Thanks for all the lovely, lovely reviews. Here's a long chapter for you. Let me know if you like it.
Fiyero was standing outside the girls' dorm room. A couple of years back, the wood grain of the door was a familiar sight to him, but he had never really been nervous in front of it as he had now. Back then, he was merely dating Galinda— sweet, easy-going Galinda. He had never invited himself in, though after the emotional upheaval of Elphaba's disappearance Glinda asked him in a couple of times so he could hold her as she cried. Before that, however, her roommate's silence and unreadable glare had intimidated him, then later she was gone and he had no desire to immerse himself in the void created by her absence in the place she had lived. It had felt wrong.
Now was different. He had arrived earlier than Galinda had instructed knowing she wouldn't be home quite yet, and if Elphaba was inside she would be obligated to let him in and they would be alone with walls surrounding them, a rare and surreal treat for him.
He went ahead and knocked, smiling gently to a passing fresher girl as he waited, and his expression faded at the silence that greeted him. What if he was wrong, and she wasn't home? He supposed he would take a walk around for a few minutes until—
The door opened abruptly, revealing his favorite color of green.
"What are you doing here?"
He grinned broadly – maybe too much so, he wasn't sure – and told her, "Galinda asked me to stop by so she could give me something."
"She's not here," she said shortly.
"She told me she would be. I imagine she'll arrive at any minute."
She wasn't budging from the small space between the door and its frame. He glanced down the hall and started to see the other inhabitants of the dorm gaping at him, one of them frozen halfway between the lavatory and their rooms, forgetful of her lack of usual makeup and the towel wrapped around her hair. Having a young, single prince linger down a corridor from them was probably the most excitement many of them received, he thought vaguely and probably a bit pompously, but it certainly wasn't his idea of a good time. He turned back to Elphaba, determined to ignore them.
"Will you please let me in?" he asked impatiently, but rather than allowing her a moment to consider it he pushed past her into her living space as she had once done to him. A sharp but silent intake of breath filled him as he felt his skin react to touching her bare shoulder and from feeling his chest rub against hers, but the contact was unfortunately brief as they spun away from each other. He didn't look back at her to see her reaction to the audacity of his entrance though, not because he didn't want to but because he felt as though he lost control of his façade momentarily; their faces had been but a couple inches apart and her warm scent had filled his nostrils, making him feel lightheaded.
If Elphaba could know what thoughts he had of her right then when he caught a glance of her bed she would probably hit him, and, because he was so obviously stupidly, inarguably, uncontrollably male, he knew he would enjoy it.
He readjusted his features before turning around and smiling charmingly at her. She was standing in a dress he hadn't noticed on her earlier that day in History class, probably because it was the dark Shiz blue to which she was partial. It had a conservative neck but no sleeves and if she hadn't had her hand propped on her hip he wouldn't have known where it was at all because of how loosely it fit her. He didn't like it very much, but when he looked up at her face he suddenly felt himself melt a little at her beauty.
Galinda could say what she wanted about Elphaba's style; he didn't care at all what Elphaba was wearing as long as he could go back to his dorm room and dream of taking it off of her.
"You shouldn't be in here," she told him, but she didn't sound as mad as he was expecting.
"According to Galinda I should," he said, his tone calm so as not to be seen as argumentative. He took the opportunity to look around and in many ways the room was as he expected: it was clean, not a thing seemingly out of place, but it was so off-balance that he felt himself physically tilt as he compared the two sides. Galinda's side was filled with the bright colors of her bedding and of the dozen shoes she had on the shelves at the head of her bed, of the painted wardrobe that was cracked open as though it wouldn't close properly from all of its contents, and of the matching vanity that had a collection of carefully arranged but widely assorted products covering its surface. Elphaba's side was pallid in comparison— her bedspread the dull default option the scholarship kids at Shiz were given, and her few possessions were tucked away save for a few books at the head of her bed and the texts on her desk.
He did not want to sit on Galinda's bed and needlessly excite her, and the idea of choosing to drop himself on Elphaba's mattress with her there seemed like suicide, so he dropped himself into her desk chair and spun about on it.
"Excuse me, I had been sitting there," Elphaba told him crankily.
Fiyero grinned and patted his lap suggestively. "You're welcome to resume your seat."
It was proof of their burgeoning relationship – whatever kind of relationship it was – that she merely raised her eyes to the ceiling and shook her head in response.
He turned the chair about and continued to absorb the details surrounding him. He imagined Elphaba pulling this chair to the east-facing window and reading her books by moonlight, oblivious to his watchful gaze from atop Briscoe Hall. He thought about how she slept and if it was different in the safety and calmness of her dorm than it was in the constant danger of the wild landscapes of Oz. He squinted his eyes to try to read the faded titles of the books she chose to keep at her head when she slept, and when he gave up, he turned and looked down at her desk, which was strangely littered with all sorts of folded scraps of paper.
"What are you doing?" he asked, picking up one object that was perhaps supposed to be some sort of paper bird.
"It's nothing," she said quickly, stepping to his side and snatching the misshapen bird from his hands hastily. Her other hand twitched over her desk, as though best considering how to hide the evidence of her project, but it was too late and she knew it. She sighed and squeezed her eyelids closed as she spoke, perhaps so she couldn't see the sheer amusement on the prince's face as he watched her. "It is North Gillikinese paper folding. Galinda was showing me yesterday and for the life of me I just don't get it."
She peeked down at him, her features crinkled from embarrassment. He loved seeing her hard, defensive veneer they had once discussed over grapes and philosophy falter and glimpsing the timid girl behind it. Elphaba was too proud to ever admit it, but he knew she envied Galinda and all of Galinda's pretty things. Folding paper was just a defensible way to emulate her. He felt a bit of sympathy and a desire to put her at ease.
"Your paper is too thick," he told her. Elphaba's face changed as though he had suddenly spoke in tongues, and it was his turn to roll his eyes. He grabbed another one of her strangely shaped attempts at some sort of animal from the desktop and held it up. "The paper," he repeated very slowly, as though speaking to a child, "is too thick. Try using some from your notepad instead. It'll crease better."
Her expression of bewilderment matched her tone. "How do you know?"
"My mother is a very cultured, very bored woman," Fiyero answered casually, tossing the paper over his shoulder as the door to the room opened and Galinda strolled in, her features bright as she noticed him.
"Fiyero! Dearest, I'm glad you made it!"
Fiyero stood politely as she entered and sent Elphaba an affectionate look before doing his best to focus on Galinda; after all, she was his excuse for being here. She looked gorgeous as always in her fluffy yellow dress, which somehow complimented her shiny golden hair and fair skin. He couldn't pull off canary yellow if he tried.
"I'm sorry if I'm late; Boq stopped me after class to ask me about my notes," she said, her emphasis relaying to both of them that she didn't believe his excuse any more than they should. She traded her bag for some random bottle on her vanity and flounced past Elphaba to him, who was already taking the opportunity to fade away from his eye line now that the socialite was home.
"Well, your notes are very cute," Fiyero said to Galinda, who perked up at the silly compliment. "With all the doodles and everything."
"Why thank you Fiyero! I see no reason why my dictations should be as dull as the material. Not that there's anything wrong with having plain, boring notes," Galinda amended hastily to Elphaba, who waved off the comment disinterestedly.
Galinda then held up the small bottle she held in her manicured hands between them—the reason he came over. She was so petite that her face was lined up behind the bottle, and he shifted his focus to her pretty, bright blue eyes as spoke. "Now Fiyero, here's the moisturizer I promised you. Put it on morning and evening under your eyes and it should help with that awful sagging you're getting."
"Wonderful," he said brightly, though his enthusiasm was not as genuine as he implied. He had long gotten over caring about how perfect he looked, but in class today Galinda had broken a silence she claimed had been longstanding to sweetly demand on helping him with the increasing side effects of his uneven sleep schedule.
"Here, allow me," Galinda said, placing a hand to his shoulder to coax him back down onto the chair. As she dabbed a little of the lotion to her dainty fingers and began carefully applying the cream to his skin, he remained still and watched her. She had the focus an artist would have to brush paint to a canvas. Even though Elphaba was so close (reading on her bed and pretending not to watch the simple, superficial interaction at her desk), he couldn't help but think about the swell inside of him as the room's lamps lit up Galinda's familiar blue eyes, or think about the lines on the blonde's face that would eventually deepen against her wishes in the stressful months after her roommate's disappearance. Fiyero missed Glinda, he knew. He truly loved and missed his friend, and while he continued to have his weekly friendly dates with her younger counterpart and spend time with her in and around class, it wasn't the same.
He stared down the short length of her perfect nose. His eyes traced the shape of her perfect face. He admired the way her perfect smile was trained to be omnipresent so at first glance she always seemed happy; personally, he had strived for that for so long and it was hard.
Still, if he looked close enough into those eyes of hers he knew so well, he could see the ghost of the woman into which she was slowly blossoming. She disguised it well, but he, having known her as well as he did, could see the deep-rooted sadness that would come to fruition in their years together; it was one that mirrored his own in the hardest of times.
Part of him figured this young, lighter version of Glinda was sad because she was single and lonely and the man she liked kept her at arm's length. He wondered if it was egotistical to take credit.
"There you go," Galinda said, dabbing her finger for one last finishing touch to his skin before resuming her straight posture. He watched as her smooth hands closed the lid of the bottle and handed it to him, her fingers lingering against his for a moment longer than necessary while her dazzling eyes bore into him.
She was perfect, or as close to perfect as she could get, but he held her hand and knew there was no spark between them.
"Thank you Galinda," he said, pulling her petite hand to his lips for a charming peck. "It is so good of you to help me like this."
"Can't have you scaring away all the girls chasing after you around here," Galinda said, her voice taking on an interesting quality as she attempted to act nonchalant. Given that they had always been a couple, he wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to Galinda being jealous because of him.
"It's okay if I do. I've got the only two girls I need right here," he grinned, sneaking a glance at Elphaba on the bed who predictably sent him an irked look that made his stomach jump with enjoyment.
He should have gotten up to leave right then. His excuse for being there was disappearing like the moisturizer on his skin. But he longed to be with Galinda and Elphaba. They were his best friend and his lover respectively; they were the contents of his heart.
When did he become so sappy?
He stood up. But rather than make for the door he suddenly asked, "Would you like to have dinner with me?"
"Of course I will!" Galinda said quickly, her fingers gripping his forearm in her excitement. "Can we go dancing? We haven't done that since the Ozdust. It would be so much fun!"
"Absolutely. And you, Elphaba?" he asked hopefully. "Are you coming?" He could feel Galinda's hold tighten as he looked to the green girl, who was examining him as if to determine his sanity.
"Oh, she won't want to," Galinda answered for her, causing Elphaba to slide her unreadable gaze to the blonde at his side. "She's too busy studying."
"Is that so?"
Elphaba stared hard at Galinda for a moment and Fiyero once again found himself wishing he could know what was in her head. "Yes," she said finally. "I have a lot of studying to do."
"You were just folding paper," Fiyero reminded her. "Come on, Elphaba. I won't take no for an answer. You must join us."
Once more, Elphaba and Galinda did that psychic things girls could do, and he was afraid it wouldn't end in his favor. But then again girls were supposed to be confusing; Elphaba smirked and nodded. "Fine."
"Well, it seemed that is settled. You'll allow us time to change our outfits?"
Elphaba scoffed. "What's wrong with the one you have on?"
"This is not meant to be worn in the evening!" Galinda cried in response, her hands daintily gripping the bright, yellow layers of her skirt as if obviously proving her point. "Oh Fiyero, come back in an hour, and not a moment sooner!"
And so he did, knocking politely against the wooden surface for the second time that day. Once more Elphaba answered but immediately slid out the door and shutting it behind her, muffling Galinda's crazed cries.
"She's almost done pinning up her hair," she said calmly.
Truthfully he didn't care about Galinda as he looked at Elphaba. She was still wearing that shapeless frock from earlier, but rather than the braid that had constrained her hair, it was tied behind her head with a ribbon so her beautiful, defined waves flowed down her back. It glistened as though Galinda had forced upon her some expensive anti-frizz-conditioning-fancy-repairing-shine-cream-whatever serum, and so did her mouth, as though Elphaba hadn't been able to escape shimmering gloss either. The sight of her made him slip his tongue over his own lips – the desire to close the distance between them and kiss her was swift and overwhelming – and had to shake himself to gain some clarity in his mind.
And she was wearing his coal-colored woolen coat over her blue shift. He tried not to feel special; he told himself it was supposed to be a cold evening and it was probably the warmest item she had, a theory supported by a light-gray knit scarf that stuck out sloppily from one of the jacket pockets.
"That's a nice look for you."
Her wide eyes followed his gaze down to the coat. "Oh. I could give it back to you, I didn't mean—"
"Elphaba," he cut her off, knowing how she could be when worked up. "It's a nice look on you."
She probably didn't believe him. It was too large on her and had a masculine cut. He knew she wasn't the type to care about such details, but he had to assume that Galinda must have been too distracted getting ready herself to notice Elphaba choose it. But Fiyero noticed details, including the book peeking out of the other pocket.
"Prepared to be bored?"
"Just prepared. Anyway, when you and Galinda go off to dance I'll have something to do."
"What makes you think I won't drag you out to dance too?" he said with a charming grin and an overdone wink, hoping to make her smile.
She didn't. In fact, she didn't seem anywhere near smiling, and it occurred to him then that she hadn't since she walked out the door to meet him. "Fiyero, about tonight—"
His stomach tightened, knowing he wasn't going to like what she was working up the nerve to say. "Don't tell me you're backing out," he said, feeling a wave of disappointment. It was just food and a tiny bit of music and dancing. Harmless. "Is it because of the dancing?" She didn't answer, which made him feel sicker. "Do…do you not want to go?"
"It's not that," she sputtered, and the knot in his gut lessened. She didn't not want to go, which was a step closer to her wanting to go.
Except they were still having this talk. "Then what is it?"
"It's just… I don't know how to say this." She exhaled gruffly, her hands flexing and twitching in front of her nervously. He wanted to grab them to hold them still. "I would understand if you didn't want me to come. To dinner."
Fiyero felt like he missed something. "Huh?"
"It's one thing to share lunch by the canal and another to take me out in public," she explained, her dark eyes moving between his earnestly. "I'm difficult, I'm overbearing, I'm green… So I can't help but be…"
"Be what?"
"Concerned," she admitted, her gestures growing as much as the lines on her brow. "For you. For your… popularity."
He smiled gratefully to her, reaching out to still her hands without actually touching her, at least while she was stressed and insecure. "That's not necessary." She didn't seem convinced; her cheeks were still flushed brown in her embarrassment. So he added on portentously, "You can't forget that as a prince, I'm bred to be cool. Having a bookworm on my arm isn't going to change that."
She smiled back then, finally, comforted by his humor, and he wanted to continue until he could make her laugh but that's when the dorm room door opened again. Galinda appeared, a vision in a dotted, silky skirt and lace bodice of nocturnal purples and midnight blues, with her hair pinned up around a violet floral hair clip so beautifully he could understand the extra few minutes of desired preparation.
To Galinda, it must have been a brand-new dress, for she spun for them with a giggle, showing off. Fiyero and Elphaba smiled – it was hard not to when Galinda oozed delightfulness as she did – but the attire wasn't new for him, and the déjà vu had him reaching out his hand for hers without even thinking of it.
"You look lovely," he told her.
She gave a little wiggle of faux bashfulness as she giggled, sweeping her sparkling eyes over Fiyero's cranberry dinner jacket, "I know. You don't look too bad yourself."
"Yes, we all look nice," Elphaba's sarcasm cut in. "Shall we go?"
Fiyero grinned and held out his other elbow for her to take. She hesitated and sighed, resigning herself to his other arm, and together they made their way through the dorm and out of campus just as the sun was setting over the buildings.
He couldn't lie. With these two amazing women on either side of him, who were both worthy of turning heads in their own ways, he definitely felt like a stud.