Rifiuto: Non Mirena

A/N: Written: 2009. Found: 2018.- Licia

A soft knock sounded on the door, but he didn't look up from the flames dancing in the grate. He heard the knob turn; once, twice, three times.

"Yero? Yero, let me in. Yero!"

She jiggled the knob, to no avail. He briefly tore his gaze from the flames, before going back to them. Go away, Fabala. Please, just go away.

"Yero!" Again, she jiggled the knob, before slamming a palm into it. "Fiyero, open up! It's me! Please!" Another slam. "Fiyero!"

"Go away, Fabala!"

"Yero, don't do this! Please! Don't shut me out! Shut the others out- your parents and Mulhama, and the rest of the Oz-damned world for all I care, but don't shut me out! I'm your wife!" She struggled with the door, unaware of the others having returned inside, that they were watching. "Yero, please!" But he ignored her; a moment passed, before she rested her forehead to the cool wood, choking out a sob. But her tears only lasted a moment, before she straightened, pulling away from the door. "Fine. Be that way. Shut me out, when I did nothing! I did nothing to you! Nothing! But go ahead, give me the same treatment you're giving everyone else! Just remember that when you need a sympathetic ear, the one who was willing to listen, you drove away." She turned, only to come face to face with the sisters.

Neither female said a word, though a thousand questions and answers passed between them. And in that short time, the young man had slowly gone to the door and unlocked it, easing it open an inch. He watched in silence before slowly opening the door wider and slipping out of the study. A moment passed before he cleared his throat, and all three turned to him.

He met each woman's gaze, before finally landing on Elphaba's, knowing what he was about to say was going to hurt her the most. Her dark eyes were filled with unshed tears, and she took a deep breath, meeting his gaze with a determined lift of her chin. The meaning was clear. Go on, say whatever you're planning on saying.

"Fabala, I'm so sorry." His whisper was soft, and didn't reach her ears, though she watched his lips form the words, and her brow furrowed in confusion. He then let his gaze wander over to Sarima and Mulhama. Neither sister said a word, though now, he could evidently see what made them twins. And yet, he also saw what made them so different; the weight of the world rested on Mulhama's shoulders, and she bit her lip, glancing quickly at Sarima as the young queen took her hand, squeezing gently. A moment passed, before he spoke. "I can't do this anymore."

"Do... do what?" Elphaba asked, her voice choking on the question. He met her gaze, mentally kicking himself. This would destroy her career, if not destroy her, and he was the known cause.

"This."

"This? What this?" She demanded, holding her arms out. "You're not making any sense, Yero!"

"This. This! Roaring! I can't do Roaring anymore! I can't! I just... I can't do it anymore."

"Fiyero!"

"Yero, please-"

"Wait, so you're... you're what? Quitting? Just like that? Over some... some... some long-kept family secret? You're throwing your career away- and mine!- simply because you found out something that Mulhama had good reason to hide? All over some... some slight? Do you... do you even understand what you're saying? What you're doing? Do you understand how this is affecting me? I lose my sponsors, my very career, if you walk away!"

"You can find someone else-"

"I don't want to pair with anyone else. I don't want to double with anyone else! I want you!"

"Then become a skater. It's your next strength, Fa-"

"I'm not a skater, Oz-Damn it! I'm a Roarer! And I'm a Doubles Roarer!" She screamed, small hands balling into fists. Mulhama had seen Elphaba lose her temper on very rare occasions, but this... this was pure heartbreak she was experiencing. Fiyero winced, but didn't respond. "How dare you! How dare you do this to me! To us! How dare you walk away right before the Games! How could you?"

"Fabala, you don't understa-"

"I don't understand?" She cut him off, eyes going wide. "Me? Who's mother died when I was a baby, who's sister is crippled, who's father abused her- I don't understand? I understand that you have a set of parents who adopted you, who raised you and loved you, despite your background! I understand that you have a birth mother who loved you so much she gave you up so that her sister could experience what she did! Who returned to her career so she could earn enough sponsors to build a better life for you! Who had the tragedy of finding her husband- your father- cold in their bed, and still, managed to get up every morning because she had to! Despite what Mulhama did, or maybe because of it, you have had the best life anyone could ask for! You were raised a prince! An Oz-damned prince of the Vinkus! And you have talent! Amazing talent! Natural talent! Talent I would have killed to have been born with instead of this hideous skin! And Mulhama... your mother coached you- a three-time Gold medal Ozlympic champion figure skater! A fucking Ozlympic medalist! And your father was a skating champion! Who, from what I could figure, loved you deeply! I would kill for that!" She lower lip trembled. "I would kill for your life, Yero, despite the secret Mulhama hid. You don't know how fucking lucky you are. And what's worse?" She shrugged. "You don't care."

She glanced down at the chain around her neck. A moment passed, before she reached up, removing it. The simple pendant shone in the light, and she looked up at him, tears sliding down her cheeks. She quickly closed the gap between them, taking his hand and dropping it into his palm. "You can have this back. I don't want it anymore."

He shook his head. "No, Fabala-" She pulled away, stepping back.

"Don't. Touch. Me." Her dark eyes met his. "I married you, thinking that I was marrying a man who would put my hopes and dreams first before his own, put me before him, but I was wrong. Clearly you don't care about anyone but yourself. You're exactly like my father, Fiyero Tiggelar. And I hate you." She choked on a sob, shaking her head as he reached for her. "I hate you so much."

And without another word, she fled, her sobs breaking his heart.