Appearances (1/?)
Title: Appearances
Fandom: Wicked
Pairing: Galinda/Elphaba
Rating: Eventual NC-17
Summary: It's hard for Galinda and Elphaba to keep up appearances. Especially after things change between them.
"And though you protest your disinterest, I know clandestinely... You're gonna grin and bear it! Your newfound popularity! Ah! La la, la la! You'll be popular! Just not quite as popular. As. Me!"
As Galinda finished singing, Elphaba was in the bathroom, ripping the flower out of her hair and tossing it into the trash. This was ridiculous. What right did her roommate think she had to dress her up like a doll? Throwing veiled insults disguised in a song! And then calling her beautiful? Who did Galinda think she was? Oh, oh, and Elphie? Ugh... talk about undignified.
Dextrous fingers quickly worked her black hair back into its tightly woven plait and secured it with a plain rubberband. She wanted nothing glamorous - that wasn't her. And she wasn't going to give up her self to appease her cocky, unrestrained, shallow brat of a roommate. Elphaba wasn't interested in being popular, she was interested in finishing her studies and going on to work with the Wizard. That was all.
Collecting herself, she finally stepped out of the bathroom and back into their shared space, less than surprised to see Galinda in front of her vanity, reapplying her lip gloss.
"Are you done throwing a tantrum, Elphie?" the blonde asked, pursing her lips and pouting up at the taller girl. "Where's your flower?"
"In the trash," Elphaba replied, her fists clenched at her sides.
"Elphie!" Galinda gasped, hands going to cover her open mouth, hurt scattered across her wide blue eyes.
"Stop calling me Elphie," Elphaba said through clenched teeth. "In fact, stop calling me at all."
Galinda's lower lip quivered, and before she could stop herself, she burst into tears and flopped face down on her bed, quickly pulling a pillow over her head.
Elphaba stared for a good thirty seconds before she stormed back into the bathroom and plucked the flower from the trash, haphazardly fitting it back into her hair and standing at the foot of Galinda's bed. She had to speak loudly to be heard over the dramatic tears. "Is this better?"
Galinda made a show of wiping her eyes as she picked her head up to look, and sniffled a little too loudly to be considered subtle. "You have it crooked," she said, sniffling again.
Elphaba stood there, and when it became apparent that Galinda was waiting for something more, she gestured toward her hair and asked impatiently, "well, aren't you going to fix it then?"
Galinda beamed, all tears and offenses forgotten, and bounced in place on the mattress. "Sit down," she said, patting the space beside her. "Sitsitsitsitsitsitsitsi--"
"I'm sitting," Elphaba informed her, having already moved to sit down.
As soon as Elphaba hit the mattress, Galinda was straddling her, reworking the slightly crumpled (which was totally unacceptable) flower.
Elphaba grimaced, trying to lean away, but there were limited escape options in her current position. "Eh... you're a little close," she said slowly, pointedly, with a clear expression of discomfort on her face.
Galinda giggled and bounced excitedly as she finished fixing the flower, flapping her hands in a rapid motion as she stood back and admired her work. "Perrrr-fect," she sang, leaning forward to place her hands on either side of Elphaba, extending one leg in an arabesque behind her. "Ah-ah-ah aaaahhhh!"
Elphaba cringed, the sound actually hurting her eardrums, and before she had time to react to her roommate's head in her lap, Galinda was up and bouncing again, then abruptly stopped and dove backwards onto the bed. Elphaba started to get up, but an impossibly quick hand shot out and grabbed her frock, unbalancing her enough to prevent her escape.
"Wait!" Galinda squeaked, poking Elphie repeatedly in the side. "I wasn't finished."
"What more could you possibly want to do to me?" Elphaba asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Your hair's in that awful braid again," Galinda pouted.
Elphaba turned on her, one finger extended down toward her roommate. "It might be hard for you to understand, given the way your brain works, but the things you say can actually be considered insulting."
"Oh but it's just awfulllllllll," Galinda groaned, her voice going gravelly at the end.
"Again, insulting," Elphaba said, her patience growing thin. "Hurting feelings, lowering self esteem... ring a bell?"
"Oh come onnn," Galinda drawled, rolling her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic."
Elphaba rolled her eyes to avoid saying something she didn't mean. She wasn't thrilled that Galinda wouldn't take her seriously, but this was Galinda Upland she was talking about here. She didn't take anything seriously. "I'm serious," she finally said.
"So am I, that braid is awful," Galinda said earnestly. "Let me t--" She had reached for the rubberband at the end of the braid, but Elphaba had smacked her hand away.
"Don't touch me," she complained. "You're not being very nice at all."
Galinda looked positively wounded, placing a hand over her heart and letting her mouth fall open into a perfect 'o'. "I'm trying to help you!" she said, scandalized.
"And what if I don't want help?"
"Elphie, don't say that! Someone could hear you!" Galinda shushed her with wide eyes. She stood and made a grand sweeping gesture with one arm, then curtsied. "Galinda, the nicest roommate ever, ah-ah-ah aaaahhhh! At your service."
"Please stop shrieking," Elphaba requested. "Some of us use our body parts for what they're intended, and don't particularly want any of them out of service."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but let's brush your hairrrr," Galinda gushed, springing into the air in a ballet move that Elphaba had never seen before.
"Doesn't that hurt your neck?"
Galinda's teeth sparkled as she grinned at her roommate. "Yes," she sing-songed. "But the first thing a girl learns in life is that beauty is pain."
"I've never understood that," Elphaba said, shaking her head. She had never spent much time trying to understand it, either.
"Oh, it's simple. Things that look good, hurt," Galinda said sagely.
"Thank you," Elphaba said dryly.
"Oh you're welcome! Now about your hair..."
--
Elphaba had finally given up and let Galinda do her hair, and her roommate had brushed it out and curled it... and she had to admit, it did look... good. Only because Galinda had fixed it, though. She wouldn't be able to duplicate the style on her own, nor would she strive to. It was nice while it lasted, but she wasn't going to put that much effort into her hair every day. Well, maybe she would, actually. She just noticed Fiyero staring at her as she walked past him in the hallway. What was that feeling shuddering through her? Certainly not pride...
"Elphaba!" Fiyero called at the last second, almost losing his nerve, but managing to push off the wall and speak up before the object of his attention could disappear into their history classroom.
Elphaba stopped, her heart pounding, and spun on her heel to face him. "Yes?"
Fiyero cleared his throat and stood taller, giving her a charming smile. "You look nice."
Elphaba's eyes narrowed instinctively, and she was ready to toss a barb about insincerity, but just this once she wanted to feel pretty, so she forcibly quashed her instincts and smiled instead. "Thank you, you look very nice yourself," she replied. The nagging feeling that he was going to start laughing at her was still there, but she ignored it.
Fiyero's charming smile turned into a genuine grin. She hadn't slapped him! "Thanks," he said, puffing out his chest as he slid his arm into hers. "To class, then."
--
Galinda was furious. Downright furious! Elphaba and Fiyero were... were... friends! With each other! Hello! What about her? Fiyero was her boyfriend, and Elphaba was her roommate! They were supposed to go through her if they wanted to be friends! Like, if Fiyero needed to tell Elphie something, he could pass it through her, and vice versified! This was terrible, and awful, and she felt quite sick. She was going to just... give Elphie a piece of her mind as soon as her roommate got home!
Elphaba, unknowing of the whirlwind of ferocious emotion about to be unleashed upon her, entered her dorm room with a smile, feeling something very close to happy. Her smile faded when she was met with the sight of Galinda, standing in the center of the room, hands on her hips, looking about to explode. She barely closed the door behind her before the torrent began.
"I suppose you think it's perfectly acceptable to go gallivanting around with my boyfriend, and not spending any time studying, or or or with me, or doing whatever it is you used to do before I made you pretty, and you didn't have anyone's boyfriend to go gallivanting around with!"
Elphaba stared, unmoving, wondering if she'd just entered the wrong room. But alas, no, this was the right room, and this mewling creature was indeed her roommate. She sighed and tossed her book bag onto her bed, choosing to ignore the tirade. Ignore it, and it will go away.
"Helloooo, person who uses her body parts for what they're intended," Galinda continued, waving her arms frantically about. "Use your ears to hear me, then. You're a terrible friend! You're trying to steal Fiyero and after all I've done for you, Elphaba, really! I would think you of all people would appreciate the sanctification of a relationship, and not turn into a, a, a hussyyyyyy," she shouted, hissing the last word.
Okay, ignoring was out. Elphaba's eyes widened and she spun to face Galinda, anger flaring hot enough to stain her cheeks. "Shut up," she said, keeping her voice low. Dangerously low, Galinda should notice if she had any sense.
"Don't like the truth?" Galinda taunted, stomping her foot in protest. "Too bad. I thought you were my friend, Elphie. But you're just like everyone else. You used me to get to Fiyero."
"Now you listen to me," Elphaba said, her eyes flashing. "I've done nothing of the sort. I'm not trying to steal Fiyero, and if you had any sense in that bubble brain of yours, you'd know that."
"Bubble brain?!" Galinda shrieked, nearly bending over backwards before straightening up again and squeezing her hands into fists and clenching her teeth. "Eeeeeeeeeee! Well at least I'm not green!"
"Oh, how original."
"You sarcastical thing!" Galinda continued shrieking. "No wonder your father hates you!"
Before she had time to realize just what she'd said, Galinda found herself thrown up against the wall, Elphaba's fist poised to impact her face. She whimpered and shrank back as far as she could, squeezing her eyes shut tight, hoping there would be no permanent damage to her facial features.
"No," Elphaba said, to herself more than to Galinda, and tossed her roommate onto her frilly pink bed instead. "Don't move."
Galinda was actually scared of Elphaba for the first time, and she didn't even think of defying that order. She curled a few ruffles of her bedspread tightly in her hands, pressing her face into the comforter, wishing she could take back what she'd said. And not because Elphaba was angry... just because she didn't mean it, and it was an awful thing to say.
Elphaba paced back and forth, a hand to her forehead, not liking the fact that she'd almost hit her friend. Ex-friend? Enemy now?
After what seemed like ages and ages and ages, and Elphaba hadn't stopped pacing or said anything, Galinda dared to peek sideways at her. "I'm sorry, Elphie," she whispered sincerely. "I didn't mean it."
"Yes you did," Elphaba snapped. "People don't say things they don't mean."
"Yes they do," Galinda insisted. "When they lose their minds... they say things to hurt someone, things they don't mean. I didn't mean it."
"Then why'd you say it?"
"Because I'm stupid! And I-I-I was jealous! You've been spending all your time with him instead of me!"
"What?" Elphaba asked, incredulous.
"You've stopped spending all your time with me," Galinda repeated, sounding more insecure than Elphaba could ever have imagined.
"And you thought the way to approach the subject was by calling me a hussy and justifying my father's hatred of me?" Now she was torn between anger and shock, but with each passing second her anger was fading.
"I'm sorry, Elphie," Galinda tried again. "I was desperate, I've never had to try so hard to get anyone's attention and I didn't know what to do," she admitted.
"Why do you w-- no, nevermind," Elphaba started to ask, then decided against it. It was strangely disconcerting to see this vulnerable side to Galinda. She finally sank down onto her roommate's bed and sighed. "That was really hurtful." It was hard for her to admit to being hurt, but anything to make Galinda 'normal' again. She was loathe to admit it, but she wanted the gushing, hyper, always positive personality back.
"Oh Elphie!" Galinda cried, sitting up and flinging herself into Elphaba's lap. "Can you ever forgive me?"
Elphaba allowed a smile to creep onto her face, and she tapped Galinda's nose with one fingertip. "No."
Galinda's eyes filled with tears, real tears, for the first time she could remember, and her stomach twisted painfully, her breath coming shallow and fast. She had ruined it... ruined the only friendship she'd ever had that really meant something to her. It was like the walls were closing in.
Elphaba choked as she realized her joke was taken seriously, and she watched one small tear break free and slide down Galinda's porcelain cheek. Before she realized it, she'd reached to brush it away, and the salty water burned the back of her finger. "I was joking," she said quickly.
Galinda gasped in horror. "That's not funny!"
Elphaba bit her lip, looking coyly at her roommate. "It's a little bit funny."
"No it isn't," Galinda said stubbornly, wiping at her eyes with obvious frustration.
"Well then I guess it serves you right for what you said, doesn't it?" Elphaba suggested logically. "And yes, I forgive you."
"Maybe now I don't forgive you," Galinda said sourly.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Elphaba teased, making sure Galinda could see her smile this time, and know she was joking. She was quiet while the blonde tried to compose herself, wanting to give her a little space, despite the fact that Galinda was still sitting in her lap. It took a little bit longer than usual, and Elphaba suspected it was because her roommate was genuinely upset this time, as opposed to the multitudinous occasions of feigned grief designed and employed to get her way. When she felt it was safe to proceed, she spoke. "So you'd like me to spend more time with you, then, I take it?"
Galinda looked up at her and nodded, and Elphaba was struck by how innocent she appeared. She overcame a strong urge to... well, to hug her roommate. She was not the instigator of such things, she was the recipient, and didn't see any reason to change that now.
Except that Galinda just kept looking at her like that, and she was already in Elphaba's lap, and it did feel awfully good to have so much physical contact... "Do you want a... hug?" she asked lamely.
Galinda squealed and appeared to be having a seizure in Elphaba's lap for several moments, then crushed her roommate in a hug.
Elphaba's arms went awkwardly around Galinda at first, but the blonde felt her roommate's confidence build as her grip tightened, and that made her smile. Uh... more than she was already smiling. "I'll never say anything like that again. Nevernevernevernevernev--"
"Never, I get it," Elphaba said dryly, though she was smiling.
Galinda pulled back suddenly and gasped. "Tomorrow... let's go shopping! Oh please, Elphie? Please, please, please?"
Elphaba hated shopping. Why was it so hard to deny her roommate anything? At least when she was being so... what was the word... cute. "Sure," she finally said with what she hoped was a casual shrug.
--
"Elphie?" Galinda asked quietly as she entered their room after dinner one evening to find Elphaba in bed, facing the wall. When she got no answer, she was even more worried. "Elphaba?"
"Please," Elphaba whispered, her voice strained. "Leave me be."
Now Elphie wasn't the cheeriest person in the world, but this was totally not normal. "What's wrong?"
Elphaba held back the tears she knew would burn her face if she shed them. "My mother's bottle. It's gone."
"What? What do you mean it's gone?"
"It's gone," Elphaba said again, not moving from her spot even as she felt Galinda's weight on her bed.
"Did you look under the bed? Maybe it fell--" Galinda stopped talking when she noticed a note on the night table.
Shiz doesn't need people like you... this is the first of many things to disappear if you don't go back where you came from.
Galinda gasped in horror, her cheeks turning pink as anger bubbled up inside her. How dare anyone treat her Elphie like this? "You stay here, Elphie. I'll deal with this," she scowled, fisting the note and stalking determinedly out of the room.
Elphaba pressed her hands tightly against her eyes and tried to think of anything besides her mother. She didn't know what Galinda thought she was going to do, but she didn't expect results.
--
An hour later, Galinda re-entered the room to find Elphaba reading. She shuffled quickly up to the bed and held out the bottle.
Elphaba's eyes widened and she put down her book, looking up at her roommate in shock as she reached out and took the bottle, clutching it to her chest. "Galinda," she whispered. "How did you--"
"That's not important," Galinda cut her off with a wave of her hand. "What's important is that you've got it back and no one will ever dare to mess with you again. Ever."
Those traitorous tears welled up again, and Elphaba clutched the bottle tighter. "Why did you do that for me?" she breathed.
"You're my best friend," Galinda said, as though it should have been obvious. The truth was, she couldn't stand to see Elphaba in any kind of pain at all. It made her heart wrench, and that was really uncomfortable. "You can just thank me," she then said, smiling down at her roomie.
That got a heartfelt chuckle from Elphaba, and she tucked the bottle safely away inside her pillowcase, then turned back to Galinda. "Thank you," she said. "You're amazing."
"I am, aren't I?" Galinda asked, sitting down in Elphaba's lap. "But you are too, Elphie."
Overcome with emotion, Elphaba seized Galinda by the shoulders and kissed her. Hard, fierce, and possessive.
Galinda's eyes nearly popped out of her head, and she froze. Then she melted. No one had ever kissed her like that before. Like the sun rose and set in her hair, and the stars came out in her eyes. Like nothing else mattered but her. Like she was worth more than money and popularity. When Elphie finally pulled back, Galinda was afraid she was going to apologize, but she didn't.
"Thank you, again," Elphaba said quietly, her mouth tingling from the contact. What in Oz did she think she was doing? Galinda was the only one that didn't laugh at her, and now?
"Is that all it was?" Galinda interrupted her thoughts. "A thank-you?" She couldn't help sounding disappointed.
"What else would it be?" Elphaba asked cautiously.
Galinda's face flushed and she felt frustration welling up. "Maybe you think I'm pretty, or you felt close to me, or you think I'm worth more than everyone else thinks I am!"
Elphaba wasn't sure if Galinda was mad because of the kiss, or because she didn't like the reasoning behind it. Not that it really was a thank-you kiss... "What reason would you prefer?" she asked, her tone still cautious.
"Elphie!" Galinda shrieked, balling her hands into fists and pounding the mattress. "You've always been different, but now you're only saying what I want to hear, just like the rest of them!"
"All right," Elphaba said, sitting up straighter. She opened her mouth to explain, then ended up grabbing Galinda by the shoulders again and kissing her, again.
Galinda was just as shocked as she had been the first time, but got over it much quicker and before Elphie could pull back, she followed, returning the kiss. It was every bit as good as the first one, and when they finally broke apart, she still wanted more. Like a sudden addiction. "I couldn't hear you, Elphie," she said breathlessly. "Tell me again."
Elphaba's hand curled tightly in Galinda's hair and she pressed their lips together, acutely aware of the smell and taste and feel of it all. She had never kissed anyone before... never even came close. She wasn't even sure she knew what she was doing, but Galinda seemed to like it.
Galinda tried to deepen the kiss, to no avail, and whined frustratedly as she pulled back. "Elphie," she said, vibrating up and down with her little fists in the air. "I'm trying to put my tongue in your mouth!" She did so like the way her roomie was pulling her hair, though. Mmm.
Elphaba flushed. "I know the logistics," said defensively. "I just didn't want to go too far."
"Did you hear me complaining? No-oo," Galinda pouted. "No one's ever kissed me like that before."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm really important," Galinda said, emphasizing the word 'really' with a gravelly quality.
"Well I didn't mean to convey that," Elphaba said, a little nervously. "I suppose I couldn't help it. I do find you to be rather important to me these days." She looked away, though with Galinda in her lap there really wasn't anywhere to go if she reacted badly.
Galinda squealed and flapped her hands, bouncing in Elphaba's lap, then threw her arms around her roommate's neck, the momentum knocking them both over. She ended up half on top of Elphie, and giggled. "Oops."
"Why do I feel you planned that?" Elphaba asked, feigning suspicion.
"I don't knowwww," Galinda sang excitedly. Her hair hung down to frame Elphie's face, the very ends tickling her friend's skin, and she lost her breath for a moment. "You really are beautiful," she whispered, taking leave to initiate yet another kiss. Before she could even attempt to open her mouth, though, Elphaba flipped them and had her pinned to the bed, one wrist held down on either side of her head.
"I didn't say you could kiss me."
"But--" Galinda's eyes went wide. How could Elphie say that, after--
Fingertips gliding down her bare arms and the smile on Elphaba's face let Galinda know she was teasing.
The touches felt so good that she couldn't get mad, but she did fix a pout on her face as she lifted her arms, intending to put them around Elphaba's neck and pull her down.
Elphaba's hands quickly slid back up Galinda's arms, fingers curling around each of her wrists once more and pressing them back into the mattress. "Slow down," she whispered. "We've only just begun to tolerate each other..." She didn't say that she was afraid of doing something that her roommate would regret the next day. She was already laid bare enough for one evening.
Galinda struggled playfully and then resorted to whining. "Elphie, you've got me all worked up. At least kiss me again?"
This was all very new and strange for Elphaba, and she found her head spinning. But she had Galinda Upland beneath her, flushed and asking for another kiss. No matter how out of her element she was, she wasn't going to say no to that. And... all worked up? Sweet Oz, she didn't even want to try to wrap her mind around exactly what that meant, though she had a heart-fluttering idea. She kissed Galinda softly and then climbed off the bed before she could be lured back by the little temptress. Only then did she realize that it was her bed. "Can I have my bed back?"
Galinda didn't want to push her luck, so she smiled sheepishly and slid off the bed, twirling across the room to her own instead and flopping down onto it.
Elphaba smiled rather affectionately at her, and climbed back into bed. "Good night," she said, reaching over to turn out her lamp.
"Night," Galinda echoed, heaving a sigh and rolling over so she could reach her lamp as well. It was going to be ozically hard to sleep tonight.
Fandom: Wicked
Pairing: Galinda/Elphaba
Rating: Eventual NC-17
Summary: It's hard for Galinda and Elphaba to keep up appearances. Especially after things change between them.
"And though you protest your disinterest, I know clandestinely... You're gonna grin and bear it! Your newfound popularity! Ah! La la, la la! You'll be popular! Just not quite as popular. As. Me!"
As Galinda finished singing, Elphaba was in the bathroom, ripping the flower out of her hair and tossing it into the trash. This was ridiculous. What right did her roommate think she had to dress her up like a doll? Throwing veiled insults disguised in a song! And then calling her beautiful? Who did Galinda think she was? Oh, oh, and Elphie? Ugh... talk about undignified.
Dextrous fingers quickly worked her black hair back into its tightly woven plait and secured it with a plain rubberband. She wanted nothing glamorous - that wasn't her. And she wasn't going to give up her self to appease her cocky, unrestrained, shallow brat of a roommate. Elphaba wasn't interested in being popular, she was interested in finishing her studies and going on to work with the Wizard. That was all.
Collecting herself, she finally stepped out of the bathroom and back into their shared space, less than surprised to see Galinda in front of her vanity, reapplying her lip gloss.
"Are you done throwing a tantrum, Elphie?" the blonde asked, pursing her lips and pouting up at the taller girl. "Where's your flower?"
"In the trash," Elphaba replied, her fists clenched at her sides.
"Elphie!" Galinda gasped, hands going to cover her open mouth, hurt scattered across her wide blue eyes.
"Stop calling me Elphie," Elphaba said through clenched teeth. "In fact, stop calling me at all."
Galinda's lower lip quivered, and before she could stop herself, she burst into tears and flopped face down on her bed, quickly pulling a pillow over her head.
Elphaba stared for a good thirty seconds before she stormed back into the bathroom and plucked the flower from the trash, haphazardly fitting it back into her hair and standing at the foot of Galinda's bed. She had to speak loudly to be heard over the dramatic tears. "Is this better?"
Galinda made a show of wiping her eyes as she picked her head up to look, and sniffled a little too loudly to be considered subtle. "You have it crooked," she said, sniffling again.
Elphaba stood there, and when it became apparent that Galinda was waiting for something more, she gestured toward her hair and asked impatiently, "well, aren't you going to fix it then?"
Galinda beamed, all tears and offenses forgotten, and bounced in place on the mattress. "Sit down," she said, patting the space beside her. "Sitsitsitsitsitsitsitsi--"
"I'm sitting," Elphaba informed her, having already moved to sit down.
As soon as Elphaba hit the mattress, Galinda was straddling her, reworking the slightly crumpled (which was totally unacceptable) flower.
Elphaba grimaced, trying to lean away, but there were limited escape options in her current position. "Eh... you're a little close," she said slowly, pointedly, with a clear expression of discomfort on her face.
Galinda giggled and bounced excitedly as she finished fixing the flower, flapping her hands in a rapid motion as she stood back and admired her work. "Perrrr-fect," she sang, leaning forward to place her hands on either side of Elphaba, extending one leg in an arabesque behind her. "Ah-ah-ah aaaahhhh!"
Elphaba cringed, the sound actually hurting her eardrums, and before she had time to react to her roommate's head in her lap, Galinda was up and bouncing again, then abruptly stopped and dove backwards onto the bed. Elphaba started to get up, but an impossibly quick hand shot out and grabbed her frock, unbalancing her enough to prevent her escape.
"Wait!" Galinda squeaked, poking Elphie repeatedly in the side. "I wasn't finished."
"What more could you possibly want to do to me?" Elphaba asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Your hair's in that awful braid again," Galinda pouted.
Elphaba turned on her, one finger extended down toward her roommate. "It might be hard for you to understand, given the way your brain works, but the things you say can actually be considered insulting."
"Oh but it's just awfulllllllll," Galinda groaned, her voice going gravelly at the end.
"Again, insulting," Elphaba said, her patience growing thin. "Hurting feelings, lowering self esteem... ring a bell?"
"Oh come onnn," Galinda drawled, rolling her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic."
Elphaba rolled her eyes to avoid saying something she didn't mean. She wasn't thrilled that Galinda wouldn't take her seriously, but this was Galinda Upland she was talking about here. She didn't take anything seriously. "I'm serious," she finally said.
"So am I, that braid is awful," Galinda said earnestly. "Let me t--" She had reached for the rubberband at the end of the braid, but Elphaba had smacked her hand away.
"Don't touch me," she complained. "You're not being very nice at all."
Galinda looked positively wounded, placing a hand over her heart and letting her mouth fall open into a perfect 'o'. "I'm trying to help you!" she said, scandalized.
"And what if I don't want help?"
"Elphie, don't say that! Someone could hear you!" Galinda shushed her with wide eyes. She stood and made a grand sweeping gesture with one arm, then curtsied. "Galinda, the nicest roommate ever, ah-ah-ah aaaahhhh! At your service."
"Please stop shrieking," Elphaba requested. "Some of us use our body parts for what they're intended, and don't particularly want any of them out of service."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but let's brush your hairrrr," Galinda gushed, springing into the air in a ballet move that Elphaba had never seen before.
"Doesn't that hurt your neck?"
Galinda's teeth sparkled as she grinned at her roommate. "Yes," she sing-songed. "But the first thing a girl learns in life is that beauty is pain."
"I've never understood that," Elphaba said, shaking her head. She had never spent much time trying to understand it, either.
"Oh, it's simple. Things that look good, hurt," Galinda said sagely.
"Thank you," Elphaba said dryly.
"Oh you're welcome! Now about your hair..."
--
Elphaba had finally given up and let Galinda do her hair, and her roommate had brushed it out and curled it... and she had to admit, it did look... good. Only because Galinda had fixed it, though. She wouldn't be able to duplicate the style on her own, nor would she strive to. It was nice while it lasted, but she wasn't going to put that much effort into her hair every day. Well, maybe she would, actually. She just noticed Fiyero staring at her as she walked past him in the hallway. What was that feeling shuddering through her? Certainly not pride...
"Elphaba!" Fiyero called at the last second, almost losing his nerve, but managing to push off the wall and speak up before the object of his attention could disappear into their history classroom.
Elphaba stopped, her heart pounding, and spun on her heel to face him. "Yes?"
Fiyero cleared his throat and stood taller, giving her a charming smile. "You look nice."
Elphaba's eyes narrowed instinctively, and she was ready to toss a barb about insincerity, but just this once she wanted to feel pretty, so she forcibly quashed her instincts and smiled instead. "Thank you, you look very nice yourself," she replied. The nagging feeling that he was going to start laughing at her was still there, but she ignored it.
Fiyero's charming smile turned into a genuine grin. She hadn't slapped him! "Thanks," he said, puffing out his chest as he slid his arm into hers. "To class, then."
--
Galinda was furious. Downright furious! Elphaba and Fiyero were... were... friends! With each other! Hello! What about her? Fiyero was her boyfriend, and Elphaba was her roommate! They were supposed to go through her if they wanted to be friends! Like, if Fiyero needed to tell Elphie something, he could pass it through her, and vice versified! This was terrible, and awful, and she felt quite sick. She was going to just... give Elphie a piece of her mind as soon as her roommate got home!
Elphaba, unknowing of the whirlwind of ferocious emotion about to be unleashed upon her, entered her dorm room with a smile, feeling something very close to happy. Her smile faded when she was met with the sight of Galinda, standing in the center of the room, hands on her hips, looking about to explode. She barely closed the door behind her before the torrent began.
"I suppose you think it's perfectly acceptable to go gallivanting around with my boyfriend, and not spending any time studying, or or or with me, or doing whatever it is you used to do before I made you pretty, and you didn't have anyone's boyfriend to go gallivanting around with!"
Elphaba stared, unmoving, wondering if she'd just entered the wrong room. But alas, no, this was the right room, and this mewling creature was indeed her roommate. She sighed and tossed her book bag onto her bed, choosing to ignore the tirade. Ignore it, and it will go away.
"Helloooo, person who uses her body parts for what they're intended," Galinda continued, waving her arms frantically about. "Use your ears to hear me, then. You're a terrible friend! You're trying to steal Fiyero and after all I've done for you, Elphaba, really! I would think you of all people would appreciate the sanctification of a relationship, and not turn into a, a, a hussyyyyyy," she shouted, hissing the last word.
Okay, ignoring was out. Elphaba's eyes widened and she spun to face Galinda, anger flaring hot enough to stain her cheeks. "Shut up," she said, keeping her voice low. Dangerously low, Galinda should notice if she had any sense.
"Don't like the truth?" Galinda taunted, stomping her foot in protest. "Too bad. I thought you were my friend, Elphie. But you're just like everyone else. You used me to get to Fiyero."
"Now you listen to me," Elphaba said, her eyes flashing. "I've done nothing of the sort. I'm not trying to steal Fiyero, and if you had any sense in that bubble brain of yours, you'd know that."
"Bubble brain?!" Galinda shrieked, nearly bending over backwards before straightening up again and squeezing her hands into fists and clenching her teeth. "Eeeeeeeeeee! Well at least I'm not green!"
"Oh, how original."
"You sarcastical thing!" Galinda continued shrieking. "No wonder your father hates you!"
Before she had time to realize just what she'd said, Galinda found herself thrown up against the wall, Elphaba's fist poised to impact her face. She whimpered and shrank back as far as she could, squeezing her eyes shut tight, hoping there would be no permanent damage to her facial features.
"No," Elphaba said, to herself more than to Galinda, and tossed her roommate onto her frilly pink bed instead. "Don't move."
Galinda was actually scared of Elphaba for the first time, and she didn't even think of defying that order. She curled a few ruffles of her bedspread tightly in her hands, pressing her face into the comforter, wishing she could take back what she'd said. And not because Elphaba was angry... just because she didn't mean it, and it was an awful thing to say.
Elphaba paced back and forth, a hand to her forehead, not liking the fact that she'd almost hit her friend. Ex-friend? Enemy now?
After what seemed like ages and ages and ages, and Elphaba hadn't stopped pacing or said anything, Galinda dared to peek sideways at her. "I'm sorry, Elphie," she whispered sincerely. "I didn't mean it."
"Yes you did," Elphaba snapped. "People don't say things they don't mean."
"Yes they do," Galinda insisted. "When they lose their minds... they say things to hurt someone, things they don't mean. I didn't mean it."
"Then why'd you say it?"
"Because I'm stupid! And I-I-I was jealous! You've been spending all your time with him instead of me!"
"What?" Elphaba asked, incredulous.
"You've stopped spending all your time with me," Galinda repeated, sounding more insecure than Elphaba could ever have imagined.
"And you thought the way to approach the subject was by calling me a hussy and justifying my father's hatred of me?" Now she was torn between anger and shock, but with each passing second her anger was fading.
"I'm sorry, Elphie," Galinda tried again. "I was desperate, I've never had to try so hard to get anyone's attention and I didn't know what to do," she admitted.
"Why do you w-- no, nevermind," Elphaba started to ask, then decided against it. It was strangely disconcerting to see this vulnerable side to Galinda. She finally sank down onto her roommate's bed and sighed. "That was really hurtful." It was hard for her to admit to being hurt, but anything to make Galinda 'normal' again. She was loathe to admit it, but she wanted the gushing, hyper, always positive personality back.
"Oh Elphie!" Galinda cried, sitting up and flinging herself into Elphaba's lap. "Can you ever forgive me?"
Elphaba allowed a smile to creep onto her face, and she tapped Galinda's nose with one fingertip. "No."
Galinda's eyes filled with tears, real tears, for the first time she could remember, and her stomach twisted painfully, her breath coming shallow and fast. She had ruined it... ruined the only friendship she'd ever had that really meant something to her. It was like the walls were closing in.
Elphaba choked as she realized her joke was taken seriously, and she watched one small tear break free and slide down Galinda's porcelain cheek. Before she realized it, she'd reached to brush it away, and the salty water burned the back of her finger. "I was joking," she said quickly.
Galinda gasped in horror. "That's not funny!"
Elphaba bit her lip, looking coyly at her roommate. "It's a little bit funny."
"No it isn't," Galinda said stubbornly, wiping at her eyes with obvious frustration.
"Well then I guess it serves you right for what you said, doesn't it?" Elphaba suggested logically. "And yes, I forgive you."
"Maybe now I don't forgive you," Galinda said sourly.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Elphaba teased, making sure Galinda could see her smile this time, and know she was joking. She was quiet while the blonde tried to compose herself, wanting to give her a little space, despite the fact that Galinda was still sitting in her lap. It took a little bit longer than usual, and Elphaba suspected it was because her roommate was genuinely upset this time, as opposed to the multitudinous occasions of feigned grief designed and employed to get her way. When she felt it was safe to proceed, she spoke. "So you'd like me to spend more time with you, then, I take it?"
Galinda looked up at her and nodded, and Elphaba was struck by how innocent she appeared. She overcame a strong urge to... well, to hug her roommate. She was not the instigator of such things, she was the recipient, and didn't see any reason to change that now.
Except that Galinda just kept looking at her like that, and she was already in Elphaba's lap, and it did feel awfully good to have so much physical contact... "Do you want a... hug?" she asked lamely.
Galinda squealed and appeared to be having a seizure in Elphaba's lap for several moments, then crushed her roommate in a hug.
Elphaba's arms went awkwardly around Galinda at first, but the blonde felt her roommate's confidence build as her grip tightened, and that made her smile. Uh... more than she was already smiling. "I'll never say anything like that again. Nevernevernevernevernev--"
"Never, I get it," Elphaba said dryly, though she was smiling.
Galinda pulled back suddenly and gasped. "Tomorrow... let's go shopping! Oh please, Elphie? Please, please, please?"
Elphaba hated shopping. Why was it so hard to deny her roommate anything? At least when she was being so... what was the word... cute. "Sure," she finally said with what she hoped was a casual shrug.
--
"Elphie?" Galinda asked quietly as she entered their room after dinner one evening to find Elphaba in bed, facing the wall. When she got no answer, she was even more worried. "Elphaba?"
"Please," Elphaba whispered, her voice strained. "Leave me be."
Now Elphie wasn't the cheeriest person in the world, but this was totally not normal. "What's wrong?"
Elphaba held back the tears she knew would burn her face if she shed them. "My mother's bottle. It's gone."
"What? What do you mean it's gone?"
"It's gone," Elphaba said again, not moving from her spot even as she felt Galinda's weight on her bed.
"Did you look under the bed? Maybe it fell--" Galinda stopped talking when she noticed a note on the night table.
Shiz doesn't need people like you... this is the first of many things to disappear if you don't go back where you came from.
Galinda gasped in horror, her cheeks turning pink as anger bubbled up inside her. How dare anyone treat her Elphie like this? "You stay here, Elphie. I'll deal with this," she scowled, fisting the note and stalking determinedly out of the room.
Elphaba pressed her hands tightly against her eyes and tried to think of anything besides her mother. She didn't know what Galinda thought she was going to do, but she didn't expect results.
--
An hour later, Galinda re-entered the room to find Elphaba reading. She shuffled quickly up to the bed and held out the bottle.
Elphaba's eyes widened and she put down her book, looking up at her roommate in shock as she reached out and took the bottle, clutching it to her chest. "Galinda," she whispered. "How did you--"
"That's not important," Galinda cut her off with a wave of her hand. "What's important is that you've got it back and no one will ever dare to mess with you again. Ever."
Those traitorous tears welled up again, and Elphaba clutched the bottle tighter. "Why did you do that for me?" she breathed.
"You're my best friend," Galinda said, as though it should have been obvious. The truth was, she couldn't stand to see Elphaba in any kind of pain at all. It made her heart wrench, and that was really uncomfortable. "You can just thank me," she then said, smiling down at her roomie.
That got a heartfelt chuckle from Elphaba, and she tucked the bottle safely away inside her pillowcase, then turned back to Galinda. "Thank you," she said. "You're amazing."
"I am, aren't I?" Galinda asked, sitting down in Elphaba's lap. "But you are too, Elphie."
Overcome with emotion, Elphaba seized Galinda by the shoulders and kissed her. Hard, fierce, and possessive.
Galinda's eyes nearly popped out of her head, and she froze. Then she melted. No one had ever kissed her like that before. Like the sun rose and set in her hair, and the stars came out in her eyes. Like nothing else mattered but her. Like she was worth more than money and popularity. When Elphie finally pulled back, Galinda was afraid she was going to apologize, but she didn't.
"Thank you, again," Elphaba said quietly, her mouth tingling from the contact. What in Oz did she think she was doing? Galinda was the only one that didn't laugh at her, and now?
"Is that all it was?" Galinda interrupted her thoughts. "A thank-you?" She couldn't help sounding disappointed.
"What else would it be?" Elphaba asked cautiously.
Galinda's face flushed and she felt frustration welling up. "Maybe you think I'm pretty, or you felt close to me, or you think I'm worth more than everyone else thinks I am!"
Elphaba wasn't sure if Galinda was mad because of the kiss, or because she didn't like the reasoning behind it. Not that it really was a thank-you kiss... "What reason would you prefer?" she asked, her tone still cautious.
"Elphie!" Galinda shrieked, balling her hands into fists and pounding the mattress. "You've always been different, but now you're only saying what I want to hear, just like the rest of them!"
"All right," Elphaba said, sitting up straighter. She opened her mouth to explain, then ended up grabbing Galinda by the shoulders again and kissing her, again.
Galinda was just as shocked as she had been the first time, but got over it much quicker and before Elphie could pull back, she followed, returning the kiss. It was every bit as good as the first one, and when they finally broke apart, she still wanted more. Like a sudden addiction. "I couldn't hear you, Elphie," she said breathlessly. "Tell me again."
Elphaba's hand curled tightly in Galinda's hair and she pressed their lips together, acutely aware of the smell and taste and feel of it all. She had never kissed anyone before... never even came close. She wasn't even sure she knew what she was doing, but Galinda seemed to like it.
Galinda tried to deepen the kiss, to no avail, and whined frustratedly as she pulled back. "Elphie," she said, vibrating up and down with her little fists in the air. "I'm trying to put my tongue in your mouth!" She did so like the way her roomie was pulling her hair, though. Mmm.
Elphaba flushed. "I know the logistics," said defensively. "I just didn't want to go too far."
"Did you hear me complaining? No-oo," Galinda pouted. "No one's ever kissed me like that before."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm really important," Galinda said, emphasizing the word 'really' with a gravelly quality.
"Well I didn't mean to convey that," Elphaba said, a little nervously. "I suppose I couldn't help it. I do find you to be rather important to me these days." She looked away, though with Galinda in her lap there really wasn't anywhere to go if she reacted badly.
Galinda squealed and flapped her hands, bouncing in Elphaba's lap, then threw her arms around her roommate's neck, the momentum knocking them both over. She ended up half on top of Elphie, and giggled. "Oops."
"Why do I feel you planned that?" Elphaba asked, feigning suspicion.
"I don't knowwww," Galinda sang excitedly. Her hair hung down to frame Elphie's face, the very ends tickling her friend's skin, and she lost her breath for a moment. "You really are beautiful," she whispered, taking leave to initiate yet another kiss. Before she could even attempt to open her mouth, though, Elphaba flipped them and had her pinned to the bed, one wrist held down on either side of her head.
"I didn't say you could kiss me."
"But--" Galinda's eyes went wide. How could Elphie say that, after--
Fingertips gliding down her bare arms and the smile on Elphaba's face let Galinda know she was teasing.
The touches felt so good that she couldn't get mad, but she did fix a pout on her face as she lifted her arms, intending to put them around Elphaba's neck and pull her down.
Elphaba's hands quickly slid back up Galinda's arms, fingers curling around each of her wrists once more and pressing them back into the mattress. "Slow down," she whispered. "We've only just begun to tolerate each other..." She didn't say that she was afraid of doing something that her roommate would regret the next day. She was already laid bare enough for one evening.
Galinda struggled playfully and then resorted to whining. "Elphie, you've got me all worked up. At least kiss me again?"
This was all very new and strange for Elphaba, and she found her head spinning. But she had Galinda Upland beneath her, flushed and asking for another kiss. No matter how out of her element she was, she wasn't going to say no to that. And... all worked up? Sweet Oz, she didn't even want to try to wrap her mind around exactly what that meant, though she had a heart-fluttering idea. She kissed Galinda softly and then climbed off the bed before she could be lured back by the little temptress. Only then did she realize that it was her bed. "Can I have my bed back?"
Galinda didn't want to push her luck, so she smiled sheepishly and slid off the bed, twirling across the room to her own instead and flopping down onto it.
Elphaba smiled rather affectionately at her, and climbed back into bed. "Good night," she said, reaching over to turn out her lamp.
"Night," Galinda echoed, heaving a sigh and rolling over so she could reach her lamp as well. It was going to be ozically hard to sleep tonight.