Happy New Year, everyone!

Elphaba tightened her scarf around her neck as she made her way back from her evening shift at the library. The late February weather wasn't being kind, and the college being on a hill didn't make it any better. The wind chill made it feel ten degrees colder than it really was. All she wanted to do was get back to her room. She had a late night of working and studying, and she just wanted to relax.

She felt her muscles relax as soon as she entered Crage Hall and the heat hit her. Sighing, she trudged up the stairs and unlocked the door. She paused in the doorway, taking in the room, or at least, her roommate's messy side. She wordlessly stepped in, softly closing the door behind her. Galinda's side looked like a tornado hit it, while her own side was untouched. Her roommate was lying on her side, curled in a ball under the covers. Her breath hitched every so often and her shoulders shook.

"Miss Galinda, are you alright?" Elphaba asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft.

Galinda slowly uncurled and glanced at Elphaba. The girl who had stolen her boyfriend's heart, however unintentionally. She wanted to yell at her. She wanted to curse her entire existence and tell her to return to her frog swamp. But she didn't. She couldn't.

"I don't want to talk about it," she whispered, recurling into her ball.

"The room –"

"I'll clean it later. Just leave me alone."

Elphaba couldn't get the image of her roommate's bloodshot eyes staring, almost glaring, back at her. She had never seen her so broken before. Something big must have happened. Had she done something? No, she couldn't have. If she had done something, the blonde would have made a big deal about it. But she didn't.

Elphaba quickly got ready for bed, glancing at her roommate once more before turning off the lights. "I'm sorry," she whispered into the darkness.

She was sure Galinda was asleep and didn't hear her, until a soft, "What?" responded.

"I'm… sorry you're so upset. And I'm sorry if I'm the reason you're upset."

Galinda sat up and turned towards her roommate's voice. "You didn't do anything." Not intentionally, at least.

It took less than a week for rumors of Fiyero and Galinda's breakup to spread across campus. No one knew if they were true or not because the two were still friendly to each other. A few girls tried their luck to see if they could be the next future Princess of the Vinkus, but Fiyero politely fended them off. A few boys started flirting with Galinda, but she politely declined. No one bothered to even ask them if the rumors were accurate, but both of them knew they wouldn't.

A few days later, Galinda finally gathered up the nerve to talk to Elphaba about Fiyero. She could see that the two were avoiding each other. And it was time for it to stop. She slowly walked over to her roommate, who was sitting at her desk hunched over a worksheet, and loudly cleared her throat.

"Yes, Miss Galinda?" Elphaba asked, slightly annoyed that she was being bothered.

"Miss Elphaba, I'm sure you've heard the rumors about –"

"I don't have time to concern myself with your silly stories, Miss Galinda. If you'll excuse me." Elphaba grabbed her bag and made for the door, but the blonde's voice stopped her.

"He stayed with you while you were in the infirmary."

The green girl stopped and turned.

"Fiyero stayed with you while you were in the infirmary. He didn't tell me, and judging by the look you're giving me, he didn't tell you, either."

"… Why are you telling me this?"

"Because he cares about you. Really cares. More than cares, actually. He loves you, Elphaba."

Crap. That was exactly what she was afraid of. "Well, I have no interest in your boyfriend, so you can –"

"He's not my boyfriend anymore. We broke up."

It wasn't any of her business, but… "Why?"

"Because we realized that we're not as perfect together as we thought. We're meant for different people."

Dear sweet Oz.

"And… Fiyero's meant for you."

Dear sweet Oz on a stick.

"After he told me about your trip to the city, I knew you were beginning to return his feelings for you."

And that was something she simply couldn't allow. "Well, that's too bad for him, because I don't. So you can tell him to get those delusions out of his brainless head," she said, making for the door.

Galinda beat her to it and blocked her.

"Excuse me, Miss Galinda."

"Look, Miss Elphaba, it's taken me a long time to wrap my head around this, even longer to accept it, and even longer to find the strength to admit it to you, so the least you can do is listen to me."

"Why should I listen to you?"

"Because I'm trying to help you."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because I've changed, alright! And I've seen how my cruelness has affected you, how the world's cruelness has affected you!"

"You know nothing of the world's cruelness."

"I know that because of it, you've built these thick walls around yourself, have hidden behind them, and refuse to lower the bridge for anyone. You refuse to accept that anyone cares about you. You reject them before they have the chance to reject you."

"They have rejected me."

Galinda took note of how Elphaba's voice had dropped. "Fiyero hasn't."

Elphaba clenched her teeth. "I'm going to be late for work," she hissed, pushing past her roommate and out the door.

The green girl was in her own world as she pushed the book cart through the shelves, restacking books. She liked working in the library. It gave her lots of time to think, but at the moment, the thought that was at the forefront of her mind was the last thing she wanted to think about.

But as usual, life had a way of throwing a wrench her way when she hasn't dealt with a problem in a while. And this problem came in the form of Fiyero, browsing through the stacks. Leaving the cart behind, she marched over to him, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and dragged him behind all of the stacks, away from prying eyes.

"Elphaba, what in Oz –"

"Why the hell did you break up with Galinda?"

"It was a pretty mutual breakup."

"Fiyero."

"What do you want me to say, Elphaba?"

"I already told you that you can't have feelings for me."

"I think I made my feelings pretty clear when I –"

"When you kissed me. I know. Which you shouldn't have done in the first place."

"Tell me you didn't enjoy it."

Elphaba was silent.

"You can't because you did. I know."

"But that doesn't mean anything. I already told you, Fiyero. I'll only end up hurting you. And you'll –"

"I won't hurt you, Fae. You can trust me."

"You can't promise me that."

"And you can't promise me that I'll end up hurt. I love you."

"I guess now you'll tell me it was love at first sight or something equally as stupidly sappy."

"It really wasn't, because I'm pretty sure insulted me."

"So when did you realize it?"

"When we were at the ballet, and I saw you face light up in pure wonder as you watched the stage."

Elphaba turned away. "You should –"

"Don't say it. If your whole point is that I should go back to Galinda, it's not going to work. Elphaba, if you can look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't feel that spark, I'll never bother you again. I can't go back to Galinda, but I won't bother you anymore. Look me in the eyes and say it, Fae. Say it and I'll go away."

Elphaba slowly met the prince's gaze. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She tried to force it, but still, silence. She felt her eyes begin to water and the tears slowly slid down her cheek.

Fiyero waited patiently before gently pulling the green girl into a gentle hug. "Fae…"

"I… can't."

"I understand what I'm asking of you, Fae. I understand that you've been through a lot, and that this is new to you, but all I'm asking for is a chance. Do you trust me?"

Elphaba lifted her gaze to meet his. "Yes."

"Can we do this together?"

"… Yes."

This kiss was much gentler than the first. For a moment, all Elphaba's cares and worries melted away. She could do this. She and Fiyero could do this together.

"I should get back to work," she whispered when they pulled away.

"Yeah. Of course."

"Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Why didn't you tell me you stayed with me in the infirmary?"

"It never came up."

"It came up with Galinda."

"Fair point."

"And?"

"It didn't come up with you."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "That's a weak excuse."

"It's the truth. And how do you work that into a conversation?"

"I'm sure you could have thought of something."

"Usually I'm good at switching conversation topics and tactics. I don't know what happened here."

Elphaba chuckled softly. "I should really get back to work now. There are probably students at the front desk waiting to check out books."

"And I should probably finish looking for that book for our archival theory class."

"The one on infamous figures? I checked out the last copy this morning."

"Then I guess we'll have to have a study session together."

Elphaba looked back at him before hurriedly leaving with the cart. Fiyero couldn't seem to wipe the grin off his face, even as he left the library and belatedly realized he left his hat and scarf inside.

Well, the official Fiyeraba only took 15 chapters. Y'all, I. Am. Exhausted! I know you must be, too, but we finally made it!