AN:
Aaaaaand here we go! The beginning of a new story!
Now you will probably have noticed that this story is M-rated and this is for a reason. But at the same time, those of you who are waiting for a lot of juicy smut should know that things will be... frustrating. Maybe even VERY frustrating. If you're still in it for the story, this might work out okay for you though lol
Also, this is AU with some elements taken from the book (everything up until Elphaba leaving Shiz and a few nuggets here and thereafter). I put a few pieces of info in this first chapter to get you up to speed, but some of you might find that tedious or confusing. If any questions arise, I'm happy to answer them. If they come in more frequently than I expected, I'll consider writing a quick summary. Everyone who hasn't read the books - just go with the flow ;)
And now, with not much further ado, I present the first chapter of 'May I Hold You Tonight?'!
Happy reading! :3
1. For Old Times' Sake
For all Glinda knew, it would be an enjoyable, yet thoroughly uneventful afternoon. Her driver stopped the cab in front of the exclusive Emerald Queen Hotel, where she and her cronies had arranged to meet for tea and a footman hopped off the back of the carriage to open the door for her. Although the distance between the curb and the overstated double doors was merely a couple of steps, she opened her parasol as she disembarked the vehicle, mindful to avoid even the slightest hint of summer sun. She was no longer the heedless adolescent she had once been and knew that, if one wasn't careful enough, beauty could be a terribly fleeting blessing.
As soon as she had climbed the flight of marble stairs, a doorman took her parasol and called for a page, who would show her to her table. "The other ladies of your party have already arrived," he informed her with a bow.
They had indeed. Glinda had barely set a foot into the tearoom, when she was already greeted by the merry lot's silly laughter. She briefly rolled her eyes, but put on a bright smile before approaching the group of young women. "Good afternoon, Ladies."
"Glinda!" The first, a tall blonde named Bonna, jumped to her feet to embrace her friend. Glinda retuned the gesture in a rather economic fashion, slightly patting the other woman's back before detaching herself from her arms.
"You look great. I trust your holidays went well? No unpleasant surprises like last time?"
"Nothing of that sort," Bonna replied, taking her seat again. "But let me tell you, it was a boring affair. I wish I could have travelled with one of you girls. I missed you so."
"Maybe next time," another woman, a rather plump redhead, tried to assure her, but everyone knew that this was unlikely to happen. When Bonna went on one of her trips, this usually entailed a visit to her parents, who were living someplace in the southern part of the Glikkus – a very rural area, where barely any roads were paved and, what was worse, uncomfortably close to the border with the riotous Munchkinland. Similar to Glinda, Bonna had come to status and money through marriage, only her origins were far humbler than Glinda's. Also, the renowned Lady Chuffrey had succeeded in keeping her own heritage a secret, shrouding the circumstances of her upbringing in mystery and emphasising her Shiz education and wealthy husband instead. The same could not be said from poor Bonna, whose lips were not quite as tightly sealed at times.
The group settled down over a few glasses of Old Smaragd and since the party was finally complete, the waitstaff began serving the tiered platters, filled with dozens of different kinds of treats. Glinda began with a scone, as was proper. She broke off a small, bite-sized piece and topped it with saffron cream. The nostalgic taste brought her back several years and back to Shiz. She felt melancholy creeping into her heart and quickly put aside the unsettling piece of bread in favour of a raspberry tart, propriety be damned.
As the platters slowly emptied, the conversation moved from one topic to another. If she was honest, Glinda was a little bored, yet she didn't want to leave. No matter how tedious, she craved the company, for in her luxurious Emerald City townhouse only loneliness was awaiting her. So she stayed put, listening to the subtle background music while nibbling on her cake and absentmindedly stirring her tea. Every now and then, she nodded her head or offered her opinion if absolutely necessary, but most of the time, she kept herself occupied with watching other guests coming and leaving, the staff bustling about with towers of dishes, or the trio of children chasing a small terrier around the salon.
When a mother leading a toddler by the hand passed the ladies' table, the little girl dropped her doll at Bonna's feet. The woman was too absorbed in her conversation to notice. Distraught, the child tugged at her mother's hand and began to cry. Glinda quickly slipped off her seat and stooped down next to her friend to retrieve the toy. With a wide smile, she passed it on to the girl, who immediately swallowed her tears. The mother said her thanks, picked up her daughter and the two left. Glinda rose, still watching them and wondering how it would have been to be blessed with a sweet child of her own – not an uncommon thought for her.
The sadness lingered for a while, before it was chased away by utter astonishment as a page showed another guest through the door. The tall woman, tightly swathed in black garments, was quite a sight to behold and yet no one else in the room seemed to pay her any attention. With impossibly high cheekbones and a nose like a hawk's, her face was distinctive and easy to recognise - even if it hadn't been for the green colour of her skin. Glinda's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she stood frozen in place, unable to move as much as a little finger. Then, she fled to the relative safety of her chair, hiding among her friends.
Her hand pressed to her chest, she tried to calm her racing heart that caused her face to flush so unbecomingly. Her head was overrun by memories and raw emotion, yet felt so terribly empty at the same time, as all wit seemed to have left her. Oh, how long had she yearned for this moment, but now that it had come, she was mortified at the prospect of facing the person she had so dearly missed.
Naturally, her panicked state did not go unnoticed by her friends. "Glinda, love, are you quite alright? You look like you have seen a ghost."
More concerned pairs of eyes were now trained on her. Her neighbour gently took her hand to stroke it. "I…" Glinda felt pathetic. How did that mean, green thing have such a power over her, even though she probably hadn't even realised yet that the two of them were currently occupying the same room? "I am not feeling too well," she finally managed and began to fiddle with her reticule. "Perhaps, I ought to go home and rest."
She slowly rose to her feet while her friends expressed their get-well wishes. Bonna and Lady Dewflower, the brunette sitting next to her, offered to walk her to her carriage, but Glinda insisted that she didn't wish to further interrupt their merriment. "Do not worry about me, I will see you all next week," she promised, before turning around and heading straight for the exit.
Her feet did not depart from her course, but her eyes covertly searched the room for any hint of green. She stopped a serving maid, enquiring for directions to the hotel's conservatory, as an excuse to turn around and scan the section behind her. At last, she was able to locate Elphaba, huddled in a corner, next to a window. Glinda's heart clenched at the sight. Her Elphie still looked very much the awkward, lanky girl she had been at Shiz. Even the book in her hand was authentic Elphaba.
She nodded at the instructions from the maid - although she had not registered a single word of them – and continued on her way. At the door, she paused to talk to the butler. "Do you happen to know if Miss Thropp is expecting company?" she enquired pleasantly.
The man's face mirrored his surprise perfectly and Glinda suppressed a little laugh. But he recovered quickly and shook his head. "I cannot be certain, of course, but I doubt it. Miss Thropp usually enjoys her tea in solitude."
Now it was Glinda's turn to be astounded and her eyes widened. "Usually?" she repeated.
"Well, yes. Miss Thropp has been staying with us for about two weeks now and her daily routine has been rather consistent ever since."
This revelation stung. Obviously, Elphaba had no plans whatsoever to contact her old friend. If she did, she wouldn't have deferred it this long. Now, this didn't come as a surprise at all. In fact, Glinda would have been far more shocked if Elphaba had one day simply showed up at her doorstep. But the truth and the reality of it still left her speechless for a moment. She had always wondered whether their friendship had really been this one-sided that she was the only one mourning the loss of what they'd shared. She had never understood how Elphaba could have been so heartless to leave her so suddenly and out of the blue, without a hint or warning or goodbye. And what was worse, even after her great-grandfather's men had retrieved her, not a single letter, not one word had ever reached her. At one point, she had sworn to herself that Elphaba was dead to her. But she couldn't do it. She still thought too often of her roommate from Shiz and too fondly. If Elphaba wasn't going to come to her, she would go to Elphaba and be it at the cost of looking like a desperate fool.
"If that is so," she replied, her composure reestablished, "how long does Miss Thropp usually enjoy her tea?"
Raising his eyebrows at the question, the butler craned his neck to see past Glinda, catching a glance at his guest. "If that book of hers is good enough, Miss Thropp will probably stay until we close the tea salon."
A small smile flashed over Glinda's face as she nodded. "Very well then. I will take a walk and return later to have a little chat with Miss Thropp." At the man's confused expression, she simply said, "it's a business my friends need not know about. I would rather they remained oblivious." She inclined her head and left, picking up her parasol from the reception before leaving the building.
An hour later, or maybe two, Glinda once again found herself at the entrance to the Emerald Queen Hotel. She hesitated to walk through the door. She craved to see her Elphie, but she was also scared. Scared of what her old friend would say when she saw her, afraid of rejection and perhaps also a little bit afraid of her own feelings. She didn't trust herself to not turn into a sobbing mess upon meeting Elphaba and especially upon being sent away if that were to happen. She had half a mind to turn around and call for her carriage. After eight years of separation, what would be another fifty or sixty?
But she didn't turn around. Either bold or maybe simply foolish, she put a foot forward and took the first step. She returned to the tearoom, hurrying at first, but overcome with doubts, she soon began to waver and look back every other moment. She approached the door and stopped by the butler's side. "Is she still there?" she asked uselessly, for she could clearly see the green face by the window, poorly hidden by the small book in her equally green hands. But she needed the extra time to gather her courage.
"Miss Thropp just finished her sweets, but requested another cup of tea," was the butler's dutifully indulging answer.
"Thank you." Glinda cast the man a grateful, yet decidedly nervous smile and needlessly straightened the skirt of her dress before she set in motion.
She walked slowly, yet deliberately; gracefully, she almost seemed to float through the salon. Every move was orchestrated, just like back when she had always been in the eye of the public, attending dinner parties and balls with her husband. This time, however, she was not out to impress. This time, she was hiding in plain sight, pretending the past eight years had left her unaffected and unchanged. Who knew how long she would be able to keep up the charade and whether Elphaba would buy any of this to begin with, but after what Elphaba had done to her, she did not deserve to know how strongly she still for her felt.
Two steps away from Elphaba's table, she halted. She watched her for a little while, taking in every painfully familiar feature. Her hair was still as thick and lush as it always had been and just as dark. Her green might have become a little less vivid over the past few years, but then again, the image of vibrant emerald skin that she had preserved in her memory might have been a product of nostalgia and adoration. She couldn't be sure. Her eyes had lost none of their sparkle though. If anything, she thought they looked more alive now than ever before.
A silent sigh. As much as she appreciated the opportunity to reacquaint herself with Elphaba's presence, Glinda did feel a little disappointed at being so thoroughly overlooked. If she hadn't known her so intimately from the time they had shared their living quarters, she would have thought Elphaba's ignorance deliberate, but already reading the title of the book she was so immersed in (On the ethics of animal husbandry and Animal employment), she knew that there was no one in all of Oz, who could possibly have elicited any reaction from Elphaba Thropp. It was obvious that the burden of the first word would have to fall to her.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" This phrase had tradition for the two women. Back at Shiz, Glinda had often asked Elphaba about her books – sometimes only to be polite, but if the subject was of any importance for one of her classes, she tended to show genuine interest.
Although she was already sitting with her back straight and rigid, Glinda still noticed Elphaba stiffen. It took her a few heartbeats before she caught her eye, but once the identity of the bothersome disturber was confirmed, her hands slowly dropped, her fingers robotically marking the page as she closed the book. The two former roommates stared at each other, both lost for words. Glinda was a nervous wreck, struggling under the pressure to maintain her cool appearance.
And Elphaba? Elphaba was nothing if not confused. Somehow, the petite blonde standing right in front of her did not compute. She couldn't figure out why she was so surprised either. This was the Emerald City after all, the stomping ground of the rich and beautiful and Glinda was both. And of course, she had heard about the wedding between the lovely Glinda Arduenna and the well-heeled Sir Chuffrey. She had received an invitation to said event as well, but business and duty had not allowed her to leave Colwen Grounds at the time. Or so she had told herself.
She caught herself getting bogged in oppressive thoughts and forced her mind to return to the present. She shifted slightly and reached out to pull back a chair for her unexpected company. "I see you have improved your sense of fashion," she commented casually upon realising the unusually dark coloration of her also surprisingly simple dress (for Galinda's standards).
Glinda looked away at that, in the direction of the window, but her gaze downcast. "Blame my dear husband, who burdened me with this dreadful attire by dying on me just six months ago."
Elphaba's mouth opened and closed again. "My condolences," she said finally. "I'm sorry I-"
"Don't be," Glinda cut her off. "He was a dear friend, but I'm not even half as affected as I ought to be, so don't be shy cracking one of your snarky jests." She took the seat Elphaba had offered and put a measured smile on her lips when she looked up. A serving girl placed a cup of tea, sugar and a jug of cream in front of her.
"So you're officially a Lady now. And as I understand, you must be stinking rich as the widow of a…"
"Baronet. Chuffrey was a baronet." Elphaba huffed and took a sip of her tea. "What is so funny?" Glinda asked slightly irritably.
"Not funny at all; rather disappointing if I may be so frank." Frowning, the blonde tilted her head. "Only a baronet," Elphaba said, shaking her head and placing her cup on the saucer. "Not even a baron or viscount. You sold yourself cheap."
"Not cheap at all," Glinda ground out between gritted teeth. She couldn't believe that Elphaba had the nerve to actually say such things straight to her face. But then again, Elphaba never minced words. If she wanted to say something, she certainly made sure to be heard.
"Is that what everything comes down to then? Money? Is that how you measure your worth?"
"And you just suggested I measure it based on my title. What is the worth of a title these days, when the common merchant possesses more than many a noble man and one's status is measured in riches more than anything. Besides, no matter their treasures or name, nobody of any rank will ever have enough power to oppose the Wizard." She leaned back and looked straight into Elphaba's eyes. "Because that is what you're after, is it not?"
"If I have learnt anything over the past few years, it is what persuasive power a claim can have."
Now it was Glinda's turn to shake her head. "I have no intentions to tread on your toes, Elphie, but we all know how that worked out. Nessa might have accomplished the secession, but in the end, she was not able to wield that power."
Elphaba didn't seem offended. Perhaps, Glinda's use of her pet name had mellowed her down a little. "Gillikin isn't Munchkinland," she argued calmly.
"You are right, it is not. For one, no single baron or even viscount would be dominant enough to unite all the counties under one banner and force a split from greater Oz."
"A margreave might," Elphaba countered, shrugging her shoulders.
Glinda's eyebrows rose. "Why Elphie, it would appear you had big plans for me. Say, would you have come back to me if I had lived up to your soaring expectations? To share your plots and scheme with me, I mean."
Elphaba flinched at that and had the decency to look somewhat abashed. "That was certainly not what I meant. I never saw you as an expedient."
"You know," Glinda said with a dismissive wave of her dainty hand, "I used to be arrogant enough to assume I was important enough for you to return after your little escape attempt to the big city. As it turned out, none of us were – not Fiyero and not even Boq. You never returned to our small circle, our Shiz."
"It has never been my Shiz, you know that fully well. And from the day that Doctor Dillamond was gone, nothing held me there anymore." Glinda inhaled sharply and held her breath. Underneath the table, her lace-gloved hands clutched the fabric of her dress. She had always suspected as much, yet part of her had held on tightly to the hope that there was another reason for Elphaba's return to Munchkinland. But Elphaba wasn't finished yet. "I realised my mistake sometime later, when my great-grandfather began to groom me for a position I never intended to take."
Upon hearing this, the smaller woman straightened up a bit, a hint of joy and courage returning to her still heavy heart. "Yes, I remember how you told me that you never wanted the Eminency. And you didn't take it in the end."
"No. My great-grandfather died and father was adamant that the title should go to Nessa. I agreed to that, but stayed to support and council her. But as I probably should have foreseen, the only support she wanted from me was that of a caretaker and my council went unheeded. Funny, how we all tend to fall back into old patterns. I stayed by her side until the very end, but there's no denying it; she was out of control."
A small hand found Elphaba's bigger one and gently squeezed it. "I'm sorry for your loss." Elphaba didn't reply to that, but nodded slightly. "Yet I'm grateful to have found you here and well. The first few weeks after the coup d'état, I expected any day to read in the papers that the last member of the Thropp family wound up dead in some muddy river. Once everything had calmed down, I believed you must have fled Oz and would never be seen again. To see you walk through that door, into the tea salon of an Emerald City hotel…" Her voice had become thick as she became worse and worse at covering up her emotions.
"Hooray, surprise," Elphaba joked wryly and received a weak swat from Glinda.
"You know, my house is big enough and largely empty. You could stay there for some while."
Elphaba hesitated to give an answer at first. She averted her gaze, looking out of the window, pretending to watch the people strolling through the hotel's famous garden of emerald roses. "The hotel is fine," she murmured at last, the hand she was leaning her chin on partly obstructing her speech. Then, she folded her arms and stared down on them. "Plus, I don't want to cause you any trouble."
Glinda shook her head, hoping not to appear too eager, or even desperate. "Oh, you stubborn, green thing. You can't have taken much money with you when you escaped head over heels."
She could see Elphaba chewing her lip as she mulled over her suggestion. When she thought her friend had finally decided to agree, Elphaba said, "I'm staying here." A hardly restrained groan of frustration escaped Glinda's mouth. "A family friend is paying for my room. I don't want to come across as ungrateful."
"Well, if that is indeed the case, as your personal friend and former roommate, I lay claim to taking over this great burden of providing your accommodation for the time being." Despite her rather passionate declaration, Elphaba still looked uncertain. "Well, think about it: You don't want to be a burden, but do you have an idea how much the rent for this room you are occupying is? For me, on the other hand, having you stay in my guestroom doesn't cost a single green shilling." She paused briefly, then smiled, confident of victory. "And Oz knows you barely eat anything. Feeding you will hardly ruin me. "
"You won't let this go, will you?" the green woman sighed and Glinda reached out to touch her arms.
"Please, Elphie. For old times' sake."