#god I just can't express how much I love Eskel

[zvonkayatishina]

Tosna of Novigrad, my selfinsert oc in Witcher for almost three years already. So many drabbles have been written about Tosna traveling alongside Eskel, it helped me when I was lonely

[armystrong980]

Chapter 1: A Lifetime for this Moment

Eskel x reader

A/N : I haven't written in a long time! This is a mixin the timeline of The Witcher Season 2. Please go easy on the comments! It was the only way this story would work. I do want to do something different though. I GIVE PERMISSION to let you change up this work however you like. Although, all I ask is to tag me in your writting so I can read it as well. :)

Hope you enjoy!

Characters: Eskel x reader

Warnings: Mentions of blood, Cursing

You were almost a thousand years old. How you became immortal is all but a mystery. All you know is you can't die. You fought in battles beyond man and monster. You trained your ass off to be better than anyone you came across. Above all, there were people who crossed your path who were very kind and loving but eventually met a gruesome fate no person should witness. After seeing too much death you decided to lay low and become a healer. In your mind it's better to help people in need than to fight them.

                                    This is where our story begins....

A young Witcher gets badly injured on a hunt and stumbles into your town. Word spreads quickly of his arrival. The townspeople weren't warm welcomers when it came to Witchers; except for you. You met a couple of Witchers down the road in life and found them quite an interesting subject. You decided to go look for the young man before anyone else does. Just as you opened the door there he was standing with his cloak up to hide himself from others.

At first look you were speechless. He was very handsome. Broad shoulders and all. His eyes though, you couldn't peel away from his eyes as they were so beautiful.

You quickly snapped out of your trance when he spoke.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion miss but out of curiosity are you a healer?

" Yes I am. In fact I was just about to go find you."

He smiled. "You were? Well luckily I got here in time then." He then coughed vigorously. You noticed a stream of blood dripping from his cheek.

"Here come inside and sit while I get the supplies I need." The Witcher did as he was told. He came inside putting down his swords and armour near the door. He then wiped off his chin with his shirt and sat down hunched over still coughing and in a lot of pain. Moments later you come back with supplies and sit next to him. You make a concoction of herbs in a tea to help.

"Here take this it will help with the pain and stop most of the bleeding." He drinks it and makes a face.

"Sorry if it's bitter, not my recipe."

"It's alright, thank you." You give him a reassuring smile.

You see blood staining the back of his shirt so quickly you examine the injury.

"The others are just bumps and bruises." he said cheeky.

You smile until you see the severity of his wounds.

"You were lucky, this would've killed you if you didn't get here in time." You paused. "I'll have you healed up soon enough." You start going to work and notice he's focused on you the whole time.

"Did you want me to move my shirt out of the way?" You nodded in an agreement as he took it over his head. By the Gods he was gorgeous; very toned.

"What were you hunting?

"A Kikimora, I got lucky as you said."

"Yeah you did. I met another Witcher not too long ago who came across the same thing. Let's just say he didn't paint a pretty picture of what it looked like." You chucked.

"Who was this Witcher?

"Geralt of Rivia. He came into town, wanted a healer on standby whenever he or the other Witchers needed one. Sometimes they have me going to Kaer Morhen to heal you guys."

He had a puzzled expression on his face. "How is it I never saw you there?"

You smiled. "I've been there a handful of times. You just weren't there when I was. Now hold still I'm almost done." He gives me a side smile then looks forward. Herbs are your specialty. Their healing properties are most efficient. The stitching was finished so you put herbs on his wound. He flinches around here and there but that tea definitely helped. As you do the last of the bandaging you look up at him.

"You might want to rest a bit before heading out." He puts his shirt back on.

"Alright. As long as I can get my saviour's name?" He looks back at you.

"I'm Y/N." You hold out your hand for him to shake.

He takes your hand in his and kisses the top gently. He looks into your eyes and for a moment you thought the world around you stopped "Eskel." There was a moment or two of silence. He releases your hand. "Eskel, definitely a name I'll remember." He smirked at that.

"I have a bed already made for you if you want to sleep off the tea. You might be a little sore when you wake but it should go away in a day or sooner." You then get up to clean your hands. He's much appreciated. "Thank you Y/N, instead though, that is if you have the time, I'd like some company. I've been traveling so long where I haven't seen a friendly face in a while." You looked at his features to see he didn't really do this often. He looked nervous. For a Witcher that was odd, he's showing a lot of emotion. You brush it off.

"I have all the time in the world." You grab some ale for both of you and sit down across from him. We sat in silence it wasn't until he began our conversation. "He talked about you once, Geralt, just some place to go to if we really need to. He never told me your name though."

"I like to give my name when I meet someone so as not to pass it through. People misjudge y'know."

"I get it. It's just I would've liked to know what I was getting myself into." He chuckled.

"What do you mean by that?" You grinned

He looked down with a blush to his cheeks. "You're beautiful. " He looked back at you, capturing your soul with his eyes. All you could do is stare.

"Thank you. Honestly no one has said that to me before." He was shocked.

"Honestly?"

You nod. "I've been called other names, definitely not sweet ones that's for sure." He knitted his brows murmuring under his breath. "Assholes..."  

He changed the subject.

"Has Geralt found another healer here beside you?

"No, only me, I guess I was the only one fit for the job. I mean, I don't mind. I love helping people. I told him it was the least I could do."

"I agree with him." You looked up from your cup. "You do?

"No one I've met has ever done a handy job like this in such a short time. I'm honestly impressed."

"Well you're quite welcome." I smiled and looked down with a blush at my cheeks at the amount of compliments he gave.

"What got you to heal people in the first place?" Your smile then dimmed as you ran your fingers around your mug. He looked at you knowing you hid a secret.

"You should know something important about me that only Geralt and Vesemir know about. I don't know how you'll take it."

"I'm not afraid. Go on, tell me." He drinks his ale not leaving his sight from your figure.

"What got me into healing people--" You took a breath. "I've had a dark past. After a long lifetime of fighting, I was just done. Couldn't stand it, losing people over a terrible fate. A fate worse than death I say. There were many wars. I trained and trained for as long as I could remember. Centuries. Just constant fighting." You mumbled under your breath, "centuries..." He could still hear it clearly.

He questioned you further. "May I ask--" You cut him off. "You were going to ask me my age weren't you?" He nods as curiosity sturs at the edge of his seat.

"How old do you think I look?"

"About late 20's maybe early 30's"

You chuckle. "First off you should know I am human. I'm not a witch, nor a mage or a prophet if you believe in that stuff. I'm no monster either. Your age guess is correct but you're off about 970 years give or take a year or two."

He got up off his seat and got a dagger made of silver out of his side holster. He pointed it at you as you stood up and went closer to him.

"Eskel, I can't die. No matter how hard I've tried to get rid of this I cannot. There's no cure from what I've been told. Geralt is trying to help me get free of this torturous curse."

"A curse?" He lowers the dagger. "It makes no sense ." He paused. "I'm trusting you. Show me what happens." you lay your hand out towards him. He gives it to you, eyeing you to your core. As you make a slit on your left wrist, blood spilt into a puddle on the floor. It was with his own eyes he saw the cut disappear without a trace. As you hand the blade back to him he takes your left hand in his and examines your wrist. He glides his fingers ever so gently where the scar should've been.

"Not a scratch nor a scar. How is this possible?"

"For as long as I could remember I never had the answer. This is why Geralt is helping me." You then look down with tears at the corner of your eyes.

"I know we just met but whatever it takes I'll help find the cure as well. I'll do as much as I can."  

"You don't have to. Eskel--" Looking up at him he cuts you off. "Y/N, you can't live with this forever. I won't let that happen." You nod at him, you won't argue. He's willing to do this even if we had just met. He is very caring to say the least which makes you fall for him even more.

He wipes away a tear that escaped your eye, looks at you for a moment then lets go of your hand taking his blade back to put it away. You go to finish your ale hoping it'll help with the nerves. Pretty sure he can hear how loud your heart is racing as well. You hear him sit back in his seat.

"I'm sorry if I scared you before. You don't hear people being immortal everyday. I was just trying to take precautions." He looks up as you refill each other's cup and sit back down across from him.

"It's quite alright. I've had worse than just a dagger pointed at me. Far worse." You chuckle.

He leaned over slightly. His brows furrowed, he seemed sad as if he pitied me. "If this is a curse, I want to know who casted it upon you. You're  a wonderful person. You don't deserve to be treated in that manner. " You frown.

"It could've happened to anyone and be a lot worse than this."

 He looked slightly defeated. He changed the subject once more. "What will you do after this?"

"What? This?"  pointing around at the herbs and teas. He nods. "If no one finds a remedy then I'll still be doing this. Healing people is what I do, my good deed. If not, well, I haven't figured that out yet."

"I thought you might say that. Y/N, I hope to see you again after I leave." His eyes were hopeful.

"If you're in the area I wouldn't mind you stopping by. My door is always open. If you want to talk or if you have a big wound in need of healing, you know where to find me." You smile and wink at him. He gives back that gorgeous smile of his and you get butterflies. You're pretty sure there was a heart skip or two.

After so many years of meeting different people, you never felt anything like this. Eskel was one of a kind, he's nothing like the others. Right now as your life still lies in the hands of immortality you can't fall in love. The heavy risks of your heart getting broken are inevitable. You unfortunately are only able to watch from afar. As Geralt, Vesemir, and Eskel try to search for a cure you're stuck in the wind.

"I'm going to sleep this tea off." He smiles. "I think it's finally making me tired."

"Here follow me." I walk towards the room with him following. I feel his gaze upon me.

"Here's where you'll be staying." You open the door, go in and light a fire.

"I could've done that." He laughs

" If I were you I wouldn't bend down. It might be a bit more painful than you expect. I'll change your bandages before you leave." You give a reassuring smile "If you need anything just shout for me I'll be in the other room." You get up as the fire starts. He puts a hand on your shoulder. As you look to face him you see sincerity in his eyes.

"I'm very grateful to you. You saved my fucking life. I know I already said I'd help you, but I feel as if I owe you more than that."

Your heart starts to pound. "You don't owe me any more. I promise. Your company was payment enough." You smiled. He had paused. "I'm glad to have met you, Eskel." He gives his attractive smile. "I'm glad to have met you too." He lets go of my shoulder. "Goodnight, Y/N." "Goodnight." And with that he had gone to sleep. You close his door and sit upon your chair reading. You caught yourself zoning off with Eskel lingering in your mind. His eyes, smile, humor, care, and handsomeness gave you butterflies. Hopefully someone can help make you mortal again.