#elphie falls in love first. glinda falls SO much harder

[wickedlyqueer]

hear me out: my fave flavor of gelphie is suit!Galinda x suit!Elfie. Like, a Galinda all shy about her white suit and pink dress shirt and Elfie goes NUTS over her. She’s almost physically drooling over Galinda. And when she goes to change and comes back in an all black suit ensamble Galinda LOSES IT in the exact same way. And just spends the rest of the night showing off her prettty gf to the school

Listen, I'm def of the mindset that Glinda does not have a butch bone in her body, she's 1000% femme and would pretty much always wear dresses.

BUT. A white suit with like a super frilly pink dress shirt + killer heels? I can buy that. I can totally buy that. Yes.

Of course those two losers would lose it over how beautiful and handsome their gf look. have you met them? both absolutely smitten.

[nicnacsnonsense]

I said yesterday that every single song on the Wicked soundtrack is a Good Omens mood, so today I went song by song, and yep, checks out. (I am going to be skipping three songs -- “I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)”, since as a stand alone song it is not meaningfully different than “I’m Not That Girl”; “Dear Old Shiz” since it’s only intended to transition us from the opening number which takes place at the end of the story back to the beginning; and “Finale” since it is just a reprise/combo of the previous song “For Good” and the next song (in the stories internal chronology) “No One Mourns the Wicked” and does not meaningfully add to either -- and I will be adding in “Wicked Witch of the East” which does not appear on the soundtrack.)

“No One Mourns the Wicked” -- Aziraphale (Glinda) talking to the Archangels (Chorus) about Crowley. “Nothing grows for the wicked/They reap only what they've sown”

“The Wizard and I” -- The general sentiment echoes Aziraphale’s continued faith in God, despite private doubts about Heaven and the Great Plan. “He'll say to me, "I see who you truly are/A girl on whom I can rely!" 

“What is This Feeling” -- Heaven (Glinda) vs. Hell (Elphaba) with the Chorus representing Christianity, on Heaven’s side despite neither ultimately being appreciably better than the other. Alternatively, there’s some solid Ineffable Bureaucracy feels if you’re into that. “There's a strange exhilaration/In such total detestation/It's so pure, so strong!/Though I do admit, it came on fast/Still I do believe that it can last/And I will be loathing, loathing you my whole life long.”

“Something Bad” -- Aziraphale (Elphaba) believing God will stop the Apocalypse. “If something bad is happening to the Animals/Someone's got to tell the Wizard/That's why we have a Wizard/So nothing bad....“

“Dancing Through Life” -- Fiyero’s opening section is very remiscent on Crowley’s policy on working and his efforts to tempt Aziraphale into the Arrangement. In that context, him coming to this philosophy after having been kicked out of schools in the past is a bit... painful. “Dancing through life, no need to tough it/When you can slough it off as I do.”

“Popular” -- This one is a bit harder to place, but I can imagine that if Crowley and Aziraphale had to teach each other how to do their jobs in service of the Arrangement, this is the kind of energy I imagine they’d bring. Alternatively, if you dial down the good-natured intentions and dial up the judgement and condescension, there are shades of Heaven/Hell (Glinda) wanting Aziraphale/Crowley (Elphaba) to be a proper angel/demon. “Don't be offended by my frank analysis/Think of it as personality dialysis”

“I’m Not That Girl” -- Crowley through 6000 years of pining, with the “that girl” he’s losing out to being Heaven. Though the general longing for someone you feel you can never have also has some pretty strong Aziraphale through 6000 years of pining vibes too. “ Ev'ry so often, we long to steal/To the land of what-might-have-been/But that doesn't soften the ache we feel/When reality sets back in “

“One Short Day” -- This is the background music every time during the 6000 years when Aziraphale and Crowley manage to sneak in some time to enjoy each other’s company just for the sake of it. “ And then, just like now, we can say/We're just two friends/Two good friends/Two best friends/Sharing one wonderful/One short day!”

“Defying Gravity” -- The main feel of the song has a lot of Crowley (Elphaba) immediately pre-Fall energy, but the conversation between Elphaba and Glinda in particular is very reminiscent of the bandstand. G:”Elphie, listen to me, just say you're sorry!/You can still be with the wizard/What you've worked and waited for/You can have all you ever wanted.” E:”I know/But I don't want it/No, I can't want it anymore”

“Thank Goodness” -- Aziraphale (Glinda) trying to put on a obedient and faithful attitude while dealing with his doubts about Heaven and his forbidden feelings for Crowley. “ And if that joy, that thrill/Doesn't thrill like you think it will/Still, with this perfect finale/The cheers and the ballyhoo/Who wouldn't be happier?/So I couldn't be happier”

“The Wicked Witch of the East” -- Most of this doesn’t connect much, and very little of it is sung, but this last bit here is absolutely Crowley (Nessa) sitting in the bar after the bookshop fire. “Alone and loveless here/Just the girl in the mirror/Just her and me, Wicked Witch of the East!/We deserve each other”

“A Sentimental Man”/”Wonderful” -- I combined these two because “A Sentimental Man” by itself is really short and doesn’t really tie in, but thematically it goes with “Wonderful” so I think it works with that context. One thing for this one is to keep in mind that in Christianity Gabriel is an Archangel, but he’s generally consider the messenger, which one would think would generally put him at the bottom of that top group, and yet in Good Omens he seems to have worked his way up to de facto leader of Heaven in God’s absence/silence. Making the Archangel Fucking Gabriel feel a lot like the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Not to mention the general point about labels and history has a lot of Good Omens Heaven and Hell are basically the same thing with different names vibes. “There are precious few at ease/With moral ambiguities/So we act as though they don't exist”

“As Long as You’re Mine” -- Azcrow Saturday night “you can stay at my place” feels. Enough said. “ Say there's no future/For us as a pair/And though I may know/I don't care/Just for this moment/As long as you're mine/Come be how you want to/And see how bright we shine”

“No Good Deed” -- The bookshop fire. The first three-quarters or so of the song is Crowley running into the burning bookshop, desperate to find Aziraphale and being overwhelmed by how absolutely everything has gone completely wrong this week capped now with this, losing the love of his life. The last bit of the song transitions to Aziraphale up in Heaven completely done with all this bullshit and flipping the entire Host off on his way out. “Fiyero, where are you? Already dead or bleeding?/One more disaster I can add to my generous supply?”

“March of the Witch Hunters” -- This is literally just the Witchfinder Army’s theme song. “Go and hunt her/And find her/And kill her/Kill the witch!”

“For Good” -- Aziraphale and Crowley on Sunday morning as they wait for Heaven and Hell to come for them, not knowing if their plan will work or if they’ll ever see each other again. “ Who can say/If I've been changed for the better? I do believe I have been changed for the better/And because I knew you/.../I have been changed/For good.”

And there you have it. Every single song on the Wicked soundtrack is a Good Omens mood, fact checked and proven. Still compiling evidence for the “Stephen Schwartz is a time traveler who did this all on purpose” theory. I’ll keep you posted.

[talesandfluff]

Gelphie 15?

you are literally the sweetest for indulging me and being an actual angel all the time and I am so thankful!!!!!

prompt is: Loud, so everyone can hear

and it has been filled HERE

You can also read it under the line because it seriously got out of hand it’s like over 2k words 

just so everyone knows this is like, lowkey bookverse. more like modern AU bookverse-inspired but I don’t think anything definitely proves it CAN’T be Shiz in this particular fic. 

The fight sticks out between them for days.

Glinda's heart feels heavy day and night, carrying with her the weight of the argument. She's been near enough bedridden for the past few days, only getting out for her classes. Elphaba, the infamously infuriating Elphaba Thropp, does as she does and pretends nothing happened. The sight of it makes Glinda ache all the more. Elphie − no, Elphaba jokes around with Boq, making him the butt of her remarks, studies with Fiyero, argues with Nessa as if nothing could get to her, not even the knowledge that Glinda was suffering.

She is almost glad for the hints of prickliness and frustration Elphaba fails to hide here and there. They're the faintest proof that perhaps she is not the single one affected by their outburst. But these secret glances are only for when she's home home and she has not been home much at all. Elphaba pretends better with an audience, audience that she steals from Glinda, who was always the one who made friends who then were only obliged to take the both of them as a package deal. This week, she has been lonely, laying in bed all alone with her hermit of a roommate roaming Oz knows where. Anything to avoid the narrow room they have shared for two years now − though sometimes it feels to Glinda they have known each other since birth. She should certainly feel used to Elphaba's antics by now, and yet.

"Avaric is taking us out," Elphaba lets Glinda know the evening of the fourth day. "Tonight. Not at that horrendous club," she hastily adds, mistaking the wary look Glinda gives her. "Just at the bar."

Glinda cannot help the blank stare. Half a week with barely a few sentences between them and this is what Elphaba chooses to break the silence with. Not that silence is not what she gets still. Even as Glinda reluctantly gets up to get ready, she finds nothing to ask beyond the occasion (Avaric's promotion his father unlocked him) and the time (he's there already with Shenshen and Milla so any time is fine), and Elphaba certainly finds nothing to mention on her own.

They used to talk so much. Only up to a few days ago, before that terrible talk that turned sour, Elphaba and Glinda could converse for hours at a time and lose track of everything else. And not just converse. They were close as can be, made to be in each other's presence, to be together.

Glinda, out of spite, out of a desperate attempt to entice Elphaba's attention, doesn't pull her curtain to get changed into something nice, doesn't leave the room. Elphaba can stare at her back if she wants as she undresses down to her panties, grabbing some summer dress from her closet. Her closet. She wants to scoff. Just where Elphaba would want her. She realizes she's picked the wrong outfit as soon as she's pulled it on. Or the exact perfect one.

"I can't zip it," she sighs.

Soft, softer than anyone else seems to notice, Elphaba's hand is at her shoulder, the other slowly zipping her back. Glinda closes her eyes, basking into the touch. She missed it. She missed her so much. Elphaba's hands linger on her for longer than strictly necessary but not enough for comfort, not enough for Glinda's hopes of reconciling. Elphaba doesn't move away from behind her, not immediately, and Glinda almost wants to lean into her, wondering if Elphaba would embrace her as she always does. She opens her eyes.

"What are we going to do?" She sighs.

There is no sound, but then she feels the hint of a kiss against her shoulder, lips hardly brushing, and Elphaba is gone like the wind, already by the door by the time Glinda turns around.

"We're going to celebrate Avaric's promotion," Elphaba replies.

The bar is surprisingly empty as they arrive. Avaric needlessly hollers them over, already tipsy with what must be half a dozen expensive sugary cocktails. Shenshen and Pfannee are glued at his sides, Milla sipping on a glass of coke, smiling politely as Boq tries to make good conversation.

"Here comes the elf!" He shouts. "No, wait, wait, I'm kidding, come sit, both of you."

Glinda scans the table and takes a seat next to Milla. She has never been anything less than perfectly courteous to Avaric, but would not jump on any occasion to be overly familiar with him either. Out of habit, she turns around to smile at Elphaba, only to find empty air behind her. The little demon of emotional constipation has sat herself next to Boq, who seems just as befuddled with her decision as he is annoyed with it, surely having hoped for a better conversation partner than a sulking green bean.

Glinda orders herself a glass of wine and resolves herself to exchanging smiles and courtesies with Milla when Crope and Tibbett do decide to bless them with their presence. Hand in hand, they walk into the bar, Crope whispering something into Tibbett's ear who laughs out loud, pressing an embarrassingly long kiss on Crope's cheek in answer. Glinda's stomach knots.

"Hey, guys, too busy shagging to get a minute for your old pal?"

The good thing about Avaric being insufferably loud and obnoxious is that no one really expects conversation from her. Glinda nurses her glass, silently staring at the others who all seem to be having a good time − and although she knows for certain that Elphaba must be faking it, she is a master of pretense tonight. Deep into some conversation about classes with Milla and Boq, she is being her smartass self, charming everyone with her wits and clever remarks, leaving Glinda for the boring one. All the better. Glinda would not find it in herself to participate, not when opposite her are Crope and Tibbett, animatedly talking to a late arrived Fiyero.

Her heart is racing, her stomach churning. Glinda tells herself she should have stayed home, but her bed is starting to become shaped to her form these days and besides, she's not even sure she can call that place home as she used to. But then, without going out, she would have missed out on this, wouldn't she? Impossibly affectionate, Crope and Tibbett enjoy their freshly out relationship to the fullest. Jealousy is clinging to her as she watches them share the same beer, Crope playing with Tibbett's hair, their hands fiddling together. Their love is for everyone to see. Why only theirs?

This was the bulk of it, really. Glinda never thought this would be an object of disagreement, not that way around. Elphaba and her were friends in private, then in the open, then more than friends, and the whole time Elphaba was unapologetically herself, impossibly smart and on the verge of bullying often as not, and also proudly out with the occasional array of pride shirts. Glinda was the one who was afraid to admit, first to herself then to the world, that her affections for Elphaba were romantic in nature. She was too scared to be honest, but bit by bit, kiss after kiss, after months of being Elphaba's girlfriend in all but official label, the fear gave way to a deep desire to proclaim their love. And it was Elphaba who refused.

"Toasts!" Pfannee purrs. "Let's do toasts!"

Glinda could not be less interested in whatever people have to say to butter up to Avaric. She often wonders how she ever thought there was a handsomeness to him, to anyone other than Elphaba. He's not a horribly bad person, she's sure, but she wouldn't describe him as a good one either. She's still not sure why they stick around. Most likely because he is one of the people who can take on Elphaba when she's in an argumentative mood. Lord knows Glinda struggles to. Has struggled to.

She doesn't really listen to the others, just smiles and nods when appropriate. Boq's toast is extremely short, Tibbett and Crope's much longer and intercut with bawdy jokes, Shenshen's is likely the most flattering of all. The bar has started to fill up and there is a lot of noise and she is finding it harder and harder to focus. The touch of Elphaba's hand on her shoulder only an hour prior…

"Glinda?" She blinks. Tibbett is smiling at her and everyone is looking. "Do you have anything to say?"

She gulps. Across the table, Elphaba is staring down at her drink − what looks like whiskey, for some reason, but she could always bear alcohol much better than the rest of them, something about her mother. You deserve better than me, Glinda remembers the words from the other day that cut her like a knife. Don't corner yourself into coming out just for me. You'll find someone better. Of all people, Elphaba cared more about Glinda's reputation than the very person concerned.

"I… erm…"

Tibbett's hands in Crope's, head against his shoulder. How easy they make it seem, though she knows it must have been everything but.

"I do have something to say." She breathes. "I'm in love with Elphaba. We've been dating for five months and they've been the happiest of my life."

Her audience falls silent and it seems to her that even the rest of the bar is less animated than a few seconds ago, but she doesn't let it bother her. Four days of silence was enough and she won't let Elphaba's stubborn hate of herself get in the way of their happiness. A few pairs of eyes are bulging around the table, though none very much and certainly none as much as Elphaba's, whose mouth is gaping, her glass still mid-air. After the shock has passed, she squints in suspicion and Glinda wonders if this was a good idea after all.

"I think he meant about Avaric's promotion," Shenshen whispers loudly to Glinda.

"I was afraid to tell you before," she goes on, finding the braveness in her. "I don't even remember why… But I'll tell you now, I'll tell everyone the truth because I think I'll die if I keep it any longer: I love her." Staring into Elphaba's frowning eyes, she gets a rush to the head and louder, she adds, "I love you."

Fiyero looks at her dumbfounded, the only one. Shenshen and Pfanee are whispering behind Avaric's back, who is grinning naughtily. Milla's smile is much tamer, as is Boq's as he stares, waiting for Elphaba's reaction. A reaction which never comes. The silence drags on and on. Glinda looks, begs, but Elphaba's gaze is impenetrable.

"So…" Avaric tries. "Is anybody else gonna…"

"I have to go," Elphaba says and jumps to her feet.

Glinda's heart free falls in her chest as she watches Elphaba circle round the table to the exit. She feels everybody's eyes on her and the blood rushes to her cheeks but just as she was about to excuse herself, she hears Elphaba's voice call back.

"Well, are you coming?"

She bites her lips and doesn't even meet the gaze of anyone as she pushes back her chair. The devil. The horrible leprechaun of a woman she has found herself. Why such drama?

"Excuse me just a…"

Elphaba's hand grabs her elbow as soon as she gets a foot out of the bar, pulls her so very close, wrapping an arm around her waist and before Glinda has any time to give an explanation, Elphaba's lips are on hers, the taste of whiskey in her mouth, though not nearly as inebriating as the embrace. Her back gets pushed against a wall and she clings to Elphie for purchase, for safety, crumbling under the so very desired assault. She registers people passing them by in the background, one or two shouts, but nothing matters outside the feel of Elphaba's arms circling her, of her chest pressed up against her breasts, their bodies melting into one another.

"Elphie…" She breathes when Elphaba leans back, her forehead against Glinda's, long nose bumping into hers playfully.

"This," Elphaba says, pressing another quick peck at Glinda's lips before pulling back, taking Glinda's hands with her and swirling her into a side hug, arm around her shoulders "Was for the kind words you didn't have to say back there."

"I did," Glinda says, squeezing Elphaba's waist where her arm is wrapped. "And I meant everything."

Elphaba kisses her hair as they make their way back home.

"You're a stubborn one, Miss Glinda," she says after a moment of comfortable silence. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"And I you," Glinda replies, "But you don't see me making a dramatic fuss about it begging you to leave me."

She feels Elphaba's chuckle resonate against her and fill her with warmth.

"I suppose I'll have to make it up to you."

Glinda smiles. They're almost back to their dorm room. It's not even dark yet.

"Yes," she says, kissing Elphaba's shoulder where she can reach, "I suppose you will."

[lily-onher-grave]

1, 2 and 99 if you please

1. “I love you, please don’t go.” // 2. “Stay here tonight.”

Glinda tells people it was at the carriage, just before leaving the city. She says that Elphaba had sent her ahead to hold their seats while she went off in search of food for the journey home. She gives them details like the impatient driver and the woman who took Elphaba’s seat the moment she saw an opportunity. They believe her, because she always cries by the end of the retelling and, in a way, she’s still telling the truth. Elphaba sent her ahead to the carriage. Elphaba tried to leave her then, in the bustling crowd of the platform. And in the end, Glinda still lost her, was still forced to let her go, still cried stupid tears as she scanned the streets of the city for a woman who had already disappeared.

But the real story–all the details and events that actually happened–Glinda has never told. If the lie is painful, then the truth is deadly.

The truth is that Glinda knew. When Elphaba said, “Go on, get our seats and I’ll find us some food,” she knew it could very well be the last time they saw each other. So she did not go get seats. She clung to Elphaba’s arm and claimed anxiety over the crowd.

“You’ve traveled on your own before,” Elphaba said. “What do you do on your way to Shiz?”

“It’s different,” Glinda told her. “The city’s so much bigger. You’ve seen the crowds at the stations. And I’m so short, somebody’s sure to not see me and just run me over.”

“You’re being ridiculous.” But Elphaba put her arm around Glinda’s shoulders and led them on.

When they reached the nearest market, she let Glinda pick out whatever she wanted–a sure sign that Elphaba was up to something. Glinda picked the cheapest fruits and the day-old, stale loaves of bread. Elphaba raised her eyebrows at each decision, but otherwise did not question her.

They passed a little sweet shop, the window full of rich cakes and brightly wrapped candies.

“Let me buy you chocolates,” Elphaba said, pointing. “A gift, for coming on a fool’s journey with me.”

“Elphie, you can’t afford chocolates.”

“I can afford two. And I’ll scare the shopkeeper into putting them in his fanciest box for you.”

Glinda pinched her arm. “Knock it off. Save your money. You don’t need to buy me presents.”

“I dragged you all the way to the Emerald City. You deserve something.”

“I have you,” said Glinda. “That’s all I need. If you must buy me something, let it wait until we’re home, where things aren’t so horribly priced.”

Elphaba had blushed, but she also looked guilty. Glinda held her arm tighter.

They made their way to where their carriage waited, and Glinda was terrified. She wasn’t sure if–once in the chaos of tickets and driver and passengers–she could hang on to Elphaba.

“Are you okay?” Elphaba asked. They had come to a stop. Glinda stepped instinctively closer to Elphaba’s side.

“I…” It was harder, lying to Elphaba. But not impossible. “I was just thinking, maybe you’re right. Maybe we deserve something after all of this.”

“We?”

“We can afford another night, can’t we?” Her voice was shaking. Elphaba would never buy it.

“Glinda, really–”

“Please,” she said, giving up. She turned to Elphie, pleading with her. “Please, let’s just stay another night. Let’s just get a room, and let’s spend the rest of the evening together. No Wizards or injustices or any of that–just the two of us. Just for tonight.”

She’d never done this. She’d never been so transparent. All year long it had been a game, a contest of playful teasing. Sure, she had slipped. So had Elphaba. And the boys were just about done with them, begging each of them to just go ahead and make the move–Crope and Tibbett were even half-convinced that it had already happened.

Something had always held Glinda back, though. She was afraid, and she knew Elphaba was, too. But now Glinda had something greater to fear. If Elphaba left her now, all this time spent playing, putting it off, would be for nothing.

She couldn’t let that happen.

Elphaba must have understood. Glinda could see it in her eyes. She just wasn’t quite convinced. Doubt battled want, and Glinda knew she had to step in.

“Please,” she said again. She reached up and touched Elphaba’s cheek, tilting their faces closer together. “Stay here tonight.”

Something clicked. Elphaba nodded, determined now, and took Glinda by the hand. She led them away from their carriage, away from the busier part of the city and toward calmer, dirtier streets. They returned to the shabby little inn they had been staying at all week.

“I know we checked out this morning,” Glinda said to the barkeep, giving her sweetest smile. “But we got delayed. Is there any way we can have a room for one more night?”

“Of course, miss.”

They were in a different but equally tiny room this time, tucked away in a corner of the second floor. Glinda went to the little fireplace. There wasn’t any wood–they’d probably have to buy it from the inn–but Glinda didn’t need any. She held her hand over the ashes and, a moment later, a little flame was crackling in the hearth.

Behind her, Elphaba was pulling their nightgowns from their bags and laying them across the lone, tiny bed.

“Shall I go and get dinner?” Elphaba asked.

“We already bought food.”

“Yes. I was thinking something warm, though, for our last dinner–” She hesitated, cleared her throat, “–our last meal in the city.”

Glinda didn’t want to let her out of her sight. “I’ll go down with you.”

“Someone should stay and watch the fire.”

She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Elphaba’s things were here. She wasn’t going to just barrel out the front door and disappear.

“Okay,” she said. “Just hurry back.”

“Of course, my sweet.”

And Elphaba did. She returned not ten minutes later with a tray of soup and fresh bread. They sat at a little table in the corner and ate. Little was said, but Glinda kept pressing her foot against Elphaba’s, and Elphaba kept smiling at her in response.

When they were a little fuller and a little warmer, Elphaba stood and started preparing for bed. Glinda watched her, making no move to do the same.

Elphaba took her nightgown from the bed. She looked over her shoulder at Glinda. “Um, I’m going to…”

“Right.” Glinda looked away. She twisted her fingers together and picked at a nail. When Elphaba cleared her throat, she turned back around. Still, she didn’t stand.

“Aren’t you going to change?” Elphaba asked after another few minutes.

Glinda looked at her, about to respond, but the words vanished before she could speak them. Elphaba’s brow furrowed. She crossed the room and knelt in front of Glinda.

“Hey,” she whispered. “What is it?”

“If I put on that nightgown,” Glinda started. “If I fall asleep tonight, what will be different in the morning?”

Elphaba grasped her hands. Then, bolder, she reached up and touched Glinda’s face, stroking her thumb across her cheek.

“I don’t know,” she said quietly. “I can’t tell you that.”

“Then perhaps it’s best to just stay here,” said Glinda. “I’ll stay like this and put off the morning.”

“You’ll only be putting off the inevitable. Morning will come no matter what.” Elphaba ducked her head to kiss Glinda’s knuckles. “So why not spend the night like you said? Together, nothing but the two of us.”

Glinda blinked quickly. “Is that a promise?”

There was that fear again, holding Glinda’s words in the air between them, weighing them down until an answer seemed impossible.

But then Elphaba met her eyes, determined once more. “Yes,” she said, her grip on Glinda’s hand tightening. “It is, so please–”

Glinda cupped her face and lunged forward to kiss her. Elphaba’s mouth fell open, shocked at first, then urged into motion. She rose on her knees, her hands coming to Glinda’s shoulders.

Glinda pulled back, flushed and afraid. But Elphaba didn’t let her stay that way. She stood, grabbing Glinda’s hands to pull her along, and backed up to the bed. Glinda tugged her closer to kiss her again, and Elphaba obliged, reaching up to tangle her fingers in Glinda’s hair.

She felt them jolt as Elphaba backed into the bed. They both stilled, not quite sure what to do next. But Elphaba kept playing with her hair, kept holding her hand, kept her lips close enough that Glinda could feel her breath.

“What do you want, my sweet?”

“You,” Glinda breathed. Elphaba let go of her hand to wrap her arm around Glinda’s waist, pulling them together. Her lips brushed up Glinda’s cheek to her ear.

“I want to make love to you,” she whispered. “Will you let me?”

“Elphie.” Glinda’s knees shook. Elphaba’s fingers played with the ties of her dress. “Please.”

The fire burned brighter, warmer, as Elphaba turned them around and lowered Glinda to the bed.

Glinda didn’t know how much time had passed. When they had settled, the fire had burned low, and she was tucked warmly into Elphaba’s side. She was tired now, but she fought to keep her eyes open.

Elphaba chuckled. “You can go to sleep, you know.”

“No.” Glinda shook her head. “I want to put off the inevitable.”

There was a pause. Elphaba kissed her forehead.

“And what is that?” she asked, her voice straining slightly. Glinda swallowed, trying to push away the tightness long enough to answer. But she couldn’t, and after a moment Elphaba tilted her head back to look at her. “Glinda?”

“I-I can’t,” Glinda said. She clung to Elphaba, lowering her head to hide her tears. “I can’t–you can’t–oh, Elphie!”

“Hey, hey, what is it? What’s wrong?”

“I love you,” Glinda cried. “Please, don’t go. Not now. Not now that we’ve–that I–”

“Glinda. Hey, calm down. It’s okay. It’s okay.”

“I love you, and I was too afraid.” Glinda dug her fingers into Elphaba’s back. “Don’t leave me now that I’ve gotten brave.”

And what could Elphaba say? She didn’t lie to Glinda–she didn’t always share the truth, but she never lied. So she held her, held her and touched her and comforted her until the tears had ceased and Glinda, despite her best efforts, was asleep.

There was no letter when she woke up. No apology or confession or any other last piece of Elphaba for Glinda to hold on to. All that was left was a stack of bills to pay for the room, and a new carriage ticket. Glinda knew what it meant. There was no goodbye, because saying goodbye would have been too much. Saying goodbye would mean Elphaba could never leave.

Glinda took the carriage out of the city. She ate the stale bread they had bought, but let the fruit go bad. And when she returned to Shiz, she had a different version of the story to tell the others.

The truth she kept to herself, reliving only in her sweetest dreams and nightmares until, eventually, even she began to question what had really happened.