A Rainbow in Winter Air (Rainbro)

>Be the period of time that is known as Winter
>It's been a good, if exceptionally cold, day out with your best bro
>Naturally you decide to round things off with a trip to the bar
>You've barely gotten through a glass of whiskey when you're informed it's closing
>Heavy snowstorm is on the way and they're shutting up before it settles in
>"Oh yeah, I kinda forgot about that. Heh, sorry!"
>You just knock your bro a brohoof-fist at her suggestion to help guide you home
>Which is good because damn that storm is moving in fast

>By the time you actually reach your home it's coming down like Pinkie Pie putting icing sugar on an Everfree Forest Gateau
>Your bro, shivering, smiles at having got you there safely and tells you she should be getting home herself
>"Fuck no, Dash, you can't be serious about flying right into that squall!"
>"I-I-I c-can't s-stay out h-here!"
>"Exactly, which is why you're going to spend the night with me."
>Despite the cold her cheeks visibly flush
>Maybe she feels awkward sleeping with her bro
>"I-I c-can't!"
>Not giving her a chance to make any more protests you grab her by the front hooves and drag her in
>Thanks to some inventive insulating the house has withstood the worst of the cold

>Getting Dash a thick blanket is your next priority
>She hugs the thing tightly to herself, smiling at you through chattering teeth
>"Hey, since the bar was a bust how about I make us some hot glögg?"
>"W-What's that?"
>"Hot, spiced port; nothing like it."
>"S-S-Sounds awesome!"
>With your bro set to defrost you make for the kitchen and gather what you need

>Thankfully Equestria has a close enough approximation of cloves for this to work
>Also, thankfully, you made sure to keep the other kinds of spices you'd need on hand
>Working as fast as you can, you proceed back into the living room, two steaming mugs in tow
>Dash accepts it, still smiling and thawed out enough that she's no longer chattering her teeth
>Nontheless, you sense a little hesitation from her as she beckons you to join her under the blanket
>It does look comfortable...
>Ah, what the hell, this is Dash, right?
>Besides, the least you owe her after getting you home is- holy hell is she cold!
>No, this can't stand
>You put an arm around her and pull her closer
>"A-Anon?"
>"Don't worry about it, just gonna get you warm, alright? These clothes let me weather it better than you, after all."
>"Yeah..."
>Something about this feels nice in a way it hadn't before
>You don't quite know why but you'd like for the two of you to stay this way a while

>"Hey, Anon?"
>"Hmm?"
>"Have you, um... ever thought about really settling down here?"
>"Heh, you mean with Flutters and AJ on my back the whole time?"
>You both share a small chuckle at that, recounting how Rainbow has helped you out of numerous rape attempts
>At least in this weather you don't have to worry
>Surely neither of them would brave the storm...
>"Really, have you?"
>Rainbow's looking up at you seriously, much more seriously than she normally would
>"Where's this coming from?"
>"I dunno..."
>She swishes the port about in her mug, looking at it intently
>A log in the fire cracks and splits, sparks gushing from it
>You both look to it, to each other and to your respective mugs
>"... I guess I was thinking how great it is having you around and... I don't want to lose that, you know?"
>"Yeah..."
>You can't deny it's been a hell of a ride with Dash
>She always seems to know just when to show up and when things have been going particularly bad she's always there to lift your spirits
>Did you owe it to her for all she'd done?
>Did you owe it to yourself to maintain this?
>"Hey, let's just say I stay here. Would you make plans to find some hunky pegasus stallion and make for Cloudsdale?"
>She takes a sip from the mug before chuckling softly and looking back to you
>"Dude, I don't think I could do that. Not my type."
>Of course, she's just got too much in her to settle down like that
>You understand, perhaps better than any p0ny

>The wind picks up from outside, snow battering against the windows
>Both of you instinctively pull the blanket tighter and press closer to the fire
>It's nice here
>Here with such a good friend
>But that doesn't mean you can ignore how unusually subdued your conversation is
>Perhaps it's just something about this type of weather that draws out the need to become closer, physically and otherwise
>To offer what little bits of warmth one can and hope they're reciprocated

>"Got your eye on any p0ny?"
>She looks up suddenly, nearly spilling some of the port from the mug
>A light blush plays across her features as she smiles
>You can't help but admire it against the light of the fire
>She's your friend but even you can admit that she's attractive
>Right?
>"There is this one guy... but he's kinda oblivious about it."
>You take a sip from your own mug
>The tastes of clove and anise, cinnamon and vanilla are a pleasant mix and you hope Dash is enjoying them

>"Have you told him?"
>"Dude! I can't just come out and say something like that!"
>A red ember in the fire catches your eye suddenly
>It's almost like a little piece of Dash's mane, mesmerising in the same way
>"Why not? Do you think he'd reject you?"
>Silence reigns and you're unsure if she heard you
>You want to ask again but this might be a sore subject for her
>Probably is, judging by-
>"I... I really don't know..."
>Rainbow's looking into her mug again but it's not the same
>You can feel the shift in the air
>She tries so hard but even she can't keep it up forever
>"I'm... afraid... I'm afraid he'll think I'm some kinda freak!"
>The last word is spat out
>She shakes the mug again but thankfully this time nothing comes out
>You look from Dash back to the fire
>The ember is still burning bright
>It still mesmerises you
>"You're not a freak, Dash. And I don't think anyone you'd like in that way would think that of you."
>"But-"
>You squeeze her
>It's okay, sometimes you need to drop the silly pretenses and offer the help that's needed
>She's your friend but she's still a mare
>"I'm telling you - you are a wonderful pony and any stallion would be lucky to call you his own."
>That silence settles in again but it's different this time
>It feels appropriate
>"What if it wasn't a stallion?"
>It's an odd question seemingly but then that's Rainbow Dash
>She loves to buck the trends

>"What if it isn't?"
>She stops swirling the port in the mug, looks up at you
>"Would you still think I'm not a freak?"
>You'd like to be able to say it's a difficult answer to find
>That the ethics are too complicated to figure out so easily
>"Never."
>But it's only as complicated as you want to make it

>She shuffles against you, unfurling a wing slightly and laying it over your back
>It's not the first time she's done this, you know it's a good way to preserve warmth
>"What if... what if it was you?"
>You look back into the fire
>The ember's faded and gone, fallen behind the log
>"Would I think you're a freak?"
>There's a pregnant pause
>You can feel the wing trembling slightly against your back
>"Would you... w-would you reject me?"
>That little dilemma again
>You try to see her as your bro but it's hard now
>She's interested in somep0ny - someone - which means she's not just a friend
>She's a friend who's now desiring a relationship with someone outside her species
>It's not that uncommon in Equestria but it's obviously strange enough to upset her
>Would it really be worth crushing her fragile spirit just to - to what?
>Would it be so terrible if she said she loved you?
>Your bro?
>That... doesn't feel right
>She's not just your bro, is she?
>"No. I don't think I would."
>You hear a long, soft exhalation
>She pushes a little closer against you but you don't care to shy away from it

>Something changed that night between the two of you
>At the time you didn't think upon it too deeply, you were content as you were
>The time for further thought upon what this was would come
>But you did know that Rainbow was no longer just your friend - just your bro
>That was okay though, wasn't it
>You'd spent a lot of time together, so it was okay if you should feel she was...
>You don't quite know the word, not now
>But someday, you're sure, you'll look at her and it'll come to you