same way. He couldn’t fathom why a stallion who had something great with a mare would jeopardize it by bringing in another.

As far as he was concerned it could only end in tears.

“And for the record Dash,” he began, staring straight into her eyes.

“You’re all that I want, and when you’re lying here in my arms. I find it hard to believe i’m not in heaven,” He spoke from the heart.

Dash felt her heart warm at this. The way he said it just made her feel so lucky.

“I don’t deserve you,” Dash whimpered.

“No,” He said pulling her into a deep hug and resting his chin on her head. “You deserve better.”

Dash whimpered again in response, burying her face into his warm chest.

“You do so much for me, I wish I could return the favour,” She admitted glumly. Saddened that she couldn’t return the never-ending affections she received.

“Hey,” he said sternly, putting a finger under her chin and forcing her to look up at him.

“Love is all that I need. And I found it there,” He paused pointing a finger to her chest.

“In your heart.”

“I love you so much,” she whimpered into his chest.

“I love you too,” Andrew replied, holding the mare close, before lying back down on the lounge, never once letting her go.

‘Thank you Bryan Adams.’ He thought to himself.

Author's Note

And this is where my fic differs from Xenophilla. even though the polygamy thing makes sense I just don't think Rainbow would agree with it.

Also bryan adams is awesome.