AN: This has been moving very slowly. I've been having to almost push it out, so I hope none of this feels forced. It's so slow right now for me in general.

Chapter Twenty: Weakness

Elphaba took a deep breath, looking at Fiyero. They'd gotten back to school the day before, and he was exhausted. As usual, she was up much earlier and classes didn't start again until the next day. Gingerly, she pulled his arm from around her, got out of bed and went to find some clothes, stretching.

She'd given in to his request to try and be more comfortable with him when she was naked. But she didn't look in his eyes when she was, just like when they made love. If he saw into her eyes, then she might have to share more than she wanted to. It was easier for her to share her body with him than her mind. He felt like he was getting somewhere with her, and she had more time to figure out what she was feeling. Elphaba realized she couldn't put it off much longer. He was too smart to let her hide from him forever. She just needed time.

He was smiling in his sleep and she couldn't help but find it sweet. She touched his cheek, just for a moment, and then drew her hand away quickly. How did he get to her like this? He was the only person who genuinely cared what she thought, if she was happy, who cared about her at all. But that didn't mean she had to fall for him like some silly teenager, no matter that she was a teenager at only seventeen. She wouldn't turn eighteen until early summer, just before his nineteenth birthday. She didn't intend to even tell him when it was her birthday, Oz only knows he'd try to do something cute.

Once she was clean and dressed, Elphaba wandered into the living room and sat by the window, staring across campus. The grass was yellowing and it no longer matched the color of her skin, it was probably closer to Boq's skin now than hers, though just barely. The trees no longer had her coloring, either, if they had any color at all. She almost smiled, thinking that she was the only green thing around here that didn't wilt when the cold weather came along. Students wandered along the pavement aimlessly. There was a group of students in the quad sitting in a circle. She assumed they were giggling and laughing and having fun, though she couldn't be sure. It was early for students to be up, but perhaps they were making the best of the last day before they had to return to the grind of classes.

Elphaba was so deep in thought that she didn't hear when Fiyero came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She jumped. "Hey!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you," he said softly.

She felt herself soften slightly, unwillingly. "It's fine."

"What do you want to do today?"

"There isn't much to do, Fiyero. I guess we could go over what we were learning in classes in case we forgot anything during the holidays."

Fiyero laughed. "That is not what I meant. You do that every day, Elphaba. And as good of a student as you are, you need to focus on something else once in a while." He slid his arms around her waist.

She felt a shiver sneak down her spine. Every time he touched her she just wanted to do everything he asked, physically, emotionally… How could she live with him when he had this effect on her? Why did she let him affect her? Elphaba gently scooted away from him. She patted the spot next to her to keep him from thinking she was trying to pull away from him, despite the fact that she was doing exactly that. "I don't know what else there is to do."

He sat beside her. "We could grab something to eat for breakfast, or see what Galinda and Boq are up to, meet up with them."

"Maybe we could," Elphaba agreed. Perhaps if Fiyero had other people to talk to, he wouldn't focus on her so much and she could shake off the tension. It didn't have to be tense, she knew. If she could just let herself love him, really love him… but she just wasn't ready to, if she could at all.

Fiyero went to go find Boq, gently waving Elphaba in the direction of Crage. They were to meet up at the café in half an hour, whether or not they'd gotten either Boq or Galinda to come with. Elphaba trudged up the stairs in Crage Hall to the third floor, where she knew Galinda's room was (she'd been there once or twice, though she tried to avoid it for the most part). She knocked on the door.

Galinda swung open the door looking peppy as ever. "Elphie! You're back!"

"Yes. Fiyero and I were going to breakfast and we wanted to know if you would like to come. Fiyero is inviting Boq, I think."

"Of course I'd like to!" Galinda invited Elphaba into the room and began a long preparation process, fluffing her dress and primping her hair. She then grabbed a white sparkly bag from her bed, covered in pink ruffled pillows. She tossed a few compacts in it and dragged Elphaba back to the door. "Let's go!"

Elphaba struggled to walk at the same pace as Galinda. She was a fast walker, but apparently that wasn't quite the same as skipping. The green girl was basically out of breath by the time they reached the café.

Boq and Fiyero had already arrived, though Elphaba wondered how they'd gotten there faster than she and Galinda when Galinda had been bouncing along so quickly, though she had taken forever to get ready. They found a table in a corner in the back. Elphaba sat beside Fiyero while Galinda and Boq sat across from them.

Elphaba noticed that Boq was yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Did you just wake up?"

"When Fiyero knocked on the door, yes."

"Fiyero, I told you not to drag him out of bed."

"He woke up. I told him he didn't have to come if he wanted to go back to sleep, but he insisted," Fiyero lowered his voice so only Elphaba could hear, "when he heard Galinda might be here, of course."

Elphaba raised her eyebrows at Fiyero and turned back to Boq. "How were the holidays for you, Boq?"

"I went home to Munchkinland, though we could scarcely afford to," Boq flushed, wondering what Galinda would think about that comment. Hurriedly, he continued, "Anyway, I saw your sister. She misses you terribly and sends her regards."

Elphaba lowered her eyes, feeling Fiyero's eyes on her. "Thank you, Boq. If you should see her during the winter holidays, tell her I miss her, as well."

Fiyero put hand on Elphaba's under the table. "We went back to Kiamo Ko for the holidays."

"Is that your castle?" Galinda asked excitedly.

"It's not the kind of castle you're probably thinking of, but yes, it is a castle."

"What do you mean?"

"It's stone and grey and unexciting. And a little cold, which is actually a blessing as the Vinkus can often get very hot and dry."

"I like dry," Elphaba commented.

Fiyero smiled at her. "I know."

"So you saw Fiyero's family? I hope everyone was well," Boq said.

"Everyone was fine, thank you," Fiyero replied.

"How was your break, Galinda?" Boq asked eagerly.

"It was lovely. Gillikin is so pretty in the fall! And there are so many cute little shops open along the lake near our home. And Father let me buy some more beautiful dresses. Oh, Elphie, you must try on one of them. I just thought of how pretty it would look on you!"

Elphaba's eyes widened and she looked horrified. "Um, thank you, but… no."

"Why not?" Galinda pouted.

"We probably aren't the same size and we don't exactly wear the same style."

Galinda sighed. "But you haven't even tried!"

Fiyero was watching this interaction, thoroughly amused. He thought about pushing it along, but he knew that Elphaba would probably kill him for it. "I think Elphaba's probably right," he said, instead. He thought staying on Elphaba's side in this discussion would be best for him.

"Maybe another time," Glinda decided.

"Maybe," Elphaba pushed a smile, just trying to get the subject dropped.

"What's your castle like? Do you have servants?" Galinda asked Fiyero.

"We have a few. I generally like to do things myself. And like I said, it's not pretty, it's just a castle. But it's much nicer than anything else in the village. We have our own library." Fiyero shrugged.

"I should come visit you sometime. I can spruce the place up!"

Fiyero laughed. "Perhaps."

An hour later, Fiyero and Elphaba headed back towards the apartment. They were passing Briscoe Hall when Fiyero spied Avaric lurking around the bushes and vines that covered the building. He debated not saying anything about it and just continuing to walk.

As they got closer, however, Fiyero noticed a look on Avaric's face that he didn't like (not that there was ever a look on Avaric's face that he did like). Just as they were about to pass him, Fiyero caught sight of something and shoved Elphaba back.

"What the hell?" Elphaba shouted, glaring at him as she stumbled against the building wall.

A moment later Fiyero was soaked with water and Avaric was standing next to him, holding an empty bucket. "What were you doing?" Fiyero grabbed Avaric's collar.

"Seriously, dude, it was just a joke. I thought since she looks like a frog, someone should get her some water."

Elphaba realized what had just happened, then, and her face softened a little. "Fiyero…"

"You jerk! Do you have any idea what you almost did?" Fiyero had Avaric cornered, though he had let go of his collar.

"It was just water!"

"Just water?" Fiyero clenched his fists and turned away. He didn't know if Elphaba would be upset if he mentioned her strange allergy, and he didn't know that it was Avaric's business, anyway. So he just said, "Do you have any idea how cold it is? The two of us having to walk back to our building soaking wet and freezing cold would just be asking for the flu!"

Avaric shook his head. "Sorry. I didn't think you'd be so freaking sensitive, pretty boy." He pushed past Fiyero and ran back into his building.

Fiyero turned to Elphaba, who was staring at him. "I apologize for pushing you…"

She was breathing heavily, but nodded at him. "I think trying to save my life is a good enough excuse for that."