Inconveniently Yours

Glinda wasn’t sure how long they sat there like that—Elphaba’s fingers still lazily threading through her hair, the tension between them softened by the storm outside. The thunder had quieted some, becoming more sporadic, but the rain still tapped rhythmically against the window, filling the silence between them.

Eventually, Elphaba sighed. "So."

Glinda blinked up at her. "So?"

Elphaba hesitated, then pulled her hand back, fingers curling in her lap. "Are we going to talk about it?"

Glinda swallowed. "Talk about what?"

Elphaba shot her a look, unamused. "Don’t play dumb, my sweet."

Glinda’s stomach flipped at the nickname, but she forced herself to keep steady. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Elphaba huffed a laugh, shaking her head. "You do. You absolutely do."

Glinda bit her lip, curling further into the blanket. "Fine. Maybe."

Elphaba leaned back against the headboard, running a hand over her face. "You don’t get to be jealous."

Glinda snapped her head up, eyes flashing. "Pardon?"

Elphaba held her gaze, unflinching. "You don’t get to be jealous of some random girl talking to me at a party and then spend the entire night in Fiyero’s lap."

Glinda opened her mouth, then shut it, because

Well. That was fair.

Elphaba sighed. "I don’t know what we’re doing here, Glinda."

Glinda’s heart lurched. "What do you mean?"

Elphaba glanced at her, then away. "This. You push, then you pull. You act like—like I’m something to play with, like you’re testing me. And maybe that’s fine for you, but I don’t—I don’t work like that."

Glinda’s chest tightened. "I’m not playing with you."

"Aren’t you?" Elphaba let out a breath, shaking her head. "Because it sure as hell feels like it."

Glinda shifted, sitting up slightly. "I don’t—look, I don’t know what I’m doing, alright? I just—"

She hesitated, frustrated, torn between wanting to say too much and not knowing what to say at all.

Elphaba watched her carefully, expression unreadable. "Just what?"

Glinda exhaled, running a hand through her hair where Elphaba’s fingers had been moments before. "I just know that I don’t like when you ignore me."

Elphaba stared at her, then scoffed. "You don’t get to be mad about that, either."

Glinda flinched, but she didn’t argue.

Another silence settled, heavier than before. The storm outside had dwindled to a light drizzle, but inside, everything felt suffocating.

"I’m sorry," Glinda murmured.

Elphaba sighed, rubbing at her temple. "I don’t need an apology, Glinda. I need to know what the hell you want."

Glinda looked down at the blanket pooled in her lap, fingers tightening in the fabric. "I don’t know."

Elphaba inhaled sharply, then let it out slowly. "Okay."

Glinda blinked up at her, confused. "Okay?"

Elphaba gave a small, tired shrug. "Okay. Then figure it out."

Glinda felt something in her chest twist, but she nodded. "Okay."

Elphaba studied her for a moment longer, then shifted back against the pillows. "Get some sleep, Glinda."

Glinda hesitated, slowly shifting to the edge of the bed. "I should probably go back to my room."

Elphaba, still staring up at the ceiling, let out a quiet sigh before murmuring, "You can stay."

Glinda paused. "What?"

Elphaba turned her head slightly, her voice softer now. "The storm doesn’t seem to be stopping. You can stay.. if you want."

Glinda’s breath hitched slightly, and for a moment, she considered arguing—saying she was fine, saying she could handle a little thunder.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she curled back under the blanket, letting the quiet settle over them again.

Neither of them said anything else that night.

But neither of them slept well.

-

Elphaba drifted in and out of sleep, the storm outside finally reduced to a faint drizzle. The warmth next to her was unfamiliar but... not entirely unwelcome. She blinked blearily, barely registering the weight tucked against her side.

Then, Glinda shifted, murmuring softly in her sleep.

Elphaba stilled.

Glinda’s breathing was uneven, her fingers twitching slightly against the blanket. Then, barely above a whisper—

"Elphie…"

Elphaba’s heart stuttered.

She wasn’t sure if she had imagined it, but Glinda’s brows were furrowed, her lips parted just enough to betray her unease.

Without thinking, without hesitating, Elphaba leaned in ever so slightly.

Glinda was curled against her side, her head resting just beneath Elphaba’s chin, her arm tucked loosely between them. The instinct to pull away was there, but so was something else.

Something steady.

Something right.

Her lips brushed lightly, carefully, against Glinda’s forehead, just the softest press of warmth.

"Shh.. It’s okay," she whispered, barely a breath of sound. "Go back to sleep."

Glinda let out a tiny sigh, shifting just enough to press herself closer into Elphaba’s warmth.

Elphaba stayed still, her eyes fluttering shut again, content.

It was just something that happened. And that was okay.