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“Fae, I know we’re on a deadline but I really do think I need a break.”
Fiyero closed his eyes and put pressure on his temples with his fingertips, sighing deeply. Elphaba glanced over to him and frowned in concern. They were currently holed up with piles of books and paperwork in the library at Kiamo Ko. After several hours (or was it several days?) at one of the tables they needed a change of scenery, so they had settled into one of Elphaba’s favorite window nooks to continue working.
“I’m sorry, I know we still have a lot to do tonight. My head is just pounding. I promise after dinner we can jump back in.” He sighed and looked up at his wife, giving her a small smile despite the exhaustion and discomfort clearly written across his face. “Maybe some food and getting out of this room for a bit will help.”
Elphaba tilted her head, observing her husband. “Of course, Yero. This is actually a good time to stop anyway; dinner should be ready in about half an hour. Let’s freshen up and then head downstairs.” She gave him a quick smile, forcing herself not to look worried; she knew he wouldn’t want her to make a fuss over him when they had so much on their plates.
This was the latest in a string of similar complaints from Fiyero over the last two weeks, ever since they started working on their first big project as Crown Prince and Princess. Their larger goal was to begin expanding higher education in the Vinkus, and the first major milestone they were pursuing was opening a university in the western part of the province. Most Vinkuns left after secondary school if they were planning on getting a university degree and would attend Shiz or one of the smaller universities throughout Oz. There was one university in the Vinkus, but it was smaller and more specialized in trades than academic fields. Elphaba, for one, couldn’t fathom why there weren’t more robust options for people who wanted to stay closer to home. There was far too much talent and potential in the province for them to not become a leader in educational opportunities.
As for Fiyero, as much he hated school when he was in it, he was equally as troubled by the fact that the Vinkus wasn’t taken seriously when it came to people choosing to further their studies. It was also a particularly sore point for him to remember that his brainless behavior may have contributed to any negative perceptions of the land he and Elphaba would someday lead. Like Elphaba saw endless potential in him, knowing that he could thrive academically if he applied himself, he saw endless potential in the people of the Vinkus.
Armond and Ismene could not have been more proud of the initiative they were taking and of the project itself. When Fiyero and Elphaba tentatively brought the idea to them, unsure if the king and queen would find the goal too lofty for them, they were practically glowing. They were more than happy to encourage and support them in their endeavor, knowing in their hearts that this was just the first of many things their reign would be renowned for one day. The four of them began planning, the king and queen made sure they knew exactly what they’d need to bring to both them and parliament to get the ball rolling.
Once a checklist was formed and a timeline was set, it consumed nearly every waking moment of their days. It also consumed many moments where they shouldn’t have been awake.
It turns out, there was far more research that went into the process of opening a university than even Elphaba, researcher extraordinaire, could have ever predicted. There were quite a bit of local ordinances and zoning laws that they needed to work around just to choose a location. They then had to figure out the budget of both the build itself as well as the first year of operating costs, get preliminary site designs, and even figure out the intended focuses of study and staffing plan before bringing it before Armond, Ismene, and Parliament.
What began as an exciting new prospect quickly devolved into seemingly living in the castle library. It was the most time and effort Fiyero had ever spent on anything, not counting pursuing his wife at Shiz, and it may very well have been the most research intensive project Elphaba had worked on in her life.
As checkboxes were checked and the nights of little sleep began to add up, Fiyero began complaining more and more about these headaches. This was a complaint Elphaba was familiar with; while they were at Shiz he mentioned headaches often, but at the time they seemed in jest. Fiyero being fussy about being forced to be productive, but not anything that actually bothered him. However, the tone in his voice when he brought them up recently was much different. He was clearly in actual pain, and Elphaba wasn’t quite sure how to help resolve it. He could take medication or even potions to help ease them, but he was wary about using them and becoming addicted like he was in the party days of his youth. Elphaba agreed wholeheartedly; she was hoping to get to the root cause before needing to rely on anything else.
Elphaba jotted down a final note and closed the covers to the book in front of her, taking her husband’s hands to guide him from his chair. She threaded his arm through his and lead them to their bedroom; hopefully, a change of venue and a few moments in a dark room would help ease Fiyero’s discomfort.
As they entered the dining room they found Armond and Ismene already at the table with their plates in front of them. They looked pleasantly surprised to see the two joining them; after several nights of Elphaba and Fiyero taking dinner in either the library to continue working, they were never quite sure if they’d see them without seeking them out.
Ismene smiled warmly at them as they took their seats at the table. “Oh thank goodness, I’m glad you two finally pulled yourselves away and joined us for dinner. Armond apparently has all the latest gossip; something about one of his advisors and a traveling ballet group.” Ismene rolled her eyes at Elphaba who laughed lightly.
Armond looked offended. “Ismene, you have to tell it right! Harlo got drunk at the ballet and stumbled onto the stage to profess his love for the principal dancer. Mid-performance.”
“Wait,” Fiyero interrupted, “isn’t Harlo married?”
“Not only is he married, Yero; his wife was in the audience when it happened.”
Much to Armond’s pleasure, everyone at the table gasped. “I know!”
“Wait, wha-?” Fiyero practically shouted before cutting himself off, wincing and putting pressure on his temple with the heel of his hand. “Ah, shit.”
The Queen frowned. “Yero, are you alright?”
“Yeah, Mom,” one side of Fiyero’s mouth raising in a small smirk, even though he was clearly still in pain, “I’ve just had a really bad headache the last few hours and I didn’t realize how loud that would come out.” He laughed gently. “We were hoping getting out of the library would help but it seems like that was a bust.”
“I will say,” Armond smiled wryly, “it has been nice to see that Yero does, in fact, know where the library is. I think he’s spent more time there these last few weeks than in the 25 years prior.”
Fiyero huffed good-naturedly, “Very funny, Dad. I’ll have you know that I’ve known where the library has been for years. Otherwise I’d never find Fae when she disappears with one of the countless books you recommend.” He pretend-glared at his father, “You know, the ones that keep her away from me all day long.” He stretched out the last three words along with a pout, teasing, though everyone knew he was being slightly serious. Even though he respected Elphaba’s need for her own time and joy for reading, he was always happiest by her side. His dad’s suggestions had quickly become enemy number one in his quest to be tucked into her side as often as possible.
Elphaba and Armond glanced at each other before rolling their eyes.
“You know Yero, you are always free to join in and read with me instead of complaining all the time that those books are stealing your wife.”
“Fae, I know it may be hard for you to imagine but I actually enjoy spending time with you in a variety of locations. Outside being my favorite; you that place with the sunlight and fresh air? Walls behind you, not surrounding you? I know it’s been a while.”
His wife’s brow arched, unimpressed by his ribbing.
Fiyero continued, unbothered by Elphaba’s lack of amusement; he’s far too used to her not playing into his silliness by now. “Though you certainly can’t say I won’t read with you anymore. I’ve been very happily holed up with you amongst more paperwork and books than I’ve read in my life this past month. It’s basically your dream come true.” He tilted his head, “Well, actually, your dream come true probably would be me turning into a boo-”
Elphaba let out a loud cackle, “I’m sorry, go back. Please repeat?” She put her hand behind her ear, and as she leaned toward him her eyes sparkled in mirth. “Did you say happily? If that’s what you call happy, next you’ll be saying houses can fly and tin cans can talk.”
Fiyero let out a chuckle, but his features softened. “Fae, if you wanted me to stand next to you all day and act as your personal bookshelf I’d be more than happy. It really isn’t that I’m not happy. These headaches have just been killing me.”
He paused before teasing her one last time. “Wait a second, I know exactly what’s happening. This is all your fault!” He playfully pointed his fork in her direction. “You’re forcing me to use the itty bitty little bit of brains I have far too much. So much it literally hurts. This happened back at Shiz too!” He turned to his parents, far too delighted with his little joke. “This feels like something she can be charged with. Intent to harm the crown? Treason? It must be illegal.”
Armond and Ismene couldn’t help but laugh at their son’s foolishness. “Thank goodness for you, Elphaba.” Armond winked at his daughter-in-law, “I can’t believe we used to have to suffer all his energy just the two of us. I thought we’d never pawn him off on someone.”
Fiyero looked at his father mock-offended. “Well that’s just rude.” He turned back to his wife, though he wasn’t really seeing her. His features shifted back to a more serious expression as he began to lose himself in his thoughts.
Truthfully, as much as he made light of the situation, it was frustrating for him. He just didn’t understand why he was struggling so much when Elphaba seemed completely fine. Was he really that brainless? How was he supposed to rule when even the slightest bit of effort made him feel like turning off all the lights and hiding beneath his desk?
“Yero?”
Fiyero snapped out of his daze, disoriented for a moment. As he focused back on his family and the dinner in front of him, he realized that everyone was now watching him with looks of deep concern on their faces. “Sorry, I just got lost in my head for a moment.” Elphaba gave him a look, clearly wanting him to elaborate on what had him distracted so suddenly.
He sighed deeply, knowing they wouldn’t leave him alone without a proper explanation. “It’s just frustrating. I’m really trying, you know? I’m aware of what people have thought of me all these years, and rightfully so, I never gave them any reason to have faith in my abilities as future king. If anything, I intentionally made them doubt me. I know I messed up before but I do care, and I want to start doing things the right way; to show that I really am invested in the future of Vinkus and its people.”
Ismene frowned. She knew her son regretted how he acted in his youth, but she didn’t realize quite how deeply, and how strongly he still felt that he needed to prove himself. “No one doubts how much you care, Yero, and everyone sees how much you’ve changed these last few years. I don’t believe anyone questions how much you care about this province.”
The corners of Fiyero’s mouth briefly tipped up in a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I just hate that at the first real opportunity to apply myself and make some kind of real change, I’m riddled with debilitating headaches of all things.” He huffed as his frustration began to grow. “It feels pathetic. I know that Fae is better at all this researching stuff than me but, Oz, I just didn’t think I was that inept.”
Elphaba bristled. She hated when Fiyero doubted himself, and she refused to stand by as he convinced himself of things that weren’t true. “Yero, stop it. You are not inept and I do not appreciate you saying as much. You did not come all this way just to backslide into genuinely believing that brainless nonsense you clung on to all those years. You are entirely capable, we just need to find out what’s causing-”
Fiyero shook his head firmly, “Elphaba, it’s fine. I know you’re trying to make me feel better, and I appreciate that, but I’m clearly not capable. I never see you getting these ridiculous headaches from studying or working. Clearly you’re just better equipped to-”
Whether Elphaba stopped listening or Fiyero trailed off, she’ll never know. She was too focused on the words that left his mouth just moments before.
I never see you getting headaches from studying or working.
Suddenly, images of her childhood flashed in her mind. Her head pounding near daily at school, rubbing her temples and spending time in the dark once she got home when migraines got too intense. The worried looks from the concerned school librarian, one of the few people who accepted her and encouraged her to read and pursue her passion. Her teacher writing a note home to her father. Her father thinking she was trying to cause a scene and get out of her chores when she was really just in pain.
“Fae?”
Snapping back to the present, she shook her head to clear the memories. “Sorry, what were you saying?“
Fiyero’s frustration had evaporated at the look on his wife’s face. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, just got lost in thought for a moment.” He still looked worried. She rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Yero, I’m fine. Just trying the whole zoning out thing you’ve been doing this evening; you made it look so fun I figured I’d give it a go myself.”
He wasn’t buying her joke, but knew she wouldn’t talk about what she was thinking if he pestered. Eyeing her suspiciously, Fiyero slowly started eating.
Elphaba picked up her fork and knife, but she couldn’t stop herself from slipping back into the memories his comment had resurfaced. There was a connection to this situation in those memories, she thought, she knew there was. Something that should be obvious, but she just couldn’t put her finger on it.
It seemed the back-to-back days and nights of endless work finally caught up with her; she was simply too exhausted to figure it out, and at this point her mind was grasping at straws instead of actually thinking clearly. She took off her glasses and pressed her fingers to her eyes in an attempt to concentrate.
Then it hit her.
Placing them back on her face, Elphaba took a moment to observe her husband. She reflected on the epiphany she had reached, thinking back on the last few weeks and years, and was certain she was right. “Yero… you always get these headaches after we’ve been working, right? Every time?”
Fiyero, Armond, and Ismene all glanced at her. They were surprised at her question, as they had moved on to an entirely new topic of conversation while she was thinking.
“Umm… as far as I’ve noticed?”
“How long has this been happening?”
“What, headaches after reading? As long as I remember, I guess, but certainly far more often once I started actually studying at Shiz. See, I told you, it’s your fault for making me think,” he joked as he pointed his fork at her.
“As long as you remember?”
Fiyero’s smile faded as he looked at her questioningly.
“Yes. Fae, why are you asking about-?”
Elphaba suddenly looked genuinely upset. “And you’ve never mentioned anything before this? Ever?”
Ismene looked thoughtful, “Actually, I do recall Yero’s tutors mentioning his headaches when he was younger, but they didn’t seem concerned. He was six? Maybe seven? After a few days we stopped hearing about it. We assumed he had been feeling under the weather and they went away on their own.”
“Well, my tutors made it very clear that they didn’t believe me, and they thought I was just making excuses to get out of my studies. It felt pointless to bring it up after that,” Fiyero shrugged. “After a while I just got used to them. Honestly, I studied so little when I was younger that I pretty much forgot about them entirely.”
Elphaba listened on, but the gears in her mind were already turning.
She stared at Fiyero for a few more moments. Suddenly, she shot up from her place at the table and left the room at a speed that would rival Galinda at a shoe sale. Before anyone could even wrap their heads around what was happening, Elphaba burst back through the door. In her hands she had a large sheet of paper and a black marker.
“Fae, what is going- “
Returning to her chair, Elphaba started scribbling away furiously without acknowledging him.
After a few moments, Elphaba slams her marker down and stands back up, moving back to add a few extra feet between her and Fiyero’s seat across from her. The paper now had seven hastily written lines in different sizes; the largest line of text was at the top and each subsequent line got smaller as they went down the page.
“Yero, what does this top line say?”
Fiyero, confused and genuinely a little offended, quickly responded. “It says ‘the cat sits on the mat’. Fae, I know I don’t like reading but implying I’m illiterate is a little much.”
Elphaba smirked, rolling her eyes. “I neither said nor implied you were illiterate. I’m very aware you know how to read, loath as you are to do it. Just cooperate with me here. What does the next line say?”
Glancing back down at the paper, Fiyero read the line. “The bird sings in the tree.”
“Next one?”
“The dog runs through the park.”
“Keep going.”
“Fae, now this is getting ridiculous,” rubbing his forehead in frustration. “How am I supposed to read that when it’s written so small?”
Armond and Ismene, watching silently but intently until this point, simultaneously leaned over to see what was written on the paper. They were each seated at the ends of the rectangular table, ever so slightly further from the paper than Fiyero was.
Elphaba turned the paper to Armond before showing it to Ismene as well. Armond turned to Fiyero and asked the question Elphaba hoped he would. “Yero, can you not read the next line?”
At this point, Fiyero’s exasperation and frustration quickly shifted to full-blown annoyance. “You know, this really isn’t funny anymore. I suppose you’re saying you can read that? It’s practically scribbles.”
Armond turns to Ismene. After sharing a look, Ismene turns back to the paper. With ease, she reads aloud: “The sun shines in the sky.”
Fiyero blinks at his mother. Turning to his father, he’s looking more lost than when this little “exercise” began. Armond then turns to the paper to read out loud what Fiyero assumes is the following line.
“We walked a mile in the park.”
Slowly he turns to look at each of his parents. “Can you read all the rest of the lines on the paper? Both of you?”
Armond simply nodded.
“Well,” Ismene answered, “I can read all but the last one. That one is a little small for me.”
Turning to Elphaba, he noticed the small knowing smile and sympathetic look in her eyes. Briefly glancing back at the paper before looking up at her face again, he asked what he already knew the answer to.
“Is it safe to assume you knew I wouldn’t be able to read them all?”
Still smiling slightly, she gave a nod and a shrug, “I had a pretty good feeling, yes.”
Fiyero breathed out slowly, all traces of frustration gone from his face but replaced with a slight wariness, confusion remaining.
“So, I know you say I’m not really stupid, but I don’t suppose you could just tell me what you’re getting at? Because I’m not really certain I’m following.”
Elphaba chuckled affectionately. Clearly having come to the same conclusion themselves, Armond huffed out a small laugh, and Ismene shook her head ever so slightly with an amused smile on her face.
Getting up from her seat once more, Elphaba walked around the table to stand behind Fiyero. She gently placed her hands on his shoulders and rubbed them before leaning over to face him.
“Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?”
Fiyero frowned. “Umm… good news?”
Elphaba beamed. “Well, I figured out the cause of all these headaches you’ve been having. Luckily, for those of us who had faith there was more than straw in here,” Elphaba tapped his temple gently with a laugh, “it has nothing to do with brainlessness.”
“I’m guessing the next part is the bad news.”
Elphaba smirked. “Well, my dear Yero, it seems you’ll be joining me at my eye doctor appointments from now on. You need glasses.”
Fiyero blinked. Then again. Then a third time.
“WHAT?!”
“Glasses, Fiyero. Those wire frames with the round glass circles I wear in front of my eyes?”
Unamused by her jibe, Fiyero glared at Elphaba. Slowly, he began to panic. “This is NOT funny Fae, I can’t wear glasses! They’ll cover up half of my face! I’ll be robbing people-”
Elphaba could not be more confused. “Of what?”
“Of my handsome looks!”
Elphaba rolled her eyes so hard she worried those old wives tales about them staying that way might be true. She helplessly looked at each of her in-laws, as she gestured towards her husband. “Women liked this? This?”
“Honestly, dear, I never understood it myself,” Ismene sighed.
Fiyero was still spiraling. “I don’t want them! I’ll look like one of those book-obsessed nerds at Shiz who never left the library except for class. I’ll-“
“Excuse you,” Elphaba interrupted with a glare of her own, “Your wife, who you chose of your own volition may I remind you, happened to be one of those book-obsessed nerds that never left the library.”
Fiyero winced while Armond struggled to cover his laugh in the background.
“Unless there’s something you want to inform me of,” Elphaba continued, “I seem to remember you saying you liked my glasses-covered face. Well enough to marry me, and until this day, well enough to tell me I’m beautiful near daily.”
“Fae, of course I-“
“No, Fiyero.” She turned up her nose at him, laying it on thick. “You’ve made it very clear how you feel about people who wear glasses.”
Elphaba wasn’t actually upset of course, but she couldn’t resist a little bit of teasing. Hiding a smile at his horrified face, she decided to pile on a little more.
“Apparently, you never thought they were beautiful at all. To think, all those years you told me my skin never bothered you but you conveniently left out that my glasses did.”
“Fae, what? No! You know I think you’re the most beautiful-”
Elphaba turned away sharply, letting out an eerily Galinda-like dramatic fake sniffle. That alone would’ve clued in anyone with at least two brain cells that she was joking, but Fiyero was already too gone in his spiraling to notice.
“Fae, wait, I didn’t mean-“
“Elphaba,” Ismene shook her head, attempting a reprimanding look; the effect being lost somewhat with the smile she was struggling to hide. “I think you might want to throw Yero a bone here, sweetheart. He’s too far off the deep end to realize you’re joking.”
Giggling lightly, Elphaba turned back to Fiyero and rubbed his shoulders again. “Love, I’m just messing with you. Though I am a little concerned that your takeaway from this conversation is that you’d be robbing the people of your beauty.”
Relieved, and now grinning, Fiyero corrected her. “Half my beauty, I’m only robbing them of half. Fortunately, they’d still get the lower half. Which I’ll have you know, Miss Elphaba, was the most sought after part of my face back in my prime.”
Armond groaned. Ismene looked nauseated. “Really, Fiyero?”
“Sorry,” Fiyero smiled sheepishly, running his hand through his hair.
Rolling her eyes, Elphaba returned back to the matter at hand.
“Anyway, Your Formerly Very Sought-After Highness, let’s get back to the point. I’m reaching out to the eye doctor to set an appointment tomorrow.”
Fiyero pouted.
“Fae, do I have to-“
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
Elphaba glared.
He turned away quickly, never able to withstand his wife’s judgemental stares for more than a moment. “Oz, I’m just joking! I’ll go to the eye doctor and get glasses.”
Fiyero paused thoughtfully, before whipping his head back to Elphaba with an excited gleam in his eyes. Somehow she already knew his next thought would give her a headache. “Fae, do you think glasses will make me look distinguished? What if they actually make me more handsome?” He fake gasped. “How will we handle the attention from the press? From the masses?”
At that moment, his parents and wife all looked at each other in exasperation before getting up and leaving the table, ignoring Fiyero’s questions.
“No, but really, maybe they’re just what I need to look more ‘Future Kingly’. Maybe people will finally start to believe I’m not completely brainless.” He rose to follow his family out the dining room door.
The three ahead of him continued without stopping, though he could practically hear Elphaba rolling her eyes when she called back:
“Don’t get your hopes up. Glasses don’t stop you from speaking.”
Glaring at her back, he followed his family down the hall to their suites. He and Elphaba each said good night to his parents before turning in and getting ready for bed.
A few minutes later, Elphaba had a letter written to her own eye doctor to set up an appointment in the morning, while Fiyero continued discussing how much glasses could change the public’s perception of him.
Elphaba stared at the ceiling.
It was going to be a long night.
One week later, Armond and Ismene were enjoying tea in the western gardens, chatting about everything and nothing until they heard two familiar voices approaching.
“Oh good, you’re both out here.” Elphaba looked between the king and queen with feigned disbelief on her face. “You will never believe what Fiyero received in the post today.”
Ismene laughed heartily, knowing exactly what it was, given that her son could talk about nothing else for days. “No doubt some ‘wire and glass’ that will not only drastically alter our son’s face, but the entire legacy he’ll leave behind as king.”
“Hey, you make fun now,” Fiyero raised his chin in defiance, “but you never know.”
Armond impatiently gestured to the package in Fiyero’s hands. “Well alright, Yero, let’s see them, I’d like to finish experiencing history being made in time for lunch.
Fiyero shot a glare at his father before carefully unwrapping the parcel. He lifted the glasses out of their wrapping with both hands, as if a single harsh breath could shatter them. He was about to place them on his face when Elphaba grabbed his hands to stop him.
“Fae, what-“
“Hold on, hold on. I want to make sure you’re facing something that you’ll really appreciate with clear vision.” She pivoted him towards the trees lining the gardens, “I always love seeing how crisp the leaves look with a new prescription.”
Fiyero laughed gently, turning back towards her. “You know, if you wanted to have the first thing I see be something I’d really appreciate, you could just stand right in front of me.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head affectionately at his cheesiness.
“Just put the glasses on.”
Looking down, he carefully placed the glasses on his face, pushing them up into the proper position before looking back at his wife.
Much to Elphaba’s chagrin, he actually did look quite distinguished with them on, and she knew how smug he would be when she inevitably told him.
His parents were watching the scene fondly. “So Yero,” his mother asked, “how do they fe-“
“Oh wow!” Fiyero was not listening to Ismene at all, completely entranced by something above Elphaba’s head.
Glancing behind her, Elphaba tried to figure out what had her husband so distracted. “What could possibly be so interesting?”
“The trees really do look incredible!”
Laughing, Elphaba rolled her eyes, “Well I told you they would.”
Fiyero continued to walk around, taking in the intricate leaves and flower petals that seemed to stretch as far as he could see. Which, he noted, was now a lot further than just a few moments ago.
While he wandered the gardens with the excitement of a child on Lurlinemas, the other three continued their conversation, Elphaba joining in at the table for some tea of her own.
For the next two weeks, it became a fairly frequent sight to see the prince absorbed in his reading. In the library with his wife, working diligently on the university project, poring over paperwork with his father in his study, or even, to everyone’s surprise and delight, sitting on a couch or armchair simply reading a book; for no other reason than his own enjoyment.
“And you accuse me of getting lost in my books. Honestly, I think you may have read through more in the past couple weeks than I have, and I read quite an impressive amount, even for the most notorious of bookworms.”
Fiyero turned from his book to find his wife approaching his chair, an amused smirk gracing her lovely emerald features. He laughed, “Don’t go around telling people.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips for a kiss before squeezing it. “You know, I never realized how much those headaches were affecting me all these years. Now that they’re gone, I’m actually,” Fiyero fake-shuddered, eliciting a laugh from his wife, “enjoying books instead of struggling through them.”
Elphaba clutched her chest dramatically. “What would all your devoted fans, now robbed of half your beautiful face, say if they could see you now. Reading. A book. Like one of those Oz-awful, library-loving nerds you’re so loath to be compared to.”
Fiyero looked a bit sheepish at the reminder of that conversation. “Ha ha, very funny.”
Elphaba grinned as she removed the book from Fiyero’s hands. She sat on his lap and swung her legs over the arm of his chair, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Really though, I’m glad they’ve helped you so much. And though your legion of obsessed followers may be appalled, I personally love how much you’ve been finding joy in reading.”
Fiyero turned to face her with a slight blush, his expression full of love and adoration for his wife. He wondered if her compliments and pride in him would ever stop making his heart flutter. “I never thanked you, by the way. I know I joked around a lot the day you realized I needed glasses, but I didn’t tell you how much it meant to me.”
Elphaba’s eyebrows furrowed. “You don’t need to thank me, Yero. It was an observation more than anything.”
“No, Fae, I do. My mother was right, my tutors never took me seriously when I mentioned them. They always just told me I was being lazy. That I wasn’t smart enough. That I didn’t care enough.”
“Which was an incredible failing on your tutors’ part by the way,” Elphaba interjected. She had spent quite a bit of time the last couple of weeks thinking about this very topic and it made her just as upset each time. “The fact they would think so poorly of a six-year-old is ridiculous and irresponsible of them. I can only hope they are long since retired, because they clearly did not deserve to be educators.”
Fiyero was touched by his wife’s indignation on his behalf. “I’ve always struggled with my studies no matter how hard I tried, even as a small child. I think my eyesight has probably always been the root issue, but when everyone always tells you that you’re inattentive or careless or stupid you start to believe them. Eventually, it doesn’t feel like it’s worth trying anymore.”
Fiyero looked down at his hands.
“I tried for a long time to do better in my classes, but once I stopped that attitude slowly bled into every other aspect of my life. It made me turn genuinely careless and thoughtless and, eventually, reckless. I just knew I could never be as amazing a king as my father, so why was I bothering?”
Elphaba slipped her hand into his, giving it an encouraging squeeze.
“Then you crash into my life-
“I think you did the crashing, technically.”
Fiyero gave her a look, and she couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. “Anyway, you showed up and never once allowed me to hide behind this facade I had built around myself. You were the first person to not only believe I could be more, but actually force me to believe it too."
He paused and gazed at his wife reverently; he would never understand how he managed to end up with such an incredible woman by his side, but he would be grateful for the rest of his days.
"We’ve been together for years now, and it would be so easy to just assume that we know each other in and out, that there isn’t anything new to discover. It would be easy to stop pushing each other to be more than we allow ourselves to be. We take on this project, and it’s more work than anything I’ve ever done before. Then these horrendible headaches start.”
He glanced back at his wife, eyes full of emotion.
“You could have just dismissed it and assumed that I finally hit my limit, that I just wasn’t capable of something so difficult. That you put too much faith in me. But-” He smiled. “You never gave up on me.”
She gazed into his eyes, trying to show him in that moment just how much she loved and believed in him. “Have I ever?”
“Not once. You’ve always seen the best in me.” Fiyero chuckled and poked her on the tip of her nose, “Maybe it’s the glasses.”
Elphaba snorted out a laugh. “Maybe, but keep going.”
“My point is, no one has ever had enough faith in me to bother finding out if something else was wrong. You did. You saw me struggling, and didn’t just assume I was lazy or not smart enough to keep up. You saw that it was something bigger, and made sure to figure out just what I needed. No one else has done that for me before. It just… it means a lot to me. So, thank you.”
He stared at her reverently as she brought his hand to his cheek. Elphaba brought her forehead down to rest lightly on his.
“I love you, Yero.”
“I love you always, Fae. More than I can possibly say.”
Elphaba rested her head back on his shoulder, closing her eyes and starting to drift off before hearing Fiyero speak up again.
“Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask; how did you arrive at ‘he needs glasses’ from ‘headaches’ anyway?”
“That’s how I actually discovered I needed glasses when I was younger; I always got them when I would read and study too. At the beginning, Father would tell me I was being childish for complaining about headaches, so after a while I tried not to bring them up anymore. But one of the librarians at school noticed me pressing my eyes and my head when I’d stay during lunch to read. She told me that was one of the symptoms people had when they needed glasses, so we told my teacher who then finally convinced Frex to bring me to an eye doctor.”
“You spent lunch in the library?”
Elphaba laughed, “That’s what you got out of my story?”
“I mean, it’s not exactly new news that Frex is a jerk.”
“Very true,” she nodded in agreement. “Frex was always a jerk, and so were all the kids at school. Lunchtime was always the one hour a day everyone at school could point and whisper about my skin without a teacher intervening. The library was quiet and the librarian was just happy to see someone young enjoy reading, so I’d just stay there instead.”
Fiyero squeezed her hand.
“All that being said,” she continued, “constant headaches after reading were the first sign I needed glasses. When we were still at Shiz you spent so much time leaning into that ridiculous ‘Dancing Through Life’ facade that I figured it was part of the whole routine. Which now I feel terrible for.” She had been regretting how dismissive she was in the past ever since they made the realization. “I should’ve taken it more seriously, and maybe -“
“Fae.”
Elphaba stopped speaking and looked at Fiyero with a huff of frustration and remorse lining her features. “What?”
“It was not your responsibility to figure this out. It wasn’t even your responsibility now. As much as I like to pretend otherwise, I am a grown adult and should have been able to communicate the issues I was having properly.” He squeezed her waist in an attempt to assuage her guilt. “This is not something you get to blame yourself for, especially when you’re the one who ended up fixing everything anyway.”
They sat in silence together for a few more moments.
Elphaba decided to move the conversation to less emotional waters, and she knew just how. There was an admission she had been dreading for weeks, and now seemed like just as good a time as any.
“Yero, I’ve been meaning to tell you something. Remember, I am nearly never wrong, so I do not relish what I am about to say, and I’ll only say it once.”
That certainly piqued his curiosity. “Say what?”
She breathed in slowly through her nose and stared at the point on the wall ahead of her. With a quick breath out, she let out the words.
“You were right.”
Fiyero grinned shamelessly, not knowing what he was right about but knowing full-well that it could be years before he heard those words again.
“Right about what?”
Elphaba’s eyes flashed as she grabbed his chin with her fingers, moving his face slightly to inspect it. “You do look very distinguished with your glasses on.”
Fiyero raised an eyebrow, his smile shifting into an arrogant smirk.
“Do I now?”
“Unfortunately, yes. They make you look more mature and,” she paused, adjusting the glasses on his nose, “quite intelligent.” Elphaba’s gaze darkened as she took in the sight of her husband. “It turns out, I enjoy the look much more than I anticipated.”
Fiyero closed his eyes for just a moment; he needed to stay in control of himself until they could move somewhere private. He brought his lips as close to Elphaba’s as possible without kissing her; close enough that she could feel his breath.
“Is that so? Care to see how much you enjoy me with my glasses on?”
Elphaba smirked. “Well that depends on how much more time you plan to spend enjoying the book you were reading. Dinner is in half an hour so you won’t have time for both.” She swung her legs off the chair, got up off his lap, and began making her way to the door.
Fiyero jumped up, quickly crossing the few feet between him and Elphaba before bending down and sweeping her into his arms, making his way down the hall to their suite.
“I actually seem to have a bit of a headache from all that reading. Some time in a dark room with my wife may just be exactly what I need to make it go away.”
Elphaba laughed, “I think that can be arranged.”
Fiyero opened the door to their room, carrying her over the threshold before kicking the door closed behind them. He placed her back down on her feet and she made her way to the windows to close the curtains. She glanced over her shoulder at him with a devilish smirk, before dropping her dress to the floor in one swift movement.
Fiyero blinked, throat suddenly feeling dry. He turned around to lock the door behind him.
“You know what, Fae? I’m thinking a half an hour won’t be enough time for my headache to go away after all. We should probably just turn in for the ni-.”
Before Fiyero could finish his thought she was back in front of him; he immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Elphaba gazed up at her husband with hunger in her eyes, reaching up and running her finger along the rim of his glasses before bringing her hands to the nape of his neck. She pulled him down into a heated kiss that stole his breath away, and they quickly began making their way to the bed. Any thoughts of books or dinners were abandoned as they removed each lingering article of clothing from their bodies; until nothing remained between them.
Besides his glasses, of course.