Elphaba can feel Glinda's arms around her. She's being held close just as she is holding Glinda close. The bed's too small, hardly large enough for one person, let alone two. But holding each other as close as possible, they manage.
Elphaba can feel Glinda's skin against hers, can feel the heat emanating from her. She has Glinda's hair in her mouth, but she can't bring herself to care. Their feet are touching on the too small bed.
But here...here, they're safe.
Inside the corn exchange, just the two of them, alone. Together. Safe from the world.
But the world's trying to push them apart. To separate them. To kill Elphaba. But she tightens her hold around Glinda, holding her ever closer. No matter what, they have each other. She won't let the world take her love away from her.
Even with her hold on Glinda, the reminder that they're here together in this moment, Elphaba's mind won't stop racing. She's lost in thought, thinking about while they're here together now, they won't be forever.
Sooner or later she'll be found and most likely killed, leaving Glinda alone. Just that thought itself fills her with fear.
She presses a soft kiss to Glinda's forehead who hums in response and shifts slightly, shuffling closer if that were even possible. She smiles down at her.
For now, they're okay. They can stay in here and it'll be fine because she has the one she loves the most with her. Nothing could go wrong. Not now.
But still, it won't last. They may be fine now, but days, or even hours from now, Glinda will have to leave. She can't stay here, it's far too dangerous.
The thought fills her with numbness. How much longer do they have? She doesn't even know anymore. But Glinda will have to leave soon.
Elphaba tries to convince herself it's fine. One day, she and Glinda can be free, away from everyone else, together. Safe. Without the weight of the world hanging on their shoulders, crushing them.
Right now, though, it's hard.
Glinda seems to sense something is wrong and blinks up at her, her head tilted just so in a way that fills Elphaba's heart with warmth and love for her. She smiles down at her, and for once, it's genuine.
Elphaba had never been one for genuine smiles. Not until she met Glinda. It wasn't until then that she had a reason to smile. Before then, they had become a rarity. Now, she'll smile at any time for Glinda.
Glinda smiles back at her and leans up, kissing her.
After a moment, they pull apart, breathless. They breathe, so close together they can feel the other's chest rising and falling as they breathe together.
Elphaba is still concerned about what's going to happen next. She continues to think and it starts to become overwhelming. Glinda can sense it as her thoughts become too much, and she reaches up to hold her ever closer, stroking her long dark hair, murmuring softly.
Elphaba slowly starts to calm down and snuggles even closer to Glinda. She can't stand her thoughts, but as long as she's safe in Glinda's arms, all will be okay.
The two of them are intertwined together to the point where the only indication of where one ends and the other beginnings is the difference in their skin color. And while they're so close Elphaba couldn't easily remove herself from Glinda's hold, she had never felt freer.
No matter what happens in here, the outside world can't get to them. They're safe here together.
They're curled into each other, Elphaba's arms wrapped tightly around Glinda and Glinda has moved back down, her arms once more wrapped around Elphaba's torso.
Elphaba hopes this can last. She hopes that one day, the two of them can run away from Oz and live together, safe. Away from the world.
She pins these hopes on Glinda and hopes it'll happen. One day.
Hopefully one day they can be free and not intertwined into the life they've made for themselves in Oz.
Elphaba's thoughts won't stop, but she can feel Glinda start to fall asleep beside her. She watches her for a moment before looking up and around. She can see Malky, the white cat she's become used to living with in this little home, watching her. Watching them.
She turns back to Glinda and closes her eyes, starting to drift back to sleep herself.
They're safe together. They don't know how long it'll last, but for now, it's enough.
It has to be enough.