Well, hi there! I hope you enjoy this little story of mine. As ever, I own nowt!

Yes, it's my first Wicked fic. Yes, it's Gelphie. So shoot me!

Hugs,

Holly xx

"Eep!"

Elphaba was awakened by a shrill cry from her roommate. She looked over to see Galinda curled up under her blanket, trembling and whimpering.

Elphaba crossed the room quietly. "Galinda, what's wrong?" she asked gently.

Galinda uncurled slightly and looked up. "I'm sorry, Elphie," she said, sniffling heavily. "I didn't mean to wake you. It's the storm. I've always been terrified of them."

"Oh, you silly thing," Elphaba chided her, chuckling lightly. "It can't hurt you in here. I'm going back to bed."

Just at the moment that Elphaba made to leave, a particularly loud crack of thunder sounded directly overhead. "Please stay here, Elphie," Galinda yelped, grabbing the green girl's hand. "I-I'm frightened."

Elphaba sat down and tentatively took Galinda in her arms. "Shhh," she soothed the sobbing girl. "I won't leave. Just don't cry on me please."

Galinda hastily wiped away her tears, feeling very silly, but glad that Elphie had stayed. As they laid down she whispered "thank you."

"Don't mention it, my sweet," Elphaba replied. "What are friends for? Now try to get some sleep."

Galinda closed her eyes, but there were so many things now swirling in her head – did Elphie really just call her my sweet, why did she enjoy being called that, why didn't this feel weird?

Elphaba began to sing softly, and it wasn't long before both girls were fast asleep.

Elphaba woke the next morning to find one of Galinda's arms draped over her stomach. This should have been annoying. So why, she wondered, was it causing delightful little butterflies to dance inside her? She should have pushed the stray arm away and got out of bed, but she didn't. Instead, she took Galinda's pale hand in her own and intertwined their fingers, just to see what it felt like. It was a wonderful sensation – their hands fitted together perfectly.

Galinda was awake, but sleepy and enjoying the same happy, buzzy feeling. She told herself she shouldn't feel like that, but it was undeniable. She lay there, basking in the new feeling until Elphaba finally dragged herself out of bed. Galinda waited until she was sure Elphie had left the room before she sat up. She gazed at the empty space Elphie had just vacated, then at her hand that had been so safely cocooned. She felt oddly lonely now, and wished the green girl would come back. "Aaarrgh!" she screamed. "You shouldn't feel like this!"

Elphaba headed straight for the library and attempted to study. But she could not force herself to pay attention. Her mind kept wandering back to the same place – the bed she shared and the girl she had shared it with. "Get out of my head, Galinda Upland," she muttered, irritated with herself.

She tried for a further half hour to devote herself to her books, eventually giving up and allowing her mind to wander at will. There were many things she found fascinating about her roommate and she tried to rationalise them. There was her pale, soft skin, her sparkling blue eyes, her blonde curls, her adorable bounciness, her effervescent silliness.

"Oh no," Elphaba breathed.

At that moment, Galinda was having the same battle with herself upstairs. What was about Elphie that she found so attractive? Was it her shimmering, raven black hair, her deep brown eyes, her gorgeous emerald skin, her legs that seemed to go on forever? And besides the superficial qualities there was her devastating intelligence.

"Oh no," whispered Galinda. "I've fallen. Hard."