They lay on the floor in front of the crackling fireplace, cradled in a nest of cushions and blankets. A whiff of eucalyptus hung in the air, wafting from the carelessly discarded cloths they had used to clean Elphaba's lesions.
Glinda had been so worried about the little blemishes, while Elphaba had insisted that they did not need any treatment. She'd given in nonetheless, allowing the blonde to gently dab at them with the fragrant salve. It had been something relatively harmless to do, something to concentrate on while her anxiety was threatening to shoot through the roof. But it had also been a very immersive moment that had helped her to ease into the new level of intimacy they were now sharing. Almost trembling with caution, she'd brought up a finger to faintly trace the sore on Elphaba's cheek. The green girl had asserted that it did not hurt, and she'd placed her lips to the same mark, hoping to make it heal faster. Elphaba had responded in kind, but instead of physical wounds, she'd kissed away Glinda's residual doubts.
Several hours after that, Glinda still found it difficult to wrap her head around what had happened at the park. If they had gone their separate ways in the end of it, she most certainly would have soon thought it nothing but a wild fantasy. The moment that Elphaba was out of sight, she wouldn't even have considered mentioning it to Fiyero, out of fear it would spur his mischievous mind into action for real. Perhaps she would have simply left for Frottica the next day, ever more determined never to return to the Emerald City in order to prevent herself from experiencing more of such painful daydreams in the future.
Thank the great and merciful Oz for Elphaba and her foresight. Or her lucky intuition. Or whatever it was that had compelled her to ask Glinda over to her house straight away.
After all, it was owing to Elphaba's invitation, that the realness of their transformed relationship was undeniable. In spite of her otherwise bemused state, Glinda was keenly aware of the tall, angular body that was firmly pressed against her back, the long, slender arm that occasionally moved to turn a page in Elphaba's book, but mostly lay snugly curled around her midsection. Her heart seemed to adjust the slowest, as it sometimes appeared reconciled to the peaceful togetherness, yet at other times, suddenly began to beat out of turn for no tangible reason. She wondered whether Elphaba had noticed.
It was quiet. So quiet, in fact, that the muffled chimes of the old grandfather clock in the entrance hall could still be heard all this way to the music room. Each toll echoed through Glinda's head while she subconsciously counted the strikes. She blinked when the last one had finally died out.
"It's late," she sighed, craning her neck in an attempt to look at Elphaba.
While she was unable to see much from her shoulders upwards, she heard the heavy book fall shut and felt Elphaba's body shifting. The arm around her loosened when she repurposed it to carry some of her weight. A moment later, Glinda felt a kiss on her shoulder, left bare by her spaghetti strap nightgown. Humming appreciatively, Elphaba moved on to nuzzle the crook of her neck. Glinda' shivered in response.
"I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" half-whispered the taller girl, still hovering less than an inch above the spot where her caress had caused the reaction. Her hair tickled Glinda's skin.
Glinda reached for her hand and squeezed it.
"You just surprised me. I... can get a little overwhelmed by unexpected touching."
Processing this new information, Elphaba nodded.
"Okay. Next time, I'll ask for permission first."
YOU ARE READING
The Interview
同人小說Glinda has a job interview at a big bank, but somehow luck simply doesn't seem to be on her side. Although she doesn't get the job, the consequences of this one short interview turn out to be more far-reaching than she could possibly have imagined...
