AN: I know I shouldn't start another story I haven't finished, but I missed Fiyero. Thank you for reading.

"Your grades in my class are simply deplorable. You've no hope at all to pass without a tutor." Master Bidsk pressed his fingers to his forehead. "In fact, it's downright amazing how utterly terrible you are. In all my thirty-six years of teaching, I have never seen anyone so hopeless."

Fiyero studied the floor as Elphaba shifted awkwardly. "But with a tutor, it's…possible to pass?"

"And a miracle? Yes. The margin is slim, but present. And I will consider extra credit should the effort demonstrated improve."

"Of course." She tucked her hair behind her ears in a perfunctory gesture. "Might I have a syllabus and corresponding study notes."

"See, this is exactly your problem, Miss Thropp." The thickset teacher leaned back against the wall. "This class is not a bookwork class to be dissected and studied like academia. Physical education is physical. Master Tiggular is our best athlete. He should be able to coach you through these basics if you'll stop trying to over-think everything."

"Yes, sir." Fiyero answered for her, seeing the flush creep up her neck. He grabbed her hand before she could argue and offered a sincere promise, "I'll do my best."

"I'll speak to the headmistress about your own grades, Tiggular. Oz knows, you could use the extra credit in your other classes. But she'll be taking up a portion of your time." He ran his eyes over Elphaba and shook his head. "A large portion. Very, very large."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

They stood, and Master Bidsk walked them to the door. He set a hand on Fiyero's shoulder. "Good luck, son. You'll need it."

They headed toward the cafeteria in awkward silence. "Sorry," Fiyero offered. "I've been on the other end of those conversations more times than I can count. It's never pleasant."

"Yes, well," Elphaba pushed her shoulders back, "it's not as if I'm failing a real class. Honestly, I don't even understand why I have to take it."

"I felt the same way about economics." She shot him a look, but he set a companionable hand on her shoulder. "If it helps, we don't have to tell anyone. You can tell them you're tutoring me. It's certainly believable enough."

His offer melted her anger enough that she shook her head. "Though I will tutor you as well, if you'd like. He's right. I'll be taking up much of your study time, and I'd hate to be the reason your grades suffer."

"Thanks, Elphie." He doubted he'd need it after Bidsk's intersession, but it would ease the sting of her own need and return some of her self-respect. "When should we start?"

She sighed. "Soon. He wasn't exaggerating. I'm really terrible."

Fiyero knocked his shoulder into her. "Not after I'm done with you. You'll be top of your class."

She lifted an eyebrow. "So confident?"

"In you? Absolutely."