A Lazy Afternoon

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.

Chapter 20

Fiyero cupped his hands around his eyes and pressed them to the window, peering inside.

"Still a bloody mess."

"Yeah, its obvious that no one gives a damn about real scientific research."

"They just bound up the place?"

"Spells far beyond my power.  The door won't budge, the windows won't break, no matter how hard you throw a rock at them.  Look."

She lifted a large rock, and hoisted it at the glass window, which repelled it as if it were steel.

"Not a crack."
Fiyero stared at the window in disbelief.  "It's as if it didn't touch it."

Elphaba nodded.

"So there is still quite a bit of work in there?"

The eyes in the bushes inched closer, to better listen in.  They were high interested in this conversation.

"I've got most of it.  The most important stuff at least, but I'm much too inexperienced to make much of it.  Hell, I took dictation for him all summer, and I only understand the smallest fraction of his work."

She sat on the grass, dejected.  Fiyero sat beside her.

"Don't put yourself down, you're so dedicated…"

"I'm dedicated to the cause, but I can't do anything about it, because I don't comprehend the science."

"You will."

"In how long?  Five?  Ten?  Twenty years?"

"Elphie, your persistence, it'll come through."

"You mean my stubbornness."
"Persistence."

"Mere semantics.  They mean the same thing."

"I disagree."

"Why?"

"Stubbornness is refusing change, to avoid something new…"

"Which I do…"

"…Persistence is holding fast to something, to make a change."

She turned away from him, curling her knees up to his chest.  He crawled up beside her.  The eyes in the bushes shifted so they could see the pairs' fronts again.

"Elphie, I'm sure if you work on Dr. Dillamond's research and keep reading as much as you can, you'll figure it out."

"And how many years will be lost in the meantime?"

"You'll get it."

"You're too optimistic."

"And you're too cynical!"

She spun away from him again.

"I'm cynical, sarcastic, stubborn…"

"Persistant."

"Stubborn, weak, stupid, and ugly."

"Elphie!"

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her onto his lap.  She tensed, and wrenched herself out of his grasp.  She fell forward, and rolled along the grass, toward the bushes.  The eyes retreated further into the brush.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"I just heard a noise."

"I heard nothing.  Elphie, you are not weak, stupid, or ugly…you're just down on yourself right now."

"Shh."

They listened for a moment.  Silence.  The eyes in the bushes kept deadly still.

"I guess I'm just jittery."

Elphaba bowed her head into her arms, hugging her legs close to her chest. 

"I hate being like this."

"Like how?"

"Unable to do anything.  Anything at all.  There is absolutely nothing I can do to help anyone.  I can't read Dr. Dillamond's research properly.  I can't perform enough sorcery to send a pen flying across the room, let alone release this binding spell.  Everything conspires against me sometimes it seems."

Fiyero placed his hands on her knees.

"I am not quite sure what to say."

She raised her head up a bit, resting her chin on his fingers.

"I mean, Elphie, I want to help you.  Or rather, be here for you, be your friend, or whatever, but I can only do it if you let me."

Elphaba released her knees, and grasping Fiyero's hands in hers, pulled him closer to her. 

"I know you're doing what you can."

"I wish I could do more."

"There's nothing really you can do.  I mean, you can't understand the research any better than I."
"No, definitely not."

"But you've been good to me, especially in the last few days."

"I try."
"I know."

"Do I try too hard?"

"I don't think so."

"I don't want to suffocate you."

"You're not.  I'm just not used to anyone caring, at all."

Elphaba pursed her lips together, trying to quell the growing pressure of tears in her eyes.  Unable to, she bowed her head.  Fiyero quickly reached over and dabbed the burning flow from her cheeks.  He rubbed the side of her arms, and stroked them, waiting for her to calm down.  She curled her body closer to his, climbing onto his lap, straddled, and holding him tightly.  Her head lay in the nook between his neck and shoulder.  As he traced circles on her back, she shivered, and looked up at him. 

"May I kiss you again?"

"You don't have to ask."
"I didn't want to scare you."
"I'll be okay.  Kiss me you fool."

He leaned in, quickly pressing his lips to hers.  There was a desperation in this kiss, and strong need.  And they lost themselves in each other, lips bruised and tongues exploring.  So lost were they, that they didn't noticed the rythymic pitter patter of the retreating eyes.

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