Chapter Nineteen: Not So Stubborn

For the fall holidays, they chose to stay at Shiz instead of going anywhere at all. Elphaba's family may have allowed them to stay, but Elphaba knew it was very likely they'd be staying with them during other holidays that year; enduring all of the holidays with her family and Fiyero, with his tendency to create awkward situations, would just be too much for her. They knew better than to even think about going back to Kiamo Ko.

It was relatively empty, but the hallways were cold and unheated, so they stuck to the dorms and café for the majority of the time. There was very little to do, and neither of them lacked sleep for the week that everyone was gone. Elphaba taught Fiyero how to play chess, and, having been taught war strategy and how to rule since he was very young, Fiyero quickly learned and was soon winning most of their matches.

"Check," Fiyero said, yawning. The sun was not even setting, but he was already yearning to get into bed.

Elphaba studied the positions of the pieces on the board. She chewed on her lip thoughtfully. After a moment, she knocked one of his pieces off the board with her rook and said, "Not anymore."

"Nice one," he admitted. "But… check… checkmate."

"Damn!"

"It's just a game."

Elphaba protested, "I taught you. I'm supposed to win."

"I never thought you cared about winning."

Elphaba shrugged. "I'm just very bored and losing every day does not help my self-esteem, love."

"I didn't think anything affected your self-esteem at all," Fiyero laughed. And so they passed the days playing chess. Although it felt drawn out, the days did end and everyone was back in time.

They were all sitting in the café when Avaric suddenly shouted, "Hey, guys, let's play some truth or dare."

Everyone nodded in agreement, except Elphaba. "Wait. New rules."

Avaric groaned, "What?"

"You may not dare anyone who is involved with someone to kiss or touch anyone else."

Avaric rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't wish that upon anyone but Fiyero, anyway." He stood up. "All right, guys. Let's head over to the park, then."

They all wandered over towards the park, and Elphaba shivered slightly in the fall cold. Fiyero wrapped an arm around her shoulder lovingly and she smiled gratefully at him. He whispered, "I love you."

Softly, Elphaba murmured, "Are you sure you don't want to just skip this juvenile activity and have our own little game back in our room?"

"As tempting as that sounds, my love, this might be funny."

Elphaba considered this and grinned maliciously, "Oh, it really could be! Can we dare Glinda to kiss Boq?"

Fiyero squeezed her shoulder approvingly. "That would be funny, huh?"

"If she wasn't too chicken to ever take a dare, damn it."

"Come on, guys!" Avaric and the rest of the group had somehow gotten far ahead of the couple. "Stop being all lovey-dovey."

Fiyero grabbed Elphaba's hand and they caught up and sat down. He gently pulled her into his lap and slid his arms around her waist, hugging her. "Warm?"

Elphaba snuggled closer. "Mmm, yes."

Avaric rolled his eyes. "Anyway, let's do this. I'll start. Pfanee, truth or dare?"

Pfanee bit her lip. Everyone knew she had a thing for Avaric and she was afraid to look girly by not taking a dare. She squeaked, "Dare."

Avaric seemed pensive for a moment. "I dare you to flash all of us – from the top, not the bottom, if you get what I mean."

Pfanee gulped and lifted her blouse quickly. "There."

Elphaba turned to look at Fiyero, wondering if he'd been staring. But he was only looking at her. She smiled and nuzzled against him.

Pfanee continued the game. "Glinda. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"You're so boring," Avaric whined.

Glinda simply stuck her nose in the air.

"Okay, then. When did you have your first kiss?"

"When I was twelve." Glinda turned to Elphaba, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Elphaba said simply. She wasn't up to doing much.

"Tell us about your wedding night," Glinda said. She resented that Elphaba had never told her anything and wanted to get back at her.

Elphaba gaped at Glinda. "Tell you what about it?"

"What happened?"

"Well," Elphaba gave Fiyero a helpless look; "Fiyero's family had some sort of custom where they had to watch."

The entire group gasped in horror.

"Do you really want to know much else?" Elphaba challenged.

"Yes," Glinda insisted.

"I entered the room and Fiyero kissed me. We climbed onto the bed and we did it."

"With all of those people watching?"

"Yes."

"Was there blood?"

"Yes." Elphaba's face was flushed, obvious even in the dark.

"Did it feel good?"

"Not for the first ten minutes," Elphaba replied.

"After that?"

Elphaba closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Fiyero pressed his lips to her scalp. "Yes. Then we had to go back to separate rooms to clean up. Later, we got back into bed and went to sleep." She decided to skip the part that involved the other activities they'd done. No one had to know.

"Very well," Glinda muttered. "Your turn."

Elphaba was stunned at Glinda's "truth". How could her best friend possibly have subjected her to that much embarrassment? "Fine. Crope, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to continue the game. Fiyero and I are leaving." Elphaba got up, grabbed Fiyero's hand, dragged him up as well and headed out of the area back towards the dorms.

Fiyero followed and trudged after her. "Um, Fae…"

"I can't believe she had the nerve to do that."

"You were kind of rude to her that one time," Fiyero pointed out. "Remember? When you were tired and I accidentally told her about my parents and our wedding night and you just snapped at her."

"Fiyero, that doesn't give her any right to do what she just did in front of everyone!"

Fiyero sighed, "You're right." After that, he followed her silently to their bedroom.

Once she was out of her dress, Elphaba fell back onto the bed with closed eyes. She felt Fiyero's arms around her and cuddled closer to the only person she felt she'd ever trust. Neither of them spoke or moved, laying quietly, but not sleeping. Fiyero kissed her neck soothingly, but she couldn't calm down. "I wish I could sleep after that."

"It's not so bad, Fae."

"Right." But there was no sleep for her for several hours. The only thing that kept her from getting up and pacing was that she'd probably wake Fiyero, and he looked peaceful. It felt wrong to bother him.

The next day was Saturday, and Elphaba spent the majority of it making up for the sleep she didn't get during the night. Fiyero stayed with her and eased her back to sleep when she woke. He kissed her forehead and stroked her cheeks until her eyes would drift shut. An hour before dinner, there was a knock on their door. Sighing, Fiyero kissed Elphaba's nose and got up to answer it.

"I'm sorry," Glinda blurted out the minute he answered the door.

"Tell that to her," he muttered.

Elphaba had woken at the knock on the door and was sitting up in bed, wearing one of Fiyero's shirts. She'd been incredibly cold, and Fiyero had just taken his shirt and put it on her, instead. In truth, she felt kind of silly wearing it, but she wouldn't admit that to him. "Well, well," Elphaba said angrily, "look who decided to show up?"

"I said I'm sorry," Glinda repeated.

"Glinda…" Elphaba wasn't sure what to say. There was nothing Glinda could do, and hell, they'd been a little drunk, but that didn't take away the embarrassment.

"I don't know what I was thinking. I was mad about you not telling me, and I did something stupid."

"Well, that's not a first, of course," Elphaba snapped dryly.

"Please forgive me."

"It's not like I have any other friends to talk to when I'm mad at you, anyway," Elphaba said grudgingly.

"So we're still friends?"

"You sure as hell better find a way to make it up to me," Elphaba threatened.

Fiyero stared at the two women and shook his head. Elphaba had certainly become less stubborn than she'd used to be. But maybe she'd had to. After all, she couldn't very well go around not forgiving anyone, or she'd be alone. Loneliness didn't suit Elphaba as well as she'd wanted everyone to think it did.

"Oh, I will! I promise, Elphie. I'm so sorry. Are you guys coming to dinner?"

"In a few minutes. I've got to get dressed properly."

Glinda's gaze fell on Fiyero, who was still shirtless. "So does he," she added.

"If I catch you looking at my husband without a shirt…" Elphaba warned.

"Hey, it's not my fault he's not wearing one!" Glinda cried. "I certainly didn't ask to see that. If you ask me, it's more than I ever wanted to see."

"We'll see you soon, then, okay?" Fiyero said quickly, going to the door, trying to get it through Glinda's head that she should leave.

"Oh, yes, of course!" Glinda bounced out the doorway.

Elphaba was holding her head in her hands, almost laughing, when Fiyero shut the door. "I honestly don't know what's gotten into me! First, I was sociable, then I stopped being so harsh… what next?"