A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Chapter 3

"What are you doing sleeping at this hour?" Glinda squealed.  "It's five o'clock.  Time for dinner, then to go out."

Elphaba sat up groggily.  Fiyero had left.  She vaguely remembered it.  She couldn't describe the way his concern had made her feel.  It was a sensation she couldn't remember ever feeling.

"Earth to Elphie!"

"Hmm?"

"Why were you sleeping?"

"I wasn't feeling well.  The moisture in the air, it disagreed with me."

Glinda nodded.  "It stopped raining.  The sun's out again."

"Good."

"So are you going to be social tonight?"

"Perhaps."

"We're going into town to fetch some dinner, maybe catch a show."

"Why'd you bother to come back?"

"To change.  We were all damp and icky." Glinda bounced over to her closet.  "Ooh.  Should I wear the pink or the purple?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"I know, you pick between the black or the black, but I like color."

Elphaba snickered.  Glina picked the pink and quickly changed. 

"The guys also wanted to find Fiyero.  He needs to have some fun too."

"I talked to him for a while this afternoon.  We were both outside reading until it started to rain."

"You two need to have some real fun.  Now maybe you could wear a blue dress tonight."

"Who said I was coming?"

"Please come.  Nessa missed you dreadfully."

"Fine."  Elphie crossed to her closet, far more meager than Glinda's, and selected a royal blue sundress.

"Is it still nice temperature-wise?"

Glinda nodded. "Very warm.  That'll be fine."

Elphaba slipped into her sundress, wrapping an aubergine scarf around her neck, and putting on a pair of long, black gloves.

"That somewhat defeats the purpose of a sleeveless dress."

"Get over it."

"May I do your hair?"
"That depends on what you want to do to it."

"Wear it down, with a small braid on either side, joined in the back."

"Okay." 

Glinda set about brushing Elphie's long, dark hair immediately.  Once completed, the two took off for town.

"How are you feeling?" Fiyero asked, sneaking up behind her. 

She spun to face him.  "You startled me.  I'm fine.  Headache's gone."

"Good."

She couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked.  He had changed into a dark brown pair of breeches, with an off-white tunic, and a purple sash, similar to her own. 

"Glinda persuaded me to come."

"Did she influence your outfit too?"  Fiyero smiled.

"Of course.  Otherwise I'd still be in what I was wearing earlier."

"Well, you look nice."

"Obligatory compliment."

"No…really."

"Right."

"Dammit Elphie, why don't you believe that you can be pretty?"  He stared directly into her eyes.

"I'm just not.  Those," she gestured toward Glinda and the other girls, "are the pretty ones."  Elphaba started away, but Fiyero caught her wrist.

"You're not getting out of it that easily."

"Let me go."

He did not.  Their eyes met again, both willful, both stubborn.

"Woah, uh, are you guys going to kill each other?" Boq questioned, coming over to them with a pipkin of wine.  "Bottle's open."

Neither moved.

"Um, if you guys don't join the rest of us soon, you'll end up paired with each other by default for trivia."

"That's fine," Fiyero answered.

"We'll be there soon."

"I'll, uh, go back, and tell them that you will partner."  He tiptoed away, glancing back at the ensuing battle. 

"We should go join the others," Elphaba argued.

"Not until we talk about this."

"What is there to talk about?"

"Why do you think so little of yourself?"

"That's none of your business."

"You're much prettier than you acknowledge."

Elphaba dropped her gaze to the floor.  He stepped closer, squeezing her captive, gloved hand tightly in his.

"You don't understand."

"I think I do."

"How could you possibly?"

"Elphie…I…."

"See you don't…"

"Let me finish."

She shut her mouth.  They did not break apart.

"I may not know what its like to be green, but in case you forgot, my own skin is several shades darker than most people's.  I'm hopelessly different, even without the blue diamonds.  I constantly get rude stares, and comments.  I know exactly what Avaric thinks of my skin color, and that Glinda would think me fine as a friend, but would never date some one with this dark a complexion.  I do hear these things.  I saw how everyone looked at me that first day in class."

"Well, that was a pretty odd situation to begin with."

Her face had softened, but she still wouldn't look up at him.

"Okay, that was a poor example."

"I got your point.  I don't know why I feel the way I do.  I need to succeed at something to make myself feel better about myself, I guess." 

She bit her lip.  Quickly he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, and offered it to her.  She took a deep breath.

"I'm okay…thank you though."

"I'll let you go now.  I just want you to know it was an 100% genuine compliment earlier.  You look very nice tonight."

She looked up at him, finally.  He meant it.  She could see it in his eyes.

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