A/N - *yay* another update- enjoy! Also, if anyone has any suggestions for plot ideas here, I'd love to hear them. Thanks :-)
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Glinda noted, a few hours after she had done the spell, that Elphaba was looking much better. She had made use of the time by doing some house keeping, like cleaning out the mess in the bathroom she had made a few days earlier. Although Elphaba was still hunched over and looking peaky, she was sitting up in bed doing some of the work she had missed, and her eyes were much more bright and alert. The sun shone in through the window, lighting the room with an autumnal freshness, completely different from the gloom and cold they had in the previous days. They hadn't spoken much, both consumed in their own tasks, until there was a knock at the door.
Glinda came out from the now almost spotless bathroom and opened the door, not expecting anyone in particular. Nurse stood there, old and withered, but looking perfectly able.
"Hello Miss Glinda, I've come to check up on Miss Elphaba. I'm assuming she's in?" Nurse said.
"Yes, she's here. Come in." Glinda answered, showing Nurse through the door before closing it gently.
"Why, Miss Elphaba, you seem to have made an astounding recovery!", Nurse exclaimed as she came in, looking Elphaba up and down, surrounded by the pink fluff that was Glinda's bed. There was a loud rattling sound as Nurse rummaged through her bag before she brought out some strange looking instruments. After poking, measuring, looking and thoroughly checking Elphaba over, she said, "Well, it looks like you have almost completely recovered, so as a result of that, I am taking you off bed rest. You can return to your normal activities tomorrow." Nurse pulled out an old, worn notebook from her pocket, and scribbled something down in it. Everything nurse owned seemed to be old, Glinda thought. As Nurse was writing, she said as an afterthought, "Although, I would quite like to know how you got well so quickly."
"I think you'll have to ask Glinda that," Elphaba replyed, looking at Glinda, much happier now that she was almost back to normal.
There was an awkward silence before Glinda said, "I used a Liberry Leaf... I know it was risky, but it worked!"
"You manged to do that spell?" Nurse sounded surprised, "Miss Glinda, you have the makings of a great healer. Yes, it was risky, and you should know better, but you did some fine wandmanship, well done." Nurse said rather pleased. "I would like you to come and check up with me next week Elphaba, but until then, take care you two"
Glinda showed Nurse out, and then turned to Elphaba. "You can use the bathroom now, I've cleaned it and all your oils are there, restocked and in order," she said brightly.
The bed creaked as Elphaba got out slowly, her limbs feeling achy and stiff, and much looking forward to being washed. "Thanks, I'd like that," she said, smiling as she walked to the bathroom and shut the door.
It was a while before Elphaba was finished, in which Glinda finished her housekeeping by making both their beds. Once she had finished hers, she went back to the linen closet to get Elphaba's sheets. As she touched them, she noticed how rough and grey they were, and felt a pang of guilt for never noticing how bad they were. To compromise, she decided to use the best sheets she had that weren't pink. As she was rummaging, she found the brand new sheets she had been given as a gift for starting Shiz that she had never used, just because they were decided these were perfect, and continued making Elphaba's bed with these new, soft and very comfortable sheets.
Just as she had finished changing the sheets, Elphaba came out from the bathroom, looking refreshed and clean. She went to put her wash bag down on her bed when she noticed the new sheets, "Did you get the beds mixed up or something? You've put your sheets on my bed."
Glinda smiled and said, "No, I want to give them to you as a 'I'm glad you're better' present!", she giggled. "You deserve something nice to sleep on- you're old blankets are so itchy."
Elphaba's face suddenly changed, like she had just realised something, and she sat down on the side of her bed. "Thanks. I mean, really- thanks, for everything. I don't know why, but you've stayed with me, cared for me, and given me all this. I really appreciate it, you've been so nice to me." Elphaba said, blushing at the end, although Glinda didn't understand why.
"It's my pleasure Elphie... I wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to" Glinda said, wandering over to Elphaba. A shiver ran down her back as she came close to Elphaba, not unlike the feeling she had had when they both met for the first time. However, instead of being repelled by her, she was feeling attracted, almost like a magnet in between them had been switched around. Being holed up with Elphaba had seemed to be the final push in making that swap.
A smile graced Elphaba's face, making her features light up in the sunshine as Glinda sat down on the side of her newly sheeted bed.
The light that streamed through the window danced off Elphaba's hair and glasses like some precious metal, enhancing the depth of her eyes. A breath caught in Glinda's throat as she felt Elphaba's eyes searching for her own. "You know, I really have enjoyed being with you." Glinda said, placing a hand over Elphaba's, and taking in the stong scent of her oils.
Elphaba's heart started pounding when she felt the hand on her own. Touch was something precious to her, especially from someone that she felt so strongly for. Her eyes glanced over Glinda's face that looked stunning in the sun. "Thanks," she said, the corners of her moth turning up into a small smile, "It's just so much, no one... no one has ever cared enough to do anything for me." A tear slipped from Elphaba's rich eyes and grazed her cheek. She quickly wiped it off, but not before Glinda noticed the deep sadness permeating her eyes.
Before she could tell herself not to, Glinda pulled Elphaba into a long hug, trying to quell the sobs that were building in her roomies throat. "Elphaba, I care for you." she said quietly into the green ear.
Ginda's hand stroked the black hair that fell down Elphaba's back, leaving tingles as it moved. "And.. And I care for you too", she said, the words letting loose the feelings that she had pent up for so long. A slow sob escaped Elphaba's lips, a sound that made Glinda want to stop it, any way possible. She turned her head and placed a hand on Elphaba's cheek, letting her affection soak in, but the sobs kept coming. Seeing no other way, she gently moved in and brushed her lips over Elphaba's, taking in every small twitch of resistance and hesitance, but Elphaba did not move away.
The sobs that were threatening to turn into a cry subsided when she felt Glinda's soft lips on hers. A warm rush overcame her as she left the hug, and the kiss, overcome with emotion that someone, Glinda, cared for her.
