warning for homophobia and transphobia.

Chapter 7

When Galinda was a kid, her parents younger and stronger, she would be woken at four thirty every morning by her mother's activity in the kitchen. She would go down and have a cup of tea with them, then was sent back to bed. At twenty-one, because of some kind of muscle memory, she woke at four thirty. She sat up. The house was quiet. She stretched languidly and looked out the wide windows in her room. In her absent glance she saw movement on the edge of the sheep paddock; human-shaped movement. She was intrigued.

After dressing for the cold, she checked the rooms her friends had been given. Fiyero was accounted for - he looked adorable while asleep - but Elphaba was definitely missing. Galinda snuck out and started along the paddock edge eagerly.

Galinda found herself at the outskirts of the forest again. She wasn't very eager to go stomping around in the woods while it was still so dark. Why was Elphie out at this time anyway? What if Elphaba was a werewolf? It wasn't a full moon though, so Galinda dismissed that. Maybe a wood elf? A wood elf wouldn't live in the city. Though there was the park across the road.

Galinda twitched to attention when she made out faint noises coming from a little further into the woods. She picked her way through silently, as her father had taught her to. She hid herself in some bushels at the edge of a clearing. She pulled up the hood of her jumper - her hair shone too brilliantly in the moonlight - and risked a peek into the clearing.

Elphaba was not doing any mystical elfish frivolity. She was in a loose tank top - scandalous, by Elphaba's standards - and shorts. She was in the middle of the clearing, kind of standing, but kind of lunging forward, her hands on her thigh and her back straight. She held the position for a long moment, then changed legs. She changed positions again. She was stretching. Galinda watched incredulously. She realised Elphaba had began running around the edge of the clearing and was coming toward her. She shifted out of sight, listening intently to Elphaba's breathing as she passed. She ran five laps and stopped unreasonably close to Galinda's bushel.

Galinda was torn between making a silent escape or lingering to enjoy the show. Elphaba seemed to be barely panting after her run, but whatever she was doing now was more strenuous. Galinda could catch the occasional quiet grunt. She was too curious to not chance another look.

She was doing push ups with mechanical efficiency. No wonder her arms were so strong, not that there was all that much for her to lift, being as narrow as she was. Galinda lingered on the ripple of the muscles of her shoulders and the flexing of her arms. Her face was hot.

She was still a little stunned by her attraction to Elphaba. Galinda had never thought too much on what, exactly, she wanted. She thought plenty on what she should want: tall, blonde, rich, male. Then again she supposed she hadn't really limited herself that way; Fiyero was certainly not blonde, and her and Avery Clutch had kissed that one time. She supposed the gentle fall of her and Fiyero's relationship - and her parents obvious disapproval at the time - had beaten her into a couple of years of obedience. Now that obedience was over, and she was drooling over a green girl.

Elphaba moved onto crunches, then squats, then jumping rope, then stretches again. By the end her skin was pearlescent with sweat, her shoulders seeming broader, her movement smoother. Elphaba pulled on a sweater and sat in the grass, prying her hair out of its ponytail. She rubbed oil through it till it glowed. Then she lay back and stared up into the sky. It was a little lighter now, and Galinda guessed it was about half past five.

Galinda knew this was her chance to sneak off. She felt kind of gross for sitting there and watching as she had. She considered pretending she had just arrived. She considered admitting she had watched, but knew Elphaba would be angry, and didn't have the courage for it. Guiltily, she crept off as silently as she had come, and went back to bed.

That morning, Elphaba seemed none the wiser, and Galinda was fine with that, even if she was still guilty. That guilt grew when her father invited her on a hunt, and she was eager to accept.

It wasn't that hunting was particularly fun or fulfilling, but that it was nostalgic. It was their only bonding activity. They rarely found anything to shoot, and landing the shot was just as rare. Galinda was a little mystified as to why her dad put so much money into it since he wasn't particularly good at hunting, but supposed old men needed their hobbies. She was grateful for it either way. Her father was busy and aloof when they weren't hunting.

She knew that wouldn't matter much to Elphaba. For Elphaba, it was the institution and the support of the sport itself that insulted her. Galinda couldn't do much about that except resist it. She didn't think Elphaba would give her a free pass just because her dad was a bad parent. She decided to try anyway.

"Elphie, I never get to be with him otherwise. My father is a... difficult man. We probably won't hurt anything! Almost never do!"

"Have you ever killed something?"

Galinda hesitated. "While hunting?"

Elphaba looked briefly confused, then said, "In general."

"I shot a sick bull when I was twelve."

"Have you ever killed something while hunting?"

"I injured a fox."

Elphaba grimaced. "How do you know it wasn't a Fox?"

"Would it really make a difference to you?" Galinda asked, obviously frustrated. Elphaba scowled.

"Well, seeing as you have metal pens for one and not for the other, I guess it does make a difference, yes!"

Galinda softened. "Elphie, please."

"You don't need my permission to go, Galinda."

"I know. I would just like you to know why I'm going, in case it makes any difference."

Elphaba looked wary, and didn't reply. Her father called to ask if she was coming. She looked at Elphaba for a long moment, and said she was.

They marched around the woods with rifles and didn't see a thing for two hours before Galinda called it quits. Her father was surprised. "You don't even want to set up some bottles at the little range we built? It's just a little further up from here. You're a hell of a shot, honey."

"Not feeling it. Sorry dad." She wasn't that sorry. Elphaba's disapproval had sucked the fun out of it. She just felt bored and annoyed at herself for caring so much about what Elphaba thought of her. Her dad continued on; she walked back to the property alone, having most of the woods memorized by now.

Elphaba and Fiyero had been briefly enlisted to work the farm, but they had since escaped. Fiyero was walking back from the house, Elphaba reading beneath a tree. Galinda wandered over to her, a little basket of sandwiches and drinks on her arm. Elphaba looked surprised to see her. "I thought hunting took longer, but I am no expert."

"We were planning to go the whole day, but I didn't want to." Elphaba eyed her intently. "Not as fun as I remember, I suppose," Galinda finished quietly.

"I see."

Galinda glanced at Elphaba distractedly as she lay out the plates of food and looked about for any anthills. She was in her usual jeans and tshirt. She wished Elphaba wore the tank tops more.

Fiyero came over a minute later, his brow damp, his shirt open and hanging from his hips. "It's meant to be winter," He grumbled, pulling his shirt back over his shoulders.

Galinda smiled and shook her head. "Flash yourself around too much and my mother will start making moves on you."

"You assume that wasn't my goal."

"Don't even joke about that."

"Can you imagine?" He sat with them. "Get to hear even more about how 'exotic' and 'wild' I am."

"Is that how your parents span your relationship?" Elphaba said, clearly amused.

"Oh, you have no idea. Her mother once referred to me as a 'foreign beauty' to one of her aunties. I was the The Stallion From The West."

"And you stayed together for a year? You're tough stuff, Fiyero."

"My parents avoided actually seeing Fiyero as much as they could whilst still being proper. They met his family once." Galinda glanced at Fiyero with a little grimace of a smile that he returned. "It was awful."

"It was so awful," Fiyero muttered. He leaned back on his hands and eyed Elphaba with a little smirk. "Have you had such shenanigans?"

"An embarrassing family? Yeah. They're either obsessively unionist or delving into some illegal activity."

"I was thinking more along the lines of awkward romantic involvements."

Galinda watched Elphaba closely as Elphaba looked at Fiyero, her eyes narrowed. "I can't say I have had such experiences, no."

"No romantic experiences at all?"

Elphaba tilted her head. "That's a little hard to answer. Romantic is a broad term. You could say I experienced romance as a young child still in Munchkinland, when a boy was dared to kiss me and live to tell the tale."

"You know what we mean," Fiyero said eagerly. "You never say anything about it. I know you. If there was nothing to say, you would have made that clear by now."

Elphaba became unsettled. "Why do you care anyway?"

"Just curiosity. Friendly curiosity."

Elphaba looked away. "There was someone. But it didn't go anywhere, and wouldn't have worked."

"Are you straight?" Galinda asked without thinking.

"No, wait, go back to the person," Fiyero said quickly.

"I'm not straight," Elphaba said evenly. "And no, I won't. I don't want to talk about it. Are you?"

"What?" Fiyero said, confused.

"No, Galinda. Are you straight?"

Galinda looked at both of them. "I'm bisexual."

"What?" Fiyero said again, louder, and more surprised than confused. "I mean, I knew you weren't straight, but I didn't know you had actually landed on something."

"It's only recent." Galinda hesitated, then said, "I was thinking of telling my parents this week."

Both of them looked shocked. Fiyero reacted first. "Babe, that's amazing!" He took her hand and squeezed, grinning wide. "I mean, I'm surprised you've decided to do it so soon after labeling yourself, but I am totally behind you for any support you need, of course."

Galinda smiled lopsidedly. "Thanks, Fi. And I know it is kind of fast, but I figure it won't actually be that big of a deal. I mean, considering what else they've accepted." Fiyero knew she was trans, of course. His eyes flickered, then he glanced at Elphaba. She was looking between them.

"What else have they accepted?" Elphaba asked unsurely. Galinda looked at Fiyero. He gave her a lopsided smile. The kind of smile that said, 'You don't have to, but I think it would go fine if you did.' Strangely, Galinda was compelled to tell her. And with the conversation last night, she was irrationally worried that Elphaba would hear from someone else, in a way that made it seem grotesque.

"Well," Galinda said, sitting up straighter. "Well…" She took a breath. "I'm trans, Elphie."

Elphaba swallowed the sandwich in her mouth. "Really?"

"Yes. I'm a trans woman."

She gave one of her full smiles. "That's cool."

Galinda looked at Fiyero. "It's cool. I've never gotten that reaction." She laughed happily, she wasn't sure why. She hadn't realised how worried she had been about Elphaba's reaction.

"Yes," Elphaba said. She became her stoic self again. "Thank you for trusting me with that."

Galinda grinned and blushed. "No problem."

Fiyero looked between them with a crooked smile. "So... Telling your parents you're bi?"

"Oh, yes! Well, I was thinking of saying it tonight," Galinda said unsurely. "If I have the courage. After dinner, in front of the fire."

"How will you go about it?" Elphaba asked.

"I was going to just tell them," Galinda said curtly. "Maybe after dinner, or in the early morning, when they aren't too distracted."

"Honest and direct. Alright. That'll work, don't worry." Fiyero said.

"I'm not worried."

"You're worried. I can tell. That's your worried face."

"Shut up."

They startled when Elphaba said, "Should I leave so you can have a romp in the grass?"

"I think Elphie is feeling left out," Fiyero said in a loud whisper to Galinda. She giggled as Elphaba and Fiyero descended into a squabble over how little Elphaba cared about being included in their 'disgusting flirtations'.

That night at dinner, Galinda was filled with anxious energy. Her mother told her off four times for her leg jumping underneath the table, a] nervous tick she had never shaken off. Whenever she caught Fiyero's eye he would give her a little encouraging smile. Her parents seemed to be in a good mood, her mother included.

They were ushered into the living room again, the fire alight. Fiyero had a word with her before they settled down and he was caught in conversation with Reginald. "You're going to do it tonight?"

"Yes. As soon as I am alone with them, I'll say it."

"We can be there if you want."

"No, no, my parents would get too caught up in how rude and improper it is. It'll be fine. I'm fine." She took a deep breath. "I had this weird conversation with my mum. I forgot to tell you about it, I'll tell you later, but... it'll be good to be more honest with her."

"And to be more honest with yourself?" He said knowingly, casting a glance at Elphaba. Galinda grimaced.

"Look. I want to make myself clear. While Elphie does have a… strange draw about her," Galinda said slowly, embarrassed, "I am not romantically interested in her. I don't want to be in a relationship anytime soon, and her personality is incredibly frustrating."

"Crope said you were in love."

"That's Crope. Crope thinks Boq has a foot fetish."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Anyway," Galinda said pointedly, "I am not in love with her, or crushing on her, or anything. I just think her hair is nice." She paused. "And her arms. And she smells like white tea and lime, which is a very pleasant combination."

"Right," Fiyero murmured with an amused little grin.

Fiyero survived about fifteen minutes of idle chatter with her father before he excused himself, Elphaba jumping on the escape. Her father looked as if he were about to turn in soon, so she decided to act fast. When she was sure her friends were in their rooms, she began. "Mum, dad, I wanted to tell you something before you went to bed."

"What is it dear?" Her father said, barely managing to sound interested. She felt her resolve begin to wilt, but powered on with her best smile.

"I know it's very important to you that I marry and carry on the family name," Galinda said, her parents actually turning to look at her now, "And no, I am not here to tell you that's not going to happen. It may! None of us know the future, right?" She didn't get a reply. She went on. "I just thought it important for the both of you… and me… that I tell you that…" She took a shaking breath. "I'm interested in women, as well as men...Uh...Romantically."

Her parents looked at each other with stunned expressions. Her mother began to laugh, in that kind of humourless, worried way. Her father looked uncomfortable. "Honey, that's impossible."

Galinda frowned. "Well, no. No it's not. It's perfectly possible."

"I think not."

"I think many of my new roommates would disagree with you," Galinda said carefully, still keeping a smile.

"Perhaps their parents allow such indiscriminate behaviour, but you aren't them, dear." Her father turned back to the fire. "Put the notion out of your mind. It doesn't belong here."

Galinda couldn't maintain her smile. She stared at her father's profile, red with the light of the fire. "I didn't realise it would be such a big issue," she said. "I mean, considering you let me live as a girl."

Her mother looked uncomfortably at the ground, while her father sighed and stood, and walked over to the liquor cabinet. He uncapped a glass bottle of whiskey and poured himself a drink, then downed it, then poured another. He faced her. "Do you know why we allowed it?"

"Because you want me to be happy," She said slowly.

"Partly. It was obvious you were not happy as a boy and it was an extension of our love. But helping someone recover from such problems, rather than indulging them, is just as much an act of love."

Galinda felt sick. "But..."

"You are our only child. You were to be our only child, ever. You know of your mother's condition." Larena glanced at her husband, then away again. "We had to make the best of you."

"Make the best of me? Like some primed ewe?"

"Don't be dramatic," He dismissed casually. "Look. A good, strong boy is the kind of child every family wants. But you were not a good, strong boy. You were weak, and easily scared. But you were also smart, and pretty. A smart, pretty girl is almost as good as a strong boy; certainly better than a weak one."

"Don't take it hard, honey," Her mother put in with a smile intended to be sweet. "The day you told us, and you were all dressed up, I felt so proud of my daughter. The daughter I thought I would never have! But it was hard for us, you know, to go along with such unusual circumstances. We sacrificed because it was what was necessary." She looked more serious than Galinda had ever seen her. "Just as you must now, with this matter."

Galinda swallowed uselessly. "I really thought you understood."

"When you became Galinda, you forfeited all right to loving women," Her father said. "We have to live with the decisions we make."

Galinda felt like she was going to cry, but she knew the second she cried they would dismiss everything she had said, and would have won. She got angry instead. "I'm so sick of this. All of this! I'm a person, aren't I? I'm not your second chance, and my purpose in life isn't to carry on the family name! I have things I want to do for myself!"

"Oh, please," Her father muttered.

"I do!"

"What aspirations do you have, other than the aspiration all girls such as you have? You want to be liked," He spat, his drink sloshing over the edge of his glass. "You've been like that since you were a child! You picked all the clothes and all the words and all the subjects that made you the image of perfection in the eyes of others. That's your aspiration." Her father pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing at his flushed neck. "We have only ever wanted to help you with that."

Galinda stood up and faced her father, coming almost to his height, full of rage. "Don't you dare talk about me like that! I only acted like that because you made me!"

"You enjoy the attention!"

"Because it's the only attention I was taught I could receive! At least when you thought I was a boy you actually saw me as a person! The second I was in that dress I was nothing but a toy." Her voice began to break. She pressed her hand to her eyes, urging herself to keep it together. "You made me hate myself so much, I didn't even think on what I really wanted. But now I am! I am thinking! I have been, for two years! I don't want to marry, and I don't want to study journalism."

Her father looked as if his head were going to burst. "Galinda. Stop this."

She glared at him. "And I love women."

"Okay, I think everyone here needs to calm down."

Galinda stepped away from her father, her eyes snapping to Fiyero and Elphaba, suddenly appeared on the bottom of the stairs. She wiped at her cheeks quickly.

"Go to bed, both of you. This has nothing to do with you," Her father said, voice deceptively calm.

"With all due respect, sir, if it has to do with Galinda, it has to do with us," Fiyero said. Elphaba hung back, her glare firmly on Galinda's parents.

"Are you her babysitters?"

"We're her friends."

"I see. You're both her roomies, yes? Are either of you the perverted sort she mentioned?" He said it so calmly and casually, it hit Galinda all the harder. Fiyero looked alarmed. Elphaba scoffed.

"Fiyero can speak for himself, but indeed, I am probably whatever perverted sort Galinda mentioned." Elphaba looked challengingly amused, and went on flippantly: "Homosexuality, I assume? Or is it polyamory? Or incest, or semi-cannibalism?"

"We won't have such things spoken in our home!" Larena said, jumping to her feet. "We've had you as a guest in our home despite your many peculiarities when we needn't have had to. You owe us a little more respect!"

"I don't give my respect so freely," Elphaba sneered. "You want to talk about respect? You've disrespected your daughter this entire conversation."

Her parents looked like they had been hit. "We know our daughter best and we'll talk to her as we know is right," her father managed, his veneer cracking. "You're intruding. Leave."

"Not happening," Fiyero said firmly, coming to stand beside Galinda.

Her father reddened and scowled, enraged. He advanced toward Fiyero suddenly, arm raised. Fiyero flinched away as Elphaba moved in and winded him. He stumbled back, Larena and Galinda watching in stunned silence.

The room went dead quiet as Reginald steadied himself with Larena's help. He looked up at them, at Elphaba and Fiyero, and then Galinda. "Get out," He wheezed, clutching at his stomach. "Out! All of you! Out of this house!"

They got out. They packed their belongings quickly and moved out of the house through the servant's exit, ignoring the stares of the help, all blushing and clearly privy to the entire argument.

Earlie was in the kitchen. Galinda stopped as Earlie gave her a mean, amused look. "Why do you hate me?" Galinda asked, more aggressively than she intended.

Earlie squinted at her. "I can just tell you're a nasty kind of girl." The cook glanced down. "Or, well, not so girl."

Galinda stared wide eyed at Earlie, fresh tears on her cheeks. Elphaba touched her shoulder. She twitched, and took a deep breath. She continued out of the house with Elphaba's arm around her shoulders.

They walked until they were at the gate of the property. "It's a two hour drive to central Frottica," Fiyero said, looking down the road.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What just happened?" Galinda dropped her bags and walked a short distance, through the gates, faced away from the house. "How did that actually happen? Is this a joke?"

"It'll be alright," Elphaba said gently. Galinda turned on her viciously.

"It won't be alright! Don't lie to me! Don't you lie to me too!" She clutched her head. "God, I have the worst headache."

"I have some pain killers," Elphaba said, eyeing her warily.

"Please." She grimaced as she was given the box. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

"I'm calling my parents," Fiyero said, his phone already against his ear.

He spoke to them in Arjikin. Galinda sat on her dufflebag and dry swallowed Elphaba's offered painkillers, staring off into the leafless forest across the road. Elphaba crouched beside her.

"You okay?"

"Not yet." Elphaba raised a brow. Galinda waved her hand. "Not emotionally prepared for this."

"Understandable."

"They'll be here as soon as possible," Fiyero said. "Do you guys wanna start down the road, or wait here?"

They looked to Galinda. She glanced over her shoulder at her parents house and wiped her eyes again. "Let's get moving."