Galinda was staring out the window when Elphaba returned late that night. She'd seen Fiyero exit the dorm an hour of so previous, but waited in the shadows a little longer, unsure of if she'd be relieved or horrified if she returned and found that he hadn't slept with Galinda.
"Hey, Lin," she murmured.
"Oh, you startled me," Galinda whispered, not turning from the window.
"Something on your mind?"
Galinda turned from the view of the moon and crossed to sit on her bed. Elphaba took her post on her own bed, facing the blonde, who looked disheveled. "Fiyero and I... We were together, finally," she admitted.
"Oh," Elphaba said, feigning surprise. "You hadn't...?"
"No. I'd never at all," Galinda confessed, picking at her fingernail.
"Was it what you thought it would be?"
Galinda looked defeated, and said nothing for a long while. "I don't know what I thought it would be."
"Oh." Elphaba's stomach did flip flops.
"It was...!" Galinda tried to think of a way to say it. "I don't... I mean, he was good. Of course. And I... But I thought it would bring us closer."
"And it didn't?"
"He didn't really... look at me," Galinda admitted.
"Where did he look?"
"His face was in my neck," Galinda supplied, pointing.
"I've heard that's what men do," Elphaba offered, her voice careful.
"I thought he would look at me." Galinda raised her tear-filled eyes to gaze at Elphaba. "But, Elphie, he didn't look at me. He doesn't look at me."
Elphaba had never heard Galinda's voice so small and lifeless. "I'm sorry, Galinda."
Galinda sniffled, nodding. "Thank you for listening, Elphie," she gasped, before burying her face in her hands and sobbing.
Elphaba rushed to her side and held her while she cried. She held Galinda through her tears, knowing she was the cause of them.
oxOxo
"Fiyero."
He was in the library. Of course he was. He didn't look at her, he couldn't bring himself to lift his head. The truth was, he hadn't only slept with Galinda because Elphaba told him to. He'd also hoped that it would make him feel closer to his girlfriend, that it would take his mind off the woman he knew he was truly in love with. It had accomplished neither, and now he had taken something from Galinda that she could never get back, and, while taking it, had been thinking of somebody else. "Fae." He paused. "It's been a couple weeks."
"You've been stumbling through them," she pointed out, her tone accusatory.
"I've been a little under the weather," he said, scratching at something Elphaba couldn't see on the tabletop. She let his statement hang in the air until it was unbearable for him, and he gazed up at her. "I miss you."
"Galinda's miserable. I came to tell you that. I can't watch her be this miserable. If I'm to blame, then I'll remove myself. I won't be a part of this anymore."
"What?"
"We're through," she said, no longer suffocating on the words. "You and I, we're done. You can tempt me all you want, it's no use. I can't be the reason Galinda is this upset all the time. You will just have to fall in love with her again, because she's what you've got, and she's wonderful."
"Again?" Fiyero scoffed, looking downright rageful. He stood, and leaned in close to her. "As if I ever was to begin with? I've only ever loved one woman, Elphaba. And you know that it's you. Galinda will get over this, if I end it with her. She'll survive."
"I'll lose her. The moment you and I say we're together, I'll lose her."
"You'd rather lose me?"
They'd gone too far, too much had happened. It was her fault as much as his, and she knew it. Elphaba tried to think of how to say it. "I'd rather just go back to before," she admitted. "Because that is so impossible, I'd have to say that I'd rather be a woman who sticks with the first friend she ever had than one who prioritizes men over -"
"I'm your best friend, Elphaba," Fiyero interrupted. "I'm your best friend, also." He sighed. "I'm not just 'some guy' who came along out of nowhere and now you've lost all sense."
Elphaba had nothing to say to that, so she didn't speak for a good long while. "We're through," she repeated, finally. "And I'll never be with you. So you might as well be with an amazing girl, who loves you, and would do anything for you. She's so perfect, Fiyero."
"You've said this before," he reminded her. "You gave in."
"Not this time. If you try to tempt me, you won't see me at all. I am very good at disappearing."
oxOxo
Fiyero had taken to drinking. Out of favour now with Elphaba, and mostly disgusted at the idea of being with Galinda, but feeling like somehow it was his only chance at ever getting Elphaba back, he found that not thinking clearly was his best option, and that required liquor.
Of course, along with the liquor came partying, because parties were a suitable location to get very very drunk. Galinda, also, had become quite the little drinker, and so Fiyero and Galinda found that they were back to having tons of fun together. Mostly.
Elphaba had retreated into herself, though Galinda seemed more and more cheerful with each passing week. "Elphie, I really can't bear to see you here all alone and... well, you seem sad Elphie. And I was sad before, but now things are getting better, and... You were there for me, and I want to be there for you."
"I'm fine, Galinda. I'm happy for you, and I'm happy for me and all the reading I'm getting done."
"Elphie, please won't you come out with us tonight? There's a big party at the Chenzel! I feel like we haven't all been together in a group for ages and ages." She paused. "It's so strange. We all used to be so close."
Elphaba didn't want Galinda to dwell on all the recent changes in their circle of friends, and so she begrudgingly agreed, though she regretted it the instant she and Galinda met up with a very sexy, yet incredibly drunk Fiyero. "Ladies," he slurred.
Galinda giggled. "I brought Elphie out! Isn't that fantabulous?"
"Elphie, I've missed you," he said, trying to focus on her, though he swayed and squinted.
She looked at him more closely and saw dark circles under his eyes, then looked away. "I've heard the two of you have been out having a good time," she commented.
"We've been out a lot recently," he nodded.
"Gee, Fiyero, try not to sound so happy," Galinda laughed, linking her arm through his.
"You know me," he said, realizing he should say something better. "I'm always happy."
The night was incredibly long, and Elphaba found herself edging away from Fiyero and Galinda, who wound up dancing the night away, anyway. Elphaba ended up near the exit before she even realized she was headed there, but was intercepted by a very drunk young man on the way.
"I was just, uh... Oh!"
He dragged her into his arms and onto the dance floor, where she found herself trapped and unable to escape until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, her relief at rescue gave way to disdain as she was face to face with Avaric. "Hey, Elphaba, there you are!" he shouted over the music. "Sorry, man," he said to the Mystery Guy, who clearly knew better than to stick around, and vanished. Avaric watched him go with mild amusement, then turned back to her. "You looked horribly uncomfortable," he shrugged. "Are you having a good time?"
"No," she replied. "Are you?"
"Not really," he frowned. "Wanna come get a drink with me?"
"No," she replied, wondering what he was on to even try to spend time with her. "Are you high?"
He laughed. "Not really. Come on, it's hot in here."
"I don't trust you around drinks," she said. "Do you remember the last time you and I were consuming beverages near each other?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. "Though I remember the fallout. I didn't do anything that might have hurt you, Elphaba. Forget the fact that I wouldn't want to, I was way too gone to have actually successfully endangered you! I promise," he swore. "I'm thirsty. If you want to come get some punch, I'd love your company." She glared at him. "I did just save your life, you know."
"You saved my feet, at most," she shot back.
He grinned. "Touché. Come on, Elphie."
"I think I'd better just go home. I'm very tired. But, uh... Thank you, I guess," she replied, attempting civility.
"I can walk you back," Avaric suggested. Elphaba just stared at him. "It's no trouble," he shrugged.
"Are you plotting something? You're being strangely kind, it's unnerving."
Avaric smiled in a sad sort of way that made Elphaba unsure of who she was for a moment. "I've been awful to you," he admitted quietly. "But I... If we could talk, I'd like to apologize, and maybe explain." She wasn't convinced. "Look, I think Boq's about ready to phone it in," he said, spotting Boq and gesturing for him to come over. "How about if he walks sort of with us, and then you'll know I mean you no harm."
Elphaba eyed her munchkin friend warily, then nodded, gesturing for him to come with them. He seemed relieved, and trundled over to them, clearly through with the rambunctious crowds and a night full of drunken women he would never have, because he was in a relationship, whether he was always one hundred percent happy with it or not.
Later, in the cool night air, with Boq about ten feet behind them, Avaric walked next to her nervously, fiddling with his sleeves, adjusting his collar, running a hand through his hair, and, every so often, double-checking to make sure she didn't need his coat.
"Avaric, what is your deal?" she finally asked.
"I'm just... I like you," he sighed.
"Bullshit," Elphaba tossed back.
"I swear on my looks that I do," he offered, causing her to pause and gaze at him.
"What's in a lie like this for you?"
"I'm not..." He sighed, frustrated. "Hey, Boq," he called.
Boq walked to where they had stopped, looking nervous. "Yes?"
"When you were a little kid, you know how you picked on the girls you liked?"
Boq, looking terrified, stammered, "N-no... I was always really nice to them."
"Which is why you never had a date," Avaric muttered, looking disappointed. "Alright, well you know how some guys were mean to the girls they liked?"
"Oh, definitely," Boq said, looking relieved to be saying what Avaric wanted. "Hair pulling, sand kicking, name calling... The works. I never understood it."
"There, you see?" Avaric held his hands out to Elphaba, who looked unconvinced. "I'm still seven years old."
Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Finally, some truth out of you."
"I'm not lying, I like you! I swore on my looks!"
"You're an idiot," she smirked.
"Fiyero's an idiot, you like him just fine," Avaric pointed out, not realizing the intense chill his words gave her.
"Fiyero is also a gentleman, who never calls me Artichoke," she finally managed to point out.
"True," Boq and Avaric agreed at the same time.
"I apologize for that," Avaric offered.
"If he's saying he likes you, Elphaba... I wouldn't let it effect me, but I would believe him," Boq offered. "Avaric," he added, emboldened. "You're an asshole."
Avaric smiled. "How true."
"I think he's telling the truth," Boq shrugged.
"Why?" Elphaba felt a little betrayed at Boq's statement.
"Because, thusfar, I've never heard him lie about anything. He may be an asshole, but I've never known him to be a liar."
Elphaba narrowed her eyes at Avaric. "Prove it."
Avaric's eyes darted toward their diminutive friend. "With Boq here?"
"If you can," Elphaba said, crossing her arms.
"Uhh..." Avaric thought for a moment, then started talking a mile a minute. "You look gorgeous when you wear that navy skirt and the black V-neck sweater. I played extra rough in Quotch scrimmages with Kers when I found out he was dating you, to the point that he'll have a bad knee for the rest of his life. I sit behind you and slightly to the side in all our classes together, so I can see you. I wrote my last paper about Animal rights, even though I knew it wouldn't get me a good grade. I haven't screwed around with anyone since I found out you were single again, which has been really hard, I -"
"Alright, please," Elphaba said, holding up her hands. "You'll embarrass yourself."
"I think he already has," Boq snickered.
"Are you still here?" Avaric barked.
"No," Boq said, hopping away as quickly as his legs would carry him.
"Well there goes my escort. And by that, I mean witness."
"Look, if you don't like me back, that's fine. I just wanted to tell you. And I promise to be better from now on. No more seven-year-old stuff. Nine, ten, maybe," Avaric offered.
"Fine," Elphaba said, glancing in the direction of her dorm.
"May I still walk you back? So that you're sure to get there alright?"
Rolling her eyes, Elphaba stomped in the direction of her dorm, then paused when she realized he wasn't walking with her. "Well?"
Grinning, he jogged a few steps to catch up to her, smoothly removed his jacket and slipped it over her shoulders, and continued walking her the rest of the way home.