Chapter Text
“Are you sure this is safe?” was the first thing the incessant green omega asked when she walked through the door, her arms free of any bags. Her eyes trailed over the explosion of pink that seemed to have fallen upon the large dorm room. Neat racks of dresses, skirts, and other frilly forms of clothing were stacked in every corner of the room, and a large bed with soft-looking pink sheets called for immediate attention. Elphaba's eyes trailed across the decorated room, and a crease formed between her eyebrows when they had completely swept the dorm.
Galinda, herself, had of course been less than pleased when she realized she had accidentally volunteered to be this girl’s roommate. After such a display during orientation, she quickly realized this was not someone she could trust would be okay existing in her shadow, and she had no doubts it would be quite a nuisance to share a room with her. Nevertheless, Galinda had pulled herself together, gathered her things, and managed to arrange them in a way she deemed fair for her roommate. She put a rack that was easily pushed aside in front of the bed that was stuffed in by the school staff.
She truly believed she could make it work. She was Galinda Upland after all, and she would not be deterred by such a simple setback. She arranged her items nicely for her new roommate, putting all the most necessary things closest to her own bed so that she could bother the other as little as possible. And as she set up the small pink vanity, she had the brilliant idea to write the girl a note. Yes, of course she could make this work, but not if Elphaba couldn’t even manage to be happy with the work she had already put in for her.
“Safe?” Galinda tilted her head from where she stood at the center of the room, and followed the woman’s gaze across the room. Her strained smile faltered, twitching slightly. Of course she appreciated the girl’s concern, but jealousy swirled in her chest. As if she’s that intimidating just because she has a little bit of magic. And she hasn’t even thanked me. “I assumed you at least had a proper enough grip on your… abilities if you agreed to stay.”
Elphaba’s head was drawn to Galinda’s question before her eyes managed to follow, her mouth open to form a question prior to snapping shut. Her gaze quickly found Galinda’s. “What?” The side of her upper lip quirked upward in a confused sort of way, and Galinda raised her eyebrows, urging the green woman to elaborate. “I mean because you’re,” Elphaba sniffed the air and nodded, and Galinda felt a flurry of shame shuffle through her chest, “...yes, somehow unpresented. If you end up presenting as an alpha, that could be dangerous for me.”
Galinda’s expression reacted first, her eyebrows furrowing in an admittedly unladylike way. The urge to kick Elphaba out of her bedroom sprang through her, but she held the anger in the grip of her fist. She could still make this work. She closed her eyes, drawing in a slow breath through her nose, before releasing the breath through a smile. The woman was simply asking a question, after all, and no omega would want to room with an alpha they had no interest in.
“Yes,” Galinda started. “Well, while it’s none of your business, I am certain to be an omega, so there are no worries there.” Elphaba raised an eyebrow, and Galinda shot the question back at her before she let her anger build up once more. “And your abilities are in check, right?” While her initial question had been a misunderstanding, she had felt the magical energy surge through the room the second Elphaba had walked in. She was not at all afraid, of course; the question was simply to redirect the conversation away from the upsettingly predictable string of questions this girl no doubt had swimming through her stubborn mind, but she desperately wanted to know that there must be some sort of downfall that accompanied her impressive skills. Well, besides the green skin and apparent cockiness.
“Sure. Just don’t upset me,” Elphaba stared at Galinda with a straight face. Her eyebrows raised slightly, and when Galilnda couldn’t stop the small gasp that escaped her lips she thought for a moment that she saw the corner Elphaba’s lip curl upward in a smile. “Now,” she took Galinda’s silence as an opportunity to continue, “where’s my bed?” She stepped towards one of the racks that looked like it may be hiding something, but Galinda blocked her with raised arms and a determined look.
“Hold on just a minute,” her heels clicked across the hardwood floor as she thrust her arms out in an attempt to block Elphaba. “I will not let you just threaten me like that! I have given up my private suite, and even set aside space for you, who has, with such little time, already been quite rude. At the very least, you can offer me some peace of mind. You nearly killed us all with that bench trick of yours, so who knows what you could do next.” Galinda’s tone was serious and authoritative, and she was quite proud of herself for not letting this woman get away with such attitudes. If she was to make this work, she couldn’t let herself be walked over.
Elphaba stilled, her eyebrows raised at the scowling blonde in front of her. Galinda noticed a small gulp travel down her throat, but the woman quickly regained her composure as if it never left. “What I’d like to do next is get some rest.” Her eyes scanned the room again. “If I can, being amongst all of this stuff.” When her emerald eyes found Galinda’s wide stare, her intent was obviously serious. “You can’t possibly think this is fair, can you?”
The words struck Galinda through the chest, travelling directly towards her fists once more. Fair? Fair ? Of course it wasn’t. She didn’t ask for a roommate, she didn’t ask this woman to spend any time in her presence at all, and yet here she was. Unabashedly ingenuine and ungrateful. “Oh, I do not ,” she kept her voice level and turned her chin down, looking up innocently at the omega in front of her. “I was promised a private suite.” She stepped back a few steps as she spoke, however, and, to make a point, she showed Elphaba her bed. Perhaps now she would see what sacrifices Galinda had to make just for her.
“Well,” Elphaba smiled sarcastically at the revealed space and accompanying note. Galinda smiled at her own thoughtfulness, reading the ‘It’s great!’ she left on Elphaba’s bed. “Maybe you’ll get it back after you present as an alpha. They certainly won’t let me be in here then.” This time her lips definitely lifted into a smirk, and Galinda could not stop the flow of anger that rushed through her entire body. She huffed, letting go of the rack, and stomped over to her side of the room.
She could not do this.
***
Elphaba allowed herself to replay the day’s events once more before finally reaching over to grab a piece from the stack of papers she had managed to get from the school’s extra supplies. After Galinda’s friends came to take her somewhere to ‘calm down’, Elphaba was able to move the drawers and racks out of the way of her bed. With the new space, however, she quickly realized she had nothing to fill it with. She had arrived to Shiz with nothing but the clothes on her back, and she had no idea where she could go to get her necessities. While she planned to write a letter to her father, he may not even receive it for weeks. The school could supply her with the paper and quills to do so and Nessarose let her borrow one of her night dresses, but there wasn’t much else they could help with.
Under the circumstance, Galinda's unreasonably large pink dressers taunted her. ‘Why would anybody need that many clothes?’ she wondered, but genuine surprise evaded her. Of course this entitled blonde who had somehow become her roommate wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same outfit twice. She’d probably burn each one after its first use if she was smart enough to think up the idea. And she’d certainly never think to give any of it away.
Galinda’s offended expression still refused to leave Elphaba’s mind. The girl was insufferable, but she had never met anyone who hated her for a good reason before (well, good might not be the best description, but it wasn’t anything to do with her skin color), and it felt… nice. She hated Galinda, of course. How could she not? But it was enjoyable. The girl’s unreasonably flushed face and annoying presence was a much needed improvement from her father, at least.
She pondered how Galinda had tried to be nice at first. Her strained smile stretched over her too-white teeth like a crazed hospital patient. She just seemed so proud of herself, and the memory sent a jolt of amusement through Elphaba’s chest. She caught herself smiling before once again reminding herself that she hated this self absorbed, disgustingly out of touch roommate of hers, and she focused her mind onto the task at hand.
She tapped her quill against her knee, which was exposed by the loose black nightgown. Her eyebrows scrunched together in thought, and she tilted her head, trying not to let her thoughts return to the irritating blonde. Her lips pursed to one side, but she finally put the tip of her quill against the blank paper.
Dear Father,
It is my first night here at Shiz, and a few things have already presented issues. I will have no problems caring for Nessa, of course, but my hasty acceptance into the school has made it so that I am grossly unprepared. They will provide textbooks in class, so that is not a worry, but clothes and other necessities will need to be sent. Furthermore, I will require my heat suppressants.
The thought caused bitterness to spread through her veins. When she talked with the headmistress, she had mentioned she would need heat suppressants. Luckily, her heat would probably not happen for a couple months, but the thought of even attempting to go through that naturally at a new school and with a new roommate made her shudder.
However, the school did not carry heat suppressants, and there were no doctors or stores that sold them nearby. Elphaba had sworn she saw someone ask for rut suppressants, but apparently that was a safety issue while her heat was not.
The Headmistress said that if I do not wish to go through heat here, I must return home. I’m sure neither of us would enjoy that, so it would be greatly appreciated if you could send them rather swiftly.
Thank you,
Fabala
She signed off with her old nickname, hoping the nostalgia may soften her father slightly. It just may remind him of when he still at least tried to pretend to care about her.
With a huff, Elphaba folded the letter and set it on her nightstand along with her glasses. She could deliver it tomorrow, and thinking about her father always took a toll on her. She hadn’t realized how refreshing the day without him had been until the duty of even asking such a simple favor felt like chains keeping her tied to her inner thoughts. Without the cuffs chafing her wrists, she could finally prepare to sleep.
Elphaba rested her head against the rough cotton pillow. There wasn’t even a case on it, and the sheet spread over her body was so thin she could see how her skin tinted it green. But Galinda had left the door to the balcony open, and a cool breeze swept through the dorm. It caressed Elphaba’s skin, and the soft moonlight easily cradled her into a dreamlike state.
“I sure hope so,” a high pitched voice ripped her from her relaxation. She squinted her eyes open, barely making out the pink and blond blob coming through the door. Galinda was turned towards the hallway, and Elphaba assumed she was trying to whisper, but she clearly didn’t know how. “Even her scent is just awful, and she’s not even in heat or anything!” Elphaba heard the words with astounding clarity, as well as the consequent giggles that came from behind the door.
“I’m so sorry Galinda,” Elphaba assumed it was Pfannee who said it, and then he continued, “Call us if you need anything. You’re just so good for dealing with this.” Elphaba rolled her eyes, and held in her laugh. Sweet Oz, these people were egotistical.
“Thank you Pfannee.” Elphaba watched Galinda reach into the hallway and grab his hands. “It’s hard, but I can get through it.” Without being able to see, she can imagine the sweet smile she flashed in his direction. The group said their final goodbyes, and Galinda finally closed the door.
“I think they're more noble for hanging around you all day,” Elphaba spoke from her bed, and Galinda jumped. She wished she could make out Galinda’s following expression, but she imagined a glare similar to one from earlier. She may have tried to iron it into a smile, but Elphaba assumed she had already given up on her pretenses.
“Goodnight, Elphaba,” Galinda said unevenly. Her heels clicked towards her plush bed, and she pointedly faced away as she began to take off her accessories. Elphaba had to remind herself to look away when she reached towards the button on her shirt.
“Goodnight, Galinda,” Elphaba smirked before turning around. This time, the sound of Galinda’s shuffling and whispering canceled out the calming effect of the soft breeze, and the light of her pink lamp made the extra light of the moon seem far too bright.
This was certainly going to be an interesting school year.