confusifying | wicked | book 3/3

Nessa

Once my sister's taken me out of the bath, she hurriedly places my cream bath robe on me, it's fluffy like a rabbit and ever so warm and I sit in my chair wrapped up nicely, whilst I wait for Elphaba to decide to dress me.
"How are your arms feeling?" Elphaba asks gently, I think for a moment, they were hurting only when I first awoke this morning but since my baking fiasco, they've been aching constantly so I've just tried to block out the sensation.
"Giving me quite a bit of grief if I'm honest." I respond, deciding it's easier for the both of us if she doesn't have to coax the truth out of me, "though I don't regret the baking in the slightest."
Elphaba chuckles and walks behind me, he begins to brush my hair, I let out a slight sigh of relief as her brushing my hair seems to let out a great tension from within me.
"I'll do your hair before I get you dressed." My sister explains "just to get it out the way."
I nod, as I'm used to her doing it in this order anyway, Elphaba chuckles.

I begin to feel a slight chill as the coldness from my now wet robe starts to freeze the rest of me.
Though by now my sister has finished my hair as had begun to roll my tights up my legs in order to put them on easier.
Once my tights are on my sister removes my robe and I cry out in pain as she carefully moves my arms out of the sleeves.
"I'm so sorry." Elphaba curses under her breath, upon seeing me wince from the pain.
Once I'm wearing my dress and tights Elphaba stands back to admire her work, or to ensure that she's not put anything on backwards and then she goes and sits down in a nearby chair.
"I hope boc's okay cleaning the kitchen by himself." I whisper to myself, my sister listens intently "I just wish people didn't have to clean up my messes for me."
"I'm sure Boc doesn't think of it like that Ness." Elphaba replies truthfully.
I avoid looking at her.
"Well Boc is a fool to not mind." I mumble "and what about Glinda, we've left her in the emerald city to deal with my clutter."
Elphaba leans forward and places a hand on mine, I shudder from the sudden pressure but there's no additional pain so I don't pull away.
"Glinda made a choice to stay because she cares about you, just like how I made a choice to take you home because I care about you." Elphaba responds, she can't help but sound slightly patronising as she always seems to when she's explaining things to me.

"I've been up for only four hours!" I exclaim, catching a view of the clock on the wall behind my sister "and yet I'm exhausted."
"You've has a tiring few days at the emerald city." Elphaba remarks, patting my hand gently "and you've made some baked goods."
I laugh at the absurdity of the phrase baked goods, as I'm not entirely certain that what Boc and I have created is good, however with my excellent baking partner, I'm sure something edible will come out of that oven.
"I haven't seen Albert at all today." I comment suddenly "nor Fiyero."
Elphaba thinks hard for a moment.
"Fiyeros at the market and Albert
Is somewhere upstairs doing something."
"How very descriptive." I chuckle.
Elphaba takes her hand off of mine for a moment of contemplation before placing it back again, I look at her quizzically.
"Im happy you have Albert." I say suddenly, Now it's Elphabas turn to appear perplexed. "I know I wasn't very warm to him at first but I'm glad you have him."
"Nessarose what are you talking about?" My sister queries, though she smiles all the same.
"I had Frex, and I was his special little girl, and you never had that." I whisper "but you have Albert, who loves you and who's done wrong but he's changed and apologised."
Elphaba nods and gives me a gentle hug, taking great care as to not harm my arms in any way.
"Frex have me the gift of you Nessa, he let me be there for you and I wouldn't change that for anything." My sister replies.
I smirk to myself at her soppiness.
"Your so sad sometimes Elphaba." I shake my head "I was trying to be the heartwarming one for once and you had to swoop in and steal my thunder, how do you feel?"
Elphaba chuckles to herself and releases me from her firm grasp.
"Nessie you are such a treat." She grins like a cat, showing off her white teeth.
"You don't get to call me Nessie, now matter how kind and soooy your being!" I exclaim.

There's laughter from the doorway, as Boc makes his way in.
"Are you irritating her Eminence, Elphaba?" Boc grins.
Both my sister and I sigh at his incessant use of my title.
I go to turn my chair around to give Boc a proper greeting but I'm overcome with such a large amount of pain that I give up with my efforts.
"Do you think we aught to call doctor Tip?" I ask hesitantly, it's the first time I've ever been the first to suggest contacting a doctor, but when it's both my arms that are in pain, I don't know what else to do.
Boc looks sympathetically towards me, I raise my eyebrows and my sister finally pipes up.
"Give it another day." She commands strictly, not saying another word more.
Something about her answer just doesn't seem right, she's usually so keen to cart me off to a doctor the minute I seem slightly under the weather.
Boc seems fine with Elphabas conclusion but something about it worries me.
I'm not sure how I'm supposed to cope with hardly any arms function at all.