Somepony once stated that life was a game. As with most games, challenges arise between the players, and even between one’s self. Bonds are broken, rivalries are made, and doors are opened, sometimes easily, sometimes painfully.
But no pony ever said life was easy.
****
Rainbow stared at the ceiling, her heart rate picking up with every audible tick from the clock. It was getting closer for her time to leave, and her heart was threatening to beat right out of her chest.
She shifted ever so slightly in bed to look at the mare sleeping next to her, but without waking her up. The light purple fur that she’d grown so accustomed to sleeping against was as soft and smooth as ever. She ran her hoof through the frazzled mane, still matted with sweat and knots from the night’s previous activities. It was rough to the touch, but she was accustomed to having it pressed against her every night for the past year, so it was nothing new.
Twilight…
Rainbow just took in the sight of her wife. Curled up into a furry mass, a cute snore escaping from her every few seconds. She couldn’t help but smile when thinking of the times they had, all the nights like this they’ve spent together.
But, the smile soon faded away. Like the slowly dying light from a burnt candle wick, her smile deflated further and further… as did her love for Twilight.
A single, echoing ‘ding’ from the clock broke her attention and signaled that one o’clock had arrived, and that meant it was time for her to leave.
Rainbow couldn’t help but feel an ache deep within her when she looked at Twilight. She leaned in to give her a soft kiss goodbye, as she had been accustomed to throughout their relationship. But this time, as her lips grew closer, as she could smell the familiar scent radiating from Twilight’s coat, she couldn’t finish. Instead, she pulled back, unable to even look at her. Rainbow gently rose out of bed, careful not to wake up her still sleeping partner and shook herself off to release the stiffness in her neck and loosen her mane. Walking toward the door, she attempted a final glance toward her wife.
I’m sorry… I’m sorry it’s gotten to this point.
****
Spike took in a deep breath, inhaling the full scent of the mare cuddled against him..
Her normally curled and conditioned mane was a mess and smelled of sweat. Rarity never allowed anyone to see her in anything but her best, but Spike was the exception. After a year of intimacy and sharing a room, she was just happy to be around him.
She truly loved him—Spike knew this, and she reminded him every morning with a soft kiss and snuggle to start his day. She reminded him every evening with a delicious dinner awaiting him when he got home from work. She reminded him every night with a simple “I love you” before they went to bed.
He nuzzled his snout into her neck and licked her cheek affectionately, which earned a sub conscious giggle and smile in response. He couldn’t help but smile while looking at her. She was so cute, so beautiful. She was everything he wanted. But he didn’t deserve her. She was the best thing to happen to him, yet he just wasn’t happy. He didn’t know why.
Spike glanced over at the clock on the far side of the room. It was just about one o’clock, which meant he needed to leave.
He gently removed his arms from under her and climbed out of bed, quickly covering her up with the blanket to replace the warmth he provided. He couldn’t let her wake up and see him leaving. He would have no idea how to explain the situation.
He crept across the wooden floor toward the door, trying to be quiet as possible, and cracked the door open. He looked back at his beautiful mare, now laying alone in their bed.
I’m sorry, Rarity. I’ll see you in the morning.
****
The soft chill of the night wind rustled through Rainbow's feathers, sending a shiver down her spine. The hilltop she sat on had little in the way of foliage to halt the wind's advances, so it was something she had gotten used to over the past month of meeting here.
Had it really been a month already? A month of secretly meeting here in the middle of the night? A month of anxiously awaiting nightfall twice a week for the opportunity to be with her lover?
She could still call to mind the first time she started feeling this way just like it was yesterday.
It was about four months after her wedding. She had been tasked with retrieving an outfit from Rarity for Twilight. When she goes to pick it up, though, Rarity was away, leaving Spike in charge in her stead. That, in turn, left them alone together.
It started out innocent enough—just small talk about their respective love lives, the latest news in sports, the usual. But a few minutes quickly turned into an hour, and that's when she realised the connection she was feeling with him. A connection she hasn't felt in a long time.
The thought of being remotely disloyal to Twilight, however, won out and she quickly left the building with the dress. But the way she felt didn't leave.
She found herself thinking more and more about him. More and more about his deep eyes, strong build, charming personality. It took over her thoughts... Even when with the mare she was pledged to.
She began to go out of her way to run into him, make excuses to see him, take every opportunity to talk to him.
She wanted him.
So, when the day came where Spike made his feelings on the matter known, she responded the only way she could: with a sudden, deep kiss.
And it was the best kiss she'd ever had.
So, then came the secret meetings. Sneak out at night, meet together for some talking and make-out time, sneak back home, pretend things were normal.
It was fun, but it also caused a war inside her.
Every time she would leave in the night, all she could think of was the mare waiting in her bed, fast asleep. The mare who loved her more than anything. It caused an intense rivalry between her conscience and her heart. Between what she wanted and what was right. Between loyalty, and love.
It was a struggle that plagued her. Every step she took away from Twilight was like a sword lunging for chest. But every time she felt his claws run through her mane, every time she tasted his tongue in her mouth, it was like a shield fending off the enemy's attack.
It was a heated rivalry, one she could never win alone. But with help from the one she truly loved, she could win every time.
She still felt guilty from time to time, but she knew it was for the better this way. She would eventually work up the courage to tell her, but now was not the time. Not yet.
Now was time for some much awaited fun.
****
Spike stretched out his arms and back, loosening up the tense muscle. The walk through town that night really tired out his muscles, and he needed them fresh and loose for the night.
He could feel his heart beat like a drum with every footstep up the hill where he knew she’d be waiting. It was the best part of the week as far as he was concerned.
But it was also the hardest.
Back home was the mare that adored him, the mare that had everything in the world one could want, the mare that he was soon to be married to. But he just didn’t feel the same anymore.
His thought went from fantasies of her to fantasies of a rainbow-maned pegasus. Their kisses felt weaker, the sex felt less passionate, the heat of their relationship felt colder. At least to him, it did.
It was a constant battle with himself to do what he wanted. Every bit of good will he possessed told him it was wrong. Told him to stay with the commitment he made to stay by Rarity. He knew she deserved more dedication from him. He knew she’d love him no matter what, and she’d help him work through this rough patch in their relationship.
He knew she was always there for him. And now he leaves her alone at night, two times a week.
But he couldn’t resist. He loved the energy that Rainbow brought, he enjoyed the warmth she put in his heart, he reveled in the passion of their moments together.
It was a battle, but together they could always win.
And now, it was time to feel that warmth once again.
****
Rainbow took in a deep breath, enjoying the smell and feel of her surroundings. The feel of the wind, the smell of the grass, the footsteps behind her…
“Surprise!”
She leapt into the air upon hearing the voice right next to her ear. Much to her relief, she turned around and found none other than Spike standing there.
“Whoa, man, don’t scare me like that!” she said with a smile.
“Sorry, I just couldn’t resist. You seemed so relaxed I thought you were falling asleep. We wouldn’t want that now would we?”
“Psh, me, asleep? No way! I’ve got more than enough energy to stay up all night if I have to.”
“I see,” Spike said, taking a few steps closer to get directly eye level with her. “Is that a challenge?”
Rainbow glared hard and steady but broke into a chuckle against her will. She instead lightly licked his nose, followed by an affectionate nuzzle into his neck.
“I’ve missed you, Spike.”
“Same here,” he responded, holding her close. “I really really do.”
Rainbow gently pushed herself away and laid down on the grass, tapping the ground next to signaling Spike to do the same. The dragon smiled and flattened down onto his belly and rested his body against hers, enjoying the warmth of her fur against his stiff scales.
“So, how are things with the Mrs.?” Spike asked.
“Same as always, I guess,” Rainbow replied, letting out a deep sigh. “Spike, do you ever feel like what we’re doing is kinda, I don’t know, messed up?”
Spike nodded. “Yeah, because it is messed up. But the way I see it, it’s even more messed up to keep living a lie and pretending you’re in love with somepony you aren’t, and denying yourself. I mean, at least this way Twilight gets what she wants, and you get what you want.”
“I guess,” Rainbow said, leaning her head against his. “But it makes it hard to feel like the element of loyalty when I have to sneak away from my wife. I just wish I could tell her and move on.”
“I know that feel,” Spike said with a slight chuckle. “I guarantee when I get back home and lay in bed, Rarity’s going to latch onto me like always, and then I’ll wake up to a large breakfast and a good morning kiss. She really knows how to make you feel guilty.”
“Hey, be grateful you at least get good food out of it. Twilight can’t cook to save her life.” Rainbow called to mind the many putrid dishes she pretended to eat at the dinner table. “Ugh, you think with all that magic she has she’d be able to make something remotely edible, but nope.”
“Hey, I had to deal with that for most of my life. Why else do you think I had to learn to cook for myself?”
“True enough,” Dash replied with a small laugh. “So, how are things with you and Rarity? LIke, I know you said she still loves you and all, but have you changed any?”
“Changed? Yes. For the better? No.” Spike let out a deep sigh and turned his gaze to the grass below. “I just can’t seem to be happy with her. She’s even starting to notice.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Spike said with a nod. “She said she feels like we’re disconnecting a bit, and she’s been trying all these different things to enhance our relationship.”
“Things like…?”
“She’s cut back her work schedule a bit to spend more time with me, she’s been having us eat dinner together every day, and she makes sure we have sex at least every other night.”
“Wow, I bet you enjoy that,” Rainbow said, lightly nudging Spike with her elbow.
“From a surface standpoint, yeah, but the emotion… just isn’t there anymore. I’m just not in love with her.”
“So, we’re both pretty much in the same boat then, huh?”
“Yeah, sounds like it.”
Rainbow looked to the stars and frowned. “I just wish there was an easier way to tell them about us.”
“Hey,” Spike said, tilting her head up to meet his eyes. “We’re in this together, remember? Now, let’s forget about that and actually enjoy ourselves a bit.”
Rainbow Dash smiled and licked her lips. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
She wrapped her hooves around Spike’s neck and pressed her lips against his. She then unfurled her wings and wrapped them around him, bringing them closer together. She wanted to feel his heartbeat against hers.
Spike had gotten used to her aggressiveness by this point in their relationship, so he just went along for the ride. He moved his claws up and down her body, trying to feel every inch of her.
The kiss grew deeper as they went on, touching and rubbing against each other’s bodies. Spike could feel Rainbow’s saliva spread on his lips and chin. Rainbow could feel the heat of Spike’s breath in her mouth every time one of them breathed. It was heaven.
But they both wanted more. They needed more.
“Spike…” Rainbow huffed out, breaking the kiss.
“What?” he replied, breathing heavily into her neck.
“Let’s go for it.”
It took Spike only two seconds before he realised what she meant. And he was more than ready.
“Alright, let’s do it.”
Spike leaned down and snaked his tongue into Rainbow’s mouth, lapping up the excess saliva and enjoying the flavor.
Rainbow loved the feeling of Spike’s heated chest pressed on top of her. It was like a sexy, scaly blanket. She could feel her whole body heat up every time his tongue repositioned in her mouth and she was loving it. It drove her mad to be have him inside her like that.
Spike could feel Rainbow’s heart jump every time he flicked his tongue on hers or rubbed legs. He could feel his own heart speed up every time maneuvered underneath him, or gave him that desperate look. The look that said she wanted more. And he was totally up for giving it to her.
And it ended up being the most passionate experience either of them could remember.
****
The two of them lay against one another, too breathless to speak. The air was filled with the stench of sweat and the other bodily fluids that coated them. Their muscles were like jello and their brains were just beginning to resume normal function.
“Spike, I just… I can’t… Wow.” Rainbow tried to form a coherent sentence in her head, but it wasn’t happening. Her body was still trying to recover.
“I know the feel,” Spike chuckled, trying to regain regular breathing. “I haven’t felt anything that good… ever!”
“Yeah, I agree,” Rainbow huffed out, lowering her eyelids and cracking a smile. “You really know what you’re doing. Rarity teach you all that?”
“Please,” Spike retorted. “That was all skill. Besides, you were just as good. I take it I’ve got Twi to thank for that?”
“Actually, you can thank “Livin’ Libido Loca: Pony Sexual Relations 101” for that. It’s a textbook about sex she made us read together before we even had our first time!”
“Ha, why does that not surprise me?” Spike chortled.
The two settled into each other’s warm bodies and enjoyed the cool night air that draped over them.
“I wish we could be like this every night,” Spike said, gently stroking Rainbow’s mane.
“I know,” she replied, snuggling into him. “Someday, we’ll make it happen, though. Someday.”
****
Spike slowly emerged from his bed, the smell of fresh pancakes bidding him to wake up. He stretched out his muscles, still sore from the previous night and made his way downstairs to find a large stack of pancakes awaiting him at the table. along with a smiling white unicorn.
“Good morning, dear!” Rarity said with a bright smile. “I took the liberty of making you your favourite breakfast this morning. You were so soundly asleep when I woke up I figured you must have had a rough night. So, here you are dear!” She thrust her hoof out toward the large stack of food awaiting him at the table.
Spike’s stomach growled at the sight of the delicious food awaiting him. “Thanks, Rarity. I really appreciate this.”
“Of course, Spikey,” she said. “I love you very much.”
****
Rainbow stirred her bowl of Cocoa Splosion' cereal in circles, trying to focus on the present but her mind was stuck in the events of the previous night. Twilight was gone when she woke up, which was not uncommon, and she figured it was better that way. Made it a bit easier to get out of bed when she didn’t have to look at her first thing in the morning.
Her attention was broken, however, when Twilight stepped into the kitchen, levitating a plastic bag with her.
“Good morning, Rainbow!” Twilight smiled brightly at her and dropped the bag in front of her on the table. “You’ll never guess what I got you today!”
Rainbow eyed the bag and and curiously pulled out what was in it. She couldn’t believe what she saw.
“A first edition copy of the new Daring Do novel? But how?” Rainbow looked up at Twilight, eyes wide.
“Well, it’s not technically available to the public for another two weeks, but let’s just say it’s nice to be a Princess.” Twilight giggled and walked over to Rainbow, nuzzling her cheek. “Do you like it?”
“Uh, y-yeah!” Rainbow said, unable to look up at Twilight. “Thanks.”
“It’s no problem, Rainbow. I love you.”
****
In their respective homes, Spike and Rainbow both let out a deep sigh as they won the battle for the week and told the same all too familiar lie once again:
“I love you, too.”