A/N Don't shoot me, I am still a Fiyeraba-shipper. But I always imagine that a relationship between Avaric and Elphaba as turbulent, and hot. Another of my one-shot Elpharic, because multi-chapter Elpharics are so difficult to write.
My next Fiyeraba is coming soon….
Please R & R!
Avaric Tenmeadows, the only son of the Margreave of Tenmeadows, sat at the tiny kitchenette-cum- dining area reading the newspapers. He had just finished his breakfast and the helper had cleared the cup and dishes.
As he read the newspapers, he heard the sound of someone with heavy feet walking in. Someone who wore a pair of well worn boots.
He ignored the newcomer, and continued reading.
Blocked by the newspapers, he could not see the newcomer, but heard the sounds as she moved around the room. There was the sound of a porcelain cup being retrieved from the rack, and then the sound of coffee being poured.
Avaric heard the pulling back of a chair, and the heavy shifting of the chair when the occupant had sat down. He imagined the other party wrapping her hands around the cup for the warmth, taking in the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee, before taking a sip and letting the warm liquid soothed her throat. He knew her routine well.
He started to talk to himself.
"Mmmm, what have we here? 'Employers getting reluctant to hire female workers.' "
There was no sound from the other party.
"'Sorcery skills are tricks of tricksters, declared guru'."
"'Coloured women are more likely to stray'."
There was still no reaction.
"'Work the most common reason for breakups'."
"Men with working partners rated lowest in happiness survey'."
The newspapers were snatched away from him just when he thought that he could not come up with any more bizarre headlines.
"Comics! I knew it!" Elphaba Thropp held the offending newspapers at arm's length.
Avaric looked at her. Her long raven hair was tied up in a messy high bun. Her eyes, with eye bags darker than he remembered, spoke of the lack of sleep that she had. Her emerald skin which usually gleamed as if it had a life of its own was dull. She was wearing her usual, a dark colour dress and had a grey coat. Avaric knew that her spectacles would be in the right pocket of her coat. Finishing off the ensemble was her trademark boots.
"I finally got your attention," he said simply, as Elphaba dropped the newspapers onto the floor.
"By acting juvenile," she told him, as she finished the last drop of her coffee and placed the empty cup on the counter to be cleared off later. "I got to go." She turned to leave.
"I sent a letter to Colwen Grounds this morning."
She stopped, and slowly turned around.
"You didn't?" She spoke menacingly.
"I did. I woke up this morning and decided that I had to do it, whether you like it or not."
She placed her hands at her hips.
Avaric looked at her and counted to twenty.
And then he gave her his most charming smile.
"Thropp, did you actually believe that I would do it? The recent work overload must have dulled your brain. You need to slow down. You need a break. How about a holiday to Colwen Grounds?"
He saw her slumped her shoulders and she looked away, biting her lips.
"I only had two hours of sleep and a cup of coffee," she mumbled her excuses. "And there is this grandfather of all headaches…"
"Come here," he gestured to her.
She shook her head. "I'll be late."
"Just five minutes. You need a massage for the headache."
She did not move, so Avaric did. He walked across the room to where she was, leaning against the counter. He placed his hands on both sides of her head and rested her forehead against his before he started to massage her temples.
He did that for more than five minutes, saying nothing, and slowly felt her relaxed as she closed her eyes.
"Feeling better?" He asked. She nodded her head, and with her eyes still closed, moved her face slightly and, with practiced familiarity, captured his mouth, her arms wrapping around his neck.
Avaric kissed her back, savouring the taste of her with his lips and tongue, and the feel of her body in his hands.
"Do you know how lonely it had been for the past few nights?" He asked her when they broke for air. "Five nights without you?"
"I got a job to do, Avaric. You know how difficult it is to get good help nowadays."
"Sometimes I wondered if that was why you refused to marry me. Because you are married to your job," he grumbled.
She laughed a little.
"And I was joking just now. You are still the smartest and brainiest person whom I have ever met. But I am really glad that you believe me, no matter how far fetch I sounded. Though I had to admit that I was really, really tempted to write to your father and ask for your hand."
"Don't," was all she could say.
"Why Thropp? You know all you need to say is one word. Just one three-letter word."
"Because forbidden sex is more exciting?" She tried to distract him by kissing his jaw.
"I promise you. Married sex with me will be just as good, if not better," he told her. She stopped doing what she was doing, and he knew that now was not the time to push this topic. She had given him everything he wanted, except for that commitment on paper, and he knew it. She had said that it did not matter, but he knew better. He knew that it would be a big leap of faith on her part, having grown up in a family of a neglecting father and a promiscuous mother. But he wanted her to commit on that piece of paper. He wanted her to be his wife, not just a woman who had moved in with him, living in sin. He wanted to show everyone who was gossiping in the social circles that he was serious about her, that he was not the playboy that he used to be and he had no intention of dumping her. Ever.
"So is your round-the-clock marathon ending soon?" He changed the topic.
She thought about it.
"One more day," she told him.
"So you will be back tonight?" He asked, hopeful.
"Tomorrow morning, maybe late morning. I can go to town and meet you for lunch." She suggested.
"I have a better idea. Why don't I cancel my appointments for tomorrow and stay at home. I will draw you a hot bath when you are back, give you a back massage and then we will talk." They both knew that talk would be the last thing on his mind.
"I'll wait for you," he added. Elphaba smiled, remembering the very first time when he had said that to her, in a time and place so far away it felt almost like another lifetime.
"That sounds great," she told him.
Elphaba gave him another kiss before she disentangled herself.
"I really got to go."
Avaric nodded.
When Elphaba was at the exit, she turned back with a smirk her face.
"Oh, and do you really believe that I fell for your lie? Colwen Ground was burned down six months ago, if you remembered. My father no longer lived there. The lack of sex for the past few days must have really dull your wits, Mr Tenmeadows."
"Hey!" Avaric protested.
But Elphaba had left the room, and all he could hear was her trailing laughter.