My buddy "Denpa Wave Chick Saki" co-wrote this with me. Enjoy!
"For Oz's sake, would you two hurry up already? We won't have any time left to shop if you keep moving as slow as you are," Galinda whined.
"If you were part of the crippled club, you could go our speed," Nessa added.
The blonde frowned, immediately sobering. "I'm sorry..."
The two brunettes exchanged looks. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad," Nessa said.
"Look, I'm beating you!" Elphaba added, hobbling quickly past the blonde.
Galinda was going to reply to Nessa, but quickly forgot about it when the green woman rushed passed her. "You meanie! You cheated." She stuck her tongue out at her.
"I am surprised you would even think that about me. I learned everything I know from watching you," the green woman said with a grin.
The blonde cracked a smile. "Then I have taught you well."
"Hey, I didn't say you were a good role model..."
"Doesn't matter. Whatever I taught you, apparently I did so quite well." The blonde turned and kept walking with a smirk.
Elphaba paused. "That was not meant as a compliment..." She started after the blonde. "So what exactly are we shopping for?"
"Gifts, of course!" Nessa called, coming up behind the two.
"See? Nessa pays attention. We are shopping for Lurlinemas gifts today!"
Elphaba made a face. "Yes, because you have always included me in such celebrations. The only thing I learned about this kind of shopping is how to walk when one's vision is blocked by a mountain of boxes and bags."
"Well, that is all going to change this year, Elphaba. I am determined that your first real Lurlinemas celebration is absolutely fantastical!"
"That sounds...wonderful," Elphaba said with slight disdain. "I would prefer to be buried behind boxes..."
"Elphie, I know it may sound daunting now, but you will love it. I just know you will."
Elphaba sighed. "If you say so..."
"Galinda, what are we going to get Father this year?" Nessa asked, aiming to change the subject.
The blonde frowned in thought. "I'm not really sure. He has always been so difficult to shop for...we hardly ever see him after all..." She looked at Nessa. "Do you have any ideas?"
Nessa paused. "I'm not sure either."
"How about a dead animal carcass so he can see what he is doing to Oz," Elphaba muttered bitterly.
"Elphaba, you can't say things like that!"
"That is a horrible thing to say, Elphaba. You can't say things like that. If somebody heard you, you could be arrested."
"That would only prove my point," Elphaba retorted. "I would join a revolution against him if I had to."
"Elphaba, stop it! You're scaring me."
"Elphaba, please stop! Before this goes any further." Tears began to well in her eyes. "I just got you as a friend...I do not want to lose you already..."
Elphaba was surprised to see the tears forming in her eyes. "I...I'm sorry...it's just...you know how I feel."
"I know that...but if you act on it, you're going to get hurt. I don't want that to happen."
"And if I ignore it, more innocent people will die..." Elphaba sighed. "Well...where are we going first? And I do recall your father mentioning he had lost a pair of gold cuff links embedded with emeralds..."
"I...I don't know. We can just look around first I guess."
"You don't even have an idea?"
"Nooooo..."
"Perhaps we should go with Elphaba's idea then," Nessa said.
"Alrighty. Ozdamnit...Father has always been a difficult person to shop for..."
"Well, it is hard to find a gift for someone who has everything," Elphaba said, looking pointedly at the blonde.
"Heeeeeeeyyyy. I am not that difficult to shop for." She stuck her tongue out at the green woman.
Elphaba shrugged. "I suppose. I managed to find one good gift."
"Really? Whatisitwhatisit?" She bounced excitedly.
Elphaba stared. "I...already gave it to you...for your birthday..."
"Huh? I don't remember you giving me anyth-" She gasped, finally figuring it out. "You are the mysterious person who gave me the haircomb?"
"I thought you knew...yes, it was me. You wanted it so badly, but you placed so much value in the shallow opinions of your so-called friends."
"Elphie..." The blonde covered her face with her hands.
"Wha- did I do something wrong? I'm sorry! I thought you wanted it! You looked so upset when you saw it was gone."
"Even...when I was a complete bitch to you...you were so...nice..."
Elphaba looked down. "I...I wasn't trying to be nice. I just...felt bad for you. I wanted so badly for you to think for yourself."
Galinda threw her arms around Elphaba. "Thank you..."
Elphaba's face turned dark green as she awkwardly put an arm around the blonde. "Uhhh..."
Galinda stepped back a few moments later, wiping away a few stray tears before smiling at the two brunettes. "So, let's get shopping!"
"Lead the way, Miss Galinda. I am sure you know these shops better than anyone in this city."
"Hmm...gold cuff links with emeralds..." The blonde thought for a moment before her face brightened up. "Ahah! I know just where to go. Come on!" She got behind Nessa's chair and began pushing her down the streets.
Elphaba followed the two. "So would you like to enlighten us on where we are headed?"
"The same store we always go to for Father's presents...although we usually just get him ties or a nice shirt or something."
"Ah, yes," Nessa said. "You know, Galinda, you aren't exactly easy to shop for either..."
"What? I am super easy to shop for."
"You are far too picky."
"And you have everything," Elphaba added.
"I am not too picky! And I do not have everything!" She gaped at the two brunettes.
"Galinda, please...what don't you have?" Elphaba asked.
As the blonde stared at the two brunettes, she realized just how sisterly they acted towards each other, even with Nessarose not knowing they were sisters. She turned away with a sigh. "There are quite a few things I don't have...now, let's go get Father's present so that we can shop for other people."
Elphaba was slightly taken aback by the change in the blonde. "Uh, Nessa...why don't you go inside and, uh...scope the place out. I would hate to see you catch a cold." Nessa gave her a look before she wheeled in. Elphaba turned to Galinda. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong, Elphaba. I just...I don't like it when people think that I have everything just because I'm an heiress..."
"Well, I...I know that, but you got kind of...weird. You were looking at Nessa and me and then your expression cha-" Elphaba stopped. "Oh, Oz, I know what this is about...I'm sorry! I should not have been so familiar towards her. S-she's your sister and I...I'm sorry."
"No no no. It's fine. You can't stop what happens naturally. You two love each other like sisters even though she doesn't know. It's inevitable for you to not act familiar to her. But now you know why..."
"Galinda...I really am sorry. I know how much she means to you...and I would never take her from you."
"It's alright, Elphie. I hope now you realize that I really don't have everything." She headed for the store. "Let's go. Nessa is probably worried by now."
Elphaba sighed. "Yeah..." She followed the blonde inside the store, her gaze down. The store itself was bustling with last minute shoppers and Elphaba moved forward, her green appearance causing the crowds to part slightly, giving them room to walk.
When they finally found Nessa, Galinda lead them over to the suit accessories. She looked down into the glass case, searching for the right pair. Soon after, she pointed to some. "How about these ones?"
Elphaba peered inside the case. "Those are quite nice."
"I agree," Nessa added, her lower height giving her a different view. Galinda called over the store clerk and asked him to take the cufflinks out, following him to the front of the store to pay for them.
"Well that was relatively easy," Elphaba remarked as she followed the blonde. "But the question now is what to get you? What do you want, Galinda?"
"Nuh uh!" She gave a smirk as she left the store. "You have to figure that out on your own. The whole point of Lurlinemas gifts is that the idea for them comes from the heart."
Elphaba blinked. "Really? You are really going to try that on me?"
"Mhmm." She nodded her head. "In fact, I have already gotten both of you your presents." She gave a wide grin.
"What is it?" both brunettes said in unison. They exchanged looks before blushing and looking away, Elphaba down at the street and Nessa up at the clouded sky.
"You will have to wait until Lurlinemas to find out. You two do not get special sneak peeks at your presents. It is simply not allowed."
"Why would you buy me a present in the first place?" Elphaba asked. "I mean, who decided that was the point of this holiday? That is all it's become, really; just a big commercial...outlet. I don't understand it at all."
"Because you are my friend." The blonde sighed. "And Lurlinemas is not a 'commercial outlet.' It is a celebration of love, family, and friendship. To me, giving gifts is a way of showing my love and appreciation to somebody. Unlike a lot of people, I put a lot of time and thought into my gifts. I do not just buy people things willy nilly for Lurlinemas."
"That is not the tune you were singing last year..." Elphaba instantly put her hands up in defense. "I'm kidding! I suppose it's all just too new to me." Galinda stuck her tongue out at her. "Very mature," Elphaba said, rolling her eyes.
"Well, that's what you get for being such a meanie."
"Well, it's better than what I used to get." Elphaba suddenly stopped, realizing what she had said. "Oz, I'm sorry Galinda! I didn't mean to bring that back up!"
The blonde took a deep breath, trying to force away the images that came into her mind. "It's...fine."
Elphaba looked down before her eyes suddenly brightened. "I know what to get you."
"...you do?" Galinda was a little confused at how bringing up their past had helped Elphaba to figure out a gift.
"Yes, I do," the green woman said with a grin. "And I am not going to tell you."
"Um...alright then?" She looked around them. "Where would you guys like to shop next?"
"Yes, because I know all of the hip places to go," Elphaba said, rolling her eyes.
"Let's just...browse," Nessa suggested. "Can we all live with that?"
Galinda shrugged her shoulders. "Sounds good to me."
Elphaba attempted to kick open the palace door, wobbled once before regaining her balance, and attempted again. "Elphaba, be more careful, for Goodness' sakes."
"I do not know the meaning of the word!" Elphaba replied as she kicked the door open, realizing too late she had just used her casted leg. The green woman inhaled sharply as she hobbled inside. "See? Everything worked perfectly."
"Elphaba! Ozdamnit, I told you to be careful!" The blonde quickly dropped her bags and rushed over to her side.
"I'm fine...really...this hard cast helped to lessen the blow."
"You are a horrible liar, Elphaba."
"I like to think that I am quite good at it. You are just exceedingly good at sensing it because it's something you-" Elphaba stopped. "I'm sorry!"
The blonde sighed. "I'm, uh...I'm going to go wrap your presents..." She picked up the bags she had dropped and headed up the stairs.
"Galinda wait!" Elphaba chased after her, grabbing her arm to stop her. "I really am sorry. These things just...slip out. I really am trying."
Galinda gently pulled herself away, giving her a reassuring, yet slightly sad, smile. "I understand, Elphaba. I really do. I know you're trying."
Elphaba sighed, looking down. "Do you...do you need help with the...the wrapping?"
"Nope! You are not going to be allowed to see your present until Lurlinemas."
"Well...what if I closed my eyes at that part?"
The blonde eyed her suspiciously. "I'm not sure if I trust you to do that..."
"You don't trust me at all," Elphaba grumbled.
"Yes, I do. But this is your first real Lurlinemas after all. I can't possibly expect you to be able to resist peeking at your present."
"Galinda, I have never gotten a present before in my life. Trust me: my curiosity is not that high."
The blonde grinned at her. "Well, I know you are going to love it, and you still can't be in the room. You have to wait at least until I've put it in the box before you can come in."
Elphaba let out a huffy sigh, crossing her arms. "Fine. I didn't want to know anyway."
"Oh, really? That disappointed look on your face shows that you do. But that is too bad." She quickly went into her room, shutting the door behind her.
"Well I...fine! Go wrap your silly present! I didn't want to know anyway!"
With a grin, Galinda took Elphaba's present out and quickly put it into a box, taping it shut. She returned to the door, opening it for Elphaba. "You are still a horrible liar."
Elphaba, who had been eavesdropping against the door, was not prepared when it opened and fell to the ground with a thud. "I don't care," she said, her voice muffled by the carpet.
"You are still a liar," the blonde giggled. She kneeled down to help Elphaba up. "Now, come help me wrap presents."
"Oh, so now you want my help?" Elphaba said, getting to her feet. "Well maybe I don't feel like helping you!"
"Alrighty then. Have it your way..." Galinda turned back into her room, moving to shut her door.
"I changed my mind! I'll try to help, but be warned: I have no idea what I'm doing."
"That's alright. I'll help you." She took the green woman's hand and pulled her into the room behind her.
Elphaba blushed slightly. "Must you be so romantic about it? People will get the wrong impression."
The blonde cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Romantic? I don't see anything romantic about wrapping presents..."
Elphaba's face grew darker. "Nevermind," she mumbled.
Galinda shook her head. "You are so confusifying sometimes..." She bustled around the room, gathering all of the paper and ribbons that she needed.
"Confusifying? No wonder you are having issues in some subjects. " Elphaba eased herself to sit on the floor, leaning back against Galinda's bed. The blonde set all of the wrappings on the floor in front of Elphaba, sitting on the other side of the pile and looking at her with a grin. Elphaba looked down at all the supplies with a blank expression. She blinked once before looking up at Galinda. "Why are you grinning at me like that?"
"Because I get to wrap presents. I love wrapping presents!"
"You're an odd one...once you shed that high and mighty shell."
Galinda stuck her tongue out at her. "Heeeeeyyyy. I resent that."
"Why? Aren't you happier just being yourself?"
"Well, that is true I suppose..." She shrugged before pulling over a box. "Alright, Elphie. What paper do you want me to use on your present?"
"How should I know? Too many choices...but don't be cute and pick green. Please don't."
"Well, then I guess you will just have to pick one if you don't want green..."
"Galinda..." the green woman moaned. "I don't know...white. No, silver! No gold! AHHHH!" Her head flopped back onto the bed with a sigh, covering her face with her hands. The blonde thought for a moment, looking at all of the papers laid out in front of her in thought. She finally picked up a roll of paper and some ribbon, starting to cut things to the right size. Upon hearing movement, Elphaba lowered her hands and looked at the blonde. "So, how does this...work?"
"Well, first you pick the paper you would like to use. Then you choose the ribbon you want put over it. Then you lay out the paper, setting the present in the middle to help size the paper, cutting it once you have the right size." She demonstrated everything as she told it to Elphaba.
Elphaba watched, so taken in that she didn't even notice her glasses slowly sliding off her face. "Seems simple enough."
In a matter of minutes, Galinda was holding up a beautifully wrapped present to show the green woman. "See? Now your present is all done." She set it off to the side, picking up another present and beginning to pick out new paper and ribbons. "But I wouldn't be deceived, Elphie. It takes a lot of practice. It's much harder than it looks."
Elphaba held up her own perfectly wrapped present that she had just finished. "Is this right?"
The blonde cringed. "Well, the wrapping is fine. But the colors clash horribly."
Elphaba frowned. "Damn, I always get that wrong...you would think I would know how to deal with colors, being green and all."
"It's alright. It takes an artist's eye to get it to look really, really good." She grinned at her.
Elphaba sighed. "I suppose. Do you want me to try again? This one is yours, and I would hate to subject you to the humiliation of receiving an ugly present."
Galinda shook her head, quickly taking her present from Elphaba's hand and setting it off to the side. "Nope! It's more special the way it is than if you change it."
"Really?" Elphaba smiled sheepishly. "Galinda...I...I'm glad that you...that we...uh..." She looked away, her face darkening.
The blonde looked up from her wrapping. "That we what?"
Elphaba shook her head. "Forget it. It's...just...nothing."
"Tell me, Elphie."
Elphaba sighed. "It's just...we have such an awful past, and then...just one event turns everything upside-down...and well...look at us. We're..."
Galinda smiled, finishing for her, "Friends?"
"Or something similar." Elphaba finally looked at her.
"So now you're going to deny that we are friends?" She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. "Even after I wrapped your present all nice and pretty?"
"N-no! Not that. I just...it's funny. We both agreed that we could never be friends...that those feelings would never develop...and yet, here we are, wrapping presents like...like we've been doing it our whole lives?" Elphaba paused. "What confuses me is how? How did we make that jump?"
The blonde shrugged, returning to her wrapping. "I'm not sure, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. I prefer not to think about the 'how' just so long as it happened."
"But if...if I don't know what I did right...then who's to say we won't...we won't go back?" Elphaba looked at her. "What if you wake up one day and decide that...you don't want me as a friend anymore?"
"That's not going to happen, Elphaba. Do you really have so little faith in me?"
Elphaba looked down. "My mother said the same thing...before she gave me up."
"I am not going to stop being your friend. You are stuck with me now, whether you want me or not."
Elphaba smiled slightly. "That is both reassuring...and somewhat terrifying." She looked back down. "You should...show me how not to clash colors..."
"Well, that is a much more in depth lesson than we have time for right now. How about you just double check with me before you actually use them?"
Elphaba nodded. "Sounds fair to me."
"Alrighty then. Let's get to work!"
Hours later and Elphaba was sure her eyes were about to fall out. "Too many colors...how can you do this?"
"It gets easier with practice. I've been doing this for years, Elphie. This is your first time."
"And perhaps my last...dear Oz." Elphaba took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "How many presents do we have left?"
"You're done. I can finish the rest in no time, but thank you for the help." She smiled at her as she grabbed one of the presents.
"Don't do me any favors, Miss Galinda." Elphaba sighed. "Tomorrow is Lurlinemas, and then the ball...so many guests...including Master Fiyero and Miss Sarima..."
"I am not doing you any favors. You finished wrapping your presents hours ago. You have been the one helping me this whole time."
"True, I suppose. " Elphaba crossed her arms and paused for a few moments before she stood. "Well, I will start putting some of these under the tree. Try not to miss me too much."
The blonde grinned back at her. "I'll be done before you are even back."
"Challenge accepted." Elphaba quickly scooped up an armful of present and hobbled quickly from the room, almost falling downstairs.
"Elphaba-"
"Not now, Nessa!" Elphaba placed all the presents under the tree and started back up the stairs.
"But Elphaba-"
"I can't talk right now!" The green woman came back into Galinda's room, panting slightly. "Did I win?"
The blonde was waiting in the doorway with three perfectly wrapped presents, grinning. "Nope! I told you that I am quite good at wrapping."
Elphaba let out sigh of frustration. "Damn! I demand a rematch. I think you cheated."
Galinda chuckled walking past her to go place the presents under the tree. "How could I have possibly cheated? I was alone in a room."
"Because...because I said so," Elphaba replied, following her. "And...I don't really have any other reason other than I don't like losing..."
"Yeah. That's what I thought." She let out a giggle.
"Alright, fine, so you found me out. But it's late, and tomorrow will be an exciting day for you, so you should probably head up to bed soon."
"But I'm not ti-" she had to pause to stifle a yawn that threatened to escap her lips.
"I SAW THAT." Elphaba grinned. "Do you need me to carry you up the stairs, Miss Galinda?"
"You saw nothing, Elphaba. I think you are just seeing things."
"Hey, I haven't been staring at that much bright paper...come on, blondie. Up you go."
"But I don't want to..."
"Everything will still be here in the morning, I promise," Elphaba said before she started to gently lead Galinda up the stairs. "You need to rest, though." The blonde tried resisting at first, but she found herself growing more and more tired with every step she took. She was soon leaning heavily against Elphaba. The green woman smiled slightly as she put an arm around Galinda, helping her to her room. She sat the blonde gently on the bed before she went to retrieve her silk nightgown, which she laid out on the bed. She kneeled down and began to take Galinda's shoes off.
Galinda tiredly pushed her hands away. "Elphie, no...I can...do it..."
"Galinda, relax," Elphaba said, straightening up. She helped the blonde out of her dress and into her nightgown before she pulled the covers over her. "It's no trouble. Now get some rest...and I'll see you in the morning."
"Mmmmm...g'night, Elph..." She drifted off into sleep.
Elphaba smiled slightly as she brushed a few strands of hair from Galinda's face. She immediately pulled away before taking a few steps back. "Don't get too attached...nothing lasts forever." She turned and left, heading to her own room, where she laid awake late into the night.
As the early morning light began filtering through the windows, the heiress to Oz woke instantly. Minutes later she was bouncing on someone's bed excitedly, trying to wake them up. "Elphie! Elphie! Wake up! It's finally Lurlinemas!" Elphaba jerked awake at the feeling of someone jumping on her. Out of instinct, she tackled them to the floor, keeping her knee on their chest as she pinned their wrists above their head. Galinda was in such a good mood that, after a squeak of surprise, she simply grinned up at the green woman. "Well, Happy Lurlinemas to you too, Elphie."
Elphaba's face turned dark green. "M-Miss Galinda! I didn't...I'm so sorry!" The green woman got off the blonde, helping her to her feet. "I just...please don't tell your father. It was an accident."
She giggled. "It's fine, Elphaba. Stop worrying yourself." The blonde picked up the package that she had dropped. "I am sorry for waking you up so early. I just wanted to give you your first present of the day." She held out the wrapped package to the green woman.
Elphaba stared at the gift. "I...no one has ever given me a gift before..." She took it from the blonde hesitantly. "Now what?" she asked after a pause.
"Now you open it, silly."
"But it's so pretty...and you took the time to wrap it like this..."
"But if you never open it, then i will have wrapped it for nothing." Elphaba looked back down at the present before she started to pull the ribbon off slowly. The blonde grew more excited as each second passed. The green woman let the ribbon drop to the floor and moved onto the paper, managing to get it off without ripping it. With the box bare in her lap, Elphaba started to take the lid off, her hands shaking slightly. "Do you like it?"
Elphaba pulled the worn book from the box, her eyes widening. "This...this is the collection of Animal Journals and Writings...this book is from a private collection! How did you..." She trailed off, too awestruck to continue.
Galinda blushed. "Well, I noticed that whenever we went to the library and I would check out books for you, you would always pick books about Animal rights and such. I just thought you might enjoy this one."
Elphaba looked back up at her, her dark eyes brimming with tears. The green woman quickly swiped them away. "Thank you..."
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry."
"No! It's just...I've never...no one has ever...done anything like this...for me."
"So you like it?"
Elphaba nodded. "Yes..."
The blonde beamed in delight. "Yay! I'm so glad you do."
The green woman's smile fell. "But now my gift pales in comparison..."
"No. I am sure it doesn't." She gave the green woman a reassuring smile.
"I hope not." Elphaba stood up, holding the book close to her chest before she set it on her bed. "Shall we go downstairs and begin the festivities?"
"Of course we can. Come on!" She took Elphaba's hand and pulled her from the room. Elphaba stumbled, but allowed the blonde to lead her downstairs, her bare feet sliding on the emerald tiles.
"I've been waiting for you two to wake up," Nessa said from where she sat by the tree.
"Nessa!" The blonde rushed over to give her a hug. "Happy Lurlinemas!"
Nessa returned the gesture. "I thought I would be waiting down here all morning." The brunette held a gift out to the blonde. "It took me a while, but I managed to find something for you."
Galinda took the box and quickly unwrapped it. After opening the lid, she gasped. "Nessa, it's beautiful..." She pulled out the intricate lace fan, setting aside the box and flicking it open. "I love it! It'll go great with my dress for the ball tonight. Oh, thank you so much." She leaned down to hug her sister again.
"I'm glad you like it." The brunette picked up two gifts, handing one to Galinda. "These are from Father...but he won't be back until tonight...he's never here to share Lurlinemas with us..."
The blonde opened her package and smiled. "As usual, he has gotten us beautiful shoes. What are yours like this time, Nessa?"
"Silver," the brunette replied as she pulled them out, but the way the light reflected off them made them seem all different colors.
"May I?" Elphaba asked, taking one slipper from the brunette gently. She slipped on her glasses and held the shoe close, examining it. "These are blown glass beads. Only Quadlings know how to make these. Your father must have had them specially made."
"Oh, Nessa, those are fantabulous. They will look amazing on you."
Nessa sighed. "What does it matter? It's not like I can walk or dance in them anyway." She placed the slippers back in their box. "Perhaps I will skip the ball tonight..."
"No no no. You can't do that. It won't be any fun without you there." The blonde frowned.
"You will hardly notice me anyway, what with your boyfriend attending and all."
"Of course I would notice. You are my sister. I want you to go to the ball tonight and have a good time. There isn't just dancing, you know."
Nessa sighed. "Fine, I'll go...but only because I don't want you on my back all day." She smiled slightly. "And by the way, I noticed that this had your name on it," she added, picking up a box from under the tree.
"No, no, put that back!" Elphaba said immediately, lunging at the brunette in an attempt to snatch the gift away.
Galinda quickly took the gift from Nessa's hand before Elphaba could reach it. She examined the box with a grin. "This wouldn't happen to be from you...now, would it, Elphaba?"
Elphaba crashed to the floor. "No, p-please! I just...it's not..."
The blonde pulled off the paper, slowly opening the box to look inside. "A book?" She took it out, setting the box aside before she opened the cover. A smile crept onto her face. "'The History of Fashion'? This is great, Elphie! Thank you so much. You finally found a book I will actually read." She grinned at her.
Elphaba turned dark green. "Well, I had to get you started somewhere...and I apologize if it isn't in the best condition...I had to buy it used...and I'm going to stop talking now."
"The best gifts are the ones that come from the heart..." she wrapped an arm around Elphaba in a hug, "...not the ones that cost the most. Thank you." She pulled away, smiling up at her.
The green woman looked away, rubbing the back of her head. "I...umm...I'll go make breakfast." She quickly got to her feet and hobbled from the room quickly, making her way to the kitchen.
"That was odd," Nessa observed, watching her.
Galinda sighed, shaking her head. "I just don't know what I am going to do with her. I have simply got to get her used to normal human interaction again."
"Well, Galinda...can you really blame her? I mean...fourteen years of living the way she did...I can't imagine what she must be going through."
"I know that it has been so long, and I know that most of it is because of me...but I am determined to make things right..."
Nessa smiled, placing a hand on the blonde's arm. "I know...and I have faith in the both of you."
There was a sudden crash from the kitchen. "I'm okay! Everything is OKAY!"
Galinda jumped at the noise. She ran to the kitchen. "What in Oz's name is going on in here?"
Elphaba lifted a pot off her head, looking down at the others that had fallen. "Oh, there's the one I need," she said, kneeling down to pick it up and set it on the counter.
The blonde giggled, picking up some of the pots and pans off of the ground. "What are you doing? You know these are supposed to stay hung up right? You take one down; you don't knock them all off, silly."
"I know that! And they were hanging, but I needed one in the back, and when I tried to pull it forward...they all came crashing down."
Galinda started hanging the pots back up. "Perhaps you should have asked for some assistance then."
"I don't need assistance," Elphaba said as she began cracking eggs into the pan. "I am perfectly...capable..."
"Of course you are." The blonde rolled her eyes as she finished hanging up the rest of the pots and pans. "So what are you making, anyway?"
"It's a surprise."
"A surprise? What kind of surprise?"
"A surprise in which you do not know what I am making, therefore it is a surprise breakfast." The green woman reached for the flour on a top shelf, only to have it slip out of her hand at the last minute, hitting the counter with a tremendous POOF and showering the two girls in white powder.
The blonde sat there gaping in shock for a few moments before fell into a fit of giggles. "Nice job, ElphIE," she sneezed suddenly, sending another puff of flour around them.
Elphaba couldn't help but laugh at that. "What a fine Lurlinemas this is turning out to be." She scooped up a handful and, before she could stop herself, she threw it at the blonde.
"Yes, it-" Galinda was cut off when a large handful of flour hit her in the face. She stood there, gaping, before slowly wiping the flour from her face. "I think it's time for me to make some breakfast of my own..." She quickly tackled the green woman to the floor, sitting on her stomach to pin her down. She took some bread and slapped it onto her forehead, and, with a grin, she reached behind her to pick a few eggs from the open carton and the bottle of syrup. The blonde cracked open the eggs, one by one, emptying them on top of the bread. "And now for the finishing touch..." Galinda took the bottle of syrup and poured some all over the green woman's face with another grin. "Look...I made French toast for breakfast."
Elphaba, taken by surprise by the food attack, could merely stare at the blonde. She felt the syrup and egg whites running down her face, but as some of the syrup trickled into her open gaping mouth, Elphaba was suddenly reminded of her strange addiction to the sweet substance. "Ahh...I hope you are satisfied?" she asked, running a finger through a line of syrup before placing it in her mouth. "Because we have really made quite a mess..."
Galinda laughed heartily. "Yes. It seems that we have." She brushed some more flour off the top of her head. "How about we go wash up, and I will get somebody to come clean this up. I don't know about you, but I am okay with having just some toast for breakfast."
Elphaba nodded. "You go. I will clean up." She sat up, moving Galinda off of her stomach gently.
The blonde frowned. "Nuh uh. You're the one who is messier right now. You need to clean up more than I do."
"B-but...I..." Elphaba sighed before she stood. "Fine." She offered the blonde her hand. "If it will appease you."
Galinda grinned at her. "It will appease me very much. Now, shoo!" She ushered the green woman out of the kitchen.
"I'm leaving! Dear Oz..." Elphaba left the kitchen and started up the stairs.
"You look like you had fun," Nessa said with a grin.
"Yes...so much fun..."
The blonde laughed. "Oh, yes. If becoming a human French toast counts as fun, she had loads of it."
Elphaba muttered something as she closed her bathroom door behind her. After stripping down and cleaning herself with her oil, Elphaba changed into her emerald suit, doing her hair up in its usual tight braid. "Alright, no one get anything on me," she called as she came back down the stairs.
Galinda was sitting with Nessa by the Lurlinemas tree. "Oh, why ever not? Wouldn't you much rather wear a pretty dress to the ball tonight rather than that stuff old suit?"
Elphaba approached them, shaking her head. "A dress wouldn't suit me at all, and you know it. Besides, this signifies my...position. And it hides my cast quite well."
"Alright. So can I give you your next present now?"
The question took Elphaba by surprise. "Next- you mean there's more? Th-there shouldn't be more!"
"I told you that I am determined to make this the best first Lurlinemas ever...and I just love giving presents to people." She grinned.
"B-but you have done so much already! And I don't...deserve more..."
"Well, I think you do." She went over to the tree to pick up a somewhat large package. "Will you accept it, even if it is only to make me happy?" she stuck her bottom lip out in a pout.
Elphaba took the gift with a slight sigh. "Only to make you stop pouting..." She began the process of unwrapping it. Elphaba opened the box and reached inside, but upon extracting the dress and seeing just how nice it was, she dropped it as though she had been electrocuted. "Wh-what joke is this?"
"Oh, come now. It is not a joke." She scooped the dress up off the floor, brushing it off.
"Yes it is! You expect that I can wear something that...elegant? You must take me for a fool!"
"This is not even that elegant, Elphaba. I designed it for you, knowing that you would never accept anything too overly lavish."
"Well...I-I can't wear it!" Elphaba stood, brushing off her suit. "I must go prepare for the guests. Call me when you need my assistance getting ready." She turned and started to walk back upstairs.
Galinda went after her, grabbing her arm to stop her. "Elphaba, please! You are making this a much bigger deal than is needed. It's just a dress."
"I do not wear nice things, okay?" Elphaba said. "Please...I understand your intentions are good, but this...I can't..." She sighed. "Where would I wear something so nice?"
"How about to the ball tonight? Besides, my dress won't look good at all next to that green suit. It would look much better if the person next to me were wearing this dress." She held out the dress.
Elphaba looked at it uncomfortably. "But I...your father...I am required to wear...I would be much more comfortable in...I really don't..."
"Please? Father will not care so long as I am happy. Just wear it...for me?"
"But...what if something happens? I cannot move as efficiently in a dress."
"In this one you can. I designed it specifically for you. Besides, nothing is going to happen. Father always increases the guards at least about five times for the Lurlinemas Ball anyway. There are far too many important people there to risk something happening."
The green woman sighed. "Why does it mean so much to you?" she asked softly. "Why do you care?"
"Because you are my friend, and I want other people to start seeing you as such. It may not be outright telling them so, but you wearing this dress will be a message that we are at least on good terms now."
Elphaba took the dress from her. "Fine...I'll wear it."
"Thank you. I know you will look wonderful in it. I did design it as such you know." She gave her a wink. "Now go hang that up in your room so it won't get wrinkled." Elphaba nodded before she left to hang the dress up. It looked so out of place in her small, dreary closet that she pushed it to the back, closing the door quickly.
"You really shouldn't force her, you know," Nessa said, wheeling up beside her sister.
Galinda sighed. "I know. But I just can't help it. She is just so stubborn."
"And you're not?" Nessa said with a slight smile.
"True...but still. If I don't make her try new things, she never will."
Nessa shrugged. "I suppose...that was true for you, wasn't it?" The brunette started to wheel away, casting a grin back at the blonde.
Galinda rushed after her. "Hey now! Are you insinuating something? Nessa! Get back here!"