The party was generic, and none of the regulars seemed to know that it was in fact a momentous event. Fiyero mingled and chatted and killed time as he waited for her arrival. It had been hard for him to accept that he wasn't allowed to pick her up, but he knew it crossed boundaries she wasn't ready to cross.

Galinda arrived first, the first shiny notes trumpeting the arrival of their reluctant star, and though she basked in the attention of all, Fiyero reserved his enthusiasm for the one certain to follow.

Sure enough, Galinda glanced behind and noticed herself minus one of her entourage, and she dragged in a very hesitant Elphaba. Despite the best intentions of Galinda no doubt, Elphaba looked beautiful, and he smirked to notice her hair was down. He made his way toward them through the crowd, and even across the room, he could see Elphaba's wrist straining to pull out of Galinda's grasp.

Galinda's voice floated above the noise, "Oh, honestly Elphaba. No one is staring at you. You're just standing by me. It's fine."

Elphaba caught sight of him, and relief spread through her face. He smiled and waved as he threaded his way between partygoers. Unfortunately, like most parties he attended, the dense crowd filled the room, and it took him some time to make his way across even that short distance. By the time he reached them, Elphaba looked quite exasperated.

"Would you just drop it already?"

Fiyero surfaced from the mob behind her, and he leaned close to ask over the music, "Drop what?" Elphaba jumped and whacked him on the arm as he flashed her a grin.

He collected his hug from each girl, and Galinda kissed his cheek in greeting. "Oh, just some cute boy that Elphaba is totally fatted by."

"It's infatuated, not fatted, and there is no such guy," Elphaba sighed, and Fiyero felt a crushing weight fall on him.

Galinda bounced her curls. "Well, that makes more sense. I always wondered why something cute would have such an unappealing name. After all, who wants to be fat? Yech. Anyway, I think it's just adorable, don't you Fiyero? Our little Elphie finally has a crush."

"I do not," Elphaba blushed.

Galinda made a high-pitched squealing sound. "You're so cute! I bet she already kissed him. Did you Elphie?"

He was going to vomit. Elphaba had a crush on someone? But it just wasn't fair. After all, he'd studied, he'd worked, hell, he'd worn tights. What more could she want?

"I want to dance." He blinked at her for a moment. "Now." She grabbed Fiyero's hand and yanked him after her onto the dance floor. It was official. He had entered the Twilight Zone. She moved quickly into his arms and flopped her face onto his shoulder. "Please kill me."

"I'd rather not," he tried to joke, but his heart wasn't really in it. Images of Elphaba kissing some other guy kept stealing the mirth straight out of him.

She groaned. "I know she's my best friend, but sometimes I just want to wring her neck."

"So who is this guy? Should I be jealous?" Luckily she was too upset to notice that he was barely kidding. Her face pulled back from his shoulder to shoot him an evil glare.

"Oh shut up. It's not funny."

"Who says I'm kidding?"

She rolled her eyes. "Not you too."

"What?" he held up his hands in mock innocence. "I'm just curious as to who would capture the attention of our fair Elphie."

She scowled. "Just shut up. You know there's no guy, so stop tormenting me. I'm embarrassed enough."

A sudden weight lifted at her denial. "Then who is Galinda talking about?"

"Oh, um, well…" That blush ran across her face again. "She asked why I was actually consenting to attend this ridiculous party, and I stupidly told her a guy invited me. Then she invented a story from there and has decided I'm madly in love." Blood rushed back into his heart at her confession.

"Wait, so," Fiyero worked through it, "I'm the guy?"

She glanced to the side. "In a manner of speaking."

"Oh," he beamed. "Well that's alright then."

With a new lightness, he spun Elphaba around the floor until she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "You're going to make me dizzy," but her giggle took the edge out of her words. They took a break anyway after the song finished, and he took her hand to lead her through the crowd to the punch.

Galinda started toward them, and Elphaba immediately evaded. Unfortunately, the bubbly blonde was much more agile than her puffy dress belied. "Elphie! So have you found him yet?"

Fiyero handed Elphaba a punch and settled his arm around her waist. "She…" Elphaba elbowed him hard, and at her pointed glare, he reconsidered his statement, "um..has to go. We'll see you later." Elphaba had already gulped the punch down and had already pulled him halfway back on the floor.

"At least here she can't reach us," she said as she swung both arms around his neck with a resigned sigh.

"And here I thought I'd finally won you over to the joys of dancing." He faked a pout, but she just flopped her face back into his chest.

"This is a nightmare."

"Sorry to be such an inconvenience," he teased, and she made a pfft sound into his chest. He smoothed her hair down her back and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "That bad?" She nodded, so he pulled her closer. "It'll be alright," he soothed. He tilted her chin up to face him. "So what is the plan?"

"Avoidance?"

He smirked. "If that means I get to dance with you all night, I'm game."

"I just have to wait for her to lose interest." He made a face that matched hers as they realized how long that was likely to take. She sighed and hung her head, and Fiyero patted her shoulder with his best commiserating look.

Galinda whirled by, dragging her befuddled partner in an odd arc. "Elphie?" she hissed in the least conspiratorial whisper on the planet. She was spun away, and each sentence was a new struggle to maneuver close enough. "What are you doing?" Spin. "Shouldn't you be looking for what's his face?" Spin. "You know, if you told me who he is, I could help you look." Spin. Reverse spin. "Because you're my bestest friend."

Fiyero subtly worked them away until they were boxed in by other couples. Galinda kept bobbing in that direction, but her annoyed date looked like he'd had just about enough of her leading. With him working against her, she was forced to content herself with hopping to see the two discuss at a safe distance. Fiyero did have to be at least a little impressed with her extreme perseverance.

"Fantastic," she bit out. "Now she's not going to stop until I actually find some guy." Like hell. Fiyero would rather shove needles under his fingernails than let that happen.

"Why not just tell Galinda I'm the guy?"

Elphaba made a face. "Oh yeah. Great idea. That's all I need."

"Because…?"

"Think about all the time we spend together." He did. He smiled. "Now imagine every time Galinda's giggly voice teasing me about it." Oh. She did somewhat have a point.

He shrugged, "It'd be great for my self esteem."

"Oh please. As if you need any help. You're quite possibly the most confident person on the planet."

"I'm sure of it." He laughed at her pained look as his awful joke bounced off her.

She put her fingers to his lips and shook her head in mock pity. "I think I've been tortured enough for one night. Just stick to your strengths and dance, funny boy." Grinning, he led them into a great set of dance moves, and they danced pleasantly for a minute or so until she said, "Besides, there's that whole you dating her thing."

"What? Who?" He was confused until he realized she was talking about Galinda. "Oh, that was ages ago."

"Three months. But still." Oh yes, the girl code. Fiyero really needed to up his research in finding a loophole through that. "Why didn't it work out with you two, anyway?"

He had no good answer, so he shrugged again. "You know me."

"And?"

And…she's not you. Even as he thought it, he knew he'd never be able to say it. He sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "I don't know. It was never really serious anyway."

She bristled immediately at the perceived insult to her friend. "Why not? What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing," he defended. "It's just…it didn't click, okay? Can we stop talking about this?" Fiyero would much rather concentrate on the beautiful girl in his arms than the blonde who occupied a much less prestigious place in his heart. Before she could answer, Galinda popped up again, and only a long spin down the length of the narrow floor saved them. "So what do we do?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Hide?"

"Ooh!" There was a shout from someone near them, and Fiyero reflexively pulled her closer in shock. "You're under the Mosstop."

"And?" Elphaba glared, and Fiyero swallowed nervously. Damn party games.

"You have to kiss!" Several boys made catcalls or other jeering noises, and the crowd waited breathlessly for the pair to oblige. They stared in shock at each other for a long moment until Fiyero licked his lips and leaned toward her. She was so beautiful, and his heart stopped when her lips parted to match her wide eyes.

He couldn't believe this was really happening. She was going to let him kiss her. And he would be able to keep his limbs intact. Well, it wasn't a real kiss. It was a fake peer-pressured kiss. But still. Her lips were going to touch his. Oz, his brain was spinning but he couldn't manage a single coherent thought.

Inches away, Elphaba pulled back, her face flushed. "No."

"What?" Disoriented by their proximity, it took Fiyero a moment just to process the word, let alone the meaning.

"You have to," Galinda said, no doubt disappointed it wasn't the mystery man about to kiss Elphie.

Elphaba challenged her. "Who says?"

"Everyone," the blonde gave a half-shrug, as if indicating the universal law of gravity.

Elphaba gave a haughty glare. "Well, I don't have to do what everyone says to. And neither do you Fiyero." He forgot for a second that he hadn't released her, and he yanked his hands back guiltily.

She stormed out, and the entire crowd gaped after her. Party law was never challenged. Her refusal rocked their semi-society to the core. Whispers broke out, and everyone seemed very curious if she could, in fact, do that. Fiyero remained rooted to the spot in shock. Moments ago he had been a breath from kissing the most amazing girl in the world.

What happened?

He headed after her to find out.