#-gestures to elphaba thropp-

[aparticularbandit]

Also edgy revenge-seeking antiheroes.

Also the resistance/rebellion/etc.

Watching centrist news pundits getting confused and appalled by how hot the internet is for the alleged UHC CEO shooter. So many clutched pearls and "Look, I don't think murder is good??? I didn't think that was a controversial opinion??? Why is everyone so horny for this guy???"

And.

Like.

Have you never watched a movie? Or played a video game? Or engaged with any kind of pop culture media over the last hundred years?

We have culturally trained entire generations of damsels to fall in love with dragonslayers.

[sootchild]

Feels like a good day to bring this out of the vault.

[starless-nightz]

Pls do Elphaba and Glinda dating HCs

Elphaba and Glinda dating HCs

note -> I really liked the movie and I will 100% watch the musical and read the book!! I know i'm on a break but I just couldn't help myself!

warnings -> none.

content includes -> fluff, kissing, cuddles, jealousy.

Elphaba Thropp

Elphaba is very ackward around you at the begging of your relationship, she doesn't know what to do most of the time and often follows you like a lovesick puppy. Overtime she would become more comfortable and affectionate with you.

She loves talking with you, whenever its just you listening to her talk your ear off or actively having a conversation with her shes just glad that you two are able to spend time with each other.

Elphaba is very affectionate with you but mostly in private, she likes holding your hand as you two walk to class and kiss your cheek and lips from time to time but she preferes showing her affection for you in your dorms.

She is thankful for you every single day, there aren't many things she has wanted and she was glad that at least one was able to come true.

Elphaba is fiercely protective of you, especially if others mock or criticize you. She knows what it feels like to be ostracized and won’t let you face that alone.

Elphaba loves cuddling with you, especially when shes the small spoon, she just feels so comfortable and relaxed in your arms, like its only the two of you in this crule world.

Glinda Upland

Glinda is very vocal about her love and affection towards you, she loves showing you off to everyone that would listen and would always be talking about you, mentioning you in almost all of the conversations she has with her friends.

She is very open about your relationship and loves being affectionate with you, she will understand and back off if you are uncomfortable with public display of affection.

Glinda loves showering you with grand romantic gestures like extravagant bouquets, surprise dates, and heartfelt speeches about how much she adores you. She’s the type to go all out to make you feel special.

She’s your biggest cheerleader, always encouraging you to chase your dreams and celebrating even your smallest achievements. If you’re feeling down, she’ll do everything in her power to lift your spirits.

Glinda loves spoiling you. She’ll plan spa days, buy you beautiful clothes, or cook your favorite meals (even if it means enlisting someone else to help).

She is naturally charismatic and loves making you laugh. She’ll tell silly jokes or put on little performances just to see you smile.

[bunnysnuff]

Elphaba with a S/O who looks really cutesy and is normally very sweet and soft spoken, but is very protective of Elphaba and angrily stands up for her when they see someone treating her bad:

Elphaba Thropp x gn!reader.

Trigger warnings: mentions of vulnerabilities and marginalising.

Request.

Note: can we appreciate Cynthia voice 🥰 I can hear her singing through this gif!

A Deep Connection: Elphaba is intelligent and introspective, so she'd appreciate deep, meaningful conversations with her girlfriend. Whether it's discussing political philosophy or just venting about the trials of her day, she'd open up to you in a way she doesn’t with others.

Protective Nature: Elphaba has spent much of her life feeling like an outsider, so when she finally finds someone who truly cares for her, she's incredibly protective. She’d always make sure you're safe, even if it means standing up to anyone who might threaten you or your relationship.

Shared Quiet Moments: While Elphaba can be fiery and passionate, she also enjoys moments of calm and solitude. You’d find her curled up with a book or lost in her own thoughts, and you’d often spend time in silence just being with each other. She might even show a rare, soft side when she's in your presence.

Acts of Service Over Words: While Elphaba isn't always expressive with her words, she shows love through actions. She might fix something for you, help you when you're in trouble, or take care of you when you're feeling down. She expresses herself best when she’s doing something for you.

A Complex Sense of Humor: Elphaba might not be the most openly cheerful person, but she has a wry, sharp sense of humor. She might not laugh a lot, but when she does, it’s genuine and likely over some dry, sarcastic comment. You’d quickly learn to appreciate her brand of wit.

Defying Expectations Together: As a couple, you’d likely find yourselves pushing against societal norms together. Whether it’s fighting for justice, advocating for the marginalized, or just rejecting the expectations others have placed on you, Elphaba would love someone who stands beside her in the fight for what’s right.

The Vulnerability You Shared: Despite her tough exterior, Elphaba has a lot of internal struggle with her identity and sense of belonging. Being with you would offer her a sense of acceptance, and she'd slowly learn to open up about her past, her fears, and her insecurities. She might be hesitant at first, but your love would help her heal.

Unlikely Romantic Gestures: Elphaba isn’t one for grand romantic gestures, but she would show her love in unique ways. Maybe she makes you a homemade potion to heal a wound or takes you to a quiet spot where you can both stargaze in peace, away from prying eyes. She values intimacy and personal connections over outward displays.

A Fierce Advocate for Your Dreams: Elphaba believes in standing up for what’s right, and she would absolutely stand behind your goals and dreams, no matter how big or small. If you want to fight for something important, she’d be right by your side, helping you to make your dreams a reality.

[ao3feed-gelphie]

A Question of Decorum

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/r8iEpBS by rosewire After long days at Shiz University, Galinda's carefully crafted persona slips away, leaving her voice lower and raspier—warm like embers, unpolished and unintentional. Elphaba tries to keep her composure as the unexpected tone ignites a quiet chaos within her, but Galinda is oblivious to the effect she has— or is she? In the soft glow of their dorm, tension lingers, unspoken but deeply felt. Words: 5295, Chapters: 3/3, Language: English Fandoms: Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman, Wicked (Movie 2024), Wicked Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/F Characters: Elphaba Thropp, Galinda Upland Relationships: Elphaba Thropp/Galinda Upland Additional Tags: Elphaba Thropp/Galinda Upland-centric, Lesbian Galinda Upland, POV Galinda Upland, POV Elphaba Thropp, Bisexual Elphaba Thropp, Enemies to Lovers, Sexual Tension, Romantic Gestures, Intimacy, Non-Sexual Intimacy, One Shot read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/r8iEpBS

[tragcdysewn]

@vcndetta asked: ⟣ unakite (emotional support) - “if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, i’m right here.” ( allison argent && elphaba thropp )

"oh, that's... very nice of you, really. i'm alright though." she wasn't the best at responding to such gestures from people, but she figured it was a good idea to reciprocate. "i... the same goes for you, of course."

[mvsicinthedvrk]

halloween ball starter for martin blackwood & elphaba thropp // @tragcdysewn​

“Do you, uh, want to sit down for a moment?” he asks, gesturing to offer Elphaba one of the empty chairs at the table Martin’s claimed. He’s not really much of a party person, but he’s actually been having a decent time chatting for a few minutes with a revolving door of people who happen to need a break from the dance floor or the open bar. All in all, it’s not as awkward of a social situation as he might have anticipated, so that’s been a nice surprise.

[wickedlyqueer]

Holy Poly

Ever since @gliyerabaa became obsessed with the Glinda/Fiyero/Elphaba ship it suddenly reminded me I wrote a poly fic years ago where essentially the Charmed Circle lived together and most of them were dating each other.

I never finished or published it, because I’m first and foremost a gelphie ho. to a point it felt wrong to be calling it a poly fic, bc I just wanted to focus on the gelphie dynamic.

Anyway, because I promised Rae (and I’m sure they’d love to see some gliyeraba content they didn’t write themself) this was the intro chapter of the modern AU, fresh out of college, poly chapter I wrote like 3 years ago.

Save the trees!

Perhaps every accidental cluster of people had a short period of grace. Although gracious was probably not the best word to describe the weirdly formed, yet close-knit circle. Exuberant. Loud. Queer. Those were better words. A loving found family that could not been torn apart even if fate wanted it to.

Neither was their time together short-lived. At least, not if it was up to Glinda. After most of them had graduated last summer, the crushing college debt and the terrifying world that was job hunting in a broken economic system made the decision on cohabitation all the easier.

On the outskirts of Shiz they had found their home: a small house with just enough room for the six of them to not suffocate. It was nothing fancy, but none of them would want it any other way. 

“Elphie’s not here?”

Glinda had entered the living room where the boys were spread lazily across their two mismatched couches bought at a garage sale.

“Nope, left quite a while ago,” Boq replied.

“Aren’t they at their usual train station spot harassing people?” 

“Language, Crope,” from the kitchen came Fiyero’s rich voice. “Spreading awareness about global warming isn’t the same as harassing.”

“Fine. It’s annoying people then.”

“Not everyone finds that awareness crap annoying,” Tibbett said, throwing a casual glance at Glinda. “I believe someone went weak at the knees for that.”

She felt a blush creeping up; not for the comment he made, but for the comment that was about to come. It had turned into an inside joke in their circle, and she had learned from experience that the less she objected the more humiliation she was spared.

“Is it?” Crope wiggled his eyebrows. “The way I heard, she complimented Elphie on their dedication to the cause for painting their entire visage green.”

The trio threw a fist in the air and shouted in unison, “Save the trees!” without their attention leaving the screen. 

“I hate every single one of you.” 

“You can’t deny that’s how it went, Glin,” Fiyero commented. “Have you tried texting by the way?”

“I think their phone died,” she checked one more time for any messages, but still no response from Elphaba. “Remind me to ambush them again for getting a decent phone.”

“At least they lost that brick phone.”

Crope snorted. “Yeah, right. Lost.”

Tibbett gave him a wicked smile. “No fun in being a tattletale, babe.”

Whatever they were grinning about it was Crope and Tibbett, and Glinda prefered to stay ignorant on the subject. She headed towards the kitchen where Fiyero was cooking dinner. A towel hanging over his shoulder and his beautiful long black hair stuffed in a loose bun so no strains could spoil the food.

“Smells good, Yero.” She wrapped her arms around his belly, and stretched out completely on her tiptoes and almost managed to put her chin on his shoulder. “If only I could see if it looks as equally good.”

Fiyero laughed heartily and sank through his knees so Glinda could see better. “How about now?”

She smiled. “So far this meal is Glinda-approved.”

“That’s all I need.”

A cheer came from Boq from the living room having beaten the other two at the game. 

“I think I’m going to check the train station,” Glinda said as she let go off Fiyero; the pose was growing uncomfortable for the both of them. Their height difference was ridiculous. How she had ended up with two partners so much taller than her was beyond her.

“Oh, you know what you should do? Call Nessa. Maybe she can contact Elphie through their sibling telepathy.”

“I think that only works when they have something to bicker about,” Glinda said, but dialed the number anyway. “Goes straight to voicemail.”

“Why do those two even have phones?” Fiyero muttered. 

“Okay, so train station and then I’ll drop by Nessa’s dorm to check on her too. Any other places Elphie might be?”

Four voices spoke as one. “The library.”

“Should’ve figured that one out myself.”

“Glin, you do know Elphie’s like a cat, right? They always find their way back home eventually.”

“I know, but I feel like going outside for a bit. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Sure thing. Oh, and Glinda?”

She turned around. “Hm?”

He took her hand and planted a chaste kiss on her fingertips. “Can I just say you look absolutely wonderful today?”

She beamed. “You’re too charming for your own good Fiyero.” 

“It’s why he has so many partners,” Crope called from the couch, apparently eavesdropping on the conversation. There was zero privacy in this house. “Too handsome too. Who could say no to that gorgeous face?”

“Not us,” added Tibbett. “And don’t forget that he’s a flirt without realizing it. It just comes natural to him and it’s adorable.”

Fiyero had the advantage that his dark skin hid most of his blush, but knowing him since high school, Glinda knew what a flustered Fiyero looked like. 

“I just got a lot of love to share, I guess,” he smiled shyly. “Let me know when you find Elphaba, okay? Dinner will be ready around seven.” 

--

Elphaba wasn’t at the library and neither were they at the train station. All Glinda found there were old memories. She could see the young, nervous girl fresh from the Pertha Hills standing on the platform. Fiyero’s steady hand on her shoulder to ease her worries. Had four years really passed so quickly?

She traced her footsteps from the past. Her gaze wandering over the square in front of the train station like it did then. The only thing that was missing, was a green person storming towards her. From that moment on she was captivated by Elphaba, although the first few months she had let her socialite behavior overrule.

“You could’ve disclosed in our online correspondence that you’re green!” 

She had whined once she had found out the Green-Tree-From-Shiz-Station was her roommate. Elphaba had pointed at the five enormous trunks brought into their room by an upperclassman.

“Only if you had disclosed you would bring your entire house with you.”

Glinda had thought the roommate matching system had completely failed her. No way had she the highest match with a snarky, social-reclusive green person! It had taken her some time to realize they were ridiculously similar, just coming from different angles.

Her path down memory lane continued when she entered Shiz campus. It only had been two months ago since she graduated, but it already felt foreign being here. As if she no longer fitted. A group of giggling first year students passed her. Glinda recognized her own innocence in them back at that age. Feeling as if you’re on top of the world only because you have yet to learn what that world entailed.

Unconsciously she had walked to Crage Hall. She admired the building when a busted up blue van pulled over. It was Elphaba’s. They all jokingly referred to it as the Abduction Truck, because that’s how sketchy it looked. 

Elphaba got out and moved over to the back of the truck. The only reason Elphaba had bought that van was to drive Nessa around. Normally they were a very dedicated public transport advocate, and although Elphaba would deny it, Glinda knew they’d bend their own morals to please Nessa.

Glinda walked towards the car and Elphaba looked surprised. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

“Looking for you actually.”

“Oh?” 

Elphaba opened the backdoors to reveal a Nessa waiting impatiently to be led out. “You do take your time don’t you, Elphaba? The air conditioner was already turned off and in this heated garbage tin can of yours I could’ve already suffocated. Hello Glinda.”

“Hey Nessa.”

Elphaba lifted the ramp from the truck. “And yet you still live. The Unnamed God must have favorites after all.”

Nessa rolled her eyes. “Just open a window next time, please?”

“Yes, your majesty.” Elphaba vastened the ramp and Nessa rode her wheelchair to the pavement.

Elphaba shoved the ramp back inside and closed the door. Glinda walked towards them and was met with a strong smell. She sniffed Elphaba’s shirt and got worried. “Why do you smell like chlorine? Were you near water?”

Elphaba gestured to Nessa. “Had to drive this kid to Red Sand.”

“Your half year check-up! I completely forgot.” One of the reasons why Elphaba had bought the van was so Nessa could study at Shiz. Every six months they had to drive all the way to Red Sand where Nessa had to do exercises in a swimming pool. That’s what Glinda understood of it at least. “How was it?”

“Still pretty paralyzed,” Nessa supplied dryly.

“Doctor Kazhki said your legs were looking healthy.”

“As healthy as they can be paralyzed, yes.”

Glinda tugged at Elphaba’s hand before the argument could escalate. “Hey, you vanished without a single message.”

Elphaba frowned. “No I didn’t, I sent you a text and—ah,” they had gotten their phone out. “Must’ve died before it was sent.”

“No way!” Glinda feigned surprise. “Tomorrow we’re gonna get you a new phone and I won’t hear any of your usual excuses.”

“Can you do your flirting somewhere that isn’t in front of me?” Nessarose disrupted them. “I’m going inside.”

She wheeled away.

“Thanks for the ride, Fabala. Oh no problem, Nessie.” 

Nessa turned around and stuck out her tongue. “If you can converse with yourself, what do you need me for?” 

“Ungrateful brat.”

It was their way of saying goodbye. Being an only child Glinda still had no idea how sibling relationships worked. Especially those of the Thropps.

“Go kiss your girlfriend.” Nessarose waved without looking behind and went into the building. 

Elphaba turned around and smirked. They wrapped their arms around Glinda’s waist. “Well you heard her.”

Glinda raised her eyebrows teasingly. “Since when do you take orders from your sister, hm?”

“Wow. You ruined the moment.” But they smiled and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry I didn’t notify you.”

“All is forgiven. You’re here now.”

It was a beautiful afternoon and without another word between them they had agreed to walk around campus. Glinda curled into Elphaba’s arm. She had done it so many times before it was like second nature. She had loved strolling around campus with Elphaba, back when they were still at Shiz. Near the Suicide Canal they settled down in the grass and soaked up the nice autumn sun while it was still warm.

Glinda leaned into Elphaba and smiled. “This brings back memories.” 

“Curled up in my arms after one of our many picnics at the Suicide Canal? Whatever gave you that idea?” Elphaba teased.

Glinda nudged them playfully. “Sentimentality, I suppose. My entire walk I’ve been seeing myself through a looking glass.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, like at the train station I remembered–” Glinda stopped dead in her tracks. How could she have let that one slip!

Elphaba let out a roaring laugh. “Are you referring to our ‘meet-cute’?”

Her entire face had turned bright red. “It wasn’t cute, I’m still embarrassed by it.” 

“Aw, don’t be. It was actually refreshing from all the usual green freak insults.”

“How? I thought you were going for a metaphor to reflect a greener planet! I didn’t even consider a green person existing. How is that less offensive?”

“True, but then you became so flustered when I looked at you funny. I’ll never forget how you threw a fist in the air and yelled ‘save the trees!’ to show your support.”

Glinda buried her face into her hands. “Oh god.”

Elphaba laughed. “It was cute” and put their face closer. “You’re cute.”

“You’re making it worse,” Glinda’s words sounded muffled through her hands.

They planted a comforting kiss in her hair. “We still ended up like this, so it couldn’t have been all that bad, right?”

“I suppose,” her embarrassment fading, Glinda let herself fall back on Elphaba’s shoulder. “I thought I’d never see you again after that. Big surprise waited ahead of me. God, I thought you were a senior or something. No other freshman I know functioned that entire first week, and there you were, already trying to make the world a better place.” 

She felt Elphaba smile. “I was such a determined little fuck back then. I didn’t even sign up. I got off the train and saw the group of volunteers and basically pestered them until they gave me a jacket and some flyers to hand out.”

“And they haven’t gotten rid of you since.”

“Nope. I’m the best thing that happened to them.”

Glinda paused, weighing her words before saying, “And to me.”

“Damn, you are sentimental today,” Elphaba noted. 

Glinda took Elphaba’s chin and slowly lowered it until their eyes were leveled. Just before their lips touched she whispered, “You’re ruining the moment.”

“Now we’re even,” Elphaba murmured, smiling into the kiss.

--

A/N: to be clear of all the dynamics (bc they are very entangled and a bit of a mess): - Glinda is asexual and through high school became very dependable on Fiyero (as he was the first person she ever came out too). Dependable to a point they couldn’t imagine their lives separately. So it falls more in a QPR relationship, where their platonic bond is unbreakable. - Elphaba is non-binary, bi and aromantic. Their relationship with Glinda is definitely the most couple-y, and can be classified as a “typical” romantic relationship. They also connected with Fiyero instantly and fell for his charms. - Fiyero is very poly because this boy’s got a lot of love to share! He’s also aro (which might seem contradictory, but it’s something I’ve seen a lot of overlap with, funnily enough!) and so his relationship are very platonic/sexual based. he has that sort of relationship with Elphaba, Crope&Tibbett and one or two other people outside the charmed circle. - Tibbet’s genderfluid and good with any pronouns and will raid Glinda’s closet on any occasion. In an open relationship with Crope and they obviously communicate incredibly well with this. - Crope’s just very gay.  - Boq is a trans guy and aro/ace. He’s the only not in a typical “relationship” and definitely isn’t looking for that either, but he can’t live without his chosen family. Together with Fiyero, they’re basically the “dads” of the group and keeps everyone in check. 

If anyone wants to run with these dynamics; you have my blessing! I won’t be continuing this story but if it inspired you feel free to build on it!

[dontgotothenetherworld]

Hey I love your character x reader fics, do you think you could write some Nessarose x reader stuff please?

live

i watched a wicked boot this morning in preparation, and i just love nessa so much.

before you read, i have a few important notes: 1) this takes place just after act two begins, before the scene where elphaba talks to nessa, 2) reader was elphie’s best friend since childhood, 3) don’t think of how this impacts the plot don’t think of how this impacts the plot don’t thin-, 4) i plan on doing at least one more part of this, because this one didn’t get very shippy.

772 words

cw: gnreader. a bit angsty.

you paced back and forth in front of the door to nessarose thropp’s chamber. since her father died, and she became governer, she had become quite cruel, a far cry from the shy, sweet girl you only knew in passing before. you were scared of her now. 

but you needed to know about elphaba. elphaba was nessarose’s sister, and she cared about her more than anyone else in the world. so if anyone would know what had happened to elphaba, it was nessarose.

you knocked on the door.

nessarose’s right hand man, boq oppened the door. you kindly acknowledged him, before turning to nessarose. she seemed upset, as she always seemed to be these days.

”hi, nessa.” you tried to present yourself as nonthreatening as possible.

she scowled at you. the heavy door slammed close behind you, letting you talk to nessarose alone.

you tried again, “nessa, i know you and i were never all that close, but… elphie’s still gone.” nessarose said nothing. “i was her best friend, or at least i thought i was…” you muttered, “but you’re her sister! if she’s gone to anyone, it would be you! and i just, i want to know if she’s alright.” you knotted the fabric of your shirt, in nervousness.

she seemed to take a moment to decide what she wanted to say. “i agree. “elphie” should come to me, not you.” her voice was interlaced with spite, “but she hasn’t. and in case you haven’t noticed,” she gestured around her, “i have bigger things to worry about than what my fluorescent sister is up to.” she wheeled her chair around, to face the window.

you ran to her side, but stopped yourself before you reached out to hold her hands. while you want to comfort her, you felt that touching her would have the opposite effect right now.

”nessa, i-”

”my name is nessarose!” she spat

you swallowed, “nessarose, i get that a lot is happening right now, but i want to help you. i want to help you get through this.”

”really? where were you when elphaba first disappeared? where were you when my father died? where were you when i became governor of munchkinland? but you’re here now. because you’re sad, and you want to be comforted. you just want information, you don’t care about me.”

”nessarose,” you took a deep breath, “you are right. i should’ve come to you when all of this started. but i had to deal with my own grief too. i had to take care of myself before i could even begin being there for others. and i am here now. i want to be there for you, i want to ease your pain. and, yeah, some information about where my best friend is would be nice, but i do care about you, nessarose!” you pleaded.

a tear rolled down nessarose’s cheek. “i’m sorry.”

you held her hands. “it’s alright, really.”

”i just thought… i had given up on the thought that you cared about me.” she examined your hands. “before, i was just your best friend’s kid sister. i never thought i’d be any kind of priority to you. and then when you never came to see me, after all of this stopped happening, i really thought that i was just at the back of your mind.” she looked you in the eye, “i wanted you to be here. and i- i should have reached out to you too, but i was scared that i would just end up being worse off.”

you squeezed nessarose’s hands. “i was scared too. you haven’t exactly been the kindest in recent times.”

nessarose looked back down at her hands in embarrassment. “i know. that wasn’t out of a place of hatred, by the way… i was just,” she sighed, “i was just worried that boq would leave me too. and if boq left me, there’d be no one left. so i forced him to stay here with me, and it impacted the rest of munchkinland too, i guess.

”nessa- sorry, nessarose-”

”you can call me nessa. i like how it sounds when you say it.”

you smiled at her, “nessa, i will not leave. i will not abandon you, but i have to ask you to reverse this legislation. you can’t treat the munchkins like this, and you certainly can’t treat boq like this. if he leaves, he leaves, and he’s just doing what’s best for him. but you will not be alone, i guarantee that.”

more tears break free from her eyes, as nessarose nodded. “i’ll do it. i’ll fix it. don’t worry, y/n.”

@meangirlsx @meangirlmurphy @eliza-is-confused @boredomimi

[gliyerabaa]

13

13. “I thought you were dead”

haha time for the angst train.., post-musical, like 10 years after the musical…… this got really dark really fast uhhh sorry 

ps. drunk glinda swears a lot so if that’s something that bugs you, then.., keep scrolling

tw: heavily implied alcoholism, swearing, pretty blatant sexual references (no explicit content)

disclaimer: alcoholism is bad, this is not an attempt to glorify or romanticize it in any way. if you or someone you know has an alcohol problem, seek help or help them seek help.

—

It had been ten years since the departure of the Wizard, ten years since Glinda became the Good Witch of Oz, ten years of re-structuring the government, ten years of political and social reforms…

Ten years of distracting herself…

Glinda sighed as she kicked off her heels and flopped onto her bed, still wearing the elegant dress she had worn to all of the half-dozen parties, festivals, and commemorations she had been to over the course of the day.

She laughed to herself, thinking back to her college days. Wearing the same dress to different events would have been a nightmare scenario back then.

But a simple fashion faux pas was nothing compared to how perfectly awful her life was now.

Overall, things were going amazing. She had helped set up a more or less functioning parliamentary system of government, removing some of the responsibility of decision making from her shoulders. Animals were slowly but surely making progress towards equality: any Animals that had been captured and silenced were rehabilitated and given speech therapy, including Dr. Dillamond. In the most recent elections, Animals had won 6 out of 100 seats in Parliament, so things were definitely improving.

Although Glinda’s professional life was amazing, the same could not be said about her personal life.

It had been ten years since everything changed. Ten years since everyone she had known through college and beyond had either been imprisoned, died, or otherwise grown distant. 

Ten years of unbelievable loneliness.

Ten years since a hug- a real hug that actually meant something.

Ten years since the last time anyone truly cared about her.

It had been ten years- she glanced at the clock- ten years down to the minute, since Elphaba had died.

Tears began to fall, a rather common occurrence in the past decade. Usually she would try to hide it, she would try to be strong. But today was different, today, she decided, she would just let it happen. 

Glinda had discovered early on in this new, lonely chapter of her life that drinking helped ease the pain of the soul-crushing despair and hopelessness she so often felt. She didn’t drink that often, but when she did, she made a point of drinking enough to forget everything, even if only for a few hours.

She knew she had a problem, but it’s not like anyone was close enough to her to feel the need to stop her. And besides, today was a special occasion. Ten whole years of being completely and utterly alone deserved a night of sitting by herself in her unnecessarily extravagant bedroom, drinking whatever alcohol she happened to have on hand, didn’t it?

She grabbed the first bottle she could find- she didn’t fucking care what it was- and sat on the floor, slumped against the wall, only her booze and her thoughts to keep her company.

She had everything she’d dreamed of as a kid: popularity on the national scale, unimaginable amounts of wealth, and…. that was it. She’d achieved her life’s dreams, and yet she was still miserable.

Miserable. One bottle.

Absolutely miserable. Two.

“Miss Glinda?” A voice, one of her chambermaids, called from outside the room.

Glinda stood up, took another swig from her third bottle of whatever the fuck she was drinking, and opened the door. “What?”

The young woman who was at the door seemed taken aback by her superior’s disheveled appearance. “Your Goodness, have you been drinking again?”

“Only a little. It’s been a long ten years. Why are you here?”

“You have a visitor. Someone in a dark cloak, who refuses to reveal their identity.”

“Send them to me, please.”

“Are you sure? You want me to send a cloaked stranger to your chambers?”

“Yes.”

Glinda didn’t particularly care anymore. If this stranger was an assassin and she was going to die tonight, then so be it.

In no time at all, a shadowy figure stood in her room.

“Who are you? Why are you here?” Glinda tried her best to sound sober.

“Glinda,”

That voice, sweet Lurline, that voice…

The stranger lowered their hood, and sure enough, it was her. No one else in all of Oz had that same distinctive green skin, raven black hair, and silky voice.

“Elphaba Thropp,” Glinda closed the gap between them, and slapped her long- lost friend directly across the face.

“Woah, that’s not exactly the greeting I was expecting.” Elphaba groaned as she raised a hand to cup her stinging face.

“It has been ten fucking years, Elphaba.”

“Aren’t you happy to see me, though?”

“Of course I am, but I’m also furious, absolutely furious.” 

Glinda was crying. She’s not quite sure when that started.

“I thought you were dead, Elphie. It’s been ten years, and it never once occured to you to tell me that you were alive?”

“It’s a long story-”

“Oh, I’m sure it is!” Glinda wiped the tears from her face with her arm. “Do you see what you’ve fucking done to me?” She held up the half empty bottle in her hand and gestured to the two she had already finished, “I’ve been so unimagineably empty without you that I try to drink away the pain, and I tell myself it helps but it really doesn’t” Glinda choked out a sob, “Instead of just being lonely, I’m piss drunk and lonely, which is probably worse.”

“Hey,” Elphaba carefully pulled Glinda into her strong arms for her first hug in ten years. “I’m here now. I’m sorry I couldn’t come back sooner, that’s a story for when you’re sober.”

“Yeah… you’re right.” Glinda shifted as she settled into her lover’s arms. “I love you, Elphie. And I missed you, a lot. No one’s hugged me like this in ten years.”

“Hmm,” Elphaba took the bottle from Glinda and finished it off, “I’d bet no one’s kissed you in ten years either?”

“Not the way you do, love.” Glinda practically melted as Elphaba’s lips brushed across the side of her neck. 

“You know,” Glinda hummed, “No one’s fucked me senseless in ten years either.”

“Language, Miss Glinda,” Elphaba smirked as she reached for the lacing of Glinda’s dress.

“Oh, shut up and kiss me, you wicked thing,”

—--

(and then they have super steamy drunk make-up sex that I don’t have the guts or the -ahem- experience  or the motivation to write)

thanks for reading sorry it got so dark and angsty also a lot of this feels out of character until you remember that Glinda has been depressed and on the verge of alcoholism for ten years so that’s my justification for Glinda being so.., out of it. 

[lovehurried]

ELPHABA THROPP’S STARTER CALL   •  @rainbowsongs  •  Boq

“Master Boq?” Her tone is more conversational than usual, though not quite as amiable in nature as one would expect from someone addressing a classmate. She even speeds up a little to catch up with him (not an entirely difficult feat given their height difference, but still), a gesture that could be seen as eager, were it performed by almost anyone else on campus.

“Nessarose said you left these in the library.” She holds out two books that she’d been keeping tucked under her arm. “She’s otherwise indisposed, otherwise she would have returned them herself.”

[lily-onher-grave]

anonymous requested 50. “Nothing is wrong with you.”

Glinda looked over her shoulder, then hit her blinker and went into the passing lane. The sun was getting low, giving everything a warm, golden glow. She drifted back into the right lane and glanced over at Elphaba, pretending to be asleep against the passenger door.

Not that she didn’t want to be here--when Elphaba suggested a road trip, she had been thrilled--but Glinda was starting to worry. She knew Elphaba wasn’t asleep. She curled up much tighter than that when sleeping. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to confront her directly.

So, she improvised. When they got to a straight stretch, Glinda pulled her phone from the cup holder and opened her music. She plugged it into the stereo and hit play. It was an ordinary song, good for road tripping but with no personal context. But Glinda was scrolling through, making a queue that was sure to get Elphaba’s attention.

The next song came on--a poppy, preppy jam that Elphaba only tolerated because Glinda liked it. She glanced over. Elphaba’s face remained smooth. Too smooth to be anything but forced. Glinda rolled her eyes and looked back at the road, singing along under her breath.

Next song. Again, nothing special. But she had caught Elphaba singing along to it before. She looked over and Elphaba’s face had relaxed again.

And then came the moment of truth

I’ve been a witness to a raging fire

Glinda looked over and saw Elphaba smile. She waited, humming along. By the chorus, Elphaba’s eyes were open. A moment later, Glinda heard her humming along, too.

“Morning, Elphie,” she said when the song was over.

“Oh, hush. I wasn’t asleep.”

“I know.”

Elphaba glanced at her, but she looked away whenever Glinda tried to meet her eyes. Glinda reached over and laid her hand on Elphaba’s thigh.

“You want to talk about it?”

“About what?”

“Elphaba.”

Elphaba winced. Her hand covered Glinda’s.

“Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize.” Glinda flipped her hand so their palms met. “Whatever it is, you’re allowed to be upset.”

“This isn’t an excuse,” Elphaba said quickly. “I’m not trying to use you to--”

“I know, Elphie. I’m just worried.” Glinda squeezed her hand. “And for the record, I will gladly go anywhere in the world with you, at any time.”

“I know,” Elphaba whispered. After a moment, she said, “It’s Frex.”

Glinda glanced at her, then went back to looking dutifully out the window. She kept her fingers tight around Elphaba’s.

“He wants me to go to a Unionist college.”

When Elphaba didn’t continue, Glinda asked, “Um. Has he met you?”

“Ha.” She sighed. “But, I mean, no. Not really. That’s the problem, isn’t it?”

“Maybe you should tell him that.”

“Yeah, because communication works so well in my family.” Elphaba pulled her hand away from Glinda’s. “He says I owe him.”

“That’s absurd.”

“Maybe he’s right,” Elphaba mumbled.

“That’s absurd,” Glinda said again. She looked over. “Elphaba. Seriously.”

“I’d still get to study whatever I want,” she said absently. “And part of my tuition would be paid for because I’m a minister’s kid.”

“You’d hate it. You’d hate every second of it.”

“But he would be happy.” Elphaba looked out her window. “Nessa would be happy, too. And when she gets to college, she could go to the same school, and I’d be there to help her.”

“It’s not your responsibility to help her,” Glinda said.

“You always say that.” Elphaba kept facing away from her.

“Elphaba.” Glinda reached for her hand again, tightening her grip when Elphaba tried to pull away. “It’s true. Your parents are wrong.”

Elphaba laughed a little. “Maybe. But so am I.”

Glinda wanted to pull over. She looked carefully at Elphaba. “What do you mean?”

“Look at me.” She raised her hands to gesture at herself. Glinda refused to let go. “I mean, every single thing about me is--”

“No,” Glinda said fiercely. “Elphaba Thropp, absolutely nothing is wrong with you.”

Elphaba sighed, exasperated. “Glinda--”

“No. I mean it. Your parents have instilled this horrible idea into you, but it’s wrong.”

“What makes you so sure?”

They were coming up on a rest stop. Glinda took the exit and swung into the parking lot, where she stopped and turned to face Elphaba fully.

“Who are you going to believe?” she asked. “Me, or your father who doesn’t even know you?”

Elphaba looked down, sheepish. “Glinda...”

“Believe me,” she said, pleading. She took Elphaba’s hands and brought them to her chest. “There is nothing wrong with you.”

“Bullshit.”

“Okay, fine. You know what’s wrong with you? You’re stubborn.”

Elphaba gave her a look.

“You are! You’re stubborn, and argumentative, and you are terrible at picking your battles.”

“That’s not--”

“You’re also overprotective,” Glinda went on, “to the point of being a giant hypocrite, because if I was saying any of this, you’d be doing everything you could to comfort me.”

“That’s because--”

“You’re somehow self-deprecating and arrogant at the same time, you work too hard and are horrible at taking care of yourself, and you’re a merciless tease in every sense of the word.”

Elphaba cheeks flushed dark green. Glinda scooted closer.

“So no, you’re not perfect. There are things wrong with you. But those things--they’re you. And I love all of them, because I love you.”

Elphaba looked down. “None of that has to do with Frex, or where I go to college.“

“It does,” Glinda said, “because it’d be a damn shame if the most brilliant, stubborn person I’ve ever met gave in to a father who doesn’t deserve her.”

Elphaba blinked. She took a deep breath. Her eyes darted across Glinda’s, then back down. Glinda lifted the center console and moved so their legs were touching.

“And I want you to go to the college you’re already planning on,” Glinda said, quieter now. “Because I’m selfish, and that’s where I will be.”

“That’s what I want, too,” Elphaba whispered. “I just...”

When she didn’t continue, Glinda reached up and brushed her hair back. “Don’t,” she said. “Stop arguing, just for right now. Just go with the fact that this is what you want, and you deserve to have what you want.”

“But I--”

“Elphie.”

Elphaba closed her eyes tight. “I’m tired of fighting with him. That’s why I...ran away.”

“You needed an escape,” Glinda said. “But you took me with you, which means you also needed someone to get your head back on right.”

“You are pretty good at that.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

Elphaba leaned back and looked her up and down. “...Okay. Okay. I deserve...I get to...”

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Glinda said, squeezing her hands.

“You,” Elphaba said. “I have you.”

Glinda nodded. “You do. Always.”

“I think...right now, that’s all I need.”

“Okay.” Glinda studied her face for a moment. “Okay then. In that case, where are we going?”

“Anywhere you want,” Elphaba said, settling back into her seat. “Anywhere in the world.”

[broomsticksareoverrated]

It was an accident. Just a slip of the wrist, nothing to be overly concerned about. She'd been writing to Elphie all summer, and now, first week back at Shiz, the surname is just there, at the tip of her pen waiting to etch its way into her letters.

Or maybe it had something to do with the signature practice she'd been doing recently.

Either way, the letter from her mother shook damnably in her hand while she processed her mistake, and what she could do about it.

That was how Elphie found her; sat at the vanity, letter shaking in her hand.

"What's the matter?" She asked immediately, sinking to her knees at once. "Galinda? What's happened?"

"Oh, um, nothing really. I'm just a little...shaken. Had a letter from my mother."

"Is everything all right at home?" Concern laced her roommate's voice, but it just made her feel sick to her stomach. How long would that concern last, she wondered.

"Yes, yes, everyone's fine. Well, Popsie had a little bit of a stumble out on the farm but he wasn't hurt."

"Then...what's got you all..." Elphaba trailed off with a gesture to Galinda, slumped forwards facing away from her mirror.

"Oh, just a silly little mistake in my letter that's got my parents all in a tizzy! Don't worry yourself about it Elphie, it's nothing." Galinda tried to move from her stool, to get away from those piercing eyes. How she wished she could just...not talk about her problems!

"Galinda." Elphaba said, a firm grip on her knee holding her in place. "We both know that until whatever situation you've gotten yourself in is over, you're going to be moping and miserable and, probably, burst with the pressure of trying to keep it from me. And, as they say, a problem shared is a problem halved. I might be able to help. But I can't if you won't let me."

Galinda took a deep breath, and closed her eyes so she didn't have to see what those expressive brown irises thought of her. Then she replied.

"I signed the last letter to my parents with your name."

"You-what? Why? You signed a letter to your parents with 'Elphaba Thropp?" Galinda laughed, a sharp bark that did nothing to hide her panic.

"No, not quite. I signed it Galinda Thropp." Elphaba dropped to the floor, mouth formed into a perfect 'o'.

"So they think-"

"That I'm married. Yes." Her head looked up sharply, eyes wide.

"To me?" Galinda winced.

"Not exactly. Obviously they know of the eminency, but nothing of your family. They think I'm married to A Thropp. They don't know that the only Thropp I've met is, well, you."

"And how exactly did this accident occur? I presume you aren't scrawling my name on everything you can find." Ha ha ha ha, no of course not, that would have been silly, she hadn't been doing that since before the Summer started!

"I can only assume that I've been writing to you so often this summer that your surname just falls naturally off the tip of my pen." Galinda said, praying the lie didn't sound as flimsy to Elphaba's ears. Though to be fair, she had always been an exceptional liar.

"I suppose so." Elphaba muttered. She frowned for several minutes. "What exactly does the letter say? If I may read it - just so we know how best to handle the situation." Galinda handed the letter over wordlessly.

Dearest Galinda,

Frankly I am astounded that you spent three paragraphs on your reunion with your roommate, and gave us only a hasty signature to indicate your new engagement! I had hoped we'd raised you better than that.

But congratulations my dear, on securing yourself a Thropp - he must be second or third descending at least - though I do hope the change to your signature is simply excitement for your new betrothed rather than because you are already married. Your father and I shall be very disappointed if we do not have the chance to organise and attend your wedding which, I'm sure, you must want as grand and beautiful as possible.

Regarding your father, his ankle is worse, and we fear a fracture. He's doing well, a little grouchy to be inside during the last good weeks of the year, but otherwise in good spirits. Percivall thinks he'll be right as rain in eight weeks or so.

Do write us again soon Darling, we want to hear all about your fiancé!

All our love,

Momsie and Popsicle

Elphaba looked back at Galinda.

"They call themselves Momsie and popsicle?" Despite everything, Galinda smiled.

"You don't think a well adjusted child comes up with that on their own, do you?"

"You think you were well adjusted?" Her tone held no bite, and Galinda laughed. "To the matter at hand - it doesn't sound as though they've really done anything but wait for more details from you, if you wanted, you could just tell them the truth."

"Absolutely not." Galinda replied at once. "It doesn't sound that way, but I assure you, they'll have told my aunt and uncles, my grandmother and all of the parents of my childhood friends, because none of them are married yet, and it would reflect very well indeed on my mother's parenting."

She could see every step of the announcement route, the champagne bottles in the back of the car so that her father could pop a new one at each house and pretent it was their first stop. Her mother delicately dabbing at fake tears from the corner of her eyes, mournfully lamenting 'they grow up so fast'.

"No. I cannot tell her the truth."

"No, I was afraid of that." Elphaba nodded calmly. "Very well, but I really don't think you'll like this." Galinda thought she saw Elphaba's upper lip twitch, though her face remained relaxed.

"What is it?" she prompted. "Elphie, short of changing my name and running away, I'll try anything. I may even try that if I can get far enough - do you think Quadling country is easy to -"

"Marry me."

"Excuse me?!" Galinda responded instinctively. Elphaba at least had the decency to blush.

"Not - not really. Don't actually marry me. Just pretend to. Until the whole fiasco is over. Then we have a horrible break up a week before the wedding, or a really amicable divorce, or something along those lines."

"Elphie, thank you but I really don't -" She was thrilled when her roommate cut her off, because she had no idea how that sentence was going to end.

"Look. I'm a Thropp. I'm your friend. And I've got the feeling that I'm not the kind of person your mother had in mind when she wrote that letter. Maybe seeing me will convince her to be less...public about the whole affair. And we can go back to our lives."

Galinda won't pretend she hadn't dreamed of the question - it was what caused this whole fiasco in the first place. So, despite herself, her friendship with Elphaba and the deep seated respect she had for the other woman, she couldn't help the butterflies that had settled low in her stomach, nor the brief but warm smile that flashed across her face when she replied.

"Okay Elphie. I'll marry you."

I was thinking abt Wicked and said to myself "Galinda Thropp" and it took my brain a full minute to realize that ope, that's not right

[forkanna]

[AO3 LINK] [EF LINK]

WARNING: Minor character death in this chapter. Plus some pretty extended foot massage scene for those who may get squicked, haha.

Also a fair notice: this is the penultimate chapter! The one after this will be an epilogue.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The ballroom of the Royal Palace had never looked so grand in all its years of existence. Every available surface was adorned with shimmering green satin, and a grand topiary of each of the Witches of Oz stood in each corner. Some were surprised to notice the fourth was not Ozma, as had been expected, but the young Dorothy Gale. After all, she had no powers of her own. The reasoning had been that she flew in from another world and helped the other witches dispatch Morrible and the Wizard, so she belonged in their ranking.

The wedding itself had been grand, and the gardens did make for the ideal setting. Elphaba recited her vows to Glinda effortlessly, though Glinda stumbled over hers and made such a mess that a few people were laughing by the time she righted her tongue. The Dance of Seasons went off without a hitch, as well as the leg-tying and every other trapping of the ceremony, and they were soon pronounced "Elphaba and Glinda Throppland" to the gathered audience, choosing to combine their names to begin their new family together.

One curious tradition they had observed, confusing many of the gathered nobles, was that they slid a ring onto each other's finger. Many proposed that this must have been a custom when two women were wed, given that this had not been seen very often in Oz — at least, not in an official sense. Women lived together, both for romantic and other reasons, but did not marry to form a family as such. However, there was also a rumour that Dorothy had suggested the gesture.

Queen Ozma herself had officiated, which was also a shock because she was one member of the wedding party, standing quite close beside Dorothy until time to perform her duties. And no minister could have looked happier than she for the brides.

As they spun in a gentle circle on the dance floor, arm in arm, Glinda and Elphaba looked as if they were the only two women left in Oz. All of Elphaba's usual bluster and worry and fire was down to a low flicker, replaced by joy and laughter and a fervent love for the one she had chosen to be with forever. Glinda, as usual, was all smiles, but they were the biggest any could remember.

"Alright!" Glinda called out, unwinding the sash from around her waist. "Who will take my sash?"

"Not I!" called Ozma.

"Nor I!" called Dorothy, looking proud of herself for remembering her role in this ceremony.

"Nor I!" sang Polychrome. She had never looked lovelier, which was really saying something when talking about an actual daughter of the Rainbow itself.

"Will none take my sash?" she asked, as some of the nobles laughed and clapped. "You? Or you?"

Stepping forward on cue, Nessa opened her hands and said, "I, Nessarose Thropp, take this sash from the house of Throppland!" Now the cheering erupted in earnest, and just a bit cheeky, Nessa held it aloft and smiled.

"Good! Let it be known that now, the house of Thropp will become the house of our children if needs be, and theirs ours! We are bonded!"

Once the cheers had finally petered out, Nessa put the sash around her waist, needing Dorothy's help to get it fastened. As she did, she muttered, "Not that there will be children for either of us, anyway."

"Well, I don't know," Glinda mused. "We've been talking about that. And we thought we might try to get- well, it's not a pleasant thought, exactly, but maybe a trusted noble?"

"A baby for each of us," Elphaba added, joining them with a glass of pale green wine for each of them. This was definitely not the pungent liquor which had helped make Elphaba the way she was. "Well, we're still negotiating that, but it seems to be the deal we keep coming back to; one of us will take the first turn, then the other will wait a pair of years until we've adjusted to the one we already have."

"How very businesslike," Nessa laughed.

"Well," Dorothy whispered softly, leading them all a little further from the crowd, "you may… not have to ask a noble."

"What do you mean?" Glinda asked.

"Well…"

This time, Elphaba got a little impatient and laughed, "Well, what? Come on, Dorothy, you can tell us anything."

She only looked at Ozma for a moment, who looked equal parts horrified and bashful. But she was smiling. "I thought we weren't going to mention this until tomorrow!"

"Aw, I know," Dorothy hissed, cheeks bunched. "The wedding an' all. It's their day! But if they want children, well, shouldn't they know right away, on account of not tryin' to find some noble?"

"What, what?!" Elphaba, Glinda and Nessarose all demanded together. The little group got quiet for a moment as they waited for Dorothy to work up her courage. This time, not even Elphaba cajoled her, for she could tell this was near impossible for the girl to say.

"I… I'm, um… I'm gonna have a baby."

There was no immediate reaction. Just sheer confusion and a lot of blinking and glancing between each other. Then Nessa asked, "What do you mean, Dorothy? Where are you getting a baby from?"

"From my belly," she laughed, pushing against her flouncy dress. The bump was scarcely noticeable, but when she outlined it in such a way, it became clear that either she had been eating a little too much and it all chose that area to collect, or…

"You're pregnant?!" Glinda demanded. She was immediately shushed by both Dorothy and Ozma, who were so ruddy-faced they probably could have used their cheeks to fry up a decent breakfast. Lowering back to a whisper, she gushed, "You two! Oh my Lurline Above, this is incredifantabulous news, I- a little baby in the Palace!"

There was much squealing and hopping around in a circle, even from Nessa, who was always wary of jumping around too much lest her silver shoes or anklets come loose and she fall. It was probably the only news that could have made the day of their wedding even better, and Glinda was squeezing and kissing their cheeks over and over. It was Elphaba who first stopped the jumping, puzzlement coming back into her features.

"Wait… I hate to poke holes in the mood, but I don't really understand. How can Dorothy be pregnant? It just doesn't make scientific sense. Unless she's been sneaking down to the Philosophy Club and having more fun than a young woman like her ought to have. After all, she's not my mother."

While Nessa frowned at that statement, Dorothy started to make a few gestures, let a couple of "Um"s slip out as she blushed a deeper scarlet and tried to find her words. Meanwhile, Ozma was conspicuously silent. Eventually, it was Glinda, of all those gathered, who could answer that burning question.

"Oh… you know, I did think I felt something that day, but I thought it would be rude to mention…" Her eyes alighted on the queen. "I didn't imagine it, did I?"

"You did not," Ozma confessed, fingers fidgeting. "And I can't tell you how much I appreciate you not making a big fuss about what happened. I felt awful, and you were always so nice to help me dress, even though you're a Councilwoman and not a staff member. Lurline Above… I didn't mean to trip onto you!"

"It's alright!" she giggled, feeling a fresh flutter in the pit of her stomach all over again as she thought back to the moment she had brushed into the corner of her mind. One warm little squish against her hip had been enough to really get her panicking that day, but eventually, she had told herself to forget about it. All in all, it really wasn't her business what lay hidden beneath the skirts of their monarch, anyway.

But this was new information for the Thropp sisters. Nessa's eyes narrowed, and one of her index fingers came up. "Hold on. Are we saying what I think we're saying?" Dorothy shrugged, still looking very shy about everything. "But… but the Truth Pond! You were changed! Shouldn't it have taken care of- of that, as well?"

"Yes, exactly!" Elphaba demanded.

"Guess the magic in the Pond water figured this was close enough," the queen said with a shrug, though she looked extremely nervous to be confessing to this at last. "Of course… I can imagine if we were able to have Mombi cast a spell to turn me back, it would have taken care of that along with the rest of my body, but that wasn't what changed me. The water just… did what it felt was important to reveal the truth of who I am, and apparently, this one part… wasn't important enough?"

"Apparently not," Nessa breathed. "And now that I think of it, you never did ask any of us for supplies for your time of the month…"

"Jellia asked. And when I had to explain to her why I didn't need any, she seemed… confused, but not shocked or disgusted. Which was quite a relief!"

Glinda folded her arms over her chest and drawled out, "Woooow. Lucky you, Dorothy!" Then Elphaba slapped her upper arm, and she yelped, "Ow! Elphie, that wasn't necessary!"

"Neither is making the poor girl look like vomiting any more than she already does," she chuckled darkly. Which also made Dorothy look worse, but at least the tallest of the Witches was trying to head off the teasing before it started. "Well, I guess everything turned out for the best, since you're on your way to motherhood."

At this, Dorothy finally allowed herself to look excited again. "Oh, I know! Well, I didn't ever give much thinkin' to bein' a mother myself, what with losin' my own so young, but… oh, a little boy or girl all my own, and raisin' her or him right here in the Emerald City? With Ozma? It's… I can't imagine a better place!"

"Agreed," Ozma said with a proud-but-bashful smile. "The child will want for nothing, and have not two, but five mothers. Isn't that the best we could hope for?"

Elphaba squinted at her, still smiling. "Wouldn't this situation make you the father?"

"Perhaps. But I prefer to think that, though I fathered the child, what I am is a mother."

"If you say it is so, My Queen, then it's so," Elphaba told her with a bow. And they were all close enough friends to know that this was not a sarcastic gesture in the slightest. Ozma's smile returned, and she gave a regal nod of acknowledgement.

Suddenly, both of Glinda's hands popped up. "Whoa, whoa, wait. Dorothy… you brought this up, saying that we wouldn't have to find a noble… are you really suggesti- OH MY OZ!"

At this, Ozma finally did lose a bit of her regal bearing as she turned to Dorothy and hissed, "I told you I was thinking-" she poked her ribs "-about-" another poke "-it!" The last one made Dorothy finally squirm away, giggling and grinning like a cat with a canary in its mouth. Which was a look that did not often grace the Kansasian girl's features. "Not that I wanted to offer them the option the day of their wedding!"

By now, both Elphaba and Glinda were looking nearly as embarrassed as the other couple. After a few seconds, Elphaba cleared her throat and said, "Well." She looked as if she would say more, except that it never came to pass.

"Wow, you finally found a way to shut my sister up," Nessa observed with a little nod of satisfaction. "I'm impressed."

"Ozzie, you'd really…?" Glinda fanned herself with her gloved hand, feeling distinctly warmer now and wishing she could blame it on the drink that she had barely sipped.

"Well, I'm not sure!" the queen said, looking quite a lot smaller and uncertain than she had in all the months since she was first revealed to be princess in the courtroom, cheeks nearly the colour of her elegantly-arranged red curls. "It was only an idea! With you two getting married, and Dorothy pregnant, I naturally suggested… that if you did want someone to h-help with… ugh, this is too strange, isn't it? We're good friends, and this seems like the most uncomfortable thing for friends to ever do, even if it would be for an important cause!"

Elphaba patted down the front of her elegant black satin dress as she said, "Blindfolds. Blindfolds and earmuffs, and that's if I even decide I can handle this idea! This is- I can't even think of…"

"Well, I'm v-very flattered by the offer," Glinda attempted, blushing and trying not to feel too flattered by it. This was the last way she had ever wanted to think about her little Ozma! "Maybe we won't have to go about it the way we think we have to, right? There has to be some kind of- oh! Elphie, what if we looked through the Grimmerie and found a spell?"

"A spell to do what? Catch Ozma's-" She paused, struggling for a slightly less offensive word than whichever one had first come to mind. "Ozma's essence without us having to… oh, this is a disaster waiting to happen."

"Let's just agree to think about it," Ozma said firmly, looking even more like she wanted to vanish than she had moments ago. "Alright? I haven't decided if I'm comfortable with having to create it the way we would in the first place, and don't expect you to, either. But… it's an idea, right? If each of you want a child…"

Nessa was smirking as she put in, "You could do a lot worse for a father than a beautiful queen. A mother to father the baby," she corrected, earning her a sigh of relief from the Ruler herself.

"I really didn't want to bring this up today," she repeated, looking earnestly between the newlywed couple. "I'm so happy for the two of you right now! Please, just forget all about it, alright? Enjoy each other, and your new life together, and… and this wonderful ball!"

Glancing down at the ring around her finger, then back up at Elphaba, who still looked queasy at the prospect of taking the steps necessary to create life with Ozma, of all people, Glinda pulled her closer and leaned up to leave a brief kiss upon her lips. "She's right, you know. We should just be happy we have a friend good enough to offer something like that. And that we're together."

"Together…" Elphaba returned the kiss, then smiled. "You're right. As usual."

"Let's go upstairs now. Then we can come back in time to cut the cake!"

"Yes, I do think that's a good plan. Majesty, if you'll excuse us?"

"Of course," she said with a wide smile. "We'll be here."

Elphaba began to move off, then hesitated, pointing a finger down toward Ozma's hips. "You keep that safe and sound just in case we need to make use of it." That made the Ruler's smile disappear into a cloud of blushing the likes of which the Land of Oz had never seen before.

As they ascended the steps of the Palace into the second floor, Elphaba sighed, letting go of some of the odd tension that had been building between her shoulders ever since the topic of children had been breached anew. Hearing it, Glinda patted the hand wrapped around her elbow. "You alright?"

"Of course. Just… well, I hate that we even require Ozma to extend such an offer. Unconventional though it may be."

"You want to be the daddy of my baby?"

"Of course." She had been teasing, so the serious answer surprised Glinda. "Or vice versa. But… I know that's stupid. No sense in wishing for something that's impossible. Even if Mombi's spells were still around to use, and they weren't outlawed and a bad idea to toy with… it would be living a lie to change either one of us into a man."

"What about Ozzie? She's not living a lie."

"No, but she didn't get changed back with a spell of equal intent. Although I suppose the Truth Pond seems to think she's a woman exactly the way she is, and who are we to argue with the Truth?"

"True. I mean, um, yes. But I think she's a marvellous queen, no matter what."

"Obviously." After a moment of contemplative silence, Elphaba asked, "She tripped onto you, hm?"

Glinda squirmed, then whispered, "Don't ever bring it up to her again. Poor embarrassed thing! But yeah, I definitely felt a something down there that couldn't be explained any other way. Just wasn't sure, and didn't want to ask about it, so I… didn't. You understand."

"Not at all," Elphaba laughed. "Afraid I never got close to that particular piece of anatomy so I have no frame of reference."

"Well, neither have I! But there's only so many squishy things that a person can own between their thighs, right?!" As she laughed even more, Glinda pursed her lips and shook her head. "You're so crass."

"I love you," she cooed, leaning over to press her lips into Glinda's cheek. That mollified her a bit. "And I'm only teasing. You know that I don't blame you for withholding that for Ozma's privacy, and that I'm actually very pleased that she would offer to sire our children. It's just… an idea that will take a lot of getting used to."

Shaking her head, she said, "I don't think I can take Little Ozzie to bed. I'd rather sleep with a total stranger."

"Not me. This is much preferable."

"Really?"

"Of course. This way, I don't have to expose myself to someone I don't trust. Also, our child will have the blood of a close friend instead of some idiot noble with whom I'm scarcely acquainted. It's still not something I'm wild about, but I wasn't wild about the other option, either."

"Huh." Glinda had to blink several times. Then she finally shrugged and said, "Those are pretty good points. Just… really weird mental picture, you with Ozzie. Or me with her!"

"Then stop picturing it!" she burst out exasperatedly. Then she leaned in close and said, "Picture me with you, instead. Putting my hands all over your body tonight…"

That did the trick. It got Glinda to giggle gaily all the way to the room that was their destination.

The Wizard — Oscar, as they now knew him — was still confined to bedrest. Several times, he had awoken and carried on a short conversation with whoever was in the Palace to go and speak with him, but then he would lapse into slumber again for days, or weeks. Elphaba had brewed something to help give him strength, but it only mattered on the days in which he was already awake. He had not been awake the morning of the wedding, and the ceremony had to proceed without him. But Elphaba still wanted to greet him on the day she was married to her love.

"Father?" she said in a firm, carrying tone. "It's your daughter, Elphaba."

No answer.

"I've been married today. To Glinda, as… as I told you I would." She gently eased onto the edge of the bed, taking up his hand. Her other darted into the top of her dress, withdrawing a small scrap of paper. "I'd like to read for you the vow I said to her. Maybe you won't hear it, but… if you do, then at least you won't have missed everything."

Glinda wanted to leave them alone, to have their little moment. But she also desperately wanted to hear her wife's vows again, to bask in the sweetness that she normally kept locked up tight within her breast. There weren't many such opportunities.

"'The moment I laid eyes on you, Glinda, I was filled with a feeling I had never felt before. Sudden, and new, and overwhelming. My pulse was rushing, my head reeling… I didn't know what to call it. At first, I was sure it was loathing; what else might I feel for a woman who was everything I wasn't? Jealousy, and hatred. There was a strange exhilaration to it that seemed to tell me I was wrong, but I resisted. So strongly. Until the day I realised that the woman in the other bed was not my enemy; she was my best friend. A sister and adviser who tried to make me popular and beautiful, and failed. But along the way, you showed me something I didn't expect: love, and compassion, and tenderness. You brought me bliss. So much of me is made of what I learned from you. So whatever way our stories end, Glinda Upland… you have completely rewritten mine. And I want to finish ours together.'"

By the end of it, both new wives were crying afresh. Glinda felt her own vows were completely underwhelming compared to hers, sappy lines about comets pulled from orbit and people coming into other's lives for a reason, but during the ceremony, it had made Elphaba's eyes fill with so much love it looked like they might not be able to contain it all. And that was what mattered.

"Oh…"

They both started and looked up at the Wizard to see that his eyes were open and streaming. He hadn't moved otherwise, but he had most certainly been asleep when they first entered.

"Father?" Sitting upright, she said, "I'll get the healers. We must-" But his head shook from side to side, very slightly. "What is it?"

His mouth moved. Elphaba leaned down, further and further until her ear was a hair's breadth from his mouth, holding as still as possible. Glinda clutched at her heart and waited. When her wife sat back, she had wide eyes and a palm pressed over her mouth, and the Wizard was still smiling with his eyes up at her. His daughter nodded once. Then the Wizard closed his eyes and relaxed.

Only a moment later, Elphaba gestured for Glinda to follow her out of the room. Once out in the hallway, she hissed, "What did he say, what did he say?!"

"He… said he loved me." Voice tight, entire body shaking, she looked up into Glinda's face. "He said, 'Congratulations. I love you.' That was it. I… don't know why I feel like he should have said more, like maybe 'sorry I was never around', 'sorry about the Animals'... when it's a miracle he even said that much today. What an ungrateful brat I am."

Glinda held her tightly, caressing over her back. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here."

So Elphaba cried. She cried there in the hallway with her brand new wife's arms around her, and they both grieved for all the missed opportunities. The lives denied to them. While Glinda was more contented with her own fate, she fully understood the pain in Elphaba's heart, and wished to do anything she might to mend it as best she could. She would spend a thousand lifetimes doing that.

"I'm alright," Elphaba finally sighed into her shoulder, kissing it gently before she pulled back to smile down at her love. "Thank you. Oh… we had better get back to the reception."

"We don't have to if you're not up to it, you know. It's our reception, right?" When her wife laughed, she kissed her tears away. "Let's head back down that way and just… take our time. We'll get there when we get there."

So they did precisely that. It was almost an hour before anyone saw them again, though the celebration was still going strong. Their three friends welcomed them with open arms, and dragged them over to cut the cake. Stories were told, Polly danced while Fiyero sang, and all gathered had not a word to say against the loveliest party in the history of the Emerald City. It was precisely what they needed to get their minds off estranged fathers and babies, and other worries of the future. For tonight, there was only love and magic.

And chocolate cake, of course.

                                    ~ o ~

The Wizard of Oz passed away in the wee hours of the morning, four days after the wedding. He had not woken again, and seemed to be smiling when he slipped loose from the mortal coil. Even though Elphaba had remarked "That's probably just gas", everyone could tell how truly aggrieved she was.

The entire kingdom was draped in black that day. The corner of the garden that now played host to the Wizard's statue was opened to the public, though Jack Pumpkinhead complained about having to mend the hedgerow that had been opened to allow them in to lay flowers and pay tribute to their former Ruler. He understood, of course, but the garden was his domain now. Elphaba gave a brief speech, doing her best to focus on the good things about him and not to dwell on the negatives.

Within the next month, the announcement was finally made that Ozma was to wed Dorothy of Kansas. It was timely, because she was already pregnant and had been avoiding appearances because of the increasingly-obvious bulge. The kingdom became rife with whispers about the heir being "fairy magic" and "a miracle", and given that it wasn't any of their business how the baby had truly come into being, the rumours would have to persist.

Another two weeks after that wedding, there came another announcement: Glinda's pregnancy. It had been quite the awkward affair, and in fact they needed to make two attempts because on the first try, the blindfolded Ozma had been so nervous that she ended up making a mess out of the sheets rather than performing the deed they had intended. But by now, it was simply a funny story to share between the five of them, even if the story resulted in much blushing and groaning from the poor queen.

Glinda would never tell anyone - not even dear Elphie - just how little she minded the two encounters, either. Some things were better left unsaid. But taking a page out of a younger Dorothy's book, she merely imagined she had a passing affair with "Tip" and it was over and done with.

Even more speculation arose about the Coven of Oz and where the children were coming from when, a month later, Nessarose made a similar announcement. There weren't even any high-ranking male servants to peg as obvious suspects, and the only men they frequently spoke with were a Scarecrow and a Lion, neither of which could father a child. So a lot more mutterings of "blessed by Lurline herself" were uttered by the citizens. However, the Witches knew that it was because Nessa needed something in her life other than her duties as a member of the Council. They kept trying to reassure her that another man would come along, someone better suited to her than Boq ever was, but she eventually assured them that she didn't mind anymore. She was learning to enjoy her life as a single woman, beholden to no relationship. They tried to be as supportive as they could, and with good friends around her, she never wanted for companionship.

Other than the night with Ozma, of course. They also began to make a lot of jokes about that, and what a "stud horse" she had turned out to be. Dorothy was the one to get them to calm down with her disapproving frowns, which were almost impossible for anyone to fight against. That was important, given how the queen really did seem to regret her offer at times.

And so life went. The five women were closer than ever, and continued to try their best to change the way Oz was for the good. With the Animals supplementing the workforce, the way was smoother to improve the economic situation, and a particularly bountiful harvest had left them with a lot easier of a job. Eventually, there was some reform to the relations with the Quadling Country, as well, and the Glikkus. Before too long, taxes could be reduced again in some areas where they truly could not afford them, even if the nobles were upset with their own taxes being increased to compensate — but with Ozma making the declaration, anyone opposing her looked like a boor and a bully. Prosperity reigned, and joy was the ever present mood.

                                    ~ o ~

Winter gave way to Spring, and the five found themselves on Ozma's private balcony, enjoying a private moment ensured by the pillared railing around it and the gardens spread out below. Stuffed loungers had been arranged out there once the weather turned for the purposes of relaxing in the cool breeze, enjoying the sun and the sounds of nature. Dorothy looked quite ready to pop, and Glinda was beginning to get there herself. Nessa's bump was more modest and manageable.

This meant it was up to Elphaba and Ozma to tend their soon-to-be mothers. Elphaba would grumble occasionally, but mostly they fetched tea and pillows and cakes or other such snacks with little complaint. Ozma almost seemed to cherish it.

"Why are you always smiling?" Glinda finally asked with a suspicious little smile. "Proud daddy of three?"

"I told you not to call me that," Ozma grumbled, though she was smiling, as well. Once the pillow was in place, she helped Glinda ease back and petted over her hair before moving around to take Dorothy's glass. "More tea?"

"No thank you, servant," Dorothy giggled, eyes full of love. Glinda's smile changed as she watched them. She always had about the same smile on her lips when she watched the two Princesses. "Just sit by me for a spell. I miss you too much when you're jumpin' all over the place like a grasshopper on fire."

Ozma bowed. "Your wish is my command." She took up the small wooden chair and placed it next to her wife's lounger, taking up her hand and joining them together.

"You really like this, don't you?" Glinda accused, returning to her previous topic. "Helping us. I can see you do, but I guess I just don't understand why. You're the queen!"

"Right. And you're my friends; well, friends and one wife, of course. And you're going to have babies soon! Why shouldn't I want to help you?"

"No, no, there's more to this."

Shrugging and staring out at the few clouds scudding across the sky, the little queen finally remarked, "I feel useful. Sometimes, it's as if all I can do is sit on my behind all day and listen to Ozians complain. That's something a dead stump could do! When I'm taking care of you three… it's really, truly important I do that. So you can be in less pain, and have healthy children when it's time."

"Awwww," Nessa cooed. Ozma bristled, thinking she was being mocked again, but when she turned she saw that real tears were sliding down her cheeks. "Th-that's so beautiful! Oh, my goodness…"

"Pregnancy moods are finally kicking in," Glinda observed with a titter. "Knew they would eventually."

As Ozma got Nessa a handkerchief, Elphaba returned with a steaming hot loaf of bread and a stick of butter. She cut off six slices, buttered them and handed them out, leaving one for anyone who might wish for seconds. Then she perched between Dorothy and her wife on another chair.

"Jellia says there's trouble brewing along the border," she sighed. "Something about gnomes from the Land of Ev popping in unannounced. So far, the Pike Guild is taking care of them, but we may need to send additional troops."

"We'll have Fiyero see to the troops," Ozma sighed. At that moment, Dorothy shifted and squirmed a little. "You alright?"

She shrugged a little and smiled up at her wife. "Yeah, my Canopy. Just fine." But the way her legs were shifting uncomfortably told another story. Before Ozma could stand, Elphaba moved her chair down to the end of the lounger. "Wait- Miss Elphaba, what are-"

"Don't worry," she sighed, pulling off the slippers and beginning to massage her feet. Dorothy relaxed immediately, an involuntary reaction of pure relief. The queen was still in a half-crouch, so she told her sternly, "You sit with your wife; I don't mind."

"Thank you," Ozma told her in a very earnest voice. The Kansas girl groaned a few times, flexing her toes, then just melted completely and lay there with a vague smile on her face while she clung to her wife's hand.

"This is truly the benefit of the 'it takes a village' method of child-rearing, isn't it?" Nessa laughed from nearby.

"It is. Though if we do this again, I think we ought to space these babies apart more thoughtfully than we have."

"I'm sorry!" Nessa cried out, though it was a little sarcastic. They all chuckled — other than Dorothy, who was barely a step away from actually asleep. "I don't even have a husband to do that for me. Some people get all the luck."

"Do you want your feet rubbed by your sister?" Elphaba asked.

"At this point? I'd almost consider it." But they knew she wouldn't ever ask. Even when complaining about the pains of the added weight on her poor tootsies, Nessarose had declined to let anyone take care of the problem. The best they could do was conjure a self-warming bowl of water so she could soak them in the privacy of her chambers.

After a minute or two, Glinda asked, "Do you really want to go through this next time, Elphie? Maybe we can just… stick with the one child. It's not as much fun as it looks."

Throwing back her head to laugh, the snappish sound startling a bird into taking flight from the top of a nearby tree. "Really? I think you just want to get out of the job of waiting on me when it's my turn!"

"Hey! That is not why I said that, I just- ohhh, you're impossible!"

As the rest of them chuckled, Glinda began to do the same uncomfortable shifting that Dorothy had before. Honestly, she hadn't been thinking that she would manipulate anyone into giving her a footrub; they just hurt. She wasn't as hefty as Dorothy yet, but getting there, and even waddling down the hallway to Ozma's chambers had brewed some fresh pain for her.

She didn't count on Ozma patting Dorothy's hand and getting up, rounding the lounger to sit at the end and prise her shoes off. "Okay, now what are you doing?"

"The same thing," she said with a smile as her thumbs bit into the swollen arch, prompting a groan of agony from its owner. "Taking care of my friend's wife. Or my wife's friend? However you want to look at it."

"You've done that enough," Elphaba accused. "Already put her in this condition in the first place."

"Lay… off her," Glinda panted, already nearly as gelatinous as Dorothy was. "She's… doing… Lurline's work down there… oh mmmyyyyyy…"

"Yousssaidamouthvulllll," Dorothy agreed. Sort of.

Even while she continued to rub, Ozma leaned down and left a little peck on the tip of the big toe before sitting back and saying, "You've done this for me so many times, when I was new to the throne. It's my turn. Besides… like Elphaba said, it's my fault you're in pain, so I should help take care of it. Seems pretty simple, right?"

"The queen is kissing my feet," Glinda tittered. "What fever dream is this?"

"Way to show me up," Elphaba grumbled over at her, and Nessa and Glinda giggled. The third expectant mother was too far gone to manage even that.

But Glinda never thought she was shown up at all. Even if no one else knew, she knew that her wife was one of the sweetest women in all of Oz. She just liked to cover it with bluster and thorns. And if that meant that she had the true Elphaba Throppland all to herself, she could live with that.

"You could take it as a challenge," Nessa laughed.

"I'm not kissing Dorothy's feet. Love her though I do."

"You can leave that to me," Ozma offered. "I would do it any day of the week." A little 'awww' issued from Dorothy, and the two exchanged such a sappy look that Elphaba only curled her lip.

"Such a subservient queen," Glinda accused with a wink. The slightly bashful Ozma dipped her head in chagrin - which only put her face closer. "Kiss… mine again while you're there, won't you?"

Now Ozma was blushing. But even though there was no reason she should, she did as she was asked; Glinda only had enough time to gasp, and her protests were cut off by the sensation of regal lips on the ball of her foot, the thumbs still digging in further down. It set her pulse racing a little faster to be tended to in this way.

"Maybe we should both work on you at the same time," her wife teased, releasing the dazed Dorothy to take up the nearest foot to work with her thumbs as Ozma switched to the other. The Gilikin woman's moan was as grateful as it was affected - though she tried to mask that with a clearing of her throat immediately afterward.

A bemused Ozma whispered, "I think she likes it."

"Always did love attention." More little kisses from two sets of lips got Glinda pushing a hand into her mouth to silence herself. Clearly trying to goad her, Elphaba poked her tongue between two toes and got a delightfully girlish titter for her effort. "Hmm… I may have to take her back to our room sooner than planned."

"Or I might go back to mine," Nessa announced, clearly uncomfortable with the display. That probably had a lot more to do with the particular area of anatomy in question than anything else, but her sister being involved was not going to help.

However, it was Dorothy who said, "Please stay. Just… here…"

When she began to heave from side to side, trying to get up from her chair, Ozma cried, "Canopy, don't! You're in no condition to-"

"I… reckon I can handle… this!" Finally she was stood up, and she waddled around the other two wives who were still kneeling in front of Glinda to where Nessarose was reclining. Sitting on the end of the lounger, she pulled Nessa's slippered feet into her lap.

"Wait, you can't- I'm not going to allow-"

"Hush up. It's not going to hurt you; if you really hate it that much, I'll quit right away. Promise. If anybody needs a good massage, after all those years of you not lettin' anybody touch 'em…"

The slippers were gone, and the pale feet were trying to hide behind each other. Glinda was completely distracted from Elphaba and Ozma now: this had been something she would always hope got resolved. Poor Nessie. Would little Dorothy really be able to make a breakthrough?

"But they're… not…" Her entire body seized when the hands laid on them. "O-ooh… please be careful, I'm not very… confident…"

"They're just feet," she insisted firmly as she began to massage one of them - and Nessa bit down on her lip hard. "'Course, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em…" Another pause as she recovered from the painful memory. "They knew to give each other a good rubdown after a long day's work. Feet and shoulders, and sometimes hands or the middle of the back if they said they needed it. Your body's the most important tool you got, isn't it?"

Breathy pants began to fall from Nessarose's lips as she felt the thumbs gliding up and down the aching muscles, biting into her joints. And these were definitely sexual. Glinda felt herself already blushing, and she saw Elphaba turning away with wide eyes of mingling surprise and horror. Ozma was only stifling giggles.

"O-ohhh… you should… stop, it's- NHH! Oh, Dorothy, where did you learn to do this?!"

"I told you!" she protested with a giggle.

"But you're… I… OH!"

When they all looked up afresh, they saw Nessa had snuck one hand into her own lap. And she held it very still, eyes wide in shock. True, there wasn't much of anywhere it could go through the fabric of her dress… but her involuntary goal was readily apparent.

"Well," Elphaba said in a deadpan. "Guess my little sister has a special spot. Great. Definitely needed to know about that."

"I'm sorry," Nessa breathed, eyes wide as she glanced around at all of them. "This is so… I'm s-sorry, I really shouldn't have agreed to let you try, Dorothy. This was a m-mistake."

But it was Ozma who responded, standing to move to the chair between Glinda and Nessa's loungers. "Don't feel too upset. We all have things we like, and… we have to find them out as we go along. There's a spot on Dorothy's neck that really gets her g-"

"OZMA!" Dorothy yelped desperately, and Elphaba chuckled.

"A-anyway! If you want, you and Dorothy could go back to my room, and… and keep going? Or I could take you, or…"

Never before had Glinda seen Nessarose looking as rosy-cheeked as she did right now. Which, underneath her secondhand embarrassment, was actually a wonderful thing, given how sickly and gaunt the younger Thropp had once been. "Ozma, no… you, touching my feet? You shouldn't. Not any of theirs, either; you're our Queen."

"And you are my Nessa. Those are only words." Glancing at Dorothy, who only smiled back, she continued, "Like they keep saying, I got you this way in the first place. I consider this part of my duty, to make you feel good however I can."

"Not that good." But Ozma was already helping her stand, Dorothy having put the slippers back on. Elphaba stood to help guide her. "Wait - Fabala, stop them, y-you don't want this to happen to your sister, do you?"

"I don't want to think about it at all, thanks. But… I think you need this, Sister. Tell Ozma 'no' and mean it, or let her take care of you."

Nessa couldn't find any more protestations. After a second or two, the other two were gone, and Elphaba took her sister's vacant lounger with a sigh as Dorothy plopped back into her own.

"Alone at last," she sighed, squeezing Glinda's hand.

"Hey!" Dorothy protested. "I'm… here, too!"

"You'll be asleep within minutes."

"Will not."

She was. And then only the first wives of the Coven were reclining on the bacony, hand in hand and gazing toward the sun in its cloudy sky.

"Life is really wonderful."

"It is, sometimes. And other times, it's…"

Glinda squeezed her hand. "Thank you for not finishing that gloomy thought."

"Of course."

"Elphie?" No answer, so she asked anyway: "Did you ever dream… we would end up here?"

"In the Palace? No, never." When she saw Glinda's glare, she smirked. "Fine. No, I never would have predicted you and I would be married and having children someday. But I also never predicted Nessa would be my sister again, and I would have a father from another realm. Lurline has strange plans for us sometimes."

"She does. But I'm in love and starting a family, which… was always my plan. That and changing Oz for the better - and hey, look at that! Something else I got checked off my list."

"True, true," Elphaba laughed. "My intrepid wife is unstoppable." Then they turned to gaze over at each other, eyes swimming with affection. "My Sugarsnap."

"My Artichoke."

Though Dorothy's quiet snoring might have ruined the atmosphere for others, it certainly did nothing to lessen the sweetness of their kiss for Elphaba and Glinda. They had been through far worse and come out on top. And they would always do that for each other, come what may.

                                    To Be Concluded…

[bunnysnuff]

Stiff.

Pairing: Elphaba Thropp x reader, Galinda Upland x reader (platonic), Elphaba Thropp x Galinda Upland (platonic).

Trigger warning: a little sad ig

Request.

Note: I re wrote this scene to make it shorter :) and because I couldn’t remember the scene.. sooooo🤍

The Emerald City was everything Glinda had described—a shimmering jewel at the heart of Oz. Green glass towers spiraled into the sky, lights cast emerald reflections across the streets, and music seemed to float through the air like magic. But you couldn’t enjoy the spectacle. Something about the city felt cold and hollow, as though it were trying too hard to distract from its darker truths.

You glanced at Elphaba, walking beside you, her shoulders stiff and her brow furrowed. Her eyes scanned the crowds, and you could see the distrust etched into her features. She hadn’t said much since your group had entered the city, but you could feel the weight of her apprehension.

On the other side of you, Glinda hummed happily, practically bouncing with excitement. “Isn’t it marvelous?” she gushed, gesturing at a sparkling shop window. “Oh, look! That dress would be perfect for me!”

Elphaba shot her a withering look. “We’re not here to shop, Glinda.”

“Oh, don’t be so dour,” Glinda said with a wave of her hand. “We’re in the Emerald City! Even you have to admit it’s amazing.”

Elphaba scoffed but didn’t respond. You took her hand in yours, giving it a gentle squeeze. Her gaze flicked to you, and for a moment, her stern expression softened. She didn’t pull away.

The three of you finally reached the Wizard’s palace, its gleaming green gates towering above. You tried to ignore the uneasy knot forming in your stomach as the guards ushered you inside.

The Wizard greeted you with charm and grandeur, his booming voice filling the chamber. For a moment, even you felt a flicker of awe. But Elphaba was unmoved. She stood tall, her chin high, as she presented her case—pleading for change, for justice, for truth.

But then the truth he revealed shattered everything.

The Wizard’s supposed magic was nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Worse, he had been complicit in the suffering Elphaba had hoped to stop. When he tried to convince her to join him—to use her power to maintain his control—she snapped.

“You think I would help you manipulate and oppress people?” Elphaba’s voice cracked with fury. “You’re a fraud. A coward!”

“Now, now, my dear,” the Wizard said, his tone dangerously smooth. “There’s no need to be rash. Together, we could accomplish great things. Think of the power you’d wield.”

“I don’t want your power!” she shouted. Her magic surged, making the air in the room crackle. “I want freedom. For all of us.”

The guards stepped forward, but Elphaba turned, grabbing your arm. “We’re leaving.”

“Wait!” Glinda cried. She looked back at the Wizard, her face conflicted. “Maybe… maybe we could change things. From the inside.”

Elphaba froze, her expression hardening. “You can’t change a system designed to crush people, Glinda. You can only burn it down.”

Glinda’s eyes brimmed with tears, but she shook her head. “I just don’t think I can do this. I’m sorry.”

Elphaba let out a bitter laugh. “Of course you can’t. You never could.” She turned away, pulling you toward the door. “Come on. I’m not staying where I’m not wanted.”

You glanced back at Glinda, your heart aching for her indecision. “I’m sorry, Glinda,” you whispered. “But she’s right. I’m going with her.”

The two of you ran through the labyrinth of streets, dodging guards and slipping into shadows. The city’s beauty seemed twisted now, its green glow sinister and oppressive. Elphaba didn’t speak, her grip on your hand tight as she led you through dark alleys and hidden paths.

Finally, you stopped in a deserted courtyard, far from the Wizard’s palace. Elphaba leaned against a wall, breathing heavily. Her hands trembled as she pushed her hair back, her jaw set in anger and despair.

You stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Elphaba…”

She flinched at your touch but didn’t pull away. “You didn’t have to come with me,” she said, her voice low and raw. “You could’ve stayed with Glinda. She’s the one everyone loves. The one who belongs in this perfect little city.”

“I didn’t want to stay with her,” you replied. “I wanted to stay with you.”

Elphaba turned to you, her piercing green eyes searching yours. “Why?” she whispered. “Why would you risk everything for me?”

“Because I believe in you,” you said, your voice steady. “Because you’re brave and brilliant, and you’re willing to fight for what’s right, even when it’s hard. You’re not alone in this, Elphaba. I won’t let you be.”

For a moment, she just stared at you, as if trying to find the lie in your words. Then, slowly, her expression crumbled. “You’re the only one who hasn’t turned your back on me,” she murmured, her voice breaking. “I don’t know why I deserve that.”

“You don’t have to deserve it,” you said, reaching for her hand. “I’m here because I care about you. Because I—”

The words caught in your throat, but you didn’t need to finish. Elphaba’s fingers curled around yours, her touch hesitant but steady.

“Thank you,” she whispered. Tears shone in her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. “I don’t know if I can do this. But I’ll try. If you’re with me.”

“Always,” you promised.

In the silence that followed, the weight of the world seemed a little lighter. Together, you stepped into the night, ready to face whatever came next.

And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

[ao3feed-gelphie]

A Quiet Christmas

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/7JjlWHw by rosewire Snow blankets Shiz University as the campus falls silent for winter break, leaving only a handful of students behind. Among them are Galinda Upland and Elphaba Thropp, two unlikely roommates who have grown from rivals to close friends. When Galinda chooses to stay behind, surprising Elphaba with a Christmas transformation of their shared dorm, the holidays take on a new meaning for both of them. Through heartfelt gestures, confessions, and the magic of a first Christmas together, Galinda and Elphaba navigate their growing feelings in the glow of twinkling lights, discovering love in the quiet warmth of winter. Words: 2822, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Wicked, Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman, Wicked (Movie 2024), The Wicked Years Series - Gregory Maguire Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/F Characters: Elphaba Thropp, Galinda Upland Relationships: Elphaba Thropp/Galinda Upland Additional Tags: POV Galinda Upland, Elphaba Thropp/Galinda Upland-centric, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Christmas Special, Christmas Eve, Love Confessions, Fluff, Romance, Short & Sweet, Cute Ending, Love, Friends to Lovers, Gelphie read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/7JjlWHw