AN: Hello! It's Maddy and Elizabeth again, back to brighten up your Valentine's Day. Since Maddy started off the Lurlinemas story, it was decided that I would start off the Valentine's one. Unfortunately, after Maddy gave me a prompt ("Fiyero wants to surprise Elphaba for Valentine's Day and asks Galinda for help"), the plot bunnies somehow got hold of it and somehow turned it into...well...this. My twin was understanding enough to say, "Let's just ditch the prompt idea for this story and weave together a plot based on what you've just written" (in not so many words) and thus this is how it turned out. So without further ado, I give you you... *drumroll* ...Happy Valentine's Day!

Elizabeth. xx

Plans and suspicions

"Fiyero?"

Fiyero jerked as Galinda laid a gentle hand on his forearm. "Oh, hey, Glin."

"Alright, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Fiyero sighed.

Galinda rolled her eyes. "Then why are you sitting here looking so glum? You and Elphie didn't have a fight, did you?"

"No, why?"

"Well, it's just that you're usually with Elphie unless you've had a fight. And you usually look as if you're on Cloud Nine unless you've had a fight. So if you didn't have a fight, why are you alone and glum?"

Fiyero heaved another sigh. "Valentine's Day is coming up."

Galinda squealed. "I know! Isn't it exciting? So why are you all gloomified?"

"Because I have no idea what to do for Elphaba. I don't know what to get her, where to take her…anything."

"You haven't got any ideas at all?" Galinda asked, taking a seat beside the defeated-looking prince. "Even rejected ones?"

Fiyero shook his head. "I've gone completely blank this time. I think I used up all my good ideas around Lurlinemas. I need something better; something…extra-special."

"Aw, you are so romantic!"

Fiyero shot Galinda an annoyed look. "Tell me that after I've had a vaguely romantic idea."

Galinda huffed. "Dinner?" she suggested.

Fiyero shrugged. "Maybe, but I'd have to come up with something spectacular to make it extra-special."

"A romantic, outdoors picnic dinner, maybe in a clearing in the forest." Galinda sighed dreamily.

"Problem with that, Glin – there's still snow out there. It would hardly be romantic if I let the love of my life freeze to death, now, would it?"

Fiyero covered his ears as Galinda suddenly let out an ear-piercing scream.

"Ohhh, you called her the love of your life! Oh, oh, oh, that –"

Fiyero clamped a hand over Galinda's mouth. "Don't do that! Honestly, Glin, everyone's going to think I'm trying to murder you in here or something!"

Galinda pushed his hand away. "Oh, stop fussing, do, FiFi. Is she really the love of your life?"

Fiyero hesitated. "Yeah," he finally admitted, "she really is. But you're not to tell her, got it?"

"But FiFi –"

"Apart from the fact that it should come from me, it would only scare her away. I can't risk that. I can't risk losing her, not after all the trouble I went through to get her in the first place," he said firmly.

Galinda sighed, disappointed. "I suppose you're right."

"Now, getting back to this Valentine's Day thing. Have you got any suggestions?"

Galinda was silent for a few minutes while she thought. Finally, her face brightened. "I just might have an idea."

"Are you sure we can pull this off without her getting suspicious?" Fiyero asked anxiously.

"It will be tough, but I'm sure we can make it work if we're careful. Are you sure you can afford it?"

Fiyero shot her a look.

"Okay, okay, just checking. It's just that it will be awfully expensive, especially for a first Valentine's Day together."

Fiyero's anxiety grew and he began twisting his hands together. "Oh, Oz, she won't think I'm being too forward, will she? I mean, we have only been together for a few weeks. I don't want to scare her off by rushing things…"

Galinda laid a hand on his arm in a calming gesture. "Just stick to the plan, be a gentleman and act considerately, and she'll have no cause to doubt. Alright?"

Fiyero took a deep breath and nodded. "If you really think so…"

"I do. Now, bookings?"

"I'll get on it right away. I had to get my parents to increase my allowance, but I should be right for money now. I just need to – Oh, no," he interrupted himself. "Here she comes now. We'll finish this conversation later, okay?"

"Sure," Galinda agreed. "Bye, FiFi!"

"Bye, Glin." Fiyero flashed her a smile before turning to face his girlfriend. "Hey, sweetheart," he greeted her, placing a tender kiss on her lips.

"Hey," Elphaba returned softly. "What did Galinda want?"

"Hmmm? Oh, nothing. She just wanted…my opinion on…something," Fiyero answered vaguely.

"On what, exactly? If her walk is sexy enough?" Elphaba joked.

Fiyero laughed. "Something like that."

"Well? Is it?"

Fiyero frowned in confusion. "Is what what?"

"Is Galinda's walk sexy enough?" Elphaba's tone was teasing, but Fiyero didn't seem to notice.

"I…really wouldn't know."

"Oh, come on, you can tell me." Elphaba grinned. "I won't kill you…much."

"There's only one girl whose walk I ever notice anymore," Fiyero told her seriously, drawing her closer to him.

"Oh?" Elphaba asked innocently. "And who might that be? Madame Morrible?"

Fiyero rolled his eyes. "No, you," he said patiently, before giving her a long, firm kiss. "Lunch?"

Elphaba shook her head apologetically. "Sorry, I've got to run some errands for Nessa. That's what I came over to tell you, actually."

"Oh."

Elphaba melted at the disappointed look that etched itself across Fiyero's handsome features, and she tipped his chin up so that he was looking at her. "I'm sorry. Look, we'll do lunch tomorrow, okay?"

Fiyero nodded his agreement. "Okay."

"Good." Elphaba kissed him lightly. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Fiyero murmured as he watched Elphaba leave. "Later."

Oh, well, he consoled himself. At least now he could finish his conversation with Galinda!

"Glin?"

"Mmm…?" Galinda hummed distractedly, her tongue poking out slightly in a sign of concentration.

"What are you doing?"

"Writing."

Elphaba watched on, eyebrows raised, as Galinda bent over the desk and pressed her lips to the paper. "Okay, that was disturbing."

Galinda turned to face her best friend, nose scrunched up in confusion. "How so?"

"Think about it, Glin. You just kissed a piece of paper. Right now, I am beginning to have serious doubts about your sanity."

The blonde girl giggled. "Oh, Elphie! I wasn't kissing paper!"

"You could have fooled me," Elphaba muttered. "What were you doing, then?"

"I'm writing out my Valentine's cards," Galinda explained, turning back to the task at hand, "and each card gets a lipstick print. Like a virtual kiss. See?"

"How many of those things are you planning on giving out?"

"One to every boy on campus."

"Every boy?" Elphaba echoed, startled. "What, from all years?"

"Uh-huh."

"But that's…a few hundred!"

"Uh-huh," Galinda said again. "That's why I'm getting a head-start now. Did you realize there are only a couple of weeks until Valentine's Day?"

Elphaba ignored the change of track. "You'd better not be giving one of those things to Fiyero," she warned her friend.

"Of course I am," Galinda said brightly as if it were a given. "I can't miss anyone. It would be rude – especially considering we dated."

"Glin…"

"Oh, don't worry, Elphie," Galinda continued, holding up the card she had made for Fiyero.

Elphaba strode over and snatched the card from the blonde's hands. She paused to shoot Galinda a suspicious glance, before beginning to read.

Happy Friendship Day!
(Alternatively known as 'Be-Kind-To-Your-Ex-Girlfriend Day')

Elphaba looked up and raised an eyebrow. "'Be-Kind-To-Your-Ex-Girlfriend Day'?" she questioned sceptically. "Glin, Fiyero is always kind to you."

Galinda pursed her lips thoughtfully. "True. I'll change it to 'Be-Extra-Kind-To-Your-Ex-Girlfriend Day'." Galinda took back the card and made the adjustment as Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"I hope there's no lipstick mark inside that."

"Just how insensitive do you think I am?" Galinda asked indignantly.

"Just checking," Elphaba said, holding up her hands in defence.

"So, anyway, as I was saying, there are only a couple of weeks to go until Valentine's Day…"

Elphaba looked at her friend blankly. "So?"

"Well, it's going to be you and Fiyero's first Valentine's Day together…"

"Yes, I suppose so," Elphaba said drily, "considering we only just got together not long before Lurlinemas."

"…and you two are so cute together…"

"So you tell me every five minutes."

"...and Fiyero can be really romantic when he wants to be…"

Elphaba sighed impatiently. "Glin, where is all this leading?"

"Well, I just wondered if you two had any plans for Valentine's Day." Galinda gave a nonchalant shrug, looking at her friend innocently yet expectantly. "That's all."

"Why would we have anything planned?"

Galinda gasped, her eyes widening in a comical representation of the horror she felt at that question. "Elphie, what do you mean?" she screeched. "It's Valentine's Day! The day that's all about looove. And you and Fiyero are in looove, aren't you?"

"I –"

"So you must do something!"

Elphaba blinked at Galinda's rant. "Ummm…okay," she said slowly. "No, there's nothing planned…as far as I know. If Fiyero is as big on this whole thing as you are, then I guess he'll drag me out for lunch or dinner, and you'll force me into an immodest frock and skyscraper heels and give me a make-over." She shrugged. "But I'm not planning on it."

"No plans?"

"No plans," Elphaba confirmed.

"Hmmm." Galinda smirked and let out a giggle, but before Elphaba could question the reason, a knock sounded on the door.

"I'll get it," Elphaba said quickly, already halfway there. She opened the door to find an anxious-looking Fiyero standing outside. "Yero," she greeted him in surprise. "Are you alright? Do you need something? Help with your homework, perhaps?"

"Huh? Oh, no." Fiyero cleared his throat nervously. "Um, actually, it's Galinda I wanted to see. Is she in?"

Elphaba's surprise grew. "Yes, she is. Glin," she called to her roommate, clearly puzzled, "Fiyero wants to talk to you."

In hardly any time at all, Galinda was pushing her way past Elphaba and into the corridor. She quickly closed the door behind her, leaving the green girl to stare at it, taken aback at the suddenness of everything.

"O-kay…"

It was ten minutes before Galinda returned to the dormitory.

"Well?" Elphaba asked, immediately going into grilling mode. She felt a bit like an animal pouncing on its prey, but she didn't really care. "Is everything okay?"

To Elphaba's great irritation, Galinda giggled at her again and sat back down, returning to her card-kissing.

"Well?"

Kiss.

"Galinda?"

Galinda waved a hand in the air casually. "Everything's fine."

Elphaba growled in frustration, but the blonde wouldn't give any more away. Elphaba had to deal with Galinda's random giggle-fests for the rest of the night.

"Fiyero…?"

Fiyero glanced up and blinked. "Yes?"

Elphaba bit her lip for a moment before asking, "You'd tell me if anything was wrong, wouldn't you?"

Fiyero frowned. "Of course I would. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that…well…I mean, I might not be good at talking about…personal things, but you can always talk to me. You know that, right?"

"I know." Fiyero reached over and squeezed Elphaba's hand, smiling softly at her.

There was a pause, and Elphaba realized, when he went back to eating, that Fiyero wasn't going to say anything further, so she continued, "So if there was something wrong…"

"I'd tell you."

Silence reigned for a few minutes, but Elphaba wasn't convinced. She kept pushing her food around on her plate before sighing. Finally beginning to get a bit antsy, Elphaba burst out, "Fiyero, is there something wrong?"

Fiyero looked up again. "No… Why?"

"Well, it's just…you wanting to speak to Galinda last night."

Fiyero reddened slightly. "Oh, that."

"You can talk to me. About anything. Even…" She swallowed. "Even if it's about me."

"About you?" Fiyero questioned with a frown.

"In fact, if it's about me, I would appreciate you talking to me about it instead of to someone else. If I've done something wrong or if we're not working out or something, I want to know. I need to know."

Fiyero was shocked. "Oz, Fae, no!" he cried, suddenly appearing beside her and crushing her hands in his. "No, Elphaba, we are fine. More than 'fine'; we are perfect. I love you," he emphasized, searching her eyes; silently pleading with her to believe him.

"Are you…" Elphaba's voice caught in her throat and she swallowed before trying again. "Are you sure we're okay?"

"We're perfect," Fiyero reiterated. He rose and pressed a firm kiss to Elphaba's lips. "I love you, Elphaba."

Elphaba gave a small smile. "I love you, too, Yero."

"Did you manage to get them?"

Fiyero nodded. "Yeah; thanks for giving me that idea, Glin. I just hope she likes it."

"She will," Galinda said confidently. "Did you do what I suggested?"

"Yes, I did. Hopefully, we'll get the full experience."

Galinda began bouncing slightly. "I'm so excited for her! Oh, I wish I could see it! I wish I could find a guy as romantic as you for myself." She sighed.

Fiyero cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

Recognizing she had just turned the situation awkward, Galinda gave Fiyero a wry smile. "She'll love it."

"Speaking of…"

Galinda followed Fiyero's gaze to see Elphaba approaching. She sighed and bit her lip.

"What are you two chattering about?" Elphaba asked as she neared them. Her tone was light, but the glance she threw at her best friend and boyfriend was suspicious as all get out.

"Oh, not much," Fiyero replied in the same easy manner. He wrapped an arm around Elphaba's waist and drew her closer to drop a kiss onto her lips.

"Just stuff," Galinda added brightly.

"What stuff?"

"Oh, you know…stuff. The weather, school work –"

"School work?" Elphaba interrupted, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "Since when do either of you care enough about school work to actually be discussing it in your own time?"

"Well, okay, maybe there wasn't all that much said about school work," Galinda conceded. "But we did discuss the weather, and Valentine's Day –"

Fiyero shot her a warning look.

"– and that cute boy I saw at the Primrose Café yesterday…"

Elphaba looked at Fiyero. "Is this something I should know about?"

Fiyero's eyes widened. "What? No! I mean, there's nothing to… That is to say, I wasn't…" He groaned. "Sweet Oz, Galinda! Why do you always have to drag me into these awkward discussions? Now my girlfriend thinks I'm gay!"

Galinda giggled. "Sorry, FiFi," she said, not sounding in the least bit apologetic.

Fiyero grunted. "Sure, sure."

Elphaba grinned up at her boyfriend. "Well, just so long as you don't get jealous and run off with the guy," she teased him.

Fiyero dug a finger into her side and rested his nose against hers. "I have no intention of it."

"Ah, but how can I be sure?"

"I'm sure I can convince you." Fiyero tilted his head slightly and was just about to kiss Elphaba when a loud squeal interrupted them.

"Oh, you two are just so cute together!"

Elphaba glared at Galinda and Fiyero sighed.

Galinda gave a sheepish grin. "Okay, okay, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone…"

The couple both rolled their eyes as the blonde skipped off.

"Oz, I swear that girl is more excited about our relationship than even we are!" Elphaba said with a shake of her head.

"Aw, I wouldn't be so sure about that…" Fiyero murmured, finally kissing his girlfriend.

"So what were you two really talking about?" Elphaba asked curiously as they began to head towards the café hand-in-hand.

"We told you," Fiyero replied with a slight frown.

"Yeah, but you know what? Somehow, I just wasn't convinced."

Fiyero shrugged. "She was just asking how our relationship was going. Am I making you happy; stuff like that."

"Oh," Elphaba said after a moment. "Is there something wrong?"

"No!" Fiyero cried, shaking his head quickly. "We're perfect."

Elphaba didn't say anything further.

Smack.

Silence.

Scribbling.

Smack.

Silence.

Scribbling.

Smack.

"Honestly, Galinda would you cut it out?" Elphaba snapped in irritation.

Galinda looked up in surprise and blinked. "Cut what out?"

"Kissing those bloody cards. Seeing you kissing a guy is bad enough, but seeing you kissing a card is downright creepy. You do realize, don't you, that if anyone else saw it, they'd be carting you off to a mental hospital in the blink of an eye?"

Galinda sighed and turned in her chair so that she was fully facing Elphaba. "Alright, what is it? What's the matter?"

"Who says anything is the matter?" Elphaba retorted defensively.

Galinda raised one perfectly-groomed eyebrow. "You're snapping at me for no reason. Now what is it?"

Elphaba sighed. "It's not really anything… It's just…Fiyero said you were asking about us. How we are. You know, in our…relationship."

"And…?" Galinda prompted, trying to go along with Fiyero's obvious lie.

"And I guess it just worried me…that maybe…maybe you're seeing something I'm not. Something wrong. I don't want to make Fiyero unhappy."

Galinda gaped at her friend. "Elphie, how could you even think that? He loves you!"

Elphaba twisted her hands together, suddenly look worried – scared, almost, thought Galinda. "But how can I be sure?"

"Do you really think he'd still be with you if he weren't?" Galinda demanded.

"You know, Fiyero is a lot more considerate than most people give him credit for. What if he's just staying with me because he feels sorry for me? Like it was with Boq and Nessa? I don't want a relationship built on pity."

Galinda sighed in frustration. "Do you remember how long it took Fiyero to convince you he was being genuine? To convince you to go out with him? Do you really think he would have put in all that effort for someone he may have cared about but didn't really love?"

Elphaba had no argument to that.

The blonde came over to sit beside the green girl and took her hands. "He really does love you, Elphie," Galinda said softly. "He's completely serious about you. I doubt he's ever been serious about anything in his life…until now. Fiyero loves you, Elphaba."

"Are you trying to make me cry?" Elphaba asked, sounding suspiciously teary.

Galinda laughed and hugged the other girl. "It's what friends do."

Fiyero looked at the card in his hand and beamed. "Thanks, Glin! This is going to be such a big help!" On impulse, he pulled Galinda in for a fierce hug and kissed her cheek. "Whatever would I do without you?"

"A big help with what, exactly?" came a tight voice from behind them. "A big help with hiding your affair from me?"

Fiyero and Galinda both spun around, caught unawares and flushing guiltily, but nevertheless gaping at Elphaba.

"What?" came Fiyero's incredulous cry.

"I guess I kind of expected this sooner or later." Elphaba turned to Galinda. "But not from you."

"Elphie –"

"I see it all so clearly now. The way you two keep disappearing off together; the way you go quiet or change the topic whenever I come near; the way you keep asking about our relationship all the time. And you telling me that Fiyero loves me just so I wouldn't see through your pathetic façade. And him telling me that he loves me and that we're perfect. Ha!" She spat out a bitter laugh. "And Nessa wonders what I have against people."

"Elphaba, it's not like that at all," Fiyero tried.

"Shut up! I don't want to know you anymore," Elphaba hissed. "Now go away while I deal with this deceiving slut I thought was my friend."

Fiyero gasped.

Galinda blanched. "Elphie, just let us explain! He doesn't like me like that, and I don't like him like that! He's in love with you, and that's how it should be."

Elphaba's voice was dangerously low. "How dare you lie to me, you low-down, dirty, rotten, stinking, boyfriend-stealing bitch!"

At the last word, a bolt of magic shot out of Elphaba's fingertips and struck Galinda across the face. Galinda, who had been rooted to the spot in horror, staggered backwards, and Fiyero instinctively reached out to steady her.

Elphaba's eyes narrowed. "You two deserve each other." And with that, the angered green girl pivoted on her heel and marched off.

Galinda quietly shut the door and tentatively looked around. "Elphie?" she whispered.

There was no reply, but Galinda heard a rattling sound coming from the bathroom.

"Elphie?" she tried again, slightly louder this time, as she moved towards the bathroom. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Elphaba pulling things out of the cupboards and drawers. "Elphie, what are you doing?"

Elphaba swung around and bared her teeth. "Don't ever call me that again," she hissed. "You and your stupid nicknames. Just leave me alone!" she yelled, pushing past the smaller girl and throwing an armful of toiletries into her suitcase, which was lying open on her bed.

"Why are you packing?"

"I'm moving out."

"Moving out?" Galinda echoed dumbly.

"I am going to see Madame Morrible and try to arrange some alternative accommodation." Elphaba slammed her suitcase shut and stormed out the door.

Twenty minutes later, she returned, grumbling angrily to herself.

Immediately, Galinda sprang up. "You're not really going to move out, are you?" she asked anxiously, twisting her hands together.

"No, I'm not," Elphaba snapped. "There is nowhere else for me to stay."

Galinda breathed a sigh of relief.

"I have no choice now. I'm going to have to leave Shiz."

Galinda's eyes widened and she gasped. "What? Elphaba, no!"

Elphaba dumped her suitcase on the floor and turned back towards the door. "I'm going to inform my sister and make the necessary arrangements."

As Elphaba began to leave, Galinda lunged forward and grabbed her hand.

"Let go of me!" Elphaba yelled, trying to shake her off, but Galinda's grip stayed firm.

"No," Galinda said, her voice suddenly as strong as her grip. "I will not let go until you hear the truth."

"I know the truth," Elphaba growled, "and I am not going to listen to any more of your lies."

Beginning to get angry herself, Galinda pushed Elphaba up against the wall and held her there with surprising strength. "You listen to me, Elphaba Melena Thropp, and listen good. Fiyero and I are not having an affair. He asked me to help him plan a date for you two for Valentine's Day. He wanted to do something special for you because he loves you, but he was lost for ideas. He asked for my help. That is all. The only reason it was all so secretive was because it was meant to be a surprise. He loves you and you know it." Galinda stared Elphaba down, silently daring her to contradict the blonde.

Elphaba broke out of Galinda's grasp. "I don't believe you. Talk about elaborate lies!"

"It's the truth! Fiyero will tell you the same thing. He doesn't know I've told you. I didn't want to betray his secret, but you had to know."

"So I go and ask him and he confirms it and we make up and all is happy again because he corroborates your story which you both had time to think up?" Elphaba snorted. "Just how gullible do you think I am?"

"For Oz' sakes, Elphaba!" Galinda yelled. "Can't you get it into that thick skull of yours that he loves you? You, Elphaba, not me! You! He gave me a hug because I helped him out with the planning of a date for him and you. Fiyero and I are friends. Nothing more."

Startled at Galinda's outburst, Elphaba stayed quiet.

"Look, if you'd prefer, I won't hang around Fiyero anymore. I won't touch him, I won't talk to him, and I certainly won't help him. If only you'll believe me."

Elphaba turned away and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know what to believe anymore," she admitted quietly.

"I know how paranoid you can be, Elphaba," Galinda said softly, approaching the taller girl. "I know how hurt you've been in the past. But I would never hurt you. I promise I wouldn't. You're my best friend, Elphie. I love you. I would never want to risk our friendship. And I know Fiyero would rather die than hurt you. He loves you."

Elphaba broke down.

"Go and talk to Fiyero," Galinda encouraged her. "I'm sure that right now he'll be tearing his hair out over the thought of losing you."

Elphaba sniffled. "I can't promise anything…but I'll talk to hm."

Galinda gave Elphaba a small smile. "That's it." She wrapped her arms around Elphaba's taller frame in a comforting embrace.

Elphaba hugged Galinda back, squeezing her eyes shut as the tears fell steadily.