Chapter 34
The drive was silent.
Not just quiet. Not just heavy.
Suffocating.
The kind of silence that presses down on your chest, that makes it impossible to ignore the weight of everything that’s been left unsaid.
Glinda kept her hands clasped in her lap, her fingers twisting together too tightly, her nails digging into her own skin. She wasn't looking at Elphaba. She wasn't looking at anything.
She just stared at her own hands, watching the way her knuckles turned white, listening to the soft, steady hum of the engine as they sped down empty roads.
She didn't know where they were going.
She didn't care.
Elphaba’s grip on the wheel was too tight, her posture stiff, her expression unreadable in the dim glow of the dashboard lights. The air between them was thick with tension, hurt, exhaustion.
And then—
“Elphaba, pull over.”
Her voice unsteady, barely above a whisper, but Elphaba heard it.
She frowned slightly, her hands tightening around the wheel. “What?”
Glinda swallowed hard. “Please. Just pull over.”
Elphaba didn't argue.
She flicked the turn signal, pulling into an empty parking lot on the side of the road. The streetlights overhead casted long shadows over the pavement, washing everything in a dull yellow glow. The engine hummed softly as she shifted into park, but neither of them moved.
Glinda exhaled shakily, her fingers twitching in her lap.
She didn't know where to start.
But then, before she could think, before she could stop herself—
The words started tumbling out.
“I never wanted it,” she breathed, the words rushing out in a frantic, desperate stream. “I never wanted him to touch me. I never wanted any of it to happen, I never—” She cut herself off, pressing a hand to her temple, squeezing her eyes shut for a second before she forced herself to look at Elphaba.
Elphaba was still staring straight ahead.
Glinda’s throat tightend.
“Avaric knew,” she continued, voice unsteady. “He knew about me before I even figured it out myself. He used to make these—these awful little comments, these cruel little observations about how I looked at you, how I followed you around, how obvious it was. He—” Her breath stutterd. “He cornered me one day after practice, told me that if I didn’t want people talking, I should let him help me. That if I didn’t want everyone to know what I was, I needed to be seen with him.”
Elphaba’s fingers twitched against her knee.
Glinda noticed.
She was spiraling now, the words pouring out too fast to catch, too desperate to hold back.
“I thought he was just being cruel, just messing with me, but then he—” She cut herself off again, her breath shuddering. “He touched me, Elphie. He’d always grab my waist when he talked to me, put his hands on my back, lean too close. He—he pushed me against the lockers once after practice and kissed me, and I—” She pressed a hand against her mouth, shaking. “I didn’t want it, I swear, I didn’t, but I didn’t stop him, because I didn’t know what would happen if I did.”
Elphaba still didn't move, didn't speak.
But her breathing was too slow, too controlled, too sharp.
Glinda swiped at her eyes, her chest tightening. “And I was scared, Elphie. I was so, so scared, because I knew if I told you, you’d—you’d get angry. You’d fight him. And if you fought him, he’d tell everyone, and it wouldn’t just be me. It’d be you, too.”
Her voice broke.
“I didn’t know how to tell you,” she whispered, breathless. “I didn’t know how to stop it. I didn’t know how to get out of it without risking everything, so I just—I just let it happen. I let people think it was real, I let him put his hands on me, and every single time, I thought of you.” She laughed wetly, brokenly. “And then I started pulling away, because I thought if I just—if I just made you hate me, it would be easier. It would be safer.”
Elphaba flinched.
Glinda exhaled shakily, her hands trembling in her lap. “I told you you’d never been loved.”
Elphaba closed her eyes.
Glinda stared at her, watched the way her jaw clenched, the way her throat bobbed as she swallowed.
“That was a lie,” she whispered.
Elphaba still didn't look at her.
Glinda’s breath shuddered.
Her fingers inched forward, hesitant, uncertain, reaching.
And then, slowly, carefully, she touched Elphaba’s hand.
Elphaba stiffened beneath the contact.
Glinda almost pulled away.
But before she could, Elphaba took her hand.
Her fingers closed around Glinda’s, warm, solid, grounding.
She hasn’t looked at her yet.
She hasn’t said anything.
But she took her hand.
Glinda swallowed past the lump in her throat.
Her voice was so quiet, so tentative, she almost wasn't sure she said it out loud.
“I know it’s a lie because I love you, Elphie.”
Elphaba’s grip tightened.
Glinda waited.
She waited for Elphaba to let go, to push her away, to tell her it doesn’t matter anymore, that she’s too late.
But Elphaba didn't let go.
She still didn't look at her.
But her fingers stayed wrapped around Glinda’s, steady and warm.
The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
The warmth of Elphaba’s fingers curled around Glinda’s should be grounding, but it only made her breath come shorter, made her heart pound harder.
She wasn't letting go.
But she still wouldn't look at her.
Glinda swallowed, tightening her grip just slightly.
She didn't know if Elphaba even realizedshe’s doing it, if she even knew she was still holding on.
She exhaled shakily, her fingers curling against Elphaba’s palm.
“I love you,” she said again, her voice barely above a whisper.
Elphaba didn't move.
Glinda shifted slightly in her seat, turning toward her, watching the way Elphaba’s jaw clenched, the way her shoulders went stiff, the way her lips pressed into a thin, tight line.
She looked like she’s bracing for something.
Like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Like she didn't believe it.
Glinda’s chest tightened.
She breathed out slowly, her thumb brushing gently against the back of Elphaba’s hand. “You don’t believe me.”
Elphaba’s fingers twitched against hers.
She didn't deny it.
Glinda shifted closer, her voice soft, careful. “You think I said it just to say it.”
Elphaba exhaled, slow and controlled, but still—she didn't speak.
Glinda swallowed. “You think I don’t mean it.”
Elphaba’s grip tightened, just slightly.
Glinda let out a breathy, almost broken laugh. “Elphie.”
The nickname did something.
Elphaba flinched just barely, like it hits too close.
Glinda licked her lips, her voice steadier now, firmer. “I love you because you make me want to be braver.”
Elphaba’s fingers tensed, but she didn't pull away.
Glinda exhaled. “Because you’re the only person who has ever made me feel like I could just… exist. That I didn’t have to be perfect or likable or anything other than myself.” She shook her head slightly. “You always saw me before I even saw myself. And I love you for that.”
Elphaba’s grip was tighter now.
Glinda shiftd just a little closer. “I love you because you never let me get away with anything. Because you see through the act. Because you’re the smartest, most stubborn, most infuriating person I’ve ever met, and I love every single thing about you.”
Elphaba’s breathing stuttered.
Glinda tilted her head, watching her carefully. “You deserve to be loved, Elphie.”
Elphaba closed her eyes.
Her breath shuddered out of her.
Glinda felt her tremble, just barely.
She squeezed her hand, softer now, gentler. “Elphaba Thropp, I lov—"
Elphaba’s eyes finally opened. She turned her head, slowly, and finally, finally looked at her.
Her gaze was sharp, dark, burning in a way that made Glinda’s breath catch, she barely had time to react before—
“I love you, too.”
The words fell from Elphaba’s lips.
Glinda stopped breathing.
Elphaba still looked like she didn't know what the hell she was doing, like she’s terrified of saying the words out loud. But she didn't take them back.
She just watched her, waiting.
Glinda let out a shaky, almost disbelieving laugh.
Then, before she could even think—
She threw herself forward.
Elphaba caught her.
Her arms wrapped around Glinda before she even realized she’s moving, pulling her into her lap, pulling her close, holding onto her like she might disappear.
Glinda buried herself against her, her fingers tangling into the fabric of her sweater, her breath coming in quick, unsteady gasps.
Elphaba pressed her face into Glinda’s curls, eyes squeezed shut, grip unrelenting.
For the first time, in what feels like forever—
They just hel each other. No more running. No more pushing each other away. Just this. Just them.
Glinda clung to her, hands fisted in the fabric of her sweater, body pressed close, desperate and trembling.
Elphaba held her just as tightly.
She breathed her in, felt her shudder against her lips, absorbed every unsteady inhale, every broken exhale.
And then—just for a moment—she pulled away.
Glinda whimpered at the loss, trying to follow, but Elphaba cupped her face gently, just enough to hold her still.
She met her gaze.
Glinda’s eyes are red-rimmed, shining with unshed tears. Her lip trembled slightly, her breath still uneven. She looked so raw, so open, so impossibly fragile.
Elphaba’s chest tightened.
Her thumb stroked lightly over Glinda’s cheek, ignoring the slight burn of her tears.
And then, soft, certain, like it’s the easiest thing in the world—
“I love you.”
Glinda’s breath caught.
A fresh wave of tears spilled over, but this time, she laughed through it.
A wet, hiccupping, breathless laugh.
Elphaba smiled.
Not her usual smirk.
Not her teasing, sharp-edged grin.
A real smile.
A small one. A soft one. One meant only for Glinda.
And then, before Glinda could even think.
She leaned in and kissed her.
Glinda gasped against her lips, startled by the suddenness of it, but Elphaba was smiling into it now, and it was different.
Lighter.
Not desperate, not shaking, not like she was trying to make up for lost time.
Like she was playing with her.
Like she was trying to make her laugh.
Glinda did.
A real laugh this time, bubbling up between kisses, muffled and breathless.
“You’re—” she hiccuped, laughing into Elphaba’s mouth, “you’re smiling—”
“Mmm,” Elphaba hummed, tilting her head slightly, letting the corner of her mouth quirk against Glinda’s lips.
Glinda laughed harder.
Her tears didn't stop, but they aren’t sad anymore.
Elphaba felt her own chest ease, her own body soften.
She pressed another quick, teasing kiss to Glinda’s lips, then another, and another, and another,until Glinda was full-on giggling.
And Oz, Elphaba had never heard a sound better than this.
Glinda dropped her forehead against Elphaba’s shoulder, still laughing, still sniffling, still catching her breath.
Elphaba wrapped her arms around her again, pulling her close, rubbing slow, soothing circles into her back.
They sat there for a long time, just breathing, just holding, just existing together.
And when Glinda tilted her head up again, eyes still wet but shining brighter than before,
Elphaba kissed her one more time.
Because she could.
Because she wanted to.
Because she loved her.
And this time, Glinda kissed her back without shaking.
Without breaking.
Without holding anything back.
For the first time, in what felt like forever—
She kissed her back whole.