#this hulking terrifying witcher

[fandom-junk-drawer]

The Witcher Headcanon (Modern AU) - Imaginary Friend

Jaskier had a very active imagination. It was what fed his creativity. When he was writing his songs, his imagination would show him all manner of fantastic things that would inspire lyrics and stories.

The worlds he created in his head were detailed and rich, and his dreams were often the wellspring for the content of his songs and poems.

Like all dreams, each was different. Some were happy, some melancholy, and some a little weird. And then, there were the nightmares: dreams about dark creatures and terrifying places; the creeping blackness that dogged your steps and loomed over your shoulder.

Jaskier had frequent nightmares for months after a bad run in with a Witcher. He had been stalked in these nightmares by a monster he had called Not Geralt. It was a ragged, hulking creature that trailed sticky streamers of blood from it's feathered bird body, and whispered to him with it's human face. It's face that looked like a cursed copy of Geralt's.

Geralt had gotten to see it once, when Yennefer had sent him into Jaskier's nightmare to keep him from hurting himself. It had creeped him the f**k out. But not as much as the other dream creature Jaskier's imagination had conjured.

Jaskier had started talking about this 'Other Geralt'. From what Geralt could gather, it was a benevolent dream 'guardian' that would hang out with Jaskier in his dreams to keep Not Geralt away. Sometimes it would appear as if the thing showed up just for the h*ll of it.

Yennefer didn't seem bothered by it at all, and would ask for the latest updates on what Other Geralt had been up to. They talked about it like it was some sort of pet, or quirky friend. Jaskier jokingly called it his imaginary friend. Yennefer and Geralt got to meet the creature one night, as the nightmares had been particularly bad, and Yennefer had decided to look in on his dreams.

Hearing about the creature was one thing, but seeing it... It looked ridiculous. It looked like someone had popped the head off an action figure and replaced with an animal head. Why Jaskier's subconscious had given it an animal head was a mystery. It wasn't even a bada** animal, like a wolf, or a dragon.

No, it was a bird head. And it wasn't even a cool bird either! Geralt wouldn't have minded so much if it had been an eagle, or a hawk. H*ll, even a d*mn chickadee would have been better. But nooOOOOoo! It had to be what looked like the unholy union of a frog and an owl.

Yennefer had thought it was adorable and had informed them that it had the head of a potoo. The apparition had immediately been dubbed Potoo Head Geralt.

Geralt had not been amused. He had left the dream world and spent the rest of the night in his room, decompressing by fussing over his horse figurine collection. He came out later, when he heard Yennefer and Jaskier giggling and carrying on about something.

Geralt was suspicious. They were probably plotting to kidnap one of his horses again, and make him do something to embarrass himself in order to get it back. His hidden rainbow hair had finally faded enough to where it was less eye-searingly bright; now it was more pastel.

He had turned the corner and there in the living room was Potoo Head Geralt in all his absurd glory.

Geralt suffered its presence for weeks, watching it suspiciously. Sometimes it seemed like it behaved as if it had almost human intelligence, but it was aslo stupid enough to be terrified of the vacuum cleaner. The first time Geralt had run it in the livingroom, Potoo Head Geralt had started flapping around in a panic and making a godawful 'MmWwWwaAAwwPPPP' sound.

He couldn't quiet put his finger on what it actually was about the creature that he didn't like. It wasn't really one specific thing, he supposed. Of course it was just unnerving to look at. Who wouldn't be weirded out by what looked like a video game mod of yourself.

For sure he was irritated by how Jaskier and Yennefer were giving it so much attention--not that he was jealous! He was absolutely not jealous of how Jaskier just let it follow him around everywhere, like Geralt couldn't do a good enough job of protecting his friends.

And then it started following Geralt around too as if it thought Geralt couldn't look after himself! Geralt would turn around and there it was just standing there with that wall-eyed stare, the f***ing thing.

And it kept looking at him with those creepy eyes! Ok, so maybe it wasn't looking at him. It was hard to tell because its eyes gave the impression that it was looking in two different directions. And it always either looked f***ing confused as h*ll, or like it was perpetually startled.

Maybe what p*ssed him off the most about it, was how Yennefer and Jaskier kept trying to get him to make friends with his ridiculous namesake. Geralt knew he was being an a**hole about it, but the whole situation was just too weird and uncomfortable.

After a day out on the town almost ended badly for Potoo Head Geralt, Yennefer decided that it was not safe for him and that he needed to go back to the dream world. Jaskier had been crestfallen, but had agreed. People had a hard enough time accepting Witchers as it was. Potoo Head Geralt would be seen as something more monstrous than a Witcher.

So, they had bid Jaskier's imaginary friend goodbye, and Yennefer had cast the spell that would send him home. She cast it again because nothing happened. She tried one more time. And then they all stood there mutely, wondering what the f**k they were going to do with Potoo Head Geralt because apparently he wasn't going anywhere.

Geralt felt bad for the thing. He might not like it, but he didn't want it to get hurt. He suggested that Potoo Head Geralt could live in Kaer Morhen. It was remote and far from the general populace, with plenty of forest land to wander in. Vesemir would be glad for the help and the company.

Geralt's brothers had teased him mercilessly about his namesake. They made him stand next to it while they took pictures and made comments about not being able to see the difference.

Potoo Head Geralt was given the less cumbersome nickname of Peepers and Yennefer and Jaskier had promised to visit and call often. He settled in nicely at Kaer Morhen and became Vesemir's favorite 'son', if the sh*t ton of photos and videos he'd send to Jaskier were anything to go by.

[dancingwiththefae]

2023 writing round up

Tagged by @loki-is-my-kink-awakening

I have written 30 fics this year (I included wips in this). All are the Witcher unless otherwise stated:

JANUARY

Love be brave (geraskefer, M, 2.9k)

Jaskier is held captive and tortured for information on Geralt and Ciri. Geralt and Yennefer are on their way to rescue him, but not before his resolve finally breaks.

Pearl and Verbena (ciri & Jaskier, Essi & Jaskier, T, 1.3k)

Geralt, Yennefer, Ciri and Jaskier head back to the Temple of Melitele for some respite. When Jaskier can’t sleep, he heads to library and finds a book that brings up memories he had tried to bury.

The price of justice (geraskier, M, 2.4k)

Jaskier lands himself in trouble again, execpt this time in a town that likes that adopts cruel methods of punishment.

APRIL

New beginnings, old friends (geraskier, E, 25.3k)

Geralt and Jaskier try to manage their new relationship, Jaskier's recovery from his blood addiction, and call upon an old friend to help.

Part 2 of Love & Blood

MAY

once is enough (geraskefer, M, 27.1k)

When the dust settles in Kaer Morhen and everyone returns to their routines, Jaskier is left alone. A spare part amongst the rest with nothing but the drink and his own neverending thoughts for company. He finds himself sinking further and further. But how long can you last in the sea of your own mind before you drown?

JUNE

Jewel of my eye (Anna Henrietta/Dandelion, M, 1.4k)

The palace of Beauclair is hosting a masquerade ball in honour of their guests, the hansa. Dandelion and Anna Henrietta are playing a game of their own.

A lucrative purchase (yennskier, E, 2.8k)

Jaskier visits a sorceress in Rinde, hoping she can create something specific for him. He gets a little more than he bargained for.

JULY

Then take me here (radskier, E, 1.2k)

what Jaskier and Radovid got up to in that scene

Light the fire (radskier, E, 1.7k)

After an evening of merriment, Jaskier and Radovid wander into the throne room where the prince has an interesting proposition for him.

Challenge the mighty titan and his troubadours (yennskier, M, ongoing - 11.6k currently)

Pirate Queen Yennefer discovers a stowaway on her ship. She plans on making an example of him, but it's a long way to their destination. And perhaps she is more interested in this man than she lets on. But nothing is ever smooth sailing in the life of a pirate. And politics, secrets and lies are never too far behind

Bitter water (yenralt, T, 742)

It had become some kind of game. This thing between them. Geralt and Yennefer always seemed to run into each other. They always parted wanting more

What it’s like to be you (yennskier, T, 1k)

Emotions are raw after the dragon hunt. Jaskier and Yennefer take comfort in each other, even if they would regret it the next day.

If he sinks to darkest night (radskier, M, 1.9k)

A prince gave up the life he knew for his siren until he could not

Sweet as wine (yenbrina, E, 1.8k)

Yennefer is bored at a dull court until she finds she has to bunk with her old Aretuza rival. You know what happens next

AUGUST

When you know I can’t love (geraskier, G, 731)

Blue eyes caught his from across the room. A subtle smile offered that Geralt could not return. Jaskier didn’t seem to notice.

These inconvenient fireworks (geraskier, G, 1.1k)

Jaskier is running late for work and in his rush he doesn't see the terrifying hulk of a man until his coffee is already down his shirt.

It’s not a want, it’s a need (geradskier, E, 2.4k)

Jaskier revealed a fantasy to Radovid that the prince was more than willing to fulfill. And he knew the perfect person to help him.

SEPTEMBER

here we go again (Jaskier/Vespula, E, 2.9k)

Vespula is mad at Jaskier after catching him in his latest tryst. He has a plan to make it up to her. But maybe she is the one making the rules of this game they play. And perhaps she has a few secrets of her own to share.

The beast you’ve made me (radskier, E, 4.1k)

Radovid didn't believe the rumour about the werewolf that was spotted outside of the city until he came face to face with it. He couldn't have predicted what would happen next. Nor the all too familiar face that would greet him come morning.

OCTOBER

You only need to ask (geraskier, E, 3.4k)

Geralt has seen the way the bard looks at him. And at other men. It's none of his business, of course. it was up to Jaskier to discover himself. But that didn't mean Geralt couldn't give him a little push in the right direction.

At the end of all things (milva & jaskier, T, 1.3k)

In a quiet moment in Brokilon, Milva and Jaskier come to understand each other

NOVEMBER

Lamentable (radskier, M, ongoing - currently 5.3k

The trajectory of Radovid's life takes a sharp turn when King Vizimir is killed and he ascends to the throne. The weight of expectations, whisperings in his ear, and a strained relationship trigger a rapid downward spiral.

Meanwhile, Philippa and Dijkstra's plans are all falling into place. They have the perfect king to mould. But it's time to cut some loose threads. Jaskier's life is in danger - and betrayal may come from the person he trusts the most.

Sins laid bare (Tomb Raider, Jacob/Lara, M, 2.3k)

Lara has been obsessed with the mysterious Prophet figure for a long time so goes in search to meet him. When he finally agrees to talk with her via a confessional, things escalate quickly.

A rosebud by any other name (geraskefer, E, ongoing - currently 50.6k)

Jaskier gets a client in a certain white haired witcher who just keeps coming back. The pair find themselves growing close. It's a little complicated, but they think they could make it work. Until one day, in walks a violet eyed sorceress looking for Jaskier.

What follows is an enlightening conversation, a precarious relationship, a new career and a little bit of subterfuge

DECEMBER

Spymasters and secrets (Dijkstra/Radovid, E, 3.4k)

Radovid always pushed and pushed Dijkstra. Sometimes he needed to be put in his place.

I’ll tell you no lies (Tomb Raider, Jacob/Lara, T, 3.3k)

Jacob, having been fatally wounded during Trinity's invasion, asks Lara to kill him. Lara grits her teeth and pulls the trigger. Then she witnesses something extraordinary.

In the bleak midwinter (yenralt, G, 2.9k)

Ciri had been down lately. With Yule coming up, Geralt and Yennefer decide to do something to cheer her up.

The eye of the storm (frinfran, M, 1.2k)

After escaping Thanedd, Francesca and Fringilla find themselves alone with only each other for comfort.

The sea and the sun (yennskier, E, 9.8k)

Finding himself getting into trouble while swimming in the sea, Jaskier is saved by the most captivating creature he had ever seen. A goddess. He makes it his mission to find her again and, when he does, he finds the goddess who saved him comes with a tail and very sharp claws

Mind, body, yours (Rience/Jaskier, geraskier, E, ongoing - currently 36.9k)

Jaskier wakes up tied to a chair, injured and no memory of what had happened. Rescue comes in the form of a strange mage who gives him refuge as he heals. Jaskier quickly finds himself falling under Rience's spell. And when he tells him that Ciri would be safer with him than with Geralt and asks him to take her from under the witcher's nose, Jaskier cannot say no.

Tagging a bunch of people I know write: @bambirex @swanfloatieknight @flootzavut @between-thepages @janjan-the-ninth @cherryjuicegf @damatris @kuwdora

[jaskier-cult]

Lmao you know how there are fics of the wolf witchers being cursed into literal wolves?? What if the viper witchers got turned into snakes.

Enter Jaskier.

Jaskier is the kid who loved every animal and insect regardless of how ugly it looked or how dangerous it was. He purposefully sought out lizards and snakes to play with as a child and absolutely adores them. He coos over snakes the way someone would find puppies cute.

So, Jaskier ends up finding Letho, who was cursed to be a snake. (I'm thinking Vipera berus, the common European adder).

At first Jaskier doesn't realize that Letho is cursed, he only recognizes the markings as that belonging to a common venomous snake he would find all the time on the grounds surrounding the manor. (Jaskier has non human blood and never suffered from the bites he sustained). The snake doesn't seem aggressive, so Jaskier easily scoops Letho up in his hands and coos over him.

Letho is instantly enraged.

Imagine a cute little snake hissing angrily, but his bite isn't doing anything and he is essentially harmless. Jaskier can't get over how cute he looks.

Eventually Jaskier figures out that the snake is a cursed witcher, and finds Letho's gear.

Jaskier can't figure out Letho's real name, so he calls the witcher "his little viper" based on the witcher amulet he found, which depicted a viper.

Don't tell Jaskier but Letho secretly likes the endearment.

Just imagine Jaskier fawning over this larger than average adder, and calling it "his baby boy" and "his little viper." Other humans are terrified of this monster of a snake - unusually big and with giant fangs.

During the colder months Jaskier tucks Letho around his neck and under his shirt to help keep him warm. Jaskier shows Letho unconditional love.

When they run into Geralt, the wolf witcher is not happy.

[gods-no-longer-tread-here]

I was thinking about an amazing fic wherein Geralt locks himself away in his own mind, leaving nothing but the wolf, and also one of my old friend’s fluffy h/c fics where a heat-crazed omega and an alpha who refuses to have sex with heat-crazed omegas cuddle for like 2.5 days straight, and also ace week. So. Here is this.

words: 1,737 characters: Geralt, Jaskier, Lambert, Roach, Eskel and Vesemir mentioned summary: Geralt forgets to take his meds (inspired by my own personal experiences with forgetting meds for longer than a week), and gets cuddly. Jaskier’s fine with it because it amuses him.

~

Geralt was acting strange.

Then again, he wasn’t a human, so his actions weren’t really supposed to be familiar. That made Jaskier happy, to be honest. He’d had enough of trying to puzzle out other humans; Geralt was just as complex, but far more straightforward.

But still, this fussing was out of character. He was so particular about hunting and buying food, and insisted on getting Jaskier a thick wool cape, and seemed hyper-aware of the changing seasons. Finally, Jaskier decided he wasn’t naïve enough for this.

“Geralt, why are you doing this?”

Geralt, half asleep and curled around Jaskier protectively, mumbled, “Winter soon. Gotta keep you healthy.”

Jaskier grinned, and squirmed over onto his back. “My dear, not that I’m complaining about your care, but why now?” he asked, booping Geralt’s nose.

The Witcher scowled and said, “You’re my mate. Have to take care of my mate.”

Jaskier’s heart tripped.

Geralt must have heard, because he suddenly became very awake, staring at Jaskier with wide eyes and a set mouth. Jaskier breathed in and out slowly; there was no point hiding his immediate reaction, but he should at least try to stay calm.

“Do Witchers see mates the same way as us humans?” he asked.

Geralt didn’t move for an agonizingly long moment. Then he said softly, “No. Mates are… they’re people we… you won’t betray us.”

Jaskier stared back. And then he grinned, and snuggled against Geralt, rubbing his nose on his Witcher’s collarbone. Said Witcher relaxed, wuffled in contentment much like a big, lazy dog, and wrapped Jaskier up tight in his arms.

“Mates are people you trust not to hurt you?” the bard hazarded, unable to stop grinning.

“Yes. Go to sleep, now.”

“Oh, alright.”

~

A month later, as they were beginning their ascent of the mountains, Jaskier decided that Geralt had been lying.

As soon as they had left the last human village, Geralt’s human habits began to fade into more animalistic ones: instead of cooking the few plump rabbits he was able to hunt, he portioned them out and ate the organs while Jaskier cooked the meat. He insisted on finger-combing Jaskier’s hair every night (which the bard quite liked). His movements became smooth in the way of a predatory animal, not a man with predatory mutations. Roach began to snort and sidle at times, trying to keep her distance.

And Geralt didn’t even pretend he wasn’t coddling Jaskier like a delicate maiden.

It was very odd. And yet, Jaskier didn’t really mind. Geralt wasn’t smothering him; he was simply far more attentive than ever before. More attentive than he was with Yennefer, even.

Jaskier’s breath catched, and he cleared his throat to hide the noise, trudging up the narrow path behind Geralt and in front of Roach. He didn’t want to think about that. He didn’t want to think about her--not when he was going to spend the winter with his dearest friend.

Geralt suddenly turned, stared at Jaskier, and then whined as his face melted into a look of worry. If he’d had wolf ears, Jaskier thought, apropos of nothing, they would be upright and shivering.

Jaskier smiled. “I’m alright, my dear,” he said. No matter how softly he spoke, the cold stone of the mountain caught the sounds and threw them into an echo as if he had shouted. “I was thinking of something, that’s all.”

Geralt closed the distance between them in three fluid steps and wrapped his arms around Jaskier, whining and sniffing the bard as if his scent would give away his thoughts.

Jaskier felt his heart grow warm again. “I’m alright,” he repeated, leaning into Geralt’s embrace. “I’m with you, aren’t I? I’m always alright with you.”

Geralt made a wolf-like noise of happiness, and then kissed Jaskier. When his mouth opened in surprise, the Witcher’s tongue slid in and licked the inside--and not in a sexy way.

“Ew!” he shrieked, wrenching back. “Geralt, you brute, what are you doing?”

“My mate,” Geralt rumbled. It was the first time he’d used recognizable words in nearly a week. He was also smiling, so fondly and sweetly. “My pretty mate.”

Jaskier’s cheeks heated immediately, and he pressed his face into Geralt’s neck. “Alright, you win. My… my mate.”

Geralt hummed in deep contentment. After several moments, they untangled from each other, Geralt licked Jaskier’s lips, and they continued their journey.

The cold of winter was setting in painfully fast. While much of the coast was quite pleasant, Jaskier had spent many years in Lettenhove shivering through storms and snow that killed at least three people every winter--but usually more. He knew what to expect from sharp cold; he’d just never been in a place this dry and cold.

They were only a few days away from Kaer Morhen when the air pressure changed so quickly that Jaskier’s ears popped twice. The dry feeling that had seeped into his every orifice vanished as the first snowstorm began to brew; he breathed in deeply and grinned at the moisture that sank into his mouth, nose, throat, and lungs. Now this was the kind of winter weather he was used to.

Geralt growled and hustled his mate and horse along as fast as was safe.

Jaskier barely had time to feel relief at the sight of the trail leveling out before the snowstorm opened and everything became a white-and-grey blur. He and Roach both stopped in their tracks, and he called out, “Geralt?! Geralt, where are you?!”

A dark form hulked into his personal space and embraced him. It smelled and felt like his witcher. Jaskier clung to him, and tried not to think about the day he had joined a rescue attempt to find the last fishing vessel in the middle of a wild storm. There had been sirens. The sailors used a horn to drive them away; Jaskier had panicked and started singing, and the sirens had fallen silent.

He wasn’t allowed on the ocean after that, and he was very glad.

But this wasn’t the ocean. He had never realized how much he trusted solid boats and salty water before he became so acutely aware that one misstep would send him tumbling through nothing.

Geralt hoisted Jaskier up in one arm, took hold of Roach’s reins, and continued on the path.

It seemed like a thousand years before hands tugged at his cloak, and Geralt snarled viciously. Jaskier clung tighter, and did not raise his head until they passed into a space that wasn’t windy.

“Ger’l?” he whispered.

Geralt rumbled reassuringly and nuzzled under Jaskier’s hood to lick his ear; the warmth of his tongue shocked the bard’s cold skin. “Safe,” Geralt said, and set him down on his feet.

Jaskier smiled, and promptly collapsed.

~

“He won’t take his medicine, not until his mate is awake.”

“That’s so stupid! Doesn’t he want to be able to think?”

“Yes, but he’s not Geralt right now. He doesn’t have a human mind. I told him he needed to get better at making it himself…”

Jaskier opened his eyes the barest crack, and tried to make a noise. He couldn’t. He was so tired and foggy.

Almost immediately, someone was kissing his face, and licking it, and giving tiny puppy noises of joy and worry. He smiled, and opened his eyes wider.

It was Geralt, of course, looking absolutely delighted. Jaskier reached up one shaky hand and booped his nose.

“Hello, darling,” he said.

“Hello,” Geralt replied.

~

There were three other Witchers in the keep: a tired father, a calm and kind elder brother, and a pissy baby who was only a few years older than Jaskier. They stayed far away from him, although they were courteous, and provided him with food since he couldn’t leave his nest by the fire due to Geralt constantly lying on top of him and acting like a love-sick puppy. Jaskier began to worry about that merely an hour after he woke.

Four hours after he was awake, the pissy baby brother approached with a tray holding two pottery cups. He set it down near Jaskier and ordered, “Give him the blue cup, it has his medicine in it.”

Jaskier looked at the cups. One was green and the other was a soft purple. “Ah… those are green and purple.”

The Witcher stared at him, then at the cups, then back at him. “What?” he said blankly.

“This one is green,” Jaskier pointed to said cup, “And this one is purple. Which one is blue to you?”

The Witcher pointed silently, and Jaskier nodded, picking up the cups carefully and handing the “blue” one to Geralt, who cocked his head curiously.

“It’s just a drink,” Jaskier told him soothingly. “It will help us both feel better.” He sipped his own and tasted spiced cider, which made him hum in appreciation. Geralt downed his drink in three quick gulps, set his cup back on the tray… and then yelped and rolled off of Jaskier, thrashing and howling.

“Geralt!” Jaskier tried to lunge for him, but the other Witcher held him back. “Geralt! What did you do to him?!”

“Gave him his medicine that he hasn’t been taking for probably three fucking months,” the Witcher said tersely. “Watch him.”

Jaskier never took his eyes off Geralt, heart pounding with fear. After a few minutes of thrashing, his wolfish sounds melted into human curses, and when he laid still, panting harshly, Jaskier strained towards him again. “Geralt!” he cried, reaching for him.

Geralt looked at Jaskier, frowned, then looked absolutely terrified. Before Jaskier could ask, he was up and out of the room.

“Geralt?” Jaskier repeated softly.

“He’s just embarrassed,” the youngest Witcher grunted, letting go of Jaskier. “Drink your cider. He’ll come back when I leave.”

So Jaskier drank, and the Witcher left, and after a whole three minutes, Geralt slunk back in and sat beside Jaskier. After a moment, the bard lunged and squirmed into Geralt’s lap, hugging him tightly.

“Welcome back,” he said.

“I licked you,” Geralt said.

Jaskier laughed merrily and kissed him. “Yes, you did. You also played with my hair.”

“And called you my mate.”

Jaskier paused. “Well… yes. Was that a mistake?”

Geralt shrugged and wrapped his arms around Jaskier. “Dunno. Do… would you mind if… are you alright with that?”

“Yes, my dear, I am very alright with it.”

“Oh. Good.”

And then Geralt snogged him senseless.

[onemuseleft]

Can you do G, P and V for the fandoms thing?

G: What was your first fandom?

I was writing Care Bears and Rainbow Brite and My Little Pony fanfic when I was in kindergarten (APPARENTLY Murky and Lurky kidnapped Rainbow and Meagan and I've just always been like this). Ninja Turtles was the first time I really got into something to the point where I knew about the creators and trivia and stuff like that. The Sentinel was the first one I ever participated in online. (I had an embarassing crush on Garrett Maggart as a kid)

P: Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).

Anytime someone wants me to do an AU it's gonna be zombies, or the apocalypse, and usually both. Preferably both.

(I had a lot of fun with the idea of a zombie Hulk, or zombie Superman. Imagine you're a survivor, trying to find supplies or get to safety, and suddenly the grund startst o shake. You look up and it's the goddamn Hulk lurching around the corner. That would be terrifying I think.)

V: Do you have any 3-way ships? If so, what?

Parker/Hardison/Eliot from Leverage is the first one that comes to mind. I also like Steve/Tony/Bucky and Steve/Tony/Thor from Marvel comics. I also have recently become highly invested in Geralt/Jaskier/Yennefer from the Witcher (did NOT see that coming, tbh).

[notstilinski]

Parent Teacher Conference

Title: Parent Teacher Conference

Word Count: 2, 416

Description:  “We’re still waiting for my dad. He’s late a lot.” Given the fact that he had never met the girl’s father, he couldn’t actually defend the man too much.

Fandom: The Witcher (Netflix), The Witcher (Video games), Wiedźmin

Ship: Past Geralt/Yennfer, Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier 

Links: My ko-fi & the fic on ao3

A/N: This was originally posted on AO3 back in, like, February but I wanted to post it here as well! Things to keep in mind: Jaskier is a first grade teacher, Ciri is one of his students, Yennefer and Geralt are co-parenting Ciri, & Geralt is a professional MMA fighter. Also, Geraskier does not explicitly get together in this fic. I did not have a beta reader for this fic, either, so there’s definitely some grammatical mistakes throughout it. I would also like to note that I know virtually nothing about the book series and very little about the games. (Basically, what I mean, is that this is heavily based around the Netflix series).

    The day had been rather long. Parent after parent after parent gliding into his office to talk about their child’s strengths and weaknesses. How well they did in class, any concerns, any developments that came throughout the year. Most parents were happy with the reports of their children and took any soft criticism of the child’s work in stride. Jaskier never meant it in a rude way but it was his job to bring up things that his students needed a little extra work on. Practice that he couldn’t exactly give them in his classroom. There had been one or two parents who were less kind. There were always parents like that. The ones who insisted that he was mistaken or blamed him for the child’s shortcomings. (And he refused to think that any of his student’s had shortcomings, anyways. Just things that they struggled with). One particularly nasty mother had called him a shit teacher and he waited until her husband had guided her out of the room to lick his figurative wounds.

    Slumping into his chair, Jaskier reached out for his mug of coffee and sighed softly after a long sip. If you had asked him when he was younger what career he saw himself having? He probably would have never even given teaching a second thought. Music was always what interested him. And he had been somewhat successful in the small cafes and shitty bars scene. But it was not enough to pay the bills that he had and pay for the expenses of, well, living and trying to make music. Teaching was supposed to be a temporary thing - A backup plan for if he really couldn’t make it as a musician. Jaskier didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. He especially didn’t expect to fall in love with just about every student that he had in his few years of teaching.

    He was in the middle of sulking and getting lost in thought when a soft knock at his door caught his attention. Gaze flickered toward the clock on the wall as he tried to remember when his next meeting was. (There was only a handful of minutes between each meeting, he knew, but he didn’t think it had been that long since the last parents had waltzed out of his office). The door opened before Jaskier could say anything and in popped a head of white-blonde hair.

    “Hi Mr. Pankratz!”

    “Hello, Ciri!” Jaskier pushed himself away from his desk so he could stand up, “are you here with your parents?”

    Despite the meetings supposed to be just the parents and him, some insisted on having their children there. Other parents would bring their child along and leave them with another parents, the children going off to play in the gym or outside, as they waited for the meeting to be done so they could continue with group plans. Ciri was a mostly well-liked girl but Jaskier knew that she didn’t seem to have a lot of friends besides Dara. Another child who seemed to be mostly well-liked despite his lack of friends.

    “We’re still waiting for my dad. He’s late a lot.”

    Given the fact that he had never met the girl’s father, he couldn’t actually defend the man too much.

    He had only met Ciri’s mother on rare occasions, as well. She was just as beautiful and terrifying as one would think when they heard some of the things that other parents said about her. But she was a good mom and Jaskier couldn’t judge her on much besides that. Almost like she was summoned, the woman in question stepped up behind her daughter not a second later.

    “Yennefer,” Jaskier greeted as diplomatically as possible. He was terrified of her, after all.

   “Mr. Pankratz.”

    Geralt should have known better than to think that his ex-wife would call him the morning of the parent-teacher conference to remind him not to be late. Both Yennefer and Ciri knew that he was terrible at checking and replying to any sort of texts that he got. (The only reason that he was getting better was because it was an easier way to reach Ciri when he had free time). Just about everyone that he had passed stared as his hulking form rushed past, muttering as he went. Part of him couldn’t believe that Yennefer would let him be late to one of the handful of things to do with Ciri that he knew he could be there for. She usually never pulled anything when Ciri was concerned. Meanwhile, the other part of him? Well. He was trying to backtrack through the last few days in his head to see if he had done anything that would have pissed Yen off. As far as he knew, he hadn’t done anything in at least a week that would warrant her to be that petty.

   The next curse that threatened past his lips was quickly covered with a couch as he rounded the corner to be greeted by a gym half-filled with little kids and parents alike. Some people seemed to recognize him, it seemed, if the way a handful of children’s faces lit up was anything to go by. Some of the parents turned to each other to whisper to each other. He chose to ignore it and continue on his way in the direction he hoped the classroom was in. But he had the decency to wave to the group of kids that were staring at him like he was the coolest thing that they had ever seen in their short lives.

    It took another eight minutes of wandering and praying that he was going in the right direction to find the classroom. The only reason that he was sure of himself was the fact that Ciri was sitting outside the door - Someone had put a little table there so kids could wait outside and entertain themselves. A relieved breath escaped him as he slowly approached and waited to catch his daughter’s attention. Her face brightened as soon as she noticed him and she practically knocked her chair over in getting up to give him a hug.

   “Hey, princess,” he murmured and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. “Is your mom already in the meeting?”

   “Mhm. They waited a little bit for you,” she supplied like that was supposed to help. It only made him feel worse.

   And cemented the knowledge that Yennefer was going to kill him for being late.

    “I’m sure they couldn’t wait to start talking about you,” Geralt teased as he finally detached himself from his daughter’s arms.

    Ruffling her hair as he walked past her to knock at the door, not waiting to get an answer before he was opening it just enough to slip inside. Yennefer gave him an unimpressed look that he had grown familiar with. The guy that she sat across from, the teacher, almost looked surprised as he stared at him. (The few times that Geralt met past teachers, coaches, instructors, etc. of Ciri’s, they always had the same reaction. No one expected Ciri’s father to be an MMA star and people still looked surprised even when they didn’t know who he was. Yennefer claimed it was because he looked like a bear… And acted like one, too).

    His ex-wife was the one to break the silence with a sharp clear of her throat. Yennefer gave a half-hearted wave toward Geralt as she turned her attention back to the teacher.

    “This is Ciri’s father. I’m sure he’s sorry that he’s late.”

   “Yen.” Geralt sounded tired before he stepped closer to where the two were sitting. Manners, he remembered after a half-second before he held out his hand, “Geralt Rivia.”

    The teacher took a moment to realize that Geralt had just spoken to him before he was snapping back to attention. A nervous laugh escaped him as the larger man allowed himself to glance him over. Hm. Well he seemed familiar enough. The handshake was cut off as the teacher carefully pulled his hand away, nervously tapping his fingers against his desk. Not something that either parent seemed to pay attention to since people being nervous around Geralt was normal for them.

   “I know.” Of course he did. “We met before.”

    Oh.

    Oh.

   Yennefer’s attention snapped to him again as her eyes narrowed while Geralt seemed to go still with shock. He tried to think back to when he would have met his daughter’s teacher. Maybe he had met him at something not school related. The man considered it as he looked at the teacher over and easily noticed the way that the other man’s cheeks seemed to flush.

   “No need to be so dramatic,” the other man laughed after an awkward moment. “It’s been awhile.”

    That didn’t help. Did he know how many people Geralt had met just within the past six months because of his career?

    “Oh! Uh- Julian Pankratz. We technically met, like, a really long time ago. In college and-”

   “You played at an event after one of my fights.” Recognition slowly flooded through his system. It was before he was actually a real MMA fighter and was still somewhat in school. The last year that he was in school, really. “You called yourself Jaskier.”

   Yennefer took a long moment to look between the two of them with a pinch in her eyebrows. Because it was completely normal to coincidentally know your daughter’s teacher from almost a decade before that. For another long second, it seemed like no one in the room knew exactly what to do.

   “Why don’t you sit down?” Jaskier motioned to the chair next to Yennefer as he cleared his throat, “this meeting is about Ciri, after all.”

   The rest of the meeting passed by rather quickly. Ciri was a bright girl, she got good grades and she was a delight to have in class. The only thing that they needed to worry about was how she didn’t seem to have any real friends besides Dara but other than that? Everything was good. Ciri was really the perfect student, if Jaskier did say so himself. He even had a rather easy time forgetting that he had met the girl’s father eight years before and that he had remembered him. He had remembered the name that he went by. Jaskier didn’t have much time to think about that fact with the handful of meetings that he had with other parents to complete the day.

   It wasn’t until he had finished all the meetings, packed up his planner and books and locked the door to his classroom that he allowed himself to think about it. Geralt hadn’t changed much in eight years. Besides the fact that he had found fame for himself as a fighter and seemed to be even bigger than he had been before. (Which was a feat in itself. Jaskier remembered the man being about the size of a brick building the first time that they had met). A small thought jabbed at him - The insistence of his mind to make him remember the crush that he had had on the older man. An inkling of it was still there, after all. But he refused to admit that it was still a legitimate crush.

   “He’s just attractive,” Jaskier muttered to himself, “you can admit that and not have a crush.”

   Except he totally still had a crush on Geralt Rivia.

   He wouldn’t be an idiot to not have a crush on Geralt Rivia.

   An annoyed groan escaped him, fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose before he dug through his bag for the keys to his car. Feelings that were almost a decade old was not something that he needed to deal with. He didn’t want anything to focus on besides his job and his music. It was hard to focus on the latter, even when his job left him feeling so exhausted every time that he went home.

   “This is dumb,” he continued to mutter as he approached his car. “I’m dumb. Jesus.”

   “And you talk to yourself.”

   Jaskier was not proud of the surprised squawk that he had let out or how he had practically jumped out of his skin. The chuckle that came after that was more of a rumbling sound, something deep from a chest that seemed to be the size of a tree trunk. Amber eyes watched the younger man try to collect himself, amusement shining while Geralt didn’t move from where he was leaning against his own car. How long had it been since their meeting had ended? Had just sat there for however long?

   Amused amber met annoyed blue while Jaskier’s expression scrunched up into one of annoyance. If he had quicker reflexes than he might have even swung at Geralt before he realized who the voice belonged to. Not that his hit would do anything, anyways. Jaskier was sure that he would break his hand if he tried to hit any part of Geralt.

   “What’re you still doing here?” The teacher turned his back to the other man. An attempt to hide the blush that was rising on his cheeks and to unlock his car, as well.

   “Waiting for you.” Geralt made it sound like that was the most casual thing on earth.

   The younger man cast a curious glance over his shoulder, tugging the door to his car open to toss his bag onto the passenger seat. It was hard to tell if Geralt was being genuine and that brought up the question of why he would be waiting for Jaskier. It wasn’t like he had left that big of an impression on the man. (Maybe if he had then Geralt would have recognized him when he had stepped into his classroom instead of recognizing him by name).

   “Why are you waiting for me?”

   The question seemed to be what got to the other man. His demeanor shifting in a tiny way that anyone else probably wouldn’t have noticed. But Jaskier was almost familiar with the shift, had seen if happen years ago. Not to mention the fact that he was trying his best to not stare openly at the mountain of the man before him and seemed to be failing. Miserably. And very, very noticeably.

   “I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go out for drinks.”

   Brain short circuiting, Jaskier turned to stare up at Geralt with an incredulous expression. “ Oh .”

[wightwold]

Ginterghast classes

In our earlier post introducing Ginterghasts, we mentioned that they fall into two different classes based on their preferred fighting tactics. Here’s a more detailed overview of each class:

Vespertine

Vespertines are Ginterghasts who fight using physical weaponry, ranging from scarred, hulking broadsword-wielders, to nimble rapier fighters, to dauntless gunslingers who take down their opponents from afar with ornate, old-fashioned crossbows and pistols. They are better liked and regarded as more heroic than phylacters; not only do they battle using methods the public can understand, they tend to have more charismatic personas than their often sickly and secretive peers. Charlotte Ginterghast, the first vespertine, is viewed as a savior by the Foundermeerish people. Most Ginterghasts become vespertines, since doing so does not require an education in the alchemical arts.

Phylacter

Unlike vespertines, who are able to launch into battle at a moment’s notice, phylacters must carefully brew their elixirs before each fight. Prepared, they are a terrifying sight to behold on the battlefield; caught unaware, they are nearly helpless. The strange, volatile compounds they unleash upon their enemies and consume to enhance their own abilities take a terrible toll on their health, leaving them drawn, shaking, and vulnerable to attack after extended use. Though phylacters are not innately more sinister than vespertines, Aldous Ginterghast’s dark legacy has irreparably tainted their image, and they are often received with mistrust. Most phylacters had prior experience with alchemy before becoming wight-marked.

Wightwold is an original dark fantasy RP coming soon to Jcink Premium, featuring Witcher-like monster hunters in a haunting, folklore-inspired autumnal world. DISCORD // TAG

[xdandelionxbloomx]

Truth To Power - One Republic (such a Geraskier song 🥰)

Oh man, oh gosh, oh gosh, I used to listen to One Republic all the time how have I missed this song??? Wow, I’m–

Minutes turn to hoursHours turn to yearsAnd I’ve seen truth turn to power

&

If you could see me the way I see youIf you could feel me the way I feel youYou’d be a believer

Because here’s the thing: Geralt doesn’t see what he is, not really. He sees what other people have told him he is. 

They have told him that he’s terrifying. That he’s rough and heartless. That he’s no better than the monsters that he hunts, not really. He’s just as much a freak. 

So Geralt sort of— takes those things and turns them into an armor. Adopts them because it’s easier to use them than to fight it - after all, he’s been alive a long time and truthfully he’s tired and not in the way that a bit of sleep can cure - bone-deep tired, tired in his lungs and his heart and his soul.

And then along comes Jaskier - 

Jaskier who approaches him without an offer for a contract - who asks about his own fucking singing of all things. 

Along comes Jaskier, this bard who never shuts up, who writes and writes and writes–

Writes about Geralt being a hero, a friend, noble and compassionate– 

It’s for the coin, yes, but Jaskier has in some ways told Geralt what he really is because the bard can’t very well just sit down and tell the witcher so. 

Geralt would deny it vehemently - perhaps he’d go hunting just to kill something and get out his agitation. 

Jaskier writes for coin, but he also writes to show the world - show Geralt - who he really is. And it does work - it takes weeks, months, years, but people stop spitting at them when they pass through towns. Geralt smiles more often, sleeps easier, looks at Jaskier with softer eyes– 

He wouldn’t say kinder because that would be a disservice to Geralt - his eyes have always been kind. Most people were just distracted by the hulking shoulders tensed up to his ears, trying to protect himself preemptively from hostile approach. 

And Jaskier wants him to know, he does, but Jaskier is a romantic and Geralt– Geralt appreciates action. So Jaskier sings and writes and plays until things start to change until people start to believe

[fangirlshrewt97]

Geralt Whump Week Submission Day 5

TITLE: I Walk a Lonely Road

SHIPS: Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier|Dandelion (Platonic or Pre-Slash)

PROMPT: Loneliness

MEDIUM (Netflix, Books, Games, Hexer): Netflix

WARNINGS: NA

SUMMARY:  Excerpt:

And yet, Jaskier had followed him. Jaskier followed him despite his grouchy demeanor, his taciturn nature, his ostracism at the hands of the general pubic. And not only did Jaskier follow him, he befriended him. In his long life, Geralt had come across the whole swath of humanity, from the saints to the scum of the earth, but very few had had the courage to be able to look him in the eye for more than a few minutes at a time. And even less had thought him to be someone worth knowing. Jaskier was the first, and only, human brave enough to ask to be - no not ask, declare himself to be Geralt’s friend.

Alternate title: Geralt misses Jaskier and ponders on having a friend.

WORD COUNT: 1483 words

AUTHOR’S NOTES:  Additional Tags include Geralt Whump Week, Loneliness, Introspection, Friendship, Angst with a happy ending, Geralt deserves better, Geralt has abandonment issues, Geralt has trust issues

AUTHOR: Fangirlshrewt97

CHARACTERS: Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier

LINK TO AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089355

                                                         ///

It was odd, how unsettling the silence was the first time Geralt and Jaskier parted for the season after they started to travel with each other for the majority of the year. Geralt heading towards Kaer Morhen, and Jaskier back towards Oxenfurt.

The world seemed to be amplifying the specific absence of nonstop chatter and mindless strumming, so that even the existing chirping of birds, the rustle of leaves against the wind, the rush of the stream down the hill, all of it seemed to be background noise to the silence.

Geralt urged Roach into a light trot instead of the sedate pace she was currently on. Maybe distance would lower the volume of the silence.

Jaskier was closer to Oxenfurt than Geralt had been to Kaer Morhen, so Geralt had led them towards Redania after they finished their business in Temeria. It was simply because Geralt did not want to cause the bard further difficulties as he made his way back to his winter roost. It was challenging to travel during winter even for a Witcher, it would be even worse for Jaskier.

Roach started to slow down after nearly two hours of trotting, so Geralt decided to make camp, dismounting from Roach and leading her by the reins as he scanned the area for a good campsite. Finding a small clearing a little ways from the road, Geralt tied Roach to a tree and settled down saddle bags. He removed a small dagger and went in search of food.

After a quick hunt and a large rabbit that had had the unfortunate luck of crossing his path, Geralt gathered firewood and created his fire for the evening with Igni. He went through the motions of cleaning the rabbit and cooking it, eating mechanically.

It was difficult to believe so now, having travelled alone on the Path for nearly seven decades now, but three years with Jaskier were all that Geralt had needed to become used to him. There were some days when the bard was too much, too loud, too colourful, too much frenetic energy. But other days, he was the one bright spot of sunshine that reminded Geralt that while most humanity hated him for his existence, his duty was done for people like Jaskier, people who made life worth living.

Who brought some joy into a world of cruelty and death, a breath of fresh air through the stink of decay and destitution. Who was brave, and smart, and courageous. But who also was not afraid to fight for what he believed in, or who. Geralt had lost count of the number of fights he had stopped Jaskier from getting into over himself, but the surprise of someone fighting for him was there every time.

If Jaskier had been here, he would have been complaining over the blandness of the rabbit, and prattling about buying spices at their next stop at a town so it did not feel so much like they were eating barely-cooked meat.

Geralt felt his lips twitch upward at the thought. Even without being beside him, the bard had wound his way into Geralt’s head and life. It had not actually been too difficult, Geralt had never had to properly set up walls to protect himself beyond the insults hurled at Witchers. Why bother, what human would ever want to be around a monster like him? And sorcerers? Please, they were so stuck up with their inflated senses of selves, Geralt found it incredible some of them did not simply fly away with egos. Other Witchers were so few that he crossed paths with. And his brothers? Well they had always had a place there.

So. Geralt had skin thicker than the hide of his armor, but his walls crumbled at the slightest show of affection, or understanding, or kindness. Or even just being treated as a person and a not a killing machine.

And yet.

And yet.

And yet, Jaskier had followed him.

Jaskier followed him despite his grouchy demeanor, his taciturn nature, his ostracism at the hands of the general pubic. And not only did Jaskier follow him, he befriended him.

In his long life, Geralt had come across the whole swath of humanity, from the saints to the scum of the earth, but very few had had the courage to be able to look him in the eye for more than a few minutes at a time. And even less had thought him to be someone worth knowing. Jaskier was the first, and only, human brave enough to ask to be - no not ask, declare himself to be Geralt’s friend.

Geralt did not know how to react to this, he had been brought up being told that Witchers travelled alone, their duty was one observed alone, their lives a sacrifice for the greater good, not their own.

His earliest memory, well, second earliest was of his mother abandoning him on the trail that lead to Kaer Morhen. It was calling out for her and stumbling down the path until nightfall, disoriented, hungry, and scared. It was being terrified of being eaten by the hulking figure with golden-yellow cat eyes that glowed in the dark until that figure revealed itself to be a Witcher.

Among his fellow trainees, his brothers to be, Geralt felt the first sense of family. He felt like he was part of a cause, like the hero of the stories people were going to write. And then they went through the trials. He watched, as one by one, most of the boys he considered to be his brothers died painfully, screams echoing through stone halls. He remembers very little of his own trial, knows it was just as scream-filled, but it is their voices that haunt him on the nights when he is most isolated. He also recalls the first time he left to venture on the Path, the beginning of the rest of his life, saying goodbye to the few constants in his life. Returning the next winter, weathered and worn by a world that had shown itself not to be kind. Returning to a hall where, of the handful of brothers he had stepped into the Path with, only Eskel returned. He learned then more than ever the true meaning of the words of his teachers. Friends were a liability, connections were distractions, and distractions got you killed. Help those in need, help your comrades, but above all, make sure you go into a situation with a clear head.

Geralt shook his head from his musings and cleaned up the remains of his dinner. After putting everything away, he took out his sword cleaning kit and settled by a rock next to his fire pit, using the whetstone to sharpen his blades before running over the swords with oil. He polished the blade to perfection as he had been taught, and placed the two swords back in their scabbards in Roach’s saddle.

He stretched for a bit, still feeling a little restless, but feeling too filled with energy to meditate. The cracks from days of laying on hard floors and riding make themselves known, and the stretching leaves him feeling pleasantly sore and limp. He makes his way to his bedroll, dropping gracelessly onto the mat and rolling onto his back. The clearing he had chose was well hidden from the road, and the circle of trees were tall enough to provide further cover. But straight upward? There was a large opening unobstructed by plants that allowed for a view of the starry sky.

The moon’s beams were at the edge of the circle of trees, lighting up the sky to give him a view that reminded him just how small he was in the larger scale of their world.

One of the lessons that was drilled into Witchers during training was to learn the night sky, and use it as a compass to orient themselves anywhere on the Continent. Geralt had not been the quickest at identifying them, but had enjoyed the lessons nonetheless. They were one of the few that taught the trainees the beauty of their world, rather than the violence and horror of it.

Geralt stayed staring up at the night sky until his eyelids grew heavy and he fell asleep to the sound of the woods, the rustling of the trees, the distant calls of owls, the scampering of small wildlife out on a hunt.

He had lived for the majority of his life believing himself destined for a life of loneliness. But he had found himself a bard - no, a friend. Someone who was voluntarily spending time with him because he enjoyed to do so.

The thought brought a smile to Geralt’s face, and he fell asleep underneath the canvas of the night sky like that.

Full of happiness and pride, humming a familiar song that had been written about him.

[eggoreviews]

My Top 15 Bosses in Games

Bosses are fun and great, most of the time. And often, they can make or break a game for me, which means my favourite games often have the most entertaining, impactful boss battles with high emotional stakes or just pure spectacle. Because I couldn’t pick just 10, here’s my top 15 bosses that really left a mark on me. Enjoy!

This list is probably gonna be a little weird, because it’s purely my opinion. Also, spoilers below for all the games I mention.

15. Donkey Kong (Super Mario Odyssey)

Admittedly, this is stretching the definition of the term ‘boss’, but if DK from back in the 80s can be counted as a boss, then so can this. For me, this was the best moment in all of Odyssey, which in itself seemed to be a love letter to the legacy of both 2D and 3D Mario. This retro throwback, complete with the classic 2D run-and-jump platforming from the original Donkey Kong, is amazing with the huge Metro Kingdom festival in the background and the soaring Jump Up, Superstar accompanying it. This seamless marrying of old and new proved to be my favourite part of this game, and made Odyssey one of my favourite platformers in general.

14. Void Termina (Kirby Star Allies)

I know this is a really unpopular opinion, but I personally loved Kirby Star Allies for a lot of reasons. I loved the graphics, the characters, the smooth, simple and fun gameplay, how polished and unique each section of the game was, not least the huge space section at the game’s conclusion and of course the free updates adding a wealth of new content and characters. And at the very end, you take on this thing, Void Termina, in a massive space arena. Above everything else, this is just dizzy, colourful fun and is a great culmination of everything the game’s been building up to since the first level. You spend the fight switching between firing wildly at Void Termina from your rainbow ship thing and fighting parts of the monster from the inside. As I’ve said, this made for a satisfying conclusion to an amazing platformer for me and more than earns its spot on my list.

13. Mirelurk Queen (Fallout 4)

I remember the pure shock I felt for a hot second the moment the Mirelurk Queen decided to rear its head for the first time. For the record, I’m talking specifically about the Queen that shows up when taking the Castle for the Minutemen. Seeing this hulking thing looming even above the castle walls is something that genuinely intimidated me, especially as early into my playthrough as I was, and it took a lot of my supplies (and a lot of attempts) to finally pump enough bullets into it to kill it. The frantic panic of sprinting around the ruins of the Castle trying to avoid the giant Mirelurk’s blasts of acid and keeping enough distance to stay safe balanced a good amount of difficulty with spectacle and stayed with me long after I put the game down.

12. Griffin (The Witcher III: Wild Hunt)

I’ve made it clear on my blog before that I didn’t have a standout experience with The Witcher III as a whole, but to say it didn’t have some spectacular moments is pretty much an insult. In particular, Geralt’s first throwdown with the massive griffin terrorising White Orchard was a brilliantly intense and strategic fight that greatly utilised the game’s smooth combat system and made full use of Geralt’s many abilities. I find that the game really shone most of all while in combat, maintaining a great level of intensity with balanced difficulty and a soaring soundtrack that always makes the battle experience even more memorable. Plus, look how awesome this thing looks.

11. El Luchador (Rayman Legends)

The end boss of a world in my favourite platformer of all time based entirely on the Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead, this particular boss fight encapsulates everything I adore about this game. Fun, tight platforming, colourful and memorable design, a great soundtrack and controls that function perfectly. You spend this boss fight finding new and creative ways to bounce on this giant wrestler’s head in front of an audience of cheering skeletons as the manic soundtrack intensifies with each round of the fight. This fight, and this entire game, combines fun and creativity masterfully and I’d urge basically anyone to play it.

10. The Archdemon (Dragon Age: Origins)

Part of what makes the climactic battle with the Archdemon so memorable is how perfectly the game pulls off the intense build-up that lasts the entire plot and then still delivers an epic payoff. The Archdemon is almost straight away set up as a genuine threat that looms over everything you do in Origins and the success of your eventual showdown with the Archdemon is based entirely on your strategies and choices throughout the game. Who you manage to recruit, what races you have fighting on your side and, most importantly, which companions you take with you into the finale will all have a huge impact on your fight. And oh boy, the Archdemon is just as hulking and terrifying when you finally get to take him on. This fight is probably the most universally recognised great on my list and still stands out as one of the best RPG finales to date.

9. Marguerite (Resident Evil VII: Biohazard)

Resident Evil 7 is a truly terrifying, if fairly brief, foray into horror that Capcom haven’t quite managed since the series’ fourth entry. And I felt that the main fight with the Baker family’s deranged mother Marguerite deserves a place on this list for the raw terror it creates alone. Just when you think you’re getting used to the horrors of the Baker estate, the game ushers you into a claustrophobic greenhouse and locks the door behind you. After a jumpscare that will make you lose your shit, you’ve got to somehow dispatch this horrifying, unhinged bug woman who’s screaming obscenities and crawling on the walls and ceilings to pounce on you and spawning endless poisonous insects from the weird egg sac between her legs. As if that wasn’t awful enough, most of the time, you don’t even know where the hell she is, as she has a rather unsavory habit of crawling off into little alcoves and into walls, out of your sight, so you’re forced to frantically search around in the darkness in an attempt to spot her before she jumps on you. No other boss fight has elicited this kind of fear from me, so on that merit alone, it’s earned its spot.

8. Daud (Dishonored)

The climactic clash with the man that killed your character’s love interest, the empress, and was directly involved in framing you for her murder is just as brilliantly satisfying as you’d expect. For the first time in the game, the protector turned assassin Corvo is finally forced to take on someone who can wield the same supernatural powers he can, which makes a battle with high emotional stakes that really allows you to see the glaring similarities between Corvo and Daud. On top of this, with Daud being voiced by Michael Madsen, his provocative, yet thoughtful dialogue throughout the battle makes you think while you fight and gives you a much deeper insight into Daud’s character and helps you decide whether you’ll choose to show him mercy or not, especially during his eloquent plea for mercy at the fight’s end. As for the fight itself, it’s fast-paced and intense, while encouraging you to make full use of Corvo’s arsenal of weapons and powers to beat him back. But most impressive is the sheer difference in experience depending on whether you’ve chosen the path of merciful low chaos or murderous high chaos throughout the game, with Daud in low chaos being much more willing to offer a fair fight rather than sending his goons out after you. In a game full of changes to the world and story depending on your choices, some huge and some extremely subtle, this fight with the empress’ assassin is a truly standout moment in a brilliant game. Oh, and if you end up playing the DLCs where you take control of Daud, another emotional layer is added when you realise just how much Daud has done to save the empress’ daughter, even when on the surface he seems to be just another of Dishonored’s many despicable villains.

7. Stained Glass Demon (MediEvil: Resurrection)

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge MediEvil fan, specifically the oddly maligned PSP version that I personally think is amazing. For me, this charmingly gothic action platformer has a hell of a lot of high points, but the fight early on the game with the Stained Glass Demon in particular is as cool as it sounds. The game totally embraces its gothic atmosphere in this section, with the protagonist Sir Daniel Fortesque being trapped within a textbook creepy mausoleum full of undead things, and something in the giant stained glass window that seems to be very alive. Eventually fighting this thing really tests you on what you’ve learned up to this point, meaning that full use of the weapons you’ve gathered is basically essential if you want to beat this weird demon that uses glass as its main attack. By merit of how uniquely amazing this boss fight is, as well as the game it hails from, this particular demon is one of my absolute favourite boss fights.

6. David (The Last of Us)

While this isn’t a boss fight in the traditional sense, it is a gritty, tense face off with the game’s only real central villain. You play as the hardened but still terrified Ellie as you carefully navigate a restaurant while David searches for you with very murderous intent, his monologues only serving to make the experience even more chilling. With each strategic hit you manage to land, David becomes more and more enraged, searching the restaurant with more fervor with each hit you deal, eventually setting the building on fire. The tension that’s been building through the whole encounter reaches boiling point as you watch the fire slowly begin to envelop the whole room and Ellie finally catches him offguard long enough to brutally kill the deranged man with his own machete. Everybody knows how amazing this game is, and this unorthodox fight in particular stood out as a great character display and a masterclass in building tension, to only then be immediately followed by Joel and Ellie’s emotional reunion that definitely tugs at your emotions. The Last of Us has always been a must-play and this moment serves as one of many reminders that it definitely still is.

5. Xaldin (Kingdom Hearts II)

Probably the hardest boss fight on this list and also that I’ve ever had to do in general (yes that means I’ve never played Dark Souls), I initially wrote this whole fight off as total bullshit, as I figured there was no way outside of blind luck to finish this with any sort of skill. And admittedly, luck is a factor here, with Xaldin’s constant and dizzying attacks taking a hell of a long time to work out the patterns for than most other fights in the game. He’s pretty much constantly in your face, knocking off huge chunks of your health bar in one go, so it quickly becomes a mad dash for survival as you run around the castle courtyard trying desperately to find an opening. One thing I’ve always loved about Kingdom Hearts, despite how needlessly complicated most of its entire concept is, is the consistently smooth, fun combat system, that allows for many different styles of play and rewards experimentation with different abilities and magic. Nowhere does this come out more in one of the game’s many creative boss fights, most notably for me the clash with this particular member of Organization 13.

4. Morag (Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies)

This is probably my weirdest pick on the list, as in reality Morag is a fairly inconsequential boss fight in a game that most people regard as one of the worst in the Dragon Quest series. But DQ9 is one of my absolute favourite games of all time, and this boss fight in particular is tied to one of the most emotionally charged storylines I’ve experienced in an RPG. Towards the start of the game, you’re tasked with killing the Wight Knight, a supposedly evil knight that’s been terrorising a local town, specifically the town’s princess. Upon beating him, you discover that he was cursed by the witch Morag to remain with her in the ruined town of Brigadoom after falling in love with him. The princess that the knight had fallen for died in the intervening 500 years, leading his grief to cloud his judgment and he began to pursue the princess of a different town that looked almost exactly like her. In order to put his spirit to rest, the princess of the town realises who and what the knight is, and comes to Brigadoom to give him the dance he never got to have with the woman he knew 500 years ago. Okay, might be a little cliche, but this really oofed me and I thought this whole plotline was brilliantly executed, much like every other emotional moment that this game is packed with. As a whole, this boss fight, while inconsequential, is intrinsically linked to a heavily emotional subplot and is a hidden gem in an often overlooked, but amazing RPG.

3. Goro Akechi (Persona 5)

I almost gave this spot to the ever satisfying takedown of Kamoshida, but this fight just beats him out for pure emotional stakes alone. Goro Akechi is a tragic character who was horribly mistreated throughout much of his life, but at some point in his life, he made a conscious choice to become what he was. While the phantom thieves sympathise with his plight and the people that aided in him becoming the murderer that he was, they know they can’t get through to him and their only choice is to fight him off. The boss fight itself is suitably epic, with the now clearly unhinged Akechi throwing his full might at your party, but there’s still a part of you that doesn’t want to keep fighting. And that’s what makes this whole section so interesting, as your main character begins to understand that Akechi in reality is a twisted reflection of the thieves and what they could very easily become should they lose their way. And Akechi’s eventual realisation that this is the case then prompts him to make the ultimate sacrifice in the end, as his loyalties waver when he realises his father never planned to keep him around anyway. There’s a lot to unpack in this particular fight and has a lot more emotional layering to it than most other fights in the game, and it’s very rare to say that about any boss fight. Persona 5 is a spectacular experience from start to end and the effect Akechi’s final stand had was one of its most memorable moments.

2. Asriel Dreemurr (Undertale)

A once underrated indie gem that has since basically become a gaming icon in the years since, how much I absolutely love Undertale still hasn’t wavered. And in a game with a wonderfully creative combat system and therefore full of great bosses, the pacifist route’s final fight takes the crown for me. It’s the perfect culmination of everything you’ve experienced throughout Undertale, giving you a brilliant soundtrack and the opportunity to save each and everyone of the friends you’ve made along the way, followed by Asriel himself. The story of Asriel and the first human who fell into the underground is a deeply tragic one, and Asriel himself is a character stricken with grief that has distorted into anger and an obsessive desire to wield godlike power and all of this combines to make you really feel for who you’re fighting, which makes it all the more satisfying to help him come to his senses at the very end. This incredibly intense, but endlessly satisfying battle ends off with an emotional sequence of the real Asriel realising the hate in his actions and redeeming his actions by opening the barrier while he’s still himself to let monsters go free. This ending gets me everytime and there’s some wonderful themes buried in here somewhere, so the significance of this particular character and his final showdown can’t be understated.

Before I cry talking about my top pick, here’s (a lot) more I really love:

Master Hand (Super Smash Bros. series)

Lord Fredrik (Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze)

Yuga (The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds)

Yellow Devil (Mega Man)

Gohma (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

Delilah Copperspoon (Dishonored 2)

Xion (Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days)

Bebuzzu (Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales)

Zinyak (Saints Row IV)

Alduin (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

Bowser (Super Mario Bros. 3)

1. Calamity Ganon/Dark Beast Ganon (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

It probably stands to reason that my favourite boss fight came out of my favourite game. Much like the rest of Breath of the Wild, this finale left a huge impact on me and I absolutely adored all of it. After fighting your way through the ruined Hyrule Castle (which, as a sidenote, is also awesome), you finally see the horrible monstrosity you’ve been building up to fighting for the entire game and it looks as freaky as it should. Before the fight kicks off, each champion you’ve rescued makes a cameo to help you out and then, you’ve got to fend for yourself. This spectacular boss fight does everything a boss should do; it tests you on everything you’ve learned and gathered throughout the entire game, maintains a great level of emotional stakes and, most importantly, gives you a fitting finale to arguably the best adventure game ever made. Everything is topped off with a horseback battle with a giant creature form of Ganon that covers the whole of Hyrule Field (which at that point, honestly does intimidate you) in one final push to seal Ganon away. You truly feel that this is what your grand adventure has been leading up to and the sense of genuine accomplishment you feel when Ganon falls and Link finally reunites with Zelda in real life after spending all this time regaining his treasured memories of her combines that sense of accomplishment with vast emotional depth. Everything about Breath of the Wild absolutely blew me away and this wonderful ending really could not have been better. The long awaited final battle against Ganon, after experiencing everything that happened to Link and the champions after losing so tragically to Ganon a century ago, as well as the brilliantly handled subtle romance between Link and Zelda, makes this my absolute favourite boss fight, and game ending in general, of all time.

So that’s my list! Hope you agreed with at least some of my picks, or at the very least could sort of see where I was coming from. Got any great boss fights of your own that top your list? Let me know! And big thank you for reading. Have a gr8 day.

[dancingwiththefae]

Geraskier

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙the calm after the storm | T | 648 words | AO3 |Tumblr

mild hurt/comfort, referenced past torture and injuries

Jaskier still feels like an outsider in Kaer Morhen and struggles with the memories of Rience. Help comes with a knock at the door.

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙give me shelter | T | 649 words | AO3 | Tumblr

fluff, established relationship, kissing

He warned him about the rain. In fact he told him several times. There was a storm coming. He could smell it in the air. But Jaskier was adamant that they had to leave that morning.

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙Kiss me once, kiss me twice | T | 708 words | AO3 

first kiss, fluff

Jaskier had been flirting with Geralt since the minute he set eyes on him, but he never seemed brave enough to take it further. So Geralt decides to do it instead

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙 when you know I can’t love | G | 731 words | AO3 | Tumblr

bittersweet, unrequited love (kind of)

Blue eyes caught his from across the room. A subtle smile offered that Geralt could not return. Jaskier didn’t seem to notice. 

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙“I can’t leave now” | T | 826 words | AO3 | Tumblr

Hurt/comfort, blood and injury

Geralt is about to leave town when a commotion in the alley stops him in his tracks

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙fed up | G | 841 words | AO3 | Tumblr

hurt/comfort, anti-witcher sentiments, understanding Jaskier

Geralt is having a bad day. Jaskier tries to distract him. It doesn't go as planned.

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙A simple hunt | T | 916 words | AO3 | Tumblr

Hurt/comfort, death, established relationship 

Jaskier knew that a witcher's life was not a fairytale, but it was different seeing it close up for the first time.

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙 “I need you to distract me” | T | 967 words | Tumblr

hurt/comfort, character injury, healing wounds

Jaskier gets badly injured during a contract

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙 These inconvenient fireworks | G | 1.1k | AO3 | Tumblr

Modern AU, meet-cute

Jaskier is running late for work and in his rush he doesn't see the terrifying hulk of a man until his coffee is already down his shirt. 

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙Buttercup in bloom | E | 4.4k words | AO3

Homophobia, biphobia, frottage, further tags on AO3

Jaskier discovers he's bisexual in a world that doesn't accept him

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙Deep into that darkness peering | M | 17.4k words | AO3

Major Character Death, heavy angst, implied/referenced torture, angst with a happy(ish) ending

Geralt is being haunted. Even in death, Jaskier dogs his every step

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙 Mind, Body, Yours | E | Ongoing | AO3

Rience/Jaskier, Geraskier endgame, non-con/dubcon, mind control, further tags on ao3

Jaskier wakes up tied to a chair, injured and no memory of what had happened. Rescue comes in the form of a strange mage who gives him refuge as he heals. Jaskier quickly finds himself falling under Rience's spell. And when he tells him that Ciri would be safer with him than with Geralt and asks him to take her from under the witcher's nose, Jaskier cannot say no. 

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*

🌙Addicted Series:

🌙Cold turkey | E | 8.1k words | AO3

Higher Vampire!Jaskier, blood, addiction, dub con, further tags on AO3

Jaskier accidently exposes his vampiric nature to Geralt. The witcher gives him an ultimatum: stop drinking human blood or be put in the ground for a few centuries

🌙new beginnings, old friends | E | Ongoing | AO3

Blood drinking, addiction, jealousy, further tags on AO3

Geralt and Jaskier try to manage their new relationship, Jaskier's recovery from his blood addiction, and call upon an old friend to help.