"Elphie, Avaric is going to be here in ten minutes. That gives me enough time to do just a little makeup. Please?"

"In the three weeks I've been dating Avaric, have I even once let you Galindafy me?"

Galinda smiled softly. "Has it only been three weeks? I feel like the two of you have been together a lot longer, somehow."

"Really?"

"Maybe because the two of you always sort of..." Galinda trailed off.

"What?"

"Well, you guys always bickered like an old married couple. I always thought you kind of liked each other, but you were embarrassed to admit you liked him."

"And my embarrassment stopped you? It's never had that effect..."

"Well then you were dating Kers, and then..." Galinda blushed. "I was pretty miserable, and wasn't really thinking about anyone but me. I know that's awful."

The sick sensation of guilt washed over Elphaba. "No, Galinda. Don't apologize. Please."

A few minutes later, Galinda hopped off to answer the door, letting Avaric in and watching with a gooey sort of wonder at how he greeted Elphaba. It had taken Galinda a little getting used to, but then she'd gotten so fully on board with the new couple that is often frightened the pair.

He kissed her gently on the cheek. "Are you ready, Art?"

"Of course I am, Ass," she smiled.

Galinda giggled. 'Art' was Avaric's pet form of 'Artichoke', and 'Ass' was Elphaba's return shortening of 'Asshole'. He'd come up with a list of green things he liked, and interchanged the words on a regular basis. There was something teasing about the way he said it, like he knew that anything more serious or affectionate would make her uncomfortable. She thought back to the first time he'd heard them really throw words back and forth, and smiled to herself.

"Alright, my happy iguana, are you ready for lunch?" Avaric had asked.

"Give me five minutes, if your neck can support the weight of your big head that long," she'd murmured back.

"You're a saucy avocado, aren't you," he'd grinned.

"What does that make you? A social disease?"

"A vegetarian, as it were," he'd shrugged.

Galinda, overhearing it, had chimed in, "But you don't eat her..." before clapping a hand over her mouth and stuttering.

Avaric's ears had turned a little red. "My my, Miss Galinda," he'd chuckled.

"Enough," Elphaba had barked, her face hidden behind her curtain of hair.

Galinda hadn't partaken in their banter since then.

Avaric and Elphaba left, nodding goodbye to her, and she smiled to see his hand on the small of her back. Avaric had really impressed her, and, she knew, Elphaba herself. People who had been "curious" about the new pairing had been met with calm dismissal of their concerns, and Avaric had stuck to his guns about Elphaba.

Kers had retreated from any interaction with Avaric, but his opinion of it wasn't as clear as Galinda would have thought. Though she'd always had trouble scrutinizing her own relationships, as her heart got in the way, she was fairly good at looking at people from the outside and seeing what they were feeling. Kers wasn't surprised that Elphaba was with Avaric because of their previous seeming dislike, but for some other reason, which Galinda couldn't guess. She thought about asking Elphaba if she knew, but decided that, even if her room mate did have an idea, she'd never share it.

Fiyero had been friends with Avaric, but wholeheartedly disliked his dating Elphie. Galinda knew that he was protective of his friend, but Avaric was really being good to Elphaba, and he'd really solidified that he cared for her over the past weeks.

For their date on this particular evening, Elphaba and Avaric had grabbed some snacks and drinks from the café and gone for a stroll through the Shiz grounds, down by the river. They enjoyed a healthy debate about their latest History assignment, which had split the class into opposite teams and asked them to research opposite viewpoints. Fittingly, the couple had been pitted against one another, and were enjoying throwing points back and forth. Elphaba liked being mentally challenged, and Avaric liked that Elphaba would always fight back. They each respected that the other was strong, would hold firm, and not just when it came to school subjects.

Throughout their conversation, Avaric managed to call Elphaba "you twisting ivy", "my crispy pickle", "prickly cactus", "my sour apple", "my dear ferocious alligator" and "you snapping turtle."

Elphaba had laughed at all the names, and said, at the end, that, save his personal jabs about her verdigris, she thought he just might help his team win. Then she scowled. "I'll have to study even more."

"I'll tone it down if you won't," he'd offered. "I know that boyfriend time is your last priority as it is, I'd hate to send you back to that library."

She'd taken his hand, and promised that he was wrong about her priorities.

When they arrived at the river, he pulled her close, kissing her hairline at her temple and folding their clasped hands between their bodies. "I missed you today," he murmured.

"I actually missed you, too," she admitted. "I felt incredibly tall all day."

Avaric snorted, though he knew that she'd tagged on the part about height as a defense mechanism. "Galinda's right to hang around you, though. I noticed the two of you were separate for a long while. If only she wasn't so damn protective of 'her seat'," he grumbled.

"She did claim it long before you decided to be nice to me."

"Whatever," he scoffed. "We both know... that I am not nice to you."

She smiled up at him. "Actually, I think defending my honour classifies you as nice to me."

He shifted, and she felt his muscles tense against her. "There's no need for people to be as cruel as they are."

It often occurred to her how much like a baby guard dog Avaric really was, and this was one of those moments. He had the killer instinct to lunge at those who would hurt her without thinking; the untrained mentality of a baby, no restraint. But he was strong and agile, and could do serious damage if she wasn't there to rest a hand on his arm and tell him to let it go. "No, but I have you to distract me," she reminded him, smoothing her hands over him until he relaxed. "You're such a guard dog."

"I'm still not sure how I feel about your view of me being similar to that of a pet. I may choose to be offended by it."

She rolled her eyes. "And let me guess, I'll have to make it up to you."

"Of course!" He pulled her close, but, rather than kissing her, wrapped his arms tightly around her, and just held her close, enjoying the feel of her head on his shoulder.

Elphaba, also, enjoyed resting against him. He was much taller than her, something that was rare. A couple inches shy of six feet tall, she'd towered over people for years. Even Fiyero was only a couple inches taller than she was; Avaric had a decent five or so inches on her. "Want to go curl up somewhere?" she asked after awhile.

"Are you cold?"

She smirked at him. "I'm already wearing a jacket," she pointed out, before he could offer her his. "But it's a shame we don't have a couple blankets to curl up in; the sky is gorgeous tonight."

"Hold that thought," Avaric said, kissing her quickly, then jogging away into the night.

"Chivalrous," she smirked to herself, but she was glad to know he knew she'd be alright on her own for a few minutes. She dropped down and pulled her knees up to her chest, surveying the river and the sky in turn, and pondering her boyfriend.

Boyfriend. She'd have never used the word if Avaric hadn't used it first. And she couldn't believe that Avaric had used it first, that Avaric wanted to be exclusive. That Avaric wanted to be exclusive with someone who wasn't putting out.

She couldn't believe a lot of things, but a few minutes later, when he returned, pulled her to her feet, spread a blanket out, then pulled her to sit next to him, she had to admit that she didn't mind being surprised. He pulled her to snuggle in right next to him, and then tugged another blanket over them.

They both lay on their backs; he with one hand under his own head, the other outstretched for her to rest her head on where it met his shoulder. His Pillow Arm then wrapped around her, and she turned ever so slightly toward him, tucking her arms between them for the time being.

"It's a gorgeous night," he finally murmured. "Are you warm enough now?"

"Almost," she said, rolling right over to face him and curling against him. He held her tight, dropping a kiss on her forehead, then watching her gaze up at the sky. "Better," she said.

"I meant to ask if you'd decided about the party this Saturday," he said, idly, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Sure, ask me when I'm all vulnerable," she sneered.

"Vulnerable? So I could take advantage of you?" He rolled them, and smiled down at her.

"I don't know, could you?"

"No," he said, smiling gently at how easily she called his bluff.

"Good," she said. The truth was, she wanted Avaric. He was very good at giving her just enough so that she was always wanting a little more, and their mental foreplay always got her revved up. Her body responded to him instantly (and, in fact, was starting to tingle even now), and, sometimes, when he was caressing her, she felt her hands jump with the yearning to reach for the cinch of his pants.

But she knew, she knew, she wasn't ready. There wasn't enough time between Fiyero and Avaric yet; she worried that it wouldn't be Avaric she felt. Every day, she missed Fiyero a little less, and it was to Avaric's credit that she had moved on at all: he was a brilliant distraction, and far more than she deserved. It was always a relief when he put on the brakes, because she struggled with it.

It had only been three weeks, and she struggled with it when his hand grazed hers, or he looked at her a certain way. Little things were enough to get her heart thrumming.

"So, the party?" She leaned up and kissed him to distract him, which he allowed, despite knowing that that was what she was doing. His kiss soon wandered to her earlobe, then down her neck. "The party?" She moaned softly. "What do you say?"

"Why don't we just stay in?"

"Don't tease me," he smirked, unbuttoning the top of her frock to that he could explore her collarbone. "I think we should go for awhile, at least. We're rather popular, you know..."

"What's popular about us is trying to eliminate me so that all your fangirls can have a shot," she replied.

"Well they don't stand a chance, so we might as well go and canoodle in front of them."

"You did always like to torment the fairer sex, didn't you."

"Either sex," Avaric shrugged. "As long as I come out on top."

"Well you're on top now," she purred, as he found her pulse point.

His body was on fire with wanting her, and there wasn't a cold shower anywhere nearby, save what would no doubt be a rather foolish jump in the river. She writhed against him a little, causing him to take a laboured breath. "Em, please," he murmured, using his most private nickname for her, a shortening of 'emerald'.

"Sorry," she said. "You're just so good at that."

Groaning, he rolled off of her. "Elphaba, I can only resist so much. When I'm warning you, and you respond with something sexy..."

"Alright," she said, nodding. "I guess I just... I get caught up."

"You get caught up..."

"I'm sorry." She sat up. "What should we do? Should we not even kiss anymore?"

He sat up next to her and took he chin in his hand, tilting her face toward him. "I hope not," he said. "You just have to remember that I want you. I know you have trouble accepting it, but it's true. I want you desperately, and I'm trying my hardest to stay in control, but sometimes I just don't have the will to fight my own desires and your powers of seduction. I wish I had that kind of strength, but I don't."

Elphaba nodded, then leaned to him. "So, how about... don't fight it."

He pulled back, surprised. "It's too fast, you're not ready."

They held each other's gaze for what felt like the longest while, then Elphaba broke, smiling. "See? You're stronger than you think."

Avaric shook his head. "Oz, woman," he sighed. "It would be a little different if you were pressed up against me, doing that breathy moan thing that makes me... incredibly excited."

"I do no such thing," she growled.

"You most certainly do," he chuckled.

Before long, he had proven it to her, and she had neither the will nor inclination to fight it. But he also managed to prove that he could stop, and did, just shy of reaching up her skirt to tug her underwear off. She'd unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and their clothes had been rearranged in the explorations of their hands and mouths, and so the heat each gave off was burned onto the other in the places where their skin touched. Avaric dropped his forehead onto Elphaba's shoulder, kissing it softly as he sighed.

"Safe as houses," Elphaba murmured as thanks.

"One day I'm going to snap," he cautioned, though she didn't really believe him.

In truth, he didn't really, either. In fact, he couldn't see himself losing control until she said that she loved him, which, he hated to admit, probably wasn't going to happen. Forget the fact that she didn't seem capable of feeling that way for him - even if she did, she'd never say it.

He straightened her clothing gently, taking his time to make her presentable again as his mind wandered over the many truths about their relationship.

Elphaba wasn't one to love easily, as she wasn't one to trust easily, and the two went hand in hand. The fact that she was so physical with him was a reassuring sign, but, somehow, also unnerving. They'd progressed so quickly, as if Elphaba was used to all the things they were doing. Avaric knew for a fact that she and Kers hadn't gone very far; both had told him so. So had Elphaba been with someone else? And, if so, who was he? It wouldn't have been just anyone...

Or wouldn't it? And did he think that her willingness to touch and kiss was a sign of trust, when, really, it wasn't?

Was he really alright with the fact that he was so in love with her he'd do anything, and she was only...? He didn't even know.

He knew she liked him, that she was letting herself like him. He could tell by the way she smiled at him, by the light in her eyes when they met his. And her small smiles when he'd do little things for her, those were the high points of most of his days; he knew when she smiled to herself like that that she was truly happy. She admitted things to him, in sort of backwards or sarcastic ways, but, still, she did. She'd say she'd missed him, or she was happy to see him, or that she was happy about whatever activity they were doing.

But would that ever become love?

Probably not.

Women like Elphaba didn't fall in love with guys like him; guys like him didn't deserve women of her caliber. He was the best version of himself he could be, but that didn't mean that he was worthy of her love, as much as he wished it were so.

"It's getting late," he said, frowning. "I should walk you back."

Elphaba sighed, and leaned to kiss him softly. "That's probably a good idea," she nodded.

On the way to Elphaba's dorm, they held hands, which, Avaric decided, was more than just a decent place to start.