Checkmate
The next Friday Fiyero, Crope, Tibbett, and Boq had somehow ended up sprawled across the common area of Glinda and Elphaba’s dorm, a nearly empty bottle of tequila resting in the center of their impromptu circle.
The game started light. Boq was dared to shotgun a beer—he failed miserably. Tibbett had to text an ex something horribly embarrassing. Fiyero got roped into taking two shots back-to-back because Crope claimed "his face looked too smug."
Then it started shifting.
Crope leaned in, his grin entirely too wicked. "Truth or dare?" He wagged his brows at Glinda, eyes sparkling with mischief.
Glinda took a sip of her drink, feigning boredom. “Dare, obviously.”
“Oh, I like your style.” Crope’s grin widened. “I dare you to sit on Elphaba’s lap for the next round.”
Elphaba, who had previously been drinking in relative peace, nearly choked. “Absolutely not.”
“Absolutely yes,” Crope shot back. “Rules are rules.”
Glinda smirked, standing far too gracefully for someone who had been drinking. “Well, if rules are rules…” She sashayed over to Elphaba, placing herself onto her lap without hesitation.
Elphaba tensed, her hands hovering awkwardly, unsure of where to go. Glinda, for her part, settled in very comfortably.
“I hate all of you,” Elphaba muttered under her breath.
“You love us, and you’re welcome!” Tibbett corrected, cackling.
The game continued, the questions and dares getting worse.
Boq had been dared to do his worst pick-up line on a stranger via text, resulting in an immediate block. Crope had to do an overly dramatic fake proposal to Fiyero, complete with a flowery speech. Tibbett had been dared to take a shot off Fiyero’s abs, which he did with far too much enthusiasm while the rest of them howled with laughter.
Then things got bolder.
"Elphaba," Tibbett slurred, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Truth or dare?"
Elphaba, already regretting every life choice that led to this moment, sighed. "Truth."
"Who was your first kiss?"
The room went silent.
Elphaba’s eyes flicked toward Glinda for half a second before she scoffed. "None of your business. Next."
"Oh, come on!" Crope protested. "You have to answer! It’s the rules!"
Elphaba narrowed her eyes. "Fine. It was some girl back in high school. I don’t even remember her name."
Glinda’s brow arched.
Fiyero snorted. "Liar."
Before Elphaba could snap back, Crope clapped his hands together. "Alright, my turn! Glinda, truth or dare?"
Glinda smirked. "Dare."
Crope's grin was downright evil. "Kiss the most attractive person in the room."
Silence. Charged, thick silence.
Glinda's gaze lingered on Elphaba for just a moment too long. Then, with a theatrical sigh, she turned and pressed a slow, teasing kiss to Fiyero’s cheek.
Fiyero rolled his eyes. "Coward."
Before anyone could comment further, Tibbett leaned forward. "Alright, Elphaba. Your turn."
Elphaba, who had had more than enough of this entire situation, scowled. "Dare."
Crope lit up. "I dare you to whisper something dirty into Glinda’s ear."
Elphaba’s entire body locked up.
Glinda perked up immediately, way too amused at the turn of events. "Oh, well, if it’s the rules," she said, a wicked grin playing on her lips.
Elphaba stared at her for a long moment. Then, instead of leaning in and playing along, she stood, and snapped.
“That’s it,” she declared. “Get. Out.”
Fiyero raised a brow. “You can’t just—”
“Out.”
With much grumbling (and a lot of giggling from Crope and Tibbett), the boys finally shuffled out, leaving the dorm suddenly, painfully quiet.
Glinda turned, still smirking, arms folded. “Well. That was dramatic.”
Elphaba stared at her for a long moment. Then, voice lower, more certain than before, she said—
“You, go away. I’m sick of this ridiculousness.”
Glinda didn’t move.
Elphaba had stormed off, but when she turned back, expecting to see the common room empty, Glinda was still there. Still perched on the couch, still watching her with that infuriating, knowing smirk.
Elphaba’s fists clenched. "Why are you still here?"
Glinda raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed. "Because I live here. Or did you conveniently forget that part?"
Elphaba exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down her face. "Then at least pretend to leave."
Glinda’s smirk widened. "Oh, darling, you’d miss me too much, you don’t want me to leave.”
Elphaba’s eyes flashed, but Glinda just kept smiling, rising to her feet and stepping closer—too close.
She leaned in, voice dropping into something dangerously soft. “You can act as annoyed as you want, Elphie, but we both know you don’t hate this.”
Elphaba clenched her jaw. “I don’t play games.”
Glinda’s grin widened. “Then why are you still standing here?”
Elphaba opened her mouth—snapped it shut.
Glinda was so close now, her breath warm against Elphaba’s skin. “I dare you,” she whispered, lips barely an inch from Elphaba’s. “Admit you want me.”
Silence. Thick, unbearable silence.
Elphaba’s pulse hammered, her fists tightening at her sides. And then, finally—
She leaned in, smirking. “You don’t want me to admit it, my sweet. You want me to prove it.”
Glinda’s breath hitched—and that was when Elphaba stepped back, leaving her standing there, stunned, flustered, and completely at a loss for words.