Dec 25, 2023
Merry Christmas @gaypapercuts!
“Two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but will never break.”
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Merry Christmas @gaypapercuts!
“Two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but will never break.”
Merry Christmas @lillifaba!
Special message: I hope you like these ♡ Sorry I wasn't able to draw the book characters because I didn't know how to make them look like. Also I drew your AU, apologies if I didn't get it right. Have a nice holiday!
Merry Christmas @loveandviolets!
Special message: I was inspired by your Gelphie snippets and thought it would be fun to make a series of canon compliant papercuts around them (with some accompanying drabbles). Hope you enjoy!
See drabbles under the cut.
1
She tried not to pay much attention to the green girl, more focused on her own chances at scoring a sorcery seminar seat.
Of course, when Madame Morrible placed her hand on top of Elphaba’s, linking them together, that all changed. A shot of electricity coursed through her body and the energy had not left her since.
Disgust, obviously, at rooming with someone so unlike herself. Someone so impossible to fit into an archetype for Galinda to understand and adjust her behavior around.
If she could take any solace from this, Elphaba seemed to be similarly affected by the torment.
2
It wasn't until Galinda held the mirror up to Elphaba that she realized—the terribly mean thing was beautiful, and in such a way that Galinda's 'perfectly pretty' would never quite compare to.
Yes, with Galinda’s help, Elphaba would be popular. Maybe too popular if she wasn’t careful.
When Elphaba burst from the room, the jealousy was banished temporarily from her mind, replaced with concern and a need to be close to her once more.
Where once she shrieked at a simple touch of their hands, the absence of Elphie on her bed was now loud in its own way.
3
While fashion was fast-moving in Oz, here the hat stood on Elphaba's head, just as it was at the Ozdust years earlier, complementing her as well as it had then.
The hat, which was never fashionable and hideocous on Glinda and every other normal such person, looked better on Elphaba than the finest tiara The Wizard could find looked on her.
Oh, how she wanted to knock it off of her. Slap her so hard it fell off on its own. Perhaps she just might.
Why was she furious at Elphaba but felt nothing--no love, no hatred--toward Fiyero?
4
A Gilikinese folklore cliche was the hero of the story experiencing a life changing revelation moments before the end of the tale. Perhaps the hero needed to go back for an ally they had abandoned, or realized their strength after being beaten, or joined forces with a once-enemy.
Galinda was not a Gilikinese hero.
And yet, looking at Elphaba for what might be the last time, she felt a revelation.
The feelings in her chest threatened to swallow her whole, the electricity she had learned to live with now operating at a much more intense current.
She was in love.
Merry Christmas @gliyerabaa!
Special message: Happy holidays! Thank you for being such an awesome person in the fandom <3
Read it on Ao3
“You have to help, Glinda, I keep leaving late because of her. It’s so unfair.”
“Late?” Glinda asked. “You close at eight, don’t you?”
“Yes, technically, but I can close earlier if no one’s here and no one is here after six except for her. Not to mention she always stays until after eight, it’s ridiculous. Every day? I mean, every day? How many things are there to read in this place? Surely she must’ve gone through everything already and—”
“Peace, Milla.” Glinda raised a hand as if that could fend off the rambling. “Elphie is just—”
“Oh, Elphie,” Milla scoffed. “I'm sorry, I forgot you two are joined at the hip nowadays. I don't care what Elphie is doing here, I just want to go home. It's the weekend!”
Glinda’s face burned as Milla dragged her through the library. “Now wait a moment. What makes you think I could possibly—?”
“Figure it out. And get her out of here!” Milla finished her sentence by pointedly shoving Glinda towards the stairs to the second floor.
“Gee.” Glinda huffed as Milla walked away, still mumbling angrily to herself. Something about the library's end shift not being as easy as she thought it would be. “Talk about an attitude.”
Glinda threw her hair over her shoulder and climbed the stairs purposely taking her time. Not that she wasn't sympathetic to Milla's plight, but she didn't appreciate being made fun of. She and Elphaba were definitely not joined at the hip. The nerve.
The second floor had many tables and benches near the balustrade, and in one of those tables was Elphaba in her natural habitat, hunched over, notebook in front of her, stack of books by her elbow, splayed books in front of her, quill in a hand that was looking so cramped Glinda winced in sympathy.
Elphaba didn't notice her arrival, too engrossed in her work.
“Elphie,” Glinda called softly, not wanting to startle her, feeling as if she was approaching an idle animal.
Elphaba looked up, startled, blinking beady eyes and then squinting, then removing her spectacles to rub her eyes with ink-stained fingers. Her braid was all messy, strands framing her face as if she'd raked her fingers though it repeatedly, and she had an overall frazzled look about her.
Glinda swooned, but just a little.
“What?” Elphaba’s voice was a little hoarse from disuse. “What are you doing here?”
Glinda cleared her throat. “It's late, Elphie, I've been sent to bring you back to the dorms.”
“Oh.” Elphaba leaned back in her chair. “Late? But it's only—” Then she looked out into the window at the back of the room, and was greeted with the darkening colors of sunset crossing over the sky. “Oh. I lost track of time.”
A smile played on the edges of Glinda’s mouth. “As you often do. C’mon, get your things, Milla is going to kill me if I don’t get you out of here in the next minute.”
“But I’m not done.”
“You can come back tomorrow,” she said. “And God knows you will come back tomorrow. Aren’t you tired?”
Though the question was redundant, she knew at this point that Elphaba was always at least a little bit tired. She had been ever since Dr. Dillamond was murdered, just like Glinda had been permanently tired since Ama Clutch fell ill.
“I have something to show you.” Elphaba came to her feet suddenly, not even bothering to answer the question, but looking more alert than she had just a second ago.
“Didn’t you hear me?” asked Glinda. “We have to leave. Milla is—”
“Milla won’t care for a minute or two.”
“Milla is about to have a fainting bout, Elphie.”
“She can have one after a minute or two.” She closed her notebook and stacked her books and put a bunch in her satchel, then threw it over one shoulder and grabbed her little lamp, the only light source other than the natural, dying sunlight breaking through. “Come on, it won’t take long.”
“What?” Glinda blinked, but followed Elphaba deeper into the rows of bookshelves. She had to follow her, Milla be damned, because Elphaba never included Glinda in her comings and goings in this place, the chance was too good to pass up. And to be fair Elphaba was taking her things with her, so she clearly intended to leave once she was done showing Glinda whatever she wanted to show her. “What is it?”
“Have you ever been here?”
“To the library? Sometimes. Why?”
“Just follow.”
“I am following.”
“There’s a lot of books that aren’t accessible to us on account of our unfortunate circumstance of being girls.”
“Unfortunate?” Glinda muttered, but Elphaba went on.
“I’ve been bribing Boq and Crope and Tibbett to find me real material from the Briscoe library. Well, I used to bribe them, but now they just do it.”
They trudged through a great number of bookshelves, moving through the rows and hallways as if going deeper and deeper into a maze. “I suppose that’s what happens when you become friends with people.”
The soft glow of the lamp caught Elphaba’s adorable grimace. “I suppose. The point is that they’re good at what they do, but I cannot walk around with the books on my person. Who knows what would happen if Morrible were to corner me, and I know she’s had her eye on me, that disgusting little tiktok creature follows me around when she thinks I’m clueless.”
It wasn’t the first time Glinda heard about this. It had started happening after the murder, and in her grief-stricken state Glinda had attributed it to Elphaba’s paranoid and conspiracy-loving mind, but she didn’t think it was so farfetched now. She had caught glimpses of Morrible’s mechanical servant in places where it shouldn’t be.
“You keep them here?” Glinda asked. “The books, I mean.”
Finally they stopped in front of a random shelf at the back, not any different than any of the others, spines and spines of weathered leather forming a wall that extended from floor to ceiling.
“Yes,” said Elphaba, and reached for one of the books. “No one ever searches here because what could the good girls of Crage Hall possibly be hiding in their library of all places?”
Glinda smiled. She wouldn’t have encouraged breaking the rules in the past, but she was beginning to see some rules only existed for the wrong reasons. “Right. Good society girls usually hide their prohibited things in their drawers or under their mattresses.”
“You would know about that,” Elphaba teased, then handed the book over. “I thought you may be interested in this one.”
Glinda squinted at it in the low light, for the sun was almost under the horizon now, and Elphaba’s lamp was quite small. From what she could gather it was some dusty, ancient spellbook.
She closed it after realizing what it was.
“What?” Elphaba asked. “Isn’t sorcery your preferred area of study?”
“I— well, it used to be. But it’s complicated now.”
“Because of Ama Clutch?”
“Because of Ama Clutch.” Glinda put the book back where it belonged—well, not where it belonged, but rather where Elphaba had smuggled it into. “What if it was my fault?”
“That’s—”
Then they heard the screech of a heavy door, and the unmistakable click of an even heavier lock.
“Oh, she didn’t,” Glinda whispered.
And finally, as if on a timer as tight as Milla’s schedule, the sun finished setting, and the two of them were thrown more or less into darkness in the middle of the most remote corner of the library, perhaps the most remote corner in all of Crage Hall, with only Elphaba’s little lamp to go by.
They looked at each other briefly, Elphaba scowling, Glinda rolling her eyes, and made their way out and into the main floor.
“Did your friend just lock us here on purpose?”
“Friend is a very strong word right about now,” said Glinda.
The library’s main door was indeed locked, no amount of pushing or pulling would make it budge.
Elphaba smashed her shoulder against it, fruitlessly, then banged on it with her open palm. “Milla! Are you still out there? Open the door right this instant, if this is a prank—”
“It’s not a prank, unfortunately.” Glinda grabbed Elphaba’s hand before she could mangle it. “She probably saw your things were gone and assumed we left without her noticing.”
Elphaba turned to her, bewildered. “And she would close up the place without being certain?”
“Oh, sure. I don’t think you understand how upset she was about having to stay here this late.”
“It’s not even closing time!”
“You don’t have to fight me about it,” Glinda grumbled.
“Come.” Elphaba grabbed Glinda’s wrist and tugged her away from the door, still holding her lamp in her other hand. Was it gas or oil, Glinda wondered, and just how much light did they still have left?
They stopped in front of one of the windows, and Elphaba handed over the life-saving lamp. “Hold this for a second. I’ll get this open and we’ll just jump through—” Elphaba trailed off.
Glinda leaned closer to the window to see what she was seeing, just as water began pattering against it, and just as the sky lit up briefly with a flash, followed by the low rumble of thunder.
“Great,” said Elphaba.
“God forbid things are ever easy for us.”
“You could still leave if you don’t mind getting your clothes wet,” Elphaba said. “You won’t melt like a sugarcube the way I would. Though I suppose if I step outside my ‘melting’ would be quite more graphic and bloody than that of a sugarcube.”
Glinda grimaced. “Must you be so morbid? And I’m not leaving, Elphie. I would hate for you to be all alone in here with the storm going on, who knows when it’s going to let up.”
“You don’t have to worry, I’ll be perfectly safe. It’s not like I never spend time alone in here anyway.”
Elphaba was never going to let this go as long as she saw it as Glinda doing something for her, she had that funny way about herself where accepting someone else’s assistance was a ludicrous concept.
“I don’t want to get my hair wet,” Glinda said. “I spent a lot of time curling it this morning.”
And that was that.
“Fine, then.” Elphaba sighed. “Let’s try to put on the fireplace, it can get chilly in here, and something tells me we’ll need the light to go by.”
“You’ve been here all day,” said Glinda as they made their way back through the main floor, led by Elphaba's singular lamp. “Did you eat?”
The fact Elphaba had to think about it was hilarious, and also a little sad. “No, but it’s fine. I’m not hungry.” She was betrayed by the sudden and spectacularly well-timed growling of her stomach, because that was just the way things went.
“Mhm.”
Elphaba flushed a darker green, and cleared her throat. “It’s because you made me think about it. I wasn’t hungry a moment ago.”
“That’s entirely sensible.” Glinda nodded seriously, though of course she didn’t think it was sensible at all. “You handle the fire and I’ll make sure you don’t starve.”
“There’s nothing to eat here, food and drinks aren’t allowed.”
“Oh, Elphie,” Glinda said dramatically. “You wound me by being so distrustful! Don’t you worry about that, I’ll find you something to eat.”
Elphaba rolled her eyes. “Fine, go hunting and gathering inside the library, that’s a swell idea. Just know that I don’t eat books, contrary to popular belief.”
“I’ll be back in a clock tick.” Glinda smiled at her, and they went in their opposite directions, Elphaba towards the fireplace and Glinda towards the front desk.
Milla’s front desk, to be exact.
She got to keep the lamp so she didn’t have to stumble her way through, but she would know where to go and where to search even in total darkness.
At this point Glinda had spent enough time with Milla—more time than either of them had ever spent with Shenshen and Pfannee—to know the girl’s habits pretty well. If she had to stay four hours a day in this place then there was no way she would do it without anything to eat in the meantime.
Glinda had only to rummage behind the front desk for a few seconds before she found what she was looking for. A half-eaten bag of almonds and peanuts, a little box of breadsticks, and nougat and other non-perishable little munchables. Perfect.
Glinda grabbed all of it, then frowned, then her eyes widened and she chuckled.
“Ah, Milla. You scoundrel.”
Behind the little pile of snacks and hidden under some stacks of papers was an innocuous dark glass bottle. Glinda pulled it out, and took out the loose cork and sniffed it, then wrinkled her nose.
Well, she supposed that was one way of coping with always having to leave on time—which for Milla meant leaving late.
She gathered all of Milla’s pastimes in her arms and made her way back to find Elphaba crouching by the fireplace with a stick, fumbling around in the darkness as she tried to get a flame going.
“C’mon, you useless—”
Glinda dropped her spoils on the nearby couch and set the lamp down on a low table, then snapped her fingers and the fireplace properly roared to life.
Elphaba stumbled back, startled, then looked over her shoulder with her typical scowl. “A little warning could’ve been nice.”
“Where’s the fun in that? I rarely get to surprise you with anything, let me have this.”
“I thought you weren’t that interested in magic anymore.”
“I said to let me have this.”
Elphaba dusted off her hands then came to her feet, overseeing everything Glinda brought. She glanced at her lamp, but it was a little redundant now. “Where’d you find all of this?”
“Milla’s not-so-secret stash.” Glinda winked. “It's not exactly a proper meal but at least you won't die of starvation.”
“I think I could've managed a few hours without—”
Glinda tossed her the brown bag of peanuts and almonds, and it comically hit Elphaba square in the forehead.
“Thanks for that,” Elphaba deadpanned, and the bag fell right into her waiting hand.
“So you can say thank you! Very good, Elphie.”
“I—” Elphaba blinked. “I have been terribly ungrateful, you're right. I'm sorry. Thank you for the food, and for staying with me while I’m trapped here.”
Glinda's eyes lit up. Goodness, she kept swooning just because Elphaba was being a decent person.
“You're welcome, Elphie.” This little infatuation was proving difficult to manage and also quite a bit embarrassing. “This is tonight's grand prize, however.”
And she lifted up the liquor bottle and gave it a little shake.
“What in the—” Elphaba snorted. “Where’d you find that?”
“Also Milla’s not-so-secret stash.”
“No wonder that ninny can never help me find a single book. I know the school pays only in extra credits but honestly, a little effort would go a long way, and—are you even listening?”
“Sorry.” Glinda finished taking a swig. It was kind of awfully strong. Was it moonshine? Ugh. She never would've expected that from Milla of all people. “Did you want some?”
“Give me that. And I’d offer to sit but I’m kind of sick of staying in one place. Do you want to walk around? I can show you the library. I don't think my lamp has a long lifespan left but there's enough windows and moonlight to go by.”
Glinda wouldn’t say no if her life depended on it. “Fine by me.”
“But—” Elphaba raised a palm between them. “Are you sure?”
“Sure of what?”
“Sure of staying here, I mean,” Elphaba said. “You don’t have to, it’s really not that long of a walk to the dormitories, you can deal with a little bit of water—”
“Elphie,” Glinda cut in slowly, more like a warning than anything else. “I'm staying until it's safe for you to go outside, and that's that. You hear me? That's that.”
“But—”
“That's that. I don't want to hear another word about it.”
Elphaba blinked for a moment, just staring at Glinda, then nodded as if unsure of what she'd just heard.
If nothing else it truly felt like progress. Glinda had been ready to argue for a while longer.
She carried the lamp so Elphaba could munch on the ‘borrowed’ food as they walked, but they did share the bottle of moonshine between them, passing it back and forth as they went along.
Yet Elphaba never grimaced at the strong aftertaste and she walked in a straight line, her eyes sharp even after Glinda started refusing any more of it because she was getting lightheaded.
“You can really hold your liquor, Elphie.”
She shrugged. “I suppose. Can you?”
“It depends on the liquor. Just never give me wine—unless you want to have a really good time.”
“I don't know who'd say no to a really good time.” Elphaba smirked at her, and Glinda blushed something fierce.
Was Elphaba even aware of what she was doing? Why would she answer with something borderline flirtatious to Glinda’s innocent and playful comment? Or, perhaps, just perhaps, Elphaba’s intention wasn’t to flirt and she was just being her normal self. Ugh.
Glinda hated this, she was definitely not an overthinker. Why would she be? She never had problems with the objects of her affections before, but Elphaba was—different than the rest. None of the other boys Glinda held interest towards really even came close.
Glinda was now recognizing her interest for those boys was more intellectual curiosity than actually driven by any sort of emotion. It was logical to find certain boys handsome, right?
Well, no.
Elphaba defied logic as much as she tended to defy all expectations. Glinda liked her, really liked her. Liked her in a way she understood intellectually was the way she was supposed to like boys, but nothing about her feelings for Elphaba were intellectual, they were just warm and humane, driven by pure sentiment instead of logic.
She sighed, walking beside Elphie these halls that smelled of paper and ink and dust and noticing that Elphaba moved through them with an ease that Glinda had never seen.
She hoped the storm would never let up, or that at least it would last the whole night.
“You look right at home,” Glinda said. “More than you ever look at home in our dorm.”
“I never spent too much time in rooms, not even as a child.” Elphaba talked without looking at her, her eyes instead scanning the bookcases. It was eerily quiet this deep into the library, even the sound of the rain was a distant thing. “Libraries, though—well, when I could. The one in Colwen Grounds is quite extensive, yet it's private, it belongs only to my family. All that knowledge—” Her fingers trailed over some dusty spines. “And it's not shared. And even if it was, there's simply not enough time to know it all. I used to spend hours upon hours upon days trying, reading whatever I could get my hands on and trying to understand what I was reading so I could— I’ve just rambled like a madwoman, sorry.”
“If anything, you don't talk to me enough, Elphie.” Milla may call them ‘joined at the hip’, yet Glinda would spend even more time with Elphaba if that was possible.
Elphaba looked at her puzzled, her head tilted to the side as if Glinda had said something entirely incomprehensible.
“What are some of your favorite things about this place?” Glinda asked because she was growing flustered yet again. “Show me.”
She realized that for Elphaba this wasn’t only a place to come in and do research or do her homework. She liked being here, and whether that was because it reminded her of her childhood or because of something else Glinda would like to know.
Elphaba smiled at her, the silvery moonlight giving her a sort of sheen that was quite entrancing, even if she was otherwise so disheveled. Yet another thing Glinda wouldn’t mind doing for her, fix up her braid and wipe the ink stains away from her fingers.
How odd it was to want to take care of someone in such gentle ways, usually Glinda was the one craving to be pampered, but Elphaba’s unkempt edges—which in the past had seemed ghastly to her—were inviting.
“Let’s go, then,” Elphaba said. “There’s one thing you may want to see.”
“Other than illicit books?”
“Other than that.”
At the back of the main floor, in a space cleared of books, was something that looked very out of place for a library of all things.
It was a piano.
Glinda frowned. “I thought this place was supposed to be quiet at all times.”
“It’s a showpiece more than something you’re meant to play,” Elphaba said. “Let me show you.”
Glinda didn’t understand how such a common piano could be a showpiece. It wasn’t much different from all the other pianos she had ever seen in parties or receptions, or in her own lessons from when she was a little girl. It was sleek and black and it stood on four legs, more shiny than she expected from a place otherwise so dusty but utterly ordinary.
“It doesn’t look like much,” Glinda said.
“Watch.”
They sat together on the piano bench, which was small, so it meant that they were quite together and the closeness was not helping Glinda’s growing case of being disastrously in love with her best friend.
She cleared her throat. “Do you know how to play?”
“Well, no,” Elphaba said, lifting the covers off the keys. “But that's not entirely necessary for what I want to actually show—”
So Glinda was the one that played. She wasn’t an expert by any means but she remembered her lessons well enough she could conjure up an old child’s lullaby, a slow rhythm. It was a little clumsy, but overall not too terrible.
“I didn’t know you could do that,” Elphaba said softly as if not to cut through the music with her voice.
“There are a lot of things I can do that you don’t know about.”
There was that sly smile again. “Like what?”
“Like—” Glinda faltered a little, then she just stopped altogether to turn her head and look at Elphaba directly.
It really was a small bench, made even smaller by the fact Glinda had to sit somewhat in the middle to have access to the pedals below. Her thigh pressed against Elphaba’s almost entirely, and their arms brushed together as Glinda took her hands away from the keys.
Glinda licked her lips. “Um. What did you want to show me this piano for, anyway?”
It took Elphaba a second to process that she was being spoken to. “Right. Here.” And she leaned around the side of the piano and did something, and then there was a click and a soft buzz.
And then the keys and the pedals started moving on their own, repeating to perfection Glinda's slightly imperfect rendition.
“What in Oz?” she murmured, her eyes wide. “It's—a tiktok thing?”
“Yeah,” Elphaba said, satisfied. “Like Morrible's little servant, only much less unsettling. It helps that you’re good at it, if I’d been the one playing we’d be stuck with a much more disastrous loop.”
Glinda recalled Elphaba saying the library could get chilly without the fireplace, but she couldn't imagine how that would be true, she had never felt warmer in her life, the heat expanded from her cheeks and intensified where Elphaba was pressed against her. Elphaba’s body felt like an open flame next to her.
“I wouldn’t say I’m good,” Glinda said in a rush. “Most girls I know can play a song or two.”
“My father tried to put me in lessons, too.” Thankfully, Elphaba wasn’t looking at her. “He wanted me to play hymns on the organ for the church at home.”
“And what happened?”
“I think I bit a priest or a maunt, I don’t really remember.” She grinned. “But there was blood and after that no one was so willing to teach me.”
Glinda grinned right back. “Incorregible.”
The music kept playing, a constant loop of the same song over and over, and Elphaba reached for the bottle she had set on the floor again, then frowned at it.
“What’s the matter?” asked Glinda.
“Look at this.”
Elphaba tilted the bottle a bit to catch the light of the lamp, and it glinted off the inscription at the front.
“Today you’ve shown me all sorts of things,” Glinda said with a smile. “What is it?”
“This thing is a gift from Boq.”
“From Boq?” Glinda took a closer peek at the engraved letters.
“He’s taking some arts and crafts electives, look.”
Glinda arched her eyebrows, but indeed the markings at the front of the bottle she thought were nothing but branding were actually a message in a nice script. Could we share the next one? Love, Boq.
“Oh God.” She laughed. “That’s extremely corny for someone like Milla, I can imagine the face she made. But of course she would never say no to some moonshine.”
“I didn’t know they had a thing for each other.”
“A thing,” Glinda repeated, amused. “Boq’s been hovering over her shoulder for a while now.”
“I thought he was sweet for you instead.”
“He hasn’t been in months, Elphie.”
“Huh. The more you know.”
“You’re absolutely clueless.”
“I’m not ashamed, sometimes it’s good to be clueless about certain things.” Elphaba shrugged. “You’re not upset that your admirer found someone else to admire?”
“Are you kidding me? Not whatsoever. Good riddance to him. I never should've let him kiss me but in retrospect perhaps that was the beginning of the end.”
“You let him kiss you?” Elphaba put the bottle back on the floor, frowning at Glinda now. “Why?”
“A regrettable and terrible moment of weakness. Besides, I was upset, and that proved a distraction—albeit a boring one. Kissing boys has got to be the most boring thing in the world.”
“But why were you upset?”
Ah, Glinda definitely did not want to get into the complicated maelstrom of complications that’d been the day at the Caprice and Pines, when Shenshen and Pfannee thought it would be hilarious to impersonate Glinda in a letter and invite Elphaba there for a lark.
A lark at Glinda’s expense, mind you. She still couldn’t believe her feelings for Elphaba were so evident that even those girls could tell. It’d been so mortifying to be so known.
“Uhh—” She couldn’t tell any of that to Elphaba, however. “Never mind all that!” She leaned against Elphaba in the small bench, defaulting to just keeping her close in hopes of distracting her.
“Regrettable, you said?” Elphaba chuckled, but she wrapped an arm around Glinda’s shoulder as the slow music kept playing.
The gesture brought them even closer together, and Glinda fully rested her head on Elphaba’s shoulder, her entire body relaxing in the low light, with the slow music, with the nearness.
She longed to be even nearer.
“How come I never knew?” Elphaba asked.
Glinda really didn’t want to keep discussing that. “Have you ever kissed anyone, Elphie?” Way to divert the conversation.
Elphaba snorted. “Don't be absurd.”
“Why is that absurd?”
“Not all of us can have the entire university pining for us.”
“Wait a moment.” Glinda’s brow furrowed. “Are you talking about me? I don’t have the entire university pining for me.”
“Of course not, just Boq, and Fiyero, and that idiot Avaric and—” She shut her mouth abruptly, and Glinda tilted her head back just to catch a glimpse of the way Elphaba’s cheeks darkened.
Glinda’s heart fluttered briefly. Should she dare hope?
“Who’d want to kiss me, anyway?” Elphaba muttered darkly. She was as adept at diverting the conversation as Glinda was, clearly.
The lamp on top of the piano flickered once, twice, and then went out completely like a whisper, total darkness enveloping them save from the dim moonlight barely illuminating the edges of Elphaba’s face.
Between their closeness and the darkness, Glinda decided to let herself hope.
She licked her lips. Her cheek was pressed against Elphaba’s shoulder, she lifted a hand to carefully brush a strand of hair away from her neck, briefly brushing against Elphaba’s pulse point. It was quick like a hummingbird’s wings.
“I can think of someone who’d want to kiss you.”
“Oh, really?” Elphaba’s scowl got even deeper with disbelief, her voice thick with sarcasm. “Well, I'd love to meet that person.”
“You actually know her well enough. She is, quite literally and figuratively, all over you.”
“She—” Elphaba's brain visibly malfunctioned, looking down at the way Glinda was basically draped over her in this cramped little piano bench. “She—you—” Her eyes widened a bit, and Glinda gave her a moment. “Are you serious?”
“As the grave.”
“But—”
“Actually, never mind,” Glinda said suddenly, pushing away as her nerve abandoned her just as quick as it had arrived. “I just realized how odd that was, so let me just—”
“No! No, wait, wait.” Elphaba’s hands went on to Glinda’s shoulders so she could keep her there. “You’re serious?”
It was good that the place was otherwise so dark, because Glinda did not want Elphaba to see how red her face was. “Yes! And please don’t ask that again. Yes, I’m serious. I guess the question now is do you want to kiss me?”
“Glinda, everyone wants to kiss you.”
“But you’re not like everyone, Elphie.”
It was quiet for a moment, one of Elphaba’s hands on her shoulder slowly made its way towards Glinda’s hair, and she twirled a stray curl around her finger. Glinda had never been so unmoving in her life, she was nearly holding her breath.
“I think that when it comes to you,” Elphaba’s voice was a whisper, a soft rush of air. “I am more like everyone else than you think.”
The world came to a stop for a moment, and when it resumed motion it did so gently, like so: Glinda's lips parted just a little, mostly in surprise, and Elphaba's eyes flickered down.
And then Glinda leaned towards her, not even conscious of the frantic beating of her heart, not anymore. And then, and then, and then, she kissed her.
Other than the clumsy and slow song still playing, the place was silent and still, and kissing Elphaba was nothing like Glinda had expected—and she hadn’t had expectations at all, truly. It was never a thought Glinda liked to indulge in because she thought it would never happen.
Except that now it was happening, and it was better than anything she could’ve tried to picture anyway. Elphie tasted like that awful moonshine but Glinda didn't really care, nor did she care about the spectacles barely digging into her nose. There was no room to care about anything like that.
Elphaba held onto her shoulders rather gently, a touch that was just barely there, just like the touch of their lips, a soft press that was feather light and careful, for Glinda was still aware of the fact it was Elphaba's first ever kiss—she didn't want to be overwhelming.
But there was no reason to worry about that. Elphaba tackled most things in her life with the same intense drive, and this was no different. She said she had never kissed anyone before, and yet she kissed Glinda like she never wanted to do anything else.
Glinda shifted a little, smiled into Elphaba's mouth and that was taken as encouragement. They kissed for a long, long time. Longer than Glinda had ever kissed anyone before, which suited her just fine, and in fact she was oddly giddy to be sharing a first time of her own with Elphaba.
So long in fact that it eventually stopped raining, but neither of them noticed for a while.
Until whatever mechanism kept the piano going finally stopped and that broke the spell the two of them found themselves in, and they realized that it was just a little too quiet inside the library.
“I think—the storm’s over,” Elphaba said softly.
Glinda blinked slowly at her, dazzled. “The what?”
Elphaba snorted, one thumb brushing the side of Glinda's mouth, perhaps trying to fix her smudged lipstick but all she did was make Glinda's heart do a somersault. “The storm, my sweet. We can leave through a window now.”
“What did you just call me?”
“Sweet.” Elphaba now pressed her thumb over Glinda's lips. “That's how you taste.”
Glinda had to kiss her again after that. She had to. What else was she supposed to do?
Luckily Elphaba didn't complain.
But this time Glinda didn't let herself get carried away, she was the first to pull back and stand up with haste because being so close to Elphaba was making her only want to stay close to her for the rest of the night, and they really had to leave.
“That eager to run away from me?” Elphaba asked with some amusement. “You wouldn't be the first.”
“Oh, hush, you seem to have no idea of what you've done; you'll never get rid of me now.”
“I won't complain about that.”
“Get up.” Glinda laughed softly. “We should hurry in case the storm comes back.”
“Suddenly I'm not so keen on leaving.” Elphaba’s braid was basically nonexistent and totally shapeless at this point. Glinda would really have to fix it for her later once they were in the safety of their shared room.
But first thing's first, they had to get out of there. And then she would make sure Elphaba carried an umbrella wherever she went.
“Let's go, Elphie, don't kick up a hard time about it.” Glinda paused, and decided a different tactic. “Nothing will stop us from kissing again once we’re back, you know.”
Elphaba had never gotten to her feet faster.
Merry Christmas @festivating!
Special message: happy holidays, my friend! I hope you enjoy this fic, I had so much fun writing it!
Read it on Ao3
Galinda gazed out the window at the snowflakes whirling through the air. This was not the first snowfall of the season- that had been the evening of Morrible’s first poetry soiree- and it surely wouldn’t be the last. But still, she found herself captivated by the phenomenon every time. She had better things to do. It was exam week and, as boring as the idea seemed, she knew that she should follow her roommate’s lead and study.
She sighed to herself as she tried to focus on her studying: a task which proved to be much easier said than done. How was she to maintain her concentration with such beautiful snowfall? And the prospect of winter recess only being a few days away was far too exciting. A few weeks away from the stress of classes would be much needed after—
A knocking at the door shook her from her thoughts. Elphaba, who had been silently studying on her bed, went to answer it. At the door was Morrible’s unnerving little Tiktok contraption, with a note in its claw-like hands. Elphaba took it and swiftly shut the door in the steely face of the miserable little creature.
“Miss Elphaba?” Galinda watched Elphaba’s dark eyes scan over the note, “What is it?”
“There’s a snowstorm coming– they say it’s going to make traveling out of the valley near impossible and that any student wishing to travel home for winter recess must leave by sunrise tomorrow or wait until after the blizzard passes.”
Galinda could only stare at her roommate in astonishment. She couldn’t leave that soon, she still had to take her sorcery exam, and there was no way Morrible would let her leave campus before taking her test.
Elphaba set the note on the nightstand and took up her previous position– folded up on her bed poring over some presumably dull reading. “It’s a good thing I wasn’t planning on going home anyways. And an even better thing that Nanny and Nessa left early– surely they’ve made it past the mountains and are safely on their way home by now.”
Galinda still didn’t have any words. This was supposed to be her time to go home and celebrate Lurlinemas, to finally see her parents again, to finally get some time away from Elphaba. Though she had begun to grow rather fond of the green girl, she didn’t know if she could bear the idea of spending the entire winter recess stuck with her.
“Will you be heading home, Miss Galinda?” Elphaba asked, and Galinda was surprised that she had taken an interest in her personal matters, even looking up from her book to pose the question.
“I don’t think I can,” Galinda replied, “I still have exams to take– we have our sorcery exam tomorrow afternoon, far beyond the cutoff for which we can safely leave.”
“Right,” Elphaba set down her book, standing up again from her favorite spot on the bed, green limbs unfurling like the fronds of a fern, “Seems we’ll be stuck here, then. I’m going to venture out and ask the boys what their plans are. Perhaps we can gather for some festivities, if we all are to be stuck on campus.”
“Very well.” Galinda said, and pretended to focus intently on her textbook as Elphaba bundled up in a thick trenchcoat and clunky boots. As she headed out the door, Galinda found herself amazed with the fact that Elphaba was so quick to make the best out of the situation. Where was Elphaba’s usual brand of dry humor and cynicism?
Galinda closed her textbook. If even Miss Elphie, in all her terribleness, was going to make the most of being stuck here, then it was only natural that she should do the same.
She hunched down on the floor in a most unladylike manner, rummaging under the bed until she found a box of Lurlinemas decorations she had intended to put up several weeks ago. Now that she was sure to be here for the entirety of winter recess, decorations were much needed.
–
The sun had nearly set and Elphaba had not yet returned. Galinda was worried– and was surprised by that fact. Since when did she care so much for her roommate?
She gave this a moment of thought, then decided that it was probably around the same time she’d first been caught by the surprise of her strange, unfamiliar beauty on that rainy autumn night. Embarrassingly, her heart fluttered at the memory of that terrible hat and Elphaba’s vehement insistence that she was in fact, not beautiful.
With a frustrated sigh, she dismissed the thought, resuming her task of adorning the room in Lurlinemas decorations. Tinsel and wreaths and garlands covered every suitable surface. She’d propped up an artificial tree in the corner of the room. It was much taller than her, and she struggled with properly adorning its higher branches with decorations.
Elphaba finally stomped in, those miserably clunky black boots making quite a ruckus. “What in Oz’s name have you done…” she sighed as she shrugged off her jacket, taking in the sight of the room covered in even more decorations than usual.
“Do you like it?” Galinda asked, though she didn’t much care what the answer was. She’d keep the decor up either way.
Elphaba toyed with some of the garland that hung over the fireplace, “It’s a bit… much. Unionist holidays don’t involve nearly this much decorating.”
“What do they involve then?”
“Mostly repenting.”
“How dull…” Galinda was still pondering how to decorate the top part of the tree that was out of her reach. She noticed her roommate, who was significantly taller, and she was struck with an idea, “Come, Elphie, I need your help reaching the top of the tree.”
Elphaba rolled her eyes dismissively, “Not a chance. You may decorate to your heart’s content, so long as you don’t involve me in it.”
“Fine, if you’re going to be so unhelpful, then I’ll just have to decorate what I can reach.” Galinda said, and proceeded to drape a length of garland over Elphaba’s shoulders.
“What are you–?” Elphaba flinched as Galinda wrapped her in another strand of silvery tinsel.
“You’re green enough to count as a tree,” Galinda carefully hung an ornament from the frame of her glasses, taking great care not to poke her with the ornament’s hook. She then stood on her toes to balance a golden paper star on Elphie’s head, “And– somehow– I can actually reach all of you. Since you won’t help me decorate the tree, I’ll just have to decorate you.”
Elphaba laughed. She actually laughed! Such a rare sound, almost melodious. Galinda found herself laughing too, for Elphaba looked silly, all covered in tinsel. Despite the absurdity of it all, Galinda found herself awestruck. In the light of the fireplace, Elphie’s green skin seemed almost to glow, and the tinsel draped around her shimmered, and the rare surprise of her smile was– and Galinda found herself frightened by this prospect– indeed, beautiful.
“You’re ridiculous, Miss Galinda,” Elphaba said, carefully removing the various accoutrements she had been bestowed, then walking over towards the tree and placing the decorations on the top portion of the tree where Galinda could not reach. Carefully, she affixed the gold star to the very top of the tree, then stepped back to admire her work. Galinda gasped as Elphaba’s fingers interlaced with hers. “Simply ridiculous.”
Within a day and a half, the worst of the blizzard had passed, and Shiz was left under a blanket of fluffy snow. Many students had left before the storm hit, but those that had remained had finally ventured out from the warmth of the dormitories, including Crope and naturally, Tibbett alongside him.
The pair sat on a bench in one of the courtyards, huddled together for warmth. The groundskeepers had attempted to clear the sidewalks of snow, but the valiant effort was only somewhat successful. Crope and Tibbett took great joy in watching people shuffle carefully through the streets like Penguins, only to lose their footing and land on their rear ends anyway.
“Ah, my dear,” Tibbett spoke up, gesturing towards a heavier-set Munchkin man wearing a ridiculous stocking cap, “Look at that one. He’s in a hurry, I bet he doesn’t make it as far as the fountain before falling on his arse.”
“But even in his hurry, look at how he carries himself, maintaining his forward momentum,” Crope responded, “I’m not saying he won’t fall, but if he does, it will likely be face first, and surely it will be sooner than the fountain.”
Their questions remained unanswered, for the stocky man quickly stepped into one of the libraries, no doubt to escape the cold. Crope’s eyes scanned the courtyard again, looking for the next victim of their schadenfreudian tendencies.
Two people rounded the corner of one of the far buildings, coming from the direction of Crage Hall. Even from a distance, the pair was recognizable. The pink and green gave it away, of course, but even if not for that, there would be no mistaking the pair based on their proximity and mannerisms alone. They walked closely, never quite touching. Galinda walked about a half step ahead of her green counterpart. Elphaba was hardly looking at the path ahead, instead maintaining focus on Galinda.
“Are the Misses Elphaba and Galinda considering themselves to be an item yet?” Tibbett asked.
“One would think so,” Crope responded, “Just look at them…”
The pair watched the two women stroll along, somehow maintaining their balance on the icy path much better than anyone else they’d seen that morning, despite being completely focused on each other. Galinda laughed about something, and Crope wondered what they could possibly be talking about.
“Don’t they remind you of anyone?” Tibbett posed, placing a gloved hand on Crope’s leg, “Perhaps two strapping young men who fell head over heels for each other last year?”
“Oh, I’d hardly consider myself to be strapping, dear,“ Crope answered, placing his hand over Tibbett’s, “You, on the other hand…” He pecked a quick kiss to Tibbett’s nose, reddened from the cold, “Are quite dashing.”
Galinda laughed again, recapturing Crope’s attention. “Yes, their mannerisms are similar to ours in the early days of our love. However, I merely alluded to the idea when speaking with Elphaba several days ago, and I was met with a glare that could cut through tempered steel.”
“Maybe they just need a little push…”
“You’re right…” Crope thought to Elphaba’s proposition that the group socialize during the winter recess since they couldn’t travel. Ideas quickly began to bubble forth. “A little push… Come, Tibbett, we must find Master Fiyero. I’ve got an idea.”
“I’ve already told you, I don’t own a pair of skates, Crope.” Boq protested, “Even if I did, the very idea of being out on the frozen lake terrifies me. What if I should fall through the ice, into the frigid waters, never to be seen again?”
“You worry too much, Boq. This ice is perfectly sturdy,” Crope said, thumping the blade of his skate on the ice. Sure enough, the ice remained intact. “If you’re content with sitting on the sidelines today, then so be it. But later this week, we’ll be having a snowball fight and we must have all hands on deck if our team is to emerge victorious.”
“I don’t see how such a violent activity could possibly be fun,” Boq answered, “But if you are so insistent, I’ll join. For today though, I’m fine watching you all skate. I’ve got my mug of tea to keep me company.”
“Enjoy your tea, then,” Crope said, heading onto the ice at Tibbett’s beckoning, “Perhaps I’ll get you a pair of ice skates for Lurlinemas, and you can join us the next time we all go skating together.”
Truly, Boq was content watching his friends dance and twirl and zip around on the ice. Crope and Tibbett, truly enamored with one another, performed some improvised dance routine for an invisible audience. Boq wished he could find someone to match him the way Crope and Tibbett so perfectly matched each other.
Miss Galinda… She glided across the ice effortlessly in perfect figure eights. In the cold, her face was rosy, just as pink as the winter gear she wore. Oz, she was so radiant in her beauty… Maybe he still had a chance with her yet?
His captive attention on Galinda was broken by Elphaba and Fiyero zipping past, evidently in some sort of race to see who could skate around the lake the fastest. Boq took an interest in this– Elphie had always had a bit of a competitive streak in her. It would be interesting to see how this turned out.
In the heat of their race, Fiyero lost his footing and bumped into Elphaba, who was then sent flying towards Galinda, who herself was absorbed in her task of crafting a perfect geometric design on the ice.
Galinda yelped as Elphaba fell into her arms, throwing her off balance. Somehow, they both maintained their footing despite the sudden shift in momentum, and Galinda kept on her path with Elphaba in her arms.
Boq watched as Fiyero skated towards Crope and Tibbett, shooting them a quick thumbs-up. Now what was that all about?
He turned his attention to the girls again. Galinda, who he knew was a perfectionist, strayed off of the path of her intended design, gliding along as Elphaba hesitantly wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Galinda smiled that beautiful smile and the pair moved along together in a fashion not dissimilar to the way Crope and Tibbett danced, albeit less showy and dramatic.
The dots started to connect, and Boq felt uneasy. His chances with Miss Galinda were quickly diminishing, and he knew it. But still– he was a man of resolve! He had a big heart, and he’d tried time and again to offer it to Galinda. He’d been rejected just as many times, sure, but until he was certain that her heart belonged to another, he would not give up!
It had been an eventful week as Lurlinemas drew closer. Elphaba, who never had been one for socializing, found a lovely comfort in the presence of her friends, and especially in the presence of Galinda.
On the first night of snow, when she had gone to make plans with Crope regarding what to do over the winter recess, the conversation had dragged on, eventually reaching a topic Elphaba dreaded. Crope had inquired into the state of Elphaba’s romantic life. As usual, she insisted it was nonexistent, only to be met with a raised eyebrow from her friend. She’d asked him what that look was about, and he’d muttered something about noticing how close she’d grown with Miss Galinda.
The exchange left her hot under the collar, and having to return to her shared quarters with Galinda only made matters worse. She’d been enthusiastically decorating, so happy despite the disappointment of not getting to return to see her parents. And despite the gaudy tinsel that covered every inch of the room– an eyesore, really– seeing Galinda so joyous caused something within Elphaba to stir.
And then, there was yesterday’s ice skating incident. She’d fallen right into Galinda, and though Fiyero had claimed it was an accident, she’d caught a glimpse of him skating towards Crope and Tibbett, looking awfully proud of himself. If she didn’t know any better, she’d have entertained the thought of the boys trying to set her up with Galinda.
What nonsense! Sure, she had grown… fond of Miss Galinda as of late, but why would the boys consider it any of their business? They were rather nosy, yes, but surely they wouldn’t go so far as to set up an impossible romance… especially considering it could only end in embarrassment for both parties.
Elphaba sighed to herself as she buttoned up her coat. Scheme or no scheme, there was no denying the warmth that had begun to blossom in her heart at the very thought of Miss Galinda.
Terrible, bothersome feelings…
Elphaba laced up her boots, trying to shake off the lingering fondness that clung to her heart, like cobwebs in an attic.
The boys had planned a snowball fight for today. Perhaps getting to pelt the object of her affections with snow would help relieve some of the tension in her heart.
–
A second wave of snow had blown through, and this particular storm had brought a layer of thick, heavy-wet snow– the kind that was perfect for building snowballs and snow forts. It wasn’t snowing as heavily now, only a few lingering flakes fluttering against the gray sky. Elphaba stood amongst her friends in a circle in one of the clearings on campus.
“Snowball fight,” Fiyero announced, tossing a snowball back and forth between his hands, “The rules are simple– each team will have an hour to prepare. Then, at the strike of noon, we go to war!”
“As for teams…” Crope chimed in, “I propose guys versus girls.”
“Well, that’s hardly fair!” Galinda protested, “There’s four of you, and only two of us– why can’t we have equal teams?”
Boq was quick to speak up. “I’ll join your team, Miss Galinda!”
“That won’t be necessary, Master Boq,” Crope shot him an icy glare, “See, Misses Elphaba and Galinda have the advantage of magic on their side, surely they can fend for themselves.”
“Right, then,” Elphaba turned to Galinda, “Guess it’s you and me.”
“Don’t look so unhappy about it, Elphie!” Galinda exclaimed, “It’ll be fun!”
As the clock in the campus center stuck eleven, everyone set to work preparing. Galinda, who had always had an affinity for architecture, quickly got to work constructing a massive snow fort. Elphaba didn’t quite understand all the structural premises, but she was happy to lend a hand in the form of ice magic. Together, they managed to build a small but impressive fort, while the boys had barely finished a loosely packed wall of snow.
The clock rang once again, twelve mighty peals echoing through the otherwise quiet air. A silence fell over the battlefield. Elphaba and Galinda hunched behind their fort, shivering both from the cold and from anticipation. Who would take the first shot?
Taking her chance, Galinda peered over the edge of the barrier, quickly ducking when four snowballs were flung her way. She laughed and got to work forming snowballs of her own, returning fire at the group of boys across the field.
Snowflakes in her hair, blue eyes shimmering like frost, and that lovely smile… She truly was beautiful, and Elphaba got so caught up in admiring her that she’d forgotten the task at hand.
“Now, what’re you staring at? Come on, Elphie, help me out!”
Seconds after she finished speaking, Galinda was struck in the shoulder by a snowball. Elphaba sprung into action at her defense, hurling snowballs as fast as she could make them, until, out of nowhere, a large clump of snow hit her in the side of the face with more than enough force to knock her to the ground.
“Elphaba!” Galinda ducked behind the fort, hurrying to her side, “Oh stars, you’re bleeding…” Galinda removed her glove and gently caressed Elphaba’s face, wiping away the moisture that singed her skin.
“I…” Elphaba struggled for words, “My water allergy pertains to snow as well. A few flakes here and there is no matter, but this is different.”
“Why didn’t you say something before agreeing to a snowball fight?”
“I didn’t want to ruin the fun… I know how important this is to the boys… to you.”
“Elphaba… do you really think I care for you so little that I’d put my pleasure before your safety?” Galinda said, before whispering a healing spell and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. Her heart fluttered.
“Now…” Galinda waved her hands, and the stockpile of snowballs they’d made levitated in the air, “I’ll teach them what happens when they mess with my Elphie!”
Elphaba could only watch in awe as the air around Galinda shimmered with magic. With a wave of her hand, each snowball that hung in the air was propelled towards the enemy fort. At the same time, she’d crafted an energy shield that sparkled like a prism in the afternoon sun. Elphaba was captivated by the sheer display of power and beauty.
Elphaba felt something stir in her heart.
Oh stars… Was it… love?
The following evening, Crope decided to do some shopping in the town square, for Tibbett had an extensive wishlist of gifts. The City of Shiz hosted a holiday market, with vendors from across Oz setting up booths and storefronts. Somehow, thank the stars, he’d managed to talk Elphaba into coming with him.
“Sorry about the snowball yesterday,” Crope said as the pair walked side by side, “I didn’t mean to throw it that hard, and I certainly wasn’t aiming for your face..”
“It’s okay. Burned a bit, though.”
“What!?”
“My water allergy also pertains to snow. Such a dense snowball really did a number… Fear not, though. Miss Galinda knows some healing magic and she patched me right up.”
“Speaking of Miss Galinda…” Crope started, before realizing that Elphaba had stopped a few booths ago. She was looking thoughtfully at some glass creations from the Quadling Country.
“I spent a lot of my childhood in Quadling Country. Now that was miserable for my water sensitivity. The air was so humid that being outside was enough to give me a wicked rash. But the artisans, the things they craft… really shows the beauty in that part of Oz.”
Crope was frustrated that his friend managed to dodge the question, as per usual.
“I know you were going to ask me about Galinda again,” Elphaba said plainly, “Since you mentioned it the other day, I’ve been thinking about it. I have some… growing feelings of fondness towards Miss Galinda. I care for her deeply, more than I’ve ever cared for anyone in my life. One could even be tempted to call it love. Certainly there’s no way she’d return any of my affections but still… I want to get her something special.”
Crope couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Such a soul-baring revelation, almost completely unprompted…
“Oh, look at this!” Elphaba pointed to something on the table, “It’s absolutely perfect.”
It was two days before Lurlinemas, and Fiyero had put off his shopping until the last minute. Galinda had decided to tag along with him– perfect for continuing on their plan.
It was a blustery day, and the pair had ducked into a store to escape the wind. It was a small bookshop with a tiny cafe tucked into the corner. Fiyero, ever the gentleman, purchased tea for both himself and Galinda, and they sat to wait out the storm.
“... and that’s how I met Sarima,” Fiyero said, finishing the tale of how he’d come to know his fiancee, “I don’t suppose you have any sweeping love stories to share, Miss Galinda?” He took a sip of tea, trying to remain nonchalant.
“Well,” Galinda mirrored his action of sipping from her cup, and they were at a societal impasse, “I do have something to share, but you cannot tell a soul!”
“Oh?”
“It’s awful, really, but… I fear I’ve fallen in love with Miss Elphaba…”
“How is that awful, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“She’s green.”
“Surely you’re not letting the color of someone’s skin affect your perception of them?”
“Of course not,” Galinda shifted in her chair, “These feelings are just… unexpected, is all. I’ve been in relationships before, but I’ve never felt anything so strong in my life. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!”
“I think you should tell her.”
“That’s far too terrifying of a prospect, dear Fiyero. What if she should reject my feelings? How can I show her I care for her in a way that is less… daunting? “You could start with a gift,” Fiyero suggested, “Our Lurlinemas Eve party is tomorrow night.”
“Yes, but what do you get for the most minimalistic woman I’ve ever met?” Galinda stood up and returned her cup to the barista, then paced around the shop. Galinda stopped in front of a display, “Practical and beautiful, just like Elphie. Oh, this would be perfect for her!”
The morning of Lurlinemas Eve, Crope, Tibbett, Fiyero, and Boq all gathered in the lounge of the Briscoe Hall dormitory, for what Crope and Fiyero had deemed to be an urgent meeting.
“I’ll cut right to the chase,” Crope said, “I was with Miss Elphaba at the market two days ago, and she confessed that she’s grown rather fond of Miss Galinda. Now, I wasn’t sure what to make of this, as fondness and love are not necessarily one and the same. But, Fiyero, you said you spoke to Galinda last night?”
“I did– she openly admitted to being in love with Miss Elphaba.”
“Then our plan surely must be working!”
“Excuse me?” Boq cut in, “What plan?”
“Ah…” Fiyero and Crope looked at each other, “You were busy during the meeting, and we never filled you in. We’ve devised a plan to encourage Misses Elphaba and Galinda to enter a courtship, since they are so clearly enamored with one another.”
“Right…” Boq’s face fell.
Tibbett was the first to speak up, “Look, Boq, we all know you had feelings for Miss Galinda, but it’s evident that her heart lies elsewhere.”
“I’m okay with that, really, I am. I’m more upset that you all didn’t tell me about this plan sooner! I must’ve looked like a fool!”
“Yes…” Fiyero started, “But a very dashing fool, mind you!”
“Flirting won’t help, Master Fiyero,” Boq laughed and rolled his eyes, “So what’s the next step in this grand plan of yours, knowing that the two have feelings for one another?”
“Well,” Crope answered, “They’ve bought each other gifts, which they’ll exchange at tonight’s party. I say we take some more measures. Any ideas?”
“We should find a way to get them alone,” Fiyero said.
“Don’t be a fool, if they’re alone, then we can’t see them!”
“As reluctant as I am to participate in this plan…” Boq sighed, “Have you considered a sprig of mistletoe in the doorway?”
“Ah, now there’s a good idea!” Crope laughed, “Sharp boy you are, Master Boq! And, it’ll be an excuse to kiss my dearest Tibbett! What do you think?”
“I think…” Tibbett paused, “That we’re trying too hard. The other day, you said Elphaba and Galinda reminded you of us as a young couple. We didn’t have people pushing for us to be together, did we? Our love developed as it should: simply and naturally. Who are we to deny that simplicity to our friends? We’ve given them the push, I think it would be best to let things run their course from here on.”
“Oh… such wise words, my dear.”
“Thank you, love,” Tibbett smiled.
That evening, all the friends gathered in the library commons for a feast of fresh bread and glazed vegetables and a roast. Spiced wine and cakes served as dessert, all under the glow of a beautifully lit pine tree.
As the night carried on, a multitude of gifts were exchanged. Crope had gotten Boq a pair of skates in jest, reveling in his protests before revealing his true gift– a new suit, custom tailored to fit his size.
“It’ll be perfect to wear to all the parties, you’ll be sure to catch the eye of every lady– or man– there!”
“Thank you, Crope.” Boq replied, blushing, “I’ve a gift for you, too.”
“Really?”
Boq flipped Crope off. “That’s for the skates.”
“Why, Master Boq, you shouldn’t have!” Crope gasped.
Boq proceeded to rise from the floor and moved over to Crope, giving him a kiss on the cheek, “And that’s for the suit.”
More gifts were exchanged throughout the night. Boq gave Galinda a notebook with flowers on the cover. Elphaba gave Fiyero a rare book she’d found, a collection of old Vinkan legends. Fiyero gave Crope and Tibbett a stack of raunchy magazines.
The exchange continued until only two gifts remained under the tree.
“For you, Miss Galinda,” Elphaba said, retrieving the small package, “I hope you like it.”
Galinda opened the box to reveal a necklace. Unlike most of the flashy, bejeweled things she wore, this one was rather simple. It was a silver chain with a small charm– a pink flower made of carved glass.
“It’s like the flower you gave me after the Ozdust, see?”
“Oh Elphie…” Galinda quickly put on the necklace, “It’s beautiful… How can I ever thank you?”
“Perhaps with the remaining gift under the tree?”
“Right!” Galinda quickly grabbed the last gift and handed it to Elphaba, who carefully undid the delicate wrapping. Inside was a leather-bound notebook and a stylish pen.
“Before you get too worried– the book is made of a plant-based leather. Apparently they can make leather out of mushrooms now!”
“Oh wow…” Elphaba ran a hand over the cover of the book, “It’s amazing.” She uncapped the pen and scrawled her name on the inside cover, “And the pen writes so smoothly…”
“There’s a second part to your gift,” Galinda said, and Elphaba looked confusedly at the empty space under the tree, “It’s scary, so bear with me.”
“A scary gift? Now what in the world–”
“I love you.” Galinda said, taking her hands.
The room went silent. Elphaba blinked at her wordlessly.
“I…” Elphaba laughed nervously, “You mean it?”
“I do.”
“I love you too,” Elphaba looked at the ground, then at her hands, then at Galinda, “I’ve never been great with this kind of stuff… what do we do now?”
Crope smiled and walked over to where the two sat, pulling out a sprig of mistletoe.
“Really?” Galinda laughed, blushing a bright pink, “In front of everyone?”
“Why not?” Elphaba smiled.
“We don’t mind,” Crope said with a wink, “In fact, we’ve all been rooting for it.”
The two women kissed, and the room seemed to exhale a sigh of relief. The festivities continued on, friends reveling with friends late into the night.
Room twenty two of Crage Hall was silent on Lurlinemas Eve, save for the scratching of pen on paper. Galinda was curled up next to Elphaba in bed. Elphie was writing away in her new journal, while Galinda was fiddling with the charm on her new necklace. They were in their same old dorm room, and yet everything felt so new.
“Elphie, won’t you please tell me what you’re writing?”
“I will once I’m finished, my sweet.”
My sweet… The affection sent Galinda’s heart whirling.
Galinda, with a newfound patience, sat and watched Elphie’s studious gaze trace over the page.
After a few more minutes, Elphaba finally shifted, and began to read what she had written:
“Lurlinemas Eve, Year 1 at Shiz University,
Journal– I’ve had a most eventful week. Stranded on campus with Galinda was initially an intimidating prospect, but it proved to be the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Miss Galinda has a knack for decorating– she’s adorned our room in all manner of tinsel and glitter. Not my preferred style, but her passion and enthusiasm is unmatched.
Furthermore, Miss Galinda seems to enjoy the winter weather. She skates in perfect patterns, as graceful as anything I’ve ever seen. And in a snowball fight, her dedication and vigor is impressive. Not to mention her excellence in healing magic. It would appear that it is made more powerful through kisses. I hope to further put this hypothesis to the test.
On Lurlinemas Eve, Miss Galinda was kind enough to gift me this very journal. To my surprise, the lovely Miss Galinda also professed her feelings for me. I of course, return these feelings, but I am so terrible at expressing them through spoken word. I suppose that this journal will suffice as a suitable outlet for said feelings.”
Elphaba set down her book and continued on from memory, pulling Galinda into a cozy embrace, nearly on top of her, running her slender fingers through blonde curls.
“My Galinda… She is as radiant as the sun, as dazzling as the moon, as brilliant as the stars. She is so much more than meets the eye, and she looks beyond the surface of everyone she meets, sees them for who they truly are. She is beautiful in heart, mind, and body alike. I care for her more than words can speak, and I truly look forward to the time we are fortunate enough to spend together. May our love be long and prosperous.”
“Elphie…” tears pricked at Galinda’s eyes, “Oh, what am I supposed to say to that? You poetic thing, you!”
“You could say, ‘I love you,’ again,” Elphaba remarked, “I rather enjoyed hearing it before.”
“I love you,” Galinda laughed through her tears and kissed Elphaba, “I love you so much…” She kissed her again as the clock struck midnight, “Merry Lurlinemas, my dear.”
Merry Christmas @mudefrau!
The evening sun gilds the trees and hanging moss and reflection off the water into something precious, the chorus of the wetland-bugs rises like a welcome, and Nessarose is distraught, because Elphaba is leaving.
She must not show it, of course. She sits on the end of Elphaba’s bed, watching owl-faced as her elder sister packs up what little she owns.
“What do you think, Nessa, the red or the brown?” Elphaba is holding up a pair of traveling dresses, the only two she owns that are physically suitable for the rigors of the journey.
“The red clashes horribly, you know this.”
“You’re right, first impressions are so vital to the life of any girl newly blossomed into adulthood. Finding a way to stand out is of paramount importance,” she says as she folds up and packs away the brown dress, setting aside the red one to wear tomorrow.
Nessarose scoffs in nominal disgust, for the sake of appearances, but lacking any teeth. “A noteworthy first impression is important, yes, but not so important that it’s worth making the faithful think they need to perform an exorcism on you.”
“Assuming any remain.”
“Shiz is a Unionist university, correct?”
“It was, originally, but it’s become rather secular, even the pleasure faith has been rumored to grow amongst the student body.”
“Well, perhaps the faculty will be more sensible. Are they not renowned for their wisdom and experience? Is that not why they were chosen to shepherd young, impressionable minds towards a gracious adulthood?”
“One would hope.”
Elphaba had stopped, staring at nothing with a shadow in her eyes. Nessa tries to not wish for arms very often, her condition must after all be crucial to the Unnamed God’s plan for her, but she thinks it must not be blasphemous to wish she could put a comforting hand on her sister’s shoulder.
She settles for words. “Well, even if the contents have rotted, the structure might yet be sound, no?”
“It’s the library I’m most interested in, actually,” Elphaba says, avoiding the question, “Since Shiz was an old Unionist school, they’ve got one of the largest repositories of very old Unionist texts. I’m interested in comparing the origins of the religion to its modern state, and seeing if I can trace back how it got here.”
And there it is. Nessa knows Elphaba must be only posturing when she throws her supposed atheism into their father’s face; after all, who but the truly devout would put so much effort into understanding the growth of this religion, to learn which supposed “traditions” are in truth harmful later additions that must be scraped away?
Even if Elphaba claims to reject the faith, should she devote herself to it beyond university, why, she might be the greatest thing to happen to Unionism since the Saints of old. Truly living up to her name.
“That sounds wonderful. You’ll keep me up-to-date with your findings, won’t you?”
Elphaba’s expression softens into the warm face reserved exclusively for Nessa. “Of course,” she says, with a gentle yet toothy smile that displays her unusually sharp canines.
Her teeth, her skin, her aversion to water, her sandpaper personality, all of these things make others think Elphaba some demon of prophecy, a human-shaped incarnation of a draconic herald of the apocalypse.
But here is the truth: Elphaba is tame for Nessa. Elphaba is gentle for Nessa. Nessa is certain that the Unnamed God gave them to each other for a reason: the dragon that would have raged across field and city has instead become the guardian of a holy woman. Or something along those lines. Whether Elphaba truly has faith does not matter, because her love for Nessa is the most real thing in the world.
In the most locked-down, guarded space in her heart, she thinks Elphaba’s love is more real, even, than Father’s love for her.
And Elphaba is leaving.
“But do you have to go now? Couldn’t you wait a couple years and go with me, when the time comes?”
Elphaba sighs, deep and heavier than her lungs should allow. “Nessa, if I stay in this house much longer, I fear I will no longer be able to restrain myself, and might one day tear Father’s throat out.” She is outgrowing them, the house too small to stretch her wings.
“You won’t hurt him if I’m there.”
“But you can’t be with me every moment of the day,” I wish I could, “And besides, every day I spend here is another day I risk slipping on a wayward patch of lichen and falling into the water, and then there would be nothing to threaten Father at all.”
“We could go back to Colwen Grounds together.”
“Without Father? You know he loved Turtle Heart too much to abandon this cause.”
“Well, Nanny would be happy at least.”
“You are not wrong.” Her smile fades. “But Nessa, I have to go. I can’t— can’t stay still any longer.”
Nessa sighs. “Alright.” She worries, privately, about what Elphaba will become without her. “But we will write frequently, yes?”
“Of course.” And in that secluded spot in her heart, Nessa worries about what she will become without Elphaba.
Worries that Elphaba’s true gentleness and affection might no longer be reserved for her. That Elphaba might find someone who can give her something Nessarose couldn’t, and decide that this other person is more important.
That she might be a part of what Elphaba is outgrowing.
Not that she allows herself to articulate this thought into words, even in her own mind.
Elphaba stands up straight, then, and turns around to rummage through her things.
“Listen, Nessa— about Turtle Heart.”
“Yes,” she says shortly. That frayed knot at the beginning of her existence—something that should have been a shame on her father, perhaps, but which Father had instead turned into the fuel for his holy mission.
“When he first came to our parents, he made something for me.” She pulls out a glass disc, at first appearing to be a pale green, but displaying a subtle iridescence as it turns in the light. “I want you to have it. Something of him.”
Nessa frowns. “Would he have approved of me getting something like this?”
“Oh, Nessa, he would have adored you.” Elphaba places the disc in the satchel Nessa has strung around her shoulders.
Then, Nessa pitches forward into Elphaba’s embrace. They are both silent.
The moment is broken by Nanny barging into the room. “Do you two have any idea what time it is? Nessa must come to bed, now, it gets dark so late this time of year, we wouldn’t want to deprive her of her sleep, now would we?”
Nessa stands up to leave, then turns back with a questioning look.
“I’ll probably be gone by the time you wake up,” says Elphaba, “But I will write, of course.”
Of course.
“Farewell, then,” Nessa says, and leaves.
She ends up placing the disc on her nightstand, unsure of what else to do with it.Father has said that Turtle Heart taught him to make this sort of thing. So she doesn’t feel too bad a few days later when she bumps up against the desk and watches, helpless to reach out and catch it, as the disc falls and shatters against the floor.
Welcome to the Wicked Secret Santa! A fanworks gift exchange for the Wicked fandom. Sign Ups open October 12!
How it works:
You MUST have a tumblr and an email you check regularly
Just like in a real life Secret Santa, you must give a gift to receive one
All gifts must be new, do not reuse any old creations. Additionally, AI work is not allowed
While I ask that you don’t sign up for this exchange if you don’t plan on seeing it through to the end, I know that unexpected things can happen. If you need to drop out of the Secret Santa for any reason, let me know asap so I can assign a Pinch Hitter to your former giftee.
NSFW work is allowed, just make sure your giftee is comfortable with it
This is an anonymous gift exchange, so you must remain anonymous until the Big Reveal on December 26th!
Pinch Hitters: Pinch Hitters are the angels of Secret Santa gift exchanges! In the event that someone drops out of the Secret Santa, a Pinch Hitter is a back up gifter to ensure that everyone gets a gift. In the sign up form, it will ask if you are interested in being a Pinch Hitter for this Secret Santa.
Even if you're not planning on participating in the Secret Santa, reblogs are much appreciated to spread the word. Please take a look at the schedule and guidelines linked below, and don't hesitate to send any questions to my askbox.
Schedule | Guidelines | Askbox
The Big Reveal
Fellow Ozians...
I hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday, and now it is time for the most anticipated Big Reveal:
@paradise-bi-the-dashboard-lightt -> made @gaypapercuts's gift
@vinkunwildflowerqueen -> made @wickedobsessed101's gift
@pumpkaaboo -> made @mudefrau's gift
@gaypapercuts -> made @loveandviolets' gift
@gliyerabaa -> made @festivating's gift
@loveandviolets -> made @paradise-bi-the-dashboard-lightt's gift
@wickedobsessed101 -> made @vinkunwildflowerqueen's gift
@festivating -> made @gliyerabaa's gift
@mudefrau -> made @lillifaba's gift
And there you have it! Be sure to give your gifters all the thanks for all the hard work they put into their gifts, and I'll see you next year for the next Wicked Secret Santa.
(Shamless plug: you can also join me in February for @gelphiefemslashfeb 👀)