The Winner

Takes It All

Chapter 3

Second Try's the Charm

AN: Wow thank you all again for all the wonderful reviews and support. I've really enjoyed reading each and every review given to this story. Special shout outs go to: Fae'sFlower. Lol of course Fiyero's tutu will be pink and yes, Avaric has been in love with Elphaba for ages, which will be further explained as the story goes. Thank you again! Mad-Idina0Fan98, I'm so sorry for forgetting that part, it'll be in here. And a lot of the credit for this goes to you as well. You helped create this story. Woodland95. Yeah, Avaric's a bit of an idiot right now. James Birdsong. Thank you so much for your review and I'm really glad your enjoying this story!

Avaric clenched his teeth in frustration. A growl, low, and deep bubbles in the back of his throat. Fisting his hands, he pushes himself out of the mud and storms after Elphaba, leaving a laughing hyena of a friend behind; rolling in the grass, and clutching his chest.

"Round one goes to the Artichoke…round two! Ding ding!" laughs Fiyero.

Avaric cranes his neck and glares back at Fiyero, "Elphaba wait!" he calls as he turns his attention back to Elphaba's retreating figure. Approaching her, he grabs his arm and spins her around, "Will you wait a minute please!"

Angrily, Elphaba stomps her foot down on Avaric's. A wide smile played at the edges of her lips, watching Avaric hop up and down and yowling in pain.

"Sorry I don't talk t guys who's IQ's are lower than their shoe size" she smirks as she crosses her slender arms against her chest.

"I…huh?" stopping mid-hop, he lifts his gaze up at Elphaba

"My point exactly" she says dryly. Sighing, she lowers her arms back down to her sides, "Avaric what do you want?"

"Hey I have a brain!" exclaims Avaric indignantly

"Oh really? Where'd you leave it?" she asked with a smirk on her face.

"Right here" smiling, Avaric points a finger at his head.

"That's strange because you don't seem to use it" Elphaba smirked as she shifted her weight to her right leg as she clutched her books tightly against her chest.

"I use it," starts Avaric. Unconsciously his face softens, and his body relaxes, and his shoulders slump. It was one thing to be "thought" of as brainless, but to actually be called it…was something completely different. Especially when it came from her lips, "I just don't let a lot of people actually "see it"

"Why?" she asked softly. Unconsciously she stepped closer

"It's just not something I show people…only a small few actually see me for who I am" he said as he shrugged his shoulders. The light within Avaric's eyes returns, "You have some place to be at the moment?" inwardly, he hoped his voice sounded convincing.

At his admission, she felt for the first time, like there was a person hidden deep inside the false façade of his arrogant exterior. But his last statement brought her back to the real world. Straightening, her eyes hardened again

"Yes…in fact I do"

"Where?" inwardly Avaric kicked himself. He hadn't meant to upset her, and yet, his big mouth and arrogance had gotten in the way…again.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out" she said before turning and walking away

For a moment, Avaric stood still, his mind reeling. A pause and his eyes flutter closed. His hand rises and smacks his forehead. Groaning, he turns and reaches out towards Elphaba and grabbing her arm, he stops her

"Wait"

Elphaba looked down at her arm where his hand was and her eyes darkened. Storm clouds brewed deep within the swirls of chocolate and gold, and for a moment, Avaric was afraid.

"Hands off"

"I'm sorry," slowly his fingers untwined around Elphaba's arm, and for a split second, he missed the feel of her skin against his own. True her skin was hidden beneath the sleeves of her navy blue jacket, but still, he could feel her flesh and it alone made his hunger, his burning desire to touch her, grow, "I didn't mean to touch you" he finished softly.

"Oh of course not you just reached out and grabbed me without meaning to touch me" she said, sounding rather annoyed

"I'm sorry" slowly Avaric stepped away. He didn't know why it bothered him so, having the green bean be so harsh to him, cold. Normally, if it were any other girl, he would have just shrugged them off, or poured on his charm. But for some reason, Elphaba was different, he was different whenever he was around her, and it infuriated him to no end. It was an enigma he could not solve, a piece to a much greater puzzle that he could not place.

Elphaba sighed inwardly. She hated her conscious thoughts.

"Look Avaric I'm sorry it's not been a good day ok. I really have to go though" she said, her voice softening slightly

"Don't worry about it," weakly Avaric managed a small smile before turning and walking away. Okay so maybe he struck out today, well sort of. But at least on the plus side, she talked to him…well sort of…or rather bit his head off but at least he acknowledged him. That was progress…right?