DISCLAIMER: in the first chapter...

NO LONGER MINE

He was staring.

Again.

Fighting hard to ignore the goosebumps that crawled all over her skin at the mere hint of his presence, Elphaba continued to read her Life Science's book. Or tried to, at least; she had no idea what the last paragraph had been about. Still, she refused to acknowledge his presence, resolve something she had plenty to spare.

But he was staring and she couldn't think straight when he did that.

Familiar giggling reached her ears and the green girl tried to catch her blonde roommate in her peripheral vision. A hand on her should distracted her immediately.

Elphaba tensed and looked up, half hiding behind thick curtains of black hair. It was, of course, none other than Fiyero, who offered her a bright smile. Charming. Her heart pounded. And she frowned, angry at her own involuntary reaction.

"Miss Elphaba. What are you reading?" Seeming nonchalant, yet friendly, he was trying too hard. A sharp knife in her chest; throat closed. So, Elphaba simply closed the book, turning the gold lettering slightly around so he could see it.

"I didn't particularly like the way the author approached this discussion." A bluish black eyebrow rose in a perfect arch. "I thought it too subjective for something so objective as the inner workings of the human inner system."

Silence.

Fiyero felt self-conscious about his analysis, especially under her intense scrutiny. He shuffled his foot a little and hid his sweaty palms in his trousers pockets. Elphaba was the only woman, beside his mother, who could reduce him to squirms just by staring.

"What?" he asked, shyly.

"You actually read it?" he nodded.

She seemed surprised and, was that pride shinning in her alluring brown eyes? Fiyero couldn't quite tell; she looked away too quickly. Elphaba always looked away. Weeks of trying to get close to the green girl, of attempting to bring her out of the hard shell surrounding her heart and of wishing to connect, however briefly, ended all the same, unfortunate way.

She looked away.

Sigh.

The frustrated prince sat down beside her on the concrete bench and faced her defiantly. He reached for her hand and held it hostage in his, refusing to allow her easy retreat. Elphaba persistently kept her eyes away from his face and grew nervous at their close contact.

How could she keep those feeling at bay with him so close, so familiar…

Fiyero stroked her knuckles; she shuddered.

"What do you want from me, Fiyero?" She sounded tired, anguished almost. But, no honorific, he noted, a smile flourishing upon his lips.

"Talk to me, Elphaba." She sighed. "Why do you avoid me so much? I know it's not because of Galinda…" No answer. "Did I do something wrong?"

Dark eyes rose to meet his, fast; sorrow swimming in their depths. "Oh, Yero." The nickname touched him deeply and he was left without words.

For a long moment, they sat without moving, gazes interlocked, hands entwined and the air separating them so very still. Too much was communicated in the heavy silence…

Feelings.

Fears.

Longing.

…too little was said. Wasn't it always? A soft wind blew a dark lock onto Elphaba's face and Fiyero brushed it gently away. It broke the moment of timelessness they had been lost in.

Tears swelled in her eyes and a small sob escaped her pointed lips, clearly anguished this time. Elphaba pulled back and tried to leave. But Fiyero still held her delicate hand, which ended up yanking her fleeing body back towards him. Understandably, the emerald-skinned girl lost her balance, tumbling onto the Winke's lap. Strong arms encircled her slim waist; gazes locked once more.

Their faces stood entirely too close.

Fiyero was mesmerized.

Elphaba found breathing impossible to achieve.

Panic.

In a blur of black and green, she straightened and left. He found himself speechless, skin still tingling by her close proximity some seconds before, and just watched her go.

Sweet Lurline!

Fiyero remained on the bench for a time immeasurable, almost unable to move. Disbelief painted his features, both from her behavior and from his completely unprecedented reaction. What that woman did to him was beyond his comprehension. And, no matter how many times she looked away, no matter how many times she left him behind, he continued to be drawn to her; his emerald enigma.

Breathe, Fiyero, Breathe…

From a few feet away, surrounded by Pfanne and Shen-Shen, Galinda had watched the scene unravel. First confused, she had frowned. Elphaba and Fiyero? Then amused, she had smirked, rather surprised at herself that it had taken her so long to notice the sparks between her ex-boyfriend and her best friend. Could they really like each other that way. The frown returned. A little jab of pain broke the surface and Galinda tried to suppress it. Fiyero was no longer hers, no matter how much that hurt.

Was that why she saw almost desperate reluctance from Elphie?

Loyalty to her?

Elphaba deserved to be happy, too. Would Fiyero make her happy? Make her smile again without that resigned sadness?

Or, maybe it was the dream?

She sighed, finding no other explanation that could better explain her dear roommate's strange behavior around Fiyero. The blonde could even remember Elphie mentioning his name that dreadful night. Galinda frowned.

What horrible things, Elphie?

The chattering around her had continued uninterrupted and Galinda reinserted herself easily, choosing to leave her friend her preferred solitude.

For now.

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