Notes: I went on a walk today, and it made me think. And though it's rather sunny here, this oneshot is about rain. It's reallyvery short and slightly vague, but that's me for you. R&R, I'm really not sure how I feel about this one.
Rain
The wheels of her chair spun through the puddles, sending great droplets of water out around her. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as the coolrain washed away her worries. Laughing aloud, she rolled forward into the pool that had gathered at the foot of the driveway. She swore she could almost feel the trickle of the droplets on the bare skin of her feet.
She gazed up into the gray expanse of the sky and a small twitter of movement at the window caught her eye. She could see Elphaba's outline in the window.
Immediately, she tore her gaze from the house and replaced it on the giant Oak in the lawn with feigned interest. The brief glimpse she'd caught of Elphaba's face had tugged painfully at her heart, had made her feel sick with guilt to see a moment of such unbidden, uncommon despair.
Nessa placed both of her hands against the rough bark of the Oak tree and pushed off of it, reeling back into the rain. She set about splashing and turning and making a big to-do with the secret, confident air of one that knows they are being watched.
It was the first time that Nessa had realized that Elphaba's water aversion was an allergy.A disability, even. Elphaba's mere presence spoke of confidence, and Nessa had never had the daring to link with Elphaba a word so weak, so helpless and uncontrollable, as disability.
Playing in the rain that day, Nessarose forgot Nanny's eyes from the porch, forgot the overcast of the sky and the clamminess of her hair plastered against her forehead. She concentrated on the unspoken, unrealized bond with her sister that she'd never felt. She shared her moment with the wistful gaze that she knew she felt on her back.
Yet when she looked up, Elphaba was gone from the window. Nessa silently wheeled herself back to the house.
- - - - -
A roll of thunder shook the room and Glinda's eyes jerked open. She pushed the soft curls, which were tangled with sleep, from her eyes, and looked toward the window. She could see the vague profile of Elphaba's face, illuminated by the soft glow of the lamp hanging outside their door.
It was customary for Elphaba to be awake long after Glinda had gone to bed, but the night was too dark, the room too still. Glinda turned her eyes upon the clock on the bedside table, and the harsh red glare of the clock face told her that it was nearly 3 AM.
Glinda turned back to Elphaba, opened her mouth to tell her to go to bed, that it's late. She tilted her head against the pillow, struggling to comprehend sight in the darkness.
A flash of lighting illuminated the room and the face at the window. Easily startled, Glinda gasped, but quickly turned the noise into a sound somewhat resembling a snore as she flopped over in bed. She heard springs creak across the room and the quiet rustle of bedclothes.
Glinda cracked open an eye and moved quietly, turning towards Elphaba's bed. It was dark, too dark to see. Yet still in her eyes was imprinted the flash of light, the green fingers splayed across the windowpane, the wishing eyes.
She felt an uncertain pity for the creature mere feet from her. She'd never before realized that one such as Elphaba wouldn't express desire for something she wanted. Glinda had grown up her entire life being taught just the opposite, begging for toys and clothes and the new sparkly accessory of the day. She always got that which she desired. Elphaba wouldn't express longing for something she couldn't have.
And the rain, a blessing, a curse, to bathe the land or drown it, that was Elphaba's desire. She's never have guessed from the sneer of distaste her roommate donned at the mention of the stuff.
Glinda rolled over in her bed and faced the wall, the smallest of tears trickling down her cheek. She didn't know whether it was out of sadness for her awkward roommate, or out of contempt and reassurance that such a tear would not burn her.
For simplicity's sake, she chose the latter, burying her nose into her pillow and surrendering to sleep.
- - - - -
Fiyero returned from the chamber pot to find Elphaba standing at the window. He rested his chin on her shoulder and looped his arms about her waist.
She turned her head towards him before returning her gaze to the window.
"What are you doing, love?" Fiyero asked after a moment.
"It's raining," she said vaguely.
"It is."
She was silent for a moment. "What's it like? The rain."
"Cold and inconvenient." He turned her in his arms. "About like you."
She smiled very slightly. "Do you dance in the rain? Do you catch it on your tongue?" There was a curious hunger in her eyes that was remotely familiar to him.
"When I was a boy."
"Why not anymore?" She looked away from him shyly.
It hit him then, where he'd seen that look before. From across the floor at the Ozdust Ballroom, a glance in the halls before the face was hid behind a sheet of dark hair. Wishes that she never believed would come true.
"I don't need the rain, I've got you. You're all I'll ever need."
This answer seemed to pacify her, and she led him away from the window, dancing her fingers lightly across his diamonded chest.