Fic: A Very Bad Idea - Part 3 (Wicked)
Title: A Very Bad Idea (Part 3)
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.
Morning came far too quickly for Elphaba's liking, the light filtering in from the crack in the curtains. She rolled over, black hair falling about her face as she tried to get comfortable. After a few minutes she gave up and made her way over to her wardrobe.
She was almost fully dressed when she heard Glinda begin to move. The smaller girl was stretched out across her bed, a satisfied expression on her face. Elphaba struggled with herself - should she mention last night? Would Glinda still want to talk? Eventually she settled on pulling on her top and brushing out her hair.
When Glinda's eyes did open they were clear again, the last haze of magic having faded from them.
Elphaba looked away quickly, turning her back to braid her hair. She heard the squeak of Glinda's bedstrings and the rustle of her clothes as she got up, and twined her hair, waiting.
There was a trickle of water as Glinda poured out the morning washing water, and the splish-splash of her washing her face and hands. There wasn't much longer Elphaba could pretend to be interested in her own hair.
“First classes are in half an hour,” she said at last, turning to see Glinda standing over the wash basin, her head bent. “You slept late today.”
“I didn't really get much choice in that, did I?” Glinda said without turning.
“I did what I could for you,” Elphaba said bitterly. “You might as well show some gratitude.”
“Oh - oh.” Glinda said, and turned around. Elphaba saw her face fresh and rosy, as it would be in her youth and after such sleep, but her brow knitted and her eyes beginning to grow moist. “I am grateful - I can see what you did. Thank you.” The thanks sounded to Elphaba a little forced, almost mechanical.
“But?” she said, crossing her arms, her expression carefully neutral.
“I'm not sure if I want you looking at me this morning.”
Elphaba felt a nasty twist in her heart. Glinda would be Glinda, wouldn't she? She'd have no choice but to ignore yesterday, to deny everything, and distance herself of everything connected with it - including Elphaba. She'd have to do all that, or cease being Glinda.
“It was just a wild, stupid night,” Elphaba said with a sigh. “We all have those sometimes...”
“Not you.”
“Maybe not me,” Elphaba admitted with a touch of smugness. “My point is, none of what happened was your fault, and as everyone had fun I expect it will be written off as another one of those wild college nights. You'd have to get pregnant to cause lasting damage.”
“I... I can't feel that way right now,” said Glinda and sank back on her bed, burying her face in her hands. “Everything is ruined! Oh, Elphie!”
Elphaba stayed where she was, an awkward figure in the background. She had no idea what to say, unused as she was to handling such situations. Part of her knew that she should comfort Glinda, perhaps ask what was wrong and the rest... just didn't seem to care at all.
As much as she would hate to admit it Glinda's reaction had hurt her, cut deep into a heart that she fervently denied that she had. No, she corrected, it wasn't Glinda's reaction that had hurt her. It was her own stupid belief that maybe something could have existed between the two of them, that maybe somehow this experience would change Glinda. Really she should have known better. She should leave this suffering little socialite and get to class, that would be the sensible thing to do. Yet she had never cursed her non-existent heart as much as she did in that moment.
"It's not ruined," she sighed, ashamed at her own weakness.
"You're being nice," Glinda said bitterly. "But it can't be the same anymore, can it, Elph-Elphaba?" She looked at her hands, as little slumped (but frilly) figure among the rumpled bedclothes. "Not now you know what - what I'm really like. I'm sorry I said all those things. I'm sorry I k-kissed you. But you can't really forget that, can you?"
Elphaba sat up straighter, an impossible suspicion wringing her heart. "What are you saying?" she asked. "Glinda, don't be vague, now. What is it you're regretting and why? Because if it's kissing me..."
"Oh it's everything! Every darn little thing," she said, tears threatening at the corner of her eyes. "The clothes, the kiss, all of it!" She buried her face in her hands, breathing as deeply as she could manage.
"I see." Elphaba said abruptly, shutting her own eyes. Oh what a fool she had been! Her fists clenched in rage, her teeth slammed together as she tried to control the tide of emotion that now threatened to overwhelm her.
"I suppose you hate me now," Glinda said in a quiet voice, not looking up from her bed.
"Hate you? No," Elphaba said, simmering. "It's as much as I expected."
Glinda laughed, and then sobbed. "You expected I'd turn out to be a skirt-chasing pervert? I never meant anybody to find out what I really thought about them. I didn't even get to the worst parts, but I might as well have."
"I don't mind you being a skirt-chasing pervert," Elphaba said angrily. "I like you either way, weirdly enough, whether you're yourself or desperately trying to be a fashion plate, but for a moment I thought..." She stopped and gave Glinda wary glance.
"What?" asked Glinda between sniffles.
"Thought you might actually be true to yourself. Thought you might want me, even, without the help of magic." She turned away. "My bad."
"Elphie I..." Glinda began.
"Save it. You've made yourself perfectly clear," Elphaba snarled, rejection flooding her mind. She couldn't quite bring herself to turn to look at the girl behind her.
"No, you don't understand, truly I do want," Glinda tried again, trying to find the right words, "I want so many things. But they aren't important, they aren't right . Can't you see that?" She managed, though her voice was choked with sobs. "I have to be married, I have to be respectable, I have to, I have to..." At this point she broke off, being unable to say any more.
Elphaba was sure of one thing in that moment, that turning around would be a very bad idea. However when had that ever stopped her?
She turned around. There was no helping it. She moved over to Glinda, sat down next to her and took her in her arms. “Shh,” Elphaba said quietly, resting her sharp chin on Glinda's shoulder. “Shh now. I understand.”
Glinda clung to her and sobbed for all she was worth.
Elphaba couldn't hate her now. Her own heartbreak barely compared.
-
Elphaba was late for class that morning, bringing in Glinda's weak excuse of a headache. Her own face must have been drawn, for Boq, who she met loitering outside Crage Hall with some slight evidence of a hangover, asked her twice if she was all right before venturing on the subject of Glinda, which must have been a record.
“That was a rotten thing you all did to her,” Elphaba said with venom. “A girl like her can't get a reputation.”
“She hasn't got one, anyway,” said. Milla, who had been loitering around Boq.
“Other than for being just about the sweetest thing on earth,” added Boq.
“Even after last night?”
“Especially after last night,” Boq confirmed with a vigorous nod. “Usually when you put people under that spell, all sorts of spite roll out. She seems to have tacked her spite on and kept the sweetness in, rather than the other way around. Oh Elphie, she's marvellous, isn't she?” he grinned. Then his expression changed. “So did you two, uh...”
“We did not uh,” Elphaba said firmly. “I don't take advantage of people under the influence.”
“And now she's back to saying it isn't proper, I expect? She'll have to go to her marriage bed virginal?”
“Well, that is the accepted form of conduct, isn't it?”
“More like the supposed,” said Milla.
“What do you mean?”
“What, you too?” Milla said with a laugh. “You two must be the only girls in Crage Hall still holding on to those ideas.”
“I don't care,” Elphaba snapped. “But Glinda...”
“...Could have as much fun as she wanted if she just got off her high horse.” Milla snorted. “If I wasn't a lady I'd drag you back into that dorm room and shove you between her legs myself. It'd do you both enormous good.”
“Milla!”
“Elphaba!” Milla retorted. “This is not Quadling country!”
“They had quite a lot of sex in Quadling country, actually.”
“All right, this is not the clergy. Sex happens. I'm not saying to me,” she added hastily and fluttered her fan demurely. “And that is the trick, dear,” she added conspiratorially, holding her fan in front of her mouth. “Not saying.”
"I'll keep that in mind," Elphaba told her, "now come on or we'll be late for the next class."
-
When Glinda still hadn't met them by lunch time Elphaba was getting worried. She picked idly at her salad, her eyes down. How long could Glinda draw out this excuse? How long would she be in this state? After a few more minutes Elphaba gave in, shoving the remainder of her lunch into a nearby bin she got up and began walking in the direction of Crage hall.
Glinda was sitting curled up on the chair by the window when Elphaba entered. She was wearing a baggy pair of night-trousers with a woolen jumper thrown over the top of them. Elphaba did a double take. It was far from the blonde's normal attire, looking more practical then any of her other clothing. Glinda's face was also devoid of any make-up and hair still hung damp from the bath.
She approached silently, not wishing to disturb the girl.
"Glinda?" she asked.
Glinda jumped, gave her a startled look, and then ducked under the covers.
Elphaba set her books down and sat on her own bed. "I saw Boq and Milla outside," she said.
"I don't want to hear about it."
"Boq says he thinks you're the sweetest thing on earth."
"Don't lie."
Elphaba snorted "What reason would I have to lie?"
"To protect my feelings perhaps?" Glinda suggested, still not moving from the makeshift cocoon.
"Frankly after this morning I doubt you deserve protection," Elphaba told her shortly as she began to unpack her books, "however he does still adore you."
"Well he is a fool."
"A fool in love," Elphaba replied, laying the empty bag on her lap. A thread had come loose and she picked at it idly.
"Well then he would love me whatever! But what of the others?" Glinda asked desperately, peeking out from under the blankets.
"Well Avaric is probably impressed more then anything else and Crope and Tibbett were far too enthralled by each other to really notice you," Elphaba said, avoiding Glinda's eyes.
"And Milla?"
"Her opinion is still high, in fact she..." Elphaba stopped herself, there would be no point telling Glinda about that part of the conversation.
But then again, why not? She was still stinging from Glinda's rejection, even if she did know she wasn't precisely a presentable suitor. "Well, to be exact," Elphaba said, "she does think less of you, but only for what you didn't do?"
"What didn't I do last night?" Glinda wailed. "The clothes, the flirting..."
"Sex. You didn't have sex. She seems to think you're the last virgin in Shiz."
Glinda gaped at her, the blanket choosing that exact moment to fall off of her head and onto the floor.
"That's ridiculous," Glinda replied but her eyes were still wide, "I can't be."
"I'm just the messenger," Elphaba shrugged, more than a little amused at Glinda's reaction.
"Well what about.. Shenshen? Pfannee?" She asked. "What about you?"
Elphaba shrugged. "You'd have to ask them that."
"And you?" Glinda insisted. "Sure you're still... I mean I wouldn't think..."
"You wouldn't think a green girl had ever gone to bed with anyone," said Elphaba angrily. "Who'd want her?"
"I wanted her," Glinda said in a small voice.
Elphaba froze as the meaning of the words sank in.
"Wanted?" She asked, hardly daring to breath.
"Want," Glinda whispered, not looking at her roommate.
"That's not what you said this morning," Elphaba replied, her heart beating so hard and do fast she felt almost as if it were out of her chest, "you said that you..."
"Forget what I said," Glinda interrupted, looking surprised at her own outburst, "I'm a fool, truly, the worst kind of fool."
"It's still true that I shouldn't, but that's not the same as can't and certainly won't... Elphie, do you like me at all... like that?"
"I..." Elphaba began, feeling very much like she wanted to melt into the floor. "I might, I'm just not sure. Love...It's so complicated."
"That's what I was saying," Glinda said, rising from the bed and approaching Elphaba. "Well, sort of, in a barely intelligible way. I mean... it's difficult, isn't it?" She stepped close, very close. Her eyes flicked up to Elphaba's face and down again. "But if you wanted it... it'd be worth it." She looked up again, steadily this time.
Elphaba looked down to her, her mind raging. Was the girl serious? Was she serious come to that? She hesitated, trying to gauge something from Glinda's expression. She leaned forward and felt Glinda wrap her arm's around her neck and kiss her gently, there was none of the urgent lust that seemed to have consumed her last night. Somewhere within herself she was still holding back. The blond pulled away quickly, searching Elphaba's eyes.
"Is this alright?" Glinda whispered, pressing their foreheads together.
The surge of emotion Elphaba felt then was more tenderness than passion. She'd just never realized before how powerful an emotion tenderness can be. "It is," she said.
-----
Fin
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.
Morning came far too quickly for Elphaba's liking, the light filtering in from the crack in the curtains. She rolled over, black hair falling about her face as she tried to get comfortable. After a few minutes she gave up and made her way over to her wardrobe.
She was almost fully dressed when she heard Glinda begin to move. The smaller girl was stretched out across her bed, a satisfied expression on her face. Elphaba struggled with herself - should she mention last night? Would Glinda still want to talk? Eventually she settled on pulling on her top and brushing out her hair.
When Glinda's eyes did open they were clear again, the last haze of magic having faded from them.
Elphaba looked away quickly, turning her back to braid her hair. She heard the squeak of Glinda's bedstrings and the rustle of her clothes as she got up, and twined her hair, waiting.
There was a trickle of water as Glinda poured out the morning washing water, and the splish-splash of her washing her face and hands. There wasn't much longer Elphaba could pretend to be interested in her own hair.
“First classes are in half an hour,” she said at last, turning to see Glinda standing over the wash basin, her head bent. “You slept late today.”
“I didn't really get much choice in that, did I?” Glinda said without turning.
“I did what I could for you,” Elphaba said bitterly. “You might as well show some gratitude.”
“Oh - oh.” Glinda said, and turned around. Elphaba saw her face fresh and rosy, as it would be in her youth and after such sleep, but her brow knitted and her eyes beginning to grow moist. “I am grateful - I can see what you did. Thank you.” The thanks sounded to Elphaba a little forced, almost mechanical.
“But?” she said, crossing her arms, her expression carefully neutral.
“I'm not sure if I want you looking at me this morning.”
Elphaba felt a nasty twist in her heart. Glinda would be Glinda, wouldn't she? She'd have no choice but to ignore yesterday, to deny everything, and distance herself of everything connected with it - including Elphaba. She'd have to do all that, or cease being Glinda.
“It was just a wild, stupid night,” Elphaba said with a sigh. “We all have those sometimes...”
“Not you.”
“Maybe not me,” Elphaba admitted with a touch of smugness. “My point is, none of what happened was your fault, and as everyone had fun I expect it will be written off as another one of those wild college nights. You'd have to get pregnant to cause lasting damage.”
“I... I can't feel that way right now,” said Glinda and sank back on her bed, burying her face in her hands. “Everything is ruined! Oh, Elphie!”
Elphaba stayed where she was, an awkward figure in the background. She had no idea what to say, unused as she was to handling such situations. Part of her knew that she should comfort Glinda, perhaps ask what was wrong and the rest... just didn't seem to care at all.
As much as she would hate to admit it Glinda's reaction had hurt her, cut deep into a heart that she fervently denied that she had. No, she corrected, it wasn't Glinda's reaction that had hurt her. It was her own stupid belief that maybe something could have existed between the two of them, that maybe somehow this experience would change Glinda. Really she should have known better. She should leave this suffering little socialite and get to class, that would be the sensible thing to do. Yet she had never cursed her non-existent heart as much as she did in that moment.
"It's not ruined," she sighed, ashamed at her own weakness.
"You're being nice," Glinda said bitterly. "But it can't be the same anymore, can it, Elph-Elphaba?" She looked at her hands, as little slumped (but frilly) figure among the rumpled bedclothes. "Not now you know what - what I'm really like. I'm sorry I said all those things. I'm sorry I k-kissed you. But you can't really forget that, can you?"
Elphaba sat up straighter, an impossible suspicion wringing her heart. "What are you saying?" she asked. "Glinda, don't be vague, now. What is it you're regretting and why? Because if it's kissing me..."
"Oh it's everything! Every darn little thing," she said, tears threatening at the corner of her eyes. "The clothes, the kiss, all of it!" She buried her face in her hands, breathing as deeply as she could manage.
"I see." Elphaba said abruptly, shutting her own eyes. Oh what a fool she had been! Her fists clenched in rage, her teeth slammed together as she tried to control the tide of emotion that now threatened to overwhelm her.
"I suppose you hate me now," Glinda said in a quiet voice, not looking up from her bed.
"Hate you? No," Elphaba said, simmering. "It's as much as I expected."
Glinda laughed, and then sobbed. "You expected I'd turn out to be a skirt-chasing pervert? I never meant anybody to find out what I really thought about them. I didn't even get to the worst parts, but I might as well have."
"I don't mind you being a skirt-chasing pervert," Elphaba said angrily. "I like you either way, weirdly enough, whether you're yourself or desperately trying to be a fashion plate, but for a moment I thought..." She stopped and gave Glinda wary glance.
"What?" asked Glinda between sniffles.
"Thought you might actually be true to yourself. Thought you might want me, even, without the help of magic." She turned away. "My bad."
"Elphie I..." Glinda began.
"Save it. You've made yourself perfectly clear," Elphaba snarled, rejection flooding her mind. She couldn't quite bring herself to turn to look at the girl behind her.
"No, you don't understand, truly I do want," Glinda tried again, trying to find the right words, "I want so many things. But they aren't important, they aren't right . Can't you see that?" She managed, though her voice was choked with sobs. "I have to be married, I have to be respectable, I have to, I have to..." At this point she broke off, being unable to say any more.
Elphaba was sure of one thing in that moment, that turning around would be a very bad idea. However when had that ever stopped her?
She turned around. There was no helping it. She moved over to Glinda, sat down next to her and took her in her arms. “Shh,” Elphaba said quietly, resting her sharp chin on Glinda's shoulder. “Shh now. I understand.”
Glinda clung to her and sobbed for all she was worth.
Elphaba couldn't hate her now. Her own heartbreak barely compared.
-
Elphaba was late for class that morning, bringing in Glinda's weak excuse of a headache. Her own face must have been drawn, for Boq, who she met loitering outside Crage Hall with some slight evidence of a hangover, asked her twice if she was all right before venturing on the subject of Glinda, which must have been a record.
“That was a rotten thing you all did to her,” Elphaba said with venom. “A girl like her can't get a reputation.”
“She hasn't got one, anyway,” said. Milla, who had been loitering around Boq.
“Other than for being just about the sweetest thing on earth,” added Boq.
“Even after last night?”
“Especially after last night,” Boq confirmed with a vigorous nod. “Usually when you put people under that spell, all sorts of spite roll out. She seems to have tacked her spite on and kept the sweetness in, rather than the other way around. Oh Elphie, she's marvellous, isn't she?” he grinned. Then his expression changed. “So did you two, uh...”
“We did not uh,” Elphaba said firmly. “I don't take advantage of people under the influence.”
“And now she's back to saying it isn't proper, I expect? She'll have to go to her marriage bed virginal?”
“Well, that is the accepted form of conduct, isn't it?”
“More like the supposed,” said Milla.
“What do you mean?”
“What, you too?” Milla said with a laugh. “You two must be the only girls in Crage Hall still holding on to those ideas.”
“I don't care,” Elphaba snapped. “But Glinda...”
“...Could have as much fun as she wanted if she just got off her high horse.” Milla snorted. “If I wasn't a lady I'd drag you back into that dorm room and shove you between her legs myself. It'd do you both enormous good.”
“Milla!”
“Elphaba!” Milla retorted. “This is not Quadling country!”
“They had quite a lot of sex in Quadling country, actually.”
“All right, this is not the clergy. Sex happens. I'm not saying to me,” she added hastily and fluttered her fan demurely. “And that is the trick, dear,” she added conspiratorially, holding her fan in front of her mouth. “Not saying.”
"I'll keep that in mind," Elphaba told her, "now come on or we'll be late for the next class."
-
When Glinda still hadn't met them by lunch time Elphaba was getting worried. She picked idly at her salad, her eyes down. How long could Glinda draw out this excuse? How long would she be in this state? After a few more minutes Elphaba gave in, shoving the remainder of her lunch into a nearby bin she got up and began walking in the direction of Crage hall.
Glinda was sitting curled up on the chair by the window when Elphaba entered. She was wearing a baggy pair of night-trousers with a woolen jumper thrown over the top of them. Elphaba did a double take. It was far from the blonde's normal attire, looking more practical then any of her other clothing. Glinda's face was also devoid of any make-up and hair still hung damp from the bath.
She approached silently, not wishing to disturb the girl.
"Glinda?" she asked.
Glinda jumped, gave her a startled look, and then ducked under the covers.
Elphaba set her books down and sat on her own bed. "I saw Boq and Milla outside," she said.
"I don't want to hear about it."
"Boq says he thinks you're the sweetest thing on earth."
"Don't lie."
Elphaba snorted "What reason would I have to lie?"
"To protect my feelings perhaps?" Glinda suggested, still not moving from the makeshift cocoon.
"Frankly after this morning I doubt you deserve protection," Elphaba told her shortly as she began to unpack her books, "however he does still adore you."
"Well he is a fool."
"A fool in love," Elphaba replied, laying the empty bag on her lap. A thread had come loose and she picked at it idly.
"Well then he would love me whatever! But what of the others?" Glinda asked desperately, peeking out from under the blankets.
"Well Avaric is probably impressed more then anything else and Crope and Tibbett were far too enthralled by each other to really notice you," Elphaba said, avoiding Glinda's eyes.
"And Milla?"
"Her opinion is still high, in fact she..." Elphaba stopped herself, there would be no point telling Glinda about that part of the conversation.
But then again, why not? She was still stinging from Glinda's rejection, even if she did know she wasn't precisely a presentable suitor. "Well, to be exact," Elphaba said, "she does think less of you, but only for what you didn't do?"
"What didn't I do last night?" Glinda wailed. "The clothes, the flirting..."
"Sex. You didn't have sex. She seems to think you're the last virgin in Shiz."
Glinda gaped at her, the blanket choosing that exact moment to fall off of her head and onto the floor.
"That's ridiculous," Glinda replied but her eyes were still wide, "I can't be."
"I'm just the messenger," Elphaba shrugged, more than a little amused at Glinda's reaction.
"Well what about.. Shenshen? Pfannee?" She asked. "What about you?"
Elphaba shrugged. "You'd have to ask them that."
"And you?" Glinda insisted. "Sure you're still... I mean I wouldn't think..."
"You wouldn't think a green girl had ever gone to bed with anyone," said Elphaba angrily. "Who'd want her?"
"I wanted her," Glinda said in a small voice.
Elphaba froze as the meaning of the words sank in.
"Wanted?" She asked, hardly daring to breath.
"Want," Glinda whispered, not looking at her roommate.
"That's not what you said this morning," Elphaba replied, her heart beating so hard and do fast she felt almost as if it were out of her chest, "you said that you..."
"Forget what I said," Glinda interrupted, looking surprised at her own outburst, "I'm a fool, truly, the worst kind of fool."
"It's still true that I shouldn't, but that's not the same as can't and certainly won't... Elphie, do you like me at all... like that?"
"I..." Elphaba began, feeling very much like she wanted to melt into the floor. "I might, I'm just not sure. Love...It's so complicated."
"That's what I was saying," Glinda said, rising from the bed and approaching Elphaba. "Well, sort of, in a barely intelligible way. I mean... it's difficult, isn't it?" She stepped close, very close. Her eyes flicked up to Elphaba's face and down again. "But if you wanted it... it'd be worth it." She looked up again, steadily this time.
Elphaba looked down to her, her mind raging. Was the girl serious? Was she serious come to that? She hesitated, trying to gauge something from Glinda's expression. She leaned forward and felt Glinda wrap her arm's around her neck and kiss her gently, there was none of the urgent lust that seemed to have consumed her last night. Somewhere within herself she was still holding back. The blond pulled away quickly, searching Elphaba's eyes.
"Is this alright?" Glinda whispered, pressing their foreheads together.
The surge of emotion Elphaba felt then was more tenderness than passion. She'd just never realized before how powerful an emotion tenderness can be. "It is," she said.
-----
Fin