The morning after they'd arrived, he knocked on her door once again. "Just seeing if you wanted to go out and see the city. Glinda's going out and Boq's accompanying her. She'd really like you to come with."

"No, thanks."

"She'll be disappointed."

"She didn't try and talk you into going?"

"She did try. It's not as easy for her with me when I'm not drooling all over myself like Boq."

Elphaba smiled lightly. "True. Is there anything else?"

Now was the only time he'd ever get to express his growing feelings for her. "I like you." He sighed in relief, glad to have gotten out what, for the past week or so, had been his deepest secret.

"Well, I like you, too." She said, pretending his words had no meaning other than friendship.

"No, Elphie, you see..."

"Not Elphie!"

"I can't help it."

"Fine." She shrugged.

"You see, Elphie, I like you in more than just one way."

She blinked and looked away. "I'm afraid I don't understand, Fiyero."

He blocked the doorway, which was the direction she'd looked. "Elphaba..."

"See, it's not hard to say my name, is it?" She changed the subject.

If she was going to avoid him so, she must not want his attentions, he decided. "No, it's not. Never mind, Elphaba. I'll go." He turned around.

Blushing a deep green, she said, "No, wait."

"Yes?"

"I... Oh, you must be insane!"

"What?"

"You don't like me. You can't. What sort of silly trick are you playing?"

"Do you really think this is a trick?"

"Well, you've got to be out of your mind if it isn't!" Elphaba aruged.

He took a deep breath. "This isn't some trick."

"Well, then we'd better take your temperature or something, because if you think you like me, you've got to be crazy." Elphaba retorted.

Feeling rejected, he headed towards the door. "Well, since my feelings obviously aren't returned, I don't know what I was thinking when I came in here. Maybe I am crazy."

"Fiyero, it's not that I don't like you..."

He whirled around. "What?"

"Oops." Elphaba glared at him, angry that he'd caused her to make a mistake. She was sitting on the bed again, and jumped when he sat himself next to her. "Maybe you should go..."

"I don't want to." He said quietly.

"I don't want you to, really." She admitted.

"This is..."

"Awkward? Just a little." Elphaba smiled.

"Well, things might be that way for a bit." Fiyero replied.

"We can't tell anyone." Elphaba warned.

"Tell anyone what?"

"That we... like each other." She shook her head suddenly. "Fiyero, aren't you engaged to be married?"

He looked at her and answered honestly. "Sort of."

"We can't like each other." She decided.

"We can, though."

"No." She said firmly.

"But what if I can change all of that?"

"How?" She asked, her eyes betraying her hopefulness.

"Didn't I tell you my sister got out of it? The only reason there are so many arranged marriages in the Vinkus is because we barely meet anyone there, so nothing makes us even care for anyone else. Most just agree to it because it's convienent and they feel they might never marry otherwise. If I were to simply refuse..."

"You should follow tradition." She said somberly.

"I don't want to follow some stupid tradition."

"Just because you like me and I like you doesn't mean you should go and throw the entire plan your parents made for you away."

"There's so much I won't experience if I just follow their simple rules. I love my people, but Vinkus tribes and minds are simple. I don't want a simple life."

"You seemed content with it before."

"That was before I knew you."

Obviously on edge, Elphaba stood up. "You're not thinking straight."

"I'm fine." He told her.

"You can't be."

He rolled his eyes and wondered if everything was going to be this much of a struggle with her. Standing slowly, he snuck up behind her and whispered, "I am."

He'd been so close that she'd felt his breathe on her skin and she shivered. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Startle me like that. Don't come so close without telling me."

"I'm sorry," he told her.

"You don't sound sorry."

"Are you going to turn everything I say into something else? How difficult does this have to be, Elphaba?"

"I don't know. How long is it going to be until you see that caring about me is impossible, Fiyero?"

This was going to be a very tedious relationship, he realized, but he didn't think he'd find it too trying, not if he could somehow convince her of his feelings. "Elphie, you can't just deny everything."

"I can do whatever I want. You can't tell me what to do, Fiyero," she tried to sound angry, but was, in reality, somewhat weak and even the slightest bit excited.

"Well, tell me you aren't going to just deny everything."

"I don't know what I'm going to do if you don't just leave this hotel room now!" She pointed towards the door.

He didn't move. After a long pause, he said, "Then what are you going to do?"

She sighed heavily. "I don't know."

"Will you consider being my girlfriend?" He asked shyly.

This surprised her. "Your girlfriend?"

"Well, yeah."

"I... That's not what I expected."

"What did you expect, Elphie?"

"I expected something like, 'I really hate you, this was just a trick'."

"Well, I really like you and this is not just a trick."

She grinned lightly. "Look, Glinda's going to wonder why you haven't answered her as to whether or not I would go with her."

"You're right," he said suddenly, "I'll see you tonight at the reception?"

She blushed a dark green. "I guess."

"Will you dance with me?"

"I don't dance."

"I'm going to make you."

"You can't make me do anything."

"I know." He replied, smiling, and headed out of the room.

Elphaba shook her head, surpressing a laugh as she closed the door. "What in Oz have I done?"