Ownership of the "are you green all over?" line of thought isn't mine, I found it in another fic and it just fitted so well here that I had to use it. I apologise if the author of that fic reads this and feels the need to be apologised to.
They didn't talk much on the way down the stairs to the awaiting carriage apart from an icily polite "thank you" from Elphaba when Fiyero held the door open for her, and they weren't much more talkative as they got into the coach. The kind of awkward silence that Elphaba was used to descended on them and she signed inwardly.
"What is your full name by the way?" Fiyero asked suddenly; just as Elphaba was about to launch into a tirade of reasons for her greenness, as she was want to do when people were avoiding the subject.
"Er, Thropp." She replied. "Elphaba Thropp." She was taken aback that Fiyero was going to these lengths. She wasn't even sure why he had asked her to a meal though she suspected foul play; she'd only accepted to spite Galinda. She swore to herself that if he made one more "green" crack like he had in the street then he'd go home with at least a black eye.
"It's a nice name, Elphaba." Fiyero mused, reverting back to silence. This infuriated Elphaba, normally people were in her face about her colouration but this prince hadn't brought it up yet. He didn't even seem to want to.
"Look if you want to know about…" She started, but Fiyero interrupted her.
"I hadn't even given it a thought." He butted in, slouching back in the comfortable carriage seat.
"That's stupid." Elphaba protested. "You must have given thought otherwise you wouldn't have known what I was about to say." She felt her natural vitriol rise within her, ready to answer back any smart alec comments he might throw at her.
"I gave thought to what you might think I had given thought to." Fiyero replied, loading his voice with just enough sarcasm to try and get a rise out of his guest.
"Oh yes." Elphaba snapped. "Nice smart answer Mr Rich Prince. Why have you brought me along anyway? Idle curiosity? So you can parade me for others' amusement? Or do you perhaps transcribe to the "are you green all over?" line of thought?" The latter
"No. Why should I do that? And no!" Fiyero calmly protested. "I in fact thought you were a rather striking young woman and wanted to apologise for my rude behaviour. Should you ever want to run me over in a cart then you are welcome to do so."
"Well I might just take you up on that offer." She said sarcastically. "Where are we going anyway?"
"The Ozdust Diner, I'm told it's quite nice?" Fiyero replied offhandedly, apparently fascinated by the streets going past
"What? The Ozdust?" Elphaba spluttered; there was no way she could even afford a salad with the pittance her father allowed her. "But that's really expensive and I've barely got any money!"
"So? I'm paying." Fiyero replied, as if it would absurd if it were any other way. Elphaba sat with her mouth opening and closing, not unlike she'd seen Galinda doing not long before. No one had ever bought her a meal before. Oz! No one had ever even wanted to go to a meal wit her, let alone wanted to pay.
"But. But." Elphaba tried to protest, but Fiyero silenced her with a wave of his hand.
"It's the least I can do after running you over." He reasoned, turning to look at her. "You know, you really do go an exquisite shade of green when you blush." Elphaba's hands shot to her face, enraged at Fiyero for making her blush even more than she had been. What was this she was feeling? It didn't feel like she normally felt when people made her angry. She was enraged for sure, but she felt like she wanted to be more enraged by this peculiarly impertinent prince. She needed to be enraged. She craved to be enraged. She wanted nothing more than for him to let out another witty jibe or make some kind of joke that she could descend upon and tear to pieces. It scared her, and she tried to suppress it.
"Thank you." She said very quietly, feeling embarrassed, ashamed and humbled all at once. She didn't like the feeling she was feeling, but it invigorated her, and that made her hate it all the more. She hated this Fiyero for making her feel this way.
"Don't mention it." Said Fiyero, going back to studying the streets going past. She really was quite intriguing this girl, and devilishly beautiful in her own way. It was strange that no one seemed to notice, even herself. When they arrived at the Ozdust Diner, Fiyero opened the door and helped Elphaba out of the coach without a word and led her inside. She tried to ignore the looks the other patrons were throwing her but she couldn't, she just hoped they wouldn't interrupt her meal: this strange feeling of belonging.
