Archive of Our Own

Elphaba studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror, letting her gaze drift over herself. For so much of her life, her appearance had brought conflict and pain, yet tonight she felt beautiful. It was easier to believe it now that she had built a life beyond all of that—one she shared with a man who loved her, a man who had never once made her feel lesser for being green.

She had always been confident, at least when it came to her abilities. How she looked had mattered less, or so she had told herself. Still, she had always made an effort to look presentable for her own sake, even when no one else seemed to care.

“Well, look at you, Elphaba Thropp,” she murmured, turning her mostly bare body to view herself from the side. Her bump was still small, but it was unmistakable now. No one could mistake it for a food baby.

She tilted her head and slid a hand over the gentle curve of her green stomach, a soft smile touching her lips as her thoughts turned to Nessa and Glinda. There had been a time when she had never imagined herself with a boyfriend, let alone being engaged, expecting a child, and feeling loved so completely. Yet here she was, engaged to the kindest man she had ever known and carrying his baby.

She was forever grateful for what she had, but part of her still wished her little sister and her best friend could be here to see it.

“Sentimental,” she rolled her eyes at herself before wandering to her bedroom to find some clothes for today. Her beautiful Fiyero would return from another treasure hunt today and she was more than eager to reunite with him. Especially since this time they had been gone for closer to two weeks and earning double the money. She hated that he had to leave, but with a baby growing in her belly, any money was good money.

Admittedly she was feeling a bit frisky too, which surprised her. Andreana had assured her that it was completely normal to feel aroused during pregnancy. Her friend had teased her over it all in good nature, but Elphaba didn’t really care. It wasn’t as if Fiyero would complain when he returned either.

She found a knee-length dress and black trousers for fitting for a little bit of hiking. It hugged her shape now, especially with her bump. Which was intentional, of course. She wanted her baby daddy to see how far along she was getting. She pulled some hiking boots on before heading out, but instead of going down to the city of Ev, she turned towards the mountains.

For once they were coming down the side of the mountains not far from their home, so she decided to take her fiancé by surprise on their way down. Not quite knowing when they would arrive, though, meant Elphaba probably had to wait up there for a while.
It was all good. It was a beautiful morning and while the mountains still kept the sun from shining down on the city below, the sky was a beautiful clear blue. She would watch that view all day long if she could.

Elphaba brought the book she was currently reading and settled down in the high grass just in the shadows of the mountain peaks. She read for perhaps an hour or two before thinking she heard sounds in the distance. The sun had long since come over the mountains and bathed her in the warmth.

Looking over her shoulder, she spotted the rag-tag group coming down the narrow paths from the mountains. The white and chestnut horses further at the front were unmistakable. Ivory and Trot, the two horses they had traveled with most of the way from the desert between Oz and Ev. It was a large group this time and while Elphaba knew most of them by now, there were still quite a few she hadn’t gotten to know. She was sure Fiyero would have quite a few stories to tell, though.

Despite spotting them far up, it still took the better half of an hour for them to get closer to where Elphaba was sitting. It wasn’t until then that she finally saw Fiyero, who had been walking behind the horses.

“Fae!” he smiled widely, throwing a glance over his shoulder before breaking apart from the group.

Elphaba laughed softly and got to her feet, then gasped when Fiyero took a tumble.

“Fiyero!” she winced. Watching as her scarecrow took three rolls down the hill before coming to a stop near her.

“I… planned that,” Fiyero defended, waving the snickering party behind him off.

“For Oz’s sake,” Elphaba rolled her eyes as she helped him up. He might be a bit on the klutzy side now that he was stuck in the shape of a darling scarecrow, but she knew he had absolutely not planned that.

“Well, as long as you don’t take the tumble,” Fiyero defended with a breathless laugh as they more or less fell into each other’s arms. Elphaba sighed happily into his chest while her fingers dug into the back of his coat under his backpack. Standing there for a moment longer and just inhaled his scent with her eyes closed. His usual sweet earthy smell was joined by the smell of a bonfire. As if he had been sitting close enough to one for the smoke to seep into him. Yet, even now, there was still a distinct smell of Fiyero. Maybe it was a specific aftershave from Vinkus. Maybe a spice. All she knew was that it was 100% Fiyero. If she let her nose and lips trail along his jawline to his ear and neck, just like she had done in the woods back in Oz that one night, it felt particularly strong.

When she opened her eyes again, she stood still. Eyes landing on two stretchers Ivory and Trot were pulling along after them down the same path she had climbed up to get here. Whatever was on those stretchers was covered with someone’s coats and blankets.
She could feel Fiyero lift his head and look in the same direction, following it with a gentle touch under her chin.

“I’ll tell you later,” he whispered. The sadness in his eyes said enough for now. She nodded. Standing on her toes to kiss him. Feeling the texture of his lips against hers as their noses bumped.

Tightening her arms around his waist as they deepened the kiss. Teasing her tongue over his top lip and laughing quietly when she could hear a distant whistle.

“I have missed you so much,” she sighed and lowered herself back on her feet. Moving her hands down to give his torso a once over to make sure he was okay.

“I’ve missed you and the little one too,” Fiyero smiled and she was more than happy as he pressed kisses to her face and held her little bump with the gentlest hands.

“We need to get back home,” she whispered after a moment of successfully being turned on by his kisses and touch.

“Why? Is something wrong?” he wondered, raising an eyebrow at the familiar lustful look in her eyes.

“Not at all. Did you know a woman’s sex drive tends to go through the roof during pregnancy?” she asked, her hands tugging on the lapels of his coat as she talked.

“I actually did,” Fiyero admitted.

“Oh. Oh!” he laughed softly.

“Let’s go.”

From their nest in the apple tree outside the bedroom window, two sparrows exchanged a long-suffering glance as the sound of a bed hitting a wall continued. The little home had been peaceful all morning, and so was their garden, full of leaves, sunlight, and sensible birdsong, and then the scarecrow had returned.

“He has been gone a while, Marielee,” the male sparrow said, fluffing his feathers with great dignity.

“We should probably move our errands downtown.”

Marielee gave the window a pointed look as another thump made the branch tremble. “Yes,” she chirped, already lifting into the air.

“I suspect the pair will be celebrating for quite some time.”

The bed broke.

Just like that.

The sudden silence in the room was slowly broken as Elphaba started to laugh into his chest. Almost wheezing as they clutched each other on the now lopsided bed.

“We broke the bed,” Fiyero said quietly. The casual way he said it only made Elphaba laugh harder.

“I can’t believe you broke the bed,” Fiyero soon laughed with her, unable to hold back when she couldn’t stop.

They calmed down eventually, trying to remain comfortable on the bed that was still tilting to the side.

“Did you finish?” he whispered, snickering when she snorted into his shoulder. Shaking her head.

He pushed himself up into a seated position and the bed creaked and groaned until the final leg gave out under them. Jolting them once more before they were horizontal again.

“Oh, you must really have missed me,” Fiyero snickered, his messy hay hair slightly messier than usual.

“Told you,” Elphaba sat up next to him, not looking as sorry as she claimed to be and instead kissed him again. Her hand holding his cheek. Clearly not intending to let the broken bed ruin her mood.

“Well, in that case,” he sighed and wrapped his arm back around her and flipped her onto her back. Far more careful now than he usually would have been for obvious reasons. Shifting down her body and gently pressing kisses along her small bump.

“I think there might indeed be some truth behind the saying of pregnant women having a glow to them,” he complimented. She looked radiant and not because of the sweat from their activities.

“Oh, just you wait until my belly is big and I can’t even see my feet anymore,” Elphaba hummed happily, stroking her fingers through his blond, stiff straw hair and hugging his sides with her thighs.

“You’ll still be radiant,” Fiyero said.

“I don’t know about that, but it will be worth it,” she laughed softly, curling her fingers under his chin so he stopped kissing her green skin. A long finger sliding over the scruffy, golden burlap that covered his cheek.

“Beautiful,” she whispered, her hand staying on his chin until he moved back up until their lips met.

She trapped his bottom lip between hers and curled one arm around his waist and the other over his shoulder. Holding him close as their kiss deepened. Using magic to bring the sense of touch back into his body had been one of the best choices she had made since they got together. Feeling the way his back would arch a bit as her fingers slide up along his spine was exhilarating. At least that way there were ways for her to make him feel good too in this shape.

He made sure she finished off. Then they lay in bed in their afterglow. Side by side on a broken bed and with silly smiles on their faces.

“We need to go to town now. Get some tools,” he said, their fingers entwining between them.

“I’ll come with you. I could do with some shopping too,” she agreed, tilting her head to look at him. Shifting onto her side to face him since it felt more comfortable.

“Not to mention I have missed you too much to leave you out of sight for too long,” she teased. Resting her free hand on his chest. Fingers trailing over his burlap-covered torso. His body was softer than that of a human, but in a different way for sure yet he was still so very attractive to her. It made him all the more comfortable to cuddle.

“Even if I have to use the bathroom?” he asked, his eyes following her hands' slow travel down his chest.

“And what would you be using the bathroom for?” she teased. Tapping her fingers over his belly.

“Well, mainly my hair. You mess it up. A lot,” he said with a straight face. She snickered and leaned in. Placing a lingering kiss on his cheek, she then settled there. Nose against his cheek. Inhaling that familiar smell of Fiyero Tigelaar. The smell of home.

“It’s always messy,” she teased.

“True,” he grinned.

It took a lot of effort for them to get out of bed, but they eventually got there. Having pulled his trousers on, Fiyero knelt on the floor to inspect the damage to the bed.

“All four legs, Fae. That is some hard riding,” he pointed out, glancing over at where she was getting dressed. Slipping her arm through the sleeve of her dress as she winked at him.

“I said I’m sorry,” she said, blushing a dark green. She came over to inspect the slight indents and scrapes on the wall that had magically appeared over time.

“Maybe we should slow down,” she teased, ruffling his hair as she walked past him.

“I think that will happen naturally the further along you get,” Fiyero snorted.

As they headed down to the archway above the city, Elphaba tugged Fiyero’s hand and nodded to an old couple on the porch of their home. Looking at them with what she could only be described as accusatory.

“Good morning, ma’am. Up early today, I see,” Fiyero called, keeping a straight face.

“Wasn’t much sleep to get, thank you,” the old lady scoffed.

Just as Fiyero was about to retort with something Elphaba was certain would be cheeky or extremely inappropriate, she spoke up.

“Yes. Noisy neighbors, right? Someone should tell’em to tone it down,” Elphaba snickered, waving a hand before tugging her fiancé away.

“Tone it down? I didn’t agree to that,” Fiyero teased, laughing as they walked the path of their street.

“Oh, you know me. They might not know it was us for sure,” she defended, even though she was not very confident about that.

It was wonderful to have Fiyero to talk to again. Their friends were wonderful, of course, but Fiyero was more than her fiancé and lover. He was her best friend too. They could joke around and have fun more intimately than they could with others.

In the elevator down to the city below, Fiyero stepped behind her so he could wrap his arms around her. Hands on her cute little bump.

“Still not sure about a name yet?” Fiyero asked, resting his chin on her shoulder while his eyes scanned the main street ahead.

“Yesterday I had a few names I thought could be good, but today I can’t even remember them,” Elphaba rolled her eyes, leaning back against her man.

“I keep going between names. Why is it so hard? Why can’t we just name the baby… Elphabob, if it is a boy or Elphabea, if it’s a girl?” Fiyero suggested with a shrug. Elphaba’s heavy sigh made him laugh out loud.

“Elphabob?” she tilted her head back to look up at him,

“This is why men shouldn’t name their kids,” she snorted. Patting his arm in consolation.

“Now you are just being mean,” Fiyero teased, kissing her temple.

“I am not. I am just trying to keep our future child from being the victim of bullying needlessly,” she pointed out as the elevator came to a stop at the bottom.

They bantered the whole way into town, walking hand in hand and looking every bit the smitten kittens they had been since Shiz.
It was after getting the tools he needed that they first ran into Andreana outside the theater. They had stopped by to make sure their other friends had reached the city safe and sound.

“Are you building the baby’s cradle yourself?” their friend asked after spotting the tools in Fiyero’s hand.

“Hmm, maybe, but we broke the bed, so we got to fix that first,” Fiyero said before he could help himself.

“Fiyero! What did I say about thinking before speaking?” Elphaba nudged him in the stomach. Fiyero at least had the decency to look mildly bashful when he realized he had overshared.

“You broke the bed?” Andreana laughed.

“Violent pillow fight,” Fiyero added.

Elphaba just shook her head and rubbed her temple.

“Yeah, I bet,” Andreana snickered.

“Whatever. I need like, loose trousers. If my clothes are already starting to get tight, I might as well start considering getting bigger clothes,” Elphaba explained, slipping her hand into Fiyero’s free one again before crossing the street.

“Need any help with that?” Andreana called after them. Laughing harder when Elphaba waved her off.

Elphaba was in the middle of checking out a pair of pants in a store when she heard a child ask Fiyero something a few racks down.

“Are you really made of straw?” the small child asked, tugging gently on the cuff of the scarecrow’s coat. Looking enthralled with the strange man. Elphaba smiled and quietly walked closer. Fiyero was a natural when it came to children.

“More or less,” Fiyero nodded, looking amused as the child curiously gave his hand a shy little shake. Giggling when Fiyero made a tiny squeaky sound with his lips as the child squeezed his hand as if to see if he’d make a sound.

“Kaliko, stop that,” a woman who clearly had to be the mother hurried over and grabbed the child’s hand.

“Sorry about that,” the woman avoided looking directly at Fiyero and that alone was making Elphaba feel anger blossoming in her chest.

“It is fine,” Fiyero said quietly, but the woman dragged her curious child away.

“No, it’s not,” she huffed and pulled the kid away as if he’d catch something by being in contact with a living scarecrow.

“Hmm,” Fiyero made a face. Elphaba felt her temper rise when she witnessed how the woman treated Fiyero. It had been clear as day to her. While everyone was surprised when they first met Fiyero, most seemed curious or polite. This woman looked at him like he was something dirty.

“I don’t usually resolve things with murder, but maybe this one time,” Elphaba grumbled as she made to follow the woman, but Fiyero stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“Elphaba, it’s fine.”

“The hell it is,” she fired back, then stopped when she realized it only meant that Fiyero had to deal with her anger. She took a deep breath and watched him. She hated seeing that disappointed look on his face.

“Let’s find you some of those clothes you were looking for, okay?” Fiyero suggested in an effort to change the topic.

"Fiyero—" Elphaba started, not wanting to drop it, but sighed and followed.

As soon as they got home, Fiyero vanished upstairs with the tools while Elphaba went to the kitchen with the food and snacks she had bought. She had every intention of spending the weekend mostly alone with her husband and making the most of it.

She glanced towards the ceiling as she heard scraping sounds from the bedroom. She had every intention of spending the weekend mostly alone with her husband and making the most of it. She glanced towards the ceiling as she heard scraping sounds from the bedroom. She grimaced when she heard him grunt and swear following the sound of something heavy slamming against the floor.

“Are you okay?” Elphaba called up the stairs. Following a moment of silence, she heard him grumble something before answering her worries.

“Yeah… just weak,” came a disappointed voice from upstairs.

“Sweetheart,” Elphaba sighed, grabbing her snacks from the kitchen before going upstairs in search of her husband. She tilted her head when she found him kneeling on the floor next to the bed where he had clearly tried to lift it onto its side, but the frame was far too heavy for him.

She set aside the snacks before going over to him.

“Let me help?” she asked gently, stroking a hand over his cheek before he nodded. With a simple movement of her wrists, the bed frame lifted itself up on its side. That way neither of them needed to strain themselves needlessly.

“Pretty handy when your fiancé has literally plenty of tricks up her sleeve,” Fiyero smiled as he got back to his feet. As disappointed as he might be with himself, she could always see how he admired her abilities. It made a sense of pride blossom in her chest.

“You could have just waited for me to join you,” she teased gently, though she was always careful when it came to joking about his lack of strength now. Not that he would be angered easily, but she naturally didn’t want to hurt him.

“I know. I just forgot,” he shrugged. Which was quite fair. Going from being a grown man who could have easily lifted a bedframe before to a soft-bodied scarecrow would take a long time to wrap one’s mind around.

“Fiyero. Please don’t think too hard about the woman in town today. She isn’t worth a second of your thoughts, but her child certainly is. Our baby is going to be your second biggest fan,” Elphaba whispered. Wrapping her arms around his middle and nuzzling against his cheek. She watched him, catching every little detail around his eyes. The way the burlap near his eyes and mouth would crease a bit as he responded in good humor to her words.

“Second biggest?” he raised an eyebrow.

“After me, of course,” Elphaba grinned as she moved one hand up to cup his cheek. Her eyes never lied. Neither did his eyes. Their adoration for one another was clear as day.

“Of course,” he smiled, brushing a rough finger along her temple so as to bring a couple of her braids behind her ear.

“Now, go relax while I’ll fix the bed,” he teased, giving her tap on the bum.

“Right. You know we are just going to have to test it out later, though, right?” she tiptoed and whispered in his ear. Giving him a nip on the earlobe before going to her cozy chair in the corner by the window so she could pretend to read her book.

“I kind of assumed that,” he teased in return. Picking up some nails and the hammer before getting to work to secure the broken bed legs.

He was halfway through working on the second leg with a few nails between his lips when he glanced over at Elphaba. She wasn’t being subtle at all where she was watching him work over the top of her book.

“Now that I think of it. Maybe it would be better to just keep the legs off if you’re going to be this rough with me,” he teased, hammering another nail into the leg.

She watched him focus back on his handiwork. Giggling a little as he watched him.

“If we break it again, let’s do that,” she teased.

Fiyero was kneeling on the floor again when Elphaba’s thoughts went back to the two stretchers that the travelers had brought with them from the mountains earlier that day. She set aside the book and watched him for a moment longer before finding a way to ask without coming off as too nosy for her own good.

“Those two bodies you were bringing back from the treasure hunt. Is it okay to ask now what happened?” she asked quietly.

His blond straw hair flopped back as he looked back up at her and gave a little nod before focusing back on hammering the nails. Placing the nails between his lips on the floor instead.

“Remember the woman on the train when we were coming to Ev? The train conductor?” Fiyero glanced up long enough for Elphaba to give a reluctant nod before he focused back on his hammering.

“Well, she and her son were a part of the company of treasure hunters. It wasn’t recommended that she joined the trip, but apparently, she really needed the money. I didn’t even realize who she was before we were a few days into the trip. Things were going fine, but one day I saw eyes in the mountain side. The nomes,” he said,

“They obviously knew we were there, so I warned the leaders. We traveled further into the mountains in an attempt to lose them. We weren’t going to give up that easily, apparently, considering how much these jobs pay. It was ridiculous, of course. The nomes live in those mountains. They are a part of the mountains. They followed us the whole way,” Fiyero set down the hammer as he finished the third leg.

Looking over at Elphaba when she moved from her chair to come sit with him instead.

“One night after digging for treasure at this new location, I woke up to multiple people in the company being grabbed. I don’t know if I just got lucky, but they didn’t grab me or any of the horses. We saved a handful and they helped save the rest. I don’t have any strength to fight anything, as you know, but I did manage to help one of the young bucks by chucking an axe into the nome. Left the axe stuck in its head. Can’t kill a rock, though, but at least it let go,” Fiyero sighed, feeling Elphaba slip her hand along his arm until their fingers entwined.

“Trot and Ivory tried to save the mother and son, but it was too late. The nomes let them go as they retreated, but they had already killed them,” Fiyero said and tilted his head in thought as he finished up the story.

“Why wasn’t it recommended that she’d come along?” Elphaba asked, feeling heartbroken over the fact that both mother and son had been killed so brutally. She hadn’t personally known either one of them, but she did remember the woman from the train ride here. It was a terrible way to go out. Even though they were always made aware of exactly why this job paid so well. It was dangerous. It was always a risk.

“She was older. Health decline. That’s why her son came along as well,” he explained, lifting his free hand to brush his fingers along his lovers’ cheek.

“The leaders of the group thought I was perhaps one of the few not attacked since I’m not a living, breathing being, and the horses were further away from the group,” he explained. He was grateful that his friends were safe too, but it felt terrible that he hadn’t been very helpful.

“Well, I am certainly relieved the majority of you got out alive,” Elphaba said, leaning over and wrapping her arms around him. Hoping to offer some kind of comfort.

He finished the bed later on and despite the teasing, they didn’t test out its durability that night.

A few months passed and Elphaba grew bigger each day. She kept working, though she kept her use of magic to a minimum since it tended to be so easily affected during her pregnancy. The theater was going great, though.

“There is no hiding my belly at this point,” Elphaba pointed out after finishing her solo.

“It’s fine, Elphaba. No one is going to think twice about it,” Binx said from where he was laid across three seats in the auditorium.

“Oh yeah? They might ask, “Huh, when did Charlotte get pregnant?” while watching the show,” she pointed out. Charlotte, of course, was her character in the play.

“Charlotte got pregnant the way most people get pregnant,” Binx laughed and nudged Fiyero’s shoulder where he sat comfortably sunken in one of the seats in front of him.

“Charlotte might jinx the Binx so you can’t talk until next year,” Fiyero teased in return, though his eyes didn’t leave his fiancé.

“That is a wonderful idea, my sweet,” Elphaba quipped from stage.

“No! I was joking!” Binx rolled straight off the seats and onto the floors. Making Fiyero and the others in the group laugh.

“Don’t overthink it, dear,” the play’s director assured Elphaba as he came on stage with her.

“The audience will be more transfixed on your singing than your belly. Besides, it is the last performance before the winter holidays. By the next time you’re on stage, surely the little one is out and a part of the play,” he teased.

“One more time?” the director offered Elphaba more time to practice and she gladly took it.

Fiyero’s role in this play was a smaller one per his request, but it was a character that would be around Charlotte. Allowing Fiyero to be close to his pregnant girlfriend, but not suffocatingly so. Though neither of them played main characters, Elphaba did some singing. In one scene Elphaba’s character was riding in a wagon in which Fiyero was the driver. Two of their friends and colleagues, one being Binx, playing the horses pulling them along.

“Can you not go a little faster, driver?” Elphaba called from the wagon, fully in character.

“I am trying, ma’am, but these old mules have seen better days,” Finley, Fiyero’s character, called back to her.“That is not in the script!” Binx complained, causing Fiyero to snicker.

“Also, why don’t we have Animals doing these roles?” their friend and co-star asked.

Fiyero snickered and glanced back at Elphaba.

“No one applied to them, Binx. Now pull,” the director called.

The rest of the cast was otherwise distracted when Elphaba felt the first kick in the back of the wagon. She jolted in surprise. Gentle taps from inside her belly made her snicker.

“Fye!” she whispered since he was close enough to hear her.

“The baby’s kicking,” she laughed softly.

Fiyero almost tumbled straight off the wagon in a hurry to get down. Stumbling a bit on unsteady feet as he climbed into the back with her.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, resting a gentle hand on her belly. She soon grabbed it and slowly tried to guide it over her stomach to find where the little one had been kicking.

“No, but it feels odd,” she snickered, sighing when she couldn’t seem to find any more kicking. Fiyero sighed too and shrugged.

“Another time then,” he sat back next to her. Allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder.

“Another time,” she nodded.

The show the following evening went wonderfully. The weekend shows almost always sold out and with the snow falling outside, it was such a lovely holiday vibe for the whole evening.

“Break a leg,” Fiyero whispered before Elphaba was to enter the stage.

“Not literally, though. You walk for two now,” he reminded. Elphaba laughed softly and wrapped her arms around him. Gladly welcoming the affectionate kisses and nuzzle from her fiancé.

“I sure will make an effort to avoid that,” she promised, turning to face the stage and taking a deep breath and focusing on what was ahead, but appreciating his supporting hands on her shoulders.

Fiyero watched her sing from the side of the stage just out of view of the audience. Smiling softly at the memory of the two of them singing together back in Oz. Just the two of them alone, finding comfort in the other's voice.

At the curtain call at the end of the show, their hands found one another again as they bowed for the crowd. Elphaba rolled her eyes when her bump got a bit in the way, but did her best no less. At least they weren’t front and center, so it was easy enough to not pull attention to herself.

As usual, they celebrated a great performance at the bar across the street, but they didn’t stay too long considering Elphaba felt more exhausted than usual. They had a holiday feast the following weekend to attend anyway so neither Elphaba or Fiyero felt too guilty for leaving early that evening to head home.

The next morning, Elphaba woke up alone in bed. She yawned, stretched, and then grumbled softly at the weight of her belly. She was reaching the point where she was starting to feel ready for the baby to arrive, even though she knew the final stretch would only become more demanding. Still, she wanted to appreciate as much of it as she could. This would be her only pregnancy, and some part of her felt an almost desperate need to experience it properly—to notice everything, remember everything, and somehow get it all right.

She sat up in bed and looked around, wondering where Fiyero had gone. They had the day off, so there was no obvious reason for him to have slipped away.

“Sweetheart?” she called, but no answer came.

With a small shrug, she climbed out of bed and crossed to the window. The sight outside made her smile. Snow had fallen overnight, blanketing their yard and softening the whole landscape into white.

As she dressed, she paused by the glass and finally spotted Fiyero in the garden below. He was bundled from head to toe in high boots and a long coat, clearly dressed to keep his burlap and straw from soaking through in the snow.

She huffed and went downstairs. All she wanted to do was to cuddle up in bed with her comfy, adorable fiancé and he had to go outside and was… doing stuff.
After getting her boots and coat on, she joined him outside.

“You need to be approved to leave the house without my knowledge from now on,” Elphaba said, looking grumpy to act like she wasn’t joking.

“Am I under house arrest?” Fiyero asked as he looked back at her crossing the yard.

“You are now,” she rubbed her arms as she came close enough to see that he was holding a tiny, white bunny in his arms that would otherwise have been invisible in all the snow.

“How can I make it up to you?” Fiyero asked, a charming little smile crossing his lips.

Elphaba sighed. It was hard to pretend to be mad at him.

“Foot rubs. Every morning,” she said and knelt in the snow with him.

“Is that the only thing that needs rubbing in the morning?” Fiyero whispered while covering the baby bunny’s ears.

“Fiyero!” Elphaba’s act immediately broke at his joke. 

“I got a smile!” he grinned, snickering as she shoved his shoulder.

A comfortable silence followed. As if the quiet of winter had settled along with the snow.

“Her foot is hurting,” Fiyero explained, showing Elphaba why he was holding the little bunny in his arms. The baby's tiny, white foot was placed between his burlap fingers.

“She almost got her foot twisted off earlier in her eagerness to explore the snow,” a third voice came from somewhere in the snow.

Only then did Elphaba see a larger, white bunny jump over to them and into their yard.

“You must be her mother?” Elphaba asked as the bunny stretched on Fiyero’s lap to inspect her baby.

“I am. She got eight siblings and despite being the smallest one, she is the wildest one too,” she sighed, though delighted that their neighbors seemed to be this unique and lovely couple.

“For what it’s worth, it doesn’t seem like her foot is broken. Just a little sore. Should probably be good as new in no time,” Fiyero assured. He snickered when the little baby snuggled into his soft hand.

Clearly finding comfort in the burlap.

“I would heal her, but I don’t really trust my magic right now,” Elphaba explained, absentmindedly running her hand over her bump.

“Carrying your own litter, I see?” the mother bunny teased kindly when she noticed that the green girl was indeed pregnant.

“Oh, hopefully not a litter. I fear this one will be a handful enough,” Elphaba sighed happily, watching Fiyero play with the baby bunny in his hand. Gently poking the tiny body until it would try and fight his fingers, only for Fiyero to attack the baby with belly rubs.

“We really should be off. It was nice to meet you two,” the mother bunny said, fuzzing over her baby once Fiyero set her back down in the snow.

“You are welcome to visit any time,” Elphaba offered.

“We grow the best salads in our greenhouse,” Fiyero chuckled. It was barely a greenhouse, but they did have a tiny one where they grew some vegetables over winters. It was of great help for their furry friends during the cold months.

“Is that so? Well then, my new friends. I might hold you to that,” the mother bunny said as she paused in the snow to look back at them.

“I am Dipsy. Your new friend here is Woopsie,” the mother explained before they hopped off back home.

“Woopsie,” Fiyero snorted.

“Suits her,” Elphaba smiled, lifting her hand and gently touching his cheek where he had three rips in the burlap that looked like claw marks. He slowly looked at her with a slight smile.

“Trying to figure out if there’s any moisturizer out there for me?” he whispered. She smiled and shook her head a little.

“Of course not,” she whispered back. Neither one needed to say what shared memory came to mind.

They sat there for a bit before Fiyero got up.

“How about we go inside, get you warm, and I make you some breakfast?” he suggested, taking her hands to help her on her feet.

“Sounds delicious already,” she smiled fondly as they walked back to the house, entangled in each other’s embraces.

Days and months passed and the pregnancy was reaching an end soon. Elphaba would go through a whole lot of emotions during this time and many of them were mixed. She could tell Fiyero was a bit confused and unsure how to make her happy and she really did feel bad whenever she would snap at him. He was the loveliest, kindest man she had ever met, but he could also be restless and oblivious at times. Usually all he needed was a bit of direction and he would listen. He would help. A rare time he would snap back too. She reminded herself it was perfectly normal that couples argued, but she hated it. She didn’t want it to be normal.

One night, Elphaba was unable to sleep, so she would quietly sneak out of the bedroom so as not to wake Fiyero. Which could be tricky considering he only slept now as a result of her magic backfiring when trying to help him. Which was the main reason she was so afraid of overusing her magic right now.

She gathered the few things she had brought from her hideout in Oz: her books and the newspaper clippings of friends and family she had kept from the years alone. They had been tucked between the pages since they left Oz, untouched until now. She lit a few candles in the living room and settled on the carpet beside the couch, grumbling as her belly got in the way. Still, her hand softened as it moved over the curve of it.

“Soon, baby,” she whispered. “I really want to meet you.”

She struggled to figure out where to place one of her books before she just settled to use her belly as a table for now. Not reading anything in particular until she pulled up her notes that she had kept. Not quite a diary, but with things she had deemed important enough to write down. It contained both ups and downs, but naturally most were downs.
Then a few news clippings slipped out, and she sighed as she picked them up. Smiling sadly at a photo of Fiyero and Glinda in Munchkinland during the announcement of their engagement. She knew it wasn’t a great reminder of how things had gone down, but it was the only photograph she had of her friends back then.

“I miss you,” she sighed quietly. As troublesome as her relationship with Glinda had become, she really did love her like a sister. She wondered how she would feel about her being pregnant and with Fiyero’s child at that. They never had the chance to truly sit down and talk about everything. She probably wouldn’t have minded calling their child Galinda if it weren’t for the history between the three of them. No, it felt more fitting to call their child something new. Something different from someone in their past.

She laid the photo on the table before picking up the next. One of the many caricatures of the wicked witch that had been produced over the years. She shrugged and put it away as well. She knew Fiyero wouldn’t like that she had kept it, but at this point it didn’t matter anymore. Despite all the emotions and annoying hormones, she was in a much better and far more confident place in her life now to let it bother her. It was more of a reminder that despite this there were good people in the world, and she had chosen herself in the end.

Even if it hurt.

A third news clipping was the only photograph she had of her sister. Nessarose, the governor of Munchkinland. Looking a lot more like their mother than herself.

“Fae?” Elphaba jolted in surprise at her nickname. Looking up at Fiyero in the doorway. Looking a bit ruffled and confused.

“Are you okay?” he asked, coming over with a mug of what she soon found out was her favorite apple juice.

“I’m great,” she whispered, realizing that her cheeks were wet as she desperately tried to wipe them away.

“Hmm,” he naturally wasn’t convinced as he sat the mug down on the table. Only sliding down onto the floor next to her when her arms opened. Clearly wanting his company.

“It’s silly hormones again,” she complained, lowering her arms when Fiyero wrapped his arm around her and gently held her cheek with the other. Brushing his thumb under her eyes.

“Hey, you don’t need to downplay your emotions. I know our situation isn’t ideal. Having lost and left so much behind,” Fiyero explained. Curling her braids behind her ear as she rested her head against his shoulder.

“Our situation is far more ideal than I could ever have dreamed of, Fiyero. I just miss… some people,” she sighed. Knowing he could see the photos she had been going through.

“I know. I miss them too,” he muttered, picking up the news clippings of Nessa.

“It’s not even how I want to remember my sister, yet it is the only photo I have of her,” Elphaba whispered, calming down as his company usually helped settle her down. He was a reminder that despite their losses and memories, she still had him. They had each other to go through everything with.

“Maybe I can try to draw her one day?” he asked,

“The way you do remember her. The girl back in school with her sweet smile and colorful clothes,” he said quietly. Elphaba only nodded a little, but she loved the idea. She knew Fiyero had used to be a surprisingly talented artist, but rarely had time to work on it. Especially after his transformation. He had a lot of other things on his mind after all.

“I didn’t realize you have a photo from this day,” Fiyero looked at the photo of him and Glinda in Munchkinland. Cringing at the memory. It was odd to see his human face again, but it was Glinda they both looked at.

“I’m sorry. I know it might be awkward for you, but… it’s you two. I love you two too much to throw it away,” she explained, her brow resting against his jaw since he was always a head taller even when they were both slumped on the floor.

“Don’t worry. It’s nice to see her again,” Fiyero admitted.

They sat there for a long time, talking about their shared past and eventually moving the conversation onto their future. His hand gently sliding over her bump. The mood instantly rose when he finally felt kicking. He had missed it every time for months.

“Oh, impatient one,” Fiyero teased, letting Elphaba’s hand slip under his on her belly.

Fiyero was trying to be more attentive during the following days. Partly because he didn’t want to be yelled at by Elphaba again for zoning out. She had enough to think about to have to continue to have to keep his attention too, so he enlisted their squirrel friends, Jem and Jellia to keep him alert whenever they were around.

One day the four of them enjoyed a lunch out in town when Fiyero became aware of some of his fiancé’s odd cravings. Watching her stuff a potato chip into her milkshake before savoring the taste. Her mind was clearly somewhere else until she realized Fiyero was looking at her with a bemused expression on his face.

“What?” she asked while dipping another chip in her milkshake.

“Odd combination, don’t you think?” he asked, resting his head in his hand and watching her fondly. Elphaba shrugged and stuffed the chip in her mouth.

“I know. I keep getting these odd cravings and as long as they won't kill me, I figured, why not?” she smiled a little before picking another chip, dipping it before tapping his lip with it.

“Try it,” she suggested.

“I don’t… need to,” Fiyero snickered, but that only allowed her to stick it in,

“Oh, okay,” he laughed, happy when she laughed with him.

“Isn’t it great?” she asked, leaning over and grabbing him by the neck to pull him into one of their shares-and-kisses, where she finished what he couldn’t since he didn’t eat or drink, but could only taste.

“Right in front of the baby,” Jem joked and rolled her eyes, sharing a milkshake with her daughter.

“Oh, don’t worry. Baby can’t see anything from down there,” Elphaba said as she sat back and looked at Fiyero expectantly.

“Uhm. It doesn’t really taste much,” he defended, patting her thigh under the table.

“Nonsense. It’s both sweet and salty! What’s not to love?” she grinned.

“You know, once you’ve given birth, we will come back here and try it again,” he suggested, and they both shook on it.

Fiyero was in the middle of rubbing his lover’s feet one early evening in the living room when the first contractions started.

“Sweet Oz, that sucked,” Elphaba cringed as she leaned forward, raising an eyebrow when Fiyero had paused massaging her feet.

“What was that?” he asked, looking to her belly, which she was holding.

“Is… Is it time?” he asked.

“Well, it is starting,” she tried to smile

“These things take time.”

“I’ll send Trot down to the city to grab the doctors and nurses,” Fiyero said and jumped up when Elphaba nodded. She was chuckling a little as she pushed herself up with a huff and waddled across the room. Their Horse friend had been staying in their stable next to the house since they knew she was close to giving birth so that they could be quick to help on the day.

She was impressed when she saw the flashy chestnut horse fly by the window down the path to the city before she even reached the stairs.

“Okay, okay, let’s get you upstairs,” Fiyero hurried back inside and grabbed her by the hip and supported her as they made their way upstairs to the bedroom. He knew he wouldn’t be of much use if she actually put too much weight on him, but in the worst-case scenario, he’d be a cushion to fall on if she did.

They got upstairs safely and Elphaba settled in her chair while Fiyero ran around to prepare the bed. Throwing aside their covers and all to cover the bed with something that would make it easier to clean afterwards.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. No need to fret,” Elphaba tilted her head as she watched her soon-to-be husband.

“Our baby is almost here, Fae. It’s kind of hard not to fret,” he grinned, pausing to lean down and kiss her on the top of the head. Making her laugh softly.

“This is going to be painful,” Elphaba sighed. As delighted as she was about having their baby, this was the part she was not looking forward to.

“I wish I could take the pain for you,” Fiyero said as he took her hands again and helped her over to the bed.

“You’re sweet,” she said, stroking his cheek as he sat next to her.

“But it shall remain my pain to bear, I fear,” she smiled softly. Forever grateful that he was there with her. She didn’t want to even think of a world where Fiyero really had died and left her alone with their child, which would have devastated her completely.

“I’ll be here the whole time,” he promised and she didn’t doubt it.

Andreana came back with Trot before anyone else, which was impressive on its own. Quite a few of their Animal friends showed up as well to pay a visit, though Elphaba insisted that the only ones allowed in the room when the time came were the nurses and Fiyero.

“I am so not up for being on display for the world to see,” Elphaba whispered to Fiyero after hours of lying on the bed and waiting for kickoff.

“Though, I do appreciate the flowers and the plushies,” she smiled. Adoring their friends for showing up.

They were well into the night without anything having happened so far. Fiyero let Elphaba use his shoulder to sleep on when she could. The nurses stayed at the house and kept checking in every now and then until the contractions started to come more frequently.

It was early hours of the next morning when their baby was finally coming. Fiyero sat behind Elphaba the whole time, holding her and letting her hold onto his thigh as hard as she needed. He could take. Anything that would help her push through.

Then the baby was there.

Elphaba hid her face against his chest once the baby was out.

“You are amazing,” Fiyero encouraged. Smiling from ear to ear, hearing their child cry while the nurses went to clean the newborn. He shifted a little so he could hold her in his arms so she could focus on herself and deal with the aftermath of birth.

“Would you hate me if I admitted to being worried about how she looks?” she asked as she looked up at him. Focusing on the father of her child. Clearly seeking his comfort and reassurances. Fiyero took a moment to understand what she was talking about, but it wasn’t hard to understand where she was coming from. All that trauma growing up in a family that didn’t care for her the way they should have. All that trauma dealing with hatred and shame from every corner of Oz. All because of her beautiful green skin.

“I would never hate you, my sweet,” Fiyero whispered, brushing his hand over her sweaty face and through her braids.

“After everything you have been through, I would never blame you for being afraid,” he promised, brushing her face with gentle fingers.

“But our baby has something you should have had from the start: parents who love her completely, without question, and always will.” He kissed her softly, then stayed close as one of the nurses opened the window and let fresh morning air drift into the room.

“We have someone who is really excited to meet her parents,” the head nurse returned with a bundle in her arms.

“Her?” Fiyero lit up. He could absolutely see himself being a girl dad.

“It’s a girl,” Elphaba was tearing up yet again, but she was smiling and reaching for the bundle.

“Indeed,” the nurse confirmed as she ever so gently let the baby come to rest in her mama’s arms before she and the others stepped back to let the new parents have a moment alone with their newborn.

Elphaba let Fiyero carefully pull down on the blankets wrapped around the child until they could see the tiny face.

"Aw, she’s not green,” Fiyero pouted for a second, and Elphaba let out a little sob. Even she wasn’t sure if it was because of his little comment or if she was relieved that she wasn’t green. She knew Fiyero loved her either way, and so would she.

“Not even minty green,” he teased, so gently sliding his finger from the baby’s forehead to the tip of her nose. No, she had pale skin and dark curls right now. Things that would undoubtedly grow and change with her.

“She looks a bit like Nessa,” Elphaba sighed softly, stroking their baby’s cheek with a finger. She had shortened her usually long nails when she came closer to the end of her pregnancy and she was glad for it now.

They were quiet for the longest time. Both parents admired their baby girl and every now and then shared silent glances and the occasional kiss.

“What about Poppy as a name? It is your favorite flower,” Fiyero suggested, resting his chin on top of his wife-to-be’s head. Still holding her close and never wanting to let go.

“Poppy,” Elphaba snickered,

“That is cute,” she nodded. It might not be the most original name out there, but it suited their relationship.

“Poppy Tigelaar,” Elphaba said quietly,

“How does that sound?” she wondered.

“You want to use Tigelaar?” Fiyero asked. They had only spoken about it briefly, but he hadn’t really expected her to want to take his family name.

“I don’t see why not. Thropp was a man who had no love for me. I would not want our child to have his name, and I would rather take the name of the man who does love me,” she said quietly. Her words meant the world to him and so he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

“Little Miss Tigelaar, it is,” he nodded,

“Then there’s this one—" he teased and poked the baby’s nose.

“Cute,” Elphaba sighed happily at his joke.

And thus their new life as parents had begun.

Friends, humans and Animals alike, came to meet the newborn. The first weeks were emotional for them both, but Elphaba had one advantage most new parents did not: Fiyero did not need sleep. Once they learned how to bottle Elphaba’s milk, he often cared for Poppy when she cried at night, letting Elphaba rest whenever he could.

One night about two months into parenthood, Fiyero picked up his baby girl and went downstairs. Quietly as possible and settled on the porch so that her little cries wouldn’t wake her mama.

“You are my miracle,” Fiyero whispered, entirely enamored by the little girl. He did not notice the tears that formed in his eyes as he admired those green eyes looking back at him. Little fingers curled around his burlap-covered hand.

“I love you and your mama so much,” he whispered, smiling when the girl giggled when he poked her nose.

“How lucky am I to have the two most beautiful girls?” he asked.

“Very lucky indeed,” a second voice answered and Fiyero looked up to see Elphaba leaning against the door to the porch.

“What are you doing up, silly?” Fiyero smiled fondly and shifted Poppy so Elphaba could sit in his lap with them.

“I was missing my handsome lover,” she smiled, slipping one arm around his shoulders and running her fingers through his straw hair while the other stroked their girl’s hair.

“I heard you,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“When?” he asked.

“Just now. You talking to her,” she said, sliding her fingers along his ear,

“I love you so much. Your kind heart. Your lovely soul.”

“And our miracle baby?” he added.

“Well, that was a two-man job,” Elphaba snickered.

He rested his head back against the chair and looked up at the star-studded sky above them.

“Why are you awake?” Fiyero whispered.

“I told you. I missed you,” she whispered.

“I’d be back soon enough,” he promised.

“I know,” she teased.

They did eventually return inside once Poppy decided that sleep really did seem like a great idea. Fiyero put her down in her cradle before heading back to their bedroom. Only to be stopped by the bathroom by his woman.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, relaxing when he saw her.

“Nothing is wrong, my sweet,” she assured.

“How are you feeling?” he wondered, watching as she pulled her nightgown up to her chest to show how she was healing.

“I feel more or less back to normal,” she assured, blushing at the way he tilted his head and admired her. He was never sleazy. Always so sweet. Always made her feel beautiful. Even when she might feel self-conscious.

“Yeah? That is no small thing you went through,” he reminded her, lifting his hands to cup her face.

“It’s a thing so many women go through,” she smiled sweetly and wrapped her arms around him.

“That does not make it any less amazing,” he whispered,

“If I was in awe of you before, Fae. I have no words of what I am now,” he whispered, watching as her eyes watered at his kind words.

Silence followed for a moment.

He continued to hold her face in his hand. His dark, burlap nose brushing against her green one.

“I adore you,” he whispered.

“I adore you too,” she whispered.

Another little silent moment followed.

"We never got to test the bed," Elphaba whispered, cheeky as she wagged an eyebrow.

"You can't be serious. Poppy is sleeping," Fiyero laughed softly.

"I might be partly teasing. Who said we need to be rough?" she teased and tugged on his hand to head to their bedroom.

"You do seem back to normal, alright."