AN: Good afternoon (at least, it is here) my dear readers! :) Let me start by promising I will finish Yero my Hero, but inspiration struck me for this one and so I decided to start it right away. I guess the title kind of sucks, so if any of you know a better one... humour me.

This is set right after Lurlinemas, about 2-3 months after the Lion Cub scene, so it's AU - Elphaba wasn't invited to meet the Wizard (yet?). Boq and Nessa are dating and unlike in the musical, they both truly love each other. I guess that's all you need to know beforehand :).

I hope you all like this :). Please review!

General disclaimer for this entire story: I wish I did own Wicked, but I don't, so don't sue me, please.

'Elphieeeeee!' The green girl barely had time to turn around before she was attacked by a pink powder puff that squeezed her into a tight hug until she could barely breathe. 'I missed you sooooo much!'

'I missed you too, Galinda,' said Elphaba, patting the blonde's back, with a smile. 'Even though you insisted on writing me every other day or so. Really, couldn't you go two days without having to tell me about all the parties you've been attending and all the gossip you picked up on?'

'No!' Galinda said firmly. 'You're my bestest friend, you should know all those things first! And come on, even you must have been shocked to hear that Miss Liina has slept with the Crown Prince of the Glikkus!'

'I wasn't.'

'Elphie!' Galinda gasped in shock and Elphaba rolled her eyes, then grinned – she had truly missed her blonde friend and it was nice to see her again, no matter how annoying she could be at times. 'Lin, I don't know either Miss Liina or the Crown Prince of the Glikkus, so why should I care if they have slept together?'

Galinda threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. 'You're hopeless, Elphie!' she exclaimed. Then she giggled and hugged the green girl again. 'Oh, I missed you! Four weeks was just too long! Have you had a nice Lurlinemas?'

'It was fine,' said Elphaba, not wanting to tell her friend that Lurlinemas, for her, had merely existed of cooking, taking care of Frex's guests, and cleaning the house. 'Did you?'

Galinda immediately started rambling about everything that had happened at her parents' annual Lurlinemas ball, whom had danced with whom, who had kissed who and who had been trying to court her, even though they knew she was dating Fiyero. 'I danced with a few, of course, but I just found it infuriating that they would try and woo me when they know I'm already taken!'

'How dare they,' Elphaba said drily, struggling to keep a straight face, but Galinda only nodded and threw one hand in the air. 'I knew you would understand! It's just not done! Anyway, then Pfannee and Shenshen and their escorts arrived, and…' She rambled on again and Elphaba pretended to listen as she unpacked her things and put them away. At last, Galinda was done talking and slightly out of breath she asked the green girl, 'Shall we go to the Shiz Café for dinner? I bet Boq and Nessa will be there, too.'

'Fiyero too?' asked Elphaba, but the blonde's face fell immediately. 'No…' she said vaguely. 'He won't arrive until tomorrow, I believe.' She sighed and fell down on her bed, lying on her back with her limbs spread across the fluffy pink sheets. 'Elphie, I don't know what to do with him! Remember what I told you before, about him being all moodified and distant after the day they took away Doctor Dillamond?'

Lion Cub Day, Elphaba thought immediately, because that was what she had named the day in her mind. She was quite certain that Fiyero's behaviour wasn't caused by the arrest of Doctor Dillamond, but rather by what had happened afterwards in the woods. She wasn't going to share that information with the blonde, however. 'Yes, I remember.'

'It's only gotten worse!' Galinda wailed, clutching a feather pillow to her chest before pulling it down over her head. 'I just don't know him anymore!' she continued, her shrill voice now muffled by the pillow. 'He's been thinking, which worries me to no end, and he doesn't seem to take an interest in me anymore… He never asks me out on another date! And over Lurlinemas break, he only sent me fourteen letters. Fourteen! Can you believe it?'

Elphaba stifled a laugh. 'Galinda, I'm pretty sure I didn't even send you fourteen letters. That's three to four letters a week. I'm not an expert on relationships, obviously, but I think that's a fair amount of letters for a boy to send to his girlfriend.'

Galinda scowled at her. 'No, it's not! You're my friend, Elphie, that's different! Boyfriends should be sending their girlfriends letters every day!'

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. 'Ah, well… I'm actually surprised Fiyero even knows how to write at all,' she smirked and the blonde sighed and buried her face in the pillow again. 'You just don't get it, Elphie… I… I don't think he loves me anymore!'

Elphaba sighed, then went to sit down on the edge of Galinda's bed and rubbed circles on the blonde's back. 'I'm sure that's not true, Lin. Perhaps there is something going on, you know, is he having personal issues, something to do with his family… I'm sure you'll be fine.'

Galinda sniffed, then shook her head angrily. 'No, it's not that, I know it. Here!' She jumped up and started rummaging through one of her still unpacked bags before pulling out a piece of paper and waving it in her roommate's face. 'Read this! If this isn't cool and distant, then nothing is!'

Elphaba took the piece of paper from her friend and read it.

Dear Galinda,

It's good to hear you have been well.

I am having a nice vacation as well. My mother has been hosting a banquet for Lurlinemas, which I have naturally attended. It was good to be home again and to see my friends and family.

Have you by any chance heard from Elphaba? And Boq and Nessa, too, of course? I don't know their addresses, so I haven't been able to write to them. Are they having a nice vacation as well?

I'll see you again in a week. Enjoy the rest of your vacation.

Take care,

Fiyero

Elphaba's eyes had widened slightly. 'Wow,' she breathed. 'Okay, like I said, I'm anything but an expert on relationships, and I really hate to make you feel bad, but… well, I can sugar coat it, but this is just plain cold. Even I can see that this is not the way boyfriends are supposed to write to their girlfriends.'

'I know!' Galinda wailed, plunging face down into the pillows again. 'And all fourteen of his letters were like this! Cold and distant and so not like him! Elphie, I'm losing him and I don't know what to do about it!' She started weeping and Elphaba rubbed her back again in a soothing manner. 'Ssh, Lin, it's okay! Why don't you just go and talk to him about it? Like I said, perhaps there's something else going on, something that doesn't have anything to do with you at all!'

Galinda sat up, sniffling, and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her dress. 'You think?'

Elphaba hesitated. She didn't really think so, but she wanted to reassure her friend, so she said, 'Well, you won't find out until you talk to him, right?'

'Right,' Galinda agreed, much happier already. 'All right. I'll go talk to him as soon as he arrives tomorrow! Now let's go have dinner, Elphie – I'm starving!'

'Galinda!' Nessa greeted the blonde with a warm smile. Galinda beamed at her and hugged the wheelchair-bound girl. 'Hi, Nessa! It's good to see you! You too, Boq,' she added, and Boq smiled at her. 'How are you?' Galinda asked as she and Elphaba sat down opposite the couple. She noticed that Boq and Nessa were holding hands and smiled a bit sadly. 'Still happily together?'

'Yes,' Boq said, laughing, and Nessa nodded with a radiating smile. Only Elphaba noticed the sad look on Galinda's face and she poked her friend softly in the side. 'Don't, Lin. You and Fiyero will be fine,' she whispered and the blonde flashed her a grateful smile.

They exchanged stories about their vacations all throughout dinner and by the time Galinda and Elphaba returned to their dorm room together, the blonde had returned to her bubbly, perky self. 'Hey Elphie,' she said as she plopped down on the edge of her bed and swung her legs back and forth. 'Remember that we told each other secrets the night we became friends?'

Elphaba feared that she knew what was coming, so she just searched for her nightgown in the closet and avoided her roommate's eyes. 'Yes…'

'Why don't we do that again!' Galinda said brightly, eyes shimmering. Elphaba sighed and turned around. 'I don't really have that many secrets, Galinda.' Except that I'm pretty sure I'm the reason Fiyero's been acting weird around you for the past months. Because we had this strange moment when we saved that Lion Cub together – oh, that's right, you didn't know that either: I didn't save that Cub by myself. Fiyero was with me. Want to hear something else I'm not telling you? I think I'm in love with your boyfriend. Denying the fact that she was having secrets was downright lying to her roommate and she didn't like that, but she just couldn't tell Galinda. She was her best friend, for Oz's sake!

Galinda sighed. 'No… I don't, either.' She thought for a moment. 'Let's play a different game, then.'

'Lin, I'm really rather tired,' Elphaba called from the bathroom, where she was changing into her black nightgown. 'Can't we just go to sleep?'

'No,' Galinda said sternly. 'I haven't seen you in four weeks, so now I have the right to keep you up all night. Let me give you a makeover!'

'I'm going to sleep!' Elphaba exclaimed quickly and ducked underneath the blankets. Galinda jumped up from her bed, launched herself at the lump under the sheets that was her roommate and started tickling her. 'Oh, no, you're not! Let me give you a makeover or I'm going to tickle you to death!'

Elphaba was squirming. 'Galinda! Stop it!' she protested, but she was laughing, so it didn't make much of an impression. After a while, she managed to wriggle herself out from under the blonde's grasp and she leapt from the bed. 'Stop it! I hate tickling!'

Galinda smirked at her. 'Makeover?'

'No!'

'Different game then?' She pursed her lips, then giggled. 'Truth or dare?'

'Galinda!'

'Truth or dare?' the blonde insisted. Elphaba sighed and gave up, slumping back down onto the bed. 'Dare.'

'Lick the wall.'

The green girl scowled. 'Why?' she asked in exasperation. Galinda giggled again. 'Because it's funny.'

Elphaba rolled her eyes and licked the wall. 'Your turn. Truth or dare?'

'Truth,' Galinda said immediately. Elphaba gave her a look. 'Coward.'

Galinda frowned at her. 'All right, dare then!'

'Lick the floor.'

The blonde's eyes widened. 'But… but it's dirty!'

'If I am brave enough to lick the wall, I'm sure you are brave enough to lick the floor,' Elphaba chuckled. Galinda stuck out her tongue. 'Fine, you win. This is silly. Let's play another ga-'

'Goodnight, Galinda.' Elphaba shut off the light and crawled into bed, and Galinda huffed and grumbled softly. 'I'm not through with you yet, Elphaba Thropp. Tomorrow I'm going to give you a makeover and Oz be my witness, you're going to like it!'

'Fifi!' Galinda exulted happily when her boyfriend exited the carriage. She bounced up to him and pecked his cheek. 'I'm so happy to see you again!'

Fiyero smiled, but it seemed a bit forced. 'Yeah. It's nice to see you, too.' His eyes darted around until they fell on Elphaba, standing a reasonable distance behind the blonde with her sister and Boq, and Fiyero smiled a little. She met his gaze for just a clock-tick before looking away, but he noticed the dark red blush creeping up into her cheeks and his smile turned into a grin. Until Galinda started tugging his sleeve, that is.

'Fiyero, dearest,' she said in a whiny voice. 'Are you even listening? I asked if you were coming to the Ozdust with me tonight. Milla's birthday was last week and since we weren't there to celebrate it with her, she's going to throw a late party tonight. She invited me and she told me I could bring whoever I wanted, so…' She looked at him expectantly and his gaze wandered to Elphaba again. 'Are you going?' he asked, indicating Nessarose and Boq as well as Elphaba, but his eyes stayed trained on the green girl.

Nessa and Boq looked at each other hesitantly. 'I'd love to,' Nessa admitted, 'but I'm not sure I feel comfortable about barging in on someone else's party…'

'Oh, that's quite all right,' Galinda waved her away. 'The more people, the more fun! Milla agrees with me on that respect. Come if you like!' She looked at her best friend. 'Elphie?'

The green girl shook her head. 'I'm not much of a party person, Lin. You should know that by now.'

'I'll makeover you,' Galinda offered, and Elphaba gave her a half-hearted smile. 'Why doesn't that make me any less reluctant to go?'

'Aw, come now, Elphie,' the blonde girl begged. She clung to Elphaba's arm. 'You have to help me with Fiyero!' she whispered into her ear in an almost desperate tone of voice. 'Please, Elphie? Please?'

Elphaba sighed irritably, then gave in, as usual. What was it with the bubbly blonde that she could always make her do just about anything? 'Fine, fine. If you insist. I'll come.'

Galinda squealed and hugged her friend. 'Thank you, Elphie!' she whispered quickly before retreating and flashing Fiyero a brilliant grin, lacing her arm through his. 'So, Fifi, dearest, why don't we go and get a drink somewhere?'

Fiyero gently shrugged her of. 'Sorry, G. I'm going to go unpack first. Boq and I will pick you ladies up at eight tonight,' he said with a wink towards Elphaba, who pretended not to notice. Galinda just sighed and watched him go before starting to weep again. 'You see?' she wailed. 'He's not interested in me at all anymore! Why is that? What did I do wrong? Am I not good enough for him? Or am I too pretty, is that it? Doesn't he want people to stare at his girlfriend instead of him?'

'Yeah, I'm sure that's it,' Boq agreed with just the tiniest amount of sarcasm and Nessa whacked his arm. 'Oh, Galinda,' the younger girl said consolingly, 'he'll come around, you'll see. Don't worry!'

Galinda turned to hug Elphaba, still sniffing, but the green girl had crossed her arms in front of her chest and quirked an eyebrow at her roommate. 'I thought you were going to talk to him.'

'Yes, but I…'

'No 'buts', Galinda,' Elphaba told her sternly. 'If you want to know what's bothering him, just ask him.'

Galinda sighed. 'I will. Tonight, at the party. Or afterwards. Or perhaps tomorrow. Or do you think I should wait a few days? Perhaps-'

'Tonight, Galinda,' Elphaba said in a voice that didn't bear any contradiction, and so the blonde sighed again and nodded reluctantly. 'Fine. I'll ask him tonight.'

Elphaba wasn't sure what in Oz had gotten into her to make her agree to not only go to the party, but to let Galinda give her a makeover as well. The blonde was having the time of her life while Elphaba merely sat there, trying not to squirm and whine as Galinda brushed her hair and worked on it using several hair ribbons, combs and hairpins, before moving on to the green girl's face. She curled her eyelashes and applied mascara to them, attacked her chocolate brown eyes with some dark eye liner and smeared some shiny dark read lip gloss on Elphaba's lips, meanwhile scattering sprinkles everywhere around the room – and on Elphaba. 'Hold still!' the blonde chirped as she bounced off the bed and into her giant walk-in closet. She rummaged around for a moment before poking her head out. 'Get out of that dress.'

Elphaba obeyed, knowing that protesting won't do her any good – she learned that from experience – and took off her dress. Galinda nodded approvingly. 'Now close your eyes.'

'Lin…'

'Do it!' Galinda said sternly, and Elphaba rolled her eyes, then closed them. She could hear Galinda move throughout the room. 'Hands up.' She did and felt how Galinda slid the dress over her, adjusting it here and there. She then felt how her friend put several pieces of jewellery on her – a necklace, a bracelet and a pair of earrings. Elphaba had never seen the use of earrings, but after weeks of whining and pleading, Galinda had persuaded her into letting her roommate pierce her ears. She usually still didn't wear any earrings, though, much to Galinda's dismay, but now, apparently, she would have to. She could hear Galinda squeal before she said, 'All right, Elphie, open your eyes.'

She did and stared at her reflection for a few moments, studying it.

The dress she was wearing was dark blue with patterns in white and different shades of lighter blue – sky blue and sea blue and ice blue. It had several spaghetti straps criss-crossing over her shoulders and a heart-shaped neckline, with the soft fabric hugging her body just a bit too tight. From the waist down, it became wider and it reached just to her knees. A pair of Galinda's favourite ice blue heels finished the picture, along with the silver jewellery the blonde had put on her.

Galinda was standing next to her, hands clasped together, face lit up in anticipation of her roommate's reaction. 'Well? What do you think?' she prodded when the green girl didn't say anything. 'You look beautiful, don't you think? I think you look beautiful.'

Elphaba scowled at her. 'I'm green, Lin. I could never look beautiful.' Then she looked back at her mirror image and her face softened. 'But I think this is as close to it as I'll ever be.'

Galinda squealed with giddiness and hugged her friend. 'I take that as a 'yes, I look beautiful, thank you so much, Galinda, you're the best friend ever' since I know you mean it like that but you being you, you would never tell me that,' she declared, talking so fast she needed to take a breath afterwards. 'Now I'm going to get ready myself. Just give me a clock-tick.'

A clock-tick – a two-hour lasting clock-tick – later, Galinda emerged again in a white-and-silver dress with several tulle layers and a halter top. She looked amazing in it and the silver heels she was wearing added several inches to her limited height, but even then she measured about half a head smaller than Elphaba on her bare feet. She didn't really mind, though. At least no boy would ever be smaller than her. Pfannee had dated a boy smaller than her once, but she had dumped him after it became clear that they simply looked horrendible together.

'So, you ready?' Galinda asked, bouncing up and down as she once again checked her hair in the mirror. 'Fiyero and Boq could be here any minute now!'

As if that was their cue, there was a knock on the door and Galinda bounced over to it, opening it and flashing the boys a radiant smile. 'Hi! Let me get my purse and we're ready to go!' She pecked Fiyero's cheek, then hopped off into the room again. Boq poked his head in and grinned at Elphaba. 'Wow. You look nice tonight.'

She blushed slightly. 'Thanks. You, too.' She looked past Boq and smiled at her sister, who was sitting behind the Munchkin boy in her chair. 'You look beautiful, Nessa.'

'Thank you,' the girl said, returning her sister's smile. Fiyero, in the meantime, was just staring at her, to the point where Boq had to shove his elbow in the prince's rib cage. 'Dude. You're being rude.'

'I- I'm sorry,' Fiyero stammered, making a painful face as he rubbed his sore rib cage. 'You're just… um… You look really beautiful tonight, Elphaba.'

Her blush deepened, but she was saved by Galinda, who came bouncing back and beamed at him. 'She does, doesn't she? I gave her a makeover. I think she looks amaaaazing! Elphie, you're probably going to have guys swooning over you all evening!' she predicted, not noticing the way Fiyero's face darkened at that. She stuck her arm through Fiyero's and smiled up at him. 'Come on, Fifi dearest. Let's go have some fun!'

Fiyero looked over his shoulder and mouthed 'help!' to Boq, who merely grinned at him and stuck up his thumb in reply. Nessa caught this and looked first at the retreating couple, then at Boq, frowning. 'What was that?'

'Nothing, Nessa,' he said, but she pressed on. 'Why did he do that? Does he not like Galinda anymore?'

Boq's face flushed. 'No, no… Um… Nessa, I want to tell you, I do, but Fiyero told me this in confidence and I really don't feel comfortable discussing it with-'

Before he could finish, Elphaba had lunged forward and was pressing him against the wall. He struggled, but she was taller than he was – especially in those heels – and stronger, too, so it was pointless. 'Spit it out, Boq,' she hissed warningly. 'Galinda is my best friend and if Fiyero is going to hurt her, I want to know.'

'All right, all right!' Boq yelled. 'I give in!' She let him go and he rubbed his painful shoulder, glaring at her. Then he sighed. 'Fiyero… He… um… He says he doesn't love Galinda anymore.'

Nessa held her breath. 'Oh, the poor girl.' Elphaba was baffled. 'What? Why not? They're perfect together, aren't they? He can't break up with her – she wants to marry him!' she protested. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Was this because of that Lion Cub moment? Things between Fiyero and Galinda had started to go down from there, and she couldn't shake the feeling that it was all her fault.

Boq shrugged. 'I don't know, Elphaba. He says he thought so at first, too, that they were perfect together, but he's been thinking lately and though he still thinks she's a lovely girl and he doesn't want to hurt her, he's not in love with her anymore. That's all he told me.'

Nessa sighed. 'Oh, poor Galinda… I hope she takes it well.'

'She's not going to take anything,' declared Elphaba, her famous temper flaring up once again. 'Just because he's a brainless idiot, doesn't mean I'm going to let him break Galinda's heart. They're perfect together, they are, and I'm going to make him see that.' She couldn't let him do this. No matter what the reason was, Galinda deserved him and she would not let him break up with her. She stalked off in the direction of the OzDust Ballroom, fuming silently.

Boq and Nessa, who stayed behind, looked at each other tentatively. 'Well,' Boq said slowly, breaking the silence. He cleared his throat. 'This is going to be interesting.'