Chapter Text
crope shakes elphaba gently to wake her up “mm” “we’re almost there” crope says “oh” elphaba sits up “thanks” elphaba, crope, and tibbett had taken the train together because they were all staying at shiz for the first two weeks of summer vacation, while everyone else was making their own way from their respective homes, elphaba had been spending the last two weeks texting and calling galinda non stop, it was as if they hadn’t separated, but elphaba still felt giddy at the thought of seeing galinda again.
the summer house was basically in the middle of nowhere, which meant that there was no reception, fiyero had to drive an hour just to pick them up. once they got out of the secluded and stranded train station, elphaba felt the summer breeze hitting her instantly, she took a breath in with her eyes closed, finding that she could get used to staying here for the next two and a half months, “how was the ride here?” fiyero asks as he pulls her into a hug — it was something she had to learn how to get used to, but now, she loved them, especially from a certain blonde, named galinda — “not too bad, once these two finally stopped talking and fell asleep” elphaba says, making the two gasp in offence “hey! You know you love our talking” crope says, elphaba rolls her eyes and smiles “of course i do” she says, sarcastically, “come on, let’s get going, galinda’s been bouncing off the walls this morning” “ah, she’s probably just excited to have everyone together” elphaba says, making the three boys laugh “yeah right, she’s excited to see you, obviously” fiyero says, hitting her softly on the shoulder “sure” “she’s been talking non stop about how she can’t wait to catch up with you and show you all the outfits she bought in frottica, it took me ages to convince her that we wouldn’t all be able to fit in the car with all your luggage, she wanted me to take the van” elphaba chuckles and shakes her head “get in the car, winkie boy, i’m controlling music” elphaba says, shoving him playfully towards the car.
“ELPHIE!!” elphaba barely had the chance to get out of the car before being engulfed in a bone crushing hug by a flurry of pink, elphaba welcomes it, the two giggling while spinning around, “oh, i’ve missed you so much, love, i never want to spend that much time apart from each other ever again, you’ll have to come back to frottica with me next time, momsie and mama have already said yes, i’m sure they’d much rather talk to you in person instead of just hearing me talk about you all the time or on our facetimes, ah, i can’t believe we’re together again, it’s going to be the best summer vacation ever, i have so many things to show you, and i’ve already chosen the best room for us, it has a balcony and a bookshelf filled with books that i know you’ll love and the bathtub is to absolutely die for, oh we’re going to have so much fun, the lake is so beautiful, and the kitchen is amazing and huge and i know you’ll love it, and-”
“galinda, breathe, you’re turning red” elphaba pulls away from galinda, who finally looks her in the eyes, “i’ve missed you, my love” elphaba smiles “i’ve missed you too, my sweet, we’ve got more than enough time to catch up, how about we just settle into the house first?” galinda feels her cheeks warming up again as she nods “i’m sorry, i’ve already become overwhelming, haven’t i?” “no, my sweet, not at all, i’m just a bit tired from the train ride here” “i’m sure, okay, let’s get you settled into our room” “i can’t believe you wanna share a room here” elphaba says, shaking her head at herself “oh” galinda looks down, her brows furrowing slightly “i shouldn’t have assumed that you would be okay with it”
“what? galin-”
“there’s plenty of rooms in the house, but you should keep the one i chose, it’s perfect for you, i think-”
“galinda” elphaba stops walking so she could look at galinda in the eyes “yes?” “i was just surpirised that you wanted to share a room with me, i never said i had a problem with it, i’m happy we’re sharing, truly” “really?” elphaba nods “of course, i wouldn’t want it any other way, i wouldn’t lie to you, my sweet” galinda let’s a small smile form on her face, “i’m really sorry elphie, i’m being completely-” “you’re being galinda, as always, and i’d never complain about that, my sweet” galinda feels her face flushing again “come, i need to unpack before we go into town to get things for dinner” elphaba says.
galinda allows elphaba to greet the rest of their friends — also hugging and greeting crope and tibbett— before taking her hand and dragging her up to the room that they would be sharing, elphaba gasps as she walks in “oz, galinda, you weren’t lying when you said you chose the perfect room for us” galinda giggles and she nods, clutching onto elphaba’s hand tighter “i know, right? I haven’t put sheets on the beds yet, i wasn’t sure which side you wanted” “oh i don’t mind, you can choose” “elphie, i got to choose at shiz, it’s only fair that you choose here” galinda says with a stern voice, nodding once to let elphaba know she wasn’t gonna budge.
elphaba chuckles, knowing she wouldn’t win the argument, “alright then, how about, i take the one closest to the bookshelf? the other is closer to the big window and, well, i know how much you love air” galinda giggles again “okay” “i need to start unpacking” “of course” “which means i need my hand back” galinda’s eyes widen “right, yes, of course, i guess i’ve just missed you too much, elphie” elphaba chuckles again, shaking her head fondly “i didn’t get a chance to say anything outside or downstairs, but you look amazing, this dress suits you very well” galinda laughs as she twirls around for elphaba “oh, thank you, doesn’t it just? and don’t you worry i bought you a few outfits from back home too, there’s a few things i designed and sent to momsie and mama that they had gotten made especially for you” elphaba feels herself blushing.
“you designed clothes for me?” she asks “of course i did, we’re best friends elphie, i can’t possibly let you wear the clothes you have now” “oz forbid” “exactly” galinda nods at elphaba with a smile “and don’t you worry, no pinks in there or any colours i know you'll protest to, i like to think that i know quite well” elphaba smiles at that, she nods “i think you know me better than anyone else, my sweet” galinda feels her heart fluttering at elphaba’s words, and right after, she feels her heart crack at the way elphaba’s smile falters “i must apologise for something, my sweet” elphaba looks down as she sits on her bed, galinda quickly follows suit, “what is it, dearest?” galinda reaches for elphabas hand, offering her comfort “i haven't got anything for you, i’m sorry, it’s just, well, you know i didn’t go home, and i’ve spent the last two weeks at school, so anything i could get you, you probably already have, and-” “oh elphie, you scared me” galinda laughs lightly as she places a hand over her heart “you have nothing to apologise for, my love” “but- well isn't it completely rude of me to accept any gift from you when i have nothing to give back?” galinda shakes her head, a small smile on her lips “absolutely not, it’s okay to just receive some love from your friends” galinda realises that elphaba’s reasoning was because she hadn’t received many — or any — gifts growing up, and she secretly swears that she’ll spoil elphaba as much as she can, for as long as elphaba allows her to, for the rest of their lives, she hopes.
galinda and elphaba had finally joined the rest of their friends after talking and unpacking, elphaba had found that galinda had really paid attention to what she liked to wear, the clothes that galinda had designed, or bought, for her, were things that she really would wear, galinda had practically given her enough clothes for the whole summer, and elphaba didn’t really know what to do about the way her heart flipped when galinda asked her what she thought of the clothes, but she promised herself that she would make sure that galinda would have the best summer in her whole life to make up for it.
“I was thinking we could go and have a picnic and watch the sunset” fiyero says “oh i like that idea!” milla says, everyone nods in agreement “i can go into town and get some groceries for us, and i’m assuming drinks?” elphaba asks, everyone nods eagerly and she chuckles “anything but wine, darl, we’ve got more than enough here” elphaba nods “heard, um, galinda” “yes?” “do you wanna-” “i’d love to come with you, we have so many things to catch up on” galinda says, already looping her arms through elphaba’s.
“are you gonna help me cook?” elphaba asks galinda as they walk through the grocery store, filling up the cart with enough food, drinks, and snacks for the next few days “well, i’ll be there, for sure, giving you sips of wine, playing music i know you’ll like, the essential things” elphaba chuckles and nods “right, of course”.
“so tell me, we’ve spent two weeks apart, what was it like to have the room all to yourself? did you have any scandalocious little encounters?” galinda raises her brows up and down, making elphaba laugh — oz, that sounds will never get old to galinda, and she plans on making elphaba laugh as much as she can — she shrugs “no scandalocious encounters, no, i usually just read or hung out with crope and tibbett, actually, i think i spent more time in their room than i did ours”
galinda’s smile falters, just a bit, before humming to herself “do you hate me that much that you can’t bear to be in the room?” galinda asks as a joke, but elphaba could hear that she had gotten hurt, “oh, my sweet, the real reason is- well it’s kind of embarrassing actually”
“tell me? please elphie?” galinda looks at her with pleading eyes, “i missed you, a lot, and being in our room without you, well, it just didn’t feel right, like you were a missing puzzle piece that i couldn’t find” galinda feels her heart rate speeding up “oh oz, that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever told me, elphie, i missed you too, i know i said it before but i really do mean it” elphaba smiles at her, nodding “i know”.
after they had finished eating, someone had started playing music, sarima walks up to elphaba and galinda, who were sitting together on the side with a bottle of wine they had decided to share — no need for glasses, it’d just be extra washing anyway — “would you two like to dance with me?” she holds out her hands in front of her, elphaba nudges galinda with her shoulder “you go ahead, my sweet” “won’t you dance with us? Please elphie?” galinda turns to look at her, elphaba chuckles and shakes her head “i think you’ve had too much to drink already, you know i can’t dance” “noo, you don’t dance, i know you can dance” “just go, galinda” elphaba says, smiling at her fondly.
elphaba watches as galinda dances in sarima’s arms, elphaba felt stupid, because she had said no, and now all she wants is to dance with galinda, whose hair was flowing in the breeze, the bonfire making her look like she was glowing, but instead she sat by herself on the side with the wine bottle.
“hey” well, guess she wasn’t by herself anymore, “hi” crope scooted closer to her, bringing his bottle up, she clinks it before the two take a sip “are you okay?” crope wipes his mouth with the back of his hand “peachy”
“you know, i’m sure if you just talk to her-”
“i don’t know what you’re talking about” elphaba cuts him off, not looking at him because she does, in fact, know what he’s talking about — on one of their nights in crope and tibbett’s room, they had all had a little too much to drink, and elphaba had stupidly confessed that she had feelings for galinda, though thinking about it now, having feelings for her felt like such a dumb way of saying it, the truth, though it was hard for her to accept, was that elphaba was in love with the blonde — “how long are you gonna keep denying yourselves true happiness?” crope asks “until i get over it, duh” elphaba says, like it was an obvious solution “i can’t lose her, crope, she was the first person to see past the green, to truly know me, to let me in-“ elphaba cuts herself off, shaking her head slightly.
“i can’t lose her, even if it means i can’t be hers, it means i’m still her friend, her best friend, and i already feel selfish enough for that” elphaba admits, “i can’t believe you’re telling me all this” crope sways to softly nudge elphaba with his shoulder, a chuckle coming out the both of them “yeah well, i’m hoping you drink enough tonight that you forget, if not, then i hope i drink enough to forget this conversation and you have enough mercy on me to not say anything” crope chuckles again, taking another sip.
the moment ends when tibbett walks up to them, clearly tipsy, “elphaba, i so do hate to do this, but i’m afraid i must steal my darling crope from you” elphaba chuckles at them, crope gives her a glance, not saying anything out loud but letting her know that he’ll stay if she wanted him to, elphaba gives him a small smile, waving the bottle in her hand a little “go ahead, i’ve still got some wine to drink” crope nods and pats her on the shoulder before letting tibbett pull him up, giving him a peck on the lips before giggling as he gets dragged to the rest of the group still dancing.
once everyone said their goodnights to each other and headed back to their rooms, galinda was practically glowing, elphaba could see it “elphie” “yes, my sweet?” “i have a feeling that we’re going to have the most splederous summer ever” elphaba smiles “i think so too” “will you go swimming with me tomorrow?” “if the water’s not too cold, yes” galinda’s brows furrow slightly, a small pout forming on her lips.
“but you said, a few weeks ago, when we were talking on the phone, that you would swim in the lake with me” “i’m sure sarima will go swimming with you, maybe crope and tibbs too” elphaba offers, galinda’s brows get closer “but i wanna go swimming with you” elphaba smiles, feeling her heart flutter “okay, my sweet, i’ll go swimming with you, even if the waters cold” “tomorrow? the weather’s supposed to be good” elphaba nods again “okay” galinda all but squeals, jumping to hug elphaba, “oh how amazing, that means i can show you the most adorable little bikini i bought while i was home” elphaba can’t help but flush at the thought of galinda in a bikini “i’m sure you’ll look great in it, my sweet” galinda smiles at that “and i’m sure sarima will say the same tomorrow” galinda tilts her head “sarima? what in oz does she have to do with this?” elphaba shrugs “i saw you two tonight, you guys looked good, dancing together” galinda tries to hide her confusion “yeah? i’m still not getting what she has to do with this?” “just, if you two wanted some um, privacy, during this trip, you can tell me” galinda chuckles “ooookay, sure”.
“elphie?” she hears galinda from across the room “yes galinda?” “would you hate it terribly if i asked you to sleep in my bed with me? i just hate sleeping in new places, and i’m sure it’ll only be for the next few days, a week, tops, but if you really do hate the thought of it i-” “of course, my sweet” galinda hears the rustling of sheets and blankets, then the soft padding of elphaba’s footsteps before the moonlight finally allows galinda to see her “thank you” elphaba smiles down “scooch a mooch, you better not take up the whole bed” elphaba jokes “i’ll try, but you’re so comfy” elphaba smiles and tries to get her heart to calm down while climbing into bed with galinda, who instantly wraps herself around elphaba, tangling their legs together, “elphie” galinda says into her neck, “yes, my sweet?” “i’ve missed you a ridiculous amount” elphaba chuckles, mindlessly stroking galinda’s arm “i’ve missed you a ridiculous amount too” galinda shoves her face deeper into elphaba’s neck “i’m sorry for being so clingy” elphaba squeezes galinda’s arm “i don’t mind, i missed every bit of you galinda, even the clingy part” galinda sighs “i’m happy we’re spending the summer together, of course i’m glad you had crope and tibbett to keep you company for the last two weeks, but i’m happy we’re here now” elphaba smiles up at the ceiling, unable to keep her happiness contained “i’m really happy i’m here too, with you, and all our friends” elphaba says, squeezing galinda’s arm again.