Ai! My least favorite holiday...it's here again! Well, at least it's a good excuse to write Fiyeraba...
This story was a lot longer than I anticipated, so I divided it into two chapters, enjoy!
EDIT: Ok, I fixed the weird "." halfway through this chapter. Darn Fanfiction deleting my sentences...
She felt like an utter fool.
Why she had let Galinda convince her into doing this was unknown. Perhaps a brief lapse of insanity was the cause, for anyone would have to be crazy to agree with this.
She sat at the edge of the ballroom, watching spinning couples dressed in their Valentines Day finest. Her own date, who had obviously only asked her as a favor to Galinda, was nowhere to be seen and had been mysteriously missing ever since he went to the punch bowl.
So there Elphaba was. Dressed in a ridiculous dress, wearing more make-up than she liked, she looked like the green idiot nerd girl with a date that left her and people were beginning to whisper and point at her. She tried to ignore them, rocking back and forth and wishing she had a book to keep her entertained for the next few hours.
The whispers became louder and louder and she felt the strong urge to leave, right then and there. However, if she did, Galinda would never let her hear the end of it.
So, she did the next best thing; found the nearest closet to spend the rest of the evening it.
The first door she tried revealed not a closet, as she expected, but rather a small parlor that had obviously not been used at the Ozdust in quite some time. Sheets covered much of the furniture and heavy curtains only let a few rays of the sinking sun in, illuminating the dust in the air.
Elphaba sat on one of the uncovered old chairs, relishing in the lack of staring eyes. She'd have to remember this room for future dances. It was a nice escape, as long as Galinda didn't figure out where she was...
"Elphaba?" came a voice. She jumped in the seat, fearing that her friend had already discovered her new location. However, the voice was much lower than Galinda's high notes, more like a certain Prince she knew.
"Fiyero, shouldn't you be with Galinda?" She sighed as the Prince's figure emerged from behind a curtain. "And what in Oz were you doing back there?"
"Hiding," he shrugged. "When I heard the door open, I made a mad dash for the curtains. Kicked up a lot of dust, though." He waved his hand, trying to shoo away the floating particles. "What are you doing in here?"
"Getting refreshments."
"In an abandoned pallor?"
"Yes," she said, "and why aren't you with Galinda? Isn't this the Valentines Dance with your sweetheart?"
She hadn't meant to sound bitter, but Fiyero looked at her very sympathetically. "I'm sorry about you being dragged here, Elphie. I would have talked her out of it, but you know Galinda..."
"You still didn't answer my question, Tiggular."
"I needed to get away from all that for a while," he motioned toward the door, where waltz music was leaking through. "This Valentines stuff...it just kinda reminds me how unhappy I really am and what a false life I'm living..."
An awkward silence fell over them while Elphaba's words from that day with the Lion Cub echoed in their heads.
"I almost forgot," said Fiyero after a minute, "I got you a Valentines gift."
Elphaba rolled her eyes again. "Isn't this day commercial enough, Tiggular? You don't give gifts on Valentines Day."
"Yes, well we just will have to make an exception for you, huh?" He winked and drew a package from his coat.
Carefully, Elphaba undid the sloppy warping to reveal a small box inside. On the cover was engraved Makeup Removal Kit.
"Oh, Fiyero..." she gasped, "this is amazing. Perfect, actually."
He grinned at her obvious appreciation. "Yes, well, perhaps it'll help with the Galindafication. You're better without it anyway."
She blushed, for once thankful for her green skin to cover it. Another minute passed in silence as Elphaba explored the contents of her new useful supply of De-girlifying products. Fiyero hummed along with the melody outside, half wishing he was dancing out there despite Galinda hanging onto him every second.
"Hey Elphaba," he pause, unsure if asking her was too dangerous. These things must be done delicately, and might result in death of Fiyero if not.
"Hm?"
"would-you-pretty-please-dance-with-me-but-you-don't-really-have-to-if-you-don't-want-to."
She gave him a strange look, "What?"
He took a deep breath, "Would you like to dance with me." Never, in all his life, had he ever been nervous of asking a girl to dance. Ever.
She frowned, wrinkles appearing on her nose, "Fiyero...I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe I should be leaving..."
"Just one dance. Please?"
She looked at her feet, her voice was soft, almost a whisper, "I don't know how to dance."
When she looked up, Fiyero was grinning. "I'll teach you."
"I don't-"
"Oh, come on, Elphie, It's easy!" He slipped a hand into hers and arm around her waist.
Elphaba tensed then relaxed. One dance couldn't hurt, right?
Oh dear...
Happy Single's Awareness Day everybody! Please review!