"Why did you choose me?"
Fiyero was caught off guard by the question, having been currently chopping up vegetables for their dinner and focused on not cutting himself.
They'd been living in a cottage in the woods outside of Oz for almost a year now. Shortly after moving in, Elphaba had successfully turned Fiyero back into a man, and since then, they'd been living in perfect harmony, or so Fiyero had thought. Obviously, though, Elphaba still had lingering doubts regarding their relationship.
"Why me, when you could have had Glinda?" she continued. "Glinda's sociable; I'm more of a recluse. She's glamorous and sophisticated; I'm not. She's beautiful, and I'm just…me."
"And that's exactly why I chose you, why I willingly sacrificed myself for you, and why I love you—because you're you," Fiyero broke in, trying to make her see reason.
"But am I enough?" asked Elphaba.
"Of course you are, my love," Fiyero replied, moving towards her and taking her in his arms. "You're bright and intelligent and witty and able to keep me in line, which is no easy task!"
At this, Elphaba smiled, despite herself, recalling that long-ago conversation in the glen over a Lion's cage.
The two went back to their previous tasks, but Fiyero could tell that Elphaba remained unconvinced. He decided to set about to prove to her that she was a person of value—once and for all.
It was several weeks before Fiyero could put his plan into motion.
On the night in question, he arranged for some Animals in the nearby town to keep Elphaba occupied, thus giving him time to set the scene for her return.
When Elphaba walked through the door, she was greeted by the sight of the dining table, covered in the maroon-colored tablecloth that was saved for special occasions and a vase filled with sunflowers resting in the center. Each plate was filled with delicious things to eat, all of which happened to be Elphaba's favorite food. And, to top it off, there was an envelope at Elphaba's seat. Inside was a letter, written in fancy script:
Elphaba, my dearest love,
From what you've shared with me over this past year, I've gathered that you had a less-than-pleasant childhood, which seems to have contributed to your feelings of worthlessness. Don't try to deny it, I can see it in your eyes that you feel less than worthy of me. Fae, if anyone is unworthy, I am of you. I was nothing more than a fraud, pretending to be happy while dying on the inside. You had me pegged right from the start, and you let me know, in no uncertain terms, exactly what you thought of me. I can't thank you enough for that. Your words and actions are an inspiration that I continue to draw strength from. Fae, I swear on all I hold dear (which means you, my darling) that I belong to you, heart and soul. I love you more than life itself, and I will do all in my power to make you happy for the rest of our days together.
Yours, for eternity and beyond,
Fiyero
Elphaba was stunned at the depth and sincerity Fiyero had managed to convey in so few words. She looked around for her elusive husband and found him standing in the shadows cast by the flickering candlelight, watching her.
"Yero…," she murmured quietly, a smile playing on her lips, drained of any further feelings of worthlessness. Fiyero had achieved his goal, and he hadn't even poured the wine yet!
Wordlessly, Fiyero slipped his arms about her waist, drawing her as close to him as was possible, and shared a searing kiss that left them both breathless.
"I love you," he said firmly, "And I won't stand for anyone, especially you, saying or thinking otherwise. You hear me?"
Elphaba nodded and smiled broadly at him, speechless for once.
Fiyero leaned down to plant another kiss on her already-plump lips, before pulling away to draw out her chair.
The two enjoyed a pleasant evening, chatting genially about any passing thoughts they may have.
After they'd finished dessert, a tiramisu that Fiyero had slaved over, he stood and turned his attention to a device that began emitting music at the touch of a button.
He bowed to Elphaba and held out his hand. "May I have this dance?" he inquired.
"You may," Elphaba replied with all the dignity she could muster.
They rose and began gently swaying back and forth.
Fiyero leaned close and began singing softly in Elphaba's ear:
Look into my eyes—you'll see
What you mean to me
Search your heart—search your soul
And when you find me there, you'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do—I do it for you
Look into your heart—you'll find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am—take my life
I would give it all—I would sacrifice
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it—there's nothin' I want more
You know it's true
Everything I do—I do it for you
There's no love—like your love
And no other—could give more love
There's nowhere—unless you're there
All the time—all the way, yeah
Oh—you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it—there's nothin' I want more
Yeah, I would fight for you—I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you—yeah, I'd die for you
You know it's true
Everything I do—I do it for you
Though Elphaba had been initially startled by the music, a smile slowly started to grow as she listened to the words Fiyero was singing. She realized that they described her and Fiyero's situation perfectly, for each would do all in their power to ensure the other's survival, even if that meant dying.
She began to cry, though she tried to hide the fact that tears were steadily streaming down her face. Nothing got past Fiyero, though.
"Why so sad, beautiful?" he asked concernedly.
"I'm not sad, I'm happy," she corrected him. "Really," she assured him emphatically. "It's just that no one's ever done anything like this for me before, and I'm stunned that anyone would think I was worth the time."
"You're worth everything to me, Fae," said Fiyero. "You have to believe that."
"I believe," Elphaba whispered devotedly, reaching up to kiss Fiyero tenderly on one cheek. "I believe," she said again, kissing his other cheek. "I believe," she stated firmly as she captured Fiyero's lips in a gravity-defying kiss.
Fiyero's response was to sweep her off her feet and carry her into their bedroom. And before the door closed, she could be heard to whisper, "Yero, my hero…"
The song Fiyero sings is "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams. Though ridiculously cheesy, I felt it conveyed Fiyero's feelings for Elphaba perfectly.