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The woods of Shiz were strangely quiet that afternoon, as if even the wind sensed something was wrong.
Elphaba walked fast, clutching her spellbook, constantly glancing at Fiyero—who moved beside her like a shadow.
He didn’t speak.
Didn’t laugh.
Didn’t tease her.
Nothing.
Just walked.
Ever since the attack from the Witch of the East, a strange spell had left him dimmed, muted, as if someone had turned off the light behind his eyes.
Elphaba had tried potions, counter-spells, even singing to him at night, but nothing worked.
Fiyero simply obeyed instructions.
No complaints.
No smiles.
It was worse than seeing him hurt; it was like seeing him hollow.
They reached her small cabin.
She touched his arm gently.
“Fiyero… I’m close. I swear I can fix this…”
He nodded without really seeing her.
That hurt.
More than she would ever admit.
Inside, he sat in a chair, hands on his knees, staring at the floor with empty eyes.
Elphaba’s heart twisted painfully.
Until a sound broke the silence.
Meow.
A tiny black-and-white kitten waddled out from under the table, whiskers crooked, fur messy, the most confident little creature in all of Oz.
Fiyero didn’t react.
Elphaba sighed.
“Not the best time, little—”
The kitten ignored her.
He went straight toward Fiyero, raised a paw as if to say “you’re mine now”, and climbed onto his leg.
“Meow.”
The sound seemed to pierce through layers of dark magic.
Fiyero slowly lifted his head.
His eyes met the kitten’s.
The kitten purred loudly.
And Fiyero blinked.
“…What…?” he whispered, barely audible.
Elphaba froze.
Had he spoken?
HE HAD.
The kitten leaned in and placed a tiny paw on his cheek.
And then it happened.
A smile.
Small, weak, but real.
Elphaba almost collapsed from relief.
“Fiyero…? Are you… feeling…?”
He looked at the kitten, then at her.
“…Warm,” he said softly.
She let out a broken laugh, part joy, part tears.
The kitten climbed fully into his lap, purring like a little engine, as if fueling his heart back to life.
The spell around him began to lift like fog retreating.
“I think I’m… a little better,” Fiyero whispered.
Elphaba finally smiled.
“I brought you a remedy,” she said.
Fiyero looked down at the kitten.
“You… bought me a cat?”
“Yes. Technically he bought himself. He chose you.”
Fiyero stroked the kitten gently.
“I like him.”
The kitten, determined to finish breaking the curse, reached up and licked Fiyero’s nose.
Fiyero laughed. Laughed.
Light filled the cabin.
“Thank you,” Fiyero whispered, his forehead resting against Elphaba’s. “Thank you for not giving up.”
“I won’t,” she said. “Never.”
The spell shattered completely—
with a purr,
a kitten choosing his human,
and the return of light to Fiyero’s eyes.