A Lazy Afternoon
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.
Author's Note: Okay, to clear up a comment from a review, it's a book-verse story more or less. I just need the ability for him to be able to touch her at this point in their relationship, which breaks from the book. I'm in a silly mood today. This chapter and tomorrow's were both written in a 5 hour period while my boyfriend was fixing the computers for this place he consults for. And try to figure out what I was listening to today…there's a nearly direct reference that just popped into my head a flow of dialogue and I found too amusing to change.
Chapter 17
Elphie bit her lip hard. Now she wasn't going to even get to talk to Fiyero, let alone comfort him. She leaned against the wall, dejected. Glinda had her head stuck partway out.
"He's just laying there…" Elphie sighed. "He's almost oblivious to the rain."
She pursed her lips tightly together. Glinda turned to her.
"It won't hurt him."
"I know…but…he just looks so upset."
"Elphie, he just needs to be alone."
"He's going to make himself sick."
"It's not that cold. He'll be fine."
Elphaba nodded reluctantly, and quickly turned away, wiping the tears that were running down her face. Little streams of lava they could have been, and felt the same.
"Elphie…its okay…its okay."
Glinda wrapped her arms around Elphaba awkwardly. Elphie shook her off.
"No! It's not okay. He's there laying in the rain, upset, and alone."
"Elphie…calm down!"
"No, I have to go help him."
She scurried to her closet and started putting an extra clothing.
"Are you crazy?!" Glinda screeched. "You can't go out there. It'll kill you."
"No, it won't."
"Elphie, listen to me. Fiyero wouldn't want you to go out there. He worked so hard to make sure you were okay before."
Elphaba paused. "What can I do? Will you go?"
Glinda looked at Elphie, then out the window, then back. She's never seen that Elphie this fired up about another person.
"Okay," she replied, finally. "I'll go out there. Do you want me to try to get him to come back here?"
Elphie nodded, and settled onto her bed. "Thank you."
"He'll be okay."
Glinda threw a thick cloak over her dress, and scooted out the door. Elphie sat clutching her pillow for a moment, then crossed to the window. Glinda was just leaving the building, squealing. She was quite sight with her cloak over her puff of a dress, running across the lawn to the river. She startled Fiyero from his daze. He was confused. He must have fallen asleep on the wall. Oh no, he was refusing. Elphie leaned against the wall, trying to see as much as she could without getting sprayed. Glinda was pulling on Fiyero's arms. He was having none of it. Glinda turned up toward their window, and spotting Elphaba, shrugged in an exaggerated way. Elphie pursed her lips. Her eyes were beginning to swell again. She was ready to go out there herself. Then Fiyero sat up, and looked in the direction Glinda was. She couldn't hear what was being said, but he saw her, and he went with Glinda. Elphie ran to the closet and pulled a number of towels out. She waited anxiously by the door.
"Elphie! I forgot my key! Open the door!"
Elphie turned the knob and pulled. There stood Glinda and Fiyero. She had shed her cloak upon entering the building, and was not particularly wet. He, on the other hand, looked like a poor, drowned puppy. She handed them both towels. Glinda dried quickly, and deposited hers into the hamper at the end of her bed.
"I'm going to go study with Pfannee and Shenshen," Glinda said, pulling the corner chair over for Fiyero to sit on.
"Thank you," Elphie whispered. "For everything."
Glinda nodded, and exited the room. Elphie fished through her closet, and found the shirt and breeches that Fiyero had sent her home in a few days prior. He had sat on the chair provided, with the towel slung across his shoulders, looking forlornly ahead. Elphie lay her hands on the towel.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"I just want to say, thank you for coming in."
"I was lonely."
"I could tell. I just couldn't go out and get you myself. I have the clothes you gave me the other day."
"Oh."
He didn't move. Elphie crossed around him, and knelt in front.
"How are you?"
"I've been better."
She looked up at him, "I wish there was something I could do for you."
"You'll make me feel better. I just need to be held."
Elphie smiled. "First, you need to change."
"Okay, okay." He stood up and peeled off his wet shirt. Elphie handed him another towel. Their hands brushed, and he grinned. Her gaze lowered watching the blue diamonds, as he pulled off his pants, right down to his soaked shorts. He grabbed the dry breeches from the bed.
"You're not going to put those on over the soaked underwear, are you?"
He paused. "I guess you're right."
He turned to face the bed, away from Elphie, and stripped off the sopping shorts. The blue diamonds continued their pattern straight across his toned bottom to his legs.
"Could you throw me the pants?"
She brought them over, coming up beside him. She had an urge to see what the pattern did on the front.
"Elphie…"
"Sorry."
She crossed to her closet. He quickly pulled the pants on, and turned around.
"There. Only my hair is wet now, and that takes no time to dry."
"Could you take your wet stuff and hang it?"
Fiyero nodded and picked up the dripping garments, draping them over the chair. He flopped onto the bed.
"You're so beautiful," he remarked, as she pulled his tunic off.
"Don't start that again."
"You either."
She looked down, away from him.
"See, Elphie, you have a nice flat stomach. And it's a gorgeous, verdant shade."
"Bullshit."
He bounced off the bed, and over to her, pulling her into his arms.
"Why do I have to persuade you of this every time that I see you?"
"Because I've spent 20 years being told and convincing myself that I'm ugly."
It stung more than she thought it would to say. Fiyero gently rubbed her back, to calm her.
"Hey, Elphie, hon, I know that you've been trained to think that you're nothing, but try, please, please try to be more positive. And know that when I say it, you should never doubt it. I think that you are beautiful." He ran a finger along her bare stomach. "Especially the larger expanses of green."
He ran his thumb under her chin and pulled it up. She looked at him, cautiously. He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. She kissed him back, shivering. It was as if electricity was flowing through their lips. He pulled her tightly against him. She tensed, and quickly pulled away.
"What's wrong? Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"A little."
He nodded and stepped away. She pulled her nightgown over her head, and picked up his shirt. "You should put this on."
"I thought you didn't have a problem with my going bare-chested."
"I don't…"
"You like the diamonds."
"You know I do, but Glinda might come back anytime. It'll look bad enough if you have a shirt on, if you don't…"
"It'll look even worse. I follow."
He nodded and pulled the shirt over his head.
"Now, I have a ton of homework to do. You're welcome to stay, I'd like you to stay, but you must be quiet."
Fiyero grinned. "I can abide that. I've got a bit of work to do myself."
He climbed into the bed, and she nestled beside him, pulling her books to her. Leaning against each other, they began their work.
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