Disclaimer: Do I need to say it?

Notes: Um… (Fiyero will kill me for saying that.) So, here's chapter 12. Not my best, but it kind of ends the long story arch we've been on (the retelling the past and setting up relationships arch). I'm hoping next chapter will be something new- hoping, since I haven't written it yet. I'll try to get it done in two weeks, but if school continues to ramp up, I may have to wait until after exams. But I'll make up for it somehow! If you review, especially.

"Is it possible to get lost in a building that consists of three rooms?" Avaric's voice echoed hollowly through the shelves. Squinting, he read the sign at the end of the nearest shelf. "Biology/Life Sciences."

Shrugging, he wandered down that aisle, sliding his fingers across the spines of several books. Dust flew through the air, as if the books hadn't been touched in centuries. Because they probably hadn't been, and he was probably stupid to awaken them from their slumber now.

Then again, he was stupid.

"Wait for it," Avaric mumbled before sneezing.

"What was that?" came a voice, and involuntarily, Avaric dashed behind a stack of books. In other words, he smashed into them, sending them crashing in every which direction.

Madame Morrible turned the corner, her eyes steadying on Avaric, who simply blinked several times.

"Uh, I'm on the floor," Avaric stated.

"So I can see," Madame Morrible replied, her sharp gaze piercing him through her wire-rimmed spectacles.

"I think I'm going to stand up now," he continued, doing just so. "Is there anything you wanted, Madame?" Anything, that is, that doesn't have a thing to do with me?

"Have you seen Miss Thropp?" she questioned sternly, although she was always stern, so the adverb was probably unnecessary. Well, Avaric amended, recalling a certain situation last night, almost always…

"I'm not stalking her," Avaric stammered automatically. The headmistress raised her eyebrow. "Uh, I mean, yes, she was in the courtyard earlier. And I only know that because I happened to see her, I wasn't looking at her, I just saw her, coincidentally, because I was not…"

"Thank you," Madame Morrible cut off, and without another word, she hurried away, leaving Avaric gawking.

Man, did I just pull a Fiyero or what? Avaric shuddered, and remembering of his purpose, he resumed his own search. Mindlessly, he went to throw the book back on what remained of the stack. The title caught his eye, and he did a double take, pulling the book back and reading the title aloud, "Long Term Diseases and Remedies."

"Ha!" he declared, paging through the book, which was all too thick. An undetermined amount of time later, he glanced up, realizing he was still standing there, reading up on a random disease, which, while mildly fascinating, was not what he had come here for.

"I'd better not be turning into a nerd," he muttered. Not that Elphaba would mind.

Casually striding out of the maze of bookshelves after several minutes of pretending not to be lost, Avaric spotted a nerdish looking boy reading in an old armchair, a prime view, probably the best in the entire library… heck, Boq would never learn, or perhaps he learned too much. Regardless of anything they tried to drill into him, Boq still visited the library more than once a month- how did he survive? Avaric whistled, then snapped for reinforcement. "Hey, you!"

Boq whipped his head up, and noticing Avaric staring at him, glanced behind him precariously, disbelieving that Avaric could be talking to him in public.

Avaric sighed, "Yes, I'm talking to you."

"Me?" Boq questioned.

"No, you," Avaric corrected.

Boq looked confused. Avaric decided that Boq couldn't be as smart as his library visits would indicate. Besides, he was reading a book that had big print, and colored pictures…

"Is that diagram what I think it is?" Avaric asked suddenly.

"No!" Boq said a little too quickly, before sighing, "Unless you think it's a diagram showing a male how to properly kiss a female, because that's what it is."

"Aw, come on, you know Fiyero or I could have shown you that," Avaric said. "It's pretty self-explanatory."

"Elphaba was trying to teach me," Boq replied nonchalantly.

Avaric stared. "Do I need to beat you up?"

"She didn't demonstrate," Boq added hastily. "Um, not to pry, but, well, why are you suddenly interested in Elphaba?"

Avaric paused. Why? "Well, she's a girl, I'm a boy, and neither of us are gay. At least, I don't think she is."

"That's good, because I did," Boq admitted sheepishly. "Several times."

Avaric stared once more.

"But she's not," Boq continued, "she just hates munchkins."

"How come you know all this?" Avaric questioned.

"She happened to be in the courtyard at the same time as me," Boq answered.

"You'd better not be stalking her," Avaric threatened.

"I wasn't stalking Miss Galinda!" Boq denied.

"We were talking about Elphaba."

"I wasn't stalking her either. I just happened to see her, and she volunteered to help me with my dating problem."

Avaric gawked. "You're sure we're talking about Elphaba Thropp?" Boq nodded. "And not the fruit kind of date?" Again, a nod. Avaric rolled his eyes. "It's probably Bruce's fault."

"Who's Bruce?"

"Her boyfriend."

"She has a boyfriend?"

"Not for long," Avaric said, eyes blazing with determination.

"So, you're not dating Galinda?" Boq asked.

Avaric raised his eyebrows. "You really don't know who's dating who, do you? Why would I be dating Galinda? That's Fiyero, remember."

"Not for long," Boq replied cheerfully. "Not now that Elphaba's tutoring me."

"So, you'll be spending time with her?" Avaric questioned. Boq nodded. "Say, while you're in one of those tutoring sessions, maybe you could, you know, check in on her dating situation, drop a few hints, snoop around the dorm room for various waylaid garments of hers…"

"Okay, ew."

"Quit being such a girl." Avaric pointed a finger at the munchkin. "And move."

"But I just got here," Boq whined. "Why can't you move?"

"I'm not quite sure you understand sociology," Avaric stated plainly. "You're a nerd, and I'm not, therefore, I dominate over you, like a queen bee, only I'm not a bee, or a girl. Besides," he added, "the carrying capacity for the library is one. I'm sorry, one and a half just doesn't cut it."

"Well, I'm not moving," Boq announced confidently.

"That's unfortunate," Avaric said gloomily in his best villain tone. He began cleaning out the underside of his fingernails. After a few moments, he glanced up to see Boq staring at him. "This is the part where you get scared and run away."

Boq grumbled something under his breath but stood up nonetheless and plopped down into less comfy chair a few meters away.

Avaric nodded once before falling lazily into the armchair. He opened his book, barely getting a page into it before a hand ripped the volume away from him.

"Hey…" he began, snatching for it before he noticed Fiyero standing over him, looking oddly stoic. "What? Two visits to the library in just as many days? Are you working on growing a brain or something?"

"It'd take the Wizard to give me a brain," Fiyero sniffed, beginning to carefully close the book.

"Well, I'm not him," Avaric replied. "Hey! Don't close that yet! I need a bookmark."

Fiyero sighed impatiently, which motivated Avaric to move even slower as he searched for a useable scrap of paper. Finding one at the foot of the chair, he carefully folded it neatly in fourths and placed it in the correct page.

"Now, what do you want?" Avaric asked.

Fiyero turned to glare at Boq, who glanced up innocently. "Move."

"Does anyone know the definition of a public place?" Boq asked, throwing his arms up.

"Dictionary day was yesterday, Boq," Fiyero replied. "Get your days straight. Now, shoo! Go stalk Galinda or something, I heard she was heading to find food."

"Nope, she's looking for Avaric," Boq stated proudly.

"You really do stalk her, don't you?" Fiyero questioned suspiciously.

"No, I just happened to see her in the courtyard talking to Elphaba," Boq defended.

"Elphaba?" Fiyero repeated, suddenly alert. "What were they talking about?"

"Um," Boq stated. They waited for further explanation, but none came.

"Look, just, leave, okay?" Fiyero pleaded. A second later, he continued in a completely different tone, "By the way, are you feeling alright?"

"Why?" Boq questioned.

"You know, last night," Fiyero answered somewhat hesitantly.

"Oh. Last night," Boq sounded, vaguely disappointed or possibly nervous.

"Ah, last night," Avaric sighed, folding his arms behind his head. After a moment, he continued quickly, "but that was last night, not now."

"Thank Lurline," Boq and Fiyero muttered, barely audible.

"And now, Fiyero has to talk to me about something very important, so you have to leave," Avaric continued.

"Why?" Boq moaned.

"Because I'm taller than you," Avaric and Fiyero explained simultaneously, superiorly and irritably, respectively.

Grumbling, Boq reluctantly stood up and trudged out, carrying his book preciously.

"Okay, now, spill," Avaric invited. "And not literally this time- wait, that was Tibbett, wasn't it?" Not waiting for an answer, he shrugged, plopping back into the armchair.

Fiyero glared at him for some reason before carefully stating, "Remember what I told you last night?"

Avaric squinted. "About trinomials?"

Fiyero sighed impatiently. "About Elphaba."

"She's not a tree," Avaric nodded, smirking.

"Okay, even I'm not that dumb," Fiyero stated. "Be serious like you pretended to be yesterday, or I'll leave."

"I already explained to you that I am serious about dating Elphaba, so if that's all you're after, you can just…"

Fiyero simply ignored Avaric and continued, "I've been thinking about what I said yesterday- and, please, no more jokes about me not being able to think…"

"That's alright, because they're not jokes," Avaric interjected.

Glaring, Fiyero went on, "I'm pretty sure they- Elphaba the Artichoke and Bruce the Brute- just broke up. Over something ridiculous too, like their names on the marriage certificate."

"Really?" Avaric questioned eagerly, nearly toppling off of his seat.

"Please, don't start that again," Fiyero begged. "Anyway, so, Elphaba's dateless for the party on Saturday, and in fact, I think she may even have a crush on you…"

"Really?" Avaric squealed, a kid in a candy shop. Fiyero glared as Avaric covered his mouth.

"Or maybe she wanted to crush you literally," he warned. "Still recovering from her failed romance, asking her out might be… complicated. You'll have to make it so she can't possibly refuse. And if you say 'Really,' I'll kill you."

Avaric rolled his eyes. "Really."

"I hear a kiss helps," Fiyero finished, grinning wickedly.

"Really," Avaric commented, smirking up at Fiyero, who was chose to ignore Avaric's word choice. The thought occurred to Avaric that Fiyero might be telling him this for some purpose other than to please Avaric. As friendly as they sometimes were, they weren't knit as closely as everyone seemed to think. Sometimes, Avaric wondered what went on, if anything, in that closed mind of Fiyero's.

And sometimes, he suspected the very same thoughts occupied both of their minds. Avaric wasn't sure whether to be pleased or scared.

"Well, I suppose I should ask her," Avaric stated, his eyes not leaving Fiyero's.

"Perhaps soon," Fiyero suggested. "And remember, take it easy, but insist on a date, you know, to try things out."

"Fiyero, I've been dating longer than my father has," Avaric replied playfully, his mind racing. "I think I'm capable."

Fiyero nodded, and they stood- or rather, Fiyero stood, Avaric sat- awkwardly, staring at each other.

"Well?" Avaric finally broke the silence. "Done bringing the good news across Oz?"

Fiyero shrugged nonchalantly. "I suppose so."

"Great," Avaric said. "Now go away so I can-" He winced. "-study."

Fiyero frowned. "You're studying?"

"Why else would I be caught in here?" Avaric questioned. "Honestly, I didn't expect to be caught."

"Caught doing what?" Fiyero questioned. Avaric could tell he was struggling to look casual.

"Caught studying," Avaric repeated carefully.

"Why?"

"For midterm exams."

"But, why now?" Fiyero pressed.

"Because they're in less than a week," Avaric answered, pretending to misinterpret the question.

"No, I mean, you've probably never studied in your life before, why start now?"

"I'd think the answer would be obvious," Avaric replied. His tone deepened, and he tried to remain impartial as he added, "Elphaba."

He watched Fiyero stiffen, then relax. "Of course."

A bit puzzled at Fiyero's reaction, Avaric nodded absent-mindedly.

"I should go," Fiyero announced awkwardly, "so you can study." With that, he departed. Avaric watched him go, noticing a slight change in his stride, now with a much less natural stance and quicker pace.

"You should," Avaric agreed when the prince was gone. "So I can-" He reopened his book. "-study."

He hadn't specified what. Fiyero really should have asked.

For the first time, Elphaba felt… wicked.

She convinced herself it was guilt that prompted her to let Fiyero find her.

"Do you know what I had to go through to find you?" he whined. "Ten minutes. Ten straight," and for some reason, he blushed, "minutes of talking to Boq."

Then again, guilt was overrated.

Before she could find a callous retort, he switched personalities (as seemed to happen quite often with him), and knelt on the ground.

On one knee. "Oh, no…"

"Please," he rolled his eyes before assuming his sincere persona. "I just wanted to apologize."

Fiyero? Apologize? Not only was the concept unheard of but also seemingly unnecessary. He wasn't the one who had just sold her out (unless you counted the literal meaning). "For?"

"For… kissing you." His eyes flickered away. Then, mortified as he realized his terrible phrasing, they snapped back. "I mean, not for kissing you, for…"

"Kissing me?" Elphaba drawled.

"Well, yeah." He frowned. "No, not for kissing you, for… this!" He waved his hands around.

Elphaba raised her eyebrows skeptically. "For oxygen?"

He glared. "Careful, I'm not that sorry." From his eyes though, she wondered if he was. Despite having walked a day in his shoes, she still had no idea what he was thinking- or, more importantly, what he had been thinking.

Fiyero stood awkwardly. "Look, we should go…"

"Fiyero." He looked up, suddenly noticing her staring. Either because he had inherited her sarcasm or because he was just being his usual smartass self, he glanced over his shoulder. In both directions. "Does my name sound that good?"

She sighed. "Why did you kiss me?"

How could he smile at that memory? Yet somehow he was- maybe smiles didn't clash so much on. But, as always, instead of answering her question, he only left her with more. "Why did you kiss me back?"

He walked away. For once- for better or for worse- she followed.


Okay, not my best. I think I may have bored myself with it. But still, Elpharic and Fiyeraba in the same chapter, and Gloq with a sprinkle of Flinda in the last chapter and mentions of Bessa. Review worthy, or what?