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It begins, as many things do, with ire.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Tigelaar?” she hisses when he pulls her into a nook in the courtyard, towering over her with that self satisfied smirk he so loves to wear.
“Calm down, Thropp,” he returns easily, her last time falling from his lips just as quickly as his had fallen from hers. It fits, he thinks briefly, the formality, the distance. After all, they do not truly know each other. He’s hoping to change that.
”I am calm.”
A quick glance around him shows the pillars nearest them beginning to shake, ever so slightly. She is, decidedly, not calm.
“I need your help.”
Fiyero takes a step back, allowing for more space between them. Elphaba’s eyes roll.
“What could Shiz’s beloved Winkie Prince possibly need from me?”
“Your brain.”
She scoffs. He continues.
“I don’t have one of my own, of course.”
“Well yes, that is becoming achingly clear.”
His lips twitched upwards, fighting the urge to plaster on a sarcastic smile and keep sparring with her like he knows she wants him to. Instead, he shrugs.
“I need a study partner. Exams are nearly upon us, and seeing as you’re the only person I’ve seen consistently take notes, I figured you’d be the right one to speak to about this sort of thing.”
“Oh.” He watches her change, her expression softening slightly.
“Well… you can meet me in the library, then. Tonight.”
“Tonight?” Fiyero repeats. “Galinda’s gathering everyone to go to Ozdust —”
“Do you want my help or not?”
Elphaba’s snap is impatient. It is in this instant that he decides the fire in her eyes is worth more than another stereotypical celebration. He concedes graciously, dipping his head towards her.
“I’ll see you tonight, then.”
“Seven. Don’t be late, Tigelaar.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Thropp.”
—
Seven arrives quicker than Elphaba expects. One minute she’s working on her magic with Galinda and Madame Morrible, the next she’s flying through her room trying to figure out which of her frocks is appropriate for a study session.
“I didn’t know you were coming tonight, Elphie!” Galinda beams.
“Oh, I’m not, I’m…” Elphaba says unthinkingly, trailing off when she realizes she doesn’t exactly know what to say. Galinda’s eyes widen. Elphaba freezes.
“Great Oz! Elphaba Thropp. Are you — are you going on a date?”
“No!”
Galinda is unconvinced.
“You’ve never cared about what you’re going to wear before. I don’t think I’ve seen you put this much effort into your outfits since I made you over. I mean, your style has certainly improved since I intervened, but you’ve never actually looked for something before.”
Elphaba is horrified to find her cheeks are incredibly warm. She quickly turns away, rustling through her clothing.
Galinda shrieks, “Elphie! You have to tell me who it is.”
“I’m not going on a date, Galinda! Besides, you’ve got to finish getting ready. You’re going to be late for your party if you don’t!”
The threat of lateness to her own event is enough to snap Galinda out of her meddling and back into her own business. Elphaba decides to wait until she is gone to put together a blue ensemble, leaving her braids down for once. She takes her book and departs, hoping this isn’t too terrible an idea.
He’s already there when she arrives, much to her surprise.
“You’re early.”
“You told me not to be late.”
I didn’t think you’d listen, she wants to say, but holds it back. After all, he’s come to her for help. She begins the moment she sits down, book opening, answering Fiyero’s questions with ease. He does fairly well, only adding in a few flirtatious comments instead of his usual barrage. He takes their study session seriously, which in her mind, means he truly has something to worry for. At the end of it, she turns to him.
“If you’re able to stay as focused as you did today, you’ll have no problem with our final exams.”
It’s as close to a compliment as she has ever given him. He smiles at her, and she almost believes he’s going to do something stupid, like touch her hand. Fortunately, he doesn’t. Unfortunately, he does something even stupider.
“Thank you, Fae.” Her eyebrows raise quizzically.
“Fae?”
He shrugs.
“Witch is too harsh. It’s what you are, not who you are.”
Her curiosity gets the best of her.
“Who exactly do you think I am, Fiyero?”
She sees it then, the cracks in his armor. His mask slips down as he murmurs to her, “I think you’re more than what you let people see.”
She bites down on her lip in contemplation, ignoring the way her stomach rushes in response to his words. She’s always been what she has appeared to be. Then here he comes, telling her she’s more.
She almost does something stupid, probably would have if he wouldn’t have added, lightly, “Besides, you can’t just be Thropp now that we’ve spent the night together.”
His suggestive tone causes her elbow to find his side in a quick jab. He laughs through his wincing. The mask is firmly back in place.
“Stop saying things like that.”
“Like what?”
“You know what.”
A brief silence befalls them. She’s the one to break it.
“I should… get back to my room.”
Perhaps she’s gone mad in the last few seconds, but Elphaba catches sight of something in his expression. It’s almost as if his face falls. But it can’t be — does he want to stay here? With her? She’ll never know, she supposes, because what follows is a perfectly proper, prominently princely, “Of course.”
And just like any prince would, she supposes (or rather, tells herself to keep herself calm and still), he takes her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing it gently.
“Goodnight, Fae.”
“Goodnight, Blue,” is what rushes past her lips, breathless syllables all climbing over each other to meet the air between him. An amused smile paints Fiyero’s lips.
“Blue?” he asks.
Her shrug is less defensive than is probably proper.
“It’s a color with a lot of different meanings,” she explains. Understanding blossoms in his gaze.
“I thought it was for my eyes.” He’s teasing her, she knows it, but it doesn’t feel malicious. Instead, it’s light, as if they now have a secret only the two of them share.
“Well… it’s for those too, I suppose.”
He’s still holding her hand and her heart is thundering in her chest. She isn’t sure he will let her go, which means she must do it herself.
“Goodnight, Fiyero.”
Elphaba reclaims her hand, gathering her materials and fleeing as fast as she can from him. She ignores the way her fingers burn, an ache rising in her heart as she all but flies to her bed.
“Great Oz,” she whispers to herself.
Did that really just happen?
—
Galinda’s boundless energy is what greets Elphaba the next morning, alongside her pale face an inch or so away from her own green one. She yells out on instinct, glass breaking nearby. Galinda screeches, leaping off of her bed and falling to the floor, her arms covering her head.
“Elphaba! Oh my Oz!”
“Sorry!” Elphaba says, climbing out and going to clean up the broken glass.
A muffled, “Is it over?” escapes the giant bundle of pink and blonde that’s still on the floor.
“Yes,” she sighs, well accustomed to her friend’s dramatics, “you can come out now.”
Galinda hmphs, rising and brushing herself off.
“And to think, all I wanted to ask was how your date went last night.”
“It was not a date — ”
A knock at the door interrupts their argument. Galinda flounces over and opens it, brightening at the appearance of Fiyero.
“Well, well well, if it isn’t the Winkie Prince himself.” He flashes her a charming grin.
“Galinda.”
She preens before him, her eyes widening in shock a moment later when he walks over to Elphaba.
“Good morning, Fae,” Fiyero murmurs, his smile softening out. Unbidden, a smile rises to Elphaba’s face.
“Good morning, Blue.”
“I was wondering if you’d like to study again tonight? I could really use your help reviewing Animal History.”
“That’s fine by me. Same time?”
“Same place.”
“I didn’t know you were so agreeable, Fae,” Galinda calls out teasingly. Elphaba’s face darkens.
“Don’t.”
She doesn’t understand why, only that it feels wrong being spoken from another person. That name belongs to only one.
“You’d better get going, Blue,” Galinda says next, “I can hear your admirers coming.”
“It’s Fiyero to you,” he corrects her, though more gently than Elphaba had. “Prince Fiyero if you’re so inclined.” In a quieter voice, he tells Elphaba, “I’ll see you later.” Then he’s off, and Galinda closes the door behind him.
“Are you going to tell me what that was or am I just going to have to figure it out myself?”
Elphaba doesn’t answer her. Instead, she tosses the glass in the trash and busies herself with preparing for the day.
She has bigger worries than a forced guessing game.
—
Fiyero arrives at the library early again, this time with a poppy placed on the table. He’d seen it earlier in the day and it reminded him of her, so he’d taken it upon himself to ensure she received it. When Elphaba arrives, he delights himself in watching her eyes light up, her smile bright as she takes the flower and examines it.
“Thank you, Fiyero,” she hums. He only smiles back. Their study session is far longer this time, with how expansive Animal History is and whatnot. It is nearly midnight once they are finished, and Elphaba can barely keep her eyes open.
“So,” she mutters, half asleep already, “the lions, tigers, and bears all banded together and…”
She never finishes the sentence, instead dropping her head onto his shoulder as sleep finally claims her. His cheeks warm, a light red dusting them as he looks down at her, pure fondness within his eyes. He can’t imagine waking her, not after she’s done so much to help him. So, he carefully lifts her up into his arms.
“Come on, Fae,” Fiyero whispers, “let’s get you to bed.” To return her to her room would be to invite Galinda and an endless barrage of questions into both of their lives. So he takes her to his room instead, feeling more and more grateful that he was granted a private suite. He lays her down gently, covering her before he retreats, sinking down on a small sofa. Fiyero falls asleep soon after that, his fond smile never faltering.
—
The next morning, Elphaba awakens with a yawn. She rubs the bleariness from her eyes, her fingers stretching across the sheets of — not her bed. She panics, looking around only to find Fiyero slumbering soundly on a nearby sofa. Her clothes are perfectly intact (not that she assumed they wouldn’t be, more so that she would not have minded actual pajamas), which means he must have carried her all the way from the library up to his room. Elphaba’s heart warms so much it stirs her to movement. She walks up to him, leans down, and presses a kiss against his cheek.
“Thank you, Blue,” she whispers, and sneaks out of his room. She’s back in her own bed before Galinda awakens, and changed into her pajamas to avoid any questions. Thankfully, her roommate’s mind is filled with wonderings on how their final examinations will go. Surprised by this turn, Elphaba questions it.
Galinda answers, “Well, it’s all Fiyero’s been talking about lately. Final exams and studying and such. It’s utter nonsense — he’s so different now. He’s changed.”
The edges of Elphaba’s lips twitch upwards. He’s changed. Or perhaps, he’s finally revealed himself. Either way, she doesn’t have time to ruminate. Final exams are upon them, and even she must still prepare.
—
They don’t see each other for a few more days. Between the last bit of studying for the exams, taking them, and nervously awaiting the results, there isn’t much time for socializing. But the day their results are released, Elphaba can finally breathe. She passed, of course — that was never in question. But did he?
Her feet start moving before her brain can catch up.
She’s running through the halls, down the stairs, searching for him in every space she looks. Her foot reaches the edge of the courtyard and her head snaps up, called by an unspoken sense. There he is, on the opposite side, staring at her. For the space of a lone heartbeat, they are frozen in time, connected only by the strings of their gazes. Then, she runs. He runs too, sprinting towards her. They collide in the center. Fiyero picks her up and swings her around, and Elphaba laughs without a care in the world, holding onto him as if he’s the only thing keeping her from flying away.
He did well, then, her brain whispers, just like I knew he would.
“I passed,” he tells her, beaming.
“You did it!” she cheers, “I told you!”
“All because of you.”
He takes his time in lowering her to the ground, his hands lingering against her lower back. One rises to tuck a few of her braids behind her ear.
“Fiyero…” Elphaba whispers, watching his eyes flicker down to her lips and back up.
“Yes?” he whispers back. Her exhale is barely audible as she tells him, “Don’t think.”
He grins down at her.
“That’s my line, Fae.”
He kisses her then, in the middle of the courtyard. Jovial, she kisses him back, though they soon have to break apart for smiling too much. She giggles and he steals another kiss from her.
“How did you know?” he asks her afterwards, “That I could do it.”
“I believed in you. The same way you believed there was more to me, I believed there was more to you too.”
He kisses her again until her head spins. Later there will be questions they have to answer, things they must consider. But right now, Elphaba’s only concern is finally being with Fiyero.
And with all the concerns Elphaba has had in her life, this one is, decidedly, her favorite.