Fic: A Very Bad Idea - Part 2 (Wicked)
Title: A Very Bad Idea (Part 2)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Gelphie with hints at others
World: Bookverse
Summary: A warm summer day at Shiz suddenly becomes a lot more interesting when the boys from Three Queens decide to high-jack Glinda's otherwise perfect afternoon.
Notes: This was written very tightly, with both of us only posting a few lines at a time in a round robin style. It began as a 'post five lines meme' and started out as a short fic, however it decided to take on a life of its own.
Disclaimer: We do not own Wicked or it's characters.
Golden light flared around Glinda, flowing up the ropes and onto her forehead, concentrating on the H shaped lipstick mark. Glinda wriggled, straining her arms against the bounds as the magic flowed down her body.
Elphaba ran forward but Avaric held out his arm, forcing her back. "Relax Elphaba, she's fine!" he told her, eyes not leaving Glinda.
"Elphie!" Glinda called, seeing her friend running towards her. "What's going on?" There was genuine fear in her voice as she struggled, the child-like language being all she could manage.
"Stop this right now Avaric, it's not funny anymore," Boq told him, prying the other man's strong arms off of Elphaba. By the time she was out of his grasp the golden light had faded and Glinda relaxed. None the less Elphaba closed the gap between them and swiftly untied the rope, letting the blond girl sag against her.
"It's too late now," Avaric said, frustrated. "Come on, where's your sense of fun? We were having it, remember?"
Boq glared at Avaric, but Milla clapped her hands happily. "Now what?" she asked.
"Now each of us says a thing she must do, and before 24 hours is over she must do it. If we don't come up with these things, she'll do the next five things anybody suggests to her, so really it's better if we do it!"
"It really is okay, Elphie," Tibbett said, looking a little embarrassed. "I've done it. It was kind of fun."
"I'll start," Boq barked. Elphaba gave him a surprised look. Glinda, who was still lolling against Elphaba, gave him a curious, semi-drunk look. Boq stepped forward. "Glinda, you must watch whiole Avaric gets naked and does a full Thorny Rose act."
"What, no that's not fair!" Avaric said, even as he felt the charm begin to work. "This is Glinda's punishment, not mine!" But the words had been said and it was too late to call them back now.
The rest of the party howled with laughter and there were appreciative cheers from Crope and Tibbett.
"Will she have to watch alone or can we all see?" Tibbett asked hungrily.
"She must watch it with us there, that is my condition," Boq added hastily as Avaric groaned.
Apart from the group Elphaba gingerly held Glinda upright as she snuggled against her. "Come on now girl, this isn't the way forward," she said quietly as Glinda clung tighter.
"Everything's so fuzzy, Elphie," Glinda said, but her eyes seemed to brighten as she looked at Avaric. It didn't look like her, though - it was more like a feverish brightness. Elphaba could just guess it was the magic.
"I need... feathers," Avaric said, his eyes getting glossy. "Big pink feather fans."
Milla was bent over with laughter. "Oh Glinda," she managed, "remind me to hang out with your queer friends more often! Oh, this is priceless!"
"To the Thorny Rose!" Tibbett hooted.
"No!" Elphaba barked. "We're not going anywhere before she's had her five commands. You don't want us to meet someone who tells her to shove one of you under a cart, do we? Commands first, and then the Thorny Rose, and ONLY to borrow their fans, all right? Then we take this somewhere else."
"But where?" asked Crope. "We can't go to Crage Hall and you can't go to Three Queens."
"Well, Avaric?" Elphaba asked the young nobleman. "Where do you prefer to be humiliated? This was your bright idea in the first place."
"We could go into the grounds..." Avaric said thoughtfully. "There is that bit up where the river runs through that would be perfect."
There was a general nod of agreement from the group as no better alternative could be put forward.
"So what about the other commands?" Milla asked, now that the place had been decided.
"Oh! I have one," Tibbett said gleefully, sending a wink to Crope, "Glinda and I must trade clothes, her dressing me and I her."
"Ooo," Crope said approvingly, "this sounds good."
Glinda's hands went automatically to her coat buttons, but Elphaba gently pulled her hands away. "Later," she told her gently. "Okay," she said aloud. "That's two. Crope? Make it clean, now."
Crope pursed his lips, raised his eyes, clearly thinking hard. "Make it something fun," Tibbett urged. "But... nice," he added with a sheepish grin to Elphaba.
"She must tell only the truth for the rest of the night," Crope decided at last. "She can't lie for the next twelve hours, or refrain from answering any question."
"Nice one!" Tibbett clapped his hands. "It's Truth AND Dare, now!"
"Okay, fair enough," said Elphaba, "especially since anybody who asks her awkward questions will have me to deal with, understand? Milla?"
"Ohh, I don't know, can you come back to me?" Milla pleaded as she wracked her brains for something interesting.
"Fine. Elphaba?" Avaric asked and all eyes turned questioningly to Elphaba.
"I refuse to take part in this horrific ceremony," Elphaba countered, rolling her eyes at the disappointed groan that emanated from the group. "What?" she scoffed. "If I really want Glinda to do something I'll just ask her normally. I don't need magic to help me with that."
"I think I have one..." Milla said uncertainly, looking to the boys in the group. "But I don't know if it's fair."
"Go on," Crope urged among similar encouragement.
"Well, since she can't lie, she must follow her instincts, do what she wants to, so no society censoring, just be... Glinda," Milla finished, avoiding her friends' eyes.
"Truthful in action and in voice apparently," Avaric summarized. "So who will have the last demand? If no one else has one I think I have a killer..." He glanced briefly to Elphaba in a way that made her cringe internally. Suddenly this seemed like a truly diabolical idea.
"Glinda, you must have a good night's sleep once this is all over," Elphaba said quickly. "The best you ever had, the sort you wake up from completely refreshed."
Avaric's mouth curled with distaste as he glared at Elphaba. Glinda, on the other hand, blinked at her and smiled, touched her cheek. "You're sweet," she whispered. Elphaba flinched and pulled away, supporting Glinda at arm's length.
"And so it begins," Crope muttered, glancing at the two roommates.
"I feel this is slightly unfair on Elphie though," Tibbett whispered, leaning against Crope's chest, "after all she has no excuse." Crope simply shrugged, his eyebrows raised.
"To the Thorny Rose then?" Avaric suggested, barely suppressing his excitement.
"They will need to go back to their dorm first though, to pick up some clothes for Tibbett," Crope pointed out.
"And I'll need some for Glinda," Tibbett added, eying the blond critically.
"This should be exciting," Glinda giggled, grabbing hold of Elphaba's hands and squeezing. Elphaba rolled her eyes at the gesture before making up her mind
"Right, Glinda and I will grab some clothes for Tibbs, Crope and Tibbett can go to theirs and the rest of you to the Rose - sound fair?"
It was quickly agreed, and the time for meeting up at the Rose set to within an hour and a half. Avaric and Boq headed there before the others, to haggle for a loan of their wares and maybe a few pointers on the acts. Avaric was insisting on going along, but there was no letting him wander around while under the spell or he might end up taking a contract with the Thorny Rose manager to be the late-late night act.
Milla disappeared before they even got to the dorm, muttering something about making her excuses to Professor Mitchon, though it was pretty obvious Glinda was beginning to be too much for her to take. She'd chattered half the way to the dorm about how Boq was really quite cute and Milla might as well admit she liked him. What, Glinda had asked, was the point of acting like the bitch queen from hell in some wrong-headed attempt to impress him when all Boq cared about was that you smelled good, looked like a dream and didn't actually go around torturing small furry animals? I mean, really? If Milla wanted to charm the Munchkin lad she'd do better spending time fluttering her fan and going 'La!'
Elphaba, on the other hand, was enjoying this new Glinda immensely, and more than once found herself regretting it was only temporary. As it was, though, she steered Glinda away quickly enough whenever someone tried to engage them in a conversation. Otherwise it all would undoubtedly come and bite her in her shapely behind later.
-
When they reached their dorm room Glinda went immediately for the wardrobe. "I think that Tibbett has the loveliest rump, don't you, Elphie? Maybe something tight?" she called happily over her shoulder as she rifled through clothing. She quickly discarded the first few items she came across, throwing them onto the bed as she continued her search. After a moment she pulled out a dark purple dress, a slender thing, less ruffles than usual and a rather racy slit up the leg.
"I don't really think that would be very Tibbett. Maybe something with more... fussiness?" Elphaba tried, appraising the creation.
"Oh I wasn't thinking for him, no, I think you would look simply gorgeous in this - come on, try it on!" Glinda demanded eagerly, throwing the dress in Elphaba's general direction. The green girl caught it easily but looked to Glinda in disbelief, already beginning to regret her earlier happiness at her friend's condition.
"No," she said firmly, laying the dress on top of the other discards.
"But you must! I simply insist, I want to see that lovely frame of yours in something other than those drab and dreary sacks you insist on wearing," Glinda called from within the wardrobe.
Elphaba sighed but would not relent. Charmed or not, Glinda would not be getting her into that dress. The blonde stopped suddenly, looking up from where she had been rummaging.
"Can I see your book, Elphie?" she asked, a new thought forming. She turned to where the other girl was sitting and moved over to her.
"My what?" Elphaba asked, momentarily stunned, Glinda couldn't mean that book. Could she?
"Your book, the one that you were all looking at. I never saw what it was that you all found so interesting." Glinda shrugged, reaching across Elphaba to her bag.
"I don't think you want to see that..." Elphaba said, snatching her bag back from Glinda.
"Why not? You let everyone else and I want to see it." Glinda was now half-lying across Elphaba, trying to reach the bag out of her grasp.
"You won't like it," Elphaba told her, holding the bag out of Glinda's reach and taking out the book. Promptly a fight began, with the two of them both trying to grab the object. Elphaba tried to ignore the conflicting feelings the warm weight of the other girl inspired as she pushed her down.
"Give. Me. The. Book!" Glinda yelled, pushing Elphaba back and onto her bed.
"No," Elphaba replied, holding it just out of her reach.
"Give it to me!" Glinda called again, this time straddling her friend and giving Elphaba a rather in-depth view of her chest.
"Make me!" Elphaba yelled, Glinda's ample bosom muffling the sound.
"Yes!" Glinda crowed triumphantly, grabbing the book from Elphaba's hands and promptly losing her balance, landing on top of her roommate.
"Erm, is this a bad time?" asked a very amused voice from the open door.
The girls looked up from their tangle. Milla was back, and hadn't bothered to knock. She was clothed in a collection of shawls and a dress she rarely wore, with a large veiled hat to finish the ensemble - the camouflage she'd been referring to before.
“Milla!” Glinda greeted her cheerfully, brandishing the book. “I have won it after a mighty struggle. We're not in a hurry yet, are we?”
Climbing up from under Glinda, Elphaba shrugged. “She can't lie, remember?” she pointed out to Milla.
“Oh!” said Glinda, looking from Milla's disappointed face to Elphaba and back again. “You thought we were making out!” She giggled. “Oh no, nothing of that sort. Not our Elphie. She wouldn't even wear the dress I picked out for her. I wish you'd done the H charm on her, what fun we might have!”
“It's a good thing no-one's yet caught me at a hypocrisy,” Elphaba muttered.
“I bet I could if I thought hard enough,” Glinda said, opening the book. She immediately made a face. “Ew.” She turned the book around. “Is that what it looks like? Elphie, is that what it looks like?” She held the book out to Elphaba.
“Shouldn't you be picking out a dress? We only have another half hour before we have to be at the Thorny Rose. This was meant to be a quick pick-up only.”
“Oh, just take the pink one,” Glinda said, perusing the tome further. “It's an old one and we can probably loosen the laces enough to make it fit him.”
“Which pink one?” Milla and Elphaba asked in unison.
Glinda looked over at her wardrobe and giggled. “Goodness! I think I might have to expand my selection. The one with the puffy sleeves and the purple ribbons, in the middle.”
Elphaba sighed. “Which one with the puffy sleeves and the...”
“With the butterfly stiching in the front! Honestly now!”
"Alright, alright," Elphaba muttered, locating the dress and shoving it over her arm.
"Not like that silly, you'll crease it," Glinda called from her position on the bed. She looked down to the book again and after a moment tilted it onto it's side, screwing up her face. "Wouldn't this be awfully painful?"
Elphaba looked to the image she was referring to and suppressed a snigger. Who knew Miss Glinda had tastes in that direction?
"Ladies, when you're done satisfying your libidos, we do need to get going," Milla pointed out, taking the dress from Elphaba and folding it hurriedly. Elphaba nodded and went to take the book out of Glinda's hands.
"I was reading that," Glinda said indignantly as the book was pulled out of her grasp.
"You can read it later," Elphaba told her, debating for a moment before slinging the book into her bag. "Come on."
"You promise?" Glinda asked seriously. It was all Elphaba could do to stop from laughing at the expression on Glinda's perfect little face.
"Fine, I promise, now come on!"
"My libido is not satisfied, anyway," Glinda said loudly as they filed into the hallway. "I mean, I guess it can't be until I marry, unless I'm really careful, or that's what Ama always said anyway. It hardly matters because--"
"Hush, now," Elphaba said.
-
The Thorny Rose was as described - pink and lacy as anything, and if you knew what to look for, the foyer design was definitely suggestive. Glinda giggled. "Girls, don't you thnk that foyer design looks exactly like--?"
"HUSH," chorused Elphaba and Milla for the hundredth time.
"No fair," said Glinda with a little pout. "That was the hundredth time you've hushed me today. I counted. That's a lot of hushing. And you know I can't exactly hush, not today."
"Well, you only have to hush until we are safely out in the grounds, can you manage that?" Elphaba asked, looking around for the boys.
"No," Glinda replied honestly. "This is all Avaric's fault really, I have to say what I mean and all that."
"How about not saying anything for a while?" Milla suggested, looking distinctly out of place among the swirls of fabric and the plush seats.
"Well I can try," Glinda told her with a shrug, "but that would be boring for me."
"Do you exist to contradict us, Glinda?" Elphaba muttered, remembering too late that the term 'rhetorical' no longer applied in Glinda's case.
"Not that I know of. I think I exist because my mother and father..." Thankfully she was cut off by the sound of the door opening as Crope and Tibbett entered the club.
"Ooo pretty!" Tibbett said gleefully as he looked around.
"Ooh, what did you get for me?" Glinda asked, bouncing a little. "Is it scandalous? I got you an old dress I don't like that much anymore, but I don't think you'd object as the others wouldn't even fit you, most like."
Crope brandished a box. "It's all in here." He pulled it away quickly when Glinda reached for it. "Say please!"
"What rot," Glinda scoffed. "You'll have to give it to me because I have to have it, there's no point in saying please. But, all right - please?" Crope handed it over reluctantly. "Thank you."
"There you are!" Boq hurried over from the other side of the room. It was beginning to turn to evening but the crowd was still mostly non-existant and the stage empty. The room was built in the impractical shade of a heart, with the stage undulating through it in a most novel fashion. A couple of tables were taken, but one thing was for sure - Glinda, Milla and Elphaba were the most dressed ladies around.
"Avaric is backstage ruining his reputation," he said with a chuckle.
"You mean he's petting puppies and giving alms to the poor?" Elphaba snorted. "Chasing burlesque dancers around would be nothing new."
"Good point," Boq admitted, not even bothering to defend his friend. "Although normally he is fully clothed..."
Both Tibbett and Crope perked up a bit, standing up from their seats. "We'll go find him," Crope volunteered. "Come on, Tibbs." They left hurriedly, moving towards the general direction of backstage. A waitress, the phrase used in the loosest of terms, approached the table, but one look at the expression on Elphaba's face and she moved away again.
"I have absolutely no desire to see Avaric naked," Glinda informed them from her perch on the edge of the table, her fingers twirling through her hair absent-mindedly.
"That's good to know," Elphaba said to her, watching her warily.
"So who do you want to see naked Glinda?" Milla asked cruelly, eyes fixed on Glinda.
"Ooh, lots of people," Glinda said, but Elphie shushed her - only to receive another petulant look from the little socialite.
"Remember what I said about asking uncomfortable questions?" Elphaba asked Milla icily.
"That whoever asked them would have to deal with you," Milla said composedly. "You were saying, Glinda dear?"
"Pfannee told me once she has a tattoo, but wouldn't show it to me. I'd love to see that. Tibbett's bottom, too. What is it about men's bottoms? Would they look as nice out of trousers? I just don't know. And I'm just dying to see what Elphie looks like. She has those angular shoulders, but will she be all stick-like underneath or--"
"I'm going to go get you a drink," Elphaba said, getting up. If Milla didn't know better, she'd think the girl was embarrassed.
"Ooh, no, bring be a big gigantic dish of ice cream, if they have it," Glinda requested good-humouredly. "With whipped cream and chocolate sauce and a whole banana."
Milla smirked triumphantly. "But what about watching our figures?" she teased, still bitter about Glinda's earlier comment.
"Oh figures, schmigers, I really don't give a hoot about all that right now. But I am hungry," Glinda said, arms clutching around her slender waist. Elphaba paused, debating what to get, but what the hell? Glinda was only going to be like this once after all. She left and walked up to the bar.
Taking advantage of Elphaba's absence Milla turned to her friend. "What do you think of Avaric then?"
Glinda sighed, biting the edge of her nail. "Frankly I find him a bit of a bore, humorous at times, but he is just trying to compensate for something. Oh and it's clear he is interested in Boq," Glinda said lightly. Milla blanched.
"Really? Boq you say?" she asked, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible.
"Well, you didn't think that you were alone in liking him did you?"
Milla sat up indignantly. "I certainly don't 'like' him! Whatever gave you that idea?"
"The hungry looks you give him, silly! It's like he's a triple chocolate banana split and you're on a diet." She beamed and patted Milla's hand. "I sort of understand; he is cute." She laughed. "Say, Tibbett was right, this Do or Say thing is not so bad - I like this honesty business!"
"Then you should try it more often," Elphaba told her, placing a fudge Sunday in front of Glinda. "Don't ask me why they have them here, I'm just as confused as you are."
Glinda made an appreciative noise as the calorific mess was presented to her. She picked up a spoon and began to eat, happily ignoring her normally strict eating plan. Without a word Elphaba picked up a second spoon and dived in too, her roommate equally as silent as she ate.
"Aww, aren't you two cute," Milla cooed, ignoring Elphaba's dirty look.
Suddenly a voice boomed through the room, either magically magnified or naturally booming. "And now, presenting to you early evening roamers, you impatient night owls, The Thorny Rose's newest act - one night only, you lucky fellows and ladies - Miss Avaricia!"
"Oh, no."
Milla's jaw dropped, and then she laughed. "No!"
Glinda clapped. "That'll teach him!"
"They must have got him roaring drunk..."
Elphaba considered this for a second. "Could be the spell," she commented, thinking back to how Glinda's eyes had looked when she had first been charmed, how they still smoldered with some of that strange golden light. "He probably can't stop himself the fool."
Glinda clasped her hands together as the lights dimmed, a single figure standing onstage. He was back lit, causing only a silhouette to be visible. Milla had to grasp a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing, even Elphaba looked ready to crack
It was Avaric all right - striking a pose like one of the barely dressed ladies in the paintings around the wall of the club, his mane of hair loose around his head, a giant pink feather fan in each hand. The spotlight hit him and the slight crowd roared in laughter.
Avaric was a big, sporty fellow, and long hair or not could hardly be mistaken for anything else. He had a lazy, devil-may-care smile on his painted lips, and as the pianist began a sprightly tune he flipped his curled hair back and raised a handsome baritone to tell them all about the wicked ways of dukes and how a girl hardly stood a chance these days.
The three girls sat and stared. Their expressions ranged from horror, amusement to disbelief as Avaric continued his bizarre show. Glinda practically howled with laughter as the first item (a delicate shawl) was thrown to the ground.
As the routine continued Avaric made his way over to the group, grinding his hips as he went and discarding his shirt. Topless his stroked a feather across Glinda's cheek but when he moved to Elphaba she simply batted him away with a cry of "Lay off."
Milla, on the other hand rewarded him with a scoop of Glinda's ice cream. There was something in the way he licked it off the end of the long spoon that made Glinda blush up to her golden hairline and Elphaba wince and turn away. As she did she noticed Tibbett and Crope further off by the stage, whooping, Crope standing on a chair to applaud.
"Where's Boq?" she asked as Avaric shimmied back onto the stage.
Glinda shrugged, still battling with her gradually increasing desire. Milla frowned and began looking around for the Munchkin, her eyes scanning the tables eagerly. Eventually she spotted him, he stood just off the stage to the left, leaning against the platform and looking up with a mix of awe and horror.
It wasn't soon before Avaric spotted him too. He walked over, still swaying his hips in that ridiculous fashion. He bent down, stroking the fan under Boq's chin before placing a light kiss on his nose. That snapped the shorter man out of his daze, he wiped at his face hurriedly, already his cheeks had reddened to a shade which made Glinda look pale.
Milla turned away, a sour expression on her face but Glinda was just giggling uncontrollable at the little show. Elphaba rolled her eyes, finishing her mouthful of ice cream in a single gulp.
Back on the stage, the fans strategically placed to preserve what remained of his modesty, Avaric concluded that if it was a world of wolves, a girl should run with them, and dropped his silk trousers. Elphaba hid her face, but Glinda and Milla could not tear their eyes away. At least Glinda had an excuse.
As the music frittered to its end, Avaric took a bow and flourished both fans.
“Oh my goodness,” Glinda managed, “that IS what it looks like!”
To roaring applause and a number of wolf-whistles, Miss Avaricia strutted back off-stage, blowing a final kiss to the audience.
Elphaba got up discreetly and walked over to the boys by the stage. “Happy now?” she asked, looking from Crope to Tibbett.
“Delirious,” Crope said, his grin almost splitting his face.
“Ecstatic,” Tibbett agreed.
“You better go see to him,” she told Boq, “or he might do an encore.”
Boq nodded. “Or worse…” He hesitated. “Would you mind coming with me, though, Elphie? I don’t know what state he’ll be in. Er.”
“Sorry - I have to take care of Glinda. In her state…”
“What if I take care of Glinda and you look to Avaric?” Boq said enthusiastically. “He’s not going to hit on you.”
“We’ll look to dear old Avvie,” Tibbett offered. “You can both go back to courting Miss Glinda.”
“Yeah,” Crope said. “We’ll keep him safe from the wolves.”
Elphaba and Boq’s expressions made it clear they were both imagining the two Queens boys with ears and tails of their own. They grinned to one another before darting backstage, predatory smiles plastered across their faces. Elphaba shook her head and Boq shuddered.
"Do you think they will give him a full time spot?" Boq muttered under his breath. Elphaba caught the words and smirked. Avaric's father would probably have a small kind of fit to see his more-or-less respectable son doing... that.
They returned to the table where Glinda and Milla still sat, both looking rather shell-shocked. Milla moved first, rushing over to Boq
"You poor thing," she crooned as she moved over. "I can't believe he would do that to you." Boq nodded politely as he tried to side-step Milla and move over to Glinda. Milla would have none of it though and continued to fuss. Thankfully this left Elphaba free to tap Glinda on the shoulder.
"You alright there, girl?" she asked, looking down at Glinda with what could almost be perceived as worry.
"Oh Elphie that was, that was..." But she couldn't speak, she simply looked up at her friend with eyes so full of desire that Elphaba almost backed away.
"Hold that thought," Elphaba said quickly. "Hush. Whatever you want to say or do, don't! You still have to change your clothes and then we can get you to bed for a good night's sleep, all right?"
"We can get to that," Glinda murmured and looped her arms around Elphaba's neck. "I want to play, now. I feel so funny, Elphie. I think we should all go somewhere and do Thorny Rose acts. I want to kiss people. I want kisses, Elphie."
"DOWN," Elphaba commanded, extracting Glinda's arms with enough force to make the girl yelp. "You have an outfit to wear. Remember? It's the first imperative, and sleep the next. You have to do those two things. Come, Glinda-girl, let's find Tibbett."
"Fine," Glinda muttered, her face downcast. As Elphaba turned she grabbed a hold of one green hand, forcing Elphaba to drag her towards backstage. Milla and Boq followed hurriedly, a victorious smirk across Milla's face.
Backstage Avaric had managed to regain a pair of trousers but not much else, Crope's innocent expression was enough to tell Elphaba that Avaric would probably remain shirtless for quite a while. Avaric turned to them smugly, his hand resting on his hip.
"What did you think of the show?" he asked, tossing a few strands of hair out of his eyes.
"It was certainly unique," Elphaba replied, poker faced.
"It was exhilarating! I've never seen anything like it," Glinda told him happily, squeezing Elphaba's hand tighter.
"I don't think any of us has," said Boq grimly.
Two women emerged from behind a screen, already bedecked in glittering outfits for their performance. "Thanks for warming them up for us," said one of them, a petite brunette in stiletto heels.
"I'll say," said the other one, an older and noticeably larger lady in a cage-like corset, and laughed as she stopped to adjust her earrings by the mirror. "It's a good thing the M.G.T. wants to keep this show for the straight crowd, or we'd have to fight for our jobs."
"Time's up, girls!" came a voice from the door, and a clap of hands sent the women out the door in a colourful little storm of feathers and sequins. The 'M.G.T.' turned out to be a moustached Munchkin man who appeared taller than usual before you noticed his high heels, wearing a bottle-green suit and a tophat. He held his thumb up to Avaric and winked before disappearing from the doorway towards the stage.
"Anytime!" Avaric called after them, still slightly dazed.
"They may take you up on that offer, Avvie darling," Tibbett told him as he watched the girls off the stage. "I don't suppose they would want us as a double act? Only I'd kill to have a pair of those heels..."
"Speaking of which," Elphaba cut in, "can we please get the cross-dressing over with so that this can all be over?"
"So soon to finish it all, Elphie?" Crope asked. "Glinda and yourself seem to be having rather a lot of fun." One look from Elphaba and Crope quickly turned to leave.
"Let's go, loves, come on Avaric, I'm sure we can find something to cover up those abs of yours," Crope called as he marched himself and Tibbett over to the exit. Elphaba followed with a sigh, pulling Glinda along with her.
Avaric pulled on a big-sleeved shirt and staggered after them. He stopped, took off the high-heeled shoes, changed back to his boots, and followed the others back into the hall.
Glinda thought how marvellous he looked, with the traces of lipstick still making his lips pink, and that ruffled poet-look making him look like the very picture of a wicked young duke about to ravish young female hearts. It was cheesy as all heck, but in her current state Glinda had to admit that, on some entirely non-sensible level it worked. If only his personality wasn't such a turn-off!
-
They left the rose swiftly, taking a sharp right as they turned up the path from town and back towards the university. The place in question was about a quarter hour walk away, up a small hill. The group walked quickly, a low murmur was content throughout, most of it directed towards Avaric, however the only thing Glinda could focus on was the fact that she still hadn't let go of Elphaba's thin hand.
They arrived in good time, there was still a few hours of sunlight left and it would be easy enough for Glinda to complete her final tasks. It was a beautiful place, the river passed through the clearing someone towards the right. It was too late for most of the wild flowers and the sun had yellowed the grass beneath their feet.
"Well, let's get this over with," Elphaba sighed, turning to the rest of the group.
She took the box of clothes from Tibbett and handed over Glinda's dress. "Milla, help Glinda in the bushes over there. Tibbett and Crope, I'm sure you'll manage."
"Won't you rather help me, Elphie?" asked Glinda, running her hand up Elphaba's arm. She'd much rather it was Elphie. Why hadn't they dressed and undressed each other before? Oh, but how pretty Elphie's skin was in this light!
"I'll stand guard and make sure there's no peeking," said Elphaba.
There was a rather collective 'aww.' When Avaric noticed Glinda had joined in it, he let out a barking laugh. "Go on then. You don't have to worry about me - none of you haven't got anything I haven't seen before!"
"And nor shall you," Elphaba told him firmly, walking off after the two girls. She stood, arms folded as she waited for Glinda to get changed.
Glinda looked over the contents of the bag critically. Tibbett didn't have half bad taste. This was all rather exciting - after all, when else would she be allowed to wear men's clothes? There was a pair of black slacks, easy enough, high topped boots, bracers, a white rather frilly shirt and... Glinda's eyes widened when she saw what was on top of the pile. The waistcoat and tie were matching shades of emerald green, not quite as nice as Elphie's skin, Glinda decided, but close. A black Three Queen's blazer and Emerald gloves completed the outfit. He'd even included a hat.
She pulled it on hastily, quickly shedding her gown and folding it back into the bag.
"Hey, look, they match Elphie!" she told Milla as she struggled out of her stays, unable as she was not to state the obvious. "I really think they mean to make us a couple, or just tease us about that rumour. What was the rumour anyway, exactly? Do you know what started it?"
"I'm not sure about how it started," Milla said, amused, and helped Glinda unlace. "I know I heard it from Avaric first. I guess someone just wanted to put you on the defensive. I kind of see where they were coming from."
Glinda turned the trousers around a couple of times before deciding which side was the front. "You can be such a bitch, you know that, Milla? But I guess that's fair enough - so can I."
"I meant I can see where they got the idea," Milla said, not the least bit embarrassed. "You're always so embarrassed by her, like she's a sore spot, it makes you wonder. Besides, look at the way she's acting now - like a guard dog!"
"Oh she's just very overprotective of people she cares about, I mean, with a sister like Nessa, who wouldn't be?" Glinda mused, having eventually decided how the trousers were supposed to go. She pulled her legs through gracefully. They were a little too long and the waist was too large but they were not all that bad. She examined her behind in them before moving to the shirt.
"I suppose that's true," Milla admitted, holding out the next item of clothing, "but it must be nice to have someone who cares about you that much, no matter what you say."
"Oh, I don't mind her being around, but she would ruin my chances at a suitable match, you know that. And that would mean that everything I wanted..." She paused for a moment, visions of her dream future running through her head. "Everything that I think I want," she corrected, "would be impossible. But she is nice to have around, so smart too."
"Too smart for her own good," Milla commented helping Glinda to slip into the waistcoat. Glinda reached around, pulling her hair out from under the shirt. She paused again.
"Why this shirt is so large! Who would have thought Tibbett to have such a large chest, he looks so slender for a man," she pulled the shirt tighter, exposing her waist. She let it go "I suppose I must look like a man in this..." She pulled the bracers up and over the shirt.
"Not remotely," Milla said, giving her an appraising look. "Or, at the best, you look like one of those angel-pretty boys who write poetry and cry a lot."
"Really?" Glinda said, taking the hat that came with the outfit and tucking her hair under it. "How about now?"
"Like the romantic lead in a pantomime," Milla said. "Forget it! You'll never look like anything but a girl wearing boys' clothes. As such, though, you might still have to fight off Avaric when he sees you, whatever he says about what he's seen before. That is to say," she added with a shrug, "even though I've seen a handsome fellow lick ice cream off a spoon, it doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see it again!"
"You think Avaric would like me like this?" Glinda smiled and wished she had a mirror. "Especially tonight he might not have too much of a fight on his hands..."
"You liked his little dance, hmm?"
"It was hilarious, horrifying and it made me want to do naughty things," Glinda confessed, a wicked little smile rising to her face. All those 'hot' and 'bothered' feelings had hardly gone away or been successfully suppressed; they were still there, frustrated and eager for release. "I don't know what reputation I have left tomorrow, but tonightI think I will go to bed with someone."
"Not if your guard dog has anything to say about it!" Elphaba barked. She'd breached the bushes to stride over to them. "Come on, you gossips, Tibbett needs help with his stays."
The two girls giggled as they moved out of their protective overhang. "And who might this young lad be?" Avaric swooped in, placing a friendly whack on Glinda's shoulders with enough force to push her forward a few steps.
Elphaba tensed but Glinda laughed and placed her hand on her hip in a most masculine fashion. Lowering her voice to as deep as it would get she replied. "Why, I'm Master Arduenna, new to Three Queens," she replied, trying to keep a straight face as a curl of hair fell from her hat and brushed in front of her eyes. Before Avaric could reply they were interrupted by a bout of yelling from a nearby bush.
"You're doing it all wrong, Crope! The laces go cross-ways, then pull down."
"And how would you know?"
"I do have four older sisters, you know."
"Explains a lot," Elphaba muttered under her breath causing Glinda to try to fend off another bout of hysterics.
"Milla?" Elphaba asked. "Help him out?"
"Who am I, the local seamstress? You'll have me mend ripped hems next!"
"All right," said Elphaba, "I'll do it."
"No, me!" said Glinda. "I have the best knowledge of that dress, after all, and maybe I'll get to goose him while we're at it."
"...I better tag along," muttered Elphie and followed the bouncing Glinda to where Tibbett was trying not to breathe while Crope tugged on the laces of Glinda's rather badly suffering stays.
"Out the way," Glinda called before pushing Crope out of the way and moving to Tibbett's back. She shook her head "What have you been doing here?" she asked incredulously while deft hands unlaced and re-laced the stay.
"You know, Glinda, if you stay in that outfit I may have to ravish you," Crope said evenly, openly staring at Glinda's behind. He received a sharp elbow in the rips for his pains. Elphaba smirked as he doubled over, that one would be leaving a bruise.
"See now that wasn't that difficult was it?" Glinda said to a gasping Tibbett. She ran her fingers unashamedly down the man's sides, the newly formed curves feeling strange under her hands. Before she could get any further Elphaba coughed and she turned back.
"Mind the hands, Glinda," Elphaba said sharply.
"It's okay, Glinda," said Tibbett, smiling indulgently, though his voice was somewhat halting, as he hadn't quite mastered the short breath breathing technique. "Don't mind the hands for my sake."
"And now we hit the town, yes?" said Avaric with a somewhat lecherous smile. "I'm looking forward to introducing Master Arduenna to my friends. Boq?"
"Plrshrp," said Boq, his eyes wide as saucers and a beautific smile on his face.
"Oh dear," said Crope with a sigh.
"I think you hypnotised him with your behind, Master Glin," Tibbett said, demurely fluttering a fan that Glinda could've sworn they hadn't brought with the dress.
"You think so?" Glinda asked, turned her back to Boq and did an experimental wiggle.
Boq nearly fainted, steadied only by Avaric's strong hands on his back.
"Glinda, that was cruel," Milla said, she glared at her friend before running to Boq's side and practically prizing him out of Avaric's grasp. Elphaba was laughing silently, her shoulders shaking at the spectacle.
"I don't know what's so funny to you, Elphie, you were staring to," Glinda countered, rounding on the green girl and silencing her.
"Only because I'd never thought I'd see you like this." Elphaba shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. Glinda raised an eyebrow, as disbelieving as the rest of the group was at Elphaba's excuse.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"So the fact that I clearly look spectacular in male clothing has nothing to do with you staring?"
"No."
Glinda snorted before grabbing hold of Elphaba again, Elphaba groaned as she tried to pries the girl off of her. Glinda simply removed her hat, allowing golden curls to spill out across her back. Despite protests she shoved it firmly on the other girl's head and stepped back critically.
"You know, I rather think you would make a better man than I," Glinda said slowly, taking in the slim figure. "Why couldn't you be the hypocritical one?" she whined.
"Because I see no point in lying to save face, I suppose," said Elphaba, taking the hat off and putting it back on Glinda's head. "Now take it off, put your own clothes back and let's go back to the dorm. I think it's time for your good night's sleep."
"You are determined to ruin everyone's fun, aren't you?" Avaric complained. "Come, Master Glin, let's go on a round of the most disreputable bars in the city. Now that you're a boy we better make a man out of you, eh?"
"That was not part of the bargain," Elphaba said through gritted teeth, "you've had your fun, now let her get changed."
"So quick to see her out of clothing Elphie?" Avaric teased, smirking to Crope.
"Ooh, are you two going to fight over her?"
"No," said Elphaba, staring at Avaric, "he's going to back off."
Avaric sneered, a wicked idea formed in his mind.
"What do you want to do, Glin?" he asked, a deceivingly casual tone to his voice. Elphaba shot him a glare, before running a hand through her hair and dislodging some of the glossy strands out off the tight braid.
"You want to go back to the dorm room and sleep, right Glinda?" she muttered, standing close to the blond. Glinda considered this, toying with the sleeve of the blazer.
"I don't know... will you be there to?" she asked in a manner that was far from innocent.
"Master Arduenna has a taste for celery, I see," said Avaric and threw his head back to laugh.
"Hilarious," said Elphaba coldly.
"I think I would like to go dancing," Tibbett said, twirling around in his pretty dress. "You are to call be Miss Tibette, and I promise two dances to Master Arduenna - but no waltzes, or people will talk." He fanned himself and fluttered his eyelashes demurely.
"No," barked Elphaba. "This has gone on long enough. Or have you all gone mad? I'm not entirely insensible of marital considerations, and though I don't give a fig and Avaric could marry well if he spent his days hanging naked and upside down on trees..."
"Known to happen," Boq muttered.
"...Nanny tells me it's different for ladies."
"Hence my caution regarding waltzes," said the unrepentant 'Tibette'.
"Elphie, I really don't care about all that marriage stuff. Oh, my parents would be horrified but can't I have a little fun?" Glinda whined lightheartedly. Milla shook her head in disapproval but the others simply laughed.
"Glinda, may I have a word? Now?" Elphaba asked, dragging her aside from the rest of the group. For now she didn't care what their whispered suspicions would be. "Listen, marriage is the only thing you ever talk about, you silly blond fool," she hissed after finally judging them to be out of range. "If you go off with them you might as well throw your chances out the window!"
"Well I do want a nice life," Glinda said thoughtfully, "but it all seems like so much hassle. Besides a lot of the men my parents introduce me to are boring old farts with about as much sense as solid rock. I don't want that and today, for once, I don't have to want it."
Elphaba looked to her friend, noting the strange golden light that still rimmed the edges of her eyes. Glinda looked back, unashamed, for once allowing no pretense to cloud her vision. She reached up a pale hand, cupping Elphaba's cheek. "For once I can do whatever I want, what ever I feel like," she whispered. Elphaba stood, transfixed, unable to move, unable almost to breath.
Glinda kissed her.
Elphaba struggled. They might be out of hearing but not out of sight. "You idiot!" she hissed. "You've just put your future in their hands!"
"It's okay," Glinda said, "I have some of their secrets too." She kissed Elphaba again and had to be pried off.
"I am shocked," pouted Tibette. "Thwarted for a green girl! And not even the sort that has wings and is featured on a bottle!"
Crope was smirking and he held out his hand to Boq. "I believe you owe me £10, Master Boq," he said smugly, sending a glance to Avaric.
"She's under the influence of a potent magical charm, it doesn't count!" Boq shot back, his eyes still fixed on Glinda.
"A charm that makes her do what ever she truly wants to do," Crope told him. "Besides you were not specific enough. Now hand it over."
Grumbling something obscene Boq handed over a handful of coins.
Tibette gasped."Surely you know such terrible words should not reach such delicate ears as mine, Master Boq?" he asked, placing the fan to his forehead and pretending to swoon.
Milla looked on and rolled her eyes. "You are an insult to my gender," she said to Tibette as Crope caught him.
Glinda drew back, her expression so upsetting that even Elphaba couldn't help but feel sorry. "You don't want me?" she whispered, biting her lip as tears began to form in her eyes. Elphaba looked around, imploring something to help her. She was not good in this kind of situation, dam it!
"You don't want me," Elphaba countered, revealing as little as possible, "if you were in your right frame of mind..."
"Anyway, this is hardly the time or place to discuss it." Holding Glinda firmly by the shoulders she leaned in briefly to whisper, "If you still feel that way after a good night's sleep... We'll talk."
Glinda shivered at the feel of her breath against her ear. When Elphaba withdrew, Glinda could've sworn that if it had been possible, the green girl would have been blushing.
Her mouth twitched and a smile curled across her face, she launched herself against Elphaba again and held her tightly. Elphaba stiffened however allowed the moment of contact.
"Thank you," Glinda whispered back, placing a kiss under Elphaba's ear. She pulled back for a final time. "So the sooner I sleep the sooner we talk?" She asked brightly. Elphaba nodded curtly in response.
"All right then," Glinda said brightly and turned to wave to the others. "I'm going to do what Elphie says, okay? Tibby, you can keep the dress if you like." She skipped to the bushes, docile as anything, beginning to shed her clothing before she even reached the cover. It took both Elphaba and Milla, who apparently had decided to stand by her friend after all (whether for her sake or Boq's was anyone's guess) to see her decently back into her clothes.
When she was ready, almost bouncing on her heels to get back home, Avaric approached Elphaba. "What did you tell her to make her go home and ruin all our fun? Did you promise her pleasures of the flesh?" His grin was lazy and suggestive.
"That was some powerful magic you played back there," said Elphaba instead of replying. "I wouldn't want it getting into the wrong hands."
"It has safeguards around it," Avaric defended. "You heard..."
"I heard nothing about commanding a person to kill another person. I think the responsible thing to do would be to tell the Three Queens headmaster about it."
"You really do love to poop on other people's parties, don't you." His lip curled in distaste.
"I wonder how old this tradition is," Elphaba continued, matching Avaric's disdain, "who the first boy was, and what happened to him."
Avaric just glared in reply.
"Come on Glinda," she called, her stare not leaving Avaric's face, "lets leave these buffoons and get back." Avaric snorted at Elphaba's words, before turning to the other men.
"Come on lads," he said jovially, placing a friendly slap and Tibette's behind. " I want to see if we can convince Primse that Tibbs really is a girl." Crope gave him a cold glare and slipped an arm possessively around Tibette's shoulders.
Milla had no intention of besmirching her own reputation any more and so grudgingly agreed to follow Elphaba and Glinda back to Crage Hall. After some warmer goodbyes than those between Avaric and Elphaba, the girls followed the meandering pathways back to school. It was getting late; the stars would come out soon, and the air was fragrant with apple blossoms.
"What a perfectly lovely night that was!" Milla sighed, and laughed at the memory.
"Certainly one I doubt we we will forget in a hurry," Elphaba muttered, walking quickly in front.
"I think it was simply marvelous," Glinda sighed dreamily. A gush of wind pushed past the three girls, flicking their hair in all directions and bringing with it the fresh and fruity scent. Glinda sniffed eagerly, her eyes wild and alive with the magic that still engulfed her. "I shan't forget today in a hurry," she said, a blissful smile on her face. "Life has never felt easier, I just couldn't be happier right now."
Milla didn't comment as they walked closer to the two girls' room. Elphaba noticed a strange look on Milla's face when they said their goodbyes at the door. Not teasing, this time, nor catty; nor sad either, quiet. Elphaba wondered what she was thinking. But when Milla saw Elphaba watching, she gave a shrug and a grin and waved her hand. "I'll leave you two to your lovemaking. Ta-ta!" She flounced just the tiniest bit as she sailed off down the corridor.
"Come then, Glinda-girl," Elphaba said. Glinda's eyelids were already drooping, and she leaned on Elphaba as they went in.
"You always keep your word, don't you, Elphie?" Glinda asked sleepily as she rolled into a ball on her bed, not even bothering to undress.
Elphie smiled, not a mean or ironic smile, but a warm one that looked foreign on her face. "Always."
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Gelphie with hints at others
World: Bookverse
Summary: A warm summer day at Shiz suddenly becomes a lot more interesting when the boys from Three Queens decide to high-jack Glinda's otherwise perfect afternoon.
Notes: This was written very tightly, with both of us only posting a few lines at a time in a round robin style. It began as a 'post five lines meme' and started out as a short fic, however it decided to take on a life of its own.
Disclaimer: We do not own Wicked or it's characters.
Golden light flared around Glinda, flowing up the ropes and onto her forehead, concentrating on the H shaped lipstick mark. Glinda wriggled, straining her arms against the bounds as the magic flowed down her body.
Elphaba ran forward but Avaric held out his arm, forcing her back. "Relax Elphaba, she's fine!" he told her, eyes not leaving Glinda.
"Elphie!" Glinda called, seeing her friend running towards her. "What's going on?" There was genuine fear in her voice as she struggled, the child-like language being all she could manage.
"Stop this right now Avaric, it's not funny anymore," Boq told him, prying the other man's strong arms off of Elphaba. By the time she was out of his grasp the golden light had faded and Glinda relaxed. None the less Elphaba closed the gap between them and swiftly untied the rope, letting the blond girl sag against her.
"It's too late now," Avaric said, frustrated. "Come on, where's your sense of fun? We were having it, remember?"
Boq glared at Avaric, but Milla clapped her hands happily. "Now what?" she asked.
"Now each of us says a thing she must do, and before 24 hours is over she must do it. If we don't come up with these things, she'll do the next five things anybody suggests to her, so really it's better if we do it!"
"It really is okay, Elphie," Tibbett said, looking a little embarrassed. "I've done it. It was kind of fun."
"I'll start," Boq barked. Elphaba gave him a surprised look. Glinda, who was still lolling against Elphaba, gave him a curious, semi-drunk look. Boq stepped forward. "Glinda, you must watch whiole Avaric gets naked and does a full Thorny Rose act."
"What, no that's not fair!" Avaric said, even as he felt the charm begin to work. "This is Glinda's punishment, not mine!" But the words had been said and it was too late to call them back now.
The rest of the party howled with laughter and there were appreciative cheers from Crope and Tibbett.
"Will she have to watch alone or can we all see?" Tibbett asked hungrily.
"She must watch it with us there, that is my condition," Boq added hastily as Avaric groaned.
Apart from the group Elphaba gingerly held Glinda upright as she snuggled against her. "Come on now girl, this isn't the way forward," she said quietly as Glinda clung tighter.
"Everything's so fuzzy, Elphie," Glinda said, but her eyes seemed to brighten as she looked at Avaric. It didn't look like her, though - it was more like a feverish brightness. Elphaba could just guess it was the magic.
"I need... feathers," Avaric said, his eyes getting glossy. "Big pink feather fans."
Milla was bent over with laughter. "Oh Glinda," she managed, "remind me to hang out with your queer friends more often! Oh, this is priceless!"
"To the Thorny Rose!" Tibbett hooted.
"No!" Elphaba barked. "We're not going anywhere before she's had her five commands. You don't want us to meet someone who tells her to shove one of you under a cart, do we? Commands first, and then the Thorny Rose, and ONLY to borrow their fans, all right? Then we take this somewhere else."
"But where?" asked Crope. "We can't go to Crage Hall and you can't go to Three Queens."
"Well, Avaric?" Elphaba asked the young nobleman. "Where do you prefer to be humiliated? This was your bright idea in the first place."
"We could go into the grounds..." Avaric said thoughtfully. "There is that bit up where the river runs through that would be perfect."
There was a general nod of agreement from the group as no better alternative could be put forward.
"So what about the other commands?" Milla asked, now that the place had been decided.
"Oh! I have one," Tibbett said gleefully, sending a wink to Crope, "Glinda and I must trade clothes, her dressing me and I her."
"Ooo," Crope said approvingly, "this sounds good."
Glinda's hands went automatically to her coat buttons, but Elphaba gently pulled her hands away. "Later," she told her gently. "Okay," she said aloud. "That's two. Crope? Make it clean, now."
Crope pursed his lips, raised his eyes, clearly thinking hard. "Make it something fun," Tibbett urged. "But... nice," he added with a sheepish grin to Elphaba.
"She must tell only the truth for the rest of the night," Crope decided at last. "She can't lie for the next twelve hours, or refrain from answering any question."
"Nice one!" Tibbett clapped his hands. "It's Truth AND Dare, now!"
"Okay, fair enough," said Elphaba, "especially since anybody who asks her awkward questions will have me to deal with, understand? Milla?"
"Ohh, I don't know, can you come back to me?" Milla pleaded as she wracked her brains for something interesting.
"Fine. Elphaba?" Avaric asked and all eyes turned questioningly to Elphaba.
"I refuse to take part in this horrific ceremony," Elphaba countered, rolling her eyes at the disappointed groan that emanated from the group. "What?" she scoffed. "If I really want Glinda to do something I'll just ask her normally. I don't need magic to help me with that."
"I think I have one..." Milla said uncertainly, looking to the boys in the group. "But I don't know if it's fair."
"Go on," Crope urged among similar encouragement.
"Well, since she can't lie, she must follow her instincts, do what she wants to, so no society censoring, just be... Glinda," Milla finished, avoiding her friends' eyes.
"Truthful in action and in voice apparently," Avaric summarized. "So who will have the last demand? If no one else has one I think I have a killer..." He glanced briefly to Elphaba in a way that made her cringe internally. Suddenly this seemed like a truly diabolical idea.
"Glinda, you must have a good night's sleep once this is all over," Elphaba said quickly. "The best you ever had, the sort you wake up from completely refreshed."
Avaric's mouth curled with distaste as he glared at Elphaba. Glinda, on the other hand, blinked at her and smiled, touched her cheek. "You're sweet," she whispered. Elphaba flinched and pulled away, supporting Glinda at arm's length.
"And so it begins," Crope muttered, glancing at the two roommates.
"I feel this is slightly unfair on Elphie though," Tibbett whispered, leaning against Crope's chest, "after all she has no excuse." Crope simply shrugged, his eyebrows raised.
"To the Thorny Rose then?" Avaric suggested, barely suppressing his excitement.
"They will need to go back to their dorm first though, to pick up some clothes for Tibbett," Crope pointed out.
"And I'll need some for Glinda," Tibbett added, eying the blond critically.
"This should be exciting," Glinda giggled, grabbing hold of Elphaba's hands and squeezing. Elphaba rolled her eyes at the gesture before making up her mind
"Right, Glinda and I will grab some clothes for Tibbs, Crope and Tibbett can go to theirs and the rest of you to the Rose - sound fair?"
It was quickly agreed, and the time for meeting up at the Rose set to within an hour and a half. Avaric and Boq headed there before the others, to haggle for a loan of their wares and maybe a few pointers on the acts. Avaric was insisting on going along, but there was no letting him wander around while under the spell or he might end up taking a contract with the Thorny Rose manager to be the late-late night act.
Milla disappeared before they even got to the dorm, muttering something about making her excuses to Professor Mitchon, though it was pretty obvious Glinda was beginning to be too much for her to take. She'd chattered half the way to the dorm about how Boq was really quite cute and Milla might as well admit she liked him. What, Glinda had asked, was the point of acting like the bitch queen from hell in some wrong-headed attempt to impress him when all Boq cared about was that you smelled good, looked like a dream and didn't actually go around torturing small furry animals? I mean, really? If Milla wanted to charm the Munchkin lad she'd do better spending time fluttering her fan and going 'La!'
Elphaba, on the other hand, was enjoying this new Glinda immensely, and more than once found herself regretting it was only temporary. As it was, though, she steered Glinda away quickly enough whenever someone tried to engage them in a conversation. Otherwise it all would undoubtedly come and bite her in her shapely behind later.
-
When they reached their dorm room Glinda went immediately for the wardrobe. "I think that Tibbett has the loveliest rump, don't you, Elphie? Maybe something tight?" she called happily over her shoulder as she rifled through clothing. She quickly discarded the first few items she came across, throwing them onto the bed as she continued her search. After a moment she pulled out a dark purple dress, a slender thing, less ruffles than usual and a rather racy slit up the leg.
"I don't really think that would be very Tibbett. Maybe something with more... fussiness?" Elphaba tried, appraising the creation.
"Oh I wasn't thinking for him, no, I think you would look simply gorgeous in this - come on, try it on!" Glinda demanded eagerly, throwing the dress in Elphaba's general direction. The green girl caught it easily but looked to Glinda in disbelief, already beginning to regret her earlier happiness at her friend's condition.
"No," she said firmly, laying the dress on top of the other discards.
"But you must! I simply insist, I want to see that lovely frame of yours in something other than those drab and dreary sacks you insist on wearing," Glinda called from within the wardrobe.
Elphaba sighed but would not relent. Charmed or not, Glinda would not be getting her into that dress. The blonde stopped suddenly, looking up from where she had been rummaging.
"Can I see your book, Elphie?" she asked, a new thought forming. She turned to where the other girl was sitting and moved over to her.
"My what?" Elphaba asked, momentarily stunned, Glinda couldn't mean that book. Could she?
"Your book, the one that you were all looking at. I never saw what it was that you all found so interesting." Glinda shrugged, reaching across Elphaba to her bag.
"I don't think you want to see that..." Elphaba said, snatching her bag back from Glinda.
"Why not? You let everyone else and I want to see it." Glinda was now half-lying across Elphaba, trying to reach the bag out of her grasp.
"You won't like it," Elphaba told her, holding the bag out of Glinda's reach and taking out the book. Promptly a fight began, with the two of them both trying to grab the object. Elphaba tried to ignore the conflicting feelings the warm weight of the other girl inspired as she pushed her down.
"Give. Me. The. Book!" Glinda yelled, pushing Elphaba back and onto her bed.
"No," Elphaba replied, holding it just out of her reach.
"Give it to me!" Glinda called again, this time straddling her friend and giving Elphaba a rather in-depth view of her chest.
"Make me!" Elphaba yelled, Glinda's ample bosom muffling the sound.
"Yes!" Glinda crowed triumphantly, grabbing the book from Elphaba's hands and promptly losing her balance, landing on top of her roommate.
"Erm, is this a bad time?" asked a very amused voice from the open door.
The girls looked up from their tangle. Milla was back, and hadn't bothered to knock. She was clothed in a collection of shawls and a dress she rarely wore, with a large veiled hat to finish the ensemble - the camouflage she'd been referring to before.
“Milla!” Glinda greeted her cheerfully, brandishing the book. “I have won it after a mighty struggle. We're not in a hurry yet, are we?”
Climbing up from under Glinda, Elphaba shrugged. “She can't lie, remember?” she pointed out to Milla.
“Oh!” said Glinda, looking from Milla's disappointed face to Elphaba and back again. “You thought we were making out!” She giggled. “Oh no, nothing of that sort. Not our Elphie. She wouldn't even wear the dress I picked out for her. I wish you'd done the H charm on her, what fun we might have!”
“It's a good thing no-one's yet caught me at a hypocrisy,” Elphaba muttered.
“I bet I could if I thought hard enough,” Glinda said, opening the book. She immediately made a face. “Ew.” She turned the book around. “Is that what it looks like? Elphie, is that what it looks like?” She held the book out to Elphaba.
“Shouldn't you be picking out a dress? We only have another half hour before we have to be at the Thorny Rose. This was meant to be a quick pick-up only.”
“Oh, just take the pink one,” Glinda said, perusing the tome further. “It's an old one and we can probably loosen the laces enough to make it fit him.”
“Which pink one?” Milla and Elphaba asked in unison.
Glinda looked over at her wardrobe and giggled. “Goodness! I think I might have to expand my selection. The one with the puffy sleeves and the purple ribbons, in the middle.”
Elphaba sighed. “Which one with the puffy sleeves and the...”
“With the butterfly stiching in the front! Honestly now!”
"Alright, alright," Elphaba muttered, locating the dress and shoving it over her arm.
"Not like that silly, you'll crease it," Glinda called from her position on the bed. She looked down to the book again and after a moment tilted it onto it's side, screwing up her face. "Wouldn't this be awfully painful?"
Elphaba looked to the image she was referring to and suppressed a snigger. Who knew Miss Glinda had tastes in that direction?
"Ladies, when you're done satisfying your libidos, we do need to get going," Milla pointed out, taking the dress from Elphaba and folding it hurriedly. Elphaba nodded and went to take the book out of Glinda's hands.
"I was reading that," Glinda said indignantly as the book was pulled out of her grasp.
"You can read it later," Elphaba told her, debating for a moment before slinging the book into her bag. "Come on."
"You promise?" Glinda asked seriously. It was all Elphaba could do to stop from laughing at the expression on Glinda's perfect little face.
"Fine, I promise, now come on!"
"My libido is not satisfied, anyway," Glinda said loudly as they filed into the hallway. "I mean, I guess it can't be until I marry, unless I'm really careful, or that's what Ama always said anyway. It hardly matters because--"
"Hush, now," Elphaba said.
-
The Thorny Rose was as described - pink and lacy as anything, and if you knew what to look for, the foyer design was definitely suggestive. Glinda giggled. "Girls, don't you thnk that foyer design looks exactly like--?"
"HUSH," chorused Elphaba and Milla for the hundredth time.
"No fair," said Glinda with a little pout. "That was the hundredth time you've hushed me today. I counted. That's a lot of hushing. And you know I can't exactly hush, not today."
"Well, you only have to hush until we are safely out in the grounds, can you manage that?" Elphaba asked, looking around for the boys.
"No," Glinda replied honestly. "This is all Avaric's fault really, I have to say what I mean and all that."
"How about not saying anything for a while?" Milla suggested, looking distinctly out of place among the swirls of fabric and the plush seats.
"Well I can try," Glinda told her with a shrug, "but that would be boring for me."
"Do you exist to contradict us, Glinda?" Elphaba muttered, remembering too late that the term 'rhetorical' no longer applied in Glinda's case.
"Not that I know of. I think I exist because my mother and father..." Thankfully she was cut off by the sound of the door opening as Crope and Tibbett entered the club.
"Ooo pretty!" Tibbett said gleefully as he looked around.
"Ooh, what did you get for me?" Glinda asked, bouncing a little. "Is it scandalous? I got you an old dress I don't like that much anymore, but I don't think you'd object as the others wouldn't even fit you, most like."
Crope brandished a box. "It's all in here." He pulled it away quickly when Glinda reached for it. "Say please!"
"What rot," Glinda scoffed. "You'll have to give it to me because I have to have it, there's no point in saying please. But, all right - please?" Crope handed it over reluctantly. "Thank you."
"There you are!" Boq hurried over from the other side of the room. It was beginning to turn to evening but the crowd was still mostly non-existant and the stage empty. The room was built in the impractical shade of a heart, with the stage undulating through it in a most novel fashion. A couple of tables were taken, but one thing was for sure - Glinda, Milla and Elphaba were the most dressed ladies around.
"Avaric is backstage ruining his reputation," he said with a chuckle.
"You mean he's petting puppies and giving alms to the poor?" Elphaba snorted. "Chasing burlesque dancers around would be nothing new."
"Good point," Boq admitted, not even bothering to defend his friend. "Although normally he is fully clothed..."
Both Tibbett and Crope perked up a bit, standing up from their seats. "We'll go find him," Crope volunteered. "Come on, Tibbs." They left hurriedly, moving towards the general direction of backstage. A waitress, the phrase used in the loosest of terms, approached the table, but one look at the expression on Elphaba's face and she moved away again.
"I have absolutely no desire to see Avaric naked," Glinda informed them from her perch on the edge of the table, her fingers twirling through her hair absent-mindedly.
"That's good to know," Elphaba said to her, watching her warily.
"So who do you want to see naked Glinda?" Milla asked cruelly, eyes fixed on Glinda.
"Ooh, lots of people," Glinda said, but Elphie shushed her - only to receive another petulant look from the little socialite.
"Remember what I said about asking uncomfortable questions?" Elphaba asked Milla icily.
"That whoever asked them would have to deal with you," Milla said composedly. "You were saying, Glinda dear?"
"Pfannee told me once she has a tattoo, but wouldn't show it to me. I'd love to see that. Tibbett's bottom, too. What is it about men's bottoms? Would they look as nice out of trousers? I just don't know. And I'm just dying to see what Elphie looks like. She has those angular shoulders, but will she be all stick-like underneath or--"
"I'm going to go get you a drink," Elphaba said, getting up. If Milla didn't know better, she'd think the girl was embarrassed.
"Ooh, no, bring be a big gigantic dish of ice cream, if they have it," Glinda requested good-humouredly. "With whipped cream and chocolate sauce and a whole banana."
Milla smirked triumphantly. "But what about watching our figures?" she teased, still bitter about Glinda's earlier comment.
"Oh figures, schmigers, I really don't give a hoot about all that right now. But I am hungry," Glinda said, arms clutching around her slender waist. Elphaba paused, debating what to get, but what the hell? Glinda was only going to be like this once after all. She left and walked up to the bar.
Taking advantage of Elphaba's absence Milla turned to her friend. "What do you think of Avaric then?"
Glinda sighed, biting the edge of her nail. "Frankly I find him a bit of a bore, humorous at times, but he is just trying to compensate for something. Oh and it's clear he is interested in Boq," Glinda said lightly. Milla blanched.
"Really? Boq you say?" she asked, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible.
"Well, you didn't think that you were alone in liking him did you?"
Milla sat up indignantly. "I certainly don't 'like' him! Whatever gave you that idea?"
"The hungry looks you give him, silly! It's like he's a triple chocolate banana split and you're on a diet." She beamed and patted Milla's hand. "I sort of understand; he is cute." She laughed. "Say, Tibbett was right, this Do or Say thing is not so bad - I like this honesty business!"
"Then you should try it more often," Elphaba told her, placing a fudge Sunday in front of Glinda. "Don't ask me why they have them here, I'm just as confused as you are."
Glinda made an appreciative noise as the calorific mess was presented to her. She picked up a spoon and began to eat, happily ignoring her normally strict eating plan. Without a word Elphaba picked up a second spoon and dived in too, her roommate equally as silent as she ate.
"Aww, aren't you two cute," Milla cooed, ignoring Elphaba's dirty look.
Suddenly a voice boomed through the room, either magically magnified or naturally booming. "And now, presenting to you early evening roamers, you impatient night owls, The Thorny Rose's newest act - one night only, you lucky fellows and ladies - Miss Avaricia!"
"Oh, no."
Milla's jaw dropped, and then she laughed. "No!"
Glinda clapped. "That'll teach him!"
"They must have got him roaring drunk..."
Elphaba considered this for a second. "Could be the spell," she commented, thinking back to how Glinda's eyes had looked when she had first been charmed, how they still smoldered with some of that strange golden light. "He probably can't stop himself the fool."
Glinda clasped her hands together as the lights dimmed, a single figure standing onstage. He was back lit, causing only a silhouette to be visible. Milla had to grasp a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing, even Elphaba looked ready to crack
It was Avaric all right - striking a pose like one of the barely dressed ladies in the paintings around the wall of the club, his mane of hair loose around his head, a giant pink feather fan in each hand. The spotlight hit him and the slight crowd roared in laughter.
Avaric was a big, sporty fellow, and long hair or not could hardly be mistaken for anything else. He had a lazy, devil-may-care smile on his painted lips, and as the pianist began a sprightly tune he flipped his curled hair back and raised a handsome baritone to tell them all about the wicked ways of dukes and how a girl hardly stood a chance these days.
The three girls sat and stared. Their expressions ranged from horror, amusement to disbelief as Avaric continued his bizarre show. Glinda practically howled with laughter as the first item (a delicate shawl) was thrown to the ground.
As the routine continued Avaric made his way over to the group, grinding his hips as he went and discarding his shirt. Topless his stroked a feather across Glinda's cheek but when he moved to Elphaba she simply batted him away with a cry of "Lay off."
Milla, on the other hand rewarded him with a scoop of Glinda's ice cream. There was something in the way he licked it off the end of the long spoon that made Glinda blush up to her golden hairline and Elphaba wince and turn away. As she did she noticed Tibbett and Crope further off by the stage, whooping, Crope standing on a chair to applaud.
"Where's Boq?" she asked as Avaric shimmied back onto the stage.
Glinda shrugged, still battling with her gradually increasing desire. Milla frowned and began looking around for the Munchkin, her eyes scanning the tables eagerly. Eventually she spotted him, he stood just off the stage to the left, leaning against the platform and looking up with a mix of awe and horror.
It wasn't soon before Avaric spotted him too. He walked over, still swaying his hips in that ridiculous fashion. He bent down, stroking the fan under Boq's chin before placing a light kiss on his nose. That snapped the shorter man out of his daze, he wiped at his face hurriedly, already his cheeks had reddened to a shade which made Glinda look pale.
Milla turned away, a sour expression on her face but Glinda was just giggling uncontrollable at the little show. Elphaba rolled her eyes, finishing her mouthful of ice cream in a single gulp.
Back on the stage, the fans strategically placed to preserve what remained of his modesty, Avaric concluded that if it was a world of wolves, a girl should run with them, and dropped his silk trousers. Elphaba hid her face, but Glinda and Milla could not tear their eyes away. At least Glinda had an excuse.
As the music frittered to its end, Avaric took a bow and flourished both fans.
“Oh my goodness,” Glinda managed, “that IS what it looks like!”
To roaring applause and a number of wolf-whistles, Miss Avaricia strutted back off-stage, blowing a final kiss to the audience.
Elphaba got up discreetly and walked over to the boys by the stage. “Happy now?” she asked, looking from Crope to Tibbett.
“Delirious,” Crope said, his grin almost splitting his face.
“Ecstatic,” Tibbett agreed.
“You better go see to him,” she told Boq, “or he might do an encore.”
Boq nodded. “Or worse…” He hesitated. “Would you mind coming with me, though, Elphie? I don’t know what state he’ll be in. Er.”
“Sorry - I have to take care of Glinda. In her state…”
“What if I take care of Glinda and you look to Avaric?” Boq said enthusiastically. “He’s not going to hit on you.”
“We’ll look to dear old Avvie,” Tibbett offered. “You can both go back to courting Miss Glinda.”
“Yeah,” Crope said. “We’ll keep him safe from the wolves.”
Elphaba and Boq’s expressions made it clear they were both imagining the two Queens boys with ears and tails of their own. They grinned to one another before darting backstage, predatory smiles plastered across their faces. Elphaba shook her head and Boq shuddered.
"Do you think they will give him a full time spot?" Boq muttered under his breath. Elphaba caught the words and smirked. Avaric's father would probably have a small kind of fit to see his more-or-less respectable son doing... that.
They returned to the table where Glinda and Milla still sat, both looking rather shell-shocked. Milla moved first, rushing over to Boq
"You poor thing," she crooned as she moved over. "I can't believe he would do that to you." Boq nodded politely as he tried to side-step Milla and move over to Glinda. Milla would have none of it though and continued to fuss. Thankfully this left Elphaba free to tap Glinda on the shoulder.
"You alright there, girl?" she asked, looking down at Glinda with what could almost be perceived as worry.
"Oh Elphie that was, that was..." But she couldn't speak, she simply looked up at her friend with eyes so full of desire that Elphaba almost backed away.
"Hold that thought," Elphaba said quickly. "Hush. Whatever you want to say or do, don't! You still have to change your clothes and then we can get you to bed for a good night's sleep, all right?"
"We can get to that," Glinda murmured and looped her arms around Elphaba's neck. "I want to play, now. I feel so funny, Elphie. I think we should all go somewhere and do Thorny Rose acts. I want to kiss people. I want kisses, Elphie."
"DOWN," Elphaba commanded, extracting Glinda's arms with enough force to make the girl yelp. "You have an outfit to wear. Remember? It's the first imperative, and sleep the next. You have to do those two things. Come, Glinda-girl, let's find Tibbett."
"Fine," Glinda muttered, her face downcast. As Elphaba turned she grabbed a hold of one green hand, forcing Elphaba to drag her towards backstage. Milla and Boq followed hurriedly, a victorious smirk across Milla's face.
Backstage Avaric had managed to regain a pair of trousers but not much else, Crope's innocent expression was enough to tell Elphaba that Avaric would probably remain shirtless for quite a while. Avaric turned to them smugly, his hand resting on his hip.
"What did you think of the show?" he asked, tossing a few strands of hair out of his eyes.
"It was certainly unique," Elphaba replied, poker faced.
"It was exhilarating! I've never seen anything like it," Glinda told him happily, squeezing Elphaba's hand tighter.
"I don't think any of us has," said Boq grimly.
Two women emerged from behind a screen, already bedecked in glittering outfits for their performance. "Thanks for warming them up for us," said one of them, a petite brunette in stiletto heels.
"I'll say," said the other one, an older and noticeably larger lady in a cage-like corset, and laughed as she stopped to adjust her earrings by the mirror. "It's a good thing the M.G.T. wants to keep this show for the straight crowd, or we'd have to fight for our jobs."
"Time's up, girls!" came a voice from the door, and a clap of hands sent the women out the door in a colourful little storm of feathers and sequins. The 'M.G.T.' turned out to be a moustached Munchkin man who appeared taller than usual before you noticed his high heels, wearing a bottle-green suit and a tophat. He held his thumb up to Avaric and winked before disappearing from the doorway towards the stage.
"Anytime!" Avaric called after them, still slightly dazed.
"They may take you up on that offer, Avvie darling," Tibbett told him as he watched the girls off the stage. "I don't suppose they would want us as a double act? Only I'd kill to have a pair of those heels..."
"Speaking of which," Elphaba cut in, "can we please get the cross-dressing over with so that this can all be over?"
"So soon to finish it all, Elphie?" Crope asked. "Glinda and yourself seem to be having rather a lot of fun." One look from Elphaba and Crope quickly turned to leave.
"Let's go, loves, come on Avaric, I'm sure we can find something to cover up those abs of yours," Crope called as he marched himself and Tibbett over to the exit. Elphaba followed with a sigh, pulling Glinda along with her.
Avaric pulled on a big-sleeved shirt and staggered after them. He stopped, took off the high-heeled shoes, changed back to his boots, and followed the others back into the hall.
Glinda thought how marvellous he looked, with the traces of lipstick still making his lips pink, and that ruffled poet-look making him look like the very picture of a wicked young duke about to ravish young female hearts. It was cheesy as all heck, but in her current state Glinda had to admit that, on some entirely non-sensible level it worked. If only his personality wasn't such a turn-off!
-
They left the rose swiftly, taking a sharp right as they turned up the path from town and back towards the university. The place in question was about a quarter hour walk away, up a small hill. The group walked quickly, a low murmur was content throughout, most of it directed towards Avaric, however the only thing Glinda could focus on was the fact that she still hadn't let go of Elphaba's thin hand.
They arrived in good time, there was still a few hours of sunlight left and it would be easy enough for Glinda to complete her final tasks. It was a beautiful place, the river passed through the clearing someone towards the right. It was too late for most of the wild flowers and the sun had yellowed the grass beneath their feet.
"Well, let's get this over with," Elphaba sighed, turning to the rest of the group.
She took the box of clothes from Tibbett and handed over Glinda's dress. "Milla, help Glinda in the bushes over there. Tibbett and Crope, I'm sure you'll manage."
"Won't you rather help me, Elphie?" asked Glinda, running her hand up Elphaba's arm. She'd much rather it was Elphie. Why hadn't they dressed and undressed each other before? Oh, but how pretty Elphie's skin was in this light!
"I'll stand guard and make sure there's no peeking," said Elphaba.
There was a rather collective 'aww.' When Avaric noticed Glinda had joined in it, he let out a barking laugh. "Go on then. You don't have to worry about me - none of you haven't got anything I haven't seen before!"
"And nor shall you," Elphaba told him firmly, walking off after the two girls. She stood, arms folded as she waited for Glinda to get changed.
Glinda looked over the contents of the bag critically. Tibbett didn't have half bad taste. This was all rather exciting - after all, when else would she be allowed to wear men's clothes? There was a pair of black slacks, easy enough, high topped boots, bracers, a white rather frilly shirt and... Glinda's eyes widened when she saw what was on top of the pile. The waistcoat and tie were matching shades of emerald green, not quite as nice as Elphie's skin, Glinda decided, but close. A black Three Queen's blazer and Emerald gloves completed the outfit. He'd even included a hat.
She pulled it on hastily, quickly shedding her gown and folding it back into the bag.
"Hey, look, they match Elphie!" she told Milla as she struggled out of her stays, unable as she was not to state the obvious. "I really think they mean to make us a couple, or just tease us about that rumour. What was the rumour anyway, exactly? Do you know what started it?"
"I'm not sure about how it started," Milla said, amused, and helped Glinda unlace. "I know I heard it from Avaric first. I guess someone just wanted to put you on the defensive. I kind of see where they were coming from."
Glinda turned the trousers around a couple of times before deciding which side was the front. "You can be such a bitch, you know that, Milla? But I guess that's fair enough - so can I."
"I meant I can see where they got the idea," Milla said, not the least bit embarrassed. "You're always so embarrassed by her, like she's a sore spot, it makes you wonder. Besides, look at the way she's acting now - like a guard dog!"
"Oh she's just very overprotective of people she cares about, I mean, with a sister like Nessa, who wouldn't be?" Glinda mused, having eventually decided how the trousers were supposed to go. She pulled her legs through gracefully. They were a little too long and the waist was too large but they were not all that bad. She examined her behind in them before moving to the shirt.
"I suppose that's true," Milla admitted, holding out the next item of clothing, "but it must be nice to have someone who cares about you that much, no matter what you say."
"Oh, I don't mind her being around, but she would ruin my chances at a suitable match, you know that. And that would mean that everything I wanted..." She paused for a moment, visions of her dream future running through her head. "Everything that I think I want," she corrected, "would be impossible. But she is nice to have around, so smart too."
"Too smart for her own good," Milla commented helping Glinda to slip into the waistcoat. Glinda reached around, pulling her hair out from under the shirt. She paused again.
"Why this shirt is so large! Who would have thought Tibbett to have such a large chest, he looks so slender for a man," she pulled the shirt tighter, exposing her waist. She let it go "I suppose I must look like a man in this..." She pulled the bracers up and over the shirt.
"Not remotely," Milla said, giving her an appraising look. "Or, at the best, you look like one of those angel-pretty boys who write poetry and cry a lot."
"Really?" Glinda said, taking the hat that came with the outfit and tucking her hair under it. "How about now?"
"Like the romantic lead in a pantomime," Milla said. "Forget it! You'll never look like anything but a girl wearing boys' clothes. As such, though, you might still have to fight off Avaric when he sees you, whatever he says about what he's seen before. That is to say," she added with a shrug, "even though I've seen a handsome fellow lick ice cream off a spoon, it doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see it again!"
"You think Avaric would like me like this?" Glinda smiled and wished she had a mirror. "Especially tonight he might not have too much of a fight on his hands..."
"You liked his little dance, hmm?"
"It was hilarious, horrifying and it made me want to do naughty things," Glinda confessed, a wicked little smile rising to her face. All those 'hot' and 'bothered' feelings had hardly gone away or been successfully suppressed; they were still there, frustrated and eager for release. "I don't know what reputation I have left tomorrow, but tonightI think I will go to bed with someone."
"Not if your guard dog has anything to say about it!" Elphaba barked. She'd breached the bushes to stride over to them. "Come on, you gossips, Tibbett needs help with his stays."
The two girls giggled as they moved out of their protective overhang. "And who might this young lad be?" Avaric swooped in, placing a friendly whack on Glinda's shoulders with enough force to push her forward a few steps.
Elphaba tensed but Glinda laughed and placed her hand on her hip in a most masculine fashion. Lowering her voice to as deep as it would get she replied. "Why, I'm Master Arduenna, new to Three Queens," she replied, trying to keep a straight face as a curl of hair fell from her hat and brushed in front of her eyes. Before Avaric could reply they were interrupted by a bout of yelling from a nearby bush.
"You're doing it all wrong, Crope! The laces go cross-ways, then pull down."
"And how would you know?"
"I do have four older sisters, you know."
"Explains a lot," Elphaba muttered under her breath causing Glinda to try to fend off another bout of hysterics.
"Milla?" Elphaba asked. "Help him out?"
"Who am I, the local seamstress? You'll have me mend ripped hems next!"
"All right," said Elphaba, "I'll do it."
"No, me!" said Glinda. "I have the best knowledge of that dress, after all, and maybe I'll get to goose him while we're at it."
"...I better tag along," muttered Elphie and followed the bouncing Glinda to where Tibbett was trying not to breathe while Crope tugged on the laces of Glinda's rather badly suffering stays.
"Out the way," Glinda called before pushing Crope out of the way and moving to Tibbett's back. She shook her head "What have you been doing here?" she asked incredulously while deft hands unlaced and re-laced the stay.
"You know, Glinda, if you stay in that outfit I may have to ravish you," Crope said evenly, openly staring at Glinda's behind. He received a sharp elbow in the rips for his pains. Elphaba smirked as he doubled over, that one would be leaving a bruise.
"See now that wasn't that difficult was it?" Glinda said to a gasping Tibbett. She ran her fingers unashamedly down the man's sides, the newly formed curves feeling strange under her hands. Before she could get any further Elphaba coughed and she turned back.
"Mind the hands, Glinda," Elphaba said sharply.
"It's okay, Glinda," said Tibbett, smiling indulgently, though his voice was somewhat halting, as he hadn't quite mastered the short breath breathing technique. "Don't mind the hands for my sake."
"And now we hit the town, yes?" said Avaric with a somewhat lecherous smile. "I'm looking forward to introducing Master Arduenna to my friends. Boq?"
"Plrshrp," said Boq, his eyes wide as saucers and a beautific smile on his face.
"Oh dear," said Crope with a sigh.
"I think you hypnotised him with your behind, Master Glin," Tibbett said, demurely fluttering a fan that Glinda could've sworn they hadn't brought with the dress.
"You think so?" Glinda asked, turned her back to Boq and did an experimental wiggle.
Boq nearly fainted, steadied only by Avaric's strong hands on his back.
"Glinda, that was cruel," Milla said, she glared at her friend before running to Boq's side and practically prizing him out of Avaric's grasp. Elphaba was laughing silently, her shoulders shaking at the spectacle.
"I don't know what's so funny to you, Elphie, you were staring to," Glinda countered, rounding on the green girl and silencing her.
"Only because I'd never thought I'd see you like this." Elphaba shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. Glinda raised an eyebrow, as disbelieving as the rest of the group was at Elphaba's excuse.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"So the fact that I clearly look spectacular in male clothing has nothing to do with you staring?"
"No."
Glinda snorted before grabbing hold of Elphaba again, Elphaba groaned as she tried to pries the girl off of her. Glinda simply removed her hat, allowing golden curls to spill out across her back. Despite protests she shoved it firmly on the other girl's head and stepped back critically.
"You know, I rather think you would make a better man than I," Glinda said slowly, taking in the slim figure. "Why couldn't you be the hypocritical one?" she whined.
"Because I see no point in lying to save face, I suppose," said Elphaba, taking the hat off and putting it back on Glinda's head. "Now take it off, put your own clothes back and let's go back to the dorm. I think it's time for your good night's sleep."
"You are determined to ruin everyone's fun, aren't you?" Avaric complained. "Come, Master Glin, let's go on a round of the most disreputable bars in the city. Now that you're a boy we better make a man out of you, eh?"
"That was not part of the bargain," Elphaba said through gritted teeth, "you've had your fun, now let her get changed."
"So quick to see her out of clothing Elphie?" Avaric teased, smirking to Crope.
"Ooh, are you two going to fight over her?"
"No," said Elphaba, staring at Avaric, "he's going to back off."
Avaric sneered, a wicked idea formed in his mind.
"What do you want to do, Glin?" he asked, a deceivingly casual tone to his voice. Elphaba shot him a glare, before running a hand through her hair and dislodging some of the glossy strands out off the tight braid.
"You want to go back to the dorm room and sleep, right Glinda?" she muttered, standing close to the blond. Glinda considered this, toying with the sleeve of the blazer.
"I don't know... will you be there to?" she asked in a manner that was far from innocent.
"Master Arduenna has a taste for celery, I see," said Avaric and threw his head back to laugh.
"Hilarious," said Elphaba coldly.
"I think I would like to go dancing," Tibbett said, twirling around in his pretty dress. "You are to call be Miss Tibette, and I promise two dances to Master Arduenna - but no waltzes, or people will talk." He fanned himself and fluttered his eyelashes demurely.
"No," barked Elphaba. "This has gone on long enough. Or have you all gone mad? I'm not entirely insensible of marital considerations, and though I don't give a fig and Avaric could marry well if he spent his days hanging naked and upside down on trees..."
"Known to happen," Boq muttered.
"...Nanny tells me it's different for ladies."
"Hence my caution regarding waltzes," said the unrepentant 'Tibette'.
"Elphie, I really don't care about all that marriage stuff. Oh, my parents would be horrified but can't I have a little fun?" Glinda whined lightheartedly. Milla shook her head in disapproval but the others simply laughed.
"Glinda, may I have a word? Now?" Elphaba asked, dragging her aside from the rest of the group. For now she didn't care what their whispered suspicions would be. "Listen, marriage is the only thing you ever talk about, you silly blond fool," she hissed after finally judging them to be out of range. "If you go off with them you might as well throw your chances out the window!"
"Well I do want a nice life," Glinda said thoughtfully, "but it all seems like so much hassle. Besides a lot of the men my parents introduce me to are boring old farts with about as much sense as solid rock. I don't want that and today, for once, I don't have to want it."
Elphaba looked to her friend, noting the strange golden light that still rimmed the edges of her eyes. Glinda looked back, unashamed, for once allowing no pretense to cloud her vision. She reached up a pale hand, cupping Elphaba's cheek. "For once I can do whatever I want, what ever I feel like," she whispered. Elphaba stood, transfixed, unable to move, unable almost to breath.
Glinda kissed her.
Elphaba struggled. They might be out of hearing but not out of sight. "You idiot!" she hissed. "You've just put your future in their hands!"
"It's okay," Glinda said, "I have some of their secrets too." She kissed Elphaba again and had to be pried off.
"I am shocked," pouted Tibette. "Thwarted for a green girl! And not even the sort that has wings and is featured on a bottle!"
Crope was smirking and he held out his hand to Boq. "I believe you owe me £10, Master Boq," he said smugly, sending a glance to Avaric.
"She's under the influence of a potent magical charm, it doesn't count!" Boq shot back, his eyes still fixed on Glinda.
"A charm that makes her do what ever she truly wants to do," Crope told him. "Besides you were not specific enough. Now hand it over."
Grumbling something obscene Boq handed over a handful of coins.
Tibette gasped."Surely you know such terrible words should not reach such delicate ears as mine, Master Boq?" he asked, placing the fan to his forehead and pretending to swoon.
Milla looked on and rolled her eyes. "You are an insult to my gender," she said to Tibette as Crope caught him.
Glinda drew back, her expression so upsetting that even Elphaba couldn't help but feel sorry. "You don't want me?" she whispered, biting her lip as tears began to form in her eyes. Elphaba looked around, imploring something to help her. She was not good in this kind of situation, dam it!
"You don't want me," Elphaba countered, revealing as little as possible, "if you were in your right frame of mind..."
"Anyway, this is hardly the time or place to discuss it." Holding Glinda firmly by the shoulders she leaned in briefly to whisper, "If you still feel that way after a good night's sleep... We'll talk."
Glinda shivered at the feel of her breath against her ear. When Elphaba withdrew, Glinda could've sworn that if it had been possible, the green girl would have been blushing.
Her mouth twitched and a smile curled across her face, she launched herself against Elphaba again and held her tightly. Elphaba stiffened however allowed the moment of contact.
"Thank you," Glinda whispered back, placing a kiss under Elphaba's ear. She pulled back for a final time. "So the sooner I sleep the sooner we talk?" She asked brightly. Elphaba nodded curtly in response.
"All right then," Glinda said brightly and turned to wave to the others. "I'm going to do what Elphie says, okay? Tibby, you can keep the dress if you like." She skipped to the bushes, docile as anything, beginning to shed her clothing before she even reached the cover. It took both Elphaba and Milla, who apparently had decided to stand by her friend after all (whether for her sake or Boq's was anyone's guess) to see her decently back into her clothes.
When she was ready, almost bouncing on her heels to get back home, Avaric approached Elphaba. "What did you tell her to make her go home and ruin all our fun? Did you promise her pleasures of the flesh?" His grin was lazy and suggestive.
"That was some powerful magic you played back there," said Elphaba instead of replying. "I wouldn't want it getting into the wrong hands."
"It has safeguards around it," Avaric defended. "You heard..."
"I heard nothing about commanding a person to kill another person. I think the responsible thing to do would be to tell the Three Queens headmaster about it."
"You really do love to poop on other people's parties, don't you." His lip curled in distaste.
"I wonder how old this tradition is," Elphaba continued, matching Avaric's disdain, "who the first boy was, and what happened to him."
Avaric just glared in reply.
"Come on Glinda," she called, her stare not leaving Avaric's face, "lets leave these buffoons and get back." Avaric snorted at Elphaba's words, before turning to the other men.
"Come on lads," he said jovially, placing a friendly slap and Tibette's behind. " I want to see if we can convince Primse that Tibbs really is a girl." Crope gave him a cold glare and slipped an arm possessively around Tibette's shoulders.
Milla had no intention of besmirching her own reputation any more and so grudgingly agreed to follow Elphaba and Glinda back to Crage Hall. After some warmer goodbyes than those between Avaric and Elphaba, the girls followed the meandering pathways back to school. It was getting late; the stars would come out soon, and the air was fragrant with apple blossoms.
"What a perfectly lovely night that was!" Milla sighed, and laughed at the memory.
"Certainly one I doubt we we will forget in a hurry," Elphaba muttered, walking quickly in front.
"I think it was simply marvelous," Glinda sighed dreamily. A gush of wind pushed past the three girls, flicking their hair in all directions and bringing with it the fresh and fruity scent. Glinda sniffed eagerly, her eyes wild and alive with the magic that still engulfed her. "I shan't forget today in a hurry," she said, a blissful smile on her face. "Life has never felt easier, I just couldn't be happier right now."
Milla didn't comment as they walked closer to the two girls' room. Elphaba noticed a strange look on Milla's face when they said their goodbyes at the door. Not teasing, this time, nor catty; nor sad either, quiet. Elphaba wondered what she was thinking. But when Milla saw Elphaba watching, she gave a shrug and a grin and waved her hand. "I'll leave you two to your lovemaking. Ta-ta!" She flounced just the tiniest bit as she sailed off down the corridor.
"Come then, Glinda-girl," Elphaba said. Glinda's eyelids were already drooping, and she leaned on Elphaba as they went in.
"You always keep your word, don't you, Elphie?" Glinda asked sleepily as she rolled into a ball on her bed, not even bothering to undress.
Elphie smiled, not a mean or ironic smile, but a warm one that looked foreign on her face. "Always."