Chapter 7: Falling

He went with the excuse of feeling homesick. It technically wasn't a lie, he did miss his family a little bit, but not to the point where he would have the sort of reaction that he did. She didn't seem to fully believe him, but she let the matter drop and he was thankful for that.

But as frustrated as he was the week before, it was that same feeling right now. Glinda had gone home to visit her parents for her "popsicle's", as she called him, birthday. It was just him and Elphaba at their apartment today and tomorrow, when Glinda came back, they'd go to the park. He was bored out of his mind.

"Gee, thanks," Elphaba said.

He really needed to stop saying things out loud. "Well, can you blame me? I don't think you've talked to me in over an hour, green girl," he laid down on the couch.

She was going over her study guides on her laptop for a math class…or was it science? There were equations in there, that's for sure. She had her final exams coming up soon. While he liked to keep her company, he also wanted her attention.

"Need I remind you that I would like to graduate early? This is finally my last year and I would love not having to do school while we're traveling for competition season," she said, never taking her eyes off her computer screen.

"I realize that," he groaned, I just really need you for some reason right now. He sat up and looked to where she was sitting on the dining table. "Could I help you?"

"Do you know anything about advanced calculus?"

He gave her a confused look. "I don't think I even took that."

She snorted. "Well, if you're bored, why don't you work on choreography for competition? Or music? I'm here, I'll make sure you don't kill youself," she teased.

"I did that yesterday," he sighed, "can you at least come and sit next to me?" Oz, he must seem so pathetic to her right now.

She smiled at him. "Fine."

Elphaba grabbed her laptop and settled herself on the couch next to him. It might be a little risky and stupid, but he didn't care right at this second; once she'd settled herself on the couch, he placed his head in her lap. He tensed at no longer hearing her keyboard, she'd stopped typing. He was glad he wasn't looking in her direction. He felt a hand in his hair and he sighed.

"Comfy?" she whispered.

"Very," she resumed her typing, a hand still touching his hair, his heart beating wildly.

What was happening?

"I'm gonna go buy a pretzel, you two want anything?" Glinda stood up from the ground.

Elphaba and Fiyero shook their heads. "No,", "I'm good."

"Alright, just don't ask for a bite of anything. I'm talking to you Fiyero."

He laughed and threw a leaf at her. Once she left, Elphaba laid down on the grass and almost immediately lost consciousness.

"You good?" Fiyero pulled her back in.

"Not really," she couldn't seem to keep her eyes open.

"Are you tired?"

"Extremely," she yawned, "Glinda kept me up all night yesterday, talking about this new girl her brother met and how she seemed so snotty."

"Well, you must be tired if the ground feels comfortable to you right now," he observed and she nodded. "Come here."

Her eyes snapped open and he motioned her again. She crawled over to him and he leaned back on the tree. She leaned back against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. She giggled softly at feeling him press a kiss to her hair.

This was bad. He was her friend, her best friend along with Glinda, why couldn't her heart be happy with that? Everything they were doing, it was all because their friendship was strong, and she so wished it could be because of something else. She certainly felt it, she just didn't want to admit it, it would just hurt. It already hurt, because there was no chance of him ever feeling the same way.

Short I know, but I felt like it was necessary. So they both like each other; Elphaba is pretty sure that she's falling in love, knows there's no chance of it ever being reciprocated, and is still falling anyway; Fiyero has no idea what this new feeling is. Did I drive that home? I don't feel like I did but I hope I did. Hope you liked it! :)

I don't celebrate thanksgiving, but for those of you that do: Happy late Thanksgiving and here's a triple update for you! Hope you enjoyed it! R&R :)