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[sapphic-circles]

In the Savage Night (Chapter 25)

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“I wish this didn’t have to end.”

Elphaba gazed down at Galinda tangled in her arms and chuckled as her girlfriend let out a dramatic sigh.

“I know, my love,” Elphaba said. “However will we manage two whole hours apart? Oz forbid; they should shut the school down for this.”

“They should,” Galinda said loftily. “But I suppose I’ll survive it.”

The weekend had gone by all too quickly in the wonderful dreamy haze of their new relationship, and as content as Elphaba would be to lie in bed with Galinda forever, she didn’t mind getting up to go to class. Even if they didn’t share all but one of them today, it only meant she’d be looking forward to seeing Galinda’s beautiful, sweet face afterward.

“I know you will,” Elphaba said. “Sports class, however…”

“I’ll tell Mrs. Ratclyffe I hurt my ankle again,” Galinda said. “You’ll vouch for me, right? I shudder to think of the stink eye she’ll give me.” She paused. “It’ll totally be worth it to sit on the sidelines and watch you, though.”

Elphaba’s cheeks warmed. “Of course I’ll vouch for you,” she said. But Oz, she wasn’t sure how well she’d perform knowing Galinda’s eyes would be on her the whole time. She was bad enough at lacrosse as it was.

Then they’d have alchemy, though, and Madame Morrible’s sorcery seminar after that. Elphaba eyed the silver wand abandoned on Galinda’s dresser.

“Have you decided what you want to do about sorcery?”

Galinda sighed. “I think I have to quit,” she said. “I can’t do magic without a wand, and…well, Madame Morrible isn’t going to be very happy if I tell her the one she gave me isn’t good enough.”

Elphaba hummed and raked her fingers absentmindedly through Galinda’s hair. “We can bring mine,” she said. “We’ll tell her I let you try it—which is true—and it works. We don’t have to tell her why the other one doesn’t.”

“I guess it’s worth a shot,” Galinda said. “Honestly, I don’t know why she hates me so much, Elphie. I know I’m not talented, but I did try really hard to write a good essay for her.”

“I know,” Elphaba murmured.

She hated that her mentor felt that way about her girlfriend; it left a bad taste in her mouth and a squirming bit of guilt in her stomach. Why was Madame so adamantly opposed to seeing the good in Galinda? She didn’t understand it.

“If she doesn’t let you switch wands, I’ll talk to her,” Elphaba said. “She should know how well you’re doing. And I’m not okay with her talking to you the way she does.”

Galinda tilted her head up to kiss Elphaba’s cheek. “Thanks, Elphie,” she said. “But don’t get on her bad side for me, okay?”

“No promises,” Elphaba joked.

She parted ways with Galinda for her law class, then met back up with her for sports. It was Galinda’s first class since she’d been captured, and Elphaba could tell she was nervous to join their classmates, but she doubted they’d think anything of Galinda’s absence after the way they stared and whispered at the sight of the chaste kiss the blonde left on Elphaba’s lips.

Elphaba was intimately familiar with the whispering, but she didn’t hear any harsh laughter or even poorly disguised snickering this time. They weren’t glaring at her; they were looking at her with something like awe. She still didn’t quite like the feeling of all eyes on her, but she was grateful at least that they were too distracted with her relations with Galinda to notice anything relating to the escaped Werewolf.

Galinda seemed to relax herself when the only questions they faced in alchemy class were regarding their relationship, of which gossip already seemed to have spread around campus: “When did that start?” “Who asked who out?” “Were you cheating on Fiyero?”

Galinda only laughed at the questions and responded with ease as she held tight to Elphaba’s arm as if showing her off—showing her off, as if Galinda herself weren’t one of the most sought-after girls at the school.

This was Galinda’s element, Elphaba realized. It had been so long since she’d actually seen it that it almost surprised her after the timidness and fear Galinda had shown surrounding her lycanthropy. The younger girl felt perfectly at home weaving stories for their classmates, telling truths but somehow making them sound grander than they really were.

She did lie when one brave soul asked about her limp. Elphaba glanced at her and saw a flash of anxiety so brief that she could have imagined it if she didn’t know better, and then Galinda was talking so confidently that no one would suspect she was making anything up.

“It was so romantic, actually,” Galinda said. “We were taking a walk and I stepped into this horrendible little hole in the ground some creature must have made, and a sharp rock just cut my ankle to shreds. Elphie practically carried me back to our room; she’s been taking such good care of me.” She smiled and kissed Elphaba’s cheek as she flushed emerald.

“It was nothing, really,” Elphaba said, stumbling over her words. Their classmates only cooed at Elphaba’s humilitude at Galinda’s insistence.

“I’ve never been at the center of positive gossip before,” Elphaba said as they made their way toward Madame Morrible’s study. “It’s weird. Does it not feel weird to you?”

“Why would it?” Galinda asked. “It’s a good thing for people to talk like that. It means they’re not spreading nastier rumors.” She paused. “Well—probably. Some do it behind your back. But no one’s going to listen to them if the good things are common knowledge.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Elphaba said. “I don’t know if I’d ever get used to it, though.”

Galinda giggled. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m sure this will be old news by tomorrow. Someone or something more interesting will come along.”

They stopped at Madame Morrible’s door, and Galinda’s demeanor shifted slightly. She lifted her chin and set her brow as if trying to appear confident, but Elphaba could see the nerves running under her skin.

“It’s all right, my sweet,” Elphaba murmured. “I’ll do the talking.”

Galinda nodded mutely, and they entered the study to prepare for their lesson as usual until Madame Morrible breezed in from her quarters.

“Good afternoon, Madame,” Elphaba said before the sorceress could note that Galinda didn’t have her wand out.

“Same to you, dearie,” Madame Morrible said to Elphaba, only sparing a glance from the side of her eye to Galinda. “I trust you’ve been faring well?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Elphaba said. “Before we get started, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

Madame Morrible tilted her head. “Yes, dove?”

“Well, you see,” Elphaba started. She pulled the gold wand from her bag. “Since Galinda was struggling with her wand, I thought I’d let her try mine to see if it made a difference, and it does. She can cast with this one. Would you allow her to use it instead?”

A furrow formed between Madame Morrible’s brow. “Dear, there is no difference in capability between these wands,” she said. “I’m afraid this may be a matter of personal aesthetics.”

“It’s not,” Elphaba said. “I don’t know why, but she can use this one, and she can’t use the other one. Please give it a chance, Madame.”

Madame Morrible turned toward Galinda. “Miss Upland,” she said. “You can’t even argue your own case for such entitlement?”

Galinda swallowed. “I…”

“You can’t blame her when you talk to her that way,” Elphaba said. “Madame Morrible, I respect you and I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me, but Galinda is a student and she doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment from someone who is supposed to be helping her.”

Elphaba’s heart raced with nerves as Madame Morrible stared at her, mouth ajar in surprise. Clearly she hadn’t expected to be spoken to that way, certainly not by Elphaba, but she couldn’t just keep her mouth shut while the sorceress berates her girlfriend anymore.

Galinda glanced between them with wide eyes. “It’s—it’s okay, Elphie,” she said quietly.

Madame Morrible closed her mouth and cleared her throat. “You’re right, Miss Elphaba,” she said. “Perhaps I have been unfair. Please, Miss Upland, demonstrate what you can do with this wand.”

Elphaba held out the wand for Galinda to take and gave her an encouraging nod, those big, dark eyes relaxing slightly as they met Elphaba’s.

Madame Morrible’s sharp eyes watched as Galinda took the wand and placed a coin on the table in front of her.

Galinda’s hand trembled when she aimed the wand at the coin, but she took a deep breath and managed to steady herself before focusing on the spell. The coin moved this time before Madame Morrible could make any snide remarks, and Elphaba sight with relief before shooting her girlfriend a proud smile.

“Well,” Madame Morrible said, “I do stand corrected. However…” She held out her hand to Galinda in waiting. “Miss Upland, please give me your hand.”

Galinda exchanged a nervous glance with Elphaba before placing her left hand in Madame Morrible’s.

“No, dear,” Madame said. “The other one.”

Elphaba couldn’t think of anything to do, and clearly, neither could Galinda. The blonde hesitated before switching her hands, and Madame Morrible flipped it palm up to reveal the healing lesions from Galinda’s last session with the silver wand.

“I see,” Madame Morrible said. “This is why you cannot use your wand, I presume?”

“It’s just an allergy,” Elphaba said quickly. “The same thing happens to me when I touch nickel.”

“I suppose you are aware of her secret, then?” Madame Morrible released Galinda’s hand. “I did suspect at our last lesson, Miss Upland, that you may have been keeping something Wolfish to yourself.”

Elphaba’s heart dropped, and she stood up to defend Galinda physically if needed. Madame Morrible had been the one teaching her defensive spells, after all, and the thought of anyone putting their hands on Galinda with intent to harm her sent the magic in her veins boiling to the surface.

“She hasn’t done anything wrong,” Elphaba said. “I know what you all think of Werewolves, but she would never hurt anyone.”

Madame Morrible frowned. “It’s all right, dearie,” she said. “I’ll admit I was concerned, but that was before I realized the Wolf was a student. I won’t be turning you in, Miss Upland, if you will allow me to help you control yourself. If I recall correctly, you were not caught on the night of a full moon.”

“I—I did mess up that time,” Galinda said timidly. “But I’ve been practicing, Madame, and I’m getting really good. I’m not a threat, I promise.” She paused. “You know about Werewolves, too? I thought Dr. Dillamond was the only one.”

Madame Morrible’s brow quirked. “I wasn’t aware he was educated on the matter,” she said. “I myself know very little, but I have many resources at my disposal. I believe I can brew a potion to help you control yourself, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. For now, let’s not derail our lesson, shall we?”

Galinda let her breath out and finally seemed to relax enough for Elphaba to feel comfortable leaving her side. She squeezed Galinda’s shoulder and exchanged a soft smile with her before taking her seat again.

“Thank you, Madame,” Galinda said. “I really appreciate it. I’ll take any help I can get.”

“And I’m sorry for getting defensive,” Elphaba said. “I do trust you. I just—I care very much about Galinda’s safety.”

“Not to worry, my dove,” Madame Morrible said. “I understand. There isn’t much we wouldn’t do for the ones we love, is there?”

Elphaba’s cheeks flushed as her gaze lingered on Galinda’s face. She’d always tried to keep her personal life away from school, and she didn’t particularly like it being on display for any professor, let alone such a revered one. But at least Madame Morrible’s demeanor toward Galinda had already changed, and that had been the goal in the first place.

It was the last big thing Galinda had been worried about. She was rapidly gaining control of her transformations, she’d have their room to stay safe in for the full moon, and now she wouldn’t have to fear disappointing Madame Morrible, either. Her secret was safe, she had a wand she could use, and everything seemed to be looking up.

So why did Elphaba feel like something wasn’t right?

[sapphic-circles]

they make me SICK

Ive got some unfinished sketches, but I'll post this one anyway

[sapphic-circles]

In the Savage Night (Chapter 24)

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Elphaba woke up the next morning with a weight in her arms, familiar floral perfume in her nose, and pair of soft lips on her cheek. She stretched her arms out before wrapping them tighter around Galinda’s body, smiling before she even opened her eyes.

“Good morning, Sunshine,” Elphaba murmured sleepily.

Galinda giggled softly and left a chaste kiss on Elphaba’s lips. “Open your eyes before you fall asleep again,” she said. “It’s date time.”

“Date time?” Elphaba opened her eyes, and her smile widened as she took in the sight of her girlfriend’s early-morning, slightly disheveled appearance. She was so beautiful like this, with her face bare and her hair tousled and her mouth curved into a content smile. And it was all Elphaba’s to see every morning from now on. “I don’t recall actually planning a date,” she said curiously. “What are we doing?”

“Well,” Galinda said, “I wanted to take you somewhere you’d really like. Like a bookstore. But I have a feeling you wouldn’t let me go walking around town.”

Elphaba chuckled. “You’d be correct,” she said. “Because I know you’ll insist on wearing your heels, and those straps are going to open your wounds right back up.” She trailed her nails over Galinda’s bare back. “That’s a sweet thought, though.”

“Isn’t it?” Galinda sighed. “Maybe later, then. For now, I thought, maybe the poppy fields? They’re close, and we could bring a picnic out there. It’ll be the most romantic lunch ever.”

“It’s still quite a bit of walking to get out there,” Elphaba mused. “Are you sure your ankle’s healed enough for that?”

“I’ll wear flats,” Galinda said. “And if it bothers me too much, you could always carry me.”

She said it with a sly smile, clearly joking, but that’s exactly what Elphaba found herself doing halfway through the fields. Galinda had begun to slow down just a bit, just enough for Elphaba to know her ankle must be hurting, and she stopped to turn her back to her girlfriend.

“Hop on,” she said, and Galinda laughed—a true belly laugh, one Elphaba so rarely got to hear.

“Really?” Galinda asked. “What about the basket?”

“You can hold it once you’re on,” Elphaba said. “Come on, my love, I know you want to.”

“I really do,” Galinda giggled. She leaned against Elphaba’s back to wrap her arms around her neck, and Elphaba swiftly scooped her legs up to her sides, causing a squeal of surprise in the younger girl.

“You’re strong!” Galinda said. “Do you do this often?”

“Never before in my life,” Elphaba chuckled. She gripped Galinda’s leg with one arm to lift the picnic basket up to her girlfriend’s waiting hands. “I’m not that strong, darling; you’re just so small.”

“Well, the chivalry is very attractive,” Galinda purred in her ear. She landed a kiss on Elphaba’s cheek and nuzzled against it until they reached their picnic spot: the shade of a large oak tree situated in the middle of the poppies like a fairytale painting.

Elphaba had been here before, of course, but she hadn’t given it much of a second thought. It was pretty on a sunny day, and there was an abundance of poppies to pick for her windowsill, but that was it. Now, somehow, the place felt magical with Galinda there gazing serenely out at the fields where Elphaba had set her down. She glowed under the sun, and it reflected the most radiant shade of gold in her big brown eyes.

“I could give you a piggyback ride, too, you know,” Galinda said. “When I have four legs.”

Elphaba laughed as she pulled the picnic blanket from the basket and settled it over the grass. “I think that would hurt your back,” she said, “but you are very comfortable to lie down on.”

“I should hope so,” Galinda said. “I like to think that I have the softest, prettiest fur a Werewolf can have.”

“I’m sure you do,” Elphaba chuckled. “Not that I have anything to compare it with.”

She helped Galinda onto the ground, where her girlfriend waited for her to sit down before leaning against her shoulder. Galinda’s was such a pleasant weight, soft and light as if she could make herself fit most perfectly into the crooks of Elphaba’s body. She wished they would never have to be farther apart than this.

“How do you plan to eat like that?” Elphaba teased.

“I’ll just use your sleeve as a napkin,” Galinda joked. “Don’t you want me here?” She gave an exaggerated pout.

Somehow, even knowing she was joking, Elphaba felt a pang of guilt. Oz only knew how she’d be able to bear it if she ever actually hurt Galinda’s feelings again. Their little miscommunication the previous day was bad enough, even though it did end so wonderfully.

“Of course I do,” Elphaba said. She kissed the side of Galinda’s head. “Always.”

They shared their lunch among the poppies, though they hardly looked at anything except one another as they talked until the oak tree’s shadow grew long with the setting sun. It was the most nothing Elphaba had ever done in a day, but it felt like everything. Her heart felt fuller than it ever had before, and she wasn’t sure how she could fit any more into it, but her love for Galinda seemed to grow by the second.

That would be a fine way to die, she thought, to be so full of love that her heart would just give out. And how could she even be upset if it meant she spent the rest of her life loving something as beautiful as Galinda?

“All right,” Galinda said after a lull in their conversation and a yawn. “I think I’m ready to go back to campus. What do you think, Elphie?”

“Whatever you want, my sweet,” Elphaba said. “I’m happy either way.”

Galinda hummed. “I suppose I should practice more while it’s the weekend…do you think I can handle transforming in our room?”

“I have complete faith in you,” Elphaba said warmly. “I’m sure you’d be more comfortable there than in the barn, anyway.”

“I so would,” Galinda sighed wistfully. “I want to try it, but with the same rules, okay? Just in case.”

“I’ll keep myself safe,” Elphaba said. “But for the record, I don’t think I’ll need to.”

“I don’t think you will, either,” Galinda said with a smile.

It was strange how something like this could start to feel routine so quickly. Stars shone in the inky sky by the time the girls returned to their room, and Elphaba helped Galinda to her bed as if it were second nature. She wasn’t sure how many times she’d done it at this point, but there was a change to the routine now: little stolen kisses, lingering touches where they would have been fleeting before. Elphaba knelt in front of Galinda as if in prayer to ease her shoes and socks off, and she held her girlfriend’s heel gently in her palm to examine it.

“The scabbing looks good,” Elphaba said. “It doesn’t look like it’s being rubbed off too early. I can imagine how uncomfortable it must be to bend your foot, though.”

Galinda snorted softly. “I’ve never been complimented on my scabbing before,” she said. “Just what a lady wants to hear.”

“Well, would you rather I tell you it’s awful?” Elphaba teased.

“I’d rather be told I’m pretty,” Galinda said, leaning forward just enough to be close to Elphaba’s face, but not enough to touch. Elphaba gladly closed the gap to kiss her.

“You are pretty,” Elphaba said. “The prettiest.”

Her heart soared as Galinda giggled in response. Sweet Oz, would she ever get used to it? She hoped she wouldn’t.

“Well, Doctor Thropp,” Galinda said, “you can handle wounds, but can you handle a Werewolf?”

Elphaba chuckled. “I’m fairly certain I can handle a fluffy, cuddly beast,” she said. “Do you want to change now?”

“Actually,” Galinda said, “it was so warm today; I would really like a shower first. Or a bath, maybe?”

“Is that an invitation?”

Galinda’s soft, persistent smile widened. “I have bubbles,” she said. “Who doesn’t like a bubble bath?”

“Well, I’ve never had one,” Elphaba confessed. “I can’t say I really care about bubbles, but of course I’ll bathe with you, darling.”

Galinda’s eyes widened. “You’ve never had a bubble bath? Never ever? Even as a kid?”

“Is that a normal thing for kids to do?” Elphaba asked earnestly. “I mean, my parents hardly bathed me, anyway; they hated looking at me. I just bathed myself as soon as I was old enough.”

“Elphie, that’s so sad,” Galinda said. “Come on, we gotta get you a bubble bath right now! It’s so healing, you don’t even know.”

Elphaba grinned as Galinda pulled her toward the bathroom, absolutely buzzing with excited energy. She still couldn’t bring herself to care about the concept of bubbles in her bath water, but she certainly did care that it seemed to make Galinda so happy.

“Sit down,” Galinda said, practically shoving Elphaba onto the closed toilet seat by the shoulders before running the tap on hot. “I’m gonna give you the whole home spa experience,” she said as she dug through the cabinets for an armful of bath products. Elphaba had seen them before, but she hadn’t bothered to read their labels.

“First,” Galinda said, pouring out what seemed like a large portion of little white granules into the water, “epsom salts.”

“Salt?” Elphaba repeated bemusedly. “Is this a bath or a soup?”

“You don’t eat this salt,” Galinda said. “You don’t notice it in the bath, but it’s so relaxing, I promise. And really good for pain.”

Elphaba hummed and leaned over to watch the salt swirl and dissolve into the hot water. “Dr. Dillamond said something to me a few days ago,” she said. “He told me…pain is a part of everyday life for Werewolves. I thought he only meant the transformations, but did he mean something more?”

Galinda’s smile faltered into something less cheerful—not sad, exactly, but resigned. “I never knew it had anything to do with being a Werewolf,” she said. “I suppose I should have noticed that it started around the same time, but I was already going through a lot.”

Elphaba frowned and reached out to take Galinda’s free hand, rubbing her thumb gently over her knuckles. “Is it bad?”

“Sometimes,” Galinda admitted. “But not always. And when it does get bad, I just take a really long bath and then go to sleep. It helps a little.”

“I’m sorry,” Elphaba murmured. She brought Galinda’s hand to her face and kissed her knuckles. “Every day I learn that you’re even stronger than I thought.”

Galinda flushed pink, and suddenly her chipper smile was back. “I’m just used to it,” she said. “Next—“ she held up a small blue bottle— “is essential oil, and it really is essential. This is lavender.” She tipped a few drops of liquid into the water and a sweet, earthy scent bloomed from the tub. Galinda wafted it toward herself, took a deep breath, and sighed happily.

“That does smell nice,” Elphaba said. She’d smelled it on Galinda a few times before and wondered where it came from, considering it didn’t match the scents of her perfumes.

“Right?” Galinda swirled her hand in the water. “Okay, now for the bubbles. You have to put them in before there’s too much water, or they won’t foam very well.”

The bubble bath liquid came in a bottle, and Elphaba wondered for a moment whether it was just soap. But as the water continued to pour from the faucet, the bubbles—so much tinier than Elphaba had imagined—began to build until it looked as if there may have been more bubble than water. Galinda giggled at the sight and waited until the foam towered high above the lip of the tub before shutting off the water.

“Perfect,” she chirped. “Come on, Elphie, get undressed!”

Elphaba couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of this situation. If anyone had told her that one day she’d be faced with a tower of bubbles and asked to strip by a beautiful girl, she would have thought they were teasing her.

But she complied, and before long she was settled comfortably in the warm water with Galinda climbing in after her. Her girlfriend seemed to have entirely forgotten about functional bathing and simply sidled up between Elphaba’s legs to lean against her chest, scooping clumps of bubbles up to deposit on top of Elphaba’s head or onto her own face in what was a poor, but adorable, attempt at a mustache and beard.

“So?” Galinda said eventually. “How is it?”

“Just perfect,” Elphaba said, gazing fondly down at Galinda’s doe eyes. “Well, almost perfect—I can’t kiss you without getting bubbles in my mouth.”

Galinda stretched and pressed her bubble-caked head against Elphaba’s face, leaving foam everywhere she touched. “There,” she giggled. “Now it doesn’t matter.”

Elphaba wiped the bubbles off of her mouth before replying. “Oh, yes it does,” she chuckled. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“Mhm.” Galinda reached up to leave a clump of bubbles on the tip of Elphaba’s nose. “Okay, now I’m done,” she laughed.

Elphaba chuckled and pulled the drain plug before running the shower to clean up—and to get a few kisses in—before drying off and dressing for the night.

Or, Elphaba dressed. Galinda remained unclothed after thoroughly drying her hair, now that there was no illusion of modesty. Elphaba imagined it must have been freeing to feel no need to keep herself covered until just before transforming.

They started on the floor after Elphaba voiced her concern that Galinda could fall off of the bed mid-transformation. The change seemed faster this time, though Elphaba couldn’t be sure. Still, the less time Galinda spent in what looked and sounded to be extreme pain, the better.

The golden Wolf, once her body settled, looked spectacularly out of place among Galinda’s belongings, even with as much packed into her drawers as possible. Galinda was always massive for a Wolf, but she seemed even bigger now in a Human-sized dorm room. She didn’t appear bothered, though, and climbed as carefully onto her bed as her unwieldy body would allow, knocking over only a few small items in the process.

Elphaba righted the fallen perfume bottles and followed Galinda onto the bed, which was only just big enough for the Wolf, let alone an extra person. But Galinda lay on her side and urged Elphaba to lie down across her flank, then tucked her legs up to form a sort of cradle to keep Elphaba from slipping off the edge.

Elphaba rocked slowly with Galinda’s breath and ran her fingers through the silky ivory fur of her chest. “I’m so proud of you, sweet little Wolf,” she murmured. “I hope you’re proud of yourself, too.”

Galinda gave a soft grunt that sounded not unlike an uh-huh, and she twisted her head to nose at Elphaba’s cheek in what Elphaba assumed was meant to be a kiss. She chuckled and landed a kiss of her own on the wet nose. “Very kind of you not to lick me,” Elphaba teased. “Thank you for that.”

Galinda chuffed and curled tighter around Elphaba. She heaved a content sigh beneath her, and Elphaba did the same, comfortable beyond belief in the nest of her girlfriend’s soft fur.

There were still a couple of weeks before the next full moon. At this rate, Galinda would be able to handle it with practiced ease, and the thought alleviated much of the anxiety Elphaba had been feeling surrounding the other girl’s safety. Nothing at this point should alert anyone to Galinda’s role in her own capture, and perhaps everyone would forget there was ever a Werewolf at all. Nothing in the woods, nothing roaming the campus, and certainly nothing in Dr. Nikidik’s traps.

Even if the school didn’t give up on attempting to catch the Werewolf, Galinda would be safe here—and wherever life took them next, if Elphaba had any say in it.

[sapphic-circles]

Long time no see tumblr, so sorry about my absence!! Here’s some Gelphie art for all you fine folks :)

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In the Savage Night (Chapter 23)

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CW: Sexual content

Elphaba had experienced brain fog before. Sometimes, at her lowest points, there seemed to be a dark, colorless cloud obscuring her mind and making it impossible to think. This felt similar, but the haze was bright and rose-gold and shimmering, and she wouldn’t mind one bit if it never went away.

Her face was still flushed by the time she and Galinda made it back to their room, and her heart swelled as the blonde pulled her into another kiss the moment the door closed behind them. Elphaba gathered her in her arms, delighting in such closeness. She’d daydreamed about this, of course, but she couldn’t have anticipated how good it would feel.

Galinda broke away from her lips with a soft giggle and nuzzled into her neck. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too, my sweet.” Elphaba kissed the side of her head. “Let’s sit down; you’ve been on your feet too long.”

Galinda nodded and led Elphaba—holding her hand, never breaking their contact once—to her bed to pull her shoes off and get comfortable. “Much better,” she sighed. “Elphie?”

“Yes?”

“What does this make us?”

“Oh.” Galinda gazed at her with her brow just slightly upturned, not quite pleading but clearly hoping for something that Elphaba wouldn’t even dream of denying her. “Well, I…I think it makes us partners. Girlfriends. If that’s what you want?”

“Oh, Elphie, of course I want that.” Galinda let her breath out and smiled up at her. “I just—this is kind of embarrassing—” She lowered her voice as if someone might be listening. “I’ve never been with anyone before.”

Elphaba laughed. “I know,” she said. “It’s okay. Neither have I. I honestly…I’m not really sure what comes next,” she admitted. “Do I ask you on a date?”

She hadn’t thought she would get this far. Even a week ago, the idea of forming a relationship like this with Galinda hadn’t even been in the realm of possibility, but now it was reality, and Elphaba genuinely didn’t know what to do. She knew Galinda didn’t have any experience with this, either, but she hoped her friend—girlfriend—had a better idea.

Galinda giggled. “You could ask me on a date,” she said. “I’ll go anywhere with you. But right now, I just…” She pecked Elphaba on the lips. “Want to kiss you.” A kiss on her jawline. “And tell you how pretty you are.”

Elphaba’s breath caught as Galinda’s lips made their way to her neck. “Oh,” she gasped. “Galinda, darling, you’re…”

Galinda hummed as she trailed off. “I’m what?”

“You’re making me want to…to touch you.”

Oz, Elphaba thought, what an unbecoming way to say such a thing. But she couldn’t quite gather her thoughts into anything more eloquent, with each brush of Galinda’s lips against her skin destroying any coherency she had left.

Galinda pulled back to stare at her, eyes wide and cheeks flushed pink. Elphaba would think that she’d frightened the girl if it weren’t for the twinkle of interest in her dark gaze.

“You can touch me, Elphie,” Galinda whispered. “I want you to touch me.”

Elphaba cupped her hand around Galinda’s cheek. The thought of going further stirred excitement deep inside her, but it sparked a bit of fear, as well. Not that it was a bad thing; she always did believe that fear wasn’t necessarily bad, but she felt so much hanging on the line that she could hardly breathe. She had to do this the right way. She had to make sure it was right for Galinda.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “I want to make sure you’re comfortable, my sweet. The last thing I want is to do anything that might frighten you. Especially not when you’re just starting to control your transitions; I’d hate to set you back.” And, though she didn’t say it, she certainly hadn’t forgotten how distressed Galinda had been the last time she’d begun transforming against her will. If she were to ever cause that kind of pain, Elphaba wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.

Galinda covered Elphaba’s hand with her own and leaned into it. “I trust you,” she said. “I even trust myself when I’m with you, which is just…it feels so good, Elphie. I think I’ll be okay if we take it slow, and I’ll stop you if I feel anything changing, I promise. I just want this so badly. More than almost anything, I think.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Elphaba warned. “I don’t know how…how good it will be.”

“Oh, Oz, Elphaba,” Galinda laughed. “I don’t care. It’s you; all I care about is that it’s you.” She leaned in to kiss Elphaba again, soft and sweet. “We don’t have to keep going,” she said when they parted. Her fingertips lingered delicately on Elphaba’s chin. “But if you want to…so do I.”

Elphaba nodded. “I do,” she breathed, leaning back toward Galinda as if they were linked by magnets. “I do.” She kissed Galinda’s lips, laid a hand on her thigh, swept her thumb over the smooth skin there.

She’d been intimate with Galinda before. Not in this way, of course; the thought hadn’t even crossed her mind when they’d bathed together, but it helped to know that they’d already seen each other bare. That despite Elphaba’s lingering insecurities about the color of her body, she already had proof that Galinda didn’t mind it. There would be no surprises, no hesitation; only gentle, ardent exploration.

Elphaba kissed Galinda again and moved her hand up to the curve of her waist to guide her back onto the pillows. She sank into them beneath Elphaba with a soft sigh and hooked a hand around her neck to keep her close even as Elphaba pressed ever closer.

She pulled back for a moment only to admire Galinda, to take in her features and how they’d shifted to show the abundance of love in her face. Just looking at her left Elphaba breathless.

“Oz,” she said, “you’re the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen.”

Galinda’s chest rose against Elphaba’s as she drew a deep breath. “You really think so?”

“Without a shadow of a doubt,” Elphaba said. She ran her hands up Galinda’s waist, lifting the skirt of her dress a bit as the fabric bunched. “Nothing in this world holds a candle to you, my sweet.”

Galinda gave a quiet gasp as Elphaba’s hand rose higher, fingers brushing her ribs through the clothing. “You do,” she managed to say. “You are—so, so beautiful, Elphie.”

Warmth spread through Elphaba’s chest. She couldn’t find the words to reply, so she nuzzled against Galinda’s neck and laid a line of tender kisses there, lingering on the spot where she could feel Galinda’s pulse racing against her lips. It earned her another gasp and a soft whimper, and Galinda’s ribs pressed against her hands as her breath picked up speed.

“Elphie,” Galinda breathed. “The zipper. On my back.”

“Of course, darling.”

Elphaba ran a hand beneath Galinda’s back until she found the little metal tab and eased it down to the seam just above Galinda’s hips. She folded the fabric of the bodice down to help Galinda’s arms out of the short sleeves, leaving her chest bare besides her strapless brassiere.

The cuts and bruises from the last full moon had nearly faded by now, leaving yellowed shadows across Galinda’s skin. But in the absence of the red and purple, Elphaba could see much more clearly the deep, silvered scars in Galinda’s shoulder.

For a moment, Elphaba could almost see the Wolf biting into the soft flesh there; she could see where the teeth had punctured, where they’d torn. She hated to imagine Galinda, small and scared, bleeding out from those wounds.

But Galinda had survived it, and she’d survived the lycanthropy it left inside of her, and the countless transformations after. She knew Galinda must have been embarrassed by the scars by the way she hid them, but Elphaba thought they were beautiful: proof of Galinda’s strength.

She brushed the backs of her knuckles over the scars in awe, committing their topography to memory.

“I know,” Galinda murmured. “They’re terribly ugly.”

“They’re not,” Elphaba said firmly. “They’re part of you.”

She replaced her hand with her lips, kissing the rough skin and praying it would show Galinda how she meant it, how no part of her could ever be ugly.

Galinda took a shaky breath, and Elphaba paused to check back in with her. Elphaba’s heart sank as she saw tears welling in Galinda’s eyes, ready to fall down her cheeks.

“Oh, Galinda, I’m sorry,” Elphaba said. ��Should I not have…?”

Galinda shook her head. “No, no, it’s okay. I just—the only other people who have seen this thought it was…you know. *A shame.”*

“Those people are fools,” Elphaba said. “You deserve so much better than that.”

Galinda gave a watery chuckle. “I do believe I have much better than that now.”

She pulled Elphaba closer for another kiss, deeper than the ones that came before. Her tongue swept across Elphaba’s lower lip, which parted for her to tease at the tip of Elphaba’s tongue. It was such a strange sensation, but Elphaba found she liked the feeling.

Galinda’s hand ran down Elphaba’s arm as they kissed, and she gently guided the hand to her breast, which Elphaba blindly ran her thumb over. She could feel the hard nub of Galinda’s nipple beneath the fabric of her bra, and she swept her thumb in slow circles around it. Her girlfriend hummed at the touch and pressed closer, rising slightly from the pillows on her elbows.

“Do you want it off?” Elphaba asked.

“Mhm.” Galinda left a kiss on Elphaba’s cheek and hooked a finger between the buttons of her blazer. “But I want to see you, too.”

Elphaba didn’t hesitate. Not long ago, she couldn’t have imagined so readily disrobing for anyone, but her nerves seemed to vanish in an instant the moment Galinda requested it. She undid the buttons under the blonde’s watchful gaze and shrugged the blazer off, then worked at her undershirt, too. Galinda’s deft fingers joined her to help push the clothing away before trailing over the verdant expanse of her skin.

The pads of Galinda’s fingers sent shivers through Elphaba’s body as they ran over her chest, her waist, her hips. Galinda tucked her hands into the waistband of Elphaba’s skirt to cup her bottom and giggled at her sharp intake of breath.

“So pretty,” Galinda sighed.

Elphaba’s face, already flushed, seemed to burn even hotter with the way Galinda looked up at her through her lashes, lust shining in her warm eyes and in the curve of her smile.

“Tell me what you want me to do,” Elphaba breathed. She could hardly think through the affection flooding every fiber of herself, but at the very least, she could follow instructions.

“Could you put your hands on my legs?” Galinda asked.

“Of course, my sweet,” Elphaba said softly. She laid her hands on Galinda’s thighs just above her knees. “Here?”

“Higher.”

Elphaba obeyed and rubbed her hands up over Galinda’s smooth, shaven skin, gently brushing her thumbnails against the sensitive inner thigh as she went. Galinda twitched under her touch and closed her eyes as she let her breath out.

“Does it feel good?”

Galinda nodded. “Yes, Elphie,” she whispered. “Keep going. Please.”

She did. Elphaba could feel the heat beneath Galinda’s skin growing as she moved closer to her center, her hands pushing the hem of Galinda’s skirt up to meet the rest of the fabric pooled at her hips. Galinda whined as she drew her hands back to work the dress off, and Elphaba chuckled fondly.

“I’m only getting this out of the way,” she said. “Lift your hips for me, darling.”

Galinda did as she was told, and Elphaba pulled the dress off before returning to the warmth of Galinda’s nearly bare body. She drank in the sight for a moment, marveling at the curves and angles of Galinda’s figure, at the slender hand laid on her chest as if trying to contain her heart, at the love in her eyes. And, as Elphaba’s gaze trailed further down past the milky swathe of her belly, she caught sight of the damp spot visible on the fabric of Galinda’s panties.

Elphaba’s own underwear had already been thoroughly soaked, but knowing she’d incited the same thing in her girlfriend kindled the fire of her own arousal even further. She kept a hand against Galinda’s thigh to appease the blonde’s desire for contact there and leaned over to pepper slow, lingering kisses over Galinda’s neck and chest.

She delighted in the feeling of Galinda’s breath shuddering beneath her, and she found she could control it by running the backs of her fingers farther up the inside of Galinda’s thigh. She reached the edge of the panties and garnered quiet moan from the girl beneath her.

“Elphie…”

It was all Galinda said, but the pleading was evident in her voice.

“I’ve got you,” Elphaba said. She held Galinda’s side steady with her free hand and rubbed the back of her knuckles over the damp panties, causing Galinda to squirm a bit, her leg moving to press against Elphaba’s forearm. “I’ve got you,” Elphaba said again as she swept her thumb over the swollen nub of Galinda’s clit.

Galinda gave a sharp gasp, her muscles tensing around the hand at her center. “Just breathe,” Elphaba said, and Galinda drew a long, shaky breath. “Good girl.”

Galinda’s hand came up almost involuntarily to hold the side of Elphaba’s neck, fitting against her with ease even with her eyes closed. Her pink lips parted to accommodate the heavy breath Elphaba’s fingers caused, her brow upturned with pleasure.

“Can you—” Galinda’s breath hitched. “Oh, Oz. Elphie, can you get inside of me? Please?”

Elphaba hated to say no, hated to deny Galinda anything she wanted, but she hadn’t exactly prepared for this. “I can’t, darling,” she said. “My nails aren’t suited for that, but I’ll be ready next time. I promise.”

“Next time,” Galinda breathed as if savoring the words. They sent an unexpected thrill through Elphaba, too—just the idea not only that there could be a next time, but that there would be. They could enjoy each other whenever they wanted.

“I can still take care of you,” Elphaba said. She passed her thumb over Galinda’s clit again and watched as her girlfriend twitched and gasped. “Do you want that?”

“Yes,” Galinda whimpered. “Yes, Elphie, please.”

Elphaba didn’t even need to take the panties off; Galinda was already so sensitive, she worried direct contact might be too overwhelming for her. Elphaba’s knuckles pressed against Galinda’s center as her thumb found the clit again to rub slow circles around it, not unlike the way she’d play with herself in her rare moments of privacy at home.

This was from an unfamiliar angle, and Elphaba almost worried she wouldn’t be able to help Galinda over the edge this way, but the other girl’s responsiveness eased all of that fear before it had a chance to set in. Galinda trembled under Elphaba’s touch, pressing her hips harder against her hand with the rhythm of her thumb.

“That’s it,” Elphaba urged. She nuzzled into Galinda’s quivering belly and kissed the soft skin there, trailing her lips down until the coarser hair below brushed her chin.

Galinda’s fingers tangled through her hair, and she pulled Elphaba’s face up to meet her own in a desperate, breathy kiss. Elphaba’s rhythm only slightly faltered as her hand shifted, but she managed to keep going without real interruption. Galinda’s moaning into her mouth told her it was working, as did the legs curling up around her hips and the arms wrapping possessively around her neck.

Elphaba was so completely enveloped in Galinda that she couldn’t see, hear, or feel anything else, and it was beautiful. Her girlfriend’s body tensed in waves around her like the tide, her breath puffing against Elphaba’s face where she still clung close, but was too lost in bliss to keep her focus on kissing.

Galinda blindly nestled her face into Elphaba’s neck as she came close to release, breathing her name on every exhale even as her voice faltered with the bucking of her hips.

“You’re doing so well, my love,” Elphaba purred.

“Elphie—Oh…”

“Shh.” Elphaba kissed Galinda’s cheek. “Just breathe. You’ve got this.”

Galinda gasped in one more deep breath, which hung suspended in her lungs as her head fell back with her orgasm. The wetness behind her panties bloomed through them and onto Elphaba’s fingers, and she rubbed slowly into it to ease Galinda‘s tense muscles back down.

Galinda lay panting against the pillows, a sheen of sweat glistening on her skin as Elphaba shifted her focus back to girlfriend’s face. She cupped Galinda’s cheek and kissed the side of her mouth. “There you are,” Elphaba praised. “You’re so beautiful, Galinda.”

A content sigh escaped Galinda’s chest as she caught her breath. “I love you,” she whispered, turning her head to catch Elphaba in another kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, my sweet.” Elphaba brushed a stray lock of hair out of Galinda’s face and lay beside her, nearly spent herself after their journey. “So, I did all right, then?” she teased.

Galinda let out a husky laugh and sidled closer. She took Elphaba’s hand and laid it flat on her chest, where her heartbeat drummed impossibly fast against her ribs. “So good, I think my heart almost exploded,” she joked. “Oz, I feel like a new person.”

“I’m glad,” Elphaba chuckled.

“Do you want a turn?” Galinda asked. “I want you to feel this good.”

Elphaba planted a kiss on the top of Galinda’s head. “Not right now, sweetheart,” she said. “I already feel that good just having you in my arms. I want to stay like this for a while.”

“Well, I can’t say no to that,” Galinda breathed. She tucked her head comfortably beneath Elphaba’s chin and peppered soft kisses along her collarbone. “You’re so perfect, Elphie. Where would I be without you?”

Elphaba hummed and twined her fingers through Galinda’s. It wasn’t long ago she’d asked that same rhetorical question and been flooded with guilt, but her conscience felt clearer now. Wherever Galinda would have been had they not met, it didn’t matter. She was happy now, and Elphaba would wage wars to keep it that way. She only hoped that, for the time being, it would last.

[sapphic-circles]

bring back tumblr ask culture let me. bother you with questions and statements

[sapphic-circles]

Horse Sense

Part 1 of a series of oneshots called Greener Pastures! Equestrian AU Gelphie, end of the loathing era 🤗 @into-fiction Figured you’d want to be tagged!

Read on AO3

“Excuse me.”

Elphaba sighed and dumped the scoop of grain in her hand into a bucket before pasting a pleasant smile onto her face and turning to toward the interruption behind her.

That’s what Galinda Upland was, it seemed: one very persistent blonde interruption to any task Elphaba tried to complete in peace, made only worse by the fact that they lived together at the barn. Elphaba had assumed when she’d taken the job, free rent and board in exchange for work, that her roommate would be in the same situation.

But Galinda paid rent and board with the seemingly endless money her parents showered her with. She didn’t have a job. She showed year-round. And she was the most particular, stuck-up horse owner Elphaba had ever had the displeasure of working for. Still, she had to play nice, at least while she was on the clock.

“What is it, Galinda?”

Well, her customer service voice could use some work. Galinda didn’t seem to notice, though, and she held out a large bag of long, thin boxes. “These are for Prince. He gets it up to the one-thousand–pound mark in the morning before feeding for the next month.”

Elphaba frowned as she took the bag and examined its contents. A full month’s worth of medication, and expensive medication at that. “Ulcers?” she asked.

“Yes.” Galinda crossed her arms. “I can’t imagine why. He gets the best care here—as far as I know. You haven’t been forgetting to give him his hay, have you?”

“Of course not,” Elphaba said stiffly. “I know how to take care of horses. Would you even know how to give one of these to him if you needed to?”

“Yes,” Galinda said defensively, “but that’s what you get paid to do.”

“Sure.” Elphaba rolled her eyes and set the bag on the counter. “I’ll make sure he gets it.” Then, under her breath, “Ulcers. Not surprising.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Elphaba winced. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud, or at least not loud enough for Galinda to hear. “I said, I’m not surprised he has ulcers,” she repeated. “You’re trailering him all over creation every week, he’s stuck in a stall ninety percent of the day, and he has to deal with your annoying voice all the time. I’m surprised it took this long.”

Galinda scoffed. “Oh,” she said, “because you’re so perfect? Like Midnight isn’t out there in the heat and the rain and the bugs every day? And you keep her shoeless even though you ride on those awful rocky trails in the woods!”

“The word is unshod,” Elphaba said, “and she has hard feet and boots for rough trails. I’m not shoeing a horse who doesn’t need it; that’s just asking for trouble.” She sighed. “Look, Galinda, I’m not saying it just to be catty. I want what’s best for the horses. It’s really not uncommon for all the fancy, expensive, well bred show horses here to need these—” she pointed at the bag of gastrogard— “or to have bouts of colic or get painkillers every day. There is a reason I keep Midnight on pasture all the time.”

Galinda’s fingernails dug into her arms as she glared at Elphaba, and Elphaba prepared herself for the worst tirade she’d faced yet, but it never came. Galinda’s lip quivered as tears welled up in her eyes, and Elphaba’s heart sank. Oh, she was so going to be fired.

“Is it really my fault?” Galinda asked in a small voice.

Elphaba bit her lip. Sure, she loathed Galinda, but she hadn’t intended to make the girl cry. She had been a bit harsh, she supposed, but she just couldn’t bring herself to lie, even to spare her roommate’s feelings.

“Well—I’m not a vet, so I can’t say for sure,” Elphaba admitted. “But some lifestyle changes might really help him.”

Galinda sniffed and wiped her eyes, smudging her mascara. “Pasture board?”

Elphaba hesitated. She hadn’t expected Galinda to give her the time of day about an issue like this, had expected her to fight it tooth and nail and insist that she couldn’t possibly have had an effect on her horse’s gut health. She honestly hadn’t thought her roommate even saw Prince as anything more than a status symbol and a commodity, but clearly she was wrong.

“It definitely wouldn’t hurt,” Elphaba said. “What did the vet tell you? Did they suspect anything in particular caused it?”

Galinda shook her head. “He just said it happens sometimes when the horse is stressed. But he doesn’t seem stressed. Wouldn’t he have been pacing or pawing or something?”

“Not necessarily,” Elphaba said. “He might be calm, but that doesn’t mean his body isn’t stressed. Look, I know stalls are convenient, and you probably think it keeps them safe, but the truth is that they run out of hay not long after we drop it at night, and then they’ve got nothing until morning. And they can’t move the way they need to in order to stimulate their gut. Being on pasture fixes all of that.”

“Okay,” Galinda said quietly. “That makes sense.” She paused. “You know a lot, don’t you?”

Elphaba shrugged, suddenly self-conscious for reasons she couldn’t articulate. “I’ve just seen a lot,” she said. “Do you…do you want me to talk to Ms. Morrible about moving Prince outside? There’s room for one more in Midnight’s pasture.”

“You would do that for me?”

Galinda gazed up at her with wide, wet eyes—the most eye contact they’d sustained since they moved in together. They really were a very pretty shade of brown, weren’t they?

Elphaba cleared her throat uncomfortably and nodded. The barn owner didn’t seem to like Galinda very much despite allowing her to live upstairs, but Elphaba was Ms. Morrible’s best employee. She would listen.

“Of course,” Elphaba said. “I want to help him as much as you do.”

“Oh, thank you, Elphie!” Elphaba staggered with surprise as Galinda threw her arms around her neck in an unexpected embrace. “Can I call you that?”

“Well, it’s a bit perky…”

“I know, I’m gonna call you that!” Galinda said. “Now…could you maybe show me how to give Prince his medicine?”

Elphaba couldn’t help but chuckle. “I knew you didn’t know how.”

“Shush,” Galinda hissed. “I want to learn! Please?”

“All right, all right,” Elphaba said. She couldn’t wrap her head around her roommate’s sudden change in demeanor, and she wasn’t even sure it would last, but for now…well, she had to admit she didn’t mind it.

She hoped it would last.

[sapphic-circles]

PLEASE do, and tag me!

I've been working on this for aaaages and decided to finally rush to finish it 😅 I've seen Gelphie as horses but not Gelphie as horse owners, so here they are in the loathing era! I got really obsessed with the idea of Elphaba keeping Galinda's grey horse as dirty as she can lmao. "Let your horse be a horse" mindset girlie 😂

[sapphic-circles]

Exactly!! You get it! (They share an apartment above the barn. Can you imagine the drama)

I've been working on this for aaaages and decided to finally rush to finish it 😅 I've seen Gelphie as horses but not Gelphie as horse owners, so here they are in the loathing era! I got really obsessed with the idea of Elphaba keeping Galinda's grey horse as dirty as she can lmao. "Let your horse be a horse" mindset girlie 😂

[sapphic-circles]

In the Savage Night (Chapter 22)

Read on AO3

For a long moment, Elphaba couldn’t form a single thought. Her chest already felt fit to burst with the horror of nearly watching Galinda die, but now Galinda was awake and unharmed and kissing her, and she couldn’t process it.

By the time her mind caught up with her, Galinda was already pulling away, brown eyes wide with shock. “Elphie, I…I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

“It’s okay,” Elphaba said, perhaps a bit too quickly.

She should have known that this was only a byproduct of Galinda’s heightened emotions. She couldn’t imagine what her friend must be feeling, and she must have desperately needed comfort after facing her own mortality.

“It’s okay,” Elphaba said again, softer this time. She wrapped Galinda in a hug again as she forced down the disappointment in her chest. “I know you’re scared, Galinda. I’m here.”

Galinda took a deep, shaky breath in through her nose, then let it out through her mouth. “I don’t know what came over me,” she whispered. “You’re really not upset?”

“No, of course not,” Elphaba said. Why in Oz would she be upset? “All I care about is that you’re all right.” She stroked the back of Galinda’s head and smoothed down her tousled hair. “Let me get you some water, and then I’ll look at your hand, okay?”

Galinda nodded mutely.

Elphaba waited until she faced away from Galinda to close her eyes and take an even, metered breath. Just don’t even think about it, she warned herself, though it was difficult not to when she could still feel the shadow of Galinda’s lips on her own.

She had other things she could focus on. Like filling a glass of water for her friend, and then sitting down next to her with the first-aid supplies she’d already had to restock after so many of Galinda’s injuries.

Neither of them looked at each other as Elphaba took Galinda’s hand and gently cleaned it with a damp cloth. The lesions on her palm bled slightly, and Elphaba wondered if the open wounds had contributed to Galinda’s reaction to the rebounded magic.

“I’m sorry,” Elphaba murmured as Galinda winced at her touch. “I wish I could just…take your pain from you.”

“I don’t want you to feel my pain,” Galinda said, her voice hushed.

Elphaba didn’t know how to respond to that without sounding insane. She wanted to say, I’d take all of it in a heartbeat. She wanted to say, I never want to see you hurt again and I’d suffer every day for it. Instead, she said nothing and allowed the tears to well in her eyes as she bandaged Galinda’s hand.

“Elphie?” Galinda said quietly. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Elphaba said. “Just still a little shaken, I suppose. I thought I was going to lose you.”

Galinda cast her eyes down and curled her fingers around Elphaba’s hand. “I’m sorry I scared you,” she said.

“It’s not your fault.” Elphaba’s impulse was to bring Galinda’s hand to her face and kiss her knuckles, but she resisted. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Galinda thought for a moment, then shook her head. “I, um…” She reached for her crutch leaning against the nightstand. “I actually—I’m gonna go talk to Fiyero…just for a little while. I’ll be back before dark.”

“Wait,” Elphaba said. “Are you all right to walk? Do you want me to come with you?”

“I feel perfectly fine now,” Galinda said. “Really, I promise. I’ll be okay on my own.”

“Oh—okay,” Elphaba said helplessly. Had she said something wrong? Her gut twisted as Galinda fled the room without a backward glance, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

She couldn’t wrap her head around it. So much had happened within ten short minutes, and all of it sent her head spinning. Even ignoring the kiss—as if she could, as if she could pretend it hadn’t happened—how could she be sure Galinda was really all right? What if the silver still lurked inside her, poisoning her so slowly that she didn’t even notice? What if something happened and she couldn’t make it to Fiyero’s room?

Elphaba felt so sick with worry that she considered kneeling in front of the toilet, but she took several slow, deep breaths, and forced her stomach to settle just enough that she could be sure she wouldn’t vomit.

She took a cold shower, busied herself with straightening her side of the room, and then sat in bed with a book in hopes of distracting herself, though all she could manage to do was read the same line over and over again without processing it.

A knock on the door about an hour after Galinda left sent Elphaba jumping upright to greet her before realizing that if it were Galinda, she wouldn’t have knocked. She sighed and gathered herself to open the door, only to find Fiyero standing in the hallway—alone.

The worry curdled deeper into Elphaba’s gut. “Where’s Galinda?” she demanded. “Is she okay?”

Fiyero held his hands up defensively and stepped into the room without invitation to close the door behind him. “She’s fine,” he said. “But there is a very large Wolf in my room, and I can’t get her to change back.”

Elphaba’s heart clenched. “I did upset her,” she said. “I don’t know what I did. I was trying to act normal.” She paused. “You left her alone like that?”

“Elphaba,” Fiyero said. “She’s in control; she was just crying in my bathroom when I left. Now, look, I told her I wouldn’t talk about this with you, but I’m so confused, so please enlighten me. How exactly do you feel about Galinda?”

Elphaba blinked, taken aback by the absurdity of the question. “What?”

“Galinda,” Fiyero said again. “Do you have feelings for her? Be honest.”

Her mouth gaped as she tried to find a way to tell the truth without hurting Fiyero, but she couldn’t think of anything. “I do,” she admitted quietly. “If this is about what happened earlier…”

“You mean when she kissed you?”

“So she told you?” Elphaba swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, Fiyero. I don’t think it meant anything to her; she was just—it was the heat of the moment, and—”

“Oz, you are unbelievable.” Fiyero pinched the bridge of his nose. “I told her this is what happened, and she didn’t believe me. Elphaba, please explain to me how in the world you came to the conclusion that she didn’t mean it. I’m dying to know.”

Now Elphaba was confused. What did any of this matter? And why did Fiyero sound more exasperated than upset?

“Well, she—she apologized,” Elphaba said. “She said she shouldn’t have done it. And, you know, considering she’s with you…”

Fiyero took a deep breath and laid his hands on Elphaba’s shoulders. “I am not with Galinda,” he said.

“You’re…not?”

“You two are going to be the death of me,” Fiyero said. “Okay, yeah, we flirted at first. But it was clear she only had eyes for you, Elphaba. And it didn’t take much prodding to get her to admit it.”

Elphaba’s breath hitched. “She said that to you?” she asked. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

“Why didn’t you tell her?” Fiyero countered. “She did kiss you. I don’t think anyone else would have taken that the way you did.”

“Oh, Oz.” Elphaba wrung her hands out and began to pace as her nerves took her over. “No wonder she’s upset; I didn’t even—I was so shocked, I just didn’t know what to do, and then it was over.” She stopped. “I made her cry?”

“Hey,” Fiyero said. “It’s not the end of the world. Just come back with me and tell her how you feel. And get her to change back while you’re at it.”

“Okay,” Elphaba said. “Okay, let’s go.”

She followed Fiyero to his room, running through exactly what she was going to say in her mind. It shouldn’t have been difficult; she was already planning to say it before that horrendible wand nearly killed Galinda anyway, but somehow even knowing how her friend felt didn’t make it any easier.

Elphaba’s heart raced as they reached the room and she still didn’t have a proper script in her head.

It doesn’t matter, she thought. It was Galinda. Galinda, who held her hand whenever possible and begged her to sleep in the same bed and seemed more comfortable in her arms than anywhere else. Yes, she was upset, but only because Elphaba was so dreadfully dense, and she was about to fix that.

Fiyero’s room looked much the same as theirs, though a bit more sparsely decorated than Elphaba would have expected. She didn’t take the time to look around, though; her focus was placed solely on the closed bathroom door, through which she could hear quiet lupine whining.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Fiyero said, wandering toward his bed on the other side of the room. It was as much privacy as he could give, Elphaba supposed.

She sidled up to the bathroom door and leaned against it to knock softly with the back of her hand. “Galinda?” she said. “It’s me. Can I come in?”

The whining stopped abruptly at the sound of her voice, and then there was some shuffling behind the door. Galinda let out a groan, which Elphaba didn’t know how to interpret considering she couldn’t see the Wolf.

“Sorry,” Fiyero called. “Forgot to mention. She locked the door before she changed.”

“Oh,” Elphaba said. “Okay. That’s all right, my sweet. I’ll wait here until you can open it.” She laid her hand against the door, the closest she could get to physically comforting her friend. “You know,” she said, “whatever Fiyero told you…he was right. I was stupid. And I’d really like another chance at that kiss if you’d let me.”

More shuffling. Elphaba could hear what she suspected was Galinda transforming back into her Human body, which was confirmed by the telltale click of the lock a couple of minutes later.

Galinda opened the door, her eyes puffy and red from crying, and Elphaba immediately reached out to wipe her cheeks. “Oh, Galinda…I’m so sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you that way.”

Galinda shook her head and gave a nervous laugh. “It’s not your fault, Elphie,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking, and you said you loved me, and I just—it was all I could think to do. And I know you said it was okay, but it felt awkward, and I was so afraid I’d ruined our friendship, and I just couldn’t stand the thought of that, and—”

Elphaba knew her friend was on the verge of spiraling, but she couldn’t help the amused smile spreading across her face. It was just so very Galinda, and Elphaba knew exactly how to stop it in its tracks: something that maybe wasn’t very brave considering the circumstances, but it certainly felt brave to Elphaba.

She leaned in and caught Galinda’s lips in a kiss mid-speech, interrupting her rambling and eliciting a soft squeak from the back of her throat. To do it on purpose, to know it was coming this time and to know it was what Galinda wanted, sent a wonderful thrill through Elphaba’s chest. Galinda stiffened in surprise for just a heartbeat before melting into Elphaba’s touch and wrapping her arms around her neck, fingers twisting automatically through Elphaba’s braids.

They parted only when Elphaba felt a need to breathe, and Galinda tilted her head to keep the contact for every extra moment she could before resting her forehead against Elphaba’s. “Wow,” Galinda sighed, her mouth still so close that Elphaba could feel her breath on her lips. “Elphie…”

“Yes, my sweet?” Elphaba’s voice came out quiet, low and husky with emotion.

“Do it again.”

Elphaba’s heart jumped at the whispered command, and she obeyed without hesitation. Galinda pressed hard against her as their lips met again, and Elphaba could feel her everywhere: the bare knee against her leg, the swell of Galinda’s chest pushed against her own, the arms and the hands and the mouth; great Oz, were Galinda’s lips the softest and sweetest things she had ever touched?

Elphaba didn’t realize the breathy moan was lingering in the back of her throat until it escaped, and she was suddenly startled out of her reverie by Fiyero clearing his throat on the other side of the room.

“All right, all right,” he said. “I love love and all, but I think you two should go somewhere a little more private for this.”

Heat rose to Elphaba’s face as she opened her eyes. Galinda’s cheeks had colored a sweet shade of pink as well, but smiled up at Elphaba as if she weren’t aware of anything else in the world.

“You heard the man,” Elphaba teased, though she couldn’t bring herself to face Fiyero with the heavy blush still shading her cheeks. And even still, she couldn’t stop herself from placing one more chaste kiss on Galinda’s lips. “Let’s get back to our room, shall we?”

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eve polastri is the world’s best character because she knows that lesbian psychosexual obsession is more important than anything on earth including other people’s lives

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I've been working on this for aaaages and decided to finally rush to finish it 😅 I've seen Gelphie as horses but not Gelphie as horse owners, so here they are in the loathing era! I got really obsessed with the idea of Elphaba keeping Galinda's grey horse as dirty as she can lmao. "Let your horse be a horse" mindset girlie 😂

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First Line Tag Game

Rules: post the first line(s) from the last 10 fics you've updated or posted (or however many fics you have, if less than 10).

I was tagged by @noheteroexplanation and between the three of these posts I’ve just seen, I can’t think of anyone else who hasn’t been tagged already 😅 So think of this as an open invitation!

1. In the Savage Night

Elphaba must have rolled over in bed upward of fifty times tonight, and when she chanced a glance at the clock on the wall—perfectly visible thanks to the bright pink light on the other side of the room—it read nearly half past four.

2. Amelioration

It started not long after the third anniversary of the Melting.

3. Long is the Road that Leads Me Home

This was a terrible idea.

4. Wait For Me (I’m Coming)

This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen.

5. Take My Hand (Don’t Let Go)

“You can stay here, Miss Upland.”

6. True Love’s Kiss

“No,” Glinda’s voice rang out over the crowd of Munchkins.

7. Extracurricular Lessons

Elphaba didn’t know how the conversation had taken such a turn.

8. For Love

“I know what you’re thinking about.”

Lmao, these are all so short except ItSN 😂 I’ve written more fanfiction than this but don’t really want to link stuff from my old account, so 8 it is!

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In the Savage Night (Chapter 21)

Read on AO3

Elphaba paused in writing her essay and glanced up at Nessarose, who sat across from her at the library. They’d decided to work on their assignments between classes—Galinda had decided to take another rest day—and had been reading and writing in silence for the last half hour.

Elphaba took a breath to speak, then let it out and touched her pencil back to her paper. Oz, why was this so difficult? It wasn’t as if she and Nessa weren’t close. They’d talked about all sorts of private things before.

“Elphaba, what’s wrong?”

Nessa was staring at her when she looked up again, and Elphaba tapped her pencil anxiously against the desk. “Nothing’s wrong,” she said.

“You’ve tried to say something, like, five times since we got here,” Nessa said. “Clearly something’s on your mind. And you’re gonna break your pencil if you keep that up.”

Elphaba cleared her throat and set her pencil down to fold her hands in her lap. “It’s just—it’s embarrassing,” she said. “I know you’ve had some…pretty intense crushes before—”

“Elphaba.” Nessa’s brow shot up as her cheeks flushed. “In public? Really?” She glanced around, and in finding that nobody was paying attention to them, she sighed and lowered her voice. “Why? Do you finally have a crush on someone?”

Now it was Elphaba’s turn to blush. “I wouldn’t call it a crush,” she murmured. But what would she call it? The way her body reacted to Galinda fit all the typical descriptions of a crush, but the word didn’t feel right. It didn’t encapsulate the depth of the feeling. She loved Galinda; she knew that much, but where did the platonic love end and another kind of love start?

Nessarose smirked, her own embarrassment forgotten. “You do have one,” she said. “So that’s what’s been keeping you busy all week, huh? Who is it?”

“It doesn’t matter who it is,” Elphaba said self-consciously. As close as she’d grown with Galinda, she knew what other people would think—including Nessa. Galinda was beautiful, popular in an untouchable sort of way, and Elphaba was…a green disaster, quite often an embarrassment to her family.

Hopefully Nessa wouldn’t press for details.

“I just want to know how to…tame it, I guess,” Elphaba said quietly. “This person sees me as a friend, and I don’t want to make them uncomfortable. And I think about it too much. She’s always on my mind, and—”

Nessa gasped. “So it’s a girl,” she whispered, and Elphaba’s cheeks warmed again.

“What does it matter?”

“It doesn’t,” Nessa said. “Just narrowing down who it might be. But how do you know she sees you that way? Did she tell you?”

“Well—no,” Elphaba said. “But she’s been seeing a boy, so obviously I’m not an option even if she could be interested.”

Nessarose hummed and closed her book to fold her hands under her chin, giving Elphaba her complete attention. “Well, I need all of the details to help you. What do you like about her? How does she act around you? Tell me everything.”

Elphaba shifted uncomfortably. She hadn’t said any of this out loud before, and her sister seemed a little too eager to hear about it, but it wasn’t as if she had anyone better to talk to. Not when Fiyero was Galinda’s beau and her only other friends were their teachers.

“I like…everything,” Elphaba admitted. “Maybe I didn’t like her so much before I got to know her, but now…” She shook her head. “She’s…weird. You wouldn’t know it just looking at her, but she’s got so many strange little quirks, and they’re just so endearing to me. It’s adorable. She’s so sweet; she’s got the most expressive eyes, and she holds my hand just—just to do it, I think. And she’s so beautiful, Nessa. She smiles at me, and I just…”

Elphaba trailed off and buried her face in her hands. Even talking about it was enough to make her cheeks burn and her heart race, as if this wasn’t already embarrassing enough.

“Oh, sweet Lurline,” Nessa laughed. “Oh, you have it bad, Elphaba.”

“I know, and that’s the issue,” Elphaba complained.

“Well, okay,” Nessa said. She paused to hold back more laughter, then said, “It’s not *bad* to feel that way about someone who doesn’t like you back,” she said. “But for what it’s worth, it sounds like she does. She holds your hand? For fun? How have I not seen you around with this girl?”

“She’s just—a touchy-feely kind of person,” Elphaba reasoned. “And she’s been going through a lot lately, so she’s been staying in.”

Nessa thought for a moment. “And the boy she’s seeing?”

“What about him?”

“Are they serious?”

Elphaba frowned as she pondered the question. She didn’t actually know the depths of their relationship; it wasn’t as if Galinda talked much about him. She hadn’t spent much time alone with him, either—really, as far as Elphaba knew, they’d only been alone while she was at class yesterday. But they’d been flirting, and he’d brought her flowers, and they did obviously care for one another. Not to mention, Galinda had been interested in him since he’d arrived…

…Because he was a prince, and because he might know a sorcerer. Which Galinda no longer needed.

“Right,” Nessa said with a mischievous spark in her eyes before Elphaba could summon an answer. “Well, if I were you, I’d talk to her about this. Maybe tonight. Because you’ll be seeing her in your room, right? Because you’re roommates?”

Elphaba frowned and opened her mouth to ask how in Oz she’d figured that out, but Nessa smiled and patted her hand across the table. “You’re not very good with subtlety, Elphaba” she said. “Galinda probably already knows how you feel, you know. It’s a miracle you haven’t driven her off.”

Elphaba swallowed hard. “You…you think she knows?”

Nessa shrugged. “Maybe,” she said, “unless she’s really clueless. But really, if it’s bothering you so much, you should just tell her. Maybe she’ll say she likes you back. Or maybe she’ll say she’s not interested. Either way, you’ll probably feel better afterward.”

Elphaba wasn’t sure that was true. Both outcomes felt equally terrifying in completely opposite ways, and Galinda certainly had more important things to worry about than her friend’s fondness for her, but maybe Nessarose was right. Her sister was much more socially competent than she was, after all. It might do her some good to heed her advice.

And that was what Elphaba planned to do as she walked back to the dorm from her last class of the day, as long as Galinda was still in a good mood.

Elphaba found her sitting on her bed with a wand in her hand—the silver one—and a coin on the nightstand in front of her. The gold wand sat beside her on the bedsheets, and she looked as if she’d been focusing very intently on the coin until Elphaba came inside.

“Elphie!” Galinda said. “Come here!”

Elphaba smiled and complied. Galinda must have had some success to appear so happy, and she was relieved to be greeted by such a bright smile. She sat beside Galinda, expecting some sort of eager demonstration, but instead her friend just hugged her from the side and nuzzled into her shoulder.

“I missed you,” Galinda said.

Elphaba chuckled and attempted to mask the flush creeping up her face. “I was only gone for a few hours,” she said.

“Five hours,” Galinda said loftily. “That’s two more than a few. I’m so bored with being cooped up in here, Elphie.”

“I’m sure you are,” Elphaba said. “How is your foot feeling?”

“Not bad. Even though I did go out a little today,” Galinda admitted. “I hope by Monday I can walk without a crutch. That’s why I didn’t come with you today; I’m…I’m a little afraid of questions.”

“I would be, too,” Elphaba said. “Where did you go today? Fiyero?”

She hoped she didn’t sound jealous. But if Galinda had gone to spend another full day with Fiyero, perhaps she was wrong about the possibility that Galinda didn’t really like him that way, in which case she should probably keep things to herself.

But Galinda shook her head. “I went to see Dr. Dillamond,” she said. “He doesn’t teach on Fridays, so I figured he’d be in his quarters. It was nice talking to someone who actually knows something about people like me.”

“Oh.” Elphaba’s brow raised in surprise. “That’s wonderful, Galinda. I’m glad you’re able to have that.”

“Me, too,” said Galinda. “And I feel so much better after last night. I think I need more practice to really feel like I can control it, but…it’s more progress than I’ve ever had in my life. It’s such a huge weight off my chest. The only thing I’m really scared of now is embarrassing myself in front of Madame Morrible again.” She flashed the wand at Elphaba.

Elphaba’s brow furrowed as her eyes were drawn to the redness creeping out toward the edges of Galinda’s palm. “How long have you been trying to use that?” she asked. “Let me see your hand.”

“Oh, um…” Galinda glanced at the clock on the wall as she set the wand down and held her hand out. “A couple hours, I suppose.”

“Oz, Galinda.” Elphaba gently unfurled Galinda’s fingers, curled stiffly toward her palm with the tight lesions forming on her skin. Her friend winced at the movement.

“I didn’t realize how long it had been,” Galinda said. “I guess I was so focused I didn’t even feel it. I just wanted to get it to work once, just once. Just so I can show Madame I know how.” She paused. “Maybe…you could help me? Like you did before. Just to see if it’s even possible.”

Elphaba hesitated. “I don’t know,” she said. “You should really give it a rest. Your hand looks awful.”

“One more try won’t hurt,” Galinda insisted. “If it doesn’t work, at least I’ll know I can give up.”

“That’s true…” It wasn’t that Elphaba wanted it not to work, but she didn’t want Galinda hurting herself for no reason, either. “All right,” she said. “One try, and then I’m taking care of your hand. And promise you won’t touch that wand again until our next lesson.”

“I promise!” Galinda leaned over to kiss Elphaba’s cheek. “Thank you, Elphie.”

“Anything for you, my sweet,” Elphaba said for the second time in two days. And she meant it—even going against her better judgment, she couldn’t resist doing anything she could to make Galinda happy.

So, against her better judgement, she let Galinda pick up the wand again, then wrapped her own hand around her friend’s. It felt much the same as when they’d done this with the gold wand, and Elphaba wondered what the problem might be.

“I can get magic through to the end of it,” Galinda said as if reading her mind. “I just can’t get it out. It’s like something is blocking it.”

“All right,” Elphaba said. “Let’s see…”

She felt her own magic twining around Galinda’s inside the wand, and she led it down to the tip, where it stopped abruptly as if plugged.

“That’s strange,” Elphaba murmured. “I’ll push as hard as I can and see if we can’t break through it,” she said. “Maybe it’s just clogged and needs to be cleared out?”

“Okay,” Galinda said. “I’m ready.”

Elphaba gathered the magic, reeled it back, and thrust it through with all of her strength.

Enough filtered through the wand to shift the coin on the nightstand, but Elphaba gasped at the sensation of the brunt of it ricocheting back through the wand and into her body. She dropped Galinda’s hand in reaction to the surprise; it didn’t hurt, but it felt so jarring in such an unfamiliar way.

“What in Oz was that?” Elphaba said. She turned to face Galinda and froze.

Her friend’s mouth gaped in shock, her eyes wide and staring at nothing as if she couldn’t focus them. She seemed unable to take a breath, and her whole body appeared suspended in time for just a moment before her eyes fell shut and she slumped heavily into Elphaba’s side.

“Galinda!” Elphaba’s heart pitched into a gallop as she wrapped her arms around the blonde to lay her down on the bed. Her hands hovered frantically over Galinda’s unconscious form as she tried to discern what was wrong, how to help. Was she even breathing? The panic surged through Elphaba’s head so badly that she couldn’t even tell.

She took a deep breath herself and leaned over Galinda’s face, so close her cheek nearly touched Galinda’s mouth, and closed her eyes to focus.

They were staggered, shallow breaths that Elphaba felt on her cheek, but Galinda was breathing, thank Oz. Elphaba laid a hand on her chest next to feel Galinda’s heartbeat, which stuttered a frighteningly uneven rhythm against her ribs.

Elphaba didn’t know what to do. The infirmary was halfway across campus and she couldn’t carry Galinda, but whatever was happening, she wasn’t sure there was enough time to fetch the nurse and come back.

Magic welled up in her veins along with the sickening fear in her gut and the tears in her eyes, and it shot through her palm into Galinda’s chest. She stilled as it happened, terrified she’d made things worse as the heartbeat paused beneath her hand, but moment later it started back up into a regular rhythm.

Elphaba let out a sob of relief and cupped Galinda’s face between her hands. “Galinda?” she said. “Wake up, my sweet. Please. Please, please wake up.”

Galinda’s breath deepened, and her eyelids blinked heavily open. Her dark eyes gazed blearily around for a clock tick before finally focusing on Elphaba’s face.

“Galinda,” Elphaba sighed. “Are you all right? Talk to me.”

“I’m…I’m okay,” Galinda breathed. She stilled looked hazy, a little confused perhaps, but she seemed to be out of immediate danger. “Elphie…?”

“It’s okay.” Elphaba gathered her friend into her arms and hugged her tight as her tears squeezed out over her cheeks. “You’re all right, my sweet. I’m so sorry, Galinda…”

“I thought I was dying,” Galinda whispered. “That was so scary, Elphie.”

“I know,” Elphaba crooned. “I know, sweetheart, but you’re okay. You’re okay now.” She pressed a kiss to the side of Galinda’s head and carded her fingers through her hair. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Galinda said. “It’s like—the magic bounced back through me, and it—it burned. Like…”

Elphaba came to the conclusion at the same time Galinda did. “Don’t ever touch that wand again,” she said. It came out as more of a command than she meant it to, but Galinda only nodded into the crook of her neck.

“I won’t,” she said.

Elphaba drew back to hold Galinda’s face again, wiping her thumbs over the tears on her cheeks. “Thank Oz you��re all right,” she whispered. “I love you.”

Galinda stared at her for a long moment, her eyes flicking between each of Elphaba’s as her chest heaved with the weight of her breath. Elphaba opened her mouth to ask whether something was wrong, terrified that whatever her magic had done to wake Galinda hadn’t fully healed her, but she couldn’t speak before Galinda surged forward to catch Elphaba’s lips with her own in a desperate, feverish kiss.

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'Cause it's nice to unravel Tears, how they travel Happy ones tonight 'Cause it's warm In your arms

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New art for the latest chapter of my Werewolf!Galinda fic, In the Savage Night! Fluffy this time!

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“Oh Elphie~🩷” 🩷💚

I love them so much ❤️