"Do you want your gifts before or after dinner?"

Elphaba, from where she was lacing her boots, made a face. Months ago, during midsummer, when Galinda had been off at home on break and the green girl had been at Shiz enrolled in the July term, the blonde wrote Elphaba. Along with her usual flowery pleasantries, she asked the date of Elphaba's birthday and what she might like for a gift. Elphaba, despite her job in the kitchens, had not been able to afford to get the Frottican a substantial present for her birthday; she wrote back to say that because of this, she did not expect a gift when she had not been able to give in return. Over the course of the summer the two decided that neither had to get the other a present for birthdays, Lurlinemas, or other gift-giving holidays, to spare Elphaba's bank account.

Now, on her birthday, with Galinda asking her if she wanted gifts, Elphaba was slightly panicked. Had Galinda spent money on her?! The Frottican was already paying for dinner—but she always did that, so Elphaba had not felt too guilty about imposing on this date of all dates.

The green girl considered her options and rehearsed them in her head to her boots before she straightened herself. She swallowed then said carefully, "I thought we agreed no gifts."

The blonde had the good graces to look ashamed of herself. She came over with the neatly wrapped gift in hand, toying with the corner. "Yes, well…I couldn't resist."

"Them?" Dark lips curled. "Multiple gifts, my sweet?"

"Sort of...not really." Galinda set the box on Elphaba's desk, next to her strigil in its neat cotton bag. "It's all one gift."

The green girl looked at the package, then shook her head and stood. "After dinner."

The blonde pouted a bit; she obviously had hoped for a different answer. "Why after dinner?"

Elphaba retrieved her patched coat and put it on. She fiddled with a button that was on the verge of escape before she responded. "Because it's only fair to torture you a bit after you are forcing me out to dinner with everyone."

The blonde fussed with the lapels of the green girl's jacket and noted how threadbare they were getting. "The dinner isn't about you."

"It is, ostensibly, a celebration for the day of my birth." Regardless, Elphaba plucked the blonde's pink coat off the stand and held it for her to put on.

Galinda slid into the sleeves and buttoned it up as the green girl fetched her key and extinguished the lamps. "It's also an excuse for us all to get drunk."

"I'm glad to know you only reserve such occasions for important celebratory dates and not, say, most every Friday and Saturday night."

"Oh shut up, Elphie." While still in the privacy of their rooms she leaned up onto her toes and gave the taller girl a gentle peck. "Come, we're running late."

They walked to The Peach and Kidneys; a coach might have been faster and closed the gap on the time they were missing, but it was a beautiful fall night—cold enough to be crisp but not enough to be bitter. It was the perfect night for a walk. Besides, Elphaba obviously enjoyed the opportunity to stretch her long legs and Galinda enjoyed spending the quiet time with her roomie-turned-lover, arm looped through hers, looking more like two friends off for a night on the town and not two girlfriends going to celebrate a birthday with their virtual harem of friends.

Everyone had arrived by the time Elphaba and Galinda did. They had gotten the big corner booth, the one that was big enough for them all if Galinda sat in Elphaba's lap—which Galinda did with glee. The boys had bullied Avaric into ordering two bottles of Elphaba's favorite mulled wine, much to her embarrassment. There was a platter of fried risotto balls and cheese fries for the table, which everyone was more than happy to consume, dipping the fries into ranch in the strange Vinkan custom that Fiyero had introduced them to several months previously.

Elphaba left from dinner partially buzzed; it had worn off mostly by the time they got back to their dorm room. She had only had one glass of wine, and she had eaten more than her share of the fried risotto balls the boys had ordered for the table, but she was tall and thin, which made her very much the alcoholic lightweight.

Galinda was less troubled with alcohol, and it was funny to see Elphaba just a little looser than she normally. Boq offered to walk them back, but they turned him down. Galinda was sober enough for the both of them.

The blonde got them back to their dorm safely, although Elphaba was not in much danger of doing anything stupid. She was just slightly more affectionate; she wrapped her arm around the blonde's waist on the walk back. Normally they walked with arms linked. This was fine by Galinda; she snuggled into her girlfriend's side as Elphaba chattered about something—Elphaba on alcohol had even less of a filter than sober Elphaba, so she talked with abandon about whatever came to her mind with no thought about whether or not Galinda wanted to hear it (or cared).

The Frrotican let them into their room and Elphaba went immediately to change into her night dress and brush her hair. The blonde went about her own nightly routine; she removed her make up and did up her hair in curling rags. When she changed into her nightdress she noted the time—it was almost two; late for Galinda, about normal for Elphaba.

The blonde looked over at her partner to find her in bed, sitting under the covers, back propped up with pillows, book open in her lap. She was already deeply absorbed and Galinda paniced a bit-if she did not get her now, Elphie would read herself into unconsciousness. Galinda fetched her wrapped present from Elphaba's desk and slide onto the bed next to her.

"Elphie?"

"Nngh?" The green girl looked up, eyes slightly unfocused; if Galinda had to guess she would say her eyes were unfocused from being drawn suddenly from great thought and not before of her earlier alcohol consumption. She blinked out of her stupor then concentrated fully on the blonde. "What is it, my sweet?"

"Will you open your present before bed?"

Elphaba sighed and closed her book. "If you insist."

She held out her hand and Galinda passed the gift. She pulled off the ribbon and unwrapped it, then removed the lid. "What it this?"

"You'll see…"

Elphaba frowned, then looked at the objects nestled in the paper. There were five or six bottles, all in dark glass with screw top lids. There were neat, handwritten labels on all of them, dark ink on creamy parchment, pasted carefully in the middle. She picked up the bigger one, reading the label.

"Almond oil?" Comprehension dawned. "…You got me oils?"

Galinda stared solidly at her hands, suddenly very interested in her nailpolish. The week of their return to Shiz s he had sacrificed a full Friday afternoon in the library; she had researched perfumes—the closest thing she could find to the green girl's oils. She had gone into town Saturday morning three weeks ago to the local perfume shop and bought the raw oils—they had sat in a shoe box in her closet ever since, hiding in plain site from her partner.

"I thought…you'd like something useful."

Elphaba inspected the labels of the smaller bottles nestled carefully in the box. Orange, mint, basil, and rose, along with a bigger bottle of sandalwood. She ran her thumb along the label; sandalwood was her favorite. It was what she used to scent her usual weekly ablutions.

The blonde watched Elphaba and nibbled her own lip a bit. The green girl showed none of her usual signs of approval or disapproval, just curiosity in the gift at large. It made Galinda nervous; generally she could tell one way or another if the Munchkin liked her gift. "Elphie?"

"Hmm?" The Munchkin in question was torn away from sniffing at the basil oil.

"Do you like them?"

Elphaba blinked, then nodded. "Yes. These are very…." She paused for a moment. "It will be good to have variety…..thank you."

The blonde beamed and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you like them."

Elphaba put the bottles away and slid the box carefully under the bed as Galinda slid under the covers besides her. The green girl decided to call it a night; she got up to turn off the lamps, then walked back to bed. Galinda was waiting when she returned.

"Did you enjoy your birthday?" the blonde asked as she cuddled up into Elphaba's strong, warm front.

The Munchkin wrapped her arm around the familiar curve of Galinda's waist and thought about it. She had spent the day in the library, the night with her friends, and was now spooned with someone who, two years ago, she would have considered the most unlikely of lovers. "Mm…I suppose."

Galinda rolled her eyes, huffed, and tangled their legs together. Elphaba leaned into the darkness until she found curls, then planted a mollifying kiss to the crown of her head. Galinda sighed softly, happily, and traced her toes up Elphaba's calf.

The green girl shivered. Galinda smiled wickedly. "Are you sober, yet, Elphie?"

Elphaba's heartrate quickened—she knew that coy tone of voice, even if she could not see the smile that usually accompanied it. "…I think so."

"Come here and get your second present."

Elphaba leaned in and ghosted her nose along Galinda's jaw. The blonde restrained a whimper.

"I thought we agreed no presents."

Lacquered nails trailed up Elphaba's bare thigh. "Then pay for it. It's not a gift if you pay."

Elphaba arched an eyebrow despite the darkness. "With what, my sweet, shall I pay? You know I've barely got two green pennies to rub together."

Galinda's response mirrored the arch in Elphaba's brow. "I take kisses as forms of payment."

"Hmph." Elphaba leaned in and kissed behind the blonde's ear, then pulled back. "I suppose in that case, my sweet, that tonight I am rich beyond compare."

Galinda giggled happily, and Elphaba swooped in to catch her perfect pink lips in a kiss.