Title: Surrogate Kisses

Rating: G

Pairing: Gelphie

A/N: This was the first Wicked fanfic I ever wrote, and I wrote it about a year ago.

Is there a specific moment when a person goes from apathy to loving a person? For Elphaba there wasn't, or at least, she couldn't pinpoint just one. Loving Galinda crept up on her as easily as loving the first flowers in spring or the last fingers of sunset. The admiration for beauty is always there, but suddenly something else is, as well. Not only is her hair mesmerizing when it catches the sunlight, but her smile causes something inside to flutter unexpectedly. Her voice is melodic and soothing, and whatever she says is law. Infatuation is a dangerous thing, but true love is more perilous still.

Galinda had unwittingly captured Elphaba's heart. Elphaba began to hang the moon and stars around Galinda, and yet Galinda was blind to her devotion. If she had known the way she was the center of Elphaba's world, would it have changed things?

Elphaba, however, couldn't let Galinda know how she felt. There were some lines that were just not acceptable to cross, not even in the privacy of her own mind. That didn't stop her from feeling, though. Every time Galinda smiled she could feel the ghost of those lips upon her own. When her hand collided with that smooth, soft skin, she had to brace herself for the shiver that ran through her body. This was unacceptable, and yet...if it was, why did it feel so perfect?

Elphaba breathed in the stillness and let go of the bed sheets that she had been clutching tightly to herself, pretending that they had been something - or someone - else. Her eyes opened slowly, and it took her a minute to be able to see in the darkness.

There, in the bed next to her, lay Galinda. They were so close that it was all Elphaba could do to not reach out to her. Finally Elphaba realized that Galinda wasn't sleeping, like she had assumed. No, Galinda was watching her carefully, her round blue eyes taking everything in.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Asked Elphaba, her voice rough with sleep.

"You were smiling," replied Galinda softly.

"Yes, I often do, as you may have realized," said Elphaba more sharply than she had intended.

"No, you don't smile," contradicted Galinda, "You grin in triumph, or you smirk with knowledge, but you never just smile."

"But I was...?"

"Yes, while you were sleeping you were."

Elphaba felt a blush burn on her face, though she knew that Galinda wouldn't be able to tell. Galinda slipped out of her bed and knelt next to Elphaba's. She rested her hand on Elphaba's pillow and smiled drowsily at Elphaba. Elphaba had to restrain herself from reaching out to caress those smooth, soft cheeks. How was it possible for skin to be so flawless?

"You're beautiful when you smile," whispered Galinda as she reached out to touch Elphaba's lips. Elphaba didn't breathe for a moment, and before she knew it she was pursing her lips and kissing Galinda's finger tips. Galinda froze, then slowly retracted her hand. The smile disappeared from her face as she gazed at her fingers with wonder.

Elphaba's heart began to race. She had overstepped her bounds; how could she retract that action? She had just ruined all chances of being friends with Galinda. Surely now she had frightened her off for good.

Galinda opened her mouth to speak, but seemed to think better of it. She raised her fingers to her own lips and kissed them softly, as if allowing her fingers to experience the sensation that she wouldn't allow her lips to ever know. Then she reached out and stroked Elphaba's cheek softly.

"Why Miss Elphaba," she said as she traced Elphaba's razor sharp cheek bones, "I never knew." Then she stood up and backed to her own bed, climbing back inside and pulling the covers up to her chin.

But now she did know, and things would never be the same again.