Elphaba collapsed onto the bed feeling out of control and utterly bewildered. Her emotions had coiled themselves into a knot of undeterminable feeling that brought tears and anger and hope all at the same time. This was all so…
"Elphaba?" The green girl stiffened and turned her face away from Galinda's timid voice.
"What?" she demanded gruffly, trying to keep her voice level. "Why are you out of your room?"
"I was bored," the petite witch replied. She sounded closer now. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Elphaba insisted.
"I may be blonde but I'm not an idiot," Galinda muttered, kneeling on the bed. "What's wrong?" Suddenly she let out a startled squeak. "It's not because of me is it? I mean I know I wasn't totally enthusiastic about learning my best friend is the total opposite of me and...well green, but I just needed time to think…"
"It's not you Galinda," Elphaba assured her flatly.
"Oh. Well why are you crying then?" the blonde chirped curiously.
"Could you just leave me alone?" Galinda stood up obediently and took a half step towards the door. She'd offered condolences and had them rejected; she'd done her duty. There was no reason to stick around.
Guilt welled up in the blonde's gut at that thought. She'd spent weeks dropping veiled insults about Elphaba's skin, but the green girl had continued offering more kindness than it was her duty to give.
Galinda sighed and turned back to Elphaba. "Please tell me what's wrong," she pleaded softly, moving to stand beside the bed again. "Sometimes it helps to talk things out."
"I don't think this is one of those occasions," Elphaba growled tearfully. "You wouldn't understand."
"Would old Galinda have understood?" the blonde challenged softly. For the first time Elphaba rolled over to look at her visitor. Tears shimmered across the green girl's cheeks. Her eyes swam with conflict.
"Probably," she all but whispered. "Or at least, I would've told her."
"Then tell me," Galinda insisted, plopping onto the bed. "You can't change a person's core; I'm not so different from the girl you were friends with."
"I…" Elphaba trailed off. "I think you'll be awfully confused." The blonde shrugged and her green friend decided that an abridged version of the ordeal might bode better. "I just learned that a man I know and distrust is actually my father." Galinda mouth popped open as her eyes went foggy again.
…and our mother never woke up.
They made Nessa come too soon.
She was born eighteen years ago, exactly nine months and six days after I first arrived in Oz.
None of which would ever have happened if not for me.
Why is…was…Elphie green?
Why do you sleep with a funny little green bottle under your pillow?
Probably because of a certain elixir I shared with her mother…
That may be your secret Elphaba but that doesn't make it true.
Miss Upland I believe that I'm Elphaba's father.
"I knew," the disoriented blonde gasped. "I knew before the accident. Somehow I knew about your father." She narrowed her eyes. "He looked really nice; kinda like my Grandpopsicle."
"He's done some nice things for me," Elphaba admitted. "You too actually; technically he owns the house we're staying in."
"Then why don't you trust him?"
"He's done awful things too," the green girl explained. "In a way the accident was his fault."
"What?" Galinda squeaked. "My accident?" Elphaba nodded. "B..but Dian said it was a magical training malfunction," the blonde protested.
"That's probably because Dian doesn't know what really happened."
"Wh..what really happened?" Pain whipped across Elphaba's face at this question, followed quickly by a fierce lash of guilt. She opened her mouth then snapped it shut again.
"I can't talk about it," the witch whispered apologetically. "Not today; not now." More tears began to prick at Elphaba's eyes; she was emotionally spent. Galinda, sensing this, stemmed her curiosity for the moment. She inched closer and took the green girl's hand. Elphaba smiled gratefully.
They sat that way for about ten minutes before the emerald witch let out a long, gentle sigh. "Thank you for staying Galinda," she said quietly.
"It's no problem," the blonde replied. "I wanted to."
"You'd better get back to your room now," Elphaba suggested. "Wouldn't want Fiyero to see you in such a plain dress." Though Galinda's eyes widened fearfully at that awful prospect she didn't leave immediately.
"Will you be ok?"
"Yep," the green witch responded, more confident than she'd been earlier. "I'll be up in an hour with your lunch."
"You don't have to bring it to my room today," Galinda insisted. "Just show me where the kitchen is." She crossed her arms in a vaguely confrontational fashion. "If you're not a real caretaker I certainly don't want you waiting on me."
"Oh." Elphaba's voice was hollow with hurt rejection.
"I was kidding Elphie," Galinda giggled.
"Oh," the green girl repeated, embarrassed. "I knew that." Suddenly a brilliant smile of realization split her face in two. "You called me Elphie again."
Yay friendship fluffle! :)
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