AN: Such Fiyeraba. Very fluff. Much cute. Wow. (Blame Meike for the Doge-reference. She bothers me with it all the time to the point where I can't help but do it myself sometimes xD.)

So, yes. Fluff. Pretty much the entire chapter consists of fluff. Just a warning: don't get used to it. That's all I'm gonna say *smirk*.

The Wizard Of Wicked: yes, the 'nail us to a pole and leave us in the cornfields to die' line was a reference :). Kudos to you for picking it up.

Siarenthander: yes, I did intentionally switch from 'mom' to 'mum' :). I used to write in a mismash of British-English and American-English; but ever since I started working on my original story, I wanted to pick one and stick with it. I chose British-English, meaning some things in my writing did change. 'Mom' became 'mum', 'learned' became 'learnt', etc... It was originally only meant for my original story, but it seems to have invaded my fanfics as well ^_^.

So yesterday I got bitten by the neighbours' dog (the thing was just being playful and yapped at my face, but it's just a small bite, don't worry) and I had to go to the doctor's today to get a new tetanus vaccination. I remember now why I hate needles so much.

Anyway, bad news for you: no updates from me tomorrow. Good news for me: I'M SEEING SISTER ACT AGAIN! :D :D :D Can't wait, I'm so excited!

Chapter 20. The love

She was playing with his fingers. "Yero?"

He sighed. "You're still not sleeping?"

"I'll be quiet if you want to sleep," she began anxiously, but he shook his head.

"I'm fine," he said. "What were you saying?"

She concentrated on his fingers again. "I was just wondering… about what you said before." She looked up at him for a moment before lowering her gaze again. "Do you really think I'm… beautiful?"

He sat up a little and cupped her face with both hands, gazing into her chocolate brown eyes.

"Fae," he said. "I know you always doubt yourself and everyone – and everything – around you, and I know that's part of who you are and I love you for it; but there are two things that you are not allowed to doubt. Ever."

"What things?" she asked in a small voice, and he gently kissed her forehead.

"The fact that I love you," he said, "and the fact that to me, nothing and no-one in the entire universe is more beautiful than you are."

She looked up at him with wide, doe-like eyes, looking like a little girl instead of a twenty-one year old woman. "Really?"

He rubbed his nose against hers, smiling when she blushed a little. "Really."

She kissed him deeply, winding her good arm around his neck as she curled into him. He held her tightly, kissing her back.

"I love you," she whispered. "I love you so much, Yero my hero."

"I love you, too, Fae." He kissed her neck and she arched her body into his, melting into his arms.

They kissed for a long while and she trailed her fingers down his chest, careful not to put too much pressure on the skin because of his bruised ribs. He pulled away slightly and when he looked down at her, his eyes were a few shades darker than usual.

"Fae?" he whispered.

She murmured something incoherent and pulled him back for another kiss. A contented sigh escaped her lips when he re-captured her lips with his, deepening the kiss almost immediately as he pressed her closer.

"Let's hope Galinda won't walk in on us again," Elphaba mumbled with a small giggle, which turned into a soft gasp when Fiyero's lips found the soft, sensitive skin just below her ear. Her eyes fluttered shut and she pulled him even closer, tangling their legs together.

When he finally pulled away a little, looking down at her, he couldn't help but smile. She was breathless, her face was flushed and her eyes were darker than he had ever seen them. Her soft, black hair fanned out over the pillow and she was biting her slightly swollen lip as she looked back at him. To him, she had never looked more beautiful.

"You're gorgeous," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her again.

"Mm." He felt her smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're not so bad yourself."

She could feel his chuckle vibrating in his chest as he kissed her once more, but then he pulled away again.

"Are you sure?" he asked her softly.

She nodded. "No wedding night to worry about now, is there?"

He lifted an eyebrow.

She sighed. "Look, Yero…"

"I know," he cut her off gently. "I know, Fae. I love you, too, and I want this, too; but I think we should wait."

She huffed, making him laugh. He kissed her nose.

"You're hurt," he whispered, "and so am I. We're all a bit emotional right now, and I don't want you to do something you might regret later."

"I won't –"

"Still." He ran his fingers through her long hair and moved to lie beside her, pulling her in his arms. "I can wait. I don't mind waiting. We have time."

"Do we?" she whispered sadly. "What if my father –"

"We're going to be fine," he told her sternly, smoothing her hair away from her brow. "All of us. Stop worrying and go to sleep."

She sighed, but gave in. She trailed soft circles on his chest, lost in thought. "Yero?"

"Yeah?"

She looked up at him. "Are you going to have to stay here now?" she queried softly. "Because… you know… you're the king now?"

She felt him wince and she immediately felt awful. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have –"

"No, no, it's fine." He sighed, wrapping her in his arms and resting his cheek against the top of her head. "Mum said she'll rule as a regent, with the help of my father's advisors, until I'm old enough to take the throne myself – probably straight after graduation."

"Oh." She laid her head on his chest, heaving a sigh. "Still… I'm sorry. It can't be easy."

"It's not." He tightened his grip on her, just a fraction. "But I'll be fine."

She looked up at him, and he kissed the top of her head. "We'll all be fine."

They left back for Munchkinland a few days later.

Cyara would stay behind with Lori; Gazilon, Galinda, Fiyero and Elphaba would go to Munchkinland for the funeral and to check up on Nessa, and they were scheduled to leave back for the Vinkus within three days. Other universities throughout Oz were taking in the Shiz students and the group would go back to university in the Vinkus, since Shiz would have to be cleared of debris and then rebuilt almost completely, which would most likely take years.

The carriage ride was a quiet one. Galinda tried to get a conversation going a few times, but with Gazilon being the only one willing to indulge her, they soon fell silent again. Fiyero slept most of the way there, still physically weak; while Elphaba just curled up against him and watched houses, cities, trees, meadows and cornfields flying by through the window.

When they arrived, Fiyero paid for two hotel rooms with the money his mother had given him for the journey. It was already past dinnertime by then and everyone went straight to bed – Galinda sharing a room with Elphaba and Gazilon with Fiyero, as was the proper thing to do.

"Elphie?" Galinda said softly. "Are you sure you don't mind sharing a room with me instead of Fiyero?"

Elphaba forced a smile. "Of course I don't mind," she lied.

Galinda raised an eyebrow.

"You're my best friend, Glin," said Elphaba, truthfully this time. "I don't mind sharing with you. If I'm completely honest, then yes, I would have liked to stay with Fiyero, you know, just to…" She trailed off, unsure how to voice her thoughts.

Galinda gave her a sympathetic smile, knowing what her friend was thinking. "To make sure he's okay and alive?"

"Is that stupid?" Elphaba asked quietly, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

Galinda took her friend's hand and squeezed it. "Of course not," she said. "I understand. After what happened…" She looked at her friend more closely. "Elphie, if you want to –"

"No," Elphaba cut her off firmly. "It's okay. I can't keep an eye on him all the time, anyway, and I haven't spent alone time with you in ages. And besides," she added, "I know you and Gazilon like each other, but you aren't that close. I'm not going to force you to share a room with him."

Galinda opened her mouth, but Elphaba was quicker.

"Do you want to give me a makeover?"

Galinda closed her mouth and looked at her friend suspiciously. "Are you asking me that to distract me or because you feel bad for neglecting me in favour of Fiyero so often?" she teased.

Elphaba, however, looked slightly guilty and completely serious. "Both."

Galinda bounced over to the green girl's bed and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Elphie. You don't have to do that, you know."

"I know." Elphaba cracked a mischievous smile. "That's what makes me so nice."

Galinda punched her good arm, laughing. "Don't you make fun of me, Elphaba Thropp."

The green girl chuckled.

"And you need your rest."

"I know that, too. But –"

"How about we compromise," Galinda interrupted her, "and you let me brush your hair instead?"

Elphaba conceded and the blonde grabbed a hairbrush, eagerly starting her very important task. She loved Elphaba's hair, so long and thick, and she loved fiddling with it – brushing, curling, twisting, pinning it back or letting it fall loose.

When she was done, she hugged her friend from behind. "There you go. Now go change and then off to bed with you," she said as if she were a mother putting her child to bed.

Elphaba obediently changed into her nightgown and crawled into the bed. Galinda did the same and turned off the light.

"'Night, Elphie," she said, yawning.

"Goodnight," whispered Elphaba, hugging her pillow to her chest as she curled up on her side. She already knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep without Fiyero's arms around her and the soft thumping of his heartbeat in her ear.

She dozed off eventually, only to awaken from a nightmare less than half an hour later. Restless, she tossed and turned for a while longer before giving up. She slid out of her bed and padded across the room, sneaking - or, well, limping - out the door and into Fiyero and Gazilon's room.

Gazilon, apparently not yet asleep, raised his head when he heard her come in.

"Hey," he whispered, sitting up to look at her. He smiled. "I was wondering when you'd finally stop being stubborn," he teased her.

She stuck out her tongue.

He laughed. "I'm serious," he said, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "We all know you can't sleep without Fiyero there, and he's been sleeping fitfully without you as well. You're just both too concerned for me and Galinda to admit it." He nodded towards Fiyero's bed. "Go on. I'll go keep Galinda company. I don't mind sharing a room with her and I know she doesn't, either."

Elphaba sighed and complied. "Thanks, Gaz," she said softly, and he squeezed her shoulder as he passed by her.

"Anytime."

As he moved into Elphaba and Galinda's room, the blonde girl startled him by suddenly asking in a whisper, "Is that you, Gazilon?"

"Oz," he whispered, putting one hand over his heart. "I thought you were asleep!"

Galinda shook her head. "I was," she said, "but Elphie woke me up. She was crying in her sleep." She was silent for a moment. "Is she with Fiyero?"

"Yeah." Gazilon made his way across the room and to the other bed, crawling underneath the blankets.

Galinda yawned. "Okay. Good."

"Goodnight, Glin," he whispered.

She was quiet and he thought she may have already fallen asleep; but then she asked softly, "Gazilon?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you sing for me?"

He frowned slightly, propping himself up on his elbows to look at the blonde. "Sing for you?"

"My Momsie always sings for me when I can't sleep," she said in a small voice, "and Elphie did it too, sometimes, when I was sad or upset about something. Please?"

How could he possibly refuse her anything?

"Of course," he whispered, thinking of a song to sing. Finally, he opened his mouth. It was a song of love and family, sunshine and friendship and happiness. A song of home.

In the room beside theirs, Elphaba gingerly climbed into the bed next to Fiyero, snuggling into his back with her good arm wrapped around his waist and her face buried in his neck.

A smile spread across his face and he laced his fingers with hers, pulling them to rest over his chest. "I'm glad you're here," he murmured. "I thought you might have fallen asleep after all – I was just about to come over to yourroom, but I don't think Galinda would have been very happy with that."

She sighed contentedly, pressing her cheek to his back, a soft smile spreading across her face when she heard the steady, reassuring sound of his heartbeat. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. The sound calmed her down more than anything else in the world could.

"I couldn't sleep," she whispered. "I did fall asleep at some point, but then I just woke up again half an hour later. I dreamt that you…" She shuddered slightly and buried her head in his shirt. "Never mind. I just can't sleep without you."

"Same here," he whispered, squeezing her hand. "I had nightmares, too. Are you okay now?"

She nodded against his back, eyes closed, already half-asleep now that she was with him and she finally allowed herself to relax. "Yeah."

"Me, too." He kissed her fingers. "Goodnight, Fae. I love you."

"'Night, Yero," she murmured drowsily. "Love you, too."