No matter how much they fought, they always loved each other. No matter how much they screamed and hit and pulled each other's hair and shouted nasty, vile words at each other, the end was always the same.
Those three words always slipped out and everything fell back into place and that was the end of it.
And that's what was so great about them.
"I hate you!" Glinda screamed.
Once again, the two women found themselves in the middle of a heated argument. Neither of them wanted to back down - they had their reasons.
They always had their reasons.
"I hate you, Glinda! All you do is take, take, take!" Elphaba shouted, throwing her book at the wall and stepping closer to the increasingly angry blonde. "You never give me anything! I need space, oh no, miss princess needs to spend hours cuddling. I need to study, but you need to model outfits for our next outing!"
"It's not my fault all you do is study, Elphaba!" Glinda screamed. "I'm sorry I want to spend time with you! I'm sorry I love you so Oz damned much that it hurts when you ignore me! I'm sorry you think that me sacrificing my social life isn't enough giving for - "
Smack!
Elphaba's open palm connected with Glinda's cheek, effectively cutting the blonde off. The slap came as a shock to both women, Elphaba staring, mouth agape in surprise and fear, Glinda gently touching her stinging and red cheek, a few tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," Glinda whispered. "I'm so sorry. I can't stay here."
She turned and ran out of the room, leaving a heartbroken Elphaba standing in the middle of the room, still frozen and shocked. Never had she actually slapped - or hit - Glinda without the blonde striking first. Never had she been so angry at Glinda.
She hadn't meant to do it.
"Glinda..." she murmured. Not a moment longer passed before Elphaba ran out after Glinda, hoping to catch the woman before it was too late.
There was a special spot Glinda always went to when she and Elphaba fought. Elphaba had only been to it a couple times, but for some reason, Elphaba knew that's where Glinda always was when she ran out because they were fighting.
Glinda had her reasons for choosing a secluded spot, under a tree.
It reminded her of Elphaba, if she was going to be honest.
The seclusion. The quiet and calmness of it all. The beauty of nature. The gentle breeze.
It all reminded her of the person she always wanted to get away from.
Elphie...
She gently touched her cheek, wincing slightly. It didn't hurt much anymore, but she still felt the sting of the slap every time she touched it. The look of horror on Elphaba's face was something she couldn't forget.
Despite knowing she hadn't asked for it, she couldn't help but blame herself for it.
She wasn't listening to Elphaba.
"Damn it all," she cursed softly, punching the ground. Tears clouded her vision and she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to cry anymore.
She felt something hit her. She ignored it, sighing softly. Then again, something hit her. And again. And again.
Finally, Glinda opened her eyes and realized it was raining.
Just perfect.
Elphaba hadn't meant to any of this to happen. She knew it was going to rain soon, and she knew she would regret being outside in the rain - she would probably get sick - but it didn't matter. Glinda couldn't be out in the rain alone. That was unacceptable.
Honestly, she hated herself right now.
She had definitely caused this fight.
She could remember the exact words that led up to it - as much as she hated it.
"You never spend time with me anymore. Can we just talk?"
"I'm busy."
"Elphie, please. I'm lonely. Just five minutes."
"I'm busy."
"Elphie - please!"
"I said, I'm busy!"
Elphaba had been using that excuse to blow off Glinda for a couple of weeks. It wasn't like she had to read this book by a certain time. It wasn't even important, to be honest.
It was just a book.
And she had been neglecting Glinda.
What a good decision.
It didn't take her much longer to find the secluded spot Glinda loved.
It had begun to rain hard by the time she found Glinda, who was just sitting under the tree, staring at the horizon.
Elphaba just stood there and watched the blonde for a couple of minutes, finding herself getting distracted by the sight. Never had she gotten so distracted by Glinda, not even when she was silently admiring the popular girl from afar.
But now...
Here she was, standing in the rain, just watching her girlfriend.
"Glinda..." Elphaba called out softly. Glinda jumped up, turning quickly and locking eyes with the brunette woman standing a few feet away. A scowl worked its way onto her face and she crossed her arms over her chest, beyond angry with Elphaba.
She pouted her lips and glared at the brunette, her hair sticking to her face from the rain. "How dare you, Elphaba Thropp? You hit me, then you run after me in the rain? How dare you?!"
"Oz, I just wanted to apologize," Elphaba mumbled.
"Do you know how sick you could end up being because of your poor decision, Miss Thropp?" Glinda snapped, taking a few tentative steps towards the now-grinning woman. "I, for one, do not want to be the one to care for you because you're so stubborn and positively stupid!"
"Look, Glinda," Elphaba sighed, taking a couple of small steps closer to Glinda, who didn't move away. Which was a good sign. "I'm so sorry. I'm so terribly, genuinely sorry. I never meant to slap you, I never meant to hurt you at all. I was so angry, I was just so angry and I'm so sorry. Please, Glinda. Please forgive me."
The blonde tapped her chin gently, staring at Elphaba blankly, a small smile on her face despite her attempts to appear unmoved and uncaring. "Well...Miss Thropp...I'm not so sure I can do that," she said. Before she could continue speaking, Elphaba had moved to close the gap and captured her in a kiss.
Of course, Glinda couldn't stay angry.
So, as it rained on them, the two women kissed, both so incredibly sorry for what happened. Glinda wrapped her arms around Elphaba's neck, pulling the taller girl closer, as Elphaba wrapped her arms around Glinda's waist and did the same.
When they finally separated, Glinda stared into Elphaba's dark eyes, tears filling her own green ones.
"I love you, Elphie," she whispered, keeping the taller girl close to her.
"And I love you, Glinda," Elphaba said softly.
Glinda smiled at Elphaba, her tears mixing with the rain that continued to pour down on them, drenching their clothes. "Forever?"
"Forever, faithfully, Glinda."
They kissed again, sealing their promise to each other like they did after every fight.
Forever yours, faithfully.