Chapter Forty-Three: Reminders

She was headed home, quickly, before he even realized what was happening. He took a deep breath and trotted after her. When he thought he was catching up, she picked up her pace. As he got faster, she began to run, swerving in a direction that threw him off for a moment. They continued this unspoken pursuit until they'd reached the castle, at which time Elphaba dashed up the stairs.

He didn't bother to hurry. She'd lock herself in the study, as was her mode of avoiding him. What she didn't realize and he'd never revealed was the fact that his father had the keys to every room in the house, and so did he. Nonchalantly, he wandered into the throne room.

"Your wife just ran down the hall." His father informed him.

"I know. I'll deal with it in a minute." Fiyero grabbed the keys and trudged towards the study. Before slipping the key into the lock, he paused at the door. No pages turning, only a deep, heavy sigh. He could see her in his mind, curled up on the couch, fighting her anger. That was exactly how he found her.

She looked up at him, glaring into his eyes and not speaking.

"I told you not to talk to me that way in front of my subjects," he said softly.

"Is that really what you came in here to say?" She asked, amused.

He didn't answer her question. "You, of all people, understand politics. I can't have my wife snapping at me like that in front of the village people, Elphaba."

"Oh, of course, you and your princely little image!" She hissed. "First of all, he is my friend; he already knew I was going to snap at you anyways. Second of all, I don't give a damn about your political image."

"You have a problem with me, you talk to me. That would make the most sense."

"So I can't confide in anyone because they're not as high status as we are?" She challenged.

"You're twisting my words." Fiyero said. "It's like I can't do anything right, can I, Fae?"

"Oh, don't even start that with me! I'm not going to feel sorry for you, Fiyero."

"No. You aren't. I'm lucky if you feel anything for me." He replied, turning around and walking straight out of the room. Fiyero headed into their bedroom in a daze. Had he really just said that?

"Fiyero!" She called after him.

He didn't flinch. She couldn't win this time. It's the last time.

It was no surprise that she didn't immediately come after him. That would symbolize giving in, and she could never do that. But an hour before dinner, she opened the door and slid into the room. She watched him for a moment, before he realized she was there, as he lay on the bed staring at the ceiling thoughtfully. He looked genuinely hurt, and something about that softened her, if only for a moment. "Fiyero." Elphaba climbed onto the bed and lay down next to him.

"What do you want to scold me for, now?" He didn't turn to her; it alarmed her that he didn't fasten his eyes on her and watch her every movement the way he loved to.

She pressed herself against him gently and wrapped her arms around his waist, like he often did for her. "You know I love you."

He shrugged, attempting to keep himself indifferent and cold. But that was her talent, not his. "Sometimes, Fae, I'm not so sure if you know."

"I told you a long time ago I didn't think I was the sort of person who should be in a loving relationship. You insisted. I thought you knew what you were in for. Fiyero, you irritate the hell out of me, but I can't stop myself from loving you. Nothing's going to change that." She reassured him,

"But you'd want to change that?"

"I'd want to change the fact that I get so irritable with you, yes. It comes with love, you know. All of this stupid fighting and pain, it's what you get in return for the only person in the world who will ever mean more to you than you mean to yourself."

"That last part is true," he said quietly.

"I know." She kissed him on the cheek. "There's hell to go through. If life was as easy as the way it looked to be for us, we would be suspiciously lucky. And believe me, I'm never that lucky. I tried to warn you that you were getting yourself stuck with bad news."

He had to smile a little bit, then. She was always so cynical. "You think that mattered? I didn't care. I don't care. It's you, just you. But you have to understand that things don't work the way you want them to around here, even if it's not the fairest situation. It takes time to change that sort of thing."

"I've always been a bit… radical." She admitted. "I'm not a patient person. I try to be, with you, my hero, but it's hard."

"Is it hard because of me?"

"No, it's hard because of me," she laughed.

He pushed her arms off of him and then snuck his own around her. "But we still love each other, though."

"More than anything," she whispered. "I'm not going to apologize, though."

"I didn't expect you to," he told her. "But I'm not apologizing, either."

"That's a first," she commented.

"I don't think I should have to."

"I think maybe you should, but not to me."

He squeezed her tight. "Fae, my Fae, my sweet, wonderful, beautiful Fae…"

"Stop the flattery and get to the point, Fiyero."

"I trust you completely. I trust that he wouldn't hurt you. But I don't trust that he's only looking for friendship."

She sighed. "He needs a friend, Fiyero."

"He also needs a woman. He is the only single male above twenty in the tribe, Fae. Besides, why you? You don't have to only be his friend. There are plenty of women in the tribe…"

"Who are scared to death of me," she finished. "And they bore me half to sleep! I don't want to hear about the mess their children made of their breakfast this morning, or the best way to clean house. I want intelligent conversation."

He nodded. "I understand that, Fae. You've got me, and I'm sure that's not enough. I've got you and my father. That's barely enough for me. I know my mother doesn't exactly provide the most intelligent conversation…"

"She's fun to talk to," Elphaba said, "she is. She's a kind, funny, quirky woman, but she doesn't really understand the things I feel strongly about, aside from you."

"I'm glad you feel strongly about me."

"That's not always a good thing," she teased.

"Oh, but when you come to bed, I'm not complaining about how strong your passion is." He said, making his voice deeper.

"Shut up." She giggled. "I think… maybe we should finish this talk later. Everything's kind of nice right now."

"I like it that way."

"So do I."

"You're normally the one who stops it."

"Only when you say something that gets to me. Don't say much more tonight than 'I love you', and we'll be fine. I just want to sleep with you right now."

"Sleep with me?"

"Not like that!" She buried her face in her hands. "I'll admit, Fiyero, that it is nice to lie like this, to sleep in your arms, to know as I sleep that, in the morning, I'm still with someone who loves me. I probably wouldn't sleep well without you, either. I've never had to find out. I don't want to. I'm tired now. I don't even want dinner."

"Do you want to get undressed?"

"And encourage sex? Not right now."

"So you're saying we're going to fall asleep on top of the covers in our clothes."

"Pretty much."

"But I can still hold you and tell you I love you?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't mind at all. I'm a little exhausted, too. All of this arguing has worn me out." He turned her to face him and kissed her deeply. "Goodnight."

She turned back to lying on her side and he fastened his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the top of her head. This was comforting and wonderful. It was a bit pathetic, and things weren't right, yet, but she could deal with that in the morning. "Mmmm, goodnight, Yero."

"I love you."

"I love you, too. But if you say another word, we will start fighting… and it won't be with words." She grabbed one of the pillows and thrust it at his stomach.

"Hey!" He barely had time to catch the pillow before she was back in the same position, pretending to sleep. "Well, have it your way." Fiyero settled down next to her, feeling like everything could be fine, now, and stay that way.

He was very wrong.

When she woke up and pried his arms from her the next morning, he stopped her. "One thing, Fae."

"Hurry. I have to change."

He released her and spoke as she fumbled around in the closet. "Remember right after you were sick, and we were talking about how much we love each other?"

"Sure."

"You said that you would've come out here even if you had nothing to do, only for me. I was kind of wishing you'd meant that."

The noise from the closet stopped. "What are you saying?"

"I don't know. It's obvious to me that you couldn't do that – stay out here just for me, I mean. Giving up the school and being with me all the time just wouldn't be possible, not with you. I just remember thinking you might have really meant it, that you might have really loved me that much."

In a different dress, Elphaba stepped out of the closet, hands on her hips, shaking furiously. "You know, I didn't expect to be put on another guilt trip this morning. I was hoping you could wait until later to pull the rug from under me like that, but no. You just can't let me live sanely for more than a few hours, can you?"

"Elphaba, I just meant…"

"I know what you meant. Thank you for reminding me." She turned on her heel and stormed down the stairs. He heard her ask a servant for a piece of toast she could eat on her way, and then he heard the door close.

He was pretty sure he'd reminded her of the wrong thing.