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Glinda woke slowly, blinking against the soft sunlight filtering through the window, casting golden shadows on the hardwood floor. She stretched just slightly, only to pause when she felt a warm body pressed against her back, slender arms still wrapped around her waist.
A soft smile tugged at her lips. Elphaba had stayed the whole night. That didn’t happen often. Usually, she’d wake sometime in the middle of the night and retreat to her own bed to keep from waking Glinda.
Shifting carefully to avoid breaking the stillness of the moment, Glinda snuggled deeper into the warmth behind her. She closed her eyes again and allowed herself to feel—the gentle rise and fall of Elphaba’s chest against her back, the slow, steady rhythm of her breathing.
Her fingers drifted down, tracing absentminded patterns over the soft, emerald skin. She let out a huff of laughter at the irony of it all. Not a month ago she had believed Elphaba’s skin to be poisonous or tough like a reptile’s, avoiding any contact with her. Now, she craved the contact, cherishing every moment the green girl let her touch her.
Finally, she laced her fingers with Elphaba’s. To her surprise, Elphaba squeezed back almost instantly.
“Good morning Glinda.”
Heat rushed to Glinda’s cheeks, and she was suddenly grateful Elphaba couldn’t see her face. “How long have you been awake?”
She felt Elphaba smile against her neck. “Long enough.”
Glinda sighed contentedly as Elphaba’s hand trailed slowly up her arm, resting lightly on her shoulder. She tightened her hold on Elphaba’s fingers, turning her head slightly to look at her.
“What are you thinking about, my sweet?”
She squeezed Elphaba's hand tighter. “How you’re still here.”
“Yeah.” Elphaba began to rub at the back of Glinda’s shoulders with her thumb, and Glinda melted into the touch.
“What about you?” Glinda asked.
Elphaba paused, her other hand coming to rest on top of Glindas. “How lucky I am.”
Glinda giggled, pushing backwards against her. “I think I’m the lucky one.”
Elphaba only hummed contentedly in response, her hands resuming their aimless wandering. Glinda turned over in Elphaba’s arms, burying her face in her chest. Gentle hands began combing through her hair, tugging gently at her scalp, and Glinda smiled. She wished they could stay hidden away here all day, but the sunlight peeking through the curtains reminded her of their approaching classes.
“Alright, sun’s up, my love,” Glinda said, reluctantly removing herself from Elphaba’s hold. She stretched her arms above her head, causing her shirt to ride up slightly. Cool fingers brushed against her side, and Glinda yelped, jerking away with a laugh. “You really want to start that? We both know you’re more ticklish.”
Elphaba’s hands immediately retreated, her expression shifting into one of faux innocence. When Glinda lifted a hand to retaliate, Elphaba grabbed a pillow, holding it up like a shield. Glinda rolled her eyes and got up, making her way to the window. The second she opened the curtains, a groan sounded from behind her.
“Too early,” Elphaba grumbled, rolling over and burrowing even deeper under the covers.
Glinda turned and tugged the covers off of Elphaba, who squinted and shielded her eyes from the sunlight. “Come on, we have to get ready for class,” Glinda insisted, already heading for her vanity.
To her amusement, Elphaba once again pulled the covers up to her nose. She looked as though she were trying to sink into the bed. Glinda began loudly humming a chipper tune she knew would get Elphaba’s attention.
Sure enough, Elphaba cracked open one eye, peering at her from beneath the pale sheets. She scowled, but Glinda could make out the amused smile tugging upward at the corners of her mouth. “You know, you could wake the whole dorm with that humming.”
Glinda shot her a playful glare over her shoulder. “Someone has to keep you from being late again.”
Groaning dramatically, Elphaba finally sat up and stretched. She pulled on her robe and shuffled to the bathroom to splash her face with cold water. “I wouldn’t be late if you didn’t take so long to get ready,” she called back to Glinda.
Glinda scoffed, running her brush through her hair until it shone. “Popularity rule number seven: you can’t rush perfection.”
Elphaba snorted. “Perfection, huh? Well, perfection nearly made us miss breakfast the other day.”
At Glinda’s sharp look, Elphaba raised her hands in surrender, retreating back into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
As she did, Glinda began rifling through her wardrobe, muttering quietly to herself about colors and fabrics. She could feel Elphaba’s eyes watching her from where she hovered in the bathroom door.
“Can I help you?” She asked, glancing over her shoulder.
Elphaba shrugged, her eyes never leaving Glinda. “I just needed my daily dose of watching you struggle to decide what to wear.”
Glinda stuck her tongue out at her. “It’s not a struggle, it’s an art.” She grabbed two dresses, spinning around to present them to Elphaba. “Pink or blue, Elphie?” she asked, her face deadly serious.
“Pink. Always pink.” Elphaba replied, leaning against the doorframe.
Glinda beamed. “You know me so well.”
As Glinda dressed, Elphaba pulled on her usual dark, practical attire, glancing at the clock occasionally. When Glinda sat down at her vanity and began applying her makeup, Elphaba rolled her eyes.
“Almost time to go, Glinda.”
Glinda pouted at her. “Sorry, not all of us can just roll out of bed looking as presentable as you.”
Elphaba cackled, the sound sharp and bright. “Presentable? Is that what you call this? I was going for effortlessly stunning.”
Glinda giggled and tossed a brush at her, which Elphaba fumbled to catch.
“Might do you some good to use that every once in a while,” Glinda teased.
Elphaba huffed, but tugged the brush through her dark hair a few times before setting it down next to Glinda, her face scrunched up in an adorable pout. “Happy?”
Glinda stood, grinning. “Very.” She placed a quick kiss on Elphaba’s cheek, then breezed by her towards the bathroom to apply the finishing touches to her look.
When she re-emerged, Elphaba was making the bed, straightening the sheets with quick, efficient movements. Both of their book bags were already packed and waiting by the door. Glinda smiled fondly, stepping into her shoes and twirling in front of the mirror one last time.
Elphaba clapped slowly, a smirk playing on her lips. “Bravo, bravo.”
Glinda laughed, grabbing her bag as they headed into the hall. The morning light made the space flow, the air itself seeming to shimmer around them. It felt as though the only people that existed were her and Elphaba, protected in their own little bubble.
She cast a fond glance at her roommate, who had begun to pick up her pace as they neared the end of the hall. Glinda matched her step for step, and they walked faster and faster until they were racing, shoving past one another to reach the door first. Glinda shrieked with laughter as she stumbled in her heels, giving Elphaba the chance to get ahead.
By the time Glinda reached the door, she was out of breath, though she did her best to look composed as Elphaba held the door open with a smug smile. “After you, my lady.”
Glinda huffed. “Maybe I’ll steal your boots tomorrow, then we’ll see who the real gentlewoman is.”
Shaking her head in exasperation, Elphaba stepped towards the flowerbeds lining the walkway. She knelt down, closing her eyes and brushing a hand over the dirt. Glinda watched with admiration as two pink tulips unfurled from the ground, blossoming at Elphaba’s gentle touch. She plucked them, handing them to Glinda
Glinda smiled, tucking one into her own hair before reaching forward to place the second bloom behind Elphaba’s ear. Her fingertips lingered against Elphaba’s jaw, then settled on her shoulder.
Elphaba watched her with an adoration that made Glinda’s heart stutter. She looked at Glinda like she was something precious. Like she was worth devoting a field of flowers too.
Elphaba leaned in, pressing her lips to Glinda’s in a soft, chaste kiss before pulling her into a hug. Glinda melted into the embrace, cherishing the warmth of Elphaba’s arms around her. She closed her eyes, letting herself drift, letting herself believe, just for a little while, that this moment could last forever.
Glinda held onto the scraps of her dream for as long as she could, but they slipped through her fingers like sand, leaving her grasping at nothing. Elphaba. Soft. Laughter. Her heart ached in her chest, anchoring her to the bed. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, ignoring the tightening in her throat. Let me go back. Please.
But the warmth was gone. The sheets were cold. When she reached out, her fingers met nothing but empty space.
Desperately, she pictured Elphaba smiling, her head thrown back in laughter, her hand in Glinda’s. It’s not real. Images ripped through her mind in quick succession, replacing those she clung too—Elphaba screaming, body contorted in pain, taken too soon. She pressed a hand to her chest, trying in vain to block them out.
It was over. It was all over. Glinda would never again see Elphaba smile. Never again feel the softness of her skin or hear her voice. She barely noticed the tears running down her face and onto the pillow. Why did everything go so wrong?
Slowly, she opened her eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling. The velvet curtains in her room were drawn, leaving the space shrouded in darkness and shadows. The once vibrant colors of the room felt muted and heavy, pressing down on her. She lay motionless in her enormous bed, her nightgown tangled around her, trapping her in place. Despite the heaviness of the blankets, she felt cold.
The silence around her was oppressive, broken only by the distant, hollow sound of footsteps echoing through the castle’s corridors. Reluctantly, Glinda sat up, her movements slow. Her limbs felt as though they were filled with lead. She glanced around the room, where everything seemed to stand lifelessly, as though waiting for something that would never come.
She stumbled out of bed, her usual grace absent, and walked over to the window. She opened the curtains, but the morning light fell upon her mockingly, doing nothing to lift the heaviness that clung to her heart.
Outside, streamers and banners still lined the streets from the city’s celebration the week prior, replacing the propaganda perpetrated by the Wizard. Glinda felt nauseous. She shut the curtain abruptly, stumbling towards the bathroom.
Absent-mindedly, she splashed water on her face, letting it drip without bothering to pat it dry. Even the simple act of brushing her hair felt like a monumental task.
She leaned forward, bracing herself against the marble counter and staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were red-rimmed and tired, her skin irritated from the constant flow of tears. Taking a deep breath, she tried to plaster on her usual bright smile, but it wasn’t quite right. None of this was right. She let the facade drop, lips quivering as tears threatened to fall again.
Her eyes fell to a golden hair clip perched on the edge of the counter. Elphaba would have looked beautiful in that. The thought passed before Glinda could repress it, and at once, another wave of grief crashed over her.
She’s gone.
Gasping, Glinda’s legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed to the tiled floor.
She doesn’t exist anymore. Glinda reached for the clip, clenching it in a fist as the tears began to fall again. I’ll never know how she’d look in this. I’ll never get to brush her hair again or place a flower behind her ear.
Clutching her fist to her chest, she sobbed openly, bending forward with feelings that seemed to weigh down every corner of her being until she was practically laying on the cold floor. They were supposed to have their whole lives together to fill with moments like this. Now all that was left of their short time together were fragments of memories, tinged gray by her grief.
We should’ve had a lifetime together.
And to think she had wasted precious moments with Elphaba mocking her. She’d never get that time back. Anger tinged at the edges of her heart, and she accepted it, leaning into it to stop her sobs and collect herself. Anger at Morrible, at the Wizard, at herself.
On shaky legs, Glinda stood, tucking the hair clip into her shirt against her breastbone. She moved to her wardrobe, but the process of choosing an outfit felt mechanical. She picked out the simplest of her dresses—a deep burgundy gown—and slipped into it with a sense of resignation.
Sitting down at her vanity, Glinda began the monotonous routine of putting her gilded mask into place. She knew just how much makeup to use to disguise the bruises beneath her eyes, the colors to make her cheeks rosy and flushed. Once she was satisfied that she was presentable, or at least that other people couldn’t see the real her through the cracks, she slipped on her flats and headed for the hall.
Her bed remained unmade. Glinda didn’t have the energy to straighten the sheets, and some maid would be left to the task later. It didn’t take long to find her new Captain of the Guard, and she forced on a smile as she approached him.
His eyes lifted to watch her approach, the same rich brown that her Elphie’s had been. Her throat tightened again, but she maintained her smile, resisting the urge to clench her fingers in her dress.
“Your Goodness,” he bowed low, and she signaled him to rise with a flick of her wrist. “Looking as radiant as ever.”
“Where am I going today, Shell?”
“A small province in Munchkinland, just South of Colwen Grounds.” His posture softened as he took her in, and Glinda felt as though he could see right through her. Just like his sister.
“Glinda, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing!” She forced a smile that would’ve tricked anyone else, but it didn’t fool Elphaba.
“You don’t have to pretend with me.” Elphaba slid onto the bed beside her, the mattress dipping under her weight. She opened her arms in a silent invitation, and Glinda fell into them, finally allowing her mask to fall.
Glinda shook her head to rid herself of the memory, though all she wanted was to get lost in it. There were more important things to attend to for the temporary Throne Minister of Oz.
Shell watched her, a curious glint in his eye, but Glinda brushed past him, eager to be on the move. She had personally visited several dozen towns throughout Oz in the past week to confirm and celebrate the death of the Wicked Witch. This one wouldn't be the one to see her fall apart.
It only took a few hours to arrive at the town by bullet train, though Glinda used her bubble for the last leg of the journey. As she floated nearer to the ground, she could see the people celebrating below. They leapt up and down with joy, throwing tulips into the air, dancing in the fields. Her gaze caught on a couple, their eyes shining brightly as they embraced and shared a joyful kiss.
Tentatively, Glinda brought a trembling hand to her face, letting the tips of her fingers brush against her lips. She could vividly recall the last time she’d been kissed. It had been rough, bruising, desperate, and then Elphaba had shoved her into hiding, forcing her to watch as she gave herself up.
“Look! It’s Glinda!”
She lowered her hand, taking a deep breath to steady the familiar pain in her chest before forcing her face to mold itself into something resembling joy.
“We love you Glinda!”
They couldn’t love her, not in any way that mattered. They didn’t even know her beyond the puppet she acted as for the last three years. No one would truly know her again.
Glinda wanted to be done. She wanted to crawl back into bed and fall asleep again, if only to dream of Elphaba as she used to be. She wanted to remember, if only to not forget anything about the woman she loved. Elphaba’s crooked grin, that little gap between her teeth, the way she tilted her head when she didn’t understand something, how her hair shone in the sun, the small ways she showed she cared, how much passion she had for the things she loved. Glinda couldn't forget a moment.
“Glinda!” Elphaba hollered over the noise of the docks, weaving her way closer.
Glinda’s heart leapt with joy, and she met Elphaba halfway, pulling her into a tight hug. She could practically feel Elphaba vibrating with energy. “That good to see me again?”
Elphaba pulled back with a laugh, shoving Glinda’s shoulder playfully. “Don’t get too full of yourself.” She reached out, taking Glinda’s hand and pulling her close once more. “But yes. Always.”
Glinda inhaled deeply as though she could breathe Elphaba in, memorizing the warmth of her hand in her own. “I missed you so much.”
I’ll miss you forever. Glinda lowered herself to the ground and smiled with practiced perfection at her audience below.
“It's good to see me, isn’t it?”