#i - like jaskier - need sleep really bad

[geraskierfanficprompts]

Prompt 49

Jaskier is overworking himself to get everything ready before the deadline of the upcoming bardic competition is upon him. Geralt notices Jaskier struggling to write, staring off into space, the dark circles under his eyes and his queasy appearance, and decides to force the poor bard to take a lazy day with him.

[thedemonofcat]

“You love selfishly,” the witch told Geralt, which was pretty presumptuous seeing as how they’d met all of 5 minutes ago. And those 5 minutes had been spent trying to kill each other. “This selfishness will hurt you and those you love. Until you learn to love selflessly, you will only take your pleasure in the pleasure of others.”

Even as the curse took hold, Geralt didn’t panic. As curses went, it didn’t sound so bad. The bit about “pleasure” made it sound like it was about sex. Like, he wouldn’t be able to feel good unless his partner did, which was a standard Geralt held for himself anyway.

Only, the curse was much more than what he had assumed. Geralt soon discovered that food had lost its taste, that he tossed and turned all night. He wasn’t in pain, but he was never comfortable.

Fuck.

Through trial and error, Geralt learned the rules of his curse. It was pretty simple really. He couldn’t enjoy anything in life alone. Someone had to be nearby and enjoying it with him. Their pleasure was his pleasure. If that person wasn’t pleased with a meal—or in general—Geralt’s food would taste poorly too.

This made things difficult for Geralt. He had a solitary profession. Additionally, the people he did meet were never comfortable around him: all scared of hateful or suspicious.

Geralt found some work arounds though. Roach was a lifesaver: if she was eating, he could eat nearby and taste his meal. As long as she slept well—and nearby—he could sleep.

Winter was better: he explained his situation to his brothers, and he was never left without a companion. They offered to travel with him on the path, but he refused. He could endure the rest of the year as long as he had Roach

Geralt considered breaking the curse; however, he honestly wasn’t sure how. He honestly didn’t believe in love that was completely selfless. Relationships were always about give and take. People always wanted things from one another.

Years passed, Geralt endured, and then he met Jaskier.

Jaskier was… odd. He had taken one glance at a witcher, a rumored butcher, and decided that Geralt was his traveling companion. And then his muse. And then his friend. No matter how Geralt tried to disabuse him of any of these notions.

He did admit that having Jaskier with him made the path easier. He didn’t have to carefully time his meals and sleep around Roach when the bard was around. Jaskier was also surprisingly easy to please. Geralt could give him stale bread to eat and a lumpy mattress to sleep on, and the bard exuded joy.

Even while complaining the entire time.

The oddities continued when Geralt discovered that Jaskier didn’t have to eat a meal to enjoy it. Once, Geralt had been grievously injured, and Jaskier had insisted on spoonfeeding him. Even though the bard didn’t eat a morsel, the bard was so happy that the soup tasted like ambrosia to Geralt.

It was all so strange, and it made Geralt strange too. He caught himself thinking about how to make Jaskier happy. Not because of the curse. Because…because it was Jaskier, and Jaskier was meant to be happy.

Geralt loved seeing Jaskier smile, especially when he laughed. He'd never been one for music, but the sound of Jaskier's laughter was the sweetest melody to him.

But there were days when Jaskier seemed lost. Despite his usual cheerfulness and boundless energy, sometimes a deep sadness settled over the bard.

“You need to get up,” Geralt said. It had been three days since Jaskier had refused to leave his bed at the inn where they were staying, and Geralt was running low on coin.

“Then just leave me,” Jaskier muttered. “You always say you will.”

“I don’t mean that,” Geralt replied. “You know that.” This time, his tone carried a hint of uncertainty.

“Leave me alone, Geralt,” Jaskier said, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

On days like this, Geralt wondered most about the curse. Was it selfish of him to wish Jaskier weren’t sad? To want to understand the monsters lurking in the bard’s mind so he could fight them?

All Geralt knew was that he loved seeing Jaskier happy.

[spielzeugkaiser]

I have seen S3!! It cost me dearly (oh god my sleep schedule and body) but I'm so glad I did because I LOVED IT. so much!! I didn't know they had it in them but aaaaaaaa. Spoilers under the cut!

- I loved the relationships. I LOVED THEM. I could come on board with Geralt-Yen, I really enjoyed both Geralt-Ciri and Yen-Ciri (she's her mum 😭) and Ciri-Jaskier was everything I ever wanted. There were other things happening this season (👀) but that was the absolute highlight for me + Geralt actually showing that he cares for Jaskier and their relationship f i n a l l y being portrayed as the deep and meaningful friendship/bond that it is. I watch the witcher for a lot of reasons but mostly for the found family and VINDICATION aaaaa

- this was such a good Jaskier season, my love, me eternal light, the reason why I fell in love with this show - he had a PLOT, he had his wits, he had agency, he's still so anxious but was there as bait (they!! adressed his trauma in the little ways!) and I love that they went the route of Jaskier telling Geralt about Phillippa, honestly guys, I can die happy now, especially with-

- BI BARD BI BARD BI BARD BI BARD (nearly everything has been said about this, just. This fuels me. I needed this so bad, t h a n k you netflix for going through with what you started in S1). I can't shake the feeling that things are going to end quite badly but then I also. like to whump the bard. sooo, if I end up right.. 👀

- I might have sniffed a little when they made Geralt cry because he didn't want his mum to hurt?? Don't do this to me I am not strong enough, that got me. That really got me.

- Geralt might have murdered some people this seasons (and was SO DOWN to kill Stregebor, I crackled, I love himmmmm) but he was such a good moral compass for Ciri this season? Had so much integrity? Did they actually manage to keep him of his path of neutrality? WISE MAN GERALT? EMOTIONAL DEPTH GERALT??

- Ciri really grew on me this season! They really did her good

- Yen didn't need to grow on me, but ohhhh SHE DID. I loved her storyline. I loved her introspection - family goat Geralt I am crying

- the costumes were not perfect but honestly most of the time they were slaying and Geralts armour is now sooo much better, I'd say, improvements there too!

- black horsie is a Roach too (with subtitles on) I can forgive them

- Otto out there with the plague of '21 ??? Brooooooooo

- Fringilla absolutely deserves to live her best life, yes queen. Also Cahirs first little breakdown??

- so many book scenes I enjoyed gosh YES. I already said that but the Jaskier&Ciri one guys I melted-

- the pacing felt at times a little weird? With weird interceptions of scenes at times, like the wild hunt one at the end of episode 3(?). But that was just a minor thing that made me go. Hmm? 🤨

- I LOVE THAT VALDO IS JUST A GUY. He is just a guy! A funny little man that sings the equivalent of medieval, sappy, cliched boyband songs about love, ppfpfpf. Jaskier you PETTY bitch it's like wanting the Taylor Swift of the continent to die and I love him for it - this is the first season that I could just. watch again? right after finishing??? what a quality improvement!!

[dapandapod]

oh my god, I need this in my life ;____; Pairing is dealer's choice.

36. unconsciously searching out each other’s hand while sleeping

Look. I kinda missed the mark here, in a sense, as did I miss the timely window to write/reply.... xD anyway here it is? some Geraskier, a healthy dose of pining, and a lot of semi-platonic cuddling! Thank you Ebs my love for beta-reading! And I hope you like it, Kuri-darlin! Please enjoy <3 On Ao3 here!

It starts, as it often does between the two of them, with a deep bottle of spirit and a great idea. Usually, it’s one of Jaskier’s, but this time neither of them will claim the responsibility.

Skinnydipping is a much better plan in summer temperatures, rather than in late spring. Cold water from the icy mountains is still trickling down in rivers and finding itself in the lake they are now rushing out of, bare as the day they were born.

Jaskier isn’t shrieking, he never is, he is just flexing his vocal chords. Geralt is telling him that he is indeed shrieking, and that he should stop before it gets shrill enough to call the local dogs over.

Punching Geralt’s chest is very different when he is not wearing any clothes, skin cool and slippery, and Jaskier loses himself for a moment.

This is where it all begins, in a sense.

They are both rather lost, directionless in the free way of the traveling pair they are, but still trying to make out what path is theirs, and if what they will find at the end of the road will please them.

Geralt grasps Jaskier’s hand, and holds it to his chest. If asked, he will say he is clearly making sure Jaskier won’t be able to punch him again, but if you ask Jaskier, the only thing he will remember is firm fingers around his wrist, chest hair rough against his knuckles.

When Jaskier does not immediately protest, just stares at their hands with wide eyes, Geralt declares the bard too drunk, and he pulls Jaskier with him towards land by the hand.

Getting dressed one handed is… even more complicated while drunk, but the witcher does not let go of the bard, and leads him all the way to their rooms. They technically have their own rooms, but somehow they both end up in Jaskier’s room, only half way into the bed.

Later, Geralt remembers waking up with Jaskier’s fingers laced through his, and turns to look at his face lax in sleep, pressed against the mattress.

It happens again, of course it does. This time they are between inns, with winter and his bad timing stealing one last cold night before spring broke through properly.

They have found alright shelter, compromising the comfort of the open forest floor for keeping warm, snuck in the crack of a rock formation.

The fire is doing wonders, and despite the smoke stinging their eyes, Jaskier is looking decidedly snuggly with the fire behind him outlining his figure.

Their bedrolls are side by side, and Jaskier has grabbed onto Geralt’s hand, marveling over… well, marveling in general actually.

This time there is no alcohol between them, just a sense of peace and amusement, and Geralt watches Jaskier trace each digit, using both hands to look this way and that.

His knuckles are getting a great deal of attention, as is his thumb and palm. While he does it, Jaskier tells a story about his mother and a fortune teller that probably was a sham, but there once was this palm reader he met in Novigrad, and did you know that the placing or lack of calluses really tells a lot about you as a person?

Geralt listens with a smile, and snarks at the obvious holes in the storytelling when Jaskier is making too much up again, and, between one heartbeat and the next, Jaskier’s eyes droop shut.

He is still holding onto Geralt’s hand, one cradling the side of his hand and his pinky, the other holding onto his thumb. Even as specks of snow trickle down from above, and the wind howls, the fire crackles merrily, and Jaskier is holding his hand in his sleep.

Geralt doesn’t take his hand back, and in the morning they have inched closer, and Jaskier is holding Geralt’s hand against himself like you would a teddy bear.

Not long after the summer solstice, they make a close acquaintance with death. Her foul breath brushes the bard’s cheek as a Necker’s claw dug into his flesh.

Lucky for all of them, Jaskier is wearing a leather coat, and instead of being fatal, it just ends up being very fucking painful.

Blood is not a good look on bards, at least not their own, Geralt decides when Jaskier sits eerily quiet after being patched and bundled up in a barn that they’ve got to borrow for the night, with the promise not to bleed on the hay.

That night, Geralt reaches for Jaskier’s hand, holding it as he presses himself up against the bard’s back, listening to his even breaths and rapid heartbeat, infinitely grateful he made it in time to save him.

As with anything, spend enough time doing something and a habit is formed.

It isn’t every time, nor is it a conscious thought, but if there is but an arm's length between them, they will either end up half way out of their bedrolls and meet in the middle, fingers lacing together, or when they’re sitting idly next to each other for whatever reason, their fingers will seek each other out, sometimes barely touching, and other times overlapping.

It stops being a conscious choice, it is something just done. Jaskier eagerly grabbing his hand as he tells exciting news and then forgets to let go, or Geralt wanting to keep track of him, or to support him, or when in a crowd.

It’s natural, an anchor when they are in danger of getting lost.

They part, and they reunite later that summer, and that fall Geralt grabs Jaskier’s hands to rub them warm, to breathe on them to help him regain temperature.

He knows you shouldn’t breathe on them, knows how a breath actually can make them colder, but Geralt may or may not be accidentally brushing his lips to Jaskier’s knuckles, and Jaskier is pretending not to notice, pretending he doesn’t have fine rabbit gloves tucked in his backpack, gifted by the very witcher right in front of him.

Things change, and also they don’t.

Dragons and witches and a child of the elder blood marks each change in their own way. Jaskier finds himself waking up, holding his own hand in his cold room in Kaer Morhen, and Geralt’s hand reaches across the empty bed for the bard’s even before he registers not to.

Another bottle of spirits, this time a stolen Nilfgaardian booze smelling absolutely terrible with the aftertaste of dirt, and another bright idea later, and Jaskier and Geralt once again find themselves sprawled halfway across Jaskier’s bed.

Geralt had to pull him up the stairs by the hand to keep their balance, or so they told themselves. The White gull Geralt ended up downing tastes terrible on the second day he notes, shifting and pulling the warmth by his side closer.

Jaskier grunts in his ear and knees his thigh, but only when he tightens his hold around hot, sweaty fingers does Geralt realize what he’d been missing. Jaskier is tangled against him, arm trapped under himself in an angle that will promise complaints the moment he wakes up. It is warm, and it is comfortable, and Geralt is slowly coming to terms with what pleases him.

Relearning how to share a bed is much easier when you have an anchor, a focal point, or it would have been if Geralt wasn’t startled awake by Jaskier almost falling out of bed. They resettle, Jaskier now firmly between the witcher and the wall, and the back of Geralt’s hand pressed against his lips as sleep reclaims him.

It doesn’t matter if they are awake or not, they reach for each other like a weed craves the sun, like roots seeking dirt, like vines growing where they find purchase.

The day Geralt wakes up and finally finds courage, he kisses Jaskier’s palm, and Jaskier kisses his lips.

[feastingonfanfiction]

Watching the witcher ep 5 for the first time while putting here my unfiltered thoughts

(Watching for tissaia/myanna buring)

Bro has bodyparts in jars and looks at self nekked

Now there's a dude who shows up and he doesn't cover self up

What is he?

Which time line is this?

...gonna wear this one for a while ok so he takes people's skins and wears it...hate that

Also again the body parts in jars are real creepy

Oh magic guy...Oof he throw up

The white flame????

Is this the guy who's gonna get killed....oh no oh no he's gonna...

Lmao do we have to, bruh you agreed to it...guy so unappealing he don't want to.

Magic guy of lil princess is gonna...maybe die...

OK so he's not dead, they didn't...oh no they are gonna kill him...no!!!!!!

OK we got a creepy shapeshifter who has bodyparts in jars

....yennefer wants a kid now? ....ah so she's doing this now????

Oof to keep the lil princess? To not? Oh they killed the spies that are after her

LMAO They just chatting about her right in front of her and she's just there like.

Oh she definitely didn't like this decision...if magic man is dead and replaced with a shapeshifter and he gets in I worry for this group

Geralt goes...fishing?

Oh there's jaskier

He's not fishing he can't sleep

He's gone mad

Oh He's looking for the wish granters...

How does he know its in the lake???

How's his singing? Oof that's not something you'll want to hear jaskier

He needs a nap? No shit Sherlock, you trying to conversate with him will not make him happier in his sleep deprived annoyed state

Oh he caught something

Never open strange pots or make sus deals

Damn he really was butt hurt over geralts comment

Opens the bottle and starts stealing geralts wishes almost using all 3 I don't want to assume badly but bro just let the man be able to sleep you were gonna just use all 3 and let geralt be unable to sleep

Like greed is not a good look

Nah jask don't start begging for geralt you did this to yourself bro

Oof oh no

I dont jask to die even tho he was kinda acting as a pompous prick

That's a LARGE welt on his neck

Watcha not saying Mr medical healer?

Imprisoned the mage in his house?

Powerful and malicious? Off to see the mage

Tissaia "you like pain" to yennefer

TISSAIA :D

Haven't seen her for years? Damn really yen?

!!!!:D when tissaia talks!!!!

Is being an irrelevant mage so bad? Sometimes a person wants to live a simple life

You knew the cost of enchantment!

(Ye exactly that!)

But i didn't know what it would mean to me(???)

Her body her choice but she knew the terms and conditions before doing the thing to escape her fate of being sent somewhere else and be pretty to get her elsewhere and now she regrets it?

Perhaps it's like the message doing stupid things when you were younger that you regret kinda now thought but just idk

I wonder if she had a chance to go back and do it again would she?

She escaped being sent to nilfgaard, but if she had the chance would she change that decision and go to nilfgaard but by doing so she keeps her ability to have children? Or was it all mages go through that transformation? Idk

What does it mean to you?

Why?

I would like to know too

If yen didn't have the whole ordeal of protecting the lady and baby would she still be doing all of this? Would she still regret?

Just cause she doesn't know a cure there isn't one

I'd assume there's dark dealing for that kind of thing ma'am

The way tissaia talks is so lovely just 😍

Return to aretuza

And she says no! The audacity

Aretuzas not just everything to her

People value it!

Could have gone to aretuza to teach next gen

She sees it as her being used

But it could be seen as a sense of fulfillment for what she can't have, though the girls aren't a baby or child she's still teaching someone who will need guidance and thought it's not the same it's as close to I guess?

...idk how to feel bout yen right now?

She's given all she could give but yen wants everything...

Oof she just brushes her off

Two guys on a horse very lil space a part cause they're on a mission to heal one of them(said in voice of two bros chilling in a hot tub 5 feet apart cause they're not gay)

He just holding him like sack of flowers as he wheeze

Oh Jeez mayor is nakey

...she? Is the mayor OK?

Oh...fantasy spice

They just walking through it

YEN???

Are we merging timelines now?

YEN THE FECK?

What is this I got you apple juice, idk it felt like funny offer like gift of adult to child

What'd he fail to mention

Jaskier probs would love it if only he weren't struggling with his giant lump on throat

Yen:just a friend?

Me....they are fruity kinda

But also what? Is this interest?

...yen flirting with geralt not sure how to feel

Oh no telling her about a wish granter when she so badly wants her uterus back bad idea

What's the chance she tries to take your wish?

Damn They were under a spell for the whole....spicy stuff

Bath in house of place where spice was happening

Bro really is desperate for sleep

Like a lil magic but then servitude?

....is this a Canon ship?

Are they trying to give...vibes here between them? Idk

Not sure how to feel about it

Again he chooses to take a bath

...they bathing together

Interesting conversation

Yen:a friend?

Really stuck on that huh

Geralt said some mean things cause he was sleep grumpy but nice that he doesn't want it to be the last thing he remembers

Oh he caught her doing sus thing

Oh and now she's using jask

Yo wtf

She kiss him???

Oh a trap

Oh healer man from before

...dungeon?

He looks haggard

Did she control him?oh she did

...elf man loves yen???

Oh the bard awakens

Will yen get her wish?

Damn jask really worried he did the spice and is trying to run

Starts to sing song

Oh valley oh PENIS

lmao

I wonder if geralt was asleep in some sense when he was under yens control?

Oh magic creature???

How??? How'd he get it???

OK geralt escaped

The duos reunited

And then he's gonna turn around and try to stop her in true geralt fashion

Lmao geralt:ur making me uncomfortable

To elf man

He's really going to help her

Like I can see it but also like...

Yen stop it!

Gosh if she just said I want my uterus back

He would've given it like bruh, but she wants more

Is he gonna wish for the creature to just go away?

Oh the house is breaking down and the creatures gone

...elf man still in love with yen? How'd that happen?

Yen you good? Probs not

She's gonna be pissed

Their faces are very close I could see how people would ship it with like tension there

I dont ship

But then again I'm not sure what I ship?

And they kiss

How the feck did it get to this

Oh they getting spicy

They were JUST ARGUING

....oh no elf man sees the lady he likes getting it on with Mr witcher

Mr steal your girl

Jask just stands there and stares

They're really alive lmao

Yup

Bro stop watching

Yes elf man drag him away....

Damn geralt sleeps after that spicy

Oh now we go to lil princess

NOOOO KILL THE DOPPLEGANGER

NOOOO GET AWAY FROM HIM

THEYRE GONNA GET IN AND HURT THE TRIBE NOOOOO

.....DONT TRUST HIM

MAKE HIM DRINK THE WATER

Nooooooooooooo! No!No!

Dara save her! Be sus of magic doppleganger shapeshifter

Please if you just gave him the freaking water it'd probs save this whole situation

No don't let her leave!

Gosh I hope they're OK after this if nilfgaard hurts the tribe ill be so pissed

[27dragons]

New Year Countdown: Dec 8

Today's story is Geraskifer (Geralt/Jaskier/Yennefer)!

Dec 8 - Geraskifer - Fake Relationship - Fireplace

All three of them were deep in their cups -- there wasn’t much else to do while they waited for the spring thaw to open the mountain pass. They were playing Gwent, the loser ceding their chair to the spectator after each round; the playing table had been set up in front of the fire, where the light was best, and the players’ chairs were the warmest seats in the house. It was a good system - there was incentive to win, to remain by the fire, but even the loser only had to wait one game to reclaim one of the good spots.

It was something to do, at any rate, which made it better than doing nothing, though only by the slimmest of margins. After more than a month in this place, they’d all learned each other’s tells, sober or drunk, and it was starting to get more than a bit tedious. But drinking and playing Gwent was better than listening to the wind howl and worrying about Ciri.

Jaskier could think of better -- and warmer -- activities with which to pass the time, but, decades of pining aside, he was pretty sure that wasn’t going to happen. His only consolation was that he was reasonably certain that Geralt wasn’t fucking Yennefer, either. Not unless they were doing it in utter silence, and “quiet” had not been a word he’d have used to describe Geralt and Yennefer’s relationship at any time in the past.

Geralt grunted irritably and threw down the rest of his cards. “I’m going to check Roach.” He stalked out of the little cabin and out into the storm without even pausing to put on a scarf.

“He seems tense,” Jaskier observed, taking Geralt’s chair and raking the cards toward himself.

“He needs to get laid,” said Yennefer.

Jaskier made a face as he started shuffling. “I’m not stopping him.”

Yennefer hummed, collecting her cards as he dealt them. “He wants both of us.”

“The fuck he does.”

“No, really,” she said. “I’ve seen him watching you.”

“I know you’re lying to me,” Jaskier said, narrowing his eyes at her over his cards. “I just can’t figure out what your angle is.”

“My angle,” Yennefer said, “is that I think we’d all be a bit more comfortable if we were sharing the bed instead of sleeping on the floor.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“He thinks we hate each other.”

Jaskier paused in the middle of laying down a card. “Because... we do.” Jaskier didn’t, actually, hate her. Not anymore. But he’d kiss Valdo Marx on the mouth before he admitted it out loud. “We very much do hate each other, Yennefer.”

“Mm.” Her fey violet eyes snared his gaze. “And what’s that got to do with fucking?”

Jaskier opened his mouth, then closed it again. She had a point. “So what do we do?”

“He’s a man,” Yennefer said. “Men are oblivious.” She gave him a stern look to keep him from protesting. He hadn’t been planning on it. “So when he comes back, we should be kissing.”

Jaskier blinked. “Kissing?”

“Yes.” She stood up and started unlacing her shirt. “Or something similar. It’s best to be direct.”

“Just like that, he’s going to believe we’ve stopped hating each other and now want to fuck?”

“Yes.”

“...All right.” Jaskier got up and started in on his pants. “And then what?” he wondered. “Just say, ‘why don’t you join us to make sure things stay civil?’”

“Not bad,” Yennefer said, grudgingly impressed. “That might even work.” She grabbed his shirt and pulled him up against her. “He’s coming,” she whispered, closing her teeth on his earlobe just a touch past the point of pain. “Act like you want this.”

[astaldis]

Whumptober Masterlist

Hi, thank you so very much for organising this year's Whumptober, it was a lot of fun! ❤️❤️❤️

Here are my creations for the event, all in all 54 prompts used and 30,630 words written, all are for The Witcher except the last one (but the two actors are also in The Witcher):

- Where is Jaskier?

Prompts: 1 "Search party"/"Race against the clock", 2 "Trust issues", 3 "Set up for failure"/"I warned you", 6 "Not realizing they're injured", 7 "Unconventional weapon", 9 "Bruises", 10 "Slurred words"/"Passing out from pain"/"I can't think straight", 11 "Seeing double"/"Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist", 12 "Underground caverns", 24 "I never knew daylight could be so violent", 30 "Recovery", alt. "Vermin": While the Hansa is on their journey searching for the druids of Caed Dhu, Jaskier goes missing. Geralt is worried, very worried. (Words: 9,053)

- Silence

Prompts: 4 "Hallucinations/Sensory deprivation", 27 "Voiceless", alt. "Venom": It is quiet. Not a single sound. Eerie. Absolute silence. But should he not hear twigs crunching under the soles of his boots? The autumn wind whispering in the trees' orange and yellow leaves that lend a golden glow to the picturesque landscape? Birds twittering in the bushes and sheep bleating in the distant meadows? How can there be this deep and utter silence? And why is he alone? Where is everybody? Milva? Regis? Cahir? And, most of all, Geralt? (Words: 800)

- All Is Not As It Seems

Prompts: 12 "Cannibalism", 31 "I'm alive, I'm just not well": Coën groans. Judging by how tired he feels, he cannot have slept for long, maybe an hour or two. Something has woken him up. A sound like the whetting of a blade. Cahir is not sharpening his sword in the middle of the night, is he? Groggily, he blinks his eyes open.

"Hmm, how strange. This has never happened before. Why are you not out cold like your friend?"

For a moment, Coën stares at the tall blonde man, disoriented. Then his memory clicks into place. Soren. The cottage in the heath. The delicious meal and the nice guest room with the one bed. Cahir snuggled up close to him. Fuck, this is not the bed he fell asleep in, he suddenly realises. It feels like he is lying on a wooden table instead, and his hands— Dammit, what is going on here? And where is Cahir? (Words: 2,059)

- White Eyes

Prompts: 20 "It's not your fault", 21 "Spirit possession", 30 "What have I done?", alt. "Regret": Ciri has a bad nightmare. Yennefer wants to help, yet somehow she makes things worse, much worse. Fortunately, Geralt and Vesemir know what to do. (Words: 1,000)

- Retribution

Prompts: 21 "Body Horror", 27 "Voiceless"/I have no mouth and I must scream": After Stygga, Cahir wakes up shackled in a white room - with Emhyr var Emreis. Dead Dove: Do Not Eat! (Words: 700)

- A Hairy Problem

Prompt 23 "Public display": On their way south, Geralt and his company need to buy provisions in a town not far from the Yaruga. However, a surprise is waiting there for Cahir, and it is not a pleasant one. (Words: 1,000)

- Sleep now:

Prompt 26 "Nightmares": Jaskier has a terrible nightmare. Geralt soothes him. But was it really just a nightmare? (Words: 423)

- Something Moving In The Shadows (chapters 33, 35, 36, 45, 47-49)

Prompts: 5 "Healing salve", 7 "Magic with a cost", 9 "Broken window", 13 "multiple whumpees", 14 "Left for dead", 15 "Childhood trauma"/"Painful hug", 16 "Wound cleaning", 17 "Nowhere else to go", 18 "I see what's mine and take it"/"Revenge", 19 "Blood trail", 20 "Emotional angst"/"It's not your fault", 22 "Oh, that's not good"/"Bleeding through bandages", 25 "Stitches", 29 "Fatigue", alt. "Secrets revealed", alt. "Motion sickness", alt. "Shivering":

On their way to rescue Ciri, Geralt and his Hansa come by the ruin of an old castle. It is a bit eerie, but should they stay the night there anyway or rather move on toward the forest? You decide! Interactive Choose your own adventure Hansa fic with different options for the reader to choose from! (63,159 words, 51/51 chapters)

- Night and day, you are the one

Prompt 30: "Hospital bed": Lily keeps a bedside vigil at the hospital, waiting for Alexander to wake up. (The ABC Murders 2018, Words: 584)

[glwstic]

Rec List 1: The Witcher

-  Do it Again by thisgirlsays22 for KioneM

By the twentieth time Geralt has gone through the loop, he decides to just throw himself off the cliff’s edge after Borch.

He wakes up to his twenty-first attempt.

“Fuck.”

Oneshot,  6,771 words

-  The High Road by sospes

Jaskier accepts an invitation to perform at the sixteenth birthday celebrations of an old friend's son, and, after everything, Geralt's not about to let him out of his sight. It all just sort of escalates from there.

6/6 Completed,  37,639 words

-  Long and Winding by sospes

On their way to meet Yennefer after wintering at Kaer Morhen, Jaskier gets separated from Geralt and Ciri. It all just sort of escalates from there.

8/8 Completed,  48,992 words

-  To Sleep Perchance To by sospes

Jaskier gets kidnapped and tortured. Geralt comes to rescue him.

Except it's not quite that simple.

Oneshot,  16,955 words

-  Bad Moon Rising by sharkhette

Jaskier had never expected it would be Geralt trying to kill him. Sure, the witcher liked to threaten as much, but they both knew he'd never make good on it. They were friends, whatever Geralt said.

But friends didn't try to rip each other's throats out with their teeth. _______

Or, Geralt returns from a hunt acting strange.

2/2 Completed,  9,022 words

-  Redwood and Dandelion by sharkhette

"The Witcher's bought a room for the night, and says he'll pay double for anyone who can bed him without stinking of fear the whole time."

"Oh, I've fucking got this," Jaskier promised. ____________

Or, the one where Jaskier works in a brothel and falls head over heels for the stoic, not-actually-that-scary Witcher who comes in requesting his services.

Geralt doesn't know what he's getting himself into.

Oneshot,  11,608 words

-  no; weaknesses by blogotron9000

Yennefer lets her spoon drop into her bowl, and Geralt senses, too late, the trap he's stepped into. "You think him weak, then?"

"That isn't what I said, Yen."

"But it's what you meant." Her eyes dare him to disagree, and he can't. "He was tortured for you."

Oneshot,  1,664 words

-  warm you like the sunshine by some_stars

"Why do you go with people who hurt you?"

He looked at Jaskier, and kept looking at him after he looked away and the smile dropped off his face. After a long silence, Jaskier said, in a much more tired voice, "I don't exactly have a lot of options, Geralt."

On the face of it it wasn't true--Jaskier could find a willing young woman or man in any half-crowded tavern without lifting a finger--but that wasn't what he meant, of course. He meant when he needed...that particular sort of person. That particular experience.

Without the slightest forethought or intention, Geralt frowned and said, "You have me."

Oneshot, 8,660 words

-  Unspoken by sospes

Geralt is summoned to the court of Count Enri and called on to fight a monster - and Jaskier, of course, is right in the middle of things.

Except monsters can be human, too.

Oneshot,  13,712 words

-  The Public Perception of the Barding Profession by sospes

“I’m a bard, Geralt,” Jaskier says, like that explains everything. “To a lot of people, there’s a very fine line between a musician and a whore. A line that’s so fine that, in fact, it doesn’t really exist."

Geralt learns that Jaskier's life can be just as painful as his, sometimes.

Oneshot,  9,552 words

[dancingwiththefae]

How about Not Yet / Love Run and Yennskier or Geraskefer? <3

Thank you for the prompt <3 I went for Geraskefer for this one. Points to anyone who knows the real pirate Jaskier talks about.

No warnings I think? Some bad guys getting killed at the end but that's it

wc: 1.1k

----------------------------------------

Yennefer shifted in her sleep. And then again. A small whimper escaped her lips. Her brow furrowed. She was having a nightmare. It was a frequent occurrence for both of them these days. Jaskier sat on the ground beside her, gently brushed the hair back from her face and began to hum. It was the only thing he could think of. He hummed quietly, conscious of their vulnerable state out in the open.

Yennefer's eyes fluttered and opened. For a moment, she seemed peaceful, still in that place between waking and sleep. Then, with a deep breath, she looked up at him. She reached over to take his hand and pull him down to lie with her. He halted his humming and went willingly. They had grown close since she saved his life. Since they saved each other.

“Keep going,” she mumbled.

He finished the song as they lay on the ground together. In moments like these, it was easy to forget all they were facing. It wasn't long after leaving Kaer Morhen that they were ambushed. Nilfgaardian spies had pushed them south. They split up to try and evade them. Yennefer dragged Jaskier through a portal before he knew what was happening. They had travelled on foot since then, finding their way back to Geralt and Ciri and evading their enemies close behind.

“What was the song?” Yennefer asked.

“Oh, an old one.” He pulled her in close. “About a pirate queen who ruled the seas. Brave, loyal. Fearless. Even gave a queen a run for her money.”

“What happened to her?”

“Not sure,” Jaskier conceded, “I like the version where she dies in a castle surrounded by her most trusted people. But then I am a romantic. Always preferred a happier ending.”

Yennefer hummed. The sun was just beginning to rise. They had to move soon.

“Not yet,” she whispered.

As much as they wanted to stay just a little bit longer. But the longer they stayed, the more dangerous it became. Reluctantly, they pulled apart and packed away what little they had with them. Jaskier had no idea if Yennefer knew where she was going or if she kept moving to keep safe. He didn't ask. She seemed to be headed consciously in one direction, with a few twists and turns to evade their pursuers, so he followed.

Avoiding settlements and roads, they trudged through dense forest. It was miserable. Stray branches cut at his clothes and his skin. His body ached, desperate for rest and a comfortable bed. But there was no chance of that. They had to keep going. Only stopping briefly for food and water. The rain came in the afternoon. When it came, it came all at once, soaking them both through until they shivered.

“Is it really worth it?” Jaskier asked desperately, “is he worth it?”

Yennefer did not reply. She schooled her face into one of determination and continued. He watched her march past him and sighed. He carried on behind.

They eventually found shelter in the form of a cave. The sun had begun to set and the cooler air of the night crept in. They couldn't risk a fire. Instead, they huddled close together in their bedrolls through the night. Morning came too soon. He didn't resist when Yennefer untangled herself from him. The bard sat up and sighed. Another day. He got up and packed their things while Yennefer ventured outside. It was only a moment later that she returned. The tension in her shoulders and the look in her eyes told him everything before she even spoke.

“We need to go.”

In a rush, he shoved everything into the bag and got to his feet. It looked a peaceful morning as they came out from the cave. He turned back to her, confused.

“What's wrong?”

A whistling noise shot past his ear and an arrow bounced off the rocky wall behind him. He stared down at it, submerged in the grass, and then back at Yennefer.

“Run.”

He didn't need to be told twice. They bolted through the trees. Shouts came from behind. Jaskier didn't look back to check. They kept going, changing direction every now and again to try and give them the slip. They kept going, despite the protests in their legs and the burning in their lungs. But the effort was futile. They were surrounded on all sides.

“Can't you open a portal or something?” Jaskier demanded through gasping breaths.

“Like the other one that they tracked? They'll just track us again,” Yennefer shouted in reply. She set herself into a defensive stance, hands splayed at the ready. Jaskier pulled out the dagger he kept in his boot.

“I hope Geralt taught you a few things,” Yennefer commented as she eyed the pitiful weapon.

“Nope.” It came out almost like a sob. The sorceress huffed.

The shouting and rustling of marching steps came closer. Nilfgaardians emerged one by one. The sorceress wasted no time in throwing spells towards them. She caught a few and they fell. But she was exhausted. They both were. Rustling came from behind. Jaskier barely had enough time to think about how screwed they were until a figure burst from the trees, cutting down a Nilfgaardian in a sweep of his sword.

“Geralt.”

Jaskier said his name like a prayer. He'd never been so relieved to see anyone in his life. They witcher turned back to give him an unreadable look before continuing forward, cutting down enemies as he went. Yennefer threw herself back into the fray, covering the witcher's back. Jaskier tried to keep to the sidelines. With a cry, one came towards him. He held his dagger in front of him with all the determination of a man who knew he was about to die. A sword cut through the Nilfgaardian's chest from behind. He spluttered and fell before the bard. Geralt stood in front of him with blood on his cheek and panting. He had been the last of them. Jaskier didn't even think about it, he moved towards the witcher and engulfed him in an embrace. He didn't even care about the blood on him. It didn't matter. None of that mattered. Because Geralt was here now.

“Missed you, too,” Geralt mumbled, “Ciri is waiting in the village nearby. Come on.”

The bard took one last look at the bodies they had left and followed.

“How did you know where we were?” Yennefer asked.

“Felt your magic and knew it must have been you. You two have been difficult to track. I'm...proud.”

“You were looking for us, too?” Jaskier wasn't sure why he was surprised.

“Of course. Why wouldn't I?”

In a bold move, the bard reached out to take him by the hand. He looked over at Yennefer, who was walking alongside them, weary but relieved.

“No reason.”

[magdelanesingerin]

Chapter 9: Intimacy

“I feel like a creep and an asshole. He moved on, he’s happy, and I’m happy for him. I should be over it by now, we were only together for a few weeks, for fucks sake.  But there are these moments between us and I…” Geralt breaks off with a groan, rubbing his eyes hard enough to see stars bursting behind his eyelids.

“That’s understandable,” Nenneke says. “You dated Jaskier because you were attracted to him. Those feelings don’t magically go away just because the romantic relationship is over.”

“Yeah,” Geralt says morosely. "So far he either hasn’t noticed, or is nice enough to not call me out on it. I try not to spend time with just the two of us anymore. We hang out with Ren, or I try to have June with me as a distraction, so I don’t just fucking ogle him the entire time.”

“And does that help?” she asks with a knowing smirk.

“No,” he mumbles through his fingers. Nenneke laughs.

“Have you thought about getting back out there, trying to meet someone?”

“Get over someone by getting under someone else?” he asks wryly, and she snorts, shaking her head.

“Not exactly, no. Intimacy is a very normal human need, Geralt, and it’s not surprising that you’re craving human and physical connection again as you get more emotionally stable,” she says reasonably. “You’re doing really well. Making jokes, deepening friendships, your sleep is better– you seem lighter, happier. It’s wonderful to see, and it makes sense to me that you’d want to share that happiness.” 

Geralt can feel his face heating as she speaks, embarrassed by the praise, but he can’t help the tiny smile that stretches his lips upward. That fragile smile fades as she continues, “Have you been intimate with anyone in the last few months?”

He grimaces and clears his throat, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. It’s just sex, for fuck’s sake. He’s never been shy. This shouldn’t be so hard to talk about. 

“No. Not since…hm. That hookup at the beginning of the year. No one since then,” he forces out, feeling self-conscious and pathetic. 

“Ah, I remember,” she hums thoughtfully, but doesn’t berate him for his recklessness. She didn’t back then, either, when he told her about the party, the bar, and all his horrible decisions that night. He frowns and picks at his fingers, remembering the sharp, burning pain of getting fucked without prep, the cold tile under his hands, the smell of piss and stale smoke heavy in the air…

“I think you should consider dating.”

Her words pull him back out of his head and into the present. 

“Uh. What?”

“Dating,” she repeats slowly. “I think you should consider it.” She cocks her head thoughtfully. “You could try something new, something outside the bar and club scene. There are a number of dating apps for people looking for more than a hookup.”

The skeptical noise Geralt makes starts out as a groan but travels through a few other sounds before it trails off into a grumble. Nenneke’s eyebrows go up and she grins. 

“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad an idea, surely,” she snorts. “It can be a good way of meeting people who want the same things from a relationship as you. Actually, this will be an interesting exercise, a way to consider and verbalize what you are looking for in a partner and a relationship. Tell me how you’d describe yourself in your profile. Who are you, Geralt Morhen-Rivia, and what do you want out of a partner?” 

She smiles expectantly and Geralt grimaces, trying to imagine it.

Cranky, job-insecure man, late thirties with no discernible career goals seeking companion for awkward dates and maybe more. Interests include horseback riding, medieval history, working out, and going to therapy for my various mental illnesses. Open to all genders and expressions; I will be equally emotionally inept with all.

Oh yes, what a catch. 

Nenneke smiles at him encouragingly. 

He can’t say any of that out loud. 

“Hm. I…like horses. And. Food. And I’m looking for someone who. Uh…” he trails off, eyes wide and slightly desperate. 

Her smile turns a little sad, and she sighs fondly. 

“I know, it’s not easy, is it?” she says ruefully and regards him silently for a long moment. “Well, we’re out of time for the day anyway, so you’re off the hook.” She grins at him as he sags in obvious relief. “But I’d like to make that your assignment for this week. Think about three positive things you can say about yourself in a dating profile, and three things that you are looking for in a partner.”

Geralt groans like he’s been assigned a 20 page research paper instead of a dating profile, and his very supportive therapist laughs at him.

“I know, making you say nice things about yourself, so cruel,” she teases.

continue on Ao3

[dat-carovieh]

You complete us

Ship: Geralt/Jaskier/Eskel

Rating: T

Wordcount: 2.2k

Tags: Fluff, Polyamory, Getting Together, Established Relationship, Cuddling, Misunderstandings, Idiots in love

Read on AO3

It had happened often, when they still had been children, scared of the new place and many strangers around them. Back when they had just been taken from their parents and brought to Kaer Morhen. Mostly at night Eskel had stumbled over to Geralt’s bed or the other way around and they had curled up around each other, given each other some much needed safety and human contact between the hard training and the harsh voices.

It had occurred less and less the older they grew but never really stopped. So, Geralt had not been surprised, when Eskel had stumbled into his room and just slotted down on his bed without a word. He was probably having a bad day and didn’t want to sleep alone. Geralt who had been sitting on the bed, reading, grabbed him and pulled his head into his lap, so he could stroke his hair.

Geralt was sharing the room with Jaskier, of course, they had shared beds even before they had been together. But right now Jaskier was still running around the keep, doing who knew what with all that energy a human shouldn’t have while Geralt had decided he wanted to get to his room early and relax a little.

But of course, if Eskel needed his friend, he would be there for him like he always had been in the last 90 years and how Eskel had been there for Geralt.

“Do you want to talk?” Geralt offered.

“No, Lambert had just been an ass,” Eskel mumbled and closed his eyes. Geralt chuckled quietly, of course Lambert had been an ass. He leaned back and continued to run his hands to Eskel’s hair.

After a while the door opened and Jaskier entered.

“Shh,” made Geralt and pointed to Eskel.

“Is he asleep?” Jaskier asked.

“I think he is,” Geralt answered as Jaskier sat down next to him and leaned against Geralt. Eskel probably was asleep, since he didn’t move or react. Jaskier reached out to stroke Eskel’s hair as well.

“He is so cute, isn’t he? Especially when he is asleep,” Jaskier said.

“He really is. I’m already sad that we’re not going to see him through the whole summer. Also, you should have seen him as a child, he was adorable,” Geralt answered with a grin.

“Even more than now?” Jaskier asked in disbelief. Geralt nodded with a fond smile.

“I brought him snacks yesterday, when he was cleaning out the weaponry and the way he smiled at me then, absolutely stunning,” Geralt said.

“I totally get you. You remember when we arrived and I told him he was pretty, the way he blushed, made me nearly fall over my own feet,” Jaskier said and nuzzle up against Geralt’s neck. “Can you imagine if we could be with Eskel? I mean really be with him, like us two, if he’d love us both. He deserves to be loved so much and we would love him so much,” he added.

Geralt hummed in agreement and smiled. They had talked about this before. How Geralt had been in love with Eskel for decades and Jaskier had fallen for him as soon as he met him for the first time last winter. They had discussed this a lot over the last summer, how much they would love to have Eskel as part of their relationship. But none of them had actually dared to make the first step. Geralt carefully caressed Eskel’s hair, pushed a stray strand out of his face. And suddenly he listened up. It had been hidden behind Jaskier’s fast, human heartbeat but when he focused, he realized, Eskel’s heart was practically racing. Jaskier’s was still two times as fast but for a Witcher that was fast. Geralt softly put two fingers on the side of Eskel’s neck to make sure he was not mistaken. And when he looked at Eskel’s eyes, he saw they were not closed in a relaxed way like a sleeping person would, but tightly clenched together. Geralt suddenly felt hot and anxious, Eskel was awake and they possibly had just ruined their friendship with him. Because if he was awake, there was no way he hadn’t heard them. But maybe he pretended to be asleep, to give them a way out, so they could pretend it had never happened.

“Geralt, are you alright? You suddenly look very pale. I mean more pale than usually,” Jaskier asked concerned and stroked his cheek.

“It’s fine,” Geralt lied. He would tell him the truth as soon as they were be alone. Jaskier seemed to get the hint an didn’t say anything else. They sat together in relative silence, except for Jaskier’s humming, until Geralt was sure, Eskel was actually asleep. Then he slid down next to him and settled in for the night, Jaskier did the same at Eskel’s other side. Both cuddled up to Eskel.

---

When Eskel woke up he felt like he was in the safest place in the world and after a bit of orientation he realized it was because he had been sleeping between Geralt and Jaskier, who were now pressed against him, their arms slung around him. He remembered the last evening and panic rose up in him. Yes, he very much did love them and he would love to be part of their relationship, but he felt like he would be an intruder. He also wasn’t sure if they had meant what they had said. They had thought he was asleep and might have just been joking with each other. Geralt had obviously realized that he was awake in the end, that’s why he had been silent. He remembered Geralt’s hand tracing to the side of his neck and he knew Geralt had checked his heart rate there, which had been way too high. As silently as he could, he slid out under their arms and left the room. He would need to find out if they had meant what they had said without risking their friendship.

---

Geralt opened his eyes, he clearly realized something was missing, he could smell Jaskier, who was lying half on top of him and he could smell Eskel, but it was only the smell lingering in the bed, the man had left sometime while they had been sleeping. He closed his arms around Jaskier and buried his face in the bard’s hair. Jaskier apparently was awake.

“Morning Geralt. Are you alright?” he asked sleepily.

“Eskel left,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, I realized.”

“He had been awake when we were talking yesterday, he probably heard every word,” Geralt explained. Jaskier buried his face in the pillow.

“Oh fuck. Do you think we destroyed our friendship with him?” he asked and bit his lip.

“I don’t think so. He kept pretending to be asleep, probably to give us the chance to act like nothing has happened.”

Jaskier nodded, looking a little sad. Geralt wrapped his arms around Jaskier and they just stayed like that for a while.

Breakfast was awkward for the three of them, and Lambert, Aiden, and Vesemir could clearly feel the tension, see the awkward looks they were shooting each other but no one asked what was going on. After they finished eating, Eskel quickly vanished to do something. Seemingly to avoid them. Geralt and Jaskier went outside, they had decided to use winter time to work on Jaskier’s fighting abilities. He had already been good with a sword, but there was always room for improvement. Aiden and Lambert joined them.

“Do you know where Eskel went? Some training would do the old man good,” Lambert said. He called everyone who was older than him old man. Jaskier shook his head.

“Did you guys have a fight with him? You all acted strange this morning,” Aiden said. Jaskier pressed his lips into a thin line.

“Not a fight, no, but we might have still fucked up,” he explained, making it clear he didn’t want to go into further details. Aiden got the hint and didn’t ask further.

“You know, when Lambert and I fight, we talk about it and then fuck for a couple of hours,” Aiden explained, trying to be helpful. Jaskier felt panic creeping up his spine, did they know? Lambert laughed.

“That works because we are together, I believe that won’t work for their particular situation.”

So, it probably had just been Aiden being Aiden who wanted to make a joke. Jaskier relaxed again. Training would hopefully distract him a little.

Jaskier was having a hard time for the next couple of days, he didn’t know how to handle the distance with Eskel. Every time he saw him, he just wanted to hug him. Especially since he looked so unhappy. Geralt wasn’t dealing any better with it, Jaskier could feel how restless his partner was. For him it could mean to lose a decades long friendship, a friendship even longer than a human life. This wasn’t anything one would risk lightly.

It had been four days. Jaskier and Geralt were sitting on their bed, cuddling and talking, until they were disturbed by a knock on the door.

“Yes?” Geralt asked. The door opened and Eskel peaked inside.

“Hi,” he whispered. Geralt’s face immediately softened.

“Hi,” Jaskier answered.

“Can I come in?” Eskel seemed nervous. Jaskier nodded with an inviting gesture. Eskel stepped inside and fell down on the bed. He wiggled a bit until his head rested on Geralt’s lap, instinctively the white haired Witcher started to stroke his hair.

“Do you want to talk?” he asked gently. Eskel shook his head, he just stayed there, accepted getting pets. He turned to his side, eyes still closed and reached for Geralt’s other hand, pulling it against his chest. He gently moved his fingers over Geralt’s hand, caressing the skin. Geralt hummed lowly in response. Jaskier watched them both and wondered if maybe everything had been a misunderstanding. He lifted his hand and brushed over Eskel’s cheek. To his surprise, the Witcher turned his face and gently kissed his hand. A bunch of butterflies seemed to roam his guts. Hopeful, he looked at Geralt who smiled at him.

“Eskel?” he whispered.

“Hmm?” the Witcher opened his eyes and looked at Jaskier.

“The other day, when you were here, you weren’t asleep, right? You heard us talking,” Jaskier said. His hands started to sweat, he felt Geralt’s head against his, like an encouragement.

“Yes, I did,” Eskel confirmed.

“Why did you pretend to be asleep? And why did you leave in the morning?” he asked. Eskel bit his lip, he seemed unsure how to answer. Geralt moved his hand and intertwined his fingers with Eskel’s. This gesture seemed to reassure him to speak.

“I wasn’t sure if you meant what you said, I thought it might have just been a joke,” he explained and Geralt could hear his heart speed up. Eskel didn’t look at them, he was still lying with his head in Geralt’s lap, turned to his side, staring at the wall but he continued to hold Geralt’s hand.

Jaskier put a finger under Eskel’s head to turn his face to him. “Please look at me, dear,” he said softly and Eskel followed the finger, looking up into a pair of blue and a pair of golden eyes.

“We meant every word, I’ve been in love with you for more than twice the time, he has been alive,” Geralt explained and nodded in Jaskier’s direction. Jaskier made an offended noise. Not his fault they were so damn old.

“I’ve been in love with you since we met for the first time, last winter, it took me about a week to absolutely fall for you. The question is, what do you want?” Jaskier asked. Eskel felt incredible nervous, he could not believe that was really happening.

“I love you,” he breathed. “Both of you, I would love to be with you. But I don’t want to intrude.”

Jaskier slid down, so he could lie next to Eskel and put an arm around him, gently brushing his waist. “You don’t, we both want to be with you, as long as you want to be with us.” Eskel felt completely overwhelmed by the wave happiness rushing through his body. He placed a hand on Jaskier’s cheek, looking at his beautiful smile, not getting enough.

“If you want, you can kiss me,” Jaskier offered with a grin. Eskel started to grin back and inched closer, softly brushing his lips against Jaskier’s. His head started spinning at the sensation. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips on Jaskier’s, his hand where moving through the bard’s hair and for a moment he forgot everything else.

“Gods damn it you two are so cute,” came Geralt’s voice from above them. Jaskier rolled to his back and beamed at Geralt. “Do I get a kiss as well?” he asked and brushed his fingers against Eskel’s cheek. Eskel scrambled to get up and was pulled in by Geralt as soon as he had sat up. He wrapped his arms around Geralt’s neck and fell into the kiss. A warm body hugged him from behind and Eskel was sure he had never in his life been happier than right in this moment.

[kaermorhenatnight]

There's a lot of discussion around the media literacy being dead and people not understanding nuanced characters and I feel a bit weird about that.

Because when I discuss Witcher (the books and games, not the Netflix show) and say that the portrayal of Jaskier/Dandelion is problematic and irresponsible, people act like my opinion is ridiculous and say "so what, no character flaws are allowed to be shown in media? No bad behavior can be shown in media?"

(TW: SA)

But that's not what I mean? Yes, good characters are allowed to have flaws. But the problem with Jaskier is he is just not a good person all things considered. He is a fucking sex offender. He is sexist, he is manipulating women to sleep with him, lying and promising them things he never planned on doing, he stares at women when they are vulnerable and naked and their boundaries were crossed (like Yennefer being tied up and sexually assaulted and begging him to look away and he doesn't claiming it's revenge for her being mean), he makes disgusting comments about underage teenage girls. And yet he is Geralt's best friend. He is not portrayed as a bad person he is, at all. "Oh you can figure it out yourself, author doesn't need to spell it out for you." Okay but that's the problem? The main issue with that is he is doing things that the world we live in has an issue understanding are bad things and it ruins lives and kills women. Problem with rape and sexual assault is a lot of people don't treat it seriously or don't really treat it as a bad thing. So making a funny character, the quirky best friend, who is sexually abusing women and his abuse is often treated as this quirky funny thing he does (like oh he is such a womanizer, no woman is safe from him unless she climbs a tall tree haha) IS contributing to that and I should have a problem with that. It doesn't mean I think the author should spell it out. Yes, some people have issues understanding simple things but that doesn't change the fact that some pieces of media are fucking problematic with the way they portray certain behaviors. Because showing SA in the book is not bad per se (although Sapkowski really should fucking chill with it, the amount of pedophilia and rape in the series is a little bit disgusting and seems unnecessary) but it should be done responsibly considering how terribly poor is the understanding of this particular topic in our society. And call me childish for judging people for their favorite characters but if an adult man says Jaskier is his favorite character I don't want him anywhere near me. And yes, in the case of Jaskier it is very much a gendered issue.

[youaremysunshine-court]

OMG WITCHER THOUGHTS

Putting all this under the cut bc its incomprehensible at eh best of times

Yenn writing Geralt letters!!! kdfjdsjfhjdghs i love them so much i love that sh eknows shes done wrong and is trying her best to right it

Jaqskier’s forst scene being him getting thrown out for sleeping aorund. she broke his lute :((((( also wtf is he bi he got sweet talked by a pansy prince...

Geralt being. good. dad. amazing showstopping i love him i want to bite his biceps

yenn-geralt-jask all travelling together and teasing jask my poor little fandom heart! this is the plot of so many fics i have bookmarked lmao

Ciri wanting to do good for the woirld shes such a little muffin i need to protect her

- inserting quick rant here because this thought srtuck me during the split up scene - Geralt isn’t going to be the White Wolf who unites teh nations, as so many fics have suggested. Ciri is (and fair warning all book canon I know is from fics and fandom meta, so i have no idea what the plot actually does, but I have a Feeling about this.) obvy ger’s gonna be there for her and do a lot of the heavy lifitng but shes going to be the reason peace comes to [continent name]

WARRIOR PRINCESS CIRI OMG MY! HEART!

dara... dara! omg its dara what is he doing

Watching Ciri fight and immediately after seeing Geralt decimate them really puts into perspective what a witcher can do, like yes shes strong shes skilled but geralt is just engineered to fight hes on a whole other level when it comes to fighting (also HE USED HIS SIGNS LETS GO))

Geraskier geraskier geraskier send help im melting (Joey batey plays a bi man so well btw, he does the same flick-my-eyes-away-becuase-youre-being-too-sincere-and-im-in-love-with-you thing that I do, also GEralt thanking him made me scream out loud)

PLEASE SAY JASK GOES WITH GERALT TO FIND RIENCE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

During the fight scene, I was like oh this seasons soundtrack is going to Fuck and it IS

Geralt being a good dad is really something everyone needs tbh

The interpersonal relationships this season are so so so good, I feel bad for bashing on the last season’s ending, but I’m still withholding judgement until I’ve finished this season, but still yenn-geralt, yenn-ciri, geralt-ciri, geralt-jask, yenn-jask all seem more real this season and more like conversations people would have rather than plot-furthering conversations, I feel like they’ve actually put effort into this season’s emotional value, rather than just plot value yk

it’s fuckign heartbreaking how hes still carrying his broken lute around, idk if its meant to be a metaphor for his emotional wellbeing but im getting that sense from him

Also what the fuck jaskier why would you make decisions for ciri without consulting her or her dad/ You are sending her there to be married off to some fuckface isnt thaty what you ran away from in the first place what the fuck jask,

Wait so are Geralt and Jaskir not travelling together? He said Jaskier was waiting for him in [unspellable city name] but then it looks like he’s saddling up roach alone?

1) is that Cintra? 2) who is that? 3) Doesn’t he know it’s rude to burn someone else’s baby pictures? 4) if they bring in a brother fighting ciri for hte throne plotline I will NOT be happy

[bambirex]

The River’s Just A River

Pairing: Geraskier, one-sided geraskier

Characters: Jaskier/Dandelion, Geralt of Rivia

Rating: Teen

Additional tags: angst, unrequited love, one-sided attraction, love confessions, hurt jaskier, heartbreak, loneliness, hopeful ending

Word count: 1,817

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:  Jaskier needs to tell Geralt something important in order to move on with his life, even though he knows he cannot expect anything in return.

Author’s notes: I've been thinking a lot about how the show would handle queer Jaskier (which we may or may not get eventually), and if they would ever acknowledge his very obvious feelings for Geralt. I kind of had this whole scene in my head where Jaskier eventually tells Geralt, but in a way that would be, I guess, realistic in the actual show's universe (as in they wouldn't have the guts to make Geraskier canon, but we could still have canonically one-sided Geraskier). I just so desperately want them to say out loud that Jaskier is in love with Geralt, even if they wouldn't actually end up in a relationship!!! Like, don't be cowards, give us that at least!!! And be respectful about it!!!!

Anyway, here's a short, angsty piece of an imaginary season 3 scene. Feedback is super appreciated!!!

Read on Ao3

**

The air was chilly in the mountains. It was colder here than any other place Jaskier has ever been to. He hugged his torso protectively against the harsh bite of the wind, rubbing his arms up and down. He stared down over the railing of the balcony, watching as Yennefer and Ciri stood side by side, the sorceress explaining something with animated gestures, while Ciri nodded along with utmost attention.

Kaer Morhen was a lonely place, despite crawling with witchers and now with their guests. Jaskier hasn’t had many opportunities to interact with anyone besides Yennefer. He hasn’t really managed to speak to Geralt, either.

Funny how it was that Jaskier has been alone for years after Geralt has abandoned him on that mountain after the dragon hunt, but the gaping hole inside Jaskier’s heart left by his absence only became truly evident after they reunited. It felt like getting Geralt back, giving Jaskier stupid, false hope for a couple of moments; the foolish part of his brain desperately clung to the short moments they got to spend together. But then, Geralt slipped away again, returning to his more important duties of caring for the family Jaskier wasn’t part of. It hurt way more than it should have. Jaskier thought he could now handle heartbreak, having gathered enough experience in the matter, but it seemed like some things would never change. Not when it came to his feelings for Geralt.

Jaskier flinched when he felt a touch on his back. He whipped around, then let out a sigh of relief when he realized it was Geralt standing behind him.

“Gods above, warn a man before you sneak up on him from behind,” Jaskier chuckled, clutching a hand over his heart dramatically. Geralt hummed, the sound almost amused.

“If I warn you beforehand, it’s not sneaking.”

A part of Jaskier longed for moments like this, where it felt like their natural chemistry was back. In those moments, it almost felt like nothing was ruined between them. The other, slightly more rational part of him knew that this was just a mockery of what used to be, a sad attempt at trying to fix what was broken, what was hopeless even before the mountain incident.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” Geralt asked, moving a little closer to Jaskier. He still stood way too far away, as if he was worried that standing too close would have scared him away. “It’s early.”

Jaskier shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.”

“Your hands?”

The question caught Jaskier off-guard. Geralt hasn’t even asked him about them, until now. Jaskier wasn’t even sure if he’s noticed.

Now, Geralt was looking at Jaskier’s bandaged hands with a furrow between his brow that almost looked like concern.

“It’s not that bad,” Jaskier lied, turning his eyes away from Geralt and back to the endless snow stretching out over the mountains. He didn’t want to admit that he’s been sobbing in pain for the better part of an hour this morning. The last thing he wanted was to burden Geralt with his own problems. He had enough on his plate already.

“If there’s anything…” Geralt trailed off. He crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know?”

Jaskier cursed the flutter of his heart. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t melt, that he wouldn’t allow Geralt back into his heart. He’d promised himself that he would fall out of love with him, and yet.

“I’m fine, Geralt,” Jaskier said, forcing a smile onto his face. “Really, don’t worry about me.”

“Why did you do it?” Geralt sounded almost pained. The frown between his brows deepened.

“Why did you endure that torture? You had every right to sell me out after what I’ve done to you.”

It was true. Jaskier owed Geralt nothing after Geralt has betrayed his own trust like that, after he broke Jaskier’s heart. He couldn’t even know if he would ever see Geralt again, so it wouldn’t have been his duty to protect him. For all Jaskier had known in that moment, Geralt and him had been completely through.

But the sad reality of it was, that Jaskier had never actually managed to stop loving Geralt; for all his frustrations, for all the dissing songs full of angry pain, he’s always remained that naïve, young bard who had fallen in love with a grumpy witcher in a dingy tavern. Geralt had hurt him so deeply, had abandoned him and hadn’t even bothered to look for him all these years, but Jaskier still forgave him easily, still clung to him like all those decades ago. Because Jaskier was many things, and a big part of him was his eternal love for Geralt.

He was older now, maybe even a bit more mature. He’s seen many things, and has been hurt many times. He could have lied, the same way he lied about the amount of pain he was in, but he saw no point in it. He really only had one life, and only so many chances to live his truth during.

“You don’t know, do you,” Jaskier whispered, avoiding Geralt’s eyes. Looking into them would have hurt too much, would have stopped him from saying what he knew he had to. “You don’t even have an idea. Not after all these years.”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Geralt admitted. “But I’m willing to listen.”

Jaskier sighed. He shivered, but he wasn’t sure if it was still from the cold.

“There were days, when I wanted you to hurt,” Jaskier’s voice was barely above a whisper. “When I wanted you to suffer as much as I have. But… it was a specific pain, that I wished on you. Not just any pain. I wanted you to feel the same heartbreak I’ve felt after you left me.”

“Jaskier…”

“No, please, let me finish,” Jaskier all but begged him. He knew that if he couldn’t say it now, he would take this with him to the grave.

“But I could have never hurt you, myself. I’m incapable of doing it. Not just because I’m weak, and a coward, but because I could never bring myself to do it. I could write a song calling you horrible names, or I could ignore you for a couple of days, but I could never, ever be able to cause you pain.”

He placed a shaky hand on the railing. The cool surface made his abused hand ache for a couple seconds, before the pain subsided.

“There was always a part of me, a part that clung onto stupid dreams and hopes all along. A part that wondered… that maybe… maybe I wasn’t alone in my feelings. When you would worry about me, when you would hold me just a little longer after each reunion… when you would smile at me… in those moments, I started to hope.”

He swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling tight and dry. The words barely managed to come out, constricted by his pain.

“That was what I tried to tell you on that mountain. When I asked you to run away with me. I couldn’t say it out loud, because I still had hope, and I was scared I would break it with my words, but I meant it. And I still mean it.”

He looked up at Geralt at last. He remembered how his heart pounded when he was trying to make Geralt see what he meant to him on the mountain. His heart was still now, if a little hurt. Because the naïve hope wasn’t here anymore to make him nervous.

“I love you, Geralt,” Jaskier told him, his shoulders slumping as the weight that has been sitting on them for more than twenty years, has finally left. “I’ve been in love with you since the day that we’ve met.”

He waited a little, letting the weight of his words settle in. His witcher blinked at him, his lips parting slightly as if he wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure what.

“That was why I endured the fire, why I was willing to even die if it meant you would be safe. Because I love you.”

Jaskier closed his eyes, letting a tear ran down from beneath them, so cold against his cheek.

He only opened them again when he felt Geralt laying a hand on his shoulder, the touch so painfully familiar to when he asked for Jaskier’s help in the prison cell. Even his expression was similar, only more ridden with guilt.

“I am so sorry, Jaskier,” Geralt told him. His voice was more earnest than Jaskier has ever heard before. “I don’t… I love you, too. Just… not like that.”

“I know,” Jaskier whispered. He slowly, carefully brought up his own hand, to touch Geralt’s arm. “I’ve known that since the mountain. I didn’t tell you so you would force yourself into returning it. Or to guilt you, even. I just couldn’t have you not knowing forever. I’ve nearly died so many times in the past few days, and… I’ve seen so much shit. Life really is fucking short, and I guess… what pleases me now, is being honest with my best friend.”

He let out a shaky breath. Geralt’s hand was still on his shoulder, and Jaskier let himself cherish it for a little longer.

“Because we are… we are still friends, right?” He asked, his voice wavering. “Or… we could still be?”

“Do you still want to be?” Geralt asked. There was a tinge of emotion in his voice, one that sounded suspiciously like hope. “After everything?”

“I think we could try,” Jaskier said. He held Geralt’s gaze, letting some hope seep back into his own heart: a different kind he used to have, but still hope, nonetheless.

Geralt hummed. There was a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, even when he pulled his hand back from Jaskier.

“We’re gonna have to take Ciri somewhere else,” he said, his eyes drifting to where Yennefer and Ciri were still practicing far away from them. “A place where Yen could help her with her powers more efficiently.”

He looked back at Jaskier. “I’d like it if you came along.”

“Of course,” Jaskier replied, letting a smile settle onto his face. Geralt nodded, then turned around and walked back inside, leaving Jaskier standing on the balcony.

Jaskier turned his face upwards, breathing in the cold air. He closed his eyes again.

For so many years, Jaskier has felt so heavy, as if his body has been filled with rocks. Now, he felt light, and calm: there was no need for any more second-guessing, no need for worrying. He needed to let go of Geralt in a way to let him in again.

And by doing so, Jaskier has stepped onto the path of healing.

[heytheredeann]

Fic stats meme

I was tagged by @cha-melodius and @thetamehistorian, thank you! I'm curious to see the answers to these tbh looool

Rules: give us the links to your fic with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and fic with the least words.

Most hits: Stretch (Buck/Eddie, 911)

Buck and Christopher don’t get separated during the tsunami. Eddie loses about ten years of his life in one day.

Knew the answer to this one LOOOL, it's just a little canon divergence set during 3x02, I still get comments on this pretty often actually, I'm happy it resonated so much! Though I did write it four years ago, so I don't dare re-reading it because I would most likely want to rewrite the whole thing loooool

Second most kudos: Everywhere I'm looking now, I'm surrounded by your embrace (Mike/Harvey, Suits)

Over the years, he became pretty good at dealing with the bond, keeping his soulmate’s emotions at bay just as well as his own, but today he’s in a terrible mood because of Jessica’s request to find himself an associate when there doesn’t seem to be a decent candidate out there and he’s having to deal with this crippling anxiety pushing from the back of his mind. He’s tried calming them both down the way he usually does when his soulmate is freaking out about something, but nothing seems to be working and he’s not sure if it’s because his own bad mood is getting in the way or whatever is happening is the end of the world for the guy.

Soulmates AU, from FIVE years ago, oh boy looool. I remember that I just really liked the idea of the whole "feeling what the other is feeling" soulmates AU, still kinda do, I enjoy that type of magical bond, though I have never really been much into the concept of soulmates itself.

Third most comments: Concession (Geralt/Jaskier, The Witcher)

Geralt not-so-secretly loves being the little spoon. Cuddling Without Plot.

I skipped a collection to count for this, because that's a bunch of stories together, and this is what came up! I had kinda forgotten I had written this LOOOOL, but it's just Geralt getting cuddles, which is always good and necessary.

Fourth most bookmarks: I held you hand as you shook in the middle of the night (Geralt/Jaskier, The Witcher)

Five times Jaskier snuggles up with Geralt, and one time Geralt seeks him out instead.

STILL cuddles for Geralt, I'm seeing a pattern here folks LOOOOL

Fifth most words: Stumbling (Napoleon/Illya/Gaby, TMFU)

First things first, they need to find Illya.

Finally something more recent LOOOL. This was a TMFU Exchange fic for @huggiebird, just whumping Illya like there's no tomorrow, as you do loooool

Least words: Proof of life (Geralt/Yennefer, The Witcher)

“It’s okay,” he says, only moments after waking up from his light sleep. “It’s okay, I’m okay. Go back to sleep.”

Tiny 271 words fic about Geralt comforting Yennefer, because I love them <3

[kwaggysshardmindemporium]

Album! Okay so today was Oar by Alexander 'Skip' Spence. I'm sorry Skip but this is bad. The BEST songs on it are like the definition of "the lower end of okay." And those are the first few songs. After that, it sounds like the artist is getting progressively more bored of making music. I legitimately feel like my time was wasted listening to this. I would say listen if you need a nap, but I've had TWO albums recently that would do that for you that DIDN'T suck completely and totally. (Those would be Ys and The Hour of Bewildebeast, to clarify.) If it wasn't obvious, 1/5. Not the worst thing I've been made to suffer through, but definitely the worst thing I've had in a while.

And you know what? I don't love being this negative. So let's talk about something I LIKE that I've been wanting to post about but never get around to it. Let's talk about my *favorite* band. My favorite song. The song I'm listening to right now to wash the taste out of my mouth. Big long gush plus some song links about something I love very much below the break.

So, my favorite band is The Amazing Devil. You know Jaskier from the Netflix Witcher series? Yeah, he's the lead singer of a band, too. This one. It's great. They write some of the most poignant music you'll hear in your fucking life. The genre I've seen it described as is "gothic folk" and it's very good. Their most popular song according to Spotify at 11.5 million plays, and the first song I ever heard from them myself, is the title track of their second album: "The Horror and the Wild." It's a great song. Here ya go:

That whole album is great, but fair warning if you or a loved one close to you have severe mental health struggles, the opening track "The Rockrose and the Thistle" is about that in a very raw way and might be a tough listen. Similarly, if you've had experiences with abuse, "The Unwanted Animal" towards the middle might be triggering. I personally check both boxes here even if I don't really talk about the latter, and it's probably the only song on there I have real difficulty listening to.

The *best* song on that album in my opinion, is "Farewell Wanderlust," their second-most popular song. Have a link:

I listened to this, got to this song, and knew instantly that this was my new favorite band.

And y'all? This isn't their best song, nor their best album.

Their best album IMO is Ruin, their most recent album. The album goes a little harder on the drums and faster on the guitar, and the subject matter is generally less grim. So it absolutely *soars.* The songs are fucking powerful. The other song I hear a lot of people say they know from this band is on this album because it's... I guess I'd call it a minor viral hit? It's called "Drinking Song for the Socially Anxious" and while it's a good song that title is a LIE. It's a story song about two nerdy and socially stunted people finding solace in each other's presence at a party. It's very sweet but very much not a drinking song.

Another great track on this album that I love a lot is "Blossoms," a song about a very nasty messy breakup.

And let's stop dancing around it. My favorite song from this band, and by extension my favorite song PERIOD and it's not very close, is "The Old Witch Sleep and the Good Man Grace." It's a song about overcoming your demons and if not becoming the person you want to be at least becoming someone who isn't weighed down by the shit the world has shoveled on them. Strap in, it's fucking long.

They do have another album, Love Run. It's their first album. I've listened to it, and it's... fine. Nowhere near as good as the later two, really only bother if you decide you like this band and want the complete experience. You won't be wasting your time but if you're like me you just won't like it as much. I'm not gonna spam links to songs off it because there's not much on there that does it for me.

Don't really have a closer here. Hope a mutual or two actually reads this and gives the band a listen. And even if you don't, if you're seeing this I appreciate you reading it.