"Are you looking forward to returning to Kiamo Ko?"

"I was," Elphaba said. Her shoulders sagged as she read the letter that had traveled extensively to get to her hands before she left the Emerald City.

Not only did she have to postpone her return home, she also had to travel immediately to Altar.

The letter informed her of the collapse of a nearly finished structure. The once beautiful building was now reduced to a pile of debris and dust. It wasn't the fall of the school that worried Elphaba; materials, money, perhaps delaying the set opening; those were all things she could deal with in a meeting with Cecil, and even then, she felt confident in being able to figure out a solution.

What worried her was the fact that there'd been casualties due to the accident. No deaths - thank Oz - but many workers were severely injured, some to the point where their livelihoods as a construction worker was over; no amount of recovery could ever get them to function the same again. The letter reassured her that the majority of those injured should be back to work in no time, but it did nothing to ease the concern rising in her with every word she read.

"I have to go to Altar."

Fiyero frowned and Elphaba handed him the letter.

"I should meet with Baron Cecil straight away, and make sure that those who were injured are being taken care of."

"I'll accompany you."

"You don't have to," she reassured. Surely, he was anxious to get back home. Not to mention there were probably some matters that needed to be dealt with since they'd been absent for three days.

"I want to."

She looked at him unsure.

"It's no trouble at all."

"Alright," she sighed, though a part of her was actually glad he would accompany her. She had a feeling this whole situation would give her a migraine from the worry and his company may help alleviate it. She could feel it creeping up on her right this moment, in fact. "Then let's not waste anymore time."

He nodded. "I'll meet you downstairs."

He exited her room, taking her luggage with him.


"Stop worrying, it'll all be fine."

"I just…I just wish I could begin planning the orders for lumber and paint and bricks and a lot more that I'm definitely forgetting; begin to plan the budget and - "

"Why can't you?"

"Because I don't know the exact amount needed. I know they must have materials they've yet to use and if I don't order enough, then we risk a shortage of supply and an even bigger set back. And on the other hand if I order more I risk unnecessarily denting our treasury and - "

"Elphaba, relax," Fiyero said, rather loudly.

She placed a fist to her head. The rocking of the carriage certainly wasn't helping.

"You'll bury yourself in an early grave with all these thoughts constantly running in your head. Let us get there first."

Elphaba nodded. She breathed in and out, and sweet Oz her headhurt.

"Is something wrong?"

"My head," she said without hesitation. She swallowed and forced herself to sit up straight once more.

"Your head?"

"It hurts," she admitted.

He frowned and moved from his seat across from her to now sit at her side. "May I?" he held his palm up.

She glanced at him, mildly confused; then she realized. "Oh," she shrugged, but kept facing in his direction.

He gently placed his palm on her forehead. The stark contrast between her warm skin and his cold hand made her entire body shiver.

"I believe you're coming down with a fever."

"No," she whined then cleared her throat. Lurline, where had that come from. "I can't come down with anything, not now."

"Well, although any fever is slightly concerning, the good news is your skin doesn't seem to be burning. Yet, that is. We must make sure we can lower it as soon as possible."

"Please."

"Do you think you have any idea where it may have stemmed from?"

She shook her head. "Unless I unknowingly got too close to someone who's also ill?"

"Perhaps, though I think that option is highly unlikely."

She agreed; the only person she'd had any actual close proximity with was him.

"It may simply be that you're overworked. I think your body needs to rest."

Elphaba had an inkling that he was right, however, she stubbornly refused to skip out on the responsibilities she had to attend to today. "But - "

"If I may be so blunt - "

"Sweet Oz."

"You went through a frankly horrific period physically and mentally a little less than a month ago, and you never took time to properly rest. There was never a day where you weren't either working or constantly moving."

"It comes with - "

"Our titles. Yes, but what good are we to our country if we can't serve them to the best of our ability."

The queen chewed on her lip and sunk into her seat. He was right and she knew it. Her body was practically begging for a respite with this threatening fever, but knowing her own obstinacy very well, she would probably need to be locked in a room in order to get some real rest. Nearly failing to hold back a groan, Elphaba turned to look at him. "I wouldn't want to leave you with my duties."

"Your duties are mine and vice versa. We're partners are we not?"

"Um…would you do something for me then?"

"Of course."

"When we arrive at Altar and find a hotel to lodge for the night, I'll give you my notebook. Would it be a burden if I asked you to write down everything that transpires?"

"I'll gladly do that, so long as you promise me to allow yourself to rest."

Elphaba nodded with, admittedly, much difficulty. She was dozing off by the second and she despised it. She'd woken up not two hours ago! "Keep talking."

"Hm?"

She waved her hands. "Engage in conversation, tell me a story, one of terror if you must, justsomethingto keep me awake; at least until we arrive."

"Um…ah! You enjoy reading, correct?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever read or heard of a novel calledBlood Meridian?"

"Can't say I have."

The king glanced out the window, briefly taking in where they were at in their journey. "We have time…"


"...and that's more or less how it ends," he held back a chuckle at the absolutely horrified face on the green girl beside him.

"I said a story of 'terror' not 'traumatizing'; sweet Oz," she rubbed her hands over her face.

"There should be a copy of it in our library. I could get it for you the day we get back."

"I think I'll pass," if the plot of the novel chilled her to the bone by simply hearing it, it was probably best she stayed away from reading it all together. "I somehow get the feeling you tamed the description of the violence and brutality."

"I certainly did."

"But I must say, you do have quite the talent for storytelling. Just hearing you speak the name of the judge caused my entire body to tense."

"Why thank you, and I'll make it up to you," he smiled.


"Elphaba don't - "

"Fiyero, it's fine, it hardly weighs anything," she walked off with her personal bag before he could protest any longer about her not carrying anything heavy. Not to mention that she was quite desperate to get to an actual bed. As soon as the kind staff had announced the room number, her feet instantly walked its direction; her notebook, coat, and oils in hand.

A large sigh escaped her when the door to the suite easily opened. Uncharacteristic of her, Elphaba dropped her belongings in the first little table she stumbled upon and practically sank into the mattress. She felt the soft surface beneath her mold to her body, providing a much needed support and comfort she hadn't gotten from sitting in a firm carriage seat. Though while touching on comfort, she was very much regretting choosing this particular gown. Elphaba could feel each individual lace that crossed her back in order to tighten the waist and the skirt itched her skin through her tights.

The green girl sat herself upright and paused at seeing the king enter with a seemingly hot cup and box in his hands. When had he acquired that?

"Oh good, now lay down," he said upon seeing her in the bed.

"I will, I want to change into more comfortable clothes. And what is that?" It was steaming and gave off a particular smell, though not unpleasant.

"It's tea, infused with garlic, onion, and lemon," he chuckled at the expression on her face. "It's actually much more pleasant than it sounds, and it should help with some of the unwanted symptoms that will stem from that threatening fever."

"When did you…?"

"There's always a food or drink vendor on these streets, even at the stands that seem to only have tourist pamphlets. Wouldn't be a Vinkun country without them."

"That's for sure," she agreed. "I'm not so sure I trust the tea however. Onion and garlic?"

"Trust me, I think you'll actually find it quite soothing."

"I think we've established that you and I have very different paletes."

He merely stared at her.

She eyes the cup he'd set on the bedside table cautiously. "You swear by it?"

"Yes, it will help to naturally restore vitamins to your body," with a small spoon, he gave the white cup a mix and held it out to her.

Elphaba underestimated how much this little fever was already affecting her. She hadn't expected the cup to be as scorching as it was. She pulled her fingertips back at the searing touch. Fiyero quickly scanned the room and in no time, grabbed a small towel in which to envelope the cup in. Now that it had a thicker cover, Elphaba was able to hold the cup in her hands, the temperature much more bearable. The steam warmed her cold nose as she pulled it to her lips. She blew on it softly and took the smallest of sips, fully prepared to grimace at the taste.

She needed to learn to trust the king more; it was surprisingly pleasant. Thin, tangy, and fresh; she could have a dozen cups more, which wasn't something she often said about teas. Before she knew it, she'd drunk over half the cup. "Does it help with sleep as well?"

"It may."

"I certainly feel like I'm dozing off faster because of it," she chuckled and set the cooling cup down. I better change my garments quickly if I am to rest comfortably."

"And I better attend all the meetings you'd been scheduled for."

"Before I forget," Elphaba fetched her bag and pulled out her journal to hand to Fiyero.

"Would you like me to keep the style of organization you've kept thus far? Which I must say is incredible," he complimented as he flipped through the thoroughly cataloged content on each page

"You can write as you wish. Honestly, I may end up rewriting it either way," she admitted with a smile.

"Fair enough," he closed the notebook. "Rest."

She nodded. "I will."

He turned, but then quickly approached her once more. "One more thing, do you prefer sweet or savory?"

Elphaba raised a brow. "As in…?"

"Taste wise."

"Oh, um…I'll have to say savory."

"Got it. I'll see you soon," he said and promptly left the room, softly closing the double doors.

Knowing full well drinking the rest of the tea would practically cause her to faint, Elphaba forced herself change from her gown to the first set of comfortable clothes she saw upon opening her suitcase: a loose pair of pants and a casual top. Once she'd downgraded, she sat on the bed and slowly sipped in the now lukewarm tea; it was still smooth and soothing however. With the growing drowsiness, it became rather easy to not worry about the fact that she was missing out on a full day of meetings. All Elphaba wanted was to close her eyes and relax.

Which she did.


Elphaba woke up on her own accord, her eyes rested and now alert, opening without effort. Her head hurt slightly and she groaned as she placed a hand to it, but it was tolerable. She knew she still had a fever, but it was far tamer than it could've turned into. Thank Oz. She could fight this off in - hopefully - a day or two more.

She sat up, stretched, and rubbed her eyes. She laughed at herself once she realized sleeping in the braids she'd done her hair in were now in disarray; a long strand of hair falling over her face when it should've been weaved through the crown of her head. As she worked to undo the braids, she heard a soft knock at the door.

"Yes?"

"It's me, Elphaba," Fiyero said from the other end.

"Oh, come in."

The door opened and Fiyero stepped inside, her notebook in one hand, and a large bag in another. "Were you just waking up?"

"I was, actually."

"Good," he smiled at her. "It certainly seems to have done you some good."

"I fully believe the tea helped not only with the fever but sleep," her stomach growled in hunger and she was suddenly aware of the delicious aroma in the air. She didn't think it would be incorrect to assume the bag Fiyero was carrying contained food. "Is it lunch hour?"

"Past it actually."

"Really?" she turned to the drawn curtains. Sure enough, the sky showed signs of an impending sunset. How long had she slept? Elphaba stood up and, after confirming the box he'd brought earlier contained more of that tea, poured herself another cup.

"Would you like for me to warm that for you?"

She shook her head as she took her first sip. "It tastes fine. Thank you," and it was still surprisingly a bit warm. "I know it's not the dinner hour quite yet, but - "

"Do not finish that sentence. Please, eat if you're hungry," he said gently while also pulling out containers of food from the bag.

Elphaba pursed her lips and kept her eyes on the tea in her hands. Why was it that she still struggled with this? With an exhale, she cleared her thoughts and sat down on the table near the window. "If I were to ask you about today, would you tell me?"

"I would tell you where I went, but I'd hold off on telling you the details. I believe those can wait."

"Fiyero, please, just so I can have peace of mind?"

"Not thinking about work shouldbringpeace of mind."

"Have we just met?"

"What if I were to promise you there's nothing so alarming that it requires your immediate attention. Will you leave it till the morning?"

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. "Alright, fine, just keep it out of my sight then."

"Can do," he smiled and shoved the notebook inside a drawer. "Now, I believe you'd said you were hungry?"

"I…am," Elphaba nodded.

"Well, I hope you like what I've brought. I don't believe you've had this yet."

"Oh?"

From where she sat, Elphaba spotted him pulling out two white, ceramic bowls from the bag he'd brought with him.

"What will you be introducing me to today?"

"This is Lugaw."

That sounded vaguely familiar. "By any chance is this one of Galinda's favorites?"

Fiyero smiled. "It is, though she prefers the sweeter variations."

"What exactly is it? And variations?"

"It's simply a glutinous rice dish, though it can also be made with porridge," he explained as he placed a hot, covered bowl in front of her.

"From the looks of it, this contains both?"

"Correct. It is mixed with coconut milk and water," he took a seat across from her, placing a bowl of his own at the table. "Lugaw is a common comfort food here in the Vinkus. And by variations, there's many within the sweet or savory categories. This one in particular is called Goto, so named because of the tripe it uses," he uncovered his bowl, prompting Elphaba to do the same.

The bowl contained a surprisingly yellow-ish colored lugaw; the one Elphaba had seen her sister-in-law eat before had been brown. In addition to the different color, the meal in front of her was served with two boiled eggs, garlic, scallions, and…something.

"I don't recognize this," she pointed to the unfamiliar food. At a mere glance, she might've mistaken the slightly curled strips for carrots. A closer inspection however let her know that the texture was smoother; in fact, it seemed like they would be chewy rather than crunchy.

"That is chicharron."

"Pardon?"

"Chicharron," he said much slower, making sure to pronounce every consonant fully.

She matched his knowing smile and shook her head. "I'm not saying that."

"Won't you at least try?"

"And sound like a Quadling when it comes to those 'r's? I'd rather not."

"Alright," he chuckled. "Anyhow, it's fried pork belly and it's rather tasty."

"Hm, sounds very interesting," she was actually kind of excited to try this fusion. As she stirred it with the spoon he'd provided, she saw him pull out a plate from the bag.

"And if you'd like to add something more to your bowl, this is cubed tofu," he removed its cover to reveal marinated pieces of tofu. The aroma in the room changed immediately, the salty, herby smell mixing with the warm, hearty one of the lugaw. It made her all the more excited for the first bite. "You can either eat it as is or dip it into the dish."

She nodded and finally tasted the meal in front of her. If the savory variation was this magnificent, she could only guess that a sweet one was every bit as indulgent. Elphaba made a small note to herself: ask Galinda where she could purchase a quality sweet lugaw. "Are there any differences between my bowl and yours?"

"Slight difference in the flavor," he said as he bit into a small piece of tofu. "Yours is spiced with salt, garlic, and ginger; mine contains sugar as an alternative as I'm not overly fond of ginger."

"Oh, would you allow me to…"

"Sweet -yes, help yourself," he all too willingly pushed his bowl closer to her.

Elphaba scooped just enough for her to have a decent amount coating her spoon then brought it to her lips. She had to admit that she couldn't taste much of a difference, but then again, Fiyero was much more adept with flavors and taste than she was. "It's still delicious. Thank you."

"Would you like a taste of this as well?" the king held up a piece of tofu with his fork.

"I'll give it a try," she said.

At the same time she'd intended to take the food from his utensil, he extended his arm towards her. Oh. Elphaba's fingers curled into a fist as she realized his intention. She smiled unsurely; what brought this on? Nevertheless, she went along and leaned over the table, careful not to let her loose locks touch the food, and bit down on the fork which Fiyero then carefully slid from her mouth.

"It…," she chewed a couple more times. "It doesn't taste like much? The spices are strong and the small touch of heat is actually quite lovely."

"It may be because tofu is generally a substitute for those who don't eat meat. The tofu itself will have a more nutty or bean flavor and the spices do most of the work to give it flavor."

"I see."

They sit and eat in comfortable silence for a while and Elphaba is left to her own thoughts for entertainment as she nursed the lugaw.

She would be lying if she said she hadn't been reliving the small moment she and the king had shared almost a week prior. It was very vivid in her head, the air they had shared, where his hands had held her, most of all, the fact that it would not have been unwelcomed if he'd actually kissed her that day; the cause of many nights where she struggled to find sleep.

She wanted to ask him about it, so badly, and the reasons why also gnawed at her. Elphaba wanted to know if that had been his intention that day, and if it had then…there was so much more she wanted to know. She tried to dismiss the fact that she felt a pang of hurt at the thought of having been wrong; that she'd imagined the whole thing.

But…she couldn't have, right? The more she remembered that moment and - rather embarrassingly - analyzed Fiyero's every move, he'd been flustered just like she'd been. He'd moved first. So then…

The king's voice liberated her from the storm brewing in her head. "May I ask how you've been spending your time?"

"My…time? With you of course," they've barely had a day where they didn't see each other in weeks.

"I mean your own personal time."

"Oh, well…I have to admit I mostly work when I have personal time," she admitted bashfully, but she gave some thought to it and yes, she actually had begun to do some other activities when she had the time. "I've taken up sewing."

"Sewing?" he asked with genuine intrigue.

"Mhm. Mina is quite talented at it and offered to teach me a few things."

"What have you made so far?"

"Nothing to be proud of," she laughed. "I've managed to practice my stitches, fix a few holes in garments, given embroidery a shot; though Mina and my sister have been trying to coax me into making a blouse."

"Nessarose has also taken up sewing?"

"She has, and she's quite good at it too. And you? Have you managed to perhaps cook again in your personal time?"

He smiled, but shook his head. "I confess I've also been doing much work when I have time to myself, especially because the production of longbows has stalled."

"Oh?" she hadn't been aware of that. "What happened?"

"The expected shortage that comes with a high demand, though with the additional class of women that are now entering training, it is imperative that production resumes as quickly as possible."

"Is there anything I can do to help with that?"

"I don't think so, at least not right now. Supplies and workers should've been obtained by now; I want to make sure of it once we return to Kiamo Ko - Oh Oz," he exclaimed.

"What? What is it?"

"I completely forgot the fact that we've been invited to see a ballet back at Kiamo."

"When?"

"Next month, the day after the May Privy Council meeting."

"Noted, and I am very much looking forward to it."

"I did notice you enjoyed the production we saw on my sister's birthday."

"I did, lovely story and such talented athletes. Will this production be the same story or a different one?"

"I don't believe so; if I remember correctly - though I can't remember the name of the story - this tale is livelier than the one before."

"You mean 'happier'?" Elphaba chuckled.

"Yes."

She sighed, stirring her spoon. "What is it with the love for tragedies in the theater?"

Fiyero shrugged. "Perhaps it's the relatability?"

"Well, yes; but I thought people went to plays - or dances in this case, to escape their daily lives. I wouldn't particularly want to be immersed in something that reminds me of the worst moments of my life."

"I understand that, and yet there's something so raw and powerful about the fact that life isn't so perfect don't you think? And of people identifying with a character on stage."

Elphaba pondered on his words, letting them linger for a moment. She slowly nodded. "I can see the appeal, how it resonates with audiences. But I'd personally rather cry of happiness rather than sadness at the end of a performance."

He laughed and smiled, but…he seemed sad? His eyes betrayed his lips. "You sound like my mother."

Elphaba's own smile lost its light. It looked like even just the mere thought of the former queen was enough to reduce Fiyero to a somber mood. But…there had to be some beautiful memories, even if he had mentioned he struggled to remember much.

"Can…can I ask…" she trailed off, but her question was clear nonetheless.

"Anything."

"Do you perhaps remember if there was something the two of you did? I mean, something that was just for you both?"

"Hmm," he leaned back on his chair and kept his gaze on the window. Her intention had been to try and lighten the mood, but it only seemed to worsen it. "If I'm honest I'm struggling to recall anything like that. My mother was practically bed bound for the last year of her life."

Oh…Elphaba hadn't known that. "Child - "

"Birth. Yes. Galinda's delivery was extremely difficult. It drastically weakened her body and when she contracted an infection, there was little chance of a fair fight."

"I see," Elphaba nodded. "I apologize."

"No, I apologize."

"Why - "

"You meant for me to recall something happy and instead I soured the atmosphere even more. I'll think of something."

Elphaba smiled softly. "You don't have to. I suppose sometimes there truly are no good memories; or if they exist then they're buried deep in our minds due to young age," he kept his gaze at the window and she went back to taking small spoonfuls of the lugaw. Her stomach felt as though it'd ballooned to unimaginable size even though the bowl itself looked as if she'd hardly made any progress.

"There is something," he spoke, almost absentmindedly. "She was a naughty parent."

That statement pulled a small chuckle out of the green girl. "Naughty in what way?"

His smile slowly returned. "I think that for the most part, every child has one parent that is stricter than the other. My mother was what you would call the 'fun' parent. She would sneak candy to me under the table at some of the most tedious formal events."

"Smart woman."

"That she was. Even if I don't remember her much, there was so much that was written about her due to her status and role. I doubt there will ever be a shortage of newspaper articles dedicated to her in spite of her short term as a queen."

"I'm glad."

The room fell silent, the conversation naturally coming to end. Though they'd briefly touched on this subject before, it'd always been broad and brief. This was the most detail Elphaba had ever gotten from Fiyero about his mother from his own words. "Was there something like that for you? Between you and your stepmother?"

And she realized it'd been the same way when it came to discussing her own mother figure.

"The only thing I can remember is cooking together at times…" but surely that wasn't all there was; her stepmother may have been with her for an arguably short time, but there must've been a good relationship between the two of them. If Elphaba could only recall more of her. She closed her eyes, letting her spoon rest on the table. She forced herself to search her mind. It was yet another thing that gnawed at her at times, the uncertainty of who and how her stepmother had been like. She almost gasped. "Well…not - not an activity or…exchange? Per say but…" Elphaba leaned back into her chair and she was transported back almost fifteen, sixteen years.

She was laying in a bed, her back resting against something soft, most likely a cushion though what exactly, she wasn't sure. Her head however, rested on something firm; not quite so hard as to call it a rock, but hard enough to keep her head from sinking.

Then there was a bump to her cheek, followed by a soft rumbling. The rumbling, she realized, was caused by laughter; the bump by the movement of a baby underneath a stomach. Little Elphaba was feeling her little sibling underneath her stepmother's belly.

"There were times when…it would just be her and me…and she - she would just be talking to me or…or reading a book, or it was us. Just us resting together, laying down. And I would feel her stomach, I would feel Nessarose moving around in there," Elphaba smiled widely, remembering those moments so vividly now, and sweet Oz she never wanted to let these memories slip from her mind ever again.

It wasn't just the fact that she could feel her little sister, her stepmother was so gentle with Elphaba. The grown green girl could recall a hand softly treading its fingers through her hair, arms holding her tightly sometimes, and gently at other times, and soft kisses being dropped on her hair or forehead. Was that what it was truly like to be loved by a parent? By a parent whom she had not even shared blood with?

Elphaba blinked, willing her eyes to swallow the tears threatening to fall. "I apologize, I hadn't realized I would get this emotional," she laughed dryly and held a finger to the bottom of her eye, ready to catch a traitorous tear.

With her gaze at her lap, she doesn't see Fiyero stand and walk over to her, but she hears the light scratch of the chair on the floor, his footsteps growing ever so slightly louder. But she sees his shadow loom over her.

"Can I offer you any comfort?"

Yes, she thought immediately; but she restrained herself. Instead, after quickly catching a stubborn tear, she nodded softly and turned in her chair. To her surprise, instead of pulling her close to give her a quick touch on the shoulder, or perhaps even a hug from the side, as she'd expected, he bends down in front of her.

The first thing he does is slowly place his hands over the green one resting in her lap. Elphaba exhales shakily, suddenly feeling extremely ridiculous, but that feeling, she acknowledges, came solely from her. The way Fiyero was looking at her, with only warmth, there was nothing in his expression to indicate to her that he was silently laughing at her.

Silently, tentatively, the king's fingers unwrap themselves from her hand and Elphaba very nearly protests the loss of contact; only it doesn't leave for long. Without completely losing touch, his hand moved from the top of her hand to her thin wrist, his fingers trailing from one side to the other.

It prompted Elphaba to pull him by the arm, her own finding their way around his shoulders. The small touch to her hand had worked, she'd felt better, but she needed him closer; close to the point where the slightly chilly air in the room became warm once again. She pulled away quicker than she would've liked, but the longer they remained locked in their embrace, the more certain thoughts surfaced to her mind, thoughts she didn't have the energy - nor the particular want - to analyze.

She cleared her throat and smiled, it was genuine, but nervous; her entire body feeling relaxed while simultaneously tingling. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. I'm here for you," he said, giving her hand one last squeeze, but Fiyero remained where he knelt. "Um…" his voice croaked and he coughed. "I should let you get some rest."

"Right," she nodded as he stood. "Right."

"You've finished dinner?"

Elphaba again nodded. "I'll take care of it."

"Elph - "

"No please, let me. I honestly need to move around after sleeping for most of the day," she smiled and he chuckled.

"Alright," he stepped back to give her the space to retrieve the dishware and utensils. "I'll leave everything with you, if that's ok, in case you feel hungry or peckish later in the night?"

"Thank you."

"Rest."

"More than I already have?"

He smiled. "Yes, more than you already have. It'll ensure that fever truly goes away as quickly as it can."

"Noted."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she said, watching him close the door on his way out, the room now feeling incredibly lonely. Elphaba wasn't afraid to admit she enjoyed his company; Fiyero was so incredibly kind, there was never a dull moment when conversing with him, and he…he made her smile…and laugh…so much. And he…he had such an effect on her, when he touched her hand, when he put his arms around her…more recently when he simply looked at her the way…well, the way he did. And she had to admit that that frightened her.

Elphaba shook her it, she told herself. She was creeping into wild uncharted waters, a current much too strong for her to tread.

Forcing herself to clear her mind, Elphaba narrows her focus on the tasks she had to do. She covered the bowl she hadn't finished and packed it back in the bag, which she saw contained a few bags of a variety of vegetables, all cut up into small pieces in order to be snakced on. Biting down the smile on her face, Elphaba carefully sealed the bag and set it on the coffee table. With the empty bowl and utensils, she went into the washroom, and began to clean them with warm, soapy water.

Once everything was spotless and dry, Elphaba neatly placed them next to the bag of food on the small table.

What else could she do? She was already dressed for bed - oh! She needed to wash up. Once that was done, Elphaba found herself, unexpectedly, in a state of restlessness. They'd had dinner earlier than usual, thus she still had nearly two hours before she would even start preparing for bed.

There was the notebook he'd written notes on, she could look over those.

The moment Elphaba went to open the drawer, there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" she asked, confused.

"It's me again, Elphaba."

"Come in, Fiyero."

He paused in the doorway when he saw where she stood. "Please tell me you weren't about to pull out your notebook."

A warm blush spread over her face and she walked over to the bed, quickly busying herself in arranging the sheets. "Alright, I won't."

He groaned, but it was quickly followed by a laugh. "I'll take it with me if I have to."

"You may have to in all honesty."

"Consider it done."

"Did you forget something?"

"No, I came to inform you that I will be staying in the hotel across the street."

She whipped around. "What?"

"I had thought two rooms had been booked for us for tonight, but an error was made in the papers, and all rooms are now completely booked in this hotel. It's due to the Festival of Lights that will take place at midnight."

"Oh."

"That was all I - "

"You could - "

"Forgive me; go ahead."

The words that had slipped so easily past her lips now struggled to be voiced out loud. "Um…I just…I," Elphaba turned around and continued to arrange the bed sheets. "I meant to say that it was no problem if you slept here for tonight."

A thick silence hung in the room.

"I appreciate the offer."

Her stomach dropped.

"But there's no sofa and - "

"The bed is perfectly fine," she said before she could stop herself. She hoped it had come out in a casual manner even though she was highly aware of her trembling fingers.

This silence was longer.

Elphaba continued. "Unless that would be uncomfortable for you."

"Would it be foryou?"

She shrugged, never looking away from the bed. "It's large enough, I won't pass on anything I may have caught,"and it wouldn't be the first time they shared a bed - Shut. Fiyero, Elphaba added. "No. I'm fine with it. Are you?"

He nodded. "I am."

"Well then I reckon you should bring your luggage here."

"I'll be back then."

Once she heard the door close, Elphaba fell face first into the bed. Sweet Oz; what had just happened? Had she really just told him to sleep in the same bed as hers? Because shewantedhim to? Because - because - it's a matter of respect.

Yes…that was it. Were they not, after all, still a husband and wife in name? In the titles they shared? They may be friends, but if he was to…have…escapades - Elphaba swallowed a lump - then it would be where it could be more discreet. If he were to have one of - Sweet Oz, she didn't know the number - his mistresses go to his room tonight, across the street, there would most certainly be whispers. Everyone had seen her come into this hotel; what would the people say when they saw him cross the street alone and stay the night there. It was one thing to have an open secret, to flaunt it, she wouldn't stand for that.

Elphaba nearly believed herself.

She scrambled off the bed when she heard footsteps approaching. "Come in, no need to knock," she called out.

"Why thank you," he teased. The king set his bags down and closed the door.

Now it was just the two of them. For the rest of the night. Elphaba scolded herself. It wouldn't be any different than sharing a bed with her sister. It wouldn't.

"I'll freshen up."

"Go ahead," she said.

He began to walk to the washroom, then quickly pivoted to the drawer.

"What are you doing?"

"Just in case," he pulled out her notebook and, to Elphaba's shock, tucked it away in his personal bag. "I mean it, no work."

She lifted her hands up. "I told you I wasn't going to pull it out."

"Let's pretend I believe you."

Her jaw dropped and he laughed all the way to the washroom. She could still hear its soft echoes once he shut the door.

This man.

Even with the notebook effectively out of her reach, it didn't help the fact that she still felt quite restless. She had slept for most of the day after all. Truly taking in the room, Elphaba spotted a bookshelf, a rather large one at that. Had it always been here?

Once she was standing in front of it, she read over the spines of the covers, quickly scanning the titles until she found one that caught her Leah. Interesting. It seemed like this title may keep her entertained for a little while. Worst case scenario, the words on the page would put her to sleep from how dull they were.

Elphaba made herself comfortable on the bed, propping up two of the large, fluffy pillows to rest her back on. To her surprise - and delight - the book had her completely hooked, she'd hardly noticed that Fiyero had come out of the washroom.

"Good story?"

She jumped slightly, nearly losing her place. "Yes, it's certainly a page-turner."

"Just make sure you get enough sleep," he mumbled.

She looked over at him, pausing once she saw he was laying facedown on the bed, leaving ample space between them.

He hadn't even changed out of his clothes, only removed his shoes. His arms made a makeshift pillow for his head, his eyes already closed. He did look utterly exhausted.

"You as well," she whispered.

His breathing evened out almost immediately.

Elphaba set her book in her lap and stared. A few of his long curls covered his eyes, resting on the tip of his nose. Her hand found itself reaching out to them - just to move them aside. Her fingers merely skimmed his soft hair and she, slowly so as to not disturb him, moved them aside. She utterly failed; his eyes were open.

Refusing to let that trivial fact affect her, Elphaba kept doing as she'd intended.

"I think today has been one of the rare times I've seen your hair down."

Elphaba glanced down at her chest, where her black locks rested; some of her ends sat over her thigh, others touched the mattress beside her hip. He was right. She wasn't one to leave her hair down, not even when she slept, but her head had caused her a bit of pain today. Tightening her hair to the back of her head was the last thing she'd wanted to do. "I think so."

"It's…nice."

She smiled softly into the pages of her book. "Thank you."

"Goodnight, Elphaba."

"Goodnight, Fiyero."


Fiyero snored very very lightly, Elphaba had to strain herself to actually hear him.

It hadn't taken her long to finish the book. It was a relatively small volume and Elphaba herself was a relatively fast reader. The sun had only just set by the time she'd closed it.

Now she felt very tired.

Elphaba slowly left the bed and placed the book back in its place on the bookshelf. She then turned the lights off; the streetlights out in the city were sufficient enough to provide a light dim in the room were either of them to get up in the middle of the night.

Curse that last thought.

The green girl got back into bed, quickly realizing that Fiyero was also a heavier sleeper than she'd thought. She should turn around, being face to face would only worry her about somehow disturbing him or crossing boundaries. And yet sleep was coming quickly to her; knowing he was here…it - it was reassuring.

Elphaba found herself drifting off much quicker than she'd ever had before, her body naturally claiming its much earned, and deserved rest. Her mind was trickier to soothe, but she managed.

Even with the small voice in her head wondering, deliberating, if someone was missing him tonight.


Lyric Inspo:

You've been stressed out lately? Yeah, me too
Something gave you the nerve
To touch my hand
It's nice to have a friend
(Ooh)

- 'It's Nice to Have a Friend', Lover, Taylor Swift.

And there was only one bed ladies and gentlemen tttthhhank you ! *bows* (I told myself I would never do this omg, but it fit perfectly)