Author's Note: Apologies for the wait. Went down with a cold last week which did not make it very fun to try and read off a computer screen. Thus, I just tried to recover as best I could before a flute performance I had yesterday (which went well). But now I'm back, so all's good.
Glad you all liked the fluff in the previous chapter!
Glitter-Bunnii and Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: You two can have your choice of virtual pie (*muahahaha*) or virtual cookies (Boqs) for picking up all of my favourite lines AND for both noting a lot of the same lines as each other. I just really loved that, so you can choose which you get. :P
Glitter-Bunnii: Glad you mentioned the knotty hair line, because that's me exactly. And haha, yes! *fistpump* Mission accomplished! Got Glitter-Bunnii to do the gasp-snort-choke-double take thingy. :D
that girl: Awww, thankyou so, so much for the beautiful compliment. Coming back from a short absence to such a heartwarming review makes being sick so worth it. :)
I really, really hope you all like the last part of this chapter. Personally, it's my favourite part of the entire story and although I had more fun writing other parts (like the chicken and egg scene back in Chapter 4), I really enjoyed writing this because there's a bit more depth to it.
CHAPTER 10:
What had she done?
Elphaba put her head in her hands, feeling absolutely mortified with herself.
She had not only fallen for a man, but she had let him share her bed, and then attempted to seduce him. That's what she had done.
Who was this girl?
Just a few days ago, she had been Elphaba Thropp – sarcastic, stubborn, intelligent, untouchable. Green.
Now, she was Elphaba Thropp – weak, brainless, perhaps utterly stupid, perhaps downright insane. Seductress.
And still green.
Oz, what was wrong with her? How stupid was she? How had this happened? How had she let her heart rule her head?
What must Fiyero think of her now?
What would people think of her if this got out?
What would Galinda think about her seducing the blonde's ex-boyfriend?
What would Nessarose think if she knew?
What would her father think?
Oh, Oz, her father! What would he do? Elphaba felt sick at the thought.
Granted, they hadn't done anything more than kiss and touch…but still. She had to make sure this never got out.
But how could she face Fiyero now? She was supposed to meet him downstairs for breakfast – well, brunch, really – in ten minutes. Elphaba found herself wishing she had never made that suggestion.
No, that suggestion wasn't so bad.
She wished she had never come on to Fiyero like that. What an embarrassment.
If only she had a spell to erase his memory like she had said. A spell to erase her own memory would be just as good.
Her father was right. She was an abomination.
"Well," Elphaba said sarcastically to her reflection in the mirror, "that's one way to humiliate myself." She sighed heavily, imagining her next 'mini sleep-over' with Galinda.
Galinda: What's your most embarrassing moment ever?
Elphaba: The time when I tried to seduce your ex-boyfriend in a hotel room.
Yeah, that would go down well. She groaned.
Elphaba debated skipping brunch entirely and just staying in her room instead, but forced herself to make an appearance when she realized that Fiyero would be waiting for her. No matter how embarrassed she felt, she didn't want to hurt him by not showing up. So she got changed, ran a brush through her hair and dragged herself downstairs.
When she reached the dining room, Fiyero was already waiting for her at a table tucked away in the back corner of the restaurant. Elphaba blushed at the intimacy the position suggested.
He looked almost nervous, she noted as she approached the table. Was that her fault? Was he afraid she'd jump him again?
But when he looked up and saw her, his face softened and a smile graced his handsome countenance. Fiyero sprang up and eagerly offered her a seat.
Elphaba sat down, ducking her head in thanks, unable to meet his eyes.
"I was afraid you might not come."
"I almost didn't," Elphaba admitted.
Fiyero placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Elphaba? What's wrong?" he asked gently.
Elphaba sighed, before bursting out, "I feel like such a fool. I'm surprised you showed up."
"Of course I did."
"I thought I'd have scared you off," Elphaba confessed.
"Never," Fiyero declared. He paused. "But you…you sound like you regret it. Do you regret it?"
Elphaba hesitated. "I don't regret what happened between us, I suppose…but I regret the way I did it," she answered quietly. "It's all rather embarrassing, and I didn't exactly leave you with much choice. I'm sorry."
Fiyero shook his head and placed his hands over hers, leaning in towards her. "Don't apologize. I could have easily got myself out of there had I wanted to. But I didn't want to. I chose to stay, and I'm glad I did because I loved every moment of it, and I'll never forget what we shared."
Elphaba flushed and chewed her lip nervously. "But no-one else has to know, right?"
"I don't want anyone else to know," Fiyero said sincerely, "and not for the reason you think. I've told you before that I'd quite like to have you as my very public girlfriend. But I don't want anyone else to know about this morning because it seems too special to share with anyone else. That moment was between us, and I think sharing that with anyone would take away the magic of it all."
Elphaba didn't know what to say to that. For someone who could really only be described cringingly as a 'passing lover', Fiyero was sounding awfully romantic. She almost scoffed at the thought. Romantic? With her?
After a moment, she managed to get out a teasing, "Who knew you could be so sentimental?"
Fiyero gave her a lopsided grin which started her heart fluttering in her chest. "Another hidden talent."
Elphaba shook her head. "I can't believe this. Just a few minutes ago, I was feeling rotten over the whole incident; and now, you've managed to make me feel…almost…good about it. It's so strange."
Fiyero brushed his thumb across Elphaba's knuckles. "As long as you don't regret it. Or regret us."
Elphaba flashed him a small smile. "I don't."
"I suppose we should order," Fiyero said after a short silence.
"I suppose so," Elphaba agreed, nodding.
By the time they ordered, ate, parted company, got themselves ready for the seminar and met up again, it was almost one o'clock. Fiyero grimaced as he looked at his watch.
"I hope we don't get held up," he commented.
"So do I," Elphaba said with a sigh as she surveyed the busy streets.
Fiyero flagged down a carriage and the pair climbed inside. Elphaba told the driver where they wanted to go and they were off.
"Have you got everything you need?" Fiyero asked.
Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Yes."
"Do I need anything?"
"All you need is to sit quietly throughout the seminar." Her gaze was drawn to Fiyero's collar. "And to fix your tie – it's crooked."
Fiyero's fingers tugged at his tie. "I thought I had the bloody thing right," he muttered irritably.
"Here," Elphaba said, reaching forward and pulling Fiyero's hands out of the road.
Fiyero looked at her curiously as she fiddled with the tie. "Where did you learn to tie ties?"
"I can't tie ties," Elphaba replied. "But it doesn't take much to figure out how to straighten them. There."
"Thanks." Fiyero took Elphaba's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Sooner than either of them had expected, the carriage drew up in front of the building that was playing host to the exhibition. Fiyero and Elphaba alighted and headed into the foyer.
"Now what?"
"We find whoever is running the event and explain and apologize for our absence during the first half of the exhibition," Elphaba informed him briskly. She glanced around. "Oh, there's an official-looking person; maybe he can help me." She strode purposefully over, leaving Fiyero to trail behind.
Fiyero only half-listened as Elphaba explained the situation. The prince's attention wandered a fair bit and he took the opportunity to study his surroundings, smiling politely at the giggling girls who wandered past.
After a few minutes, Elphaba returned to his side.
"Well?"
"That guy has taken care of it for us. And the lecture theatre is just through there." Elphaba nodded in the direction the chap had pointed out to her. "Come on."
"What, already?"
Elphaba fixed him with an exasperated look. "Fiyero, it's almost half-past! We're supposed to be in there soon."
"Oh. Good point."
Elphaba rolled her eyes.
The pair made their way into the large auditorium, and Elphaba immediately headed for the front row.
"Can't we sit up the back?" Fiyero complained.
"I can't see from up there," Elphaba told him as she sat down, leaving no room for protestations. "We're sitting at the front."
Fiyero shrugged and took a seat beside her. "Okay."
Elphaba stared at him, mildly shocked. "That's it? You're not going to press the matter?"
Fiyero tipped his head to the side. "To be honest, it was more a token protest than anything. I figured you'd be expecting me to say something, and I don't like to disappoint."
Elphaba rolled her eyes.
"Besides," Fiyero continued softly, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, "I don't care where you sit, as long as I can sit beside you."
Elphaba blushed and forced a small laugh. "You're an idiot."
Fiyero grinned. "I know."
The green girl shook her head but didn't say anything further.
They sat in silence as more students filed into the room, filling it with noisy chatter. The clock ticked closer to the appointed start time all-too-slowly, and Fiyero noticed Elphaba getting edgy. In an attempt to settle her down, he commented, "You look prettier when you're not quite so tense."
Elphaba glanced over at him almost blankly, blinking owlishly behind her glasses. She obviously didn't know how to respond to that, but she eventually managed to bring up something else that had obviously been bothering her: "I know you're going to get bored and restless during this, but do you think you can try to restrain yourself from annoying anyone? I don't feel like having to explain why my partner representative insists on making a nuisance of himself."
Fiyero chuckled. "I promise not to make a nuisance of myself."
"Thankyou."
At that moment, the presenter of the seminar walked in, and Elphaba turned her attention to him. Fiyero, on the other hand, kept watching Elphaba until the seminar began.
Fiyero, to his credit, really did try to listen to what information the man standing out the front was churning out; but it was just so boring, and Fiyero didn't really understand much of what the man was saying, so he frequently found his attention wandering to the green girl beside him. He thought about her; he watched her take notes; he even stared at her boots. He did everything but touch her or stare at her outright. And he had difficulty convincing himself not to do either of those.
By the time the break rolled around, Elphaba had noticed that Fiyero was beginning to fidget, and she passed him a piece of paper and a spare pen. "To entertain yourself," she explained, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
Fiyero took the paper and pen gratefully, and proceeded to fill both sides of the paper during the second half of the seminar. Elphaba saw this and was about to tear off another sheet for him when Fiyero placed his hand over hers and shook his head with a smile, effectively stopping her.
"I'm right," he mouthed, and Elphaba hesitantly returned her attention to the seminar.
But she didn't pull her hand away, and Fiyero didn't let go.
Finally, the seminar ended, and as Elphaba was packing up, Fiyero slipped his piece of paper into her bag.
Elphaba threw him a questioning look as she reached for it.
"No," Fiyero said, "not now. Read it tonight."
Reluctantly, Elphaba let go of the paper and fastened her bag.
The carriage ride back to the hotel was a silent one, though not uncomfortably so, and when they reached the seventh floor, Elphaba and Fiyero agreed to have dinner together.
Like the carriage ride, dinner was a quiet affair, and Elphaba excused herself on the grounds of tiredness not long after she had finished eating.
She was in the middle of cleaning her teeth when she remembered Fiyero's piece of paper. Curiously, she went over and pulled it out of her bag, unfolded it and began to read. What she saw took her by surprise, and she quickly finished attending to her teeth, then climbed into bed, paper in hand.
Highlights of this trip:
1. Sharing it with Elphaba
2. Learning more about Elphaba
3. Becoming attracted to Elphaba
4. Kissing Elphaba
5. Sharing sleeping arrangements with Elphaba
6. Going to sleep with Elphaba in my arms
7. Waking up with Elphaba in my arms
8. Becoming close to Elphaba
9. Having someone think Elphaba is my girlfriend
10. Earning Elphaba's trust
11. Being with Elphaba all the time
12. Seeing a side of Elphaba no-one ever sees
Dear Elphaba,
I initially didn't want to come on this trip. You know that. Afterall, who wants to represent their university at some boring five-day-long exhibition with the one person they really don't get on with?
Yet here I am, loving every minute of it. Because I've had the opportunity to get to know you better. A lot better. I now know why you are the way you are; why you act the way you do; and, perhaps most importantly, why you always found me so annoying! I've had the chance to view myself through your eyes, and each time I do so, I physically cringe. Did I really act that egotistic? Did I really say those horrible things to you? Did I really come across as a jumped-up rich kid who thinks everyone should be falling down at his feet in worship just because of the family he happened to be born into? When I think of it like that – as you must have done – I feel so ashamed. I can't believe I really acted like that.
But I did, and you suffered because of it. You suffered because every nasty word I said to you was lapped up by ours peers – just because it was me who said it. Oz, how disgusting is that? The fact that people condoned my rotten behaviour because of who I am…it sickens me now.
In the time we have spent together, I have come to see you in a different light. You have opened up and let me in; told me things I'm sure I would never have told anyone had it been me. You trusted me. Even after all that I've done to you in the past, you still trusted me. Your trust is a precious gift, Elphaba; a gift much too precious to break. If I were a completely unselfish person, I would say, "I don't think I'm the best person in whom to place your trust." But I'm not going to pretend any longer that I'm perfect; I'm not a completely unselfish person, so instead I will say, "I will treasure your trust with all my heart and will do everything I can not to break that trust." And I don't care how soppy that may sound. It's true.
You've given me a lot to think about over the course of this trip. You've shown me a whole other perspective on many things. You've given me a whole new perspective on many things. For this, I thank you.
This trip has opened my eyes in a way I thought nothing ever would or could. It has been such a wonderful experience for so many reasons, and the only thing I'm going to regret after this trip is the fact that we will be unable to continue whatever this is between us once we get back to Shiz. That is going to be extremely difficult to deal with, and I apologize in advance for any slip-ups I might make. Now that I know the real you, I am finding my attraction for you increasing so much and so quickly that, quite frankly, it's actually rather mind-boggling. It's going to be hard to restrain myself from kissing you senseless every time I see you, but I promise I will try.
Who knows? Maybe Madame Morrible will see fit to send us on another trip together sometime. I'd like to think that could happen. Because I am going to miss you so much after this. I'm going to miss the girl who made me realize a bunch of things in such a short space of time – things no-one has ever got me to realize in my whole life. I'm going to miss the girl who made this trip more than just bearable, but a downright, genuine pleasure. I'm going to miss the girl who opened herself up to me and presented a softer side than I've seen on any marshmallow.
And I'm definitely going to miss the cheeky seductress who can make me feel things like no other.
To put it simply: Elphaba, I am going to miss you.
Fiyero.
Elphaba's hand shook as she lowered the paper. She had to see him.
"Elphaba?" Fiyero asked in concern when he opened the door. "Is everything alright?"
"Fiyero," Elphaba choked out, and it was only then that she realized she was crying. She launched herself into his arms, wrapping her own tightly around his neck and kissing him deeply.
"Elphaba?" Fiyero asked again when she finally drew back. "What is it?"
Elphaba held up the piece of paper. "This…letter you wrote me. Is it true?"
Fiyero nodded, looking bewildered.
"Everything?"
"Everything."
Elphaba turned around and walked away from him slightly.
"Did I say something wrong?" Fiyero asked worriedly, closing the door.
Elphaba shook her head, and when she finally turned back, Fiyero noticed that while she was crying even harder, she was also smiling. "I've never had a letter before, let alone one so…heartfelt. So beautiful." She laughed slightly. "I'm not usually one for all that emotional, sentimental stuff, but this…" She trailed off, swallowing a sob.
"Hey, don't cry," Fiyero soothed her, wrapping her in his arms and resting his chin on top of her head. "I just wrote what I thought. What I felt."
"Thankyou," she whispered.
After a moment, Fiyero asked, "Did you see the other side?"
Elphaba shot him a quizzical glance as she turned the paper over. On the other side was a drawing of them lying together, Elphaba wrapped in Fiyero's arms. She recognized it as being a reference to the night before, and although she blushed at the intimate scene it made, she smiled. "It's beautiful. Thankyou."
Fiyero kissed her softly. "You're welcome. Come on, let's go to bed." At Elphaba's surprised look, he said quietly, "Well, we agreed to make the most of this, didn't we? Besides, I'm getting used to sleeping with you in my arms." He gently pried the paper from her hands, then scooped her up and deposited her on the bed, whisking her glasses off her nose. Fiyero switched off the light and climbed in beside her, before adding, "If you've no objection, that is."
After a moment, he heard a chuckle escape Elphaba's throat. "I've no objection."