Perfume and Makeup

Rifiuto: Non Mirena

Summary: Elphaba helps Suni get ready for her Senior prom- as Fiyero watches his little girl grow up. Set four years after Candy Hearts.

"Mama? Have you seen my prom dress? It's missing!"

Elphaba looked up, to see the eighteen-year-old standing in the middle of the kitchen, wrapped in a towel, her long, black hair dripping wet.

"Did you check your closet?"

"Yes! Mama, what if Daddy hid it again?" Elphaba sighed, abandoning the dishes to comfort her distraught daughter. "Or gave it away? Or shredded it to pieces?" Gently, Elphaba took her daughter's shoulders, guiding the girl into a chair at the kitchen table. She sat down across from her, taking her hand.

"Hush."

"Mama, I can't go to prom nude!"

Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Sunrise Autumn if you don't calm down, you won't be going to prom period!" She snapped, which instantly shut the girl up. "Now, you wait here. I'm gonna go check your closet." And she disappeared further into the house. Suni sat fiddling with a strand of wet hair, and she looked up, when her father entered the cottage, the mail in his hands. Instantly, she pounced.

"Daddy! You didn't sell my dress did you?" She screamed, causing Fiyero to stumble back, as a raven-haired nymph dressed in nothing but a dark green towel threw herself into his arms.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Suni. Suni!" The two turned, to see Elphaba standing in the middle of the room, holding a forest green dress on a hanger. "I found your dress. It was hanging in the back of your closet."

"Oh." The teen looked back at her father. "Sorry Daddy." Then, she went to her mother, taking the dress. "Thanks Mama." Elphaba watched her child head back to her bedroom.

"What was that all about?" Fiyero asked, removing his coat.

"Suni thought you'd shredded her dress." Elphaba replied, going to her husband and kissing him.

"Why would I do that?" He asked, following his wife into the kitchen and pouring a cup of coffee.

"Because tonight's prom." Elphaba replied, finishing the rest of the dishes before getting herself a cup of coffee. Fiyero closed his eyes, remembering.

"Right. I forgot."

As Elphaba opened her mouth, Suni, still wrapped in her towel, snuck into the kitchen.

"Mama? Will you help me with my hair?" Elphaba nodded, kissed her husband's cheek, and followed her daughter. Once they were in the bedroom, Suni turned around. She'd rushed ahead, and changed. "Well, Mama, how do I look?"

"Beautiful." A smile graced her daughter's lips, her husband's smile, and Elphaba discreetly wiped away tears. "Now, how did you want your hair done?" She set her cup of coffee down, and picked up the curling iron.

"Curls, please Mama."

"Sure thing." As Elphaba began curling her daughter's hair, Suni asked,

"Mama?"

"Hmm?"

"Is Daddy mad at me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No baby, not at all, why?"

"He...he doesn't say hardly anything to me anymore. And when he does, it's usually a sentence. He talks to you more than to me. God, I don't see how you can share a bed with that man and not feel rejected." Elphaba chuckled softly.

"Your father loves me very much. And he loves you too, Suni, he just..." She sighed. "I think that Daddy just...doesn't like the fact that you're growing up."

"Oh. But...you don't mind, do you?" She looked back at her mother.

"No I don't. I'm not too happy, I wish you could have stayed my baby forever, but I accept it. And I think that's what Daddy is having trouble doing. Accepting the fact that his baby girl is growing into a beautiful young woman. There. All done." Suni watched as her mother set the curling iron back on her vanity.

"Thank you." Elphaba nodded.

"You're welcome." Then, she kissed her daughter's forehead and left. Once she was gone, Suni turned back to her mirror, and proceeded to work on her makeup. Once that was done, she slipped into her parent's bathroom, and rubbed a bit of her mother's rosewater and sandalwood perfume on her wrists and neck, before slipping back into her room, pulling on her heels, and grabbing her coat and purse.

She found her parents in the kitchen, sitting at the table talking softly.

"Well, how do I look?"

Both turned, to see their daughter in the doorway.

"Oh Suni." Elphaba got up and went to her daughter, gently cupping her face in her hands. "I said it once, and I'll say it again. Beautiful." Suni gave her a smile, and hugged her mother, before turning to her father.

"Daddy?" The girl waited, desparate for her father's approval. What could he say? She did look beautiful. The forest green of the dress gave her the look of a wood nymph; it showed her figure, as the makeup and curls added emphasis to her features; her mother's features. It was then that Fiyero understood why Elphaba always wore green. The dress hit his daughter's knees, the skirt cut and uneven. The halter accented her small bust, and exposed her shoulders.

Slowly, Fiyero gave her a small smile, joining his wife and daughter.

"You look...gorgeous." He said, after a moment. A smile broke out on Suni's face, and she hugged her father, as Elphaba got the door.

"Max hey, come on in." The two turned, to see Suni's boyfriend, Max in the doorway.

"Wow. You look...wow." Fiyero narrowed his eyes. "I mean...very...very beautiful."

"Thanks."

He handed her the corsage, and after a few minutes, the two left. Fiyero and Elphaba watched from the doorway, before going back inside.

"Yero? Are you okay?" He met her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He replied, as she wrapped him in her arms.

"She's growing up, Yero. We have to accept that."

"I know. I just...feel like...she didn't spend any time as a child..."

"I know. I know."

They turned when the door opened.

"Daddy?" Suni stood in the doorway, nervous.

"What did you forget, sweetheart?" He asked, as Elphaba removed herself from his arms.

"Um... this."

And Suni went to her father, wrapped her arms around his neck, and stood on her toes, kissing his cheek. When she pulled away, he saw the writing clear in her eyes.

You know how much I love you Daddy, but if you don't mind, I'm only gonna kiss you on the check this time.

He gave her a small smile, and gently kissed her hand.

"I love you, Daddy."

He watched her leave.

"I love you too, baby girl."

Once she was gone, Elphaba returned to her husband's arms.

"You okay?"

He nodded, looking at her.

"She looks like you. Every day, I look at her, and I see you. More and more."

"Now is that such a bad thing?" She whispered, rubbing her nose against his. He sighed.

"I haven't decided yet."

"You haven't?"

"No. I'll let you know when I do."

Tenderly, she kissed him.