Irhaboggle Pride (2020) Quarantine Edition

Quarantine

"This quarantine is the most horrendible and hideodious thing to ever happen!" Galinda wailed, flinging herself onto her bed. She was referring to the Oz-wide lockdown that had started just a few weeks ago. A viral outbreak from somewhere outside of Oz had made its way into the country. In response to the pandemic, Shiz was shut down, and everyone was sent home.

The Thropp family decided it was too dangerous to have Elphaba and Nessa take a trip all the way down to Quadling Country, so the two sisters were instead sent home with Galinda. At present, Elphaba and Galinda were talking in Galinda's room while Nessa was resting in hers.

"Really? Because I can think of at least 20 things that could be much worse, and I don't even need to put much thought into it," Elphaba smirked.

"Shut it, Elphie," came the muffled reply. "You never need to put much thought into anything. You're too smart for your own good!"

"Why, thank you, my sweet," Elphaba continued to smirk. She expected an indignant huff in reply, but instead, she got a smile.

"If there's anyone who could make quarantine a little more bearable and fun, it's you," Galinda admitted, raising her head from her pillow.

"Well, that's news to me," Elphaba joked dryly. "It's not every day I get told that I can make things more bearable... or fun."

"Elphie!" Galinda's smile quickly turned into a frown. She hated hearing Elphaba speak ill of herself, even if she tried to pass it off as a joke. "You're wonderful company! I always have fun with you! Even if I don't always understand what you're saying..." she trailed off sheepishly, but it didn't take her long to get back into her rant. "You're passionate and intelligent! I really respect and admire it! Nothing you say ever bores me! Maybe it confuses me, but it never bores! I can't think of anyone I'd rather quarantine with than you!"

Once Galinda finished her little rant, her sheepish smile returned.

"Sorry," she laughed weakly. "I didn't mean to lose control like that, but..." she looked back down at her pillow shyly. For a moment, neither of them said a word, Elphaba too stunned and Galinda too embarrassed. But after that moment, Elphaba managed to compose herself.

"Well. Galinda. I had no idea you felt that way," she said. It was a rather clunky thing to say, but it was all she could think of.

"Yeah," Galinda admittedly shyly, still staring down. "I do feel that way about you. And... I... kinda feel a lot more than just that, too..."

Elphaba's heart jolted in her chest and she fought to keep a neutral expression. She could tell Galinda was about to say something heartfelt, but she wasn't sure she could handle it. After all, how had she reacted to Galinda's previous compliment? But before shecould say anything, Galinda pressed on. Sitting up and clearing her throat, she took one deep breath in and went for it.

"Elphie, I've been thinking, we've been spending a lot of time together because of quarantine and all, and, well, I... I... I think... I might be... a little... in love?... with you?" her voice got softer and softer until the very last word wasn't more than a whisper. But once again, before Elphaba could say anything, Galinda soldiered forward. She was on a roll and she wasn't going to stop until she was finished.

"You see, I know they've got to be romantic feelings because the last time we were forced to room together, I absolutely hated it. And you. For every single second of it! But... now, I really enjoy it! I look forward to every single second! Like, I know quarantine sucks and all, but... sometimes, I'm almost... glad that it happened. Because, well, you know... It meant that we got to spend more time together..."

"But hey, listen, it wasn't just quarantine that made me... well... fall for you. I actually think I might've been falling for a little while now, but it's like quarantine solidified it! Because now that we spend nearly every second of our time together, and now that we have little else to do except talk or think, I've been thinking about this sort of thing for quite a while now. So that's how I know it's real, and that's how I know what it is. I've been thinking a lot about it! And now I know that there really is no one else I'd rather spend quarantine, or any other time, with... Ya know?"

Galinda managed to get through her entire impromptu speech in under a minute, heart thundering in her chest. She wanted to be brave and look Elphaba in the eye while saying all of this, but that thought felt so impossible that she resorted to simply staring at her feet instead. She was terrified that if she looked at Elphaba now, she'd lose all her nerve and run. But now that it was all out, Galinda managed to give one shaky sigh of relief. She was still trembling like crazy, but she felt a bit better now that it was all over.

After another silence that seemed both too long and too short, Elphaba finally realized that the ball was in her court.

"Oh... Galinda... I... don't know what to say," she admitted, sitting up as well. She'd been reclining on a chair Galinda had brought in for her.

"Ah, well, then, you don't have to say anything," Galinda muttered, shoulders tensing as she braced for the inevitable rejection. "I know it was kind of rude of me, to just spring all of that on you so suddenly... I'm sorry..." the smaller woman seemed to get even smaller, as if trying to disappear within herself. The humiliation and regret were going to kill her faster than any virus.

"Wait!" Elphaba said quickly. "I think you misunderstood me..." Then she slowly, carefully, got up and walked over to Galinda. Galinda was still looking at her feet, so Elphaba gently hooked a finger under her chin. The touch sent electricity through Galinda's whole body, and it took all of her willpower not to flinch away. But Elphaba was being so exquisitely gentle...

"I, ah, have never been very good with words in situations like these," Elphaba mumbled. For a moment more, there was only silence. Then slowly, slowly, slowly, Elphaba began to raise Galinda's face while lowering her own.

Galinda, meanwhile, remained motionless, allowing Elphaba to take the lead. She still couldn't bring herself to look Elphaba in the eyes (and she felt like a fool because of it), but she didn't need to in order to see what Elphaba was doing. She knew exactly what was coming. Elphaba was going slow, in case Galinda wanted to back out, but she didn't. She stayed frozen until she felt Elphaba's soft lips on hers. Then another spark shot through her body, and suddenly, she was kissing back passionately.

Elphaba startled. Even though she'd kissed first, having it reciprocated so passionately took her by surprise. She felt all warm and mushy inside. It was a very new, very strange sensation. Galinda wasn't being rough, but she was kissing Elphaba fiercely and holding her tight. But before long, Elphaba fell into a rhythm with Galinda and she was soon kissing back just as insistently.

Of all the many things Elphaba had imagined herself doing during quarantine, making out with Galinda wasn't one of them, but here they were. Life did always have a way of throwing her the best curveballs. And even though, in the back of her mind, she was thinking about social distancing, for once, she didn't care at all. She only smiled to herself and pulled Galinda even closer. They only thing they were sick with was love!

AN: Very late, but here's the start of my 2020 anthology. As the title suggests, yes, this will be a COVID Edition. Let's do this! Happy Pride Month y'all! Stay safe out there! (And feel free to DM me, I know these are some trying times we're in!)