A/N: Just a little musicalverse Shiz-era Christmas/Lurlinemas Fiyeraba fluff! What a mouthful. Happy Holidays!
Lurlinemas
The snow fell lightly outside the tall library windows, coating the ground in a fresh blanket of white. Inside, Elphaba sat alone at a long table, a tall pile of books stacked up in front of her. She was trying to concentrate on her work, but for once, library etiquette seemed to be lacking, as all around her, hiding behind the shelves or under tables, students were nestled together, kissing.
It was disgusting. Surely, even around Lurlinemas, the librarian would not allow this kind of behavior. Glancing up at the librarian's desk, however, Elphaba saw with a sinking heart that the lady was flirting, yes, flirting, with the linguification professor.
Ugh.
"Miss Elphaba?"
Startled, Elphaba whirled at the familiar voice. Fiyero stood there, smiling at her.
"Can I help you, Master Fiyero?" she asked coolly.
"I was just…uh…wondering what you were doing," the Prince stuttered.
"Were you? How kind of you to worry yourself over me," Elphaba said. Noticing Fiyero recoil slightly, she sighed and said more kindly, "If you must know, I'm trying to get a head start on next semester's work. But with all these…" she looked around, trying to think of the right word, "…others…in here, I think I might as well return to my room."
"May I walk with you?" Fiyero asked.
Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "I hardly think I need an escort inside the school, Master Fiyero."
Fiyero flushed a deep red. "No – I mean – not as an escort, Miss Elphaba. I was meaning to stop by to see Galinda tonight anyways. It is Lurlinemas Eve, after all."
"Oh," Elphaba hesitated, and almost seemed to smile. Then she shrugged and gathered her books and things into her arms. "Well then, I see no harm in us walking together. Shall we?" she nodded toward the door.
"Let me carry those for you," Fiyero offered, reaching for the teetering stack in the green girl's arms.
She pulled away instinctively, then, to cover it up, straightened defiantly. "That is very kind of you, Master Fiyero, but I can manage on my own.
"Please, call me Fiyero," he pleaded, "If we are ever to be friends-"
"So we're friends now?" Elphaba interrupted, giving Fiyero a searching look as they headed for the library exit.
"I would like to be," Fiyero said before he could help himself.
Both students blushed, and there was an awkward pause.
Elphaba broke it. "Well, if I must call you Fiyero, then I suppose you'll want permission to lose the honorific and call me just plain Elphaba in return."
"I could never call you 'just plain Elphaba'. You aren't at all plain." Fiyero replied, cringing when he realized what he'd said.
"Is that meant to be a compliment or a joke?" Elphaba asked, her expression unchanging.
"A compliment, I swear."
"Then you may call me Elphaba, Fiyero."
"Elphaba."
They walked in silence for awhile. The halls of the school were bedecked in holly and ribbons, with snow piling up on the outside sills. It was a very pretty effect.
"What do you see in Galinda, Fiyero?" Elphaba asked finally.
Fiyero was taken aback. "What?"
"Never mind," Elphaba said quickly, "I shouldn't have asked that."
"No! I don't mind. I just wasn't expecting that question." Fiyero thought for a moment. "Well, she's very pretty."
Elphaba snorted. "No, really? I mean other than her beauty."
"I…uh…"
Elphaba sighed. "I didn't think so."
Fiyero stopped her. "What do you mean?"
"Well, is appearance all you can think about?"
"What else is there?" Fiyero asked, and then shied away from the disbelieving and angry look Elphaba shot him.
"What else is there?" she asked scathingly, "You really downgrade yourself, Fiyero. I know you're not a complete airhead, like you'd like everyone to believe."
There was a moment, just a brief instant, when their eyes met and something changed in their relationship. Fiyero's insides squirmed. He wanted to apologize, but those intense eyes petrified him. He glanced upward instead, and pointed.
"Mistletoe," he croaked.
Elphaba looked up at the sprig hanging from the arch over her head. She gulped.
"It'll be bad luck if we don't," Fiyero mumbled.
Elphaba rolled her eyes, but she conceded. "One kiss," she warned.
Fiyero leaned forward and met Elphaba's lips with his own. A tingle went through his body right to his toes.
Elphaba felt her heart soaring. But all too soon, she remembered herself and pulled back abruptly, face burning. "I – I have to go. I just remembered-" And she brushed past the Winkie Prince, hurrying back the way they had come.
Her lips were tingling. He could have kissed her on the cheek, but he didn't. He kissed her on the lips. Maybe there was something good about Lurlinemas after all.
A/N: Review!