#in the literal same way Yennefer tried to

[mountainsinaboat]

[patroclusdefencesquad]

tying tissaia's death in with yennefer's first arrival at aretuza was SO smart. the letter addressed to "piglet" the "best thing a flower can do for us is die" quote the fact that she killed herself in the same way yennefer tried to plus yennefer calling her mother oh i literally had chills that was so well done

[fanby-fckry]

I Didn’t Peg You for a Sore Loser (But Here We Are)

Day 1 of Kinktober, 2023: Pegging

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: None

Word Count: 2,297

Fandom: The Witcher

Relationships: Jaskier/Yennefer, Background Jaskier/OC, Background Yennefer/OC, Implied Geralt/Jaskier/Yennefer Polyamory

Characters: Jaskier, Yennefer, Geralt

Additional Tags: Friends With Benefits, Bets & Wagers, Sex Toys, Pegging, Nipple Clamps

Summary: Jaskier and Yennefer make a bet. Loser bottoms.

Better on AO3

{ ✧ }

Jaskier couldn’t take his eyes off her. The way her dark hair pooled across her shoulders, the way her lips curved when she laughed. And those eyes… captivating. Truly, this woman had caught not only his eye, but his heart; he needed to tell her.

Jaskier rose from his seat, only to be stopped short by an iron grip on his arm.

“Sit back down, Bard,” Yennefer said, pulling Jaskier back onto the bench beside her. She nodded towards the woman across the tavern – the beautiful brunette with the emerald green eyes that Jaskier was certain he’d fallen in love with – and said bluntly, “She beds women.”

“We’ll have something in common then,” Jaskier quipped, and tried to get up again.

“Only women,” Yennefer said firmly, shoving Jaskier down again.

Jaskier huffed. He was growing rather tired of being literally pushed around. And besides…

“How could you possibly know that, Witch?” he demanded. “Do you know her? Did you… did you read her mind?”

“No, and no,” Yennefer replied.

“Then, how?”

Yennefer smirked. “Intuition. She has a way about her.”

Jaskier turned his gaze back to brunette. She was sitting at a table with two men and one other woman, talking and laughing as she ate. She didn’t seem to be involved with or attracted to any of them. No lingering touches, no longing gazes, and no overt intimacy, either.

It’s not that Jaskier didn’t understand what Yennefer meant by ‘intuition.’ He often had the same experience, although usually in the other direction. An inexplicable, yet innate sense of when a man might be interested in sharing his bed with another man.

It was a very useful skill to have. It would be more useful if he chose to heed it when it told him a man he was interested in wouldn’t reciprocate – but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Speaking of which…

“I. Call. Bullshit.” He laid each word out separately, presenting them to the Witch like a challenge. “I think you’re trying to narrow down the competition. You’re just as taken with her as I am, and you want me out of the way to better your odds.”

“There’s no competition, Jaskier,” Yennefer said. “Even if she bedded men, I would come out on top.”

Jaskier narrowed his eyes. “Wanna bet?”

“Sure,” Yennefer said without missing a beat. “I’ll even let you go first. To prove I wasn’t trying to ‘get you out of the way.’”

Jaskier rose to his feet only to be immediately pulled back down again.

“Fuck, what is it this time?” he asked.

“We haven’t chosen stakes.”

Oh. No, they hadn’t.

“Umm…” Jaskier looked from Yennefer to the brunette and back again, trying to think of appropriate stakes. But it was hard to concentrate on anything besides those gorgeous, green eyes.

“Maybe I should choose,” Yennefer said. “Since you’re busy thinking with your other head.”

“I am not-” Jaskier started to protest, but quickly gave up. “Oh alright, you pick, then. What’ll it be, Yennefer?”

“Hmm,” she hummed. After a moment’s thought, she answered, “Winner fucks her, loser gets fucked.”

“As in…?”

“As in if you take her to bed, I’ll let you stick your cock in me when you get back.” That’d happened a few times now. They’d grown closer – in more ways than one – since Jaskier had realized she wasn’t going to steal Geralt away from him.

“But if I take her to bed,” Yennefer continued. “I’ll come back and pound your arse harder than the collision of the spheres.”

In truth, Jaskier wouldn’t consider either of those outcomes a loss.

“And if neither of us bed her?”

Yennefer took a drink. “Then Destiny fucks us both.”

Jaskier winced. “She’s been doing a lot of that anyway,” he said under his breath.

He turned to address Yennefer. “Alright, Witch. I accept your terms. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to work some magic of my own.”

{ ✧ }

Twenty minutes later, Jaskier was sulking alone at the table he once shared with Yennefer when Geralt sat down beside him.

“I picked up a contract,” Geralt told him. “But there’s not much to go on. I’m going to talk to some of the locals, see if I can get more information.” He scanned the rest of the tavern over his shoulder. “Where’s Yen?”

Jaskier sighed. “Winning a bet.”

{ ✧ }

“You cheated,” Jaskier accused. “You cheated, didn’t you? You awful, horrid Witch. You read her mind beforehand, lied about it, and egged me on so that I’d make a fool of myself.”

Yennefer raised one eyebrow. “I did no such thing, Bard,” she said calmly. “I even tried to warn you, out of the goodness of my heart. And besides, you don’t need any help making a fool of yourself.”

“Out of the goodness of your heart,” Jaskier mimicked. “What an absolute load of-”

Yennefer fixed Jaskier with a stare that made his words die on his tongue. “You know, Bard.” She took a step closer, looking him up and down with violet eyes. There was chaos in those eyes, there always was – like a tempest brewed behind them. And she wore a wicked grin to match.

“I didn’t peg you for a sore loser.” She was close. So close, he could feel her breath on his skin. “But here we are.” So close, close enough to kiss.

Their lips met like storm swept waves crashing into the shore. She was a force of nature, and he, he was caught in her tide.

“Fuck me,” he whispered.

“That’s the plan, Bard.”

They made their way back to Yennefer’s room. She’d bewitched it as she always did, transforming what was once a drab bedroom with a shabby straw mattress into a thing of luxury.

Jaskier let himself be pushed onto the bed, now all soft down, velvet, and silk. He wouldn’t give up traveling with Geralt for all the comforts in the continent, but Melitele’s tits, it was nice to have a proper bed underneath him. Maybe he could convince Yennefer to let him and Geralt both spend nights with her when the three of them crossed paths.

“You know,” Jaskier said. Yennefer had left him, lying naked on the bed while she went to sift through a draw in one of the ornate dressers she’d conjured up. “I didn’t ask, but how is this going to work? Are you going to use your fingers or do you…”

His question was answered when Yennefer turned to show him that she’d found what she was looking for. In her hand, she held a length of polished, dark stone, sculpted in the shape of a phallus – and not a small one, either. Nothing he couldn’t take, of course, but it would absolutely be better than her fingers.

“Oh, fuck yes,” he said, eyes locked on the Witch and her dick. His own dick was very interested in the idea of it.

Yennefer exuded confidence and competence in almost every situation, including and especially in bed. There was no doubt in Jaskier’s mind that she knew her way around that toy.

Yennefer brought the phallus and a few other choice items back to the bed: a bottle of oil, a leather harness, and a long, silver chain, dripping with jewels. Once he got a closer look, Jaskier recognized the fastenings on either end of the chain. They weren’t meant to be clasped to each other, they were meant to be clasped to him.

“Yennefer, you delightful deviant,” he praised. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

“I’ve been testing the waters,” she said. “Seeing if the ‘Amour of Aedirn’ lives up to his reputation.”

“I’ll assume I exceeded your expectations, then.”

“And why would you think that, Bard?”

“Because you could have anyone you wanted in your bed. But you chose me,” Jaskier bragged.

Yennefer rolled her eyes. “You’re a good fuck and you make very pretty noises. I want to see what you’re like on the receiving end.”

“Then what are you waiting for, Witch?”

Yennefer straddled Jaskier, pushing him flat on the bed. Her hands and her mouth roamed across Jaskier’s chest. Jaskier moaned when she reached his nipple, lips barely grazing it before she sucked it into her mouth.

“Very, very pretty noises,” she praised, before taking him in her mouth again.

Once his left nipple was pert and flushed with blood, she moved on to his right. All the while, his hands were on her, in her hair and over her back. The Witch didn’t complain, and in fact, he could swear he felt her smile against his skin when he whispered her name.

When Yennefer deemed him ready, she retrieved the chain. “I’ll assume you’ve used something like these before,” she said. “But mine are a bit different. They’re enchanted not to cut off blood flow past a certain point; safe to wear for hours at a time. Their only limitations are how much you can handle.”

Jaskier sat up. “Oh, I can handle them, Witch,” he promised. “I bet that- Mmph!” His words were cut short as Yennefer attached the first clamp.

“You’re not really in a position to be making any more bets,” she said.

The metal bit into Jaskier’s skin – part pain and part pleasure. Yennefer added the second clamp and left the weight of the chain to hang in the middle. She skimmed her hand over his chest as he drew in deep breaths.

“Lay back,” she commanded, and Jaskier couldn’t help but obey.

The chain spilled over his chest as he laid on his back, each end having enough slack to fall in small arches over his sides. He relished in the feeling of it – the silver and jewels against his skin, the pressure and the pull of the fastenings.

Meanwhile, Yennefer got to work opening him up. Her hands moved over his hips and thighs, ignoring his dick seemingly on purpose. Jaskier lost track of where she was until one oil slicked finger probed at his entrance.

Jaskier raised his hips to meet her as she pressed her finger inside, and the movement shifted the chain. Jaskier moaned at the combined sensations of Yennefer inside him and the chain tugging at his nipples.

Yennefer sank in up to her third knuckle, and after a few strokes added another. Jaskier writhed beneath her as she found that spot inside him that lit his entire being aflame, and proceeded to tease the everloving hell out of him.

Three fingers in, when Jaskier was alternating between begging and cursing her name, Yennefer stopped. She pulled her fingers free and Jaskier whined at the loss.

“Oh, quiet you,” she scolded, playfully. “You won’t be empty for long, Bard.”

With practiced ease, Yennefer fitted the leather harness over her hips and thighs, stone cock standing proud. She closed her eyes and bit her lip as she slicked the stone with oil, palming her cock as if she could feel the touch.

“Is that enchanted too?” Jaskier asked, curious to see if the Witch’s reactions were just for show. “Does it feel like you really have a cock between your legs?”

Yennefer opened her eyes. “Didn’t think I’d let you have all the fun, did you, little flower?” Her voice was breathy and her eyes full of lust.

“Fuck fuck fuck,” Jaskier cursed. “You have no idea how incredibly sexy you are. Get your cock in me right now or I’m going to hop on it, myself.”

“Flip over, then. I want you from behind.”

Jaskier obeyed, getting on his hands and knees for the Witch and her enchanted cock. The chain tugged harshly at his nipples as he moved, and swung even after he was in position, the momentum still rocking through it. He was practically panting – and he didn’t even have her dick in him, yet!

Yennefer lined herself up at his entrance and slowly pressed her cock inside. Jaskier’s soft moan was matched by a deep inhale from Yennefer as she sunk into him in one, patient stroke.

Her cock was like nothing he’d had in him before. The texture was reminiscent of other toys he’d used in the past, but it tingled with chaos and moved like a living thing – he swore he felt it twitched when Yennefer bottomed out.

“Yennefer,” Jaskier whispered, as she sat, buried to the hilt inside him – most likely adjusting herself to the pressure.

“Jaskier,” she said in return. Her breath hitched as she began to move, rocking her hips and making small thrusts in and out.

“What happened to, ‘harder than the collision of the spheres?’” Jaskier teased.

Yennefer’s thrusts grew faster and harder. “Shut up, Bard,” she said.

“That’s Geralt’s line,” Jaskier commented, matching her movements with his own.

Yennefer grabbed Jaskier by his hair and forced his head down into the bed, quickening her thrusts once again.

The change in angle set Yennefer’s cock on a course to ram directly into Jaskier’s prostate, and any further complaints melted into moans and praises and curses and prayers.

“So good, so fucking good,” he rambled. “So good, Yen. Oh gods, the things you do to me, Witch.”

The clamps rubbed against the bed below him with every stroke of Yennefer’s hips. The soft, silk sheets felt like fire on Jaskier’s raw flesh. The combination of it all was almost too much.

“Yennefer, Yennefer,” he said her name like she was a goddess, and beneath her body, he’d found religion.

Yennefer’s hips stuttered, and she made some ‘very pretty noises’ of her own that Jaskier recognized from their previous encounters. The idea of Yennefer coming inside him combined with the more consistent pressure sent Jaskier tumbling over the edge mere moments after her.

“Best bet I ever lost,” Jaskier said, once he caught his breath again.

[thesleepy1]

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, You Need A Haircut

A/N: An anon requested this fic literally ages ago. Life has been a little crazy for me and I haven’t had much time to do anything as of late. I’m not sure what the future holds for me but I’ll try to keep working on the list of requests I have. I’m also sorry about Keira’s characterization. I don’t really know her character all that well.  

Pairings: No pairings

Summary: In a world where one lifetime can be a brief moment for another, you mark the passage of time by the reaction of those who see your hair. 

Or, “Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, and Keira react to reader who has really long hair that's close to their butt.” 

Word count: 1,195

Warnings: none lol

Geralt

The room was cold. The fire was low with little embers and few sparks. You would have to tend to it soon. A stable boy had brought in firewood, stacking it to the side of the fireplace. The lad had also brought in buckets of hot water from downstairs. You were grateful for the sight of steam. 

It had been a hard day to say the least. The town’s local beast was not the kindest. It tore through your armor and badly bruised your skin. A bath was what you needed and Geralt, who had fared the same, was desperate to get in the tub. 

The large witcher disposed of his clothes on the ground and climbed into the metal container without wasting time. His hair was still tied up. 

“Geralt,” you scolded him without much heat. Instead of allowing the tangles in your hair to turn into knots, you sat on the edge of the tub and slowly ran a comb through your locks. 

With how long your hair was, there was no way you could get around without caring for it properly. 

“Hmm,” the witcher replied. “Your hair is long.” 

You chuckled at the witcher whose eyes were sticking out of the water. It was a fairly deep container and for once Geralt could truly soak his entire body. “What an astute observation, my dear.” 

“Why do you keep it like that?” 

“Why do you keep yours like that? Why does anyone style their hair in one way or the other?” You smiled at him. You were not trying to be mean, merely pointing out the obvious. 

Geralt shrugged. The water sloshed over the edge. The stable boy would scold the two of you for the mess if you did not wipe it clean. “It would be easier if I cut my hair,” he admitted, “but I like it like this. It looks nice.” 

“It does,” you agreed, “when you properly take care of it, that is.” 

Geralt rolled his eyes. “Fine. Do you want to brush it as well?” 

You could not hide the laugh bubbling from your lips if you tried. You braided Geralt’s hair that night. There was no event to go to, but he looked ready for a court with how beautiful you made him look. 

Ciri

“Your hair is really long—wow, how do you keep it so shiny?” Ciri tried to keep quiet. Her grandmother was giving a speech that she should’ve been paying attention to. The princess was bored of the endless political talks. Tonight was the only night that she had convinced her grandmother to let her sit amongst the guests. 

You were hired to guard a traveling noble man. He sat on the seat towards the front of the amphitheater. Ciri sat above him where you stood watch. 

“I wash it after my morning runs, my lady. I don’t do anything special besides adding some floral scented oil to it when pay allows,” you explained, leaning towards the girl but staying at your post. 

“What kind? It smells divine.” 

You quickly looked around you. The noble man had another guard posted to his other side; a boy who was no older than the princess. Although he was young, he did his job well. You didn’t feel much guilt when you left your post to better speak to the princess. “Rose and vanilla, my lady.” 

“Vanilla? Where could I get some myself?” 

The queen spoke for hours more. You and the princess spent that time conversing about hair oils and dresses and fancy charms and anything else that came to mind. Despite the boring job, you had made yourself a friend. 

Yennefer 

“Mercenary.” The sorceress greeted you with a coldness that would shake a normal man to his bones. 

You just continued on eating your meal. “Mage,” you replied with your mouth full. 

The tavern was crowded despite the early evening. Merchants and farmers alike were filling the space with laughter and curses. There was a game of gwent going on in the corner. The barmaid was making her rounds as fast as she could without spilling anything. A bard was playing some plucky tune that no one was listening to. 

You just wanted to eat a warm meal. 

“I need hired muscle,” the mage continued, sitting down in the seat in front of you without asking for permission. Her eyes swept you, noting the sword over your shoulder and the intricate knot of your hair. “You’re the best I can find on short notice.” 

“And…?” You fiddled with the hair pin keeping your knot together. The mage seemed to be eyeing it like a moth that had just found a flame. When you pulled it out and set it on the table, her pupils dilated. You knew your hair was long, coming down to just past your bottom. People liked to stare at it. Usually you liked the attention but it was rarely good when a mage’s attention lingered on you. 

“I-I can pay handsomely.” She looked as surprised at the stumbling in her words as you were. Though, she recovered quickly. “I just need you to stand next to me and make a point to look menacing.”

You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and watched her gaze follow the movement. “Does the job offer a hot meal?” 

“I’ll buy you dinner.” 

Keira 

“I don’t understand how anyone can enjoy being out here,” Keira remarked. 

It had been your suggestion to take a walk that morning. Spring was only just arriving, the soft sun gradually melting away the snow of the winter. The ground was wet and green with dew and patches of ice. The soil was rich with water and flowers were in bloom. Hibernating animals were only just returning and the birds had already traveled back from the south. 

The morning was full of life. 

“You didn’t have to agree to the picnic,” you said in reply. You had carried a basket down with you. It was filled with loaves of honey-lavender bread, goat cheese, biscuits, and gooseberry preserves from the stores. Everything was laid out in front of you on top of the old sheet you put down. 

“I rarely get to see you anymore. You travel too much, darling,” Keira pouted. She crossed her arms over her chest. “I miss playing with your hair!” 

“No one is stopping you,” you invited. 

Keira moved behind you, her fingers gentle as they took strands into her hands and began braiding. Keira was good at this. Not just making you look nice but the way she worked soothed you. Her touch was calming. Earlier on in your friendship you thought she was bewitching you, the way a single moment with her made you feel at home. Over time you learned that it was simply because she was pleasant to be around. 

“It’s gotten so long,” she commented, plucking flowers and adding them to her braid. “It’ll take me all morning to get it looking decent.” 

“You can have me for as long as you want.” 

She placed a quick peck on your cheek. “Promise, darling?” 

You hummed in reply, “Promise.” 

[endiness]

yeah, so. just for a fact checking reminder: the rumor that the witcher writers hate the books was started by a writer who was fired for being emotionally and physically abusive. in what was a fairly blatant attempt to incite the fanbase against his ex-coworkers tbh. and this is what his former co-worker had to say about him:

also as it's kind of relevant: the same writer who was fired from the witcher was also recently fired a week before his latest project that he was showrunner for was about to premiere (and not "departed due to creative differences" or some other kind of pr spin but just straight up fired) and while there's no official information on why, the rumor is because he was "a nightmare to work with."

and just on the henry cavill side of things as far as him being some super massive, lore obsessed fan of the series goes... he not only did not know the books existed when he first pursued the role, but he actually thought the books were based off the games and, either way, he still never bothered to check them out.

"I met Lauren and that's when I learned [the games] were books."

"I did not know the games were based on the books, but after meeting Lauren, I did."

"I played the video games before I read the books. I thought the books were based upon the games because any time I saw a Witcher book, it was always game art on the cover. After meeting with Lauren, she told me about the books."

"I knew The Witcher from the games and then I met Lauren and Lauren told me that they were a series of books as well, which the books were based upon. I had no idea about that."

as of 2021, he's only read the series once in 2018 — which is the same time he found out they existed and that the games were based on them instead of the other way around. (he's also never played the dlc for tw3, jsyk.)

"I haven't read the full series in a while, since just before I got the role [in 2018], actually."

and as far as him just caring SO much about book accuracy goes... he fucked up geralt's characterization in s1 and made it book inaccurate by cutting his lines and either saying nothing or grunting instead.

"All the grunts, I either added or I didn't say anything and just grunted instead. It was often up to the other actors to go, 'I think he's not gonna say anything now.'"

and then come time for s2 press and suddenly he's just ~all about the books and he pushed SO hard for a more book accurate, verbose geralt in s2. and all while virtually never taking any responsibility for how he's the reason why geralt would just say nothing and grunt.

he also straight up lied about the whole situation and tried to act like geralt was always originally written with very little dialogue, which is not true.

LAUREN: In the first episode, when I originally wrote it, Geralt spoke a lot because that’s what he’s like in the books. People always think of Geralt as stoic, but in the books he talks nonstop. […] We immediately starting pulling back on that and by the time we shot the final episode, the script much more matches what’s onscreen because together we really learned what was working. In that way, we honored a lot of what’s in the books but also made sure it works for the guy that you see onscreen.

and tried to blame it on yennefer and ciri having their own storylines and being prominent, important characters:

"In Season 1, there wasn't really much of an opportunity for expansive dialogue which Geralt is known for — in the books, he's often known to monologue — because we had two original origin stories which were the center point of the show."

and tried to act like the lines he was cutting weren't even that important anyway so it didn't really matter.

JOEY BATEY: Henry likes to cut his lines, 'cause he's lazy. No, he literally just likes to cut them. He likes to do more up here [frames his face with his hands] and just with face and hmms and grunts. There's a lot of hmms, and so I often have to take a lot of his lines and turn it into a lot of my stuff so that the plot happens.

and just for some other book inaccurate things he's either fully or at least partially responsible for:

he had at least some hand in fucking up geralt and jaskier's friendship because he didn't want to "play it more directly like the books" and have them be all "hey, buddy!" with each other.

he cut geralt and triss even just platonically finding comfort in each other for a night in s2 — which is book canon.

he cut a geralt and yennefer sex scene in s2 because he didn't think that'd be in character of them. even though that absolutely would've been in character of them.

he didn't want to play geralt as struggling with fatherhood at all in s2 or having any conflict in geralt and ciri's relationship which had the domino effect of leading to eskel's death, yennefer's betrayal arc, and voleth meir being a season long villain.

and as far as the pr of him wanting books accuracy goes... he was actually just lowkey mad that he was co-lead with two women and that the show heavily focuses on women, y'know, like the books do.

"The toughest part for me was finding that balance between the showrunners’ vision and my love for the books, and trying to bring that Geralt to the showrunners’ vision."

"It’s important for me to have the character be three-dimensional and it’s tricky to do, as I was saying earlier, because there’s a certain vision and there’s a certain set, storyline and plot."

"There’s only so much space to provide the same character from the books within the showrunner’s vision."

"On season two, I wanted to bring as much of 'Book' Geralt into the show that Lauren's vision and that the plot would allow. That's a tricky thing to do, because the plot, as Lauren has said, is very centred around bringing women into the centre of The Witcher."

"Lauren’s vision was more of an ensemble piece than the first Witcher books. It’s driven a lot more by the characters of Yennefer and Cirilla."

also i'm too lazy to pull quotes for this, but if you look at any interview from the cast and crew (sans hc), like, it is obvious that the writers and the people working on the show do actually know and care about and like and understand the story and the source material. and just with lauren in particular, like, everyone in the cast (sans hc) has very positive things to say about her and her showrunning style and her willingness to be collaborative and hear them out on ideas they have about their characters and storylines and everything.

and as far as the mood on the set goes, i mean. there is the conspiracy theory that henry cavill was fired for being sexist and making it impossible for women to work with him which, js, has more evidence supporting it than the idea that he was fired or quit because he just cares about the source material SO MUCH.

also, js, but i personally think it says a lot that after s1 — even with all the world events going on — there was still a severe lack of behind the scenes content with the cast but come filming for s4 with liam at the helm as geralt and suddenly there's footage of a table read where the cast and crew all seem very happy and energetic and having a fun time with each other and that the show also hired an agency to do behind the scenes stuff for s4, too.

Let is be know that when I say "AMC Interview with the Vampire is everything Netflix The Witcher should have been" what I mean is "Iwtv is a good adaptation of a popular fantasy series that does take liberties in many places but at the end of the day it still stay true themes of the book, made by people who can't stop praising the book author (and it also looks like a really fun set to work at) while The Witcher missed the whole point of the series, the writers actually admited they didn't even like the books and the lead actor left the project after being told like a dozen of times "he is hard to work with" when all he did was pointing out that the script doesn't follow the book" but also "they actually made those cat eyes contacts lens work"

[fictionkinfessions]

Canon really doesn't want to show the times I actually had some level of competence, does it? Like, ok, sure, the first time we met, I was kind of useless, I was also 18 and taken by surprise (and it's not like Geralt did much better! He headbutted ONE elf then talked his way out, I do regret what I said to the elf though, it was uncalled for). Then there's the wedding in Cintra, I wasn't ALLOWED to have a weapon on me and maybe I just wanted to spend a nice evening with my Witcher so I played up my helplessness to goad him into it. I do feel like I should get some credit for being willing to wash selkiemore guts out of his hair.

Then there's the hunt that the dragon-dude found us on, Geralt was the one who told me to watch the two idiots who came along with us, he (rightfully) didn't trust them and it was two against one, also I didn't really have a lot of time to do anything since my brain was still turning over the lyrics to Her Sweet Kiss when I was forced to deal with them so the huntresses had dealt with them before I had a chance to. The mountain thing was sprung on me and the dwarves didn't exactly welcome me into their little traveling party when I needed to get off the mountain without Geralt, but I did make it and I made a joke about it because if I didn't joke about it I would have punched Geralt in the face at that moment but it actually was a difficult task, it took more than two nights to get up there and even longer to get down.

Then I was very successful as the Sandpiper and did a very good job until the one day when Yennefer decided to show up and I was having a Very Bad Day. Firefucker snuck up on me and hit me in the back of the head, it hurt, a lot, and I was dazed, I couldn't very well be expected to fight back then! He stole my sword and broke my damned lute, and Yennefer didn't even seem to realize I'd had a sword in the first place so she just bundled me out of the tavern.

My comment about being a damsel in distress was because when I was around her (a sorceress, might I remind you) or Geralt (a Witcher) or especially both of them, I tended to be the least powerful just by virtue of not having any special powers (well... In one timeline, and until I was turned into a Witcher, but canon hasn't gotten to the point in time when that happened yet, and even in the other, I was a werewolf so the lack of desire to be hacked to pieces kind of kept me from doing more and forced me to not be more useful, I would have been no use to anyone dead) so I'd gotten used to Geralt being my knight in not-so-shiny armor. Also, I was a bit of a diva, ok, it comes with the territory of being a bard!

I didn't have a sword through basically all of what s2 showed because of firefucker, Yennefer and Geralt both apparently presuming that a traveling bard wouldn't carry a blade (to be slightly fair to canon-them, I don't know off the top of my head if canon has ever showed me having a blade, but my Geralt knew I used a sword and still acted the same way re: not making sure I had one, I don't think Yennefer had seen me using my sword at that point so I can forgive her for not looking for it when she rescued me from firefucker), and the fact that everyone apparently hated me for no good reason. And when I tried to help, everyone glared at me and unless you've been on the receiving end of the black-eyed glares of like a dozen or more Witchers with their weapons out and the oddly pitying stare of a literal demon in a child's body all at the same time, you don't get to tell me I should have behaved differently, it's brave that I didn't immediately run out of the room needing to change my pants!

Also, for an unarmed man, I did very well at surviving being in a room with multiple angry basilisks, canon hasn't shown it (yet if at all) but I did get mildly injured from the debris because whether canon-me has plot-armor or not, I definitely didn't, it sucked. And then Geralt has the gall to claim I'm not part of his destiny but Yennefer, who he apparently hates, is.

If s3 doesn't finally show the fact that I was not incompetent, I am going to scream and possibly start a blog about how I was mistreated and how canon is once again mistreating me. I'd need a very good name for it...

[fangirleaconmigo]

Hi, hope you're having a great day! I'm very glad you are so passionate about the books and are giving all those 'netflix only' fans, like myself, a chance for some deeper context and comparisons. You've talked some about the relationships Geralt and Yennefer have with Ciri and Dandelion. Is there a difference or a deeper relationship between Ciri and Dandelion in the books? Is he just her adopted father's friend or are they family in their own right? I've noticed the Netflix adaptation kind of makes a point of isolating Jaskier from all of Geralt's friends. No one seems to like him or respect him, if they can even stand him. It's very off putting. Then they hardly had the two interact so I'm worried it will be more of the same with his daughter, do you have any thoughts on that?

Hi Nonny! Thanks for the ask xo.

Yes, it’s a bit odd isn’t it? Jaskier tries to be friendly and he can’t seem to catch a break. I get, of course, that it’s a joke. It’s a really common type of running joke (common esp in sitcoms), where everyone is inexplicably mean to one person, and that’s it. That's the whole joke. (Like Jerry in Parks and Rec) I will admit that I literally do not get it. My sister will be laughing at stuff like that and it just does literally zero for my funny bone. I sort of just cringe.

But lots of people love it! And lots of people love it in TWN. Actually I read a Reddit comment where a person said that when Geralt punched Jaskier in S1, they laughed so hard they almost pee’ed themselves. (Paraphrased). And I have to be honest, with that type of humor. I just look at the screen and there's nothing. Not even a chuckle. Humor is just so damned subjective. And I don't get it. I would rather see nuanced characters and an amazing friendship in all its glory. But what can do you?

And with Jaskier, I think it's so interesting that in doing that with his character, they inadvertently make him such a tragically lonely figure. It is SO IRONIC. Of course in the books Dandelion annoys some people and charms other. He is loud and gregarious and funny and some people find him totally obnoxious and others find him extremely entertaining. But he is by far the most outgoing, extroverted, people loving character and probably has the most friends of anyone.

And yet somehow in the show, he is the most lonely one, in a way that feels kind of tragic! It's interesting! And for those who love angst, they are probably eating that up. You've got Jaskier playing Burn Butcher Burn, people cheering and laughing, while he dissociates and basically falls apart right in front of their eyes. And they just cheer.

Is there anything lonelier than being surrounded by people to whom you are invisible? People who see you as more of an object or clown?

And then if you take away all of his other friends, and make Geralt refuse to call him a friend for the first twenty years of their friendship, and you have somehow made the popular bard the most lonely character in the witcher world. (I think Yen is the most lonely in the books, because the sorceresses are such sharks to her. But in the show they are more of her friends)

But yeah. I don't think TWN meant to do that with Jaskier? I think they just thought it'd be funny? (total speculation) But here we are.

But I would very much like to see Jaskier be a fuller character, and more obviously to be a part of his beloved found family. I ADORED all of his scenes with Yen in S2. And I'd love to see more of his scenes written with the understanding of what he brings to the witcher universe. He is just a beating human heart of a loyal person who loves his found family. So let's see some more of that bond.

But you asked about Jaskier and Ciri in the books, and I've made that post here. XD

[asweetprologue]

Nili’s Benchmark Geraskier Fic Rec List

hey yall! I officially hit 750 followers (a few days ago, I blew past the benchmark without even realizing!), which is... insane. I truly can’t believe that so many people over the last year have enjoyed my presence in this fandom enough to continue to follow my work. you guys are so great and I love you all so much, so I decided to put together a gift for you!

this is a list of my favorite geraskier fics from the fandom, which I have been putting together over the last year or so. a few of these are big in the fandom, but a lot of them are smaller pieces that I feel deserve more attention! I have provided ao3 and tumblr links where I could find them, as well as ratings and summaries. Most of these are canon!verse because I’m not personally a big fan of modern au’s, but there will be a few of those scattered throughout as well. I’ve divided the fics into two sections: oneshots and multichapter. See the list below the cut!

Being in this fandom truly has gotten me through the pandemic in a big way and I have made so many good friends while here. thank you all for validating my weird obsession with these characters and enabling me in these trying times <3

Oneshots

all that was good, all that was fair (all that was me is gone) | M | 7517 | WARNING: Graphic Depictions Of Violence | @xdandelionxbloomx

Somewhere, deep in a forest, a man drags himself from his grave by sheer power of will. He lies gasping on the forest floor and does not know who or what he is. The world is wide and wonderful, though, and there is so much to see.

Or, Jaskier is so stubborn that he literally comes back from the dead.

Another fascinating addition to the mythology of the Witcher. Jaskier’s slow rediscovery of himself is so well done here. One I’ve come back to again and again. 

As Fast As Love Can Go | T | 9628 | @bygodstillam

There are Faeries in the Wood.

That's what everyone said, at least, not that there was any solid proof. Jaskier had tried, more than once, to find some. Just a hint somewhere, of a real story, of real magic. But all anyone seemed to have was stories.

Jaskier was determined to find proof. He wasn't expecting to find a witcher in the process.

Fascinating fic with some really interesting worldbuilding, and a fresh new take on True Love’s Kiss. Also with some great art by @hehearse!

beautiful, he stirs up still things | T | 2575 | @alittlebitmaybe

“You’re not asking me to dance,” says Geralt.

Jaskier turns his palm up on his knee, offering it. “I think you’ll find I am.”

Just them dancing. This is a lovely sort of pre-relationship dynamic. So soft.

Dialogue Prompt | NR | 2932 | @reinvent-and-believe

Dialogue Prompt 48: “You make me want things I can’t have.” Wordless I-love-you 50: buying them a special treat when you go out shopping

Geralt gets Jaskier a gift, which prompts some confessions.

Even a small love | E | 22,272 | WARNING: Rape/Non-Con 

“Well,” Jaskier replies distractedly. “Lots of things want to strangle you.”

“You don’t.”

It isn’t a particularly troublesome accusation, or even necessarily an accusation at all.

This is one I read early on in the fandom, and it really stuck with me. The dynamic between Jaskier and Geralt is perfect, and the misunderstandings between them feel so realistic. The non-con is not extreme, but do mind the warnings. 

For the Space of a Heartbeat | T | 2021 | @drowningbydegrees

As it turns out, falling into bed with your very best friend who you are privately very much in love with isn't nearly so nerve wracking as waking up with them the morning after.

Just sweet, morning after discussions. I love to see them talking for once.

Greensleeves | T | 10,414 | @rebrandedbard

When Geralt crosses paths with Jaskier in the spring, the world is dressed in green. Quite literally. Everyone everywhere is wearing green, and it all comes down to a song Jaskier has written that, to his mortification, has become popular throughout the Continent. It's torment, being forced to preform the song over and over again and have his heart broken anew. But who is this Lady Greensleeves the people say Jaskier is so maddeningly, heartbrokenly in love with? At the baron's wedding party, Geralt is determined to find out.

This is one of my personal faves - there’s just something about Jaskier’s feelings being put on blast while Geralt remains totally oblivious that I think is so very them. And the resolution at the end is delightful.

I Don’t Wanna Fall (If It’s Not In Love) | E | 13,902 | @writinglizards

The first time it's out of desperation. Things get rapidly out of hand from there.

OR the building of a relationship through mutual wank sessions.

I love everything Ashley writes, but this one was the first fic I read by her and it still has a warm place in my heart. I also highly recommend It’s Been A While (makes me cry every time) and Tell Me Honestly

Like a Storm, Like a Flood | T | 1065 | @valdomarx

Jaskier is leaving for the winter, and Geralt can't bear the thought of not seeing him for months.

It was soooo hard to pick only one fic by George, but this one is so soft and sweet and yearning I just had to go with it. This is really just about Geralt finally hitting a breaking point and saying enough is enough.

one flesh | E | 10,763 | WARNING: MCD 

“Well, then. I’m a ghost.” Jaskier spread his arms grandly. Geralt held his gaze for a moment, then dropped his head and laughed. Jaskier put his hands on his hips. “Do fill me in on what’s so funny.” It wasn’t funny. It was just so - ridiculous, the things Geralt’s fucked up brain would invent. This had to be the last nail in the sanity coffin, it just had to be.

Or: Jaskier is a ghost, and Geralt is a mess.

Jaskier dies and comes back as a ghost to haunt Geralt into taking care of himself. Geralt does not handle this gracefully. This fic is so sad and heartbreaking, but the ending is so sweet.

to render it transparent | E | 23,901

Geralt wakes up warm, peaceful, and utterly content, which is how he knows that something is severely wrong.

Sigh. This fic. This is a time travel fic - Geralt ends up in the future living with Jaskier on the coast, just after the mountain. It’s slow and beautiful and extremely bittersweet, all about how we choose to love people despite how much it can hurt us.

With All the Continent A Stage | M | 4745 | @greyduckgreygoose

Later, Geralt learned that the play was four hours long. Four hours long. It didn’t feel like it. Most of it passed by in a fever dream of ominous music, dance-fighting and dryads in gossamer leaves, swinging from hoops attached to the ceiling. Yennefer made an appearance, played by Priscilla in a glittering negligee. She sang a song to Geralt about putting him “Under Her Spell”, and they had a sensual dance number which was made a little strange by a sickened Jaskier (played by Jaskier) coughing loudly in the background.

(Jaskier invites Geralt to a musical production inspired by his own life.)

Jaskier basically writes Geralt a love letter in the form of a four hour long play. Geralt is an idiot about it.

Multi-Chapter Fics

A Lover’s Lament | M | 25,364 | @somedrunkpirate

So,” Jaskier begins, as casually as he can, “you are telling me, that in theory, if I were to be in love with someone — anyone — that person could well be in terrible danger?”

Of all terrible and ridiculous things that have threatened Geralt’s safety, Jaskier’d never thought that loving him might be what will get him killed.

I honestly can’t count the number of times I’ve read this fic. The monster is so interesting, and the mythos of it fits seamlessly into the world of the Witcher in my mind. Jaskier being so afraid that his feelings are going to put Geralt at risk, clearly unable to see that Geralt is going through the exact same thing. I think about the scene with them looking at each other almost daily. 

A Pair of Gloves, the Scent of Roses | M | 24,134 | WARNING: Graphic Depictions of Violence

In the bustling days before the Midsummer festival, Geralt is sent into the countryside to deal with a monster - with Jaskier once again by his side. But the bard has not forgiven him, and while he's not hiding his contempt for the Witcher, he is recalcitrant about revealing his true motives for joining him. As the hunt turns into a desperate mission to save an innocent man and the monster is not what is seems to be, Geralt learns a few new things about his old friend and decides to finally attempt to mend the rift between them...

This is one of my favorite’s in the fandom - it feels so believable, the world is so rich and the oc’s are convincing and charming. Geralt and Jaskier feel so honest here, stumbling around each other but still drawn together. Beautiful beautiful beautiful

Bearing the will of the flower | NR | 11,449 

The way Jaskier sees it, his hobby of following a witcher around was always pretty likely to get him killed.

The fact that it's happening now because the witcher in question doesn't love him, he thinks as he coughs up crumpled flowers, hardly makes a difference.

My favorite hanahaki fic in the fandom. I’m such a sucker for these, and these two idiots being so incapable of talking about their feelings really makes them prime candidates. 

Food of Love | T | 22,488 | @wallatile-qvibbler

I brought a dead princess back to life through the power of song is the kind of thing that would have got an eyebrow raise even from the stone-faced Geralt of Rivia, so it's a good thing he and Geralt will probably never see each other again.

(or: the one where Jaskier channels magic through his songs, and it almost never goes as expected.)

This is a Jaskier and Renfri centric fic, which wasn’t something I knew I wanted until I read this. Jaskier is a bard which in this AU comes with magical powers, but it feels so well integrated into the universe that I wish it was just... how the Witcher is. Renfri is so good here, and even though Jaskier and Geralt barely even interact you can feel the tension and love between them. Cannot recommend highly enough.

friends and allies of the witcher | T | 10,312 | @theamazingbard

Yennefer crawls over to her newest cellmate. They’re curled up on their side. Breathing, but only just. She’s not sure what she’s hoping for when she turns them over. Still isn’t when she sees that it is indeed Jaskier.

“Shit."

Yennefer and Jaskier each suffer in more ways than one at the hands of Nilfgaard.

Yennefer and Jaskier get capture by Nilfgaard and tossed into a cell together. Exactly what I want out of season 2 honestly. Their interactions are gold.

I’d Be the Choiceless Hope | E | 45,188 | WARNING: Rape/Non-Con | @lesdemonium

As a baby, Jaskier was visited by a fae, who gifted Jaskier's mother with Jaskier's obedience. As Jaskier grew older, the "gift" became more of a curse.

You know I’m not gonna make a rec list without listing Zoe’s Ella Enchanted au. Need I say more?

Silver and Copper | M | 56,139 | WARNING: Graphic Depictions of Violence | @kaer-cuan

Geralt is just supposed to pass through the quiet Lettenhove area. He's not anticipating being begged by its people to help save their viscount from a curse that keeps him from daylight. Lord Jaskier, they call him, and he's likely dying.

As Geralt struggles to untangle the ugly web of history that has lead to the increasingly complicated curse, he finds himself spending more and more time with the strange young viscount and wondering just what he might have been before the curse, and who he might be after. But things are not always as they seem, and as the curse tightens its grip on Jaskier, Geralt is forced to face the fear of failing yet another person whose choices were stolen from them.

Or-

Jaskier is kept from becoming a bard. Geralt finds him anyway.

This is a fic that haunts me. It’s very scary in parts, and mind the tags - there are some very heavy themes here. But it’s beautiful and touching, and Jaskier feels very true to himself even though his origin is so different.

we could be married (and then we'd be happy) | E | 50,222 | @a-kind-of-merry-war

Jaskier reached into his pocket, fingers grasping around the little box. He pulled it out with what he hoped was a romantic flourish, flipping it open to reveal the simple gold band inside. “Geralt,” he said, confidently, cooly, like this wasn’t terrifying, “Will you marry me?”

Geralt and Jaskier fake marriage proposals to get free deserts and shit but it goes tits up when Vesemir catches them in the act. Not knowing how to fess up, they go along with it for a while, which is hell because they’re both pining like mad. As I said, I don’t love modern au’s, but it’s merry so of course this one had to end up on my list.

~

And that’s it! 20 fics for you, and hopefully you can all find one or two you haven’t read before. There are a lot of people and fics that I didn’t include in this list only because I was trying to not put a million down (which I could). I highly recommend anything by @wherethewordsare, @julek, @contemplativepancakes, @witcher-and-his-bard, and @inber, as well as those linked to fics above, and I’m sure there are others I forgot to mention. Yall have truly made being in this fandom worthwhile <3

[doberbutts]

Honestly tbh I do think womanizer is the incorrect word, more befitting Dandelion's behavior (and at least in English Geralt literally calls him that as a derogatory when they're having an argument while sharing a bed) but yes, Geralt stands out because despite getting mad pussy he's Not Like That.

But I think it's because he himself is polite, respectful, and modest. He likes boobs a lot (or maybe the author does lol) but he tries not to oogle when boobs are in front of him. He jumps to the defense of girls and women being assaulted without expecting anything in return, and when he's not *allowed* to do so it makes him angry (as seen in A Shard of Ice, when he passes an innkeeper groping a 12yo girl and it ruins literally his entire day because he's not allowed to do anything about it because Yennefer doesn't want to get kicked out of town). He looks away and offers his own clothes as visual sheild when women are vulnerable and naked in front of him. He deliberately pees out of sight from the women he's travelling with, noteably he has to convince the other men to show the same courtesy. He keeps conversation polite around them. He backs off when a woman is talking about Woman Things, and listens to the women he knows when they tell him how to raise Ciri when he fails to consider that being a girl she is different from what he knows of his own life.

Really the only woman he oogles is Yennefer, who makes a game of it, and that one mermaid, who seemed to want to draw men to look at her boobs, possibly due to being a mermaid. Everyone else he either very deliberately tries very hard not to look (such as the other sorceresses) or turns away immediately when he realizes they're naked (Milva, the dryads, the girl immune to smallpox, etc). I haven't reached Toussant again yet so maybe he'll oogle more there, I can't remember if he was under a spell for that though.

And really the only time we see him actively pursue sex and show real interest is with Tea and Vea during the dragon hunt, where he flashes them many pointed and intense looks while they preen and enjoy his attention. Clearly he thought they were very attractive and when Borch offers the foursome he's also very willing to pursue that. Yennefer, noteably, does not get this treatment when they first met, in fact he's trying hard not to look too closely at her because he knows she used to be hunchbacked due to the way she holds herself and he knows she can read his mind and will be furious at him. So even though he really only shows love for Yennefer, he doesn't pursue her the way he pursues Tea and Vea, whom he as said clearly finds very attractive.

Outside of his clear commitment issues likely stemming from his fear of abandonment and deep, deep trauma, he's really that universe's perfect "female gaze" attractive man. Physically he's canonically ugly but he's definitely described as one of the better men of the world and more of what many women would want in a man than a lot of fantasy protags who also have a lot of sex in their respective worlds. Male power fantasy vs man who drinks a lot of respect women juice, really. And, I don't know Polish male gender roles that well, but I would say it may even be a cultural thing or perhaps that's just what the author thinks men *should* be like.

Actual conversation in the book I just finished

Regis: humans fetishize vampires biting the necks of their victims as a sexual thing because you have an aversion to oral sex

Geralt, canonical pussy liker, whom is mentioned no fewer than three times per book to eat pussy like it's his real job: can't relate sorry

[falcor-thee-luck-dragon]

Interviews - Henry Cavill x wife/actress reader

Summary: You and Henry have been married for a couple years now, and when you’re both part of the Witcher cast, fun interviews are to be had.

Warning: nothing but a good time, btw I’ve never written anything like this so I hope it’s good enough that I might feel motivated to write more

-Readers Witcher character is loosely based off my Geralt fic from here (just a little self promotion), but in this case you play a full vampire in this Witcher universe

The days have been long and grueling, filming hours upon hours of stunts and regular acting had taken its toll. Not to mention the countless times in hair and make up paired with costume changes and traveling to film on certain locations.

To say being apart of Netflix’s The Witcher was full of tiring days and some accidental bruises would be a huge understatement. But none of that mattered, nor did you bother to complain when through the thick and thin of it all did you have Henry with you along the way. And your favorite big slobbery bear, Kal whenever he was allowed on set.

Fortunately for you in the beginning of all the craziness, the casting and writers had wanted you specifically for the part of Y/C/N in the new series before Henry even auditioned for the role of Geralt, that was soon given to him after you accepted your fresh role of vampiric heroine.

It was ironically strange in a good way, you had watched your dork of a husband play the Witcher: Wild Hunt a few times before, eventually learning of what Geralt of Rivia was, who Y/C/N was in the story, who Yennefer and Ciri were, Tris and even Jaskier.

Who would have thought that you’d finally get to snag a role side by side with Henry in quite literally one of the most fantastic shows you’ve ever heard of. You didn’t even need to see the show yet to know how well it was most likely to be reviewed. Being a key character in the grand storyline was enough to convince you of how amazing it would most certainly turn out in the finished product.

And after all was said and done, you couldn’t believe how well loved and popular the show truly became in the following months after shooting and its eventual release onto Netflix. The after parties and cast celebrations truly made you blessedly grateful for pulling through to the vary end.

Then again you had your mans Henry by your side every step of the way. He was your rock and you were most definitely his. You know life on set would have been far less entertaining and dreadfully long if not for the lovely company of your dear Witcher, Henry. And so far after the fact, you and a good portion of the cast have been placed in random interviews for the majority of the day.

Reason being, The Witcher has at long last finally premiered and as per usual the people and media live for those cast interviews that always reveal some interesting events. So far this morning you’ve done some interviews with Anya that have gone perfectly fine since the two of you seem to click so well.

Also it helps ease the anxiety of your fellow newer cast mates to the world of continuous interviews with an experienced veteran actor like yourself, who’s gone round the ring more times then you can count. Though you can’t help but wonder how Henry’s doing, considering you’ve been separated since the sessions began at 10am, you’ve had lunch and now it’s about 1 in the afternoon with more hours to go.

Luckily for you, you’ve just been informed of another interview with the man of the hour himself. Saying your goodbyes and well wishes to your fellow cast mates, you stand and follow the guide into the advised place. Aka some really nice hotel room that’s been done up real nice for efficient interviewing, complete with the Witcher insignia on a large background poster and three chairs that happen to look rather comfy.

The camera and sound people nod in acknowledgment as you walk in, you nod back no doubt making their day with your friendliness and adorable smile that quite literally lights up a room. Soon you spot the bubbly yet nervous interviewee who instantly welcomes you into her space like you’re an old friend.

You sit, a bit confused as to where your partner happens to be at the moment, the interviewer, Lauren makes small talk before a door opens and her big bright doe eyes go wide in nervous excitement. A telling smile upon her face as she shifts in her chair before looking back to you again with a happy grin.

Henry says a quick hello to the behind the scenes crew before waving to Lauren, you smirk while watching him get comfortable next to you, “Well, well, well. Get lost on your way up, you know they have guides for a reason.” You tease as he chuckles at your humorous jab, relieved to see you again after a couple hours apart.

“Traffic.” He quips with a shrug.

“Uh huh.” You mutter with a shake of your head before drawing your attention back to Laura, “Can’t take him anywhere I swear, he does this all the time.”

She laughs as Henry pretends to gasp at your teasing, you chuckle along with them before she finally collects herself, “Well, welcome back to London. It’s fantastic to have you both in town once again, and your big beautiful faces all over Leicester Square.”

You both laugh, “Right.” Says Henry, “I guess we do look pretty cool.”

“Hell yeah, I mean where else can I see myself with a giant sword on a building? And anyways look at this beautiful mug,” You say gently squeezing Henry’s cheeks in your hand, “he’s literally killing it out there.” They laugh as you give Hen another playful squeeze before letting go and setting your arm against the chairs cushioned armrest. 

“Alight let’s start.” She says enthusiastically before glancing down at her cards then back up to you and Henry. Then into one of the two the cameras, “Hi I’m Lauren from Entertainment Weekly and today we’re here with the two stars of Netflix’s The Witcher.” She says enthusiastically while giving a nod to you two, indicating that the camera is now focused on you both, “Henry Cavill and Y/N Cavill.”

You both smile in acknowledgment as Henry gives a slight nod, “How you doing?”

“I’m great,” She beams, “So, I’ll get right into it, what do you like most about the story? What really drew you into the script that made you say, yes this is going to be awesome?”

Slapping a hand against Henry’s muscular leg, you hum, “I’ll let Hen take this one he’s a real expert on the linguistics of the whole show.”

“Thanks Y/N/N.” Replies Henry, bemused that you’re making him take the first question.

You nod to him knowingly with a smirk, “Of course.” Knowing how much he loves to talk about the show and also because you’d rather have him use his energy to talk about it then do that yourself. Priorities, right, though in your defense it’s been a long day.

“Well I absolutely love the games and the books themselves are phenomenal works of literature.” He explains, his face glowing with that usual glimmer of excitement in his eyes, “The story and the world of the Witcher is just so rich and full of potential that when I signed on for the show, I immediately knew it would be amazing, no doubt.”

You lean into the arm of you chair, “And of course I was there so that’s always a bonus.”

“That too.” He smiles adorably, “That too of course.”

Lauren smiles, “Great. So, what was it like working together, how was it having your characters interact with one another?”

You smile, setting a hand against Henry’s forearm, “This guy right here.” You deadpan before waving him off dramatically, “So annoying, my god he whined all the time and he was such a drama queen dear lord so ugh....” You start cackling before you can even finish the sentence causing Henry to loose it as well and with that the interviewer.

Shaking your head you rest your hand against his shoulder, “I joke, he was a gem to work with as usual...I mean I feel incredibly blessed to be able to act alongside my husband for months and months every single day. It’s a rarity in this line of work and I’m grateful to have shared this experience...and I guess more so this whole adventure with him as well.”

The interviewer aww���s as Henry tilts his head to lean into your hand that’s still resting atop his shoulder before pulling away just as quickly, the intimate sentiment not going unnoticed by you or Lauren who looks to be enjoying your loving yet calm energy with one another. “That’s so sweet, what about you Henry?”

“Oh yes absolutely,” Agrees Henry to your recent statement, “not only did I have her by my side through it all but the dynamic of our characters interacting together was so fun to shoot. I think the audience will really be able to see their relationship grow on screen into something strong and beautiful like in the books.”

Slow clapping you give him a curt nod of approval, “Well said.”

Lauren smirks, “Seems like it. Well, I was able to catch the premier yesterday and I gotta say...it was fantastic! I couldn’t believe how diffident the two of you looked from how you are now.” She gushes enthusiastically.

The corners of Henry’s lips curl into a proud smile for the fellow crew of the Witcher’s, “Oh that’s great then, honestly we gotta give all the props to the costume and makeup team, they’re so talented and know how to make us look like real badasses.” He adds.

You nod in agreement before grinning at a positive memory of your first interaction with Henry as Geralt, “Oh for sure, I remember during the early stages of production when our characters met each other for the first time, before this we came to set together but went separate ways to shoot our own stuff in the meantime so I never got a real look at him.” You recall with a bright smile as Henry watches your every move, beaming just the same.

“It was so funny, I was in the tent with Freya Allen, the wonderful girl who plays Ciri, and then suddenly her eyes got all big and nervous and I was like, that’s not me right? Something weird didn’t just happen with my costume? And then I turned around to find this man, wig on, face a mess, and his eyes looked so fearsome and different...it was a bit startling.” You say with a chuckle, “I clearly wasn’t expecting to see Geralt right then and there. He just looked so unlike Henry.”

“Yeah, I was almost hurt.” Laughs Henry, “She had to like squint and make sure it was me.”

Rolling your eyes, you shrug, “He had some real creepy looking colored contacts, yunno?”

Henry fake scoffs, “You’re one to talk, I mean when I first say her, Y/N’s eyes were red and she had fake blood spattered all over her face and shirt. Oh, and not to mention those fangs they put on your teeth...we probably traumatized poor Freya that day.”

“Oh shit you’re right!” You exclaim with a snort of concealed laughter, “God I completely forgot about how I looked...now since I think about it, I did that a lot too. I would just walk up to people and be completely oblivious as to what kind of nightmare I looked like, honestly I might have scared one of our producers a couple of times.” You add with a half nervous laugh, it’s true, you did scare some of the crew unintentionally. Most of the time.

Lauren lightly chuckles, “That sounds like you were quite the sight to see then.” She says before glancing back down at her notes, “Alright I have’ta ask, is there anything that you two took home with you from set?”

“Besides Henry every night,” He holds back a laugh while covering his mouth as you nonchalantly continue, “Uh, yes actually I got to take home Y/C/N’s wolf ring that I loved so much and just thought was the coolist thing ever and....uh, I might have stolen some socks too.”

“So that’s why after filming the amount of socks of yours I had to fold increased?” Wonders Henry with a surprised snort of realization.

Turning your head to give him a “no shit” kinda look, you look back at Lauren, pointing your thumb at Henry, “Master sleuth right here, but hey, he folds my laundry.”

“Aw that’s great.” Adds Lauren with a smile before turning her attention to Henry, “What about you Henry? Take anything from set?”

“More then Y/N did actually...”

“He just about took the whole makeup trailer most nights, I swear.”

Henry chuckles, “That. Is true.” He agrees with a nod, “Interesting enough, at home I’ve got Geralt’s armor hung up in our living room and a multitude of other nicknacks that I’ve collected during filming.” He adds, glancing over to you, “So uh, yeah, we were fairly lucky to be able to snag what we could.”

Lauren smiles, absentmindedly shuffling her cards, “That’s awesome to have such special memorabilia, you guys really are fortunate.” She adds before reading off from another card, “Alright you two, care to play a game called guess the image? Witcher style.”

Your face perks up at this, you’re a sucker for interview games and Henry knows it, “Are you reading my mind or something, I have been waiting all day for someone to ask about playing a game.” You gush rather enthusiastically. 

He smiles at your adorableness and how excited you’ve just become, Lauren grins, happy that her suggestion has been so well received, “Okay so how it works is, I’ll show you an image on my iPad and then you have to guess who or what I’m showing you.”

“Oh, cool I’ve heard of this,” You reply, turning to Henry with a smirk, “Loser has to clean Kal’s yard poop for a week.”

Rolling his gorgeous blue eyes he chuckles, “You’re on.”

“Alright, the stakes are high, you two ready?” Beams Lauren, holding her iPad to her chest as she awaits an answer.

“Yes, I’m ready to kick his ass.” You quip, leaning an arm against your chair while Henry does about the same, though he does his best to contain his laughter.

“Okay, first image.” She holds up the device to show some sort of weird golden thing, it’s shiny and hard, worst part is that you’re not entirely sure what the hell it could be.

Sensing your confusion Henry nudges your shoulder, though you ignore it before he smartly answers, “Oh, is that...Renfri’s brooch?” Little shit knows exactly what that is, of course he does.

Lauren claps, “Correct.” Zooming out of the image to show the full picture of the golden brooch, “Right on, that’s one point for Mr. Cavill.”

You scoff playfully, “Beginners luck.” While Henry side eyes you with a humorous grin upon his plush lips, he nudges your arm, “I’m going to really enjoy not cleaning up Kal’s grass turds for awhile.” He mutters lightheartedly, though you know deep down he’s being serious, no way is he going to win this, you think. You won’t have it, hopefully the next few pictures aren’t as difficult, Kal duty is not fun by any means.

“Shut up.” You grumble with a dismissive wave of your hand, though just teasing of course.

“Okay next image.” This time the blurred photo looks much more familiar, soon it clicks as to what the obscured blurriness actually is, yes!

“Got it! Anya’s er I guess Yennefer’s dress from the fight at Sodden.” Lauren giggles, zooming the image out to reveal Yennefer in her tasseled blue and purple dress from the battle at Sodden Hill. “I’m amazing I know.” You boast at Henry with a casual little bow in your seat.

“It’s the second question.” He deadpans, eyes crinkling in amusement as you shake your head at him.

“Pffff get outta here.” You mutter back, gently pushing his arm off of your chairs armrest and setting yours in its place while he gives you a fake shocked expression.

In turn you can’t help the smile that tugs at the corner of your lips, so instead of saying some sassy remark that would no doubt get a reaction out of him, you turn your attention back over to Lauren who’s looking over her notes again.

“Fantastic,” She says, glancing back up at you and Henry, “you’re both tied with one point each. Alright, anyone know what this is?” She asks showing something red and fuzzy, a bit of dirty skin showing from one corner but with The Witcher this bloody image could literally be anything.

The both of you squint, puzzled as to what this could be, “Y/N you got any ideas.” Wonders Henry, brows furrowed as his face contorts into deep concentrated thought.

Raising a brow, you hum, “If I knew I wouldn’t tell you.”

“Fair point.” He chuckles.

Lauren smiles, “Any guesses?”

 After a few concentrated moments, Henry shrugs in defeat,  “I’m stumped.” He admits as you study the image harder, mind racing to put the pieces together as to what the hell you’re looking at.

“No, I think I might know this....erm is it...me?” You wonder, voice raising in question, hoping to be correct about this or face the teasing of Henry.

Lauren quickly zooms out of the obscured image, “It is!” She says excitedly, revealing the picture of you from your characters debut in episode 2 where you save a girl from a werewolf, your mouth is covered in blood and so is most of your costumes chest area and left arm from the struggle. Not to mention the make-up teams fun 20 minutes of throwing fake sticky blood all over you to get the right look for the taxing scene.

You grimace a bit, “Oh god that was quite the day on set,” You recall with a half smile, “I was doing stunts all day covered in that red syrupy dye, I think it took a week to get out of my skin.”

Henry suddenly snorts with laughter, “Right! That reminds me, I thought Kal had gotten cut or something, it was just Y/N who had hugged him not realizing she still had some fake blood on her arm.”

“Jeez that’s right, I felt so bad, but I couldn’t stop laughing once we realized it was just me.”

Lauren grins, excited to hear some hidden information about little things that happens behind the scenes, “Oh wow that must have been a sight, alright Henry, Y/N’s taken the lead with a two to one score.” She says as you playfully nudge his strong shoulder. “Second to last image, what is this?”

Without missing a single beat Henry replies, “Jaskier.”

Squinting at the image you lean closer to the iPad, “How the hell do you see Jaskier?”

Smiling the interviewer zooms out to reveal the bards full outfit from the banquet scene, though he’s in the background of a fight between Geralt and some Cintran knights. “Right on!” She exclaims as you lean back into your seat dumbfounded, shoulder flush against Henry’s as he clutches your arm and squeezes it affectionately.

Ignoring his silent show of victory you shrug, “And they say he’s just another pretty face,” Earning a laugh from Lauren and some of the crew as you smirk at the camera, face them shifting to apologetic, “also I’m so sorry Joey you beautiful bastard apparently I’m blind. Uh, we don’t have to dwell on it, Lauren whatcha got?”

“You guys are both tied with two points each, last chance to win.” She replies before glancing down at her iPad, “Alright, what is this?” She asks, her iPad showing that of fuzzy bright colors, with a small corner smear of dull white that clearly wouldn’t make much sense to the untrained eye.

Smirking you glance at a puzzled Henry before sitting up in your seat, feeling rather good about yourself, “Would that happen to be, Hen in Stregobor’s illusion?” You answer with, though sounding a bit as a question considering you aren’t entirely confident as to what image this is.

Lauren’s brows raise in surprise, “Henry, looks like we have a winner. Y/N you are correct.” She beams, enlarging the image to reveal Geralt’s side profile as he talks to the old wizard while the background stays colorful and shrouded in various arrays of sunlight..

Shaking your fist victoriously in the air you give a couple enthusiastic whoop whoops while Henry simply takes it like a champ, “Have fun cleaning up Karl’s monster turds, cause this lucky lady doesn’t have to.” You boast as Henry and the crew laugh.

“Well that was something,” Beams Lauren, “I’m so glad to have chatted for a bit about your guys’ amazing new series, and maybe ended a relationship in the process.” She says jokingly as both you and Henry chuckle.

Patting his thigh affectionately, you smirk, “He’s a tough old bear, but yeah, it was awesome having you talk to us.”

“Yes, take care now.” Adds Henry while the interviewer Lauren stands, saying her goodbyes as she goes to exit the room.

The camera crew take a small break to adjust things and whatnot as you and Henry wait patiently for the next interviewer. He turns, an adorable smile pulling at his lips while you pretend to ignore his fiery gaze. “Well that went pretty well, minus the fact that I’m on Kal poop duty for a week...but uh...” He leans in close to you now, “I missed you all morning.”

Breaking out into a smile you raise a brow, “Boring without me huh?”

“Always.”

You casually shrug, “I figured as much. Don’t worry, we have a hotel all to ourselves tonight.” Your brows wiggle suggestively causing your blue eyed lover to shake his head with amusement.

“Say it louder next time.” He jokes.

Side eyeing the oblivious crew you begin to speak a couple octaves louder, “Henry I can’t wait to fu..” Suddenly his hand presses against your mouth before you’re able to call any attention to yourself. He gives you a warning look before slowly pulling his hand from your mouth.

You grin mischievously, “I wasn’t gonna say that...”

“Sure Y/N,” He mutters in your ear as a new interviewer walks into the room and finds their chair, “and I’m wasn’t going to make you scream tonight.”

Your brows raise in surprise and admittedly slight arousal at his choice of wording in this room of all places. Eyeing him up, face still showing surprise, you finally break out into a satisfied smirk. “You know what? I think you should consider changing your offer.”

He thinks deeply for a moment, though you know he’s only pretending to get you riled up, “Hrmm...maybe, possibly, should I? Should we? You are my co-star after all, that wouldn’t be very professional now would it Y/N?” He states with a shit eating grin, all done while the crew and interviewer get ready, minding their business and completely unaware to yourself and Henry’s teasing.

Scoffing playfully you lightly swat his arm, “We are way past being professional.”

He chuckles, looking from you to the rest of the room, “Oh, they have no idea.”

[jaskierswolf]

Four Seasons

Summary: Jaskier is the god of winter and he gets invited to the four seasons ball. A formal celebration held by the the gods. This is finally the moment that Geralt realises just what Jaskier the bard really is.

Rated: T

Length 1.8k

CW: Jaskier wears a dress, brief mention of gods being genderfluid

Based of this art by @little-piece-of-tamlin. Another @thewitcherbog special!

________

As far as Geralt was aware, Jaskier was just a normal, very human bard. Jaskier had never said as such but people made assumptions, and he was happy to let people go about their day and think whatever made them most comfortable. Most people would be uncomfortable in the presence of a god, or they'd bow down, grovel at his feet, which whilst fun for a short period of time, got horrendously dull very quickly. He was a free spirit, especially during the summer months. Winter was a busier affair but Geralt was always tucked away in Kaer Morhen so never noticed Jaskier’s more immortal side during the coldest time of the year.

Geralt was about to get the shock of his lifetime.

It wasn’t as if Jaskier had planned it but the invitation had come in from Priscilla in the spring and he couldn’t just ignore it. The Four Seasons ball only happened once a century and it had completely slipped Jaskier’s mind, but he wouldn’t just abandon Geralt. The poor witcher might have thought he was dead if he hadn’t turned up at their unofficially agreed meeting place. So Geralt would just have to join Jaskier for the ball, and after that there would be no hiding. He was a guest of honour and gods and mortals alike would bask in the magic of the changing seasons. Most mortals wouldn’t remember the ball afterwards, the magic too powerful for their tiny little brains to comprehend, but those blessed by a god’s favour could remember.

And of course, Jaskier had blessed Geralt. One could not hold a god’s heart and not be blessed.

“You’re quiet,” Geralt grumbled as they made their way up to the rooms Jaskier had secured for them.

“I received an invitation to a party. I was hoping that you might come with me,” Jaskier stammered, feeling the frost creeping through his veins as it always did when his emotions started to get the better of him. He could melt snow and ice with a simple smile, but when he got anxious, things started to get a little frosty. The air temperature outside the tavern had dropped considerably since they’d arrived, but he doubted anyone had really noticed. It was late in the day and the change could be blamed on the setting of the sun.

“Already? Whose partner did you bed this time, bard?”

“Oh haha, very funny!” Jaskier scoffed, ignoring the frost glistening on the windows of their room when they stepped inside. Deep down he knew he needed to get a grip. Pris would be pissed off if he ruined her spring thaw with his own emotions, his poor sister would have to work even harder to counteract the effects of his magic, but it was always more difficult to rein in his magic in the spring. It was still strong from the winter months, and there was an adjustment period.

Even still, the snowfall last summer after the blasted dragon hunt had all three of his siblings up in arms against him. Valdo had to trigger autumn early and the whole harvest had been a mess.

He really should just tell Geralt he loved him and deal with the consequences, but… well… it had been a long time since he had loved like this and he still nursed the heartbreak.

“Jaskier?” Geralt said, snapping him from his thoughts. “What’s wrong?”

He blinked, focussing back into the room. He meant to say “nothing” or something along those lines. Something harmless and easy.

What fell from his lips was another thing entirely.

“I love you, oh bollocks!” Jaskier blurted, clapping a hand over his mouth.

“What the fuck?”

“I’m sorry!”

“No, I mean… Jaskier,” Geralt gestured to the room, there was a snow flurry above them and the windows were completely iced over. He desperately tried to think happy thoughts, the warm golden glow of Geralt’s eyes. The soft growl of his voice whenever Jaskier did something stupid that would get any mortal killed. Even if Geralt never loved him back, the thought of his witcher was enough to soothe his panic. With one last deep breath and a flick of his wrist, the snow was gone, “What the fuck?”

“Oh fuck, Pris is going to kill me,” Jaskier whined. “I- umm…”

Geralt pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, one hand was holding his medallion and he just looked… well, done? Shit. Fucking cock balls.

“Explain, bard.”

“I love you? Quite hopelessly, I’m afraid,” Jaskier smiled sheepishly, his tongue flicking out to flick his lips, a nervous habit that he’d never quite overcome. “But!” he announced with false bravado, “that’s neither here nor there, it’ll pass. No need to worry about me, witcher.”

“And the snow?”

“Oooh yeah that.”

“Yeah, that.”

“Well, there’s a chance that I might be a god, hypothetically speaking of course. I’ve always favoured the winter months,” Jaskier admitted, flexing his fingers and pulling at his lute strap.

“You hate winter,” Geralt growled, still painfully ignoring Jaskier’s love confession but that was fine. “You always spend the winter in that cushy academy of yours.”

“Not strictly true,” Jaskier sighed, “but are you coming to my ball or not, witcher? My sister has invited us both, apparently I don’t shut up about you, probably part of the being in love thing.”

“No, you just don’t shut up.”

“Rude! Fine, be that way, Geralt. I’ll go alone,” Jaskier huffed, pouting with his whole body in a way that he knew Geralt always fell for. “It’s a shame, I had a perfect outfit planned. Gods don’t play by your rules of gender, and oh you should see me in a dress, I look absolutely divine, quite literally in fact.”

“If I come with you, will you be quiet?” Geralt sighed.

“Now, now, we both know I can’t promise that.”

Geralt groaned before slumping onto the bed, the only bed, and it took Jaskier another half an hour to get Geralt ready for the ball. It helped that he could use his magic now that Geralt knew, but the witcher still fought Jaskier on the pale blue doublet that would match Jaskier’s dress perfectly. No man, mortal or otherwise, could fight Jaskier’s eye for fashion and eventually Geralt gave in. It helped when Jaskier reminded the witcher there would be no need for armour in the presence of gods, there was no monster they couldn’t best, and so reluctantly Geralt left his worn out witcher armour on the bed, and let Jaskier dress him.

“Did you mean it?” Geralt muttered.

“Mean what?” Jaskier asked, cocking his head as his magic weaved through the fabric, subtly marking the witcher as his, no other god could claim Geralt if Jaskier already had, and he just didn’t trust his brother, not after the Countess de Stael.

“You love me?”

“With all my heart and soul, darling,” Jaskier admitted softly, his fingers freezing on the collar of Geralt’s doublet, now printed with buttercups. If one were to look closely they would see the tiny little snowflakes that made up the design, “but I- I understand if you don’t feel the same. I didn’t- I didn’t mean to tell you.”

“Hmm.”

“Is that alright, Geralt?”

“Yes. I- shit,” the witcher growled, “It’s not easy for me, witcher don’t-”

“Oh fuck off,” Jaskier snapped. “ Don’t you fucking dare, Geralt. Witchers don’t feel. Whatever whoreson told you that-”

“I know. I know, but you got hurt, because of me, and seeing you lying there in Yennefer’s bed. I thought I’d lost you,” Geralt snapped, his golden eyes burning with fire.

“And that was the day I lost you… to her,” Jaskier sighed, “I was never in real harm. The djinn magic just hurt this body, and I’m rather fond of this one, but I would have survived.”

“You didn’t lose me, Jaskier. Yennefer, she’s, she’s less fragile, and the wish, my wish,” Geralt shook his head.

“Ah yes, you bound yourself to her, my poor aunt, you call her Destiny, was not impressed with that one, but never mind, dear heart, your destiny is set now,” Jaskier pressed a kiss to Geralt’s cheek. “Of course, I could undo it. Djinn’s magic has nothing on mine, but the bond between you and Yennefer means nothing. It is a tie, not a love potion. I know you love her, Geralt.”

“I love you, Jaskier,” Geralt said all too quickly, and Jaskier froze, his heart racing in his chest and the world spinning around him in a blur. “It was easier to pretend that I didn’t.”

“Oh.”

“Yes.”

“Oh fuck,” Jaskier cried out, whisps of frost dancing through the air around them. “You- you love me?”

“Yes, Jaskier,” Geralt repeated, rolling his eyes and shooting Jaskier a fond smile. “I love you.”

Jaskier beamed, and with a flick of his wrist his doublet and breeches melted away into a beautiful icy blue gown. The fabric was cold against his skin, a mesh of snowflakes so thin that the pale blue fabric was sheer. He left his arms free of sleeves, and winked as he saw Geralt’s eyes go wide as he took in the muscles that Jaskier usually hid under his clothes. He thought about taking on a more traditionally female form to fill out the cleavage in the dress, but he rather liked the way Geralt was looking at him with a dark hunger in his eyes. As he stepped forwards his boots shifted into elegant high heels, a dark navy blue with thin straps around his ankles.

“Jask,” Geralt breathed, “You look…”

Jaskier winked at his witcher, cupping his cheek with his hand. “There, now we match.”

“You’re taller than me.”

With a giggle, Jaskier nodded, looking down at Geralt for the first time in their acquaintance. They’d always been similar in height, but Jaskier’s shoes gave him the edge now. “Well, you are my guest for the evening, and no mortal should rise above their immortal, it goes against court etiquette.”

The witcher scoffed, “When have you ever given a shit about etiquette?”

“Human etiquette, witcher, not the gods’. This is different. This is my home, now come on, Pris will kill me if I’m late again.” Jaskier scooped up his lute, and took Geralt’s hand in his. “Are you ready?”

“No.”

“Hold on tight, darling,” Jaskier grinned.

“Wait, fuck, Jaskier! Not a portal!”

But the witcher’s protests were swallowed up in a flurry of snow as they were transported to the realm of the gods. An echo of Jaskier’s musical laugh hung in the air as the snow settled on the ground as the witcher and his bard set off on their latest adventure.

[hexcrystals]

Hold me like you used to / read on ao3

Sometimes you don't know you've got something important until you lose it, or in Geralt's case, until you yell at it on a mountain that you want it to leave you alone.

i wrote a little fic about touch-starved!geralt (word count: 640, rating: gen)

--

Jaskier had never been shy with affection. The majority of people who had interacted with him had a memory of him squeezing their shoulder, ruffling their hair, maybe flinging his arms around their neck if he was in a particularly good mood. Geralt knew this more than most after all their travels together, his recollections of adventures interspersed with memories of Jaskier resting his head on Geralt’s shoulder on a cold evening beside the campfire, or massaging an injury after a fight, or peeling away bloodstained clothes and nudging him towards the bath. Sharing a bed together had almost always resulted in waking up with Jaskier’s face in his neck and their legs entwined.

There had been a comforting predictability to it all, a constant reassurance that there was somebody that didn’t find him completely repulsive. It had served as a reminder that he was cared for, even if the trade off was having to put up with Jaskier’s more annoying habits. 

It had taken Geralt a while to realise that he missed it - missed him - after they’d parted ways on the mountain. After a few days he’d felt odd and irritable in a way that he couldn’t pin down. It hadn’t hit him until he’d woken up one morning and automatically rolled towards the centre of the bed, expecting to find a warm and slightly snoring bard, and his chest had tightened upon realising that the bed was empty. It had pained him that he hadn’t noticed how much he relied on the warm safe feeling that Jaskier’s touch had brought him until it was gone.

He’d searched for the comfort in other places, waiting to feel satisfied by the embrace of a stranger in his bed, or the reunion hugs with Vesemir and his brothers in Kaer Morhen, but being left wanting. Even the kiss he’d shared with Yennefer hadn’t sufficed, although he’d tried to put that down to the fact that they’d been interrupted by Ciri. 

He’d known he was lying to himself. The common denominator was clear. Jaskier was always the missing piece.

***

He fought his way into the prison as if he was on autopilot, trying to push away the thought that Jaskier would be perfectly within his rights to tell him to fuck off and wouldn’t be being unreasonable if he’d rather stay in a cold and stinking cell than give Geralt the time of day. All the same, he smiled to himself when he heard Jaskier’s voice and the familiar din of spoons clattering together (which, on reflection, he’d always previously responded to by snapping at him to shut up). He hadn’t changed a bit.

Geralt turned the corner and pushed open the door of Jaskier’s cell.

‘Good sir, you would not know talent if I shoved it up your– Geralt.’ Jaskier’s eyes met his. His jaw trembled. Geralt held his breath. He desperately wanted to reach out, to pull Jaskier into his arms, but couldn’t face the possibility that Jaskier might flinch away.

‘Fuck it,’ muttered Jaskier. Geralt blinked, bracing himself for a torrent of vitriol. No doubt Jaskier had been rehearsing this for literal years. He probably had a list of scathing comments written down somewhere and stashed away in one of his many pockets.

Jaskier stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him. Geralt instinctively relaxed into the embrace, his hands clinging to the leather of Jaskier’s new coat. Jaskier’s hair was longer now, soft against his cheek. He breathed in against Jaskier’s neck, a warm feeling spreading throughout his body as he caught his familiar scent. It all felt right. For all he’d never appreciated it when they were together, Jaskier was Geralt’s safe place, and his arms felt like home.

‘I’ve missed you too.’ Geralt murmured. I won’t leave you again, he added silently. Please don’t leave me.

[annmarcus63]

GIVE US TO HIM

Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion

Warning: this might hurt a little

on ao3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/34157128

Grandma said once that to give away your raw score is forbidden.

"Your heart in it's full rawness, chaos, is a precious and dangerous thing. Never you should do something as giving it to someone else."

"But our ancestors used to do it. Look ma ¡look!" said Jaskier holding his story book on the air for grandma's tired eyes to see. A handsome knight was lying on the dry grass, dying from a wound on his stomach. He started calling for his love, an ancient fae with blond hair and fair skin. She fell upon the prairie from the charged clouds, with something shiny between her hands. The fae feed the wound with her raw core, her heart. The knight lived along side her, flying amongst the starry night, happily ever after. "This are just stories, Julian" said Grandma with contened anger in her dry voice. She took the book and close it on her thighs "Things were rarely like that. Knights and kings are more inclined to use our cores against us and other people. We can't recover from that loss" Julian look at the drawing on the coverbook, the fae was kneeled by a pond and the knight stood glorious in practically all the cover, leaving a very small space for the real hero, the one who save the life of the protagonist.

"Never give your raw core away. Stop reading these, THEY wrote this, Julian, you must be clever than her" said Grandma pointing at the beautiful fae. Julian nod, undesrtanding much more that he wanted to, and so little, so so little. Maybe that was the reason his family were hiding, they never express it in a literal way, that was the point really, but Julian notice anyway. The way, for example, of how they said their names and the rust taste that was left on the air after. It was common to hide their real names for fae, but you'd give that name knowing it's false, on the opposite when you say the false name thinking is the real one then another fae would know. Losing the self was something of a disease between the fae. Jaskier later knew that his parents have not choice but to lose themselves to save the lineage. Most fae really. Humans did that. Like they did to the elfes. Julian promise to never forget about the fae from his last storybook. He'll never forget about her sacrifice and the sacrifice of his people. But come on, after some years it was just naturally that, despite the wound on the history, a selfish creature he was and he forgot. He was raised as human, and he wanted to be a bard oh how he want it. And he did accomplish that, and a bloody good one that's for sure. Fae were extinct for all the world and that wasn't a cover, they're doomed to extinction sooner or later. It has been years since the last time Jaskier felt another fae being born. He is Jaskier troubadour, master of the seven liberal arts a mastermind amongst the crowds, a legend…an idiot most of the time basically.

What grandma failed to mention is that for a fae to be able to give their core away the recipient must be worthy at the eyes of the fae. Once this worthiness makes evident, that person would plant roots in the core itself, whether the fae want it or not. It's inevitable. Grandma should have said "be aware of where you place your heart. Hold it until you're fully sure of them" But well, it wouldn't have matter in the end. Jaskier have never being someone who follows advice, much less from his dead relative. It happened naturally, like breathing, eating and shitting. One moment he was standing next to Geralt under a pouring rain, the witcher kept looking for a missing girl on the edges of the woods, her parents place a bounty on the towns board, they couldn't offer payment in form of crowns but they're willing to let them sleep on the girl’s room. Jaskier became indignant, how a witcher is supposed to take a payless bounty? No, that is unacceptable. But despite the protesting bard and zero reward whatsoever Geralt went anyway, he look for a girl who surelly was already dead.

"I found her body near the cave by the pond. You can go for her by morning when it's safe. I'm sorry" after a minute of silence the parents with equal expression of cold sorrow release a heavy sigh charged with so much grief.

"What did it?" asked the father

"Nekkers. I got rid of the pack living there"

"Thank you, witcher. You and your bard can come in, i'm sure you're exhausted” Said the mother with great effort, like someone who can't breathe quite well.

Geralt rapidly added "No, I'm sure you and your husband need time to resign and mourn alone. My bard and i already had another place to stay" Eh, no they didn't.

"But...we don't have any crowns"

"I didn't do this for payment" And while the parents thanked infinitely to Geralt, Jaskier felt something wild and untamed surging from his chest. Reaching unabashed for the witcher with a big golden heart standing next to him, explaining to a mourning parents that he went to search for their lost daughter because he wanted to help. This new awareness of chaos, he knew what it was.

Chaos, core, raw.

And it had marked Geralt as his. We want him.

Give us to him. He's worthy.

He was doomed, so doomed from the very beginning since they encounter each other on Posada. Grandma tried to warn him of this. Oh grandma, you and i both know that I was never obedient or wise. So Jaskier let it happen, four years after knowing the witcher and his raw core already belong to him. But he didn't do it. He hold back despite the urgency on his chest because he wasn't sure it'll be welcome. Geralt was still trying to get rid of him in every town, sometimes Jaskier felt like a pet you don't want but you can't abandon it either. Surely there'd be a time in the future. And Jaskier wait and fell in love deeply with each passing year. And Geralt...well he was the same and also different in his own way, more at ease around him, softer maybe. Jaskier didn't need to be call a friend to felt like one to Geralt. They're friends, even if one part has being in denial for the past decade.

And then the djinn happened follow by the complicated affair with one Yennefer of Vandenberg. The curse caused the core to retreat afraid and wounded. He hurt us, he wished to hurt us. Jaskier argued with the voice that it wasn't his intention, he didn't even know he was the one with the wishes. In truth his heart shattered not for the wish but for the easiness in which the sorceress become someone important to Geralt, something to hold on to even if drowning. One decade and still Jaskier thinks he haven't reached that relationship level with his friend.

He doesn't want us

No.

"Uhmm?"

"What?"

"You said no"

"Oh, it's nothing" Geralt didn't ask again

But weak and in love he was, the raw core and him reached out again, with fully open arms for Geralt to pull. Jaskier long to belong to him, oh how he did.

Yennefer and her shining imbecile knight join the hunt and he was jealous because as soon as she appear the witcher was drooling as if she was all he needed to shut down the darkness inside.

Don't you know? inside me there's a full light waiting for you to hold

At the softness of the afternoon Jaskier found Geralt sitting on a rock lost, as usual, in though. But this time were different, he had failed three people, Borch's dead has left a wound that surely would scar badly. And the bard felt a deep sadness for his golden heart witcher. He's definitely blaming himself for the fall, for that narrow and insecure path alongside the mountain as if he was the one to build it.

Jaskier asked him to come with him to his home, to the coast, he yearn to be there with him and feel the sea wind on their faces while walking by a cliff near a quiet village that Geralt wouldn't mind to visit.

We want to be his.

Give us to him.

We can love him better.

But Geralt didn't want him, he wanted Yennefer.

He give himself to him anyway.

"Here" said Jaskier putting a hand on Geralt's thigh, surprise, instead of flinching away Geralt held Jaskier's hand and with most carefulness took what was inside the palm. A small glass vial, similar to the ones where he pours his potions. He held it on his gloved open hand. There was something inside, warm and inviting. White, almost yellow that make Geralt felt calm and safe.

"What's this?"

"A gift. It'd take care of you" Geralt frown at him, confused and uncertain of what it meant, but he took it with a barely there smile only for Jaskier to see.

He's a coward, he couldn't confessed him the reality of what it meant because he was terrified of being rejected, grandma said that a rejection is so devastating that it might kill him. And even at this point in their friendship Jaskier couldn't know for sure.

It's me. Take me, i'll protect and save you if needed to. Have me, please have me.

Geralt went that night at Yennefer's tent and Jaskier felt glad for not having told him the truth

"If life could give me a blessing it would be to take you off my hands"

No, no, not now.

They're doing fine.

And then very fast very suddenly Geralt reached for his breast pocket to held the vial of raw core on his fist and toss it unceremoniously to the hard soild.

The noise of shattered glass invaded Jaskier's ears before the heavy blankness surged from his chest to every corner of him.

“No, no, no” said he, giving a fumbling step towards the vial but deciding to turn around instead.

Away away away away.

He can't see me like this.

Something was tearing in fine lines caused by the trembling, an earthquake from his very bones that were fighting on maintaining their solid formation. Something inside was bawling with such and intensity that make his ears bleed.

Was this dying? let it be death for he can no longer take it. Does breathing always hurt this much? like if his lungs were filled with wool and the air only add heaviness on them. What was this? a beating heart, so afraid so betrayed, like a laugh from his ancestors. He wanted to throw up his intestines, they're on fire, but when he tried only saliva flood. He was not himself anymore, and to become whole was an impossibility that the pain was making sure off. Dirt get inside his mouth, his cheek on the ground was getting cut by rocks. A voice calling for him to react, to say something. But he no longer have a voice, he was death itself preparing for a long dream.

I’m sorry grandma.

I'm sorry, said to himself

and he remembered the blond fae on the cover book between grandma's hands, of how she give her life to save her love one, but who'd give their life for her?

who'd give their life for him?

He needed to sleep, right here on the mountain ground, to become whole again or at least half whole.

He begged for death instead.

[trashbaggage]

POSSIBILITIES FOR IMMORTAL!JASKIER, PART THE SECOND (part 1)

his parents are actual gods and they literally grounded him and cut him off for shenanigans; it did not go how they expected, they thought he’d come whining back, not find himself a sexy little meal ticket

his parents are regular humans, but they had trouble conceiving; they find a djinn and make a wish for a healthy baby that will outlive his loved ones; everyone he has truly loved died in freak accidents, and he told himself he’d just stop loving people, but now he’s got his little found family to worry about oh god

clones? sure, fuck it, something with clones

he somehow got accidentally bonded to yen and became her familiar after the bottled appetites debacle, it takes them awhile to figure that one out

yennefer keeps complaining to tissaia about a certain bard, so tiss slips him a little something something so he sticks around and keeps yen humble

gets his power from breaking hearts and the only way to kill him is to break his :(

he’s constantly surrounded by these other banging long-lifers, his body takes one look at this gucci cullen family and just forgets he’s not Like That too

everyone knows about witcher schools, but there is a very secret place called xavier’s school for gifted bards; jask went through the trial of band camp and got some sweet mutations of his own

he uses the same moisturizer as sharon stone’s character in that awful 2004 catwoman movie that reverses the affects of aging; maybe he’s born with it maybe it’s beau-line

apparently, witcher semen has some.....unforeseen side effects with extensive and repeated use 😏

he’s actually a mage’s escaped experiment, well, i say mage, but victor never even finished his doctor mage training, he was a dropout with a god complex ugh

jask took one look at thicc thighs heart of tarnished gold and pretty eyes determination of forged steel and went, huh, how long do they live again? like, forever? cool cool cool. and then told melitele of his plight, who was like ‘oh yeah, sure sure, i get it’, and they made a deal: he gets a longer life if he spreads her name across the continent - she didn’t think it would be in the form of a curse, but he technically fulfilled his end of the bargain, melitele’s tits he’s crafty

died once, didn’t like it, decided not to do that again

this is jaskiers fantasy world we’re all just living in it (medieval matrix)

somehow acquired a cult following whose worship of him and his talents elevated him to god-like status

literal ray of sunshine - he’s old but still bright and hot like burning and if you look directly at him for an extended period of time your eyes start to hurt

struck by lightning in his mid-twenties and stopped aging

he’s a crossroads demon that tried to get geralt to make a deal, but geralt just thought he was a thirsty tagalong (which is not entirely incorrect) and jaskier is in too deep now, it’s a matter of pride and also feelings, yes he has everything under control please don’t send management up to check

time traveler that was booted from the flow of time for time crimes

roach is actually a magical being and jaskier became a favorite after all the treats and songs of her glory; one day while he’s braiding her mane, a silver apple appears on her saddle and he just. fuckin eats it, no questions. he’s been feeling great ever since

too much swag for the bodybag

he was a lute before a bored fae turned him into a Real Boy; whenever he lies you can hear the faint twang of lute strings - he’s gotten very good at speaking the truth at an angle

geralt says he’s not allowed to die

[lilackissed]

Random Asks - Nonnie said: “Well.. He still considered her a friend after he found out what she did to him, so he wasn’t THAT mad.. So feels harsh.”

I literally blinked at this ask for a couple of moments wondering if I read it correctly and then realized I’m going to have to get onto my Soap Box and pull out my Megaphone: just because an old-ish male author didn’t write Geralt as being as mad as he should have been, doesn’t mean that what Triss did was okay. That kind of thinking is just so dangerous.

What she did to Geralt was absolutely without his consent. This is where I say that ‘rape culture’ comes into it because there are STILL people in the world that think that if a guy ‘enjoys the sex it doesn’t count’, or that ‘women can’t rape men’, and it’s just not true. CONSENT MATTERS NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE. Triss had been rejected by Geralt because he was all about Yennefer (I mean they’re in love, so...), and the only way she could get him was to MAGICALLY ROOFIE HIM. It specifically said in print that she “seduced [him] with the help of a little magic.” She also tried to keep his memories away too because she was AWARE that the SECOND she let him regain his own agency, he would go right back to Yen and right back to rejecting her because he didn’t feel that way about her without her magical enchantments in place. So are you telling me that that’s okay? That because a guy that didn’t make it a big deal back in the day it was written (and in another country too), that we’re just supposed to forget it?

NO. NO WE ARE NOT JUST GOING TO FORGET IT.

This is such a good example of things that don’t age well. Geralt was taken advantage of, and no one got mad enough about it because they just let Triss off the hook. Assumed it was just some stray feelings they had together because no one knew specifically that Triss had magicked him. No one made a big enough deal about it, and if you really dig into it? This is a man who considers himself a MONSTER because the people around him do. Sure, he gets women when he does his job, because they think he’s a ‘savior’, etc., but he probably on some level thought he deserved it. He even called it a “mistake” and showed grief and guilt over what happened between them, and didn’t want to do it again. He thought that perhaps he brought it upon himself, but look, it’s still not okay.

So no, I don’t think it’s ‘harsh’ to call Triss out as a rapist. She literally took his agency away and slept with him without his actual consent, because she spelled him. So she is exactly that: a rapist. Sure, Show!Triss isn’t the same monster because they haven’t put any of that in, but if you see Triss slander around here, it’s about Book!Triss and Game!Triss, because that’s the source material, and because the games had Triss ADMIT that she “took advantage” of him, and because I do not condone anything that has to do with rape.

I know this isn’t what you wanted, Nonnie, but this is why I said not to come for me, lol. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. <3

[itsclydebitches]

:)))) So I've started playing the witcher again AND AHA i Have more complaints, doing some main quests cause there's nothing else rly to do now, and yen has just comfirmed that she also has amnesia for a short time, ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? This whole time, including literally the line before she said that, she's been belittling and mocking and just acting like she didn't believe Geralt about his amnesia/ THAT HIS ACTIONS WERE DUE TO HIS AMNESIA???? so.,,, she's rly just such a bitch lfmao I can't with this woman, She is a grown ass adult and she's being petty and cruel over something this man can't be entirely blamed for. Also asked why she didn't come look for geralt, as she only had her memory loss for a short time due to the mages helping her, she just assumed that geralt would look for her... she just assumed he was fine and- I can't stand her. I AM GONNA SPEED PAST HER SHIT AND GO FUCK AROUND SOME MORE HOLY SHIT shes insufferable

YOU'RE BACK, ANON, HI :D

All of this though. My knowledge of the Witcher story was so spotty when I first played that it took me a while to really piece everything together. (Helped immensely by playing through the first two games. Imagine that lol.) So when it fully hit home that 1. Yennefer also had amnesia, 2. She had been ignorantly pursuing another witcher just like Geralt pursued another sorceress (if we ignore the fact that Triss was actively going after him), 3. She recovered her memory way faster and did nothing to find/help Geralt, 4. She only sought him out after she'd tried to find Ciri herself and failed, AKA I'll look for you now that I need you for something, and finally 5. All of this came about because the Wild Hunt kidnapped Yennefer and Geralt TRADED HIMSELF FOR HER... I'm just, like, livid on his behalf lol. I mean damn, Geralt has his own list of flaws and you can absolutely play him as a dick, but in terms of the events we have no control over—their "real" characterization in the games—it really is a night and day difference between them. At least for me. Yeah, Yennefer is a grown-ass woman who spends the majority of the time being petty, hypocritical, or downright cruel. Does she have moments of compassion, wit, humor, etc.? Of course! Are they enough to outweigh everything else and make me like her though? Still nope...

I'm deep into my second playthrough and I'm like you, anon: I've been avoiding her parts as much as possible lol. I actually just went to Skellige because I need Yen for a secondary quest and I became frustrated by how heavy-handed their supposed chemistry is. You don't get a choice about whether Geralt greets her with a "You look beautiful" during a funeral, it just happens. The majority of the options from then on are some version of innuendo and when you pick the neutral route (that's thankfully there) Yen still turns it into a 'Remember the last time we were at a ball and had sex ;)' conversation, more innuendo about reading minds with the "I don't like that" option becoming more flirting about secrets... Even back before you've even found her it's all about her unique scent, the unicorn, how everyone recognizes you from the love ballads... it doesn't feel like they have a relationship to me. It's all just sex and how hot they both are. Compare that to literally anyone else in the game—yes, including Triss—and it just highlights how unnatural it feels. I mean, it's not going to feel unnatural to a player who already adores the relationship, but if you haven't bought into it yet... the game does incredibly little to sell them liking each other outside of the booty calls. I have no desire to romance Triss either, but at least with her I get conversations about the world, her interests, and our relationship outside of the physical. Yen seems to have three modes: we're having sex now, I hate you now, or we're looking for Ciri. It really doesn't make for an engaging romance imo. Especially in a game as choice-based as Witcher, you really can't get by on just "Well, they're canonical, so..."

In other news, I'm on the Blood and Broken Bones difficulty because I have every intention of platinuming this thing. I also added a couple of mods to even out aspects of the gameplay that previously bugged me. This included an "always full exp" mod because it sucked putting off a quest for a while, going back when you were a higher level, and getting literally 2exp for the same work. Except... then I leveled too quickly and all the mobs were super easy and I didn't want to "cheat" lol. So I got rid of the exp mod, added the AMAZING random encounters mod, cranked that difficulty up, and am now constantly besieged by mobs of my level or higher whenever I try to do... anything. It's great fun. Makes the world feel far more dangerous and you can earn a little extra coin by taking on bounties. I hope to make all the grandmaster witcher gear this time, so I'm gonna need all the coin I can get...

Do you plan to get the DLCs when you're done? I'm so eager to replay Blood and Wine again!