The first Gelphie fic I wrote. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I own none of Wicked (the musical and the book) in any shape or form.
Nightmares
The clouds above rumbled, threatening to spill their heavy burden. The cloaked figure swept back her hood, turning her emerald face to the sky. Galinda threw herself against the barrier that the witch had created, blonde curls swinging wildly around her frenzied azure eyes. The rain had begun to fall now, and Galinda could see the water landing on Elphaba's green skin with a soft hiss, could see the girl wince with every drop. She slammed her fists against the shield futilely as the rain began to fall harder.
"Elphie!"
Her voice was hoarse from panic, knuckles white. The ebony cloak was on the floor now, Elphaba's verdant arms exposed to the air. Angry red welts were beginning to form on the girl's skin, and she opened her mouth in a silent howl.
"Elphie!"
She hurled herself against the wall again, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Elphie, please! Listen to me!" she whimpered, eyes fixed on her friend as the rain fell, the irreversible damage already showing, her green skin blistering as if on fire. Elphaba turned her head stiffly, her gaze meeting Galinda's with a jolt. The witch's tortured eyes bored into her shocked stare. Elphaba's features were becoming distorted, body melting into the ground. Galinda closed her eyes, resting her forehead to the barrier. She couldn't watch, she wouldn't watch. Her friend's soundless screams echoed through her head, and now she could see the skin as it peeled back, she could see the raw weeping wounds, could see the puddle of green pooling on the floor.
"Elphaba! Elphaba! Get out of the rain, please!"
The witch simply glanced back at her, strangely calm now, only her torso remaining as the pool widened. It was crazy, impossible madness. The sight of a legless Elphaba was almost funny, in a sick, horrible way that made Galinda want to scream and close her eyes and never open them again. Elphaba's face was a mass of crimson blood and green skin, and she gave a disbelieving laugh. Pink and green. How fitting. Now it was just her head, and both of them were crying, Elphaba's tears marking pink tracks down her face. Now she was going, disappearing, melting, and now Galinda was screaming, bringing her palms crashing against the shield that held her back. Elphaba couldn't leave her, please, not now.
"Elphie! Elphie!"
"Elphie!"
Abruptly, the nightmarish scene was gone, and she was bolt upright in her bed, bedclothes strewn around her, hair tangled and sweat-streaked, hands shaking, skin crawling. It took her a moment to remember where she was. Her green-skinned roommate was up in a flash, bedside light switched on and casting a welcome glow over inky darkness of the bedroom.
"Galinda?" Elphaba's brow furrowed as she assessed the situation. "What in Ozma's name was all that screaming?"
The blonde took shuddering breaths, desperately trying to calm her frantic heart. She tossed her hair to the side, lifting her chin slightly. Even in the depths of despair, Uplands were taught always to retain dignity. Elphaba sighed in annoyance, padding across the floor to the smaller girl's bed and taking a seat. It looked like this was going to be a long night.
"What's the matter?" she whispered, voice softening as she took in Galinda's distressed appearance. Galinda promptly threw her arms around the emerald-skinned girl, sobbing into her shoulder. It was all ok, Elphaba was alive, there was not even the slightest patter of rain, not a darkening of even one cloud, but still she couldn't get the memory of that blood-streaked, laughing head out.
"Oh, Elphie!"
Her victim flinched a little at the abrupt contact, heart pounding, body stiffening immediately as she glanced down at the girl wrapped around her waist, uncomfortable with the sudden closeness.
"Um...Galinda? Could you – could you please, well, get off me?"
Of course, she instantly regretted her words, but the effect was instantaneous, the girl withdrawing in the space of a few seconds, recoiling with a hurt look on her face that she managed to cover up with a hasty smile.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Galinda's voice was taut, strained to maintain the facade. She curled her knees up to her chin, barely holding back the tears that threatened to spill again. Her head fell onto her still-shaking legs, closed like a shell to the girl in front of her.
Elphaba racked her brains for something to say to make it better, cursing her tactlessness. Now, more than ever, she wished she could have a way with words, or at the very least, have the skill to arrange them into a coherent sentence. Her tongue simply tied itself into knots every time Galinda glanced at her. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why.
An intake of breath from the end of the bed made her look up, remembering that there was, in fact, another person in the room here with her.
"E-Elphaba?" The blonde's voice was shaky. It was now or never. "Will..." She bit her lip.
"Will you sleep with me?"
The green-skinned girl froze, thoughts spinning once again into the familiar turmoil that she had come to associate with Galinda. After a few seconds of silence and still no answer, Galinda began gabbling, cheeks flushing with shame.
"You see, it's just that whenever I couldn't sleep at home, my mother would always sleep with me, which was a lot, you know, because I've never been very good at sleeping and all that, I – I don't know why, I just can't ever seem to –"
"Galinda."
The blonde trailed off at the look in the taller girl's eyes, pushing down the words that longed to escape. Elphaba gave a heartfelt sigh, and Galinda felt her own heart drop in response, teeth pressing down on her lip so hard she was sure she could taste blood.
"Just..." the girl opposite her began, then stopped abruptly. Her face twitched into a reluctant smile, and she let out a breath.
"Move over."
Galinda's heart thudded painfully in her chest, and she shifted over in an instant, patting the space next to her, the imprint still warm from her body heat. Elphaba rolled her eyes, tucking her legs underneath the duvet, sliding down next to the girl beside her. Tentatively, Galinda slid her arms around her friend's waist, watching as she stiffened, but made no movement to pull back. Slowly, minute by minute ticking by, Elphaba began to relax, breathing returning to normal, but pulse still racing, heartbeat pounding in her ears, so loud she was sure it was audible.
Hesitantly, she raised her chin to rest on the top of the smaller girl's head. Bodies pressed together, she could feel the heat radiating from Galinda's tiny frame. It still confounded her as to how something so small could cause so much chaos in her normally orderly thoughts. Oh yes , this was definitely going to be a long night.
Galinda gave a sigh, snuggling further into her green-skinned roommate's warm embrace. Elphaba's arms around her filled her with a twisted kind of fulfilment. After all, what was the comfort but a gesture of pity? Still, even so, she was happy. Letting her eyes fall closed gently, it wasn't long before she was snoring soundly, chest rising and falling in a steady motion.
Elphaba watched her for awhile, lying perfectly still so as not to wake the girl curled up next to her. If they could just stay like this forever, she would be content. Together, alone in their little corner of the world, so that no one could touch them. She turned her gaze to the sickly pink ceiling. Galinda's choice – by no democratic method, she had to add. A soft smile wormed its way onto her face at the memory of the blonde girl, a pout on her pretty features as she dictated to Elphaba in a completely rational and level headed tone, why their room should be painted a bright, lurid pink.
That was the day she had been forced to take Galinda slightly more seriously. Behind that ludicrous empty-headed, bubble-brained facade, her roommate really did have an intelligence to be reckoned with.. She just never felt like showing it. Although, it had to be taken into account, there were the occasional (well, more than occasional) times when she seemed to Elphaba like the densest human in Oz. As versed as she was in the social circles and niceties, she had no clue at all in the one area that mattered. Elphaba gave a small laugh, looking back down on Galinda's sleeping form. Slowly, she closed her already drooping eyes, tightening her hold on the girl's waist almost possessively, turning her head to one side. It only took a minute for her to fall into a peaceful slumber. There would be no nightmares tonight. No horrors. Just sleep.
"Ouch!"
A sharp stabbing pain in her side jolted her awake, dragging her out of her unconscious state.
"Galinda, what -?"
She trailed off at the sight of the girl whom she had left in a comatose sleep. Galinda was trembling, arms and legs curled up into a tight ball, slender fingers clenched into shaking fists. She was whispering to herself in her dreams, lips moving in a barely audible plea. Elphaba stretched out a worried hand, lightly brushing her green fingers against the girl's shoulder.
"Galinda" she whispered gently. There was no reaction.
"Elphie, please, let me go!"
Galinda's voice was tremulous, shaking with fear and panic from whatever imagined state she had sunk into.
"Galinda."
Elphaba's words didn't have any effect – if anything, the girl's shaking only grew more pronounced, arms beginning to flail wildly, causing Elphaba to jump back hastily.
"Elphaba, please! Don't!"
Galinda's tone was abruptly a scream, and Elphaba's eyes widened. What in Oz's name was going on in Galinda's hysterical dreams?
"Galinda. Galinda, sweetheart, calm down, please" she said soothingly, chocolate eyes still wide. She was promptly rewarded for her efforts with a smack in the face by Galinda's wildly swinging arms. Elphaba clutched a hand to the smarting bruise, but refused to recoil, staying put in her kneeling position next to the trembling girl. After another few minutes of trying to avoid being hit in the face again, she grabbed hold of both of the blonde's arms, gently restraining her from causing any further damage. Looking down at Galinda, her eyes squeezed tight shut, golden locks spread in matted tangles across her face and splayed over the rumpled bedsheet, Elphaba was overwhelmed by the rush of desire to reach down and press her lips against the girl's.
To just see what it would feel like, to see what it would do. Purely experimental. But she shook her head fiercely, desperately trying to dispel all the thoughts of that from her head. What was she thinking? She couldn't kiss Galinda of the Upper Uplands. If anyone ever found out anything, even that they'd been sharing the same bed, it didn't bear thinking about. And what about Galinda herself? Simply the implications of what they were doing was enough to ruin her carefully crafted reputation – the classy society girl wouldn't ever willingly kiss a green freak such as herself. It was far too much to hope for, yet still Elphaba couldn't help but harbour a growing anticipation.
"Elphie..."Galinda whispered in her troubled slumber. The worst of the dream seemed to be over, and Elphaba breathed a silent sigh of relief. Maybe now she could go back to sleep and forget that she ever thought anything of becoming more than culture allowed with Miss Galinda Upland.
However, it seemed that Galinda herself had other ideas.
Her eyelids began to flutter open, and she gave a small yawn, soft pink lips forming a perfect 'O'. Sleepily, she rubbed her bleary eyes, waiting impatiently for the room to spin back into focus, bringing with it the view of an emerald-skinned girl leaning over her, eyes filled with concern and worry.
"Oh. Elphie."
And before Elphaba knew what was happening, their lips were pressed together, and her head was reeling, pulse racing, all rational thought flung from her head. There was no resistance, no consequences, no boundaries. Putting down a hand to steady herself, she pulled back slightly, away from Galinda's searching lips. The blonde's cheeks were flushed, her cerulean eyes sparkling. Both of them were breathing heavily. Elphaba took a moment to recollect her thoughts, rocking back on her heels as she did so.
"What was that?"
Galinda starts at the words, and Elphaba can immediately see that she took it completely the wrong way. The girl's face is horrorstruck, stricken with guilt and pain.
"Oh, goodness, I'm so sorry Elphaba!"
She turned her face away to hide the tears that are welling, cheeks burning with shame. How could she have been so stupid? Her mother had brought her up to be far better than this.
The green girl rushed to assure the panicking blonde.
"No, no, that's not what I meant!"
She grabbed Galinda in a warm hug, just to reinforce her statement, hands stroking blonde curls behind the girl's back. "It was just a bit sudden, that's all." They stay locked together for a minute, the silence stretching between them. Elphaba began to grow worried about Galinda, who was still attached, unmoving, unspeaking, to her chest.
"Well."
She needn't have worried. Galinda broke the silence, drawing back. Elphaba was momentarily confused by the smug smile playing upon the girl's lips.
"That clears up that, doesn't it?" she announced, fingers idly twisting a golden ringlet as she spoke. It took a moment for Elphaba to recover the powers of speech, stumbling and tripping over the words.
"I – er – mmph!"
Her words were quickly muffled by Galinda's lips on hers again, but this time it was different. Galinda was insistent, urgent, her hands knotting in Elphaba's raven hair as she pushed her backwards. The emerald-skinned girl spluttered against the unexpected attack, fighting for breath and the space to speak.
"Galinda! Really, is this the best time?"
The blonde pouted.
"Well, Miss Elphaba, why ever not? It's late, no one will disturb us, we're so conveniently alone..."
For the first time in her life, Elphaba blushed.
She was still speechless by the time Galinda began to assault her again, and it took a hand slowly slipping from her shoulder to her collarbone to bring her back to her senses. This time she pulled away, getting up and seating herself on her own grey bed, a safe distance away from the charms and dangers of her roommate.
Her removal had an immediate impact on Galinda. Familiar tears graced the girl's cheeks, this time slipping over the barrier and dripping down into her soft pink nightgown. She didn't cry quietly this time – she sobbed, pitiful, heart-breaking cries that Elphaba tried, and failed to ignore, instead rushing to her side, wiping the tears from her cheeks, wincing slightly as the water hissed against her skin, but not caring all the same. She stared at the girl in front of her. Of course, Galinda Upland just had to be the only person she had ever seen in her life to be able to cry prettily.
"Galinda, please, you have to understand."
Her arms enveloped the blonde, and Galinda sank willingly into her shoulder, still sobbing. Silently Elphaba thanked the fate that made her put on a relatively thick nightdress. Although, even if she hadn't, she would still have put up with the pain if it were atonement for being the cause of Galinda's tears. She loved her.
"Galinda, not yet, not yet, I'm sorry."
Her hands moved to rub Galinda's back, and slowly the sobs quietened, the sniffles became silence. Galinda lifted her head slowly, meeting Elphaba's eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Elphaba. I don't know what I was thinking. No, I wasn't thinking. I'm so over-emotional today. I don't even know why I'm crying, for goodness sake!" She laughed at herself, but Elphaba could see the pain behind her mask.
"Hush, Galinda. Hush, my sweet."
Elphaba silenced the girl with a tender kiss.
"Oz knows I love you, but we don't even – "
"Really?" Galinda's eyes brightened immediately, tremors gone from her voice.
"Sorry?"
"You love me?" The blonde questioned the sentence with caution, as if testing the unfamiliar words out, heart soaring as the conviction washed over her.
"Yes." There are no cutting retorts this time, no sarcastic remarks. She knew how important the words are to Galinda.
"Really?"
"Well, yes."
"Honestly, really?"
"Yes!"
"Elphaba. Tell me the truth."
"Galinda!" Elphaba cried, throwing her hands up into the air.
"I. Love. You."
She enunciated each word like it's the most important thing she'll ever say, waiting nervously for the reply. Confessing your love for someone was never the easiest thing to do. Especially when the someone in question happens to be a girl.
"Elphie!"
Galinda threw her arms around the emerald skinned girl, pressing her face into the jade skin of her shoulder, feeling happiness wash over her as Elphaba slid her arms around her waist. Elphaba loved her. Just saying the words in her head sent a thrill of excitement coursing through her body. Elphaba loved her. She loved Elphaba. No more hiding, no more pretending that she didn't feel whenever her roommate accidentally bumped into her, brushed her hand, flicked her hair, leant over her to help her with a particularly challenging piece of schoolwork. The knowledge empowered her, put her on dizzy heights she had only dreamt of. She was in love. And it was wonderful.
They spent a while, talking about meaningless things, revelling in the company of each other, hugging, kissing, whiling away the hours of the night with careless abandon. Only when the faintest trace of morning light began to peek through the window, did Galinda find herself yawning. Elphaba watched her, faint amusement playing on her features.
"I think it may be time we caught some sleep." She glanced out of the window. "Long past time, I should say."
Galinda jumped up to stand beside her, gentle breeze ruffling her nightdress around her legs. She blinked as her eyes adjusted from the dark interior of the room to the light streaming in from their window.
"It's almost morning!" she exclaimed.
"High time we went to bed, then."
The blonde sighed. "You're right, I suppose." She reached up on tiptoe to press a kiss to the taller girl's cheek. "Sleep with me?" she pleaded, beseeching eyes turned towards Elphaba, who gave a reluctant groan, then admitted defeat.
"Fine."
They slid into Galinda's frilly pink bed, Elphaba's arms wrapped tight around the smaller girl's body, Galinda' head nestled securely into Elphaba's shoulder, warm and secure in their togetherness.
"Elphaba" Galinda whispered sleepily after a few minutes.
"Yes?"
"You love me, right?"
"Galinda, we've been over this a million times already and it's only been one night" Elphaba exclaims in a good-naturedly exasperated tone. "But yes, I do love you."
"And Elphaba?"
"Hm?"
"I love you too."
"Well, it would have been just peachy of you to mention that before. I was getting rather worried, you know."
"Oh, well I'm sorry if I'm not quite as forthright as you!"
"Ahem. If I may remind Miss Galinda..."
"Shush, you. I'm trying to sleep."
"Hypocrite."
"Elphaba Thropp. I love you. Now please darling, do shut up."
"..."
And so they slept, safe in the knowledge that nothing, no matter who or what it was, could harm them in the moments that they were together.