Author's Note: Thanks so much to those of you who reviewed and added the story to the alert subscriptions! Very grateful and it's nice to know you are all out there! Here's the next one, enjoy x
Tentatively, Galinda pushed open the bedroom door and listened for signs that Elphaba was inside. She heard the rushing water from the bathroom and breathed a sigh of relief that she was at least somewhere safe. Knowing Elphaba as she did, Galinda thought it best to leave her alone for now though she was aware of the soft side of her Elphie that would want a little attention from someone. A little sign that someone cared, especially after what Fiyero had done. Idiot. Sighing, she walked to her bed, hung up her coat and sat swinging her legs until the sound of movement from the shower gave her the courage to confront her friend.
"Elphaba?" Thinking it would be more prudent not to use her hated nickname, Galinda called after her gently. "Elphaba? Are you alright? I . . . I heard what Fiyero said to you. He's wrong, Elphaba, you know that right? You know that he's just being ignorant."
The sound of water ceased and the silence made Galinda feel uneasy. She sensed Elphaba would not want a hug, yet it felt like the most appropriate thing to do. When Elphaba emerged she was wrapped in Galinda's fluffy pink dressing gown. Galinda couldn't help but raise her eyebrows in surprise.
Elphaba glanced up at her friend with a smile and her kind expression had never made her feel so alone in her whole life. She glanced uneasily down at the cosy fabric that enguled her and felt that she was required to explain her wardrobe. "I just . . . I missed you." Honesty had never been Elphaba's strong point and the admission cost her her composure as her eyes involuntarily began to tear. Galinda stepped forward and risked getting her dress wet as she comforted her best friend. "I'm sorry!" Elphaba spluttered into Galinda's shoulder. "I'm getting your clothes wet."
Galinda giggled and sat them both down, rubbing Elphaba's shoulder and handing her some tissues. "Don't be ridiculous, you have every right to cry. I've just never seen you do it. I was beginning to doubt you had tear ducts."
"Well, didn't you hear? I'm an inhuman bitch."
The expletive hurt Galinda and she frowned, anger returning. "Elphaba, you are one of the most compassionate and thoughtful people I have ever met. When you thought I had done something nice for Nessa, what did you do? You came to thank me. When I gave you that hat as a seemingly nice gesture," she said softly, ensuring Elphaba thought on it kindly before continuing, "what did you do? You forced Madame Morrible to take me on as a sorcery student. And you stood up to me and the whole student body when we were horrible to you." Elphaba tried to smile but it came out as more of a muscle spasm, though Galinda recognised the sentiment. "You're a good person, and he's sorry."
Elphaba knew what Fiyero had said was harsh and out of line, and she thought maybe he would be sorry. But she wasn't the kind of person that you screwed around and though he may think it unfair, she very rarely gave second chances because they almost always backfired on her. "An angry man's words are a calm man's thoughts. I liked him; I really did . . . as a friend I mean." She added quickly. "I never thought I would hear those words from him." Her voice dropped to below a whisper, she was obviously embarrassed to speak about herself in such a personal way. Galinda knew she never had before. "He hurt my feelings."
Galinda did not know what she could say that would make it better; Elphaba hated small talk and she already knew that Galinda thought well of her. Remembering that her friend's wet hair was probably soaking the sofa Galinda took a towel and dried it once again. "You really should learn how to do this."
Elphaba nodded, wiping away fat tears. She was surprised that she didn't feel so self-conscious crying in front of Galinda and concluded that it was because she made such little fuss – a decidedly un-Galinda like quality – but still made her feel special. She still shivered when she remembered what Fiyero had said. Her trust in him had seemed so well placed but he had thrown it back at her like it carried some contagious disease. She wondered if he would try to apologise. She wondered why his words had hurt her more than Avaric's or anyone else's, apart from their being particularly harsh. Actually, she didn't wonder. She knew.
Later, when Elphaba had climbed into bed and fallen asleep (still crying, Galinda saw) and the light had begun to fade Galinda heard a very shy knock at their door that hesitantly repeated itself in the several minutes it took her to drag herself out of bed and compose her angry face. Before she had even opened it she knew who it was.
"Evening, Fiyero."
He stood their looking like an idiot, with a bunch of flowers in his hands. Poppies. Galinda sighed. "What? Girls like flowers, and they're not just for her, they're for both of you. I wrote a note and everything."
"So not only do you come armed with flowers that represent death and sadness," Fiyero paled and glanced at his gift, insecurity creeping in, "but they're not even for her. Fiyero, I am not the one who you insulted."
"No, but you're angry that I insulted her."
"Yes I am, and you can make it up to me by making it up to her."
He nodded, but handed her the flowers anyway. "Just give her them, please? I promise you this is not the only thing I'm going to do. I –" Galinda wondered why he had cut himself off but she could sense Elphaba behind her. "Evening, Elphaba."
Elphaba stared at him and maintained a safe distance from the door. She said nothing to him, hoping he couldn't see that she had been crying. After a few uncomfortable moments, Galinda spoke. "What do you want, Fiyero?"
His eyes darted between her and Elphaba. "I – I'm sorry, Elphaba. I didn't mean those things, they were so far out of line and . . . I . . . Elphaba, please listen to me." He watched her shuffle back inside where he could not see her. "Galinda –"
"Alright, that's enough." Galinda saw out of the corner of her eyes that Elphaba was crying again. "You should go. She knows you're sorry." Fiyero looked defeated and knew there was no point in trying to reconcile with her tonight. Apologising again, he turned back towards his room.
"He really hurt me, Galinda." Elphaba said softly, when Galinda had checked and double checked that Fiyero was gone. She tucked Elphaba in and drew the curtains. "Thank you, though."
"It's my pleasure. Everyone should be taken care of when they've been hurt. My mother does it to me, and so I'm doing it for you." Elphaba smiled and closed her eyes, though she certainly did not expect to sleep for long. Guilt always turned her into an insomniac and she knew that the reason Fiyero had wounded her so much was because she liked him. She really liked Fiyero. Secretly, she wanted him to like her too, and now it seemed that they couldn't even be friends.
Galinda fell asleep slowly, her mind dwelling on Fiyero and her own twisted feelings towards him.
In Life Sciences on Friday morning, Elphaba sat next to an oddly thoughtful and contemplative Galinda and waited for everyone else to file in so she could get this test the hell over with. Anxiety always meant she was early for assessments, and lately Galinda had insisted on accompanying her everywhere. Elphaba knew her friend meant well, but neither of them had seen Fiyero since their one-off study session, as Elphaba now liked to refer to it, and she fully intended to ignore him should he resurface into their lives.
Tapping her pen irritably, she rolled her eyes and wished people would learn that if they arrived earlier, horrible tests like this one would be over earlier.
"Um, hey Elphaba."
Galinda looked at Fiyero and smiled, which he took as encouragement. Elphaba simply froze in mid tap and swallowed and Fiyero didn't know how to take that.
She did turn and acknowledge him, though slowly. "Hello." Not knowing that there was really anything else to do, Fiyero took his seat behind the girls and resumed his state of utter terror at this test. He knew Elphaba merely saw it as an inconvenience.
Not soon enough, Dr Nikidik sauntered into the room. "Alright, let's get this done. Sit down, please. I won't allow you to waste any more time milling about back there pretending to look for pens." Groaning that Dr Nikidik had seen through their strategy, the students eventually took their places. "Really, this is not something that should have taken up much of your time. It's simple."
Elphaba did agree with him, begrudgingly, but the broad range of topics the test may or may not include did involve an awful lot of revision and she could not really blame anyone for their apprehension over it. She certainly would have preferred a little more fear if it was because she had been out with friends all week.
They had only forty minutes to answer two short essay questions. To some, the time seemed to fly by and there simply was not enough of it, while to others it was adequate enough and to others it was far too long. The people in the latter category were, unfortunately, the ones who did not even know the subjects to which the questions referred.
At the end of the allotted time, Fiyero jumped up from his seat and waited for Elphaba to walk past. He had worried that she would finish before him and leave without giving him a chance to talk to her, but today it seemed was his lucky day: he had answered both questions for once.
"Excuse me." She said fiercely, in response to which he normally would have moved out of her path as quickly as possibly. But he stood right in front of her, knowing she was blocked by all the other students.
"Can we talk? Please?" He asked outright, having thought it best not to beat around the bush.
She never looked at him. "I have nothing to say to you." The hall was almost empty now and she tried to dart around him, but he blocked her.
"But I have something to say to you, and if you listen to me then maybe you will have something to say back, and I don't care if it's bad or good." Elphaba didn't respond but instead of running from him she walked, and he took it as a good sign . . . or at least a slightly less awful sign. "Thanks." Silence. "I am sorry-"
"You've said that."
"I just wanted to jog your memory. Did you get my flowers?" He offered, hoping that it would be a reminder of his perpetual state of apology. She nodded. "Well, I meant what I said on that note, too."
"How original." They walked on and on in complete quiet. Elphaba thought he had lost the ability to speak: he kept beginning and then doubting himself and saying nothing at all. "Was that all you had to say to me?" She asked.
He looked at her, and then grabbed her hand and took her outside. "Don't look so bloody offended, I'm just trying to get away from them."
She presumed he meant the other students, but it hardly mattered. "Because I'm so good at being offended by absolutely everything, aren't I? What a fantastic apology!"
"I'm sorry. I am! I can't believe that those words actually came out of my mouth. I have never said anything like that before in my whole life and I hope never to again. You are the most amazing person I've ever met." She continued to glare at him, but he watched her eyes drop to the floor in . . . forgiveness? Wishful thinking, on his part. "You are intriguing and intelligent and passionate and loyal and I regret everything I've said that might have hurt you."
"You did hurt me." The distinct quiver in her voice softened him. She began to breathe deeply, as if trying to control herself. When she finally brought her gaze to him, she looked exhausted.
"Elphaba . . ." He reached for her hand and held it, guiding her to sit next to him on a branch. As they sat, her hand gripped the bark and several thick flakes fell to the ground. "I'm not afraid of you. Or your magic."
She nodded. "You should be. I don't know how I spared you the first time. Or if you even deserve it a second time." Not knowing if she was joking with him and it was safe to laugh, he glanced warily at her only to see her smirking. He nudged her and made her giggle. They were still holding hands.
"Can you forgive me?"
Her smile didn't entirely disappear, but the mood seemed to darken slightly and her body tensed. "Of course I can." Fiyero did not like the inflection. "It's just that . . . I . . . you kind of frightened me."
"What? You? You're not afraid of anything."
"What in Oz makes you think that?"
He shrugged. "You're Elphaba Thropp. Nothing phases you, no-one can intimidate you-"
"You can." Elphaba didn't know if he responded, her heart was pounding so hard in her chest. "You're my friend, I think. And when you said those things and you seemed so passionate about them it just scared me because I thought I had lost –"
"No!" He yelled, and thanked Oz they were alone. "No, Elphaba. You're wrong, you are so wrong. For once." She laughed. "I am your friend. I was just being an arrogant bastard." She nodded. Fiyero leaned in towards her and whispered. "No-one but you has ever really gotten under my skin before."
Elphaba turned a shade of red and felt Goosebumps rise all over her body. Her eyes felt like they would burst from her head. "Um . . . ha."
Fiyero blushed, too, when he realised he had made her uncomfortable, but at least they were on a surer footing than before. "Friends?" He said, standing in front of her and offering his hand. She stared at it for a few seconds, as if unsure of its purpose. "Come on, don't leave me hanging."
Gathering up her courage, Elphaba lifted her head and stood. With her more trademark confidence, she grasped his hand firmly. "Friends."
Give me a wee hello. It'll make Elphaba smile.