A/N: Wishing you all a very merry Christmas! Hope you enjoy your holidays, presents, and families!

Avaric does not turn to meet my eyes right away, nor does he smile when I touch his arm. He stands and brings a cigarette to his mouth, cupping the flickering light in his hand and blowing swirls of smoke out of his breath.

I position myself so that I'm almost in front of him, but not blocking his view of his gardens.

"Avaric..." I try, but he holds up his hand and lights another round before turning annoyed black eyes to mine.

"How do you know him?" He finally says.

I stop and think about how Fiyero and I first met. It couldn't have been too important, I suppose, and surely Avaric knows that. I'm certain in began in school, in my first years of collage. I didn't know Avaric at the time, and I had been more interested in my studies and settling Nessa in.

I remember how Fiyero had slung into me, pretty much drunk and having his hand pulled by Miss Glinda. She hadn't liked me since she decided that I was too odd for her forced company of a private suite, so she wrinkled her nose and grabbed Fiyero's arm.

"Better not be looking at him, Thropp." She hiccuped, a fire blazing in her eyes.

"Come now," I had said, "I'm sure you won't even remember how rude that sounded in the morning. Besides, I wouldn't bother myself with him. Look at him, so drunk and babbling." I glanced at him as he grinned stupidly at me. Meeting Glinda's blue eyes again I added, "He's a prince, Glinda Upland. You don't know how much he sleeps around."

She flicked her skirts and pulled him away. The party ended soon after that, in the first glows of morning light. I had wanted to forget the whole thing, and I went to bed with different thoughts.

The following day brought new surprises as I prepared for my next class. Fiyero came to me, his hair still untidy and the top buttons of his waistcoat undone. He grinned at me, dimples forming in his cheeks as he leaned against the next locker.

"Hey, didn't I see you at the ball?" He asked.

"I'm sure you met everyone at the ball," I said coolly, putting my things in my locker before setting down the hall. Fiyero followed me, his footsteps easily catching up with mine, as he continued to press me.

"You were so drunk, I didn't think you'd notice." I said.

Fiyero actually grinned, grabbed one of my folders, and opened it, reading my name in the upper left corner.

"Elphaba Thropp. I'd know you anywhere."

"Am I supposed to be impressed? Most everyone does." I concluded, snatching my folder back.

My mind fazes out and I meet Avaric's waiting eyes.

"I know him from school," I say. "He was in some of my classes."

Avaric nods to himself before asking, "Why did you ask if he had a date?"

"He was always a flirt."

Avaric's mouth tilted a bit, as if he wanted to smile but wouldn't. "I trust you know he is engaged now?"

"Sarima. Yes, Avaric."

Avaric nods again and turns to leave, before thinking better of it and taking an apple from a nearby bowl. "He's invited us to his wedding, you know."

"I hate weddings." Before it could even form fully in my brain I said it. I remember our own wedding. I was so scared, with garments of white surrounding me and a veil flowing down the back of my head. Father didn't walk me down the aisle. I was alone, and instead of feeling like there was nobody there but him, I felt alone in an entire crowd of people. Which I was. There were no seats, so to me on that beautiful summer day full of loving eyes I felt like I were in a desert full of waiting vultures.

Avaric comes toward me and presses smoke-scented lips to mine before whispering, "I know. But he is my best friend, and-"

"It will make you happy. I know, Avaric." I smiled.

He walks out now, giving me a smile before closing the door behind him.

I set dinner on the table and look outside at the evening sky. The sunsets are so pretty here, but they rarely come. I snap a picture with my camera, wishing that all nights could be this way.

Fiyero comes in, fresh from his shower, his hair still wet and gliding in silky waves down his head. His skin glows and he doesn't wear a shirt, which I find kind of annoying since Avaric will be home from work soon and he doesn't like visitors like this around his wife. Besides, I ask in my head, What kind of man leaves his wife and elderly waids alone with someone as strong and good-looking as Fiyero? He could easily take advantage of me, and Avaric would probably agree with his friend for years rather than his wife for few.

Fiyero takes an apple from the fruit bowl and bites into it loudly. Juice dribbles down his chin before he wipes it away with his wrist. Talking through a half-filled mouth he asks, "Where's Av?"

Av?

"Avaric had to run back to work. He had some last-minute papers to sign," I respond coldly, filling the glasses around the table with water. "He will be home any minute now for supper. As for you, Mr. Tiggular, I would prefer you to wear a shirt to the dinner table and comb that unruly hair."

Fiyero snorts and his eyebrows raise. "Well, Miss Thropp, I don't mean to-"

"Mrs. Tenmeadows, if you please. Now go. Wash up."

"Why do I gotta wear a shirt?" Fiyero's voice is akin to a whining four year old, and I grit my teeth at the sound.

"Because you are a grown man. Might as well start to act like one." I sniff and leave him in the kitchen, still stupidly holding his apple and gaping at me.

Avaric and I will need to have a talk when he gets home.