Chapter Nine: Colorful

"I got you a Lurlinemas gift." Fiyero said the afternoon before they were to head home for the winter holidays. "I thought it best to keep up appearances." He was nervous about it, though. He wanted her to like it.

"I hope you didn't spend too much on it."

He had. But he wouldn't tell her that. It had also taken him hours to decide what to get her. "It's not a big deal. It's just a bracelet. I want you to wear it, though. Make it noticeable."

"Why don't you just give it to me instead of talking about it?" She sounded exasperated.

"Right." He laughed at himself and opened his dresser drawer. "I didn't wrap it. I'm not good at wrapping."

"And there's no point in wrapping it. It's wasteful, anyway."

The bracelet hung from his fingers as he showed it to her quickly. "Let me put it on you?"

A flicker of unease flashed across her face, but she smiled politely. "Yes." She held her arm out to him.

Carefully, he clasped it around her small, bony wrist, resisting the temptation to use that wrist to draw her closer to him and instead dropping it as soon as he was finished. "There. It looks nice."

She examined it. "It's beautiful." Elphaba turned her wrist this way and that, watching the small emeralds that dangled from it. "Thank you. I suppose I know why you chose that color stone."

"It's a pretty color," he said softly.

Her eyes met his for a moment. "Personally, I think sapphires are prettier." The moment the words fell out of her mouth, she brought her hand to her lips, embarrassed. "I just meant that..." She looked away.

He knew she was referring to the color of the diamonds on his skin and he fought the desire he felt stir within him. Now he understood what Glinda had said weeks ago. Elphaba did like him, likely in the same manner he cared for her. He should stop this right now. After all, he'd promised Glinda. But he couldn't, not when he looked at Elphaba standing in front of him, so sweet and timid. "Maybe next time I'll buy something with sapphires, then."

She took a step backwards. "Fiyero, I should go."

That was probably best. "I'll see you when you get back and we'll finalize spring plans once I've talked to my parents. I assume your father might want to meet me eventually, too?"

"Probably. We'll see how that goes." Mischief sparkled in her eyes as she grinned at that. She cocked her head at him a little. "You've been very kind, Fiyero."

"You are doing me probably the biggest favor I'll ever need." He reminded her.

"It's not as painful as I thought it was."

"Good. Elphaba, when we get back, it might be time to step it up a bit, actually kissing and such. I mean, by the time you meet my parents, they'll expect us to be relatively affectionate."

"Um, yes. Keep things moving, I suppose." She stood in his doorway, still clearly uncomfortable. "We'll talk about it then, yes?"

"Yes." He kissed her cheek and watched her walk down the hall. When she disappeared from his view, he closed the door behind him and sunk down against the wall. This was getting messy. Fiyero knew he wanted Elphaba in ways he shouldn't, physically, emotionally, every way he could imagine. And he got the feeling that maybe she was starting to feel that, too, and that could only be a problem. Of course, it was only a problem if either one of them acted on it, and he knew she wouldn't. She was too afraid. He's just have to keep himself in check, as well. Maybe it wasn't too late to back out, but he wasn't going to, not now.

He decided not to waste time in telling his family about her. "I've been seeing a girl at school and I was thinking she could come visit during the spring holidays. I think you should meet her."

His mother smiled at him. "That sounds lovely, Fiyero. Tell us about her."

"She's very smart, at the top of her class, actually. And she's from Munchkinland, originally. But she's different. Her name is Elphaba. She was born with a skin condition and her skin is actually green."

"That's certainly different," his father said. "She knows your situation?"

"Yes. We had a very serious conversation about it. And if it doesn't work out, or we're not sure by this time next year, then I will go ahead and announce my engagement to Sarima. But I would like to give this a chance. She's wonderful, really."

"You're in love," his mother squealed.

"I am," he lied, though it came easily. "I can't wait for you to meet her. I think you'll like her."

"I'm sure we will." His father shrugged. "I didn't expect you to find someone so fast. I'm glad you did, though."

"Me, too." He forced a smile.

His mother looked across the table at his father, and he saw sadness in her eyes. He knew they'd been forced to marry, and that she knew everything his father did, probably had seen it. This was why he couldn't marry Sarima. What his mother was going through - had gone through for her entire marriage - it wasn't right. He'd seen her cry once or twice, though she always tried to hide that from him. Marrying for love would prevent that.

Later that week, he sat in the tea room with his mother, who had seemed much more happy since he'd told her about Elphaba. "I'm so excited to meet this girl of yours. I had hoped you would fall in love, I really did. You deserve to."

He hated lying to his mother, but he reminded himself it had to be done. "I didn't expect it. She surprised me. And I think it surprised her, too."

"Tell me more about her. How did you meet?"

"Well, she was in one of my classes. And a week or so after I started at Shiz, a classmate invited me to have lunch with a group of friends that she also happened to be a part of. We got to talking just the two of us, and we kept running into each other. It was like fate."

"That's so sweet." His mother clasped her hands to her heart. "What's she like?"

"She's... special. Elphaba is the strongest person I have ever met, and she's beautiful. And her mind, Mother, she's absolutely brilliant." And not a word of that was a lie.

"Just look at you, the way your face glows when you talk about her. She makes you happy; I can see it. How perfect."

It was far from perfect. Sweet Oz, he wanted her and he couldn't actually have her. All he could do was pretend. And even if she did truly feel the same, she was too careful to allow her feelings for him to amount to anything. But he only smiled. "She is perfect."

"She sounds fantastic. I absolutely can't wait to meet her."

"I can't wait for you to meet her. I think you'll like her." He hoped they'd be convincing enough that his mother wouldn't suspect. And even if she did, would she say anything? If anyone understood, she would, right? He decided that, if he thought she was catching on, he'd tell her. It was only fair. Elphaba got to tell Glinda the truth, shouldn't he have someone to talk to?

"If you love her, I'm certain I will, too."

"I hope so, Mother. I really do."