Soft. Quick. Unfairly effective.
Sunlight trickled in through the curtains, golden and warm, settling over the tangled mess of limbs, silk sheets, and emerald skin.
Elphaba woke slowly, unusually slow, the weight of sleep too heavy, too soft—and then she realized why.
A body was pressed against hers.
A very warm, very naked body.
Elphaba’s heart lurched, her breath catching in her throat as memories from the night before crashed into her all at once.
"Oh. Oz."
At that exact moment, Glinda stirred, shifting against her, stretching like a spoiled cat before burying her face against Elphaba’s neck with a satisfied sigh.
"Mmm… Elphie."
Elphaba froze.
Panic warred with pleasure. The feeling of Glinda’s bare skin against hers, her fingers lazily tracing patterns along her hip, the sheer weight of what they had done—
It was too much.
She moved to sit up, to escape before reality could set in, but Glinda tightened her hold, effectively trapping her.
"Nope," she murmured sleepily, snuggling closer. "You’re not leaving."
"Glinda—" Elphaba’s voice cracked, full of warning.
Glinda hummed, unimpressed, tilting her head up just enough to press a feather-light kiss to Elphaba’s jaw.
"Shh, Elphie. It’s too early for one of your dramatics."
Elphaba groaned, hating how easily her body reacted to the nickname, to Glinda’s voice all husky and content and far too pleased with herself.
"You’re unbearable."
Glinda grinned, finally opening her eyes—sleepy but sharp, bright but knowing.
"And yet, you quite literally begged for me last night."
Elphaba flushed, glaring.
"You are a menace."
Glinda giggled, stretching again, then rolling onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows to fully admire the flustered mess Elphaba had become.
"And you, my dear Elphie, are adorable when you’re trying not to panic."
Elphaba scowled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I am not—"
Glinda kissed her.
Soft. Quick. Unfairly effective.
Elphaba’s breath stilled, her whole body short-circuiting at the sheer casual intimacy of it.
Glinda pulled back, smug.
"Oh, you are so easy."
Elphaba, for once in her life, had no words.