#tired dad vesemir

[meepthemeeping]

Fan fic Quotes (To prove I am still alive)

Ciri looked at him with a curious expression. "You met Vesemir in the army, right? Did you like the army?"

Guxart laughed loudly before replying, "I hated the army, but it wasn't like I had a choice. This was back when there was a draft. I didn't have a choice. The only good thing I got out of it was my wife."

"You met your wife in the army?" Ciri's interest was piqued.

Guxart snorted. "Not like there was much competition. Vesemir and I were the only ones who didn't look like we'd had our faces beaten in with a shovel."

Vesemir nearly coughed on his coffee.

—-------------------------

"Back when I met your mom, I was just some dumb twenty-something in the army, running away from my problems. She had just lost her husband and was pregnant with you. The guys in my platoon ragged on me bad for falling in love with her. But I knew if I didn't help her get out of the country soon, she'd have to raise you in a war zone." Guxart sighed deeply, pushing his hair out of his face. "I promised her the world. I promised her I would give you boys everything..."

Aiden gave him a tired look and said, "Why were you so hard on us, Dad?"

"I thought if I set you two up for success, pushed you as hard as I could, you'd have a better life than your mom and I could ever dream of. But..." Guxart looked at him. "I wasn't there the way you boys needed me. I know I never said this but, I’m proud of you two."

—----------------------------

As Gaetan was moving into the new law firm, he finally got to the box labeled "desk supplies." He shuffled through pens, organizers, and lots of paper until he paused, a small smile forming on his face. It was a family photo. Guxart's hair was still mainly red, not yet turning white from age and stress. Aiden had his usual smug look on his face; he must have been about sixteen when it was taken. There was Gaetan, still a small kid, clearly upset that he had to take a photo that day. Then there was Mom, wearing a head wrap as she was going through chemo at the time. She was still pretty—she had always been. Ever since she passed, they tried their best not to talk about it…

—-----------------------------

Gaetan knew that not everyone he defended in court was among the best of people. A law firm doesn't rise to prominence by only representing upstanding citizens. There were clients with questionable morals, and cases often sat in the law's gray areas. He knew that Guxart had built this place with his blood, sweat, and tears. The sacrifices his father had made were etched into the very foundation of the firm. One day, Gaetan would be in charge of it.

—--------------------------------

Coen remembered the first time he had seen Aiden go down a spiral. The drugs and Jad had turned him into a shell of his former self. It took years of being in and out of rehab and a lot of therapy to get him to where he is today. Coen did his best to be there for Aiden, supporting him through it all. In return, Aiden was there for him after he lost his family.

—-------------------------------------

As a kid, Gaetan didn't know what had happened between Aiden and Guxart; all he knew was that he hadn't seen his big brother in years after Aiden graduated from college. He knew Guxart was mad at him, aware that his father shut down any conversation about Aiden.

Aiden eventually reappeared after Gaetan left for college, but even then, he didn't say anything about it.

[valdomarx]

How do you feel about Regis and Geralt. In other news, I have finished the Blood & Wine DLC and have a new favorite character

oh boy do i ever love those old men. they have the exact energy of two tired dads at the playground lovingly giving their kids thumbs ups as said kids run full pelt into concrete walls. (the kids in this case are ciri, dandelion, and zoltan.)

perhaps my favourite thing about geralt and regis is how inexplicably tender they are with each other??? you might think they'd be jaded or angry or suspicious of the other - they are, after all, on the surface a monster and a monster hunter - but no!! from the moment they meet they're so kind and careful with each other. gives me an aneurysm.

also something about regis (again, an actual monster as per witcher lore) being the one who geralt truly trusts? the one who geralt lets his guard down around? lays bare his soul and talks about how he really feels about himself, and his life as a witcher, and the choices that were made for him? topics he doesn't even dare broach with eskel or lambert or vesemir? but he'll share with regis??? knowing that he won't be judged??? but will be understood and treated with compassion????

and regis does the same talking about his blood addiction, with apparently zero concern that geralt might misunderstand him or find him a threat? they just really look out for each other and want the best for each other? unconditional support and kindness????

CDPR give the people what they want challenge. it's still not too late to make regis romanceable.

[handholdinglion]

this reminds me of the story my dad always tells about his mum saving up and buying him and his sisters sweets on special occasions when they were young.

you’d be given one sweet before bed, no more. no ifs or buts. it came in a lovely twist wrapper that they’d throw into the fireplace and it would make a satisfying crackling noise.

one night my dad was tired after doing a milk round that morning and when he got given his sweet and unwrapped it, he threw his sweet in the fireplace instead of the wrapper. he was heartbroken, and tearfully looked up at his mum as his sisters giggled.

but as his sisters went off to bed his mum secretly snuck another one into his hand before shooing him off too.

this is 100% something I can imagine one of the wolves doing when they were younger and master vesemir has to sneak them another one.

Sweets are a rarity to witchers. Due to the cost of sugar, sweets tend to be too expensive for them, so when they do manage to get their hands on some sweets they treat them as if they were the most precious things in the world.

In Kaer Morhen, Vesemir would make sure to save up money in order to buy the pups sweets after a great achievement. Let that be the pups surviving one of the trails, mastering a new skill, and of course, earning their medallions. It was his way of awarding the pups and encouraging them. What he didn’t expect was for the pups to go feral at the sight of a honey cake. Poor Vesemir can’t count the number of times he had to stop the pups from killing each other over a slice of cake. It was only after Vesemir threatened to never give them sweets again did the pups behave.

However, the wolves’ love for sweets wasn’t only in childhood. Even in the path, the witchers treasure sweets above all else.

Geralt didn’t mind sharing everything with Jaskier, so when Jaskier found a sweet roll tucked in Geralt’s bag he didn’t hesitate to take a bite only for the witcher to place a dagger against his throat. At first, Jaskier thought he was joking but he saw the look in the wolf’s eyes and saw he was serious. Never again did Jaskier ever get in between Geralt and his sweets.

It was rare, but if Eskel ever came across a contract for a baker, instead of taking money, he would ask for a box of sweets. Hearing the rumors about how emotionless and money-hungry witchers the bakers would be confused by the request but would be even more confused seeing the pure joy plastered on the witcher’s face when handed the box.

Lambert has a stash of money saved up just for sweets. Every time he saw a bakery he would go in to buy something but being a witcher, most businesses refuse to serve him, so instead, Lambert would just break-in in the middle of the night and take what he wants.

The moment the witchers step through the keep’s doors for the winter on the table there’s a large plate of freshly baked sweets waiting for them. Like children, the three can’t help but run over and try to stuff their faces while trying to fend off the others. And like always, Vesemir has to step in and scold them.

[bounce-a-coin-off-your-witcher]

Your response to my Hanukkah prompt was really sweet. If no Hanukkah, maybe just some fun times in the snow with the boys? :)

I’m glad you thought it was sweet! I really didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by saying ‘no’, but I wasn’t comfortable writing about a holiday I have no experience with. 

But a snow day? Oh for sure. I can write the hell out of that, Anon.

---

Geralt was awoken by a loud thud from outside; something had slammed into his closed bedroom window and shaken the glass rather violently. He heard giggling from outside and flung himself out of bed as quickly as possible when he recognized it as his boyfriend’s. He pulled on a pair of jeans, tossed a Henley over his head, and pulled his hair into the usual half-ponytail as he made his way down the stairs. 

“Jask is outside,” Vesemir said from his seat at the kitchen table. His “World’s Best Dad” mug was resting next to the coffee machine, which was bubbling rather happily away. Geralt tugged on his coat and boots with a wide grin. 

“Yeah. Don’t wait up?”

“Have fun.”

That was all the permission Geralt needed. No chores. No busy work. No “get your schoolwork done first”... Vesemir was in a great mood today and he was not going to take that for granted. 

---

Jaskier snuggled up to his boyfriend on the couch. “Put a movie in or something. I wanna snuggle.”

“What about your parents?”

“They’re at some office party and won’t be home until late. We can have hot chocolate on the couch without worrying.”

“And your grandma?”

“She’s asleep.”

“So why watch a movie when we could... warm up?”

Jaskier wiggled his eyebrows and laughed, his nose still cherry-red from their snowman building shenanigans. “Alright. But I still want to watch a movie while we smooch. I demand Krull!” 

“Absolutely not. Anything but Krull.”

“They defeat the powers of evil with their love!”

“...You owe me a big kiss for this.”

[darlingimabard]

jaskier and geralt both have tired adoptive dads au

professor alfred pankratz finds a kid passed out on the side of the road when he’s returning to oxenfurt

and he is absolutely not father material he tells himself as he rushes home with the kid, pays the healer, purchases new child sized clothes and rearranges his rooms

he’s talking to the healer about jaskier (after the buttercup that was found tucked in the boys hair, isn’t that cute?) when she raises an amused eyebrow 

“you’ve named him?”

fuck, he’s named him

alfred sighs as he mentally rearranges his plans for the next decade or two

jaskier pankratz grows up the darling of oxenfurt academy, sitting in on whatever lessons interest him and charming the socks off staff and students alike

the staff are very amused as they watch alfred turn from 27 year old flighty poetry professor into tired, i-probably-should-have-read-a-book-on parenting-am-i-doing-this-right-no-the-kid-stays-kayla-fuck-off, spiritually like fucking 60 year old, single dad

then just as alfred thinks he’s settling into this parenting thing, finally getting a grip on how to raise the bundle of sunshine, charm and viciousness that is jaskier, the kid tries to help with dinner one night

he grabs the cast iron pot then screams as his hand comes away burnt

what the fuck

alfred puts salve on the wound, bandages it up before hurrying jaskier into bed and telling him not to worry about it

alfred worries about it all night, then he pours himself the strongest drink he owns at 4am in the morning as he puts the pieces together

mysterious kid on the edge of a forest, flower in his hair, charming with a mean streak and hurt by iron

his kid is fae

the parenting books he didn’t read never had a chapter on this

“why was professor pankratz screaming at the forest this morning?” “oh, he’s a poet”

he tells his son the next day who is scared and confused because he can’t remember anything before alfred found him, he doesn’t know how to be fae

“you’ll always be my son jaskier, never doubt that i love you, am proud of you, no matter what”

then in the blink of an eye, alfred waves goodbye to his 18 year old son who’s off to seek adventure and absolutely does not spend the next few years worrying 

“dad! i’m friends with a witcher now” sounds about right

“dad! i’m trying to sleep with the witcher now but he’s incredibly thick” god this really is his kid isn’t it

jaskier returns home broken hearted and has to talk his father down from finding and punching his witcher 

when a portal opens up and a sexy dark haired lady steps out into alfred’s living room he doesn’t even blink 

the sorceress is saying something about nilfgard and child surprises and bounties on their heads as associates of the witcher

alfred just sighs and goes to write a letter informing the academy of his indefinite leave of absence before packing his bags

then he accompanies his son to the hideout of the witchers due to the fact that his son is in love with one of them and is thus being hunted by an empire because they managed to acquire a child surprise

because that’s a sentence that is now normal in his life, somehow

they get to kaer morhen and he does end up punching the witcher, even if he breaks a couple fingers

“ two humans in kaer morhen, this will be interesting” “one human” “what?” “jaskier isn’t human” “WHAT?”

jaskier, my son, i know you said your witcher was thick but not this thick

he leaves the kids to their dramatics and heads towards the keep

[g-a-y-b-a-c-o-n]

Vesemir: You had two tests.

Geralt: I did them!

Vesemir: You got a 53% and a 60%? You can cheat! It’s online!?

Geralt: I did cheat!

Vesemir: And you still got a 53% and a 60%—

[jaskicr]

so we have the typical reverse au where jaskier is a witcher and geralt is a bard BUT !!

where’s the reverse au where eskel, lambert and vesemir are also bards alongside geralt and they’re all friends? (bard band?? bard group?? medieval boy band???) they decide to follow witcher!jaskier, who now has a little chaotic army of bards singing his praises and following him everywhere

[gods-no-longer-tread-here]

Vesemir: Who is best boy?

bby!Geralt: Me!! I’m the best boy!! :D

Vesemir: As best boy, you should finish your dinner, or Eskel will be best boy.

bby!Geralt: *pours his entire plate into his mouth and eats it like a snake* I’m best boy!!

(many years later)

Vesemir: Who is best boy?

adult Geralt who just got back from his first year on the path: Me!! I’m the best boy!!

Literally everyone in the room: *shocked silence*

Vesemir: That’s correct, pup. Eat your dinner.

Geralt: *inhales his food* :D

Fellow instructor, leaning over to whisper to Vesemir: How the fuck did you teach him that?

Vesemir: Parental affection. Works every time.

[thewolvesandtheirbard]

You Never Love Anything Like You Love Your First Child (Part 1/2)

Vesemir awoke just as his tiny son’s cries began to sound off from the crib. He’d grown accustom to this now, thank Gods. When he’d first brought the baby home, the lack of sleep nearly had him dead on his feet during fencing class. Now his body and mind could run on the few hours he managed to get in between Eskel’s nightly feedings.

“I hear you, pup.” The witcher yawned, rubbing tired eyes and slicking back several strands of wild brown hair from his face as he made his way to the hearth, where two bottles of goat’s milk were keeping warm in a pot of hot water. He chose one, taking care to ensure that the milk wouldn’t be too warm for Eskel, then crossed the room again to collect his wailing son. “Now, now, no need for such racket, my lad.” He spoke gently to the baby, setting the bottle aside for a moment so that he could pick little Eskel up in his blankets. The babe’s cries settled as he was brought into his father’s familiar arms, but only just. He was still hungry after all. “See? Papa’s here. Papa’s got you. You’re alright.” Vesemir continued to coo softly to the pup as he took him over to the rocking chair and sat down to feed the boy. Eskel accepted the bottle right away, drinking hungrily and finally calming down. “There.” Vesemir sighed softly, rocking back and forth with his son in his arms. “Feel better now?” All he received in reply was a little grunt, but it brought a smile to his tired face all the same. ... “Vesemir.” Barmin’s tone wasn’t quite scolding, but just troubled enough that his son knew that he was about to be given a lecture. Probably a long one. “Something wrong?” The younger wolf turned to address his father, his own little pup wrapped up comfortably and sleeping in a soft handmade sling fastened across Vesemir’s chest. Barmin looked down to little Eskel and then back up to meet his son’s eyes, arms crossed before him in a disapproving fashion. “The pup is to be left with a sitter during the day.” He reminded Vesemir. “We’ve discussed this already, have we not?” “No need for a sitter.” The younger wolf insisted. “He’s my child. My responsibility and no one else’s.” “You have other responsibilities to attend to, boy. Don’t forget that.” Barmin reminded him firmly, even as Vesemir turned away from him again. His next class was arriving already. This conversation could wait until later. Or never. Vesemir hoped for the latter. “Sorry, Master. I have students to teach.” The elder witcher growled as his son bravely waved him away. “Surely you understand.” “You’re becoming far to attached, son.” Barmin snarled from behind his young wolf. “But we’ll speak of this later.” “Hmm.” Vesemir rolled his eyes. “I’m sure.”

[fandom-junk-drawer]

The Witcher Headcanon - Trouble

Jaskier gets into trouble a lot. It's just a simple fact. The man has no sense of self-preservation.

Geralt is constantly having to save him. It's hard to make a living killing monsters when you have to constantly stop and save your Bard when he "wants a closer look at that (monster) ", or he just has to touch every mysterious object.

What do you think it is, Geralt? Oooh, it's so shiny!

Why would someone leave something like this laying around? Have you ever seen something like this before?

I wonder what this does? Do you think it's magic?

Do you think it's really old? Like a Fae artifact?

Oooh, what if it's cursed? Do you think it's cursed? I probably shouldn't be holding it if it's cursed, right?

Oh my goodness, look at that (forest animal/creature)! I have to pet it! Come here you adorable thing!

It's not friendly! It's not friendly! Run Geralt!

He just can't stop f***ing touching things! If Geralt's hair wasn't already white...

He wonders if this is what having a toddler is like. Having to constantly yeet him away from danger, stop him from touching things, and listen to hours of endless babbling.

The other Wolves just don't understand why Geralt is always dead tired when he comes home for the winter, until Lambert joins them on the Path one spring.

It's a complete nightmare.

Holy f**k, Geralt! How in the h*ll do you keep him alive all year???

They run into Eskel along the way, and he's confused as to why Lambert and Geralt both look like Tired Dads. He laughs when they point to Jaskier, who is innocently working out the words to his latest ballad, completely unaware that he is being discussed.

Eskel scoffs and joins them. It's just one Bard. How hard could he be to look after?

They end up sititng around a table at an Inn, complainig to Coen.

He tried to pet a Griffin! A f***ing Griffin!

I turned my back for five minutes, and he was trying to walk into a fairy ring!

I kept having to yank him out of the way of the Bruxa's claws because he kept trying to 'help'!

I had to stop him one night because he saw fairy lights in the woods and wanted to follow them!

I can feel my self f***ing aging!

He almost got decapitated trying to get close to a Czernobog so he could 'get a more accurate estimate of it's wingspan' for his next ballad!

We found a bar of lavender soap on a path in the woods. I told him it was obviously a Fae trap because no one just leaves a bar of soap in the middle of the d*mn woods, and this stupid f***er still tries to go pick it up! Thank Melitele that Geralt was able to grab him before he got his a** kidnapped!

You need a leash for the poor b**tard, just to keep him out of trouble!

Or just dig a deep f***ing hole and put him in it, like Vesemir used to do when he had work to do and we were too little to be left wandering loose!

The Witchers lose track of how many times the Bard has been injured over that long year. Thankfully the injuries are mostly minor.

They marvel at his resilience and durability. The man is seriously like a weed. He just keeps bouncing back!

They are so glad when it gets closer to time to return to Kaer Morhen.

But just when they think the nightmare is almost over, Jaskier goes and decides to get himself cursed.

And the bevy of Witchers ends up showing up on Yennefer's doorstep with a baby who looks very familiar.

(Y'all know there's a bonus scene for this headcanon coming! Get ready for some baby!jaskier)

[cosmos-coma]

Prey of the Hunt- Chapter 3

A/N:

Pairing: Eskel x Reader

Warnings: reader with (temporary) amnesia, Non-verbal reader (also temporary),  Traumatized reader, Game canon characters/lore.

Word count: 2k

Chapter Summary: You spend your first day of normal life at Kaer Morhen and get closer to its inhabitants, but are still plagued by faint wisps of your memory.

Chapter 4

______________________________

You woke up with the sun early the next morning. Your body was stiff and creaky as you rolled yourself out of bed, legs still sore with overuse. The sun streamed soft rays into the windows and spread out on the floor, giving the room a faint sense of warmth that the dead fire could no longer give.

You pulled a spare blanket around you and poked your head out into the hallway, feet quietly padding along against the cold stone. It was quiet and still, no one else yet stirring in the halls, so you began to wander the keep until you ended up in the library. 

With a little effort, you managed to reignite the long-dead embers in the library’s fireplace. Your quiet humming meandered with you through the shelves as you went about, picking out a few books to try. Once you had a good collection you dragged a comfortable chair over in front of the fireplace and cracked them open, hoping one of them will have something to jog your memory.

What you didn’t notice was Eskel and Geralt standing at the door to the library, one watching you with a soft joy, the other with a cautious curiosity. 

Eskel nudged his brother and spoke quietly, enough that he was sure you wouldn’t be able to hear. “What's with the look, Geralt?”

The white wolf frowned for a moment before stepping back from the door with his brother. “I’m worried you're getting in over your head, Eskel” Geralt finally let out.  “I’ve seen how you watch her, and I’m glad you're happy. But I just-” 

“You're gonna be worried until you know exactly who she is.” Eskel finished. “I know you, Geralt… You’re a good brother, but you’re not subtle.” he laughed a bit. 

Geralt couldn’t help but crack a bit of a smile, “I know… and I know you can take care of whatever comes. But I know who they are. I just-....“ He paused and glanced back to where you were seated, searching for the right words. “To be associated with the Wild Hunt and also somehow know where Kaer Morhen is?” He shook his head a bit in thought, “It seems like too much of a coincidence… and I may be reading into nothing, but you can never be too safe,” he advised. 

Eskel nodded with a gentle smile and clapped his brother's shoulder, “I get it…. I know you're just trying to watch out for everyone, but you can leave your Witcher duties on the path for now. We’ll be fine.” 

Your ears perked up at the sound of the clap and you looked over at the two men standing in the doorway. A small smile spread across your face and you knocked on your chair to get their attention before waving.

The rest of your day came and went uneventfully, which you were thankful for. You spent more time getting acquainted with the library, exploring the grounds, and helping Vesemir here and there with the maintenance of the keep. 

You suspected the older witcher rather enjoyed having someone like you around. You listened to his stories and advice with a nod and worked quietly. But you figured any dad to three rowdy boys with swords would like a quiet companion from time to time, and you enjoyed the meaningful work and conversation. 

The sun had just fallen away from the sky when you finally saw Eskel again. You figured he must’ve been extremely busy because you hadn’t caught sight of him since the library that morning. 

His red and black tunic was dusted gray with dirt and His body and eyes looked tired as he walked into the great hall, plucking hay from his hair.

“Eskel!” you mouthed happily and waved to him, setting your mug down as delight filled you. 

His eyes filled with warmth and life as they took you in, shoulders raising from their slumped posture and lips tugging into a small smile. “Y/n…” he breathed in a way that made your heart flutter. 

Eskel slid into the bench beside you, knees knocking against yours as he moved to a comfortable spot. “How was the rest of your day? I haven't seen you since the library this morning” He said, voice rumbling pleasantly from the broad body beside you. 

“Good” you mouthed, using your hands and lips to try and explain your day, despite being met with difficulty. Your brows knitted together in frustration, struggling both to convey what you mean and to use your pained fingers so much in one day. 

“It’s okay, I understand.” He said, an easy smile gracing his lips; they always seemed to come so easy with you. “You say you explored a bit and helped Vesemir patch up the keep? Your patience must be far greater than mine, and I'm the most patient of the bunch. Besides Vesemir that is….” He said with a short laugh. 

You smiled, loving that he seemed to understand you no matter what, no matter how difficult you found it. You nodded with a tinge of pink gracing your cheek, happy at the compliment. “Where were you today?” you asked him.

“Why? Did you miss me?” He teased, feeling more confident with the blush he was able to produce from you, even more so from the way your cheeks darkened now. “I was just finishing up my chores for tomorrow. I figured since you’ll be staying here a while and it will be getting cold soon, that… maybe we should get you a few warm clothes from town?” 

You blinked in surprise at the offer and placed your hand on his arm, raising your eyebrows to say, “are you sure?” 

“I’m sure…. I made out with some extra coin this year and making sure you don't catch your death this winter will be more than worth it” He assured, his hand coming to rest over yours briefly. 

An almost overwhelming wave went through you as your hands touched, making your chest tighten all over again. It was different than the last time you felt it, back when the Wild Hunt was chasing you; this tightness felt… almost exciting amidst all your nerves. 

You nodded and smiled breathlessly, squeezing his arm in thanks. 

“Of course. We can leave whenever you’re ready tomorrow, so just let me know when, alright?” 

Your conversation was put to a pause as Vesemir and Geralt brought dinner out for the lot of you. 

As you ate, you listened to the guys recount their many tales of the season; from katakans to werewolves to berserkers. They were all fascinating tales from various areas of the continent and the surrounding isles. They made you feel a sense of wonder to hear it all, but also an… almost sickening sense of familiarity as they described certain areas. 

As they talked about parts of Skellige and White Orchard you found yourself silently disagreeing with their descriptions. Things that… just didn’t sit correctly with your foggy memory, yet you couldn’t focus on the details of it. 

“Y/n?” Lambert asked as you were hit in the forehead with a small piece of bread, pulling you out of your swirling thoughts. “You alright? You look like you just got a mouthful of rotten meat and are trying to keep it to yourself.”

You flinched as the bread hit you and nodded quietly. “I’m fine”  you mouthed. Though the way that the three younger witchers glanced at each other you knew they didn’t quite believe you. However, they decided to let it go for now and continue telling their tales, glancing back at you every once in a while to check-in. 

You excused yourself at some point in the evening to go back to your room, figuring the guys would be up for quite a while catching up. 

You fiddled with the flint and steel for a little while before you were able to get the fire going in your room. The weather hadn’t been getting too cold at night yet, but something inside you seemed to miss the way that fire warmed you deep within. 

Without warning, a knock came at the door, causing you to jump and almost drop your flint in the fire. You quickly got to your feet you padded over to answer, relieved when you saw Eskel standing there. 

“Hey, are things okay?” You mouthed out.

“It looked like your fingers were hurting you at dinner… I thought we could change your bandages and see how you're doing.”

You tilted your head a bit, not in confusion but in an odd feeling of fondness that came over you. With a nod, you opened the door a little wider to wave him in, closing it promptly behind him to keep the heat in. 

You took a seat on the edge of your bed, watching with tender eyes as he took his spot across from you on the floor and began to set out his things. 

It was quiet as he unwrapped your bandaged fingers, only the crackling of the fire and the breaths between you disrupted the silence, yet it was still comfortable. 

Eskel smoothed a gel-like salve over all your wounds, instantly cooling the aggressive heat radiating from your wounds. He watched your face as you sighed happily, relief flooding your senses as your eyes closed happily and he realized he wanted nothing more than to see you like this for the rest of your life. It was a little jarring, admittedly, for his brain to jump to such emotions so soon, but the look of peace and happiness on your face now- it was something he knew he would work towards every day.

Eskel’s hands worked quickly and professionally and you soon found yourself savoring the feeling of your unwrapped fingers; tenderly touching the soft furs beneath you, the linen shirt that you wore, and the worn wooden bedpost. However, as you watched Eskel tenderly care for you and the fire’s glow dance on his skin… you found yourself reaching out to touch his cheek as well. 

Just a faint and ghostly touch at first, testing the waters as he flinched ever so slightly beneath your touch. Though, as quickly as he flinched he relaxed once again, leaning into your touch where his breath came out hot against your palm.

You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding as you pressed your fingers more firmly against his skin. Letting your fingertips move through the valleys of his scars as a river moves through mountains. Your whole body hummed with electricity as you touched, a peculiar heat running from your head to your toes that only intensified as Eskels face slowly came closer.

His large hand came up to cover yours, hoping beyond hope to keep your touch there for just a moment longer, his lips even brushing against your palm amidst his swirling thoughts.

Bringing your other hand up to further cradle his face your movements were interrupted by the sound of Geralt and Lambert stumbling tipsily down the hall to their rooms. The sudden jolt of sound as they passed by your door caused you to unwillingly pull your hands back as you flinched.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” You mouthed as Eskel looked up once again, shaking off the touch-starved fog that had clouded him. 

“No, not at all, I-” he paused and pulled his face back from your reach, gathering himself once again. “I should let you get some sleep anyways. It’ll be a long day tomorrow….” he finished and stood, picking up the remainder of his supplies. 

“Wait-” You tried to get say, forcing your throat into cooperation, but it only resulted only in a squeak. A squeak that went ignored by the Witcher's ears as he swiftly made his leave with only a  quiet “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight…”

And now you were alone once again, the quiet smoldering of the fire your only companion. You let a shuddering breath escape you as you finally laid back into the furs of your bed. The remnants of electricity still tingled at your fingertips where you touched him. 

You lay awake for quite a while, your thoughts returning to Eskel no matter what. After a while of tossing and turning, your body finally found sleep and all the dreams that come with it.

_________________________________

Taglist: @writingmysanity @open--till--midnight

[bounce-a-coin-off-your-witcher]

I knew someone who got grounded for galloping like a horse at soccer practice I feel like that's something that would 100% happen to geralt during training

Things My Cousins Did During Soccer Practice That the Witchers Did During Training:

1) Sat in the corner and picked daisies while a very exciting game happened 25 feet away.

2) Pretending to be a horse so hard that the coach just made them run laps until they got too tired to keep going.

3) Throwing Twizzlers at the opposing team and yelling “Leave our ball alone!”

4) Kicking each other in the shins so hard that they couldn’t play anymore because it hurt to walk.

5) Headbutted each other and then headbutted other players to see if it still hurt as much.

[gigi-does-art]

Papa Vesemir. I miss him a lot. Tired dad of three kids and counting. He shares certain markings with all his kids because yes.

[jaskiersvalley]

(Season 2 spoilers)

So I've started watching S2 and I want your opinion. They really make Eskel show up for one episode, be a jerk and then die. After your writing I felt attached to him and thought this was very unfair. They didn't even really give him scars!

I will pop this under a cut because, as you say, spoilers for Season 2! It is also a bit of a ramble, oops.

Okay, I spent quite a bit of time thinking about this, the show, and Eskel as a whole. After watching the show my kneejerk reaction honestly was that Episode 2 just didn't happen. But I've done a fair bit of reflecting, reading and picking through things and have come to several conclusions.

1. The show hasn't taken Eskel away from the fandom. We're still here, still loving Goat Dad and his polite, succubus fucking, fisstech taking ways. If we're being realistic, the show was never going to give us fanon Eskel. But what can it do for us? Bring more people to fanon. There wasn't enough of Eskel in the show for there to be an exceptional amount of content for him but there was enough to maybe pique interest for some viewers. They'll come to fanon for more Eskel content, maybe hoping for a fix-it and they'll find us here, welcoming them with loving arms and showing them our interpretation.

2. He was a dick in the episode where he turns up, which is not at all the side we see of him (what little there is) in the books or the games. But let's try to put it into perspective. He's just come off the Path, got home. On his way up encounters a weird Leshy. When he tells his family, Vesemir chides him for fighting it for 6 hours without killing it. So is Eskel going to then admit he also got injured? Given that he's already in a bad mood, hurting and tired, he's not going to want to risk ridicule. But the flashback in Ep. 3 shows much more the Eskel that fanon wanted to see. Which leads me onto the next point.

3. The show is action adventure with a focus on the family bond between Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri. It has very limited space and can't include everything from the sprawling lore of the Witcher world. Because there's a huge amount that they could pick and choose from, not just the books and the games but the Gwent lore, the Table Top RPG. This is before we consider that the show creators want to make their own mark and have their own ideas and theories explored. As amazing as it would have been to see more of life at Kaer Morhen, the bond between witchers, there just wasn't time. There could have probably been a whole series dedicated to Geralt, Lambert, Eskel, Vesemir and Coen's relationships. But that's not the focus of the show, they're merely supporting characters there to further the story of the main characters.

4. As for the scars...well. Again, it's all interpretation. The books and the games didn't match in terms of scars. I can only imagine that such extensive prosthetics would have been uncomfortable to wear and work in (just think of Anya Chalotra's problems with her pre-transformation Yennefer look. It had some serious consequences for the little I know.). They also had a different actor than planned, Covid restrictions to contend with, and probably wanted to have their own interpretation of the character. They turned Lambert ginger with long, luscious hair yet I've not seen so much kickback against his casting.

5. Basil Eidenbenz did a fantastic job. Poor guy already had fandom rallying against him from the day he was announced as the replacement Eskel. Too young. Too skinny. Too pretty. Frankly, if that was me, I'd be devastated to walk into something with already so much hate against me. But he did the show, in Ep. 3 he gave Eskel some real warmth, gave a flash of what fanon decided Eskel's personality is more like. He worked with what he had, what the script and the directing allowed him. And kudos to the guy. His portrayal of Eskel might not be what the fandom wanted, but he gave an excellent performance in his own right.

So what now? Fandom feels let down by canon. That's nothing new. We're going to do what fandom does best and write/draw/create all the fix-its. We'll continue with our own characterisations, make something that makes us happy. Canon is nothing more than a suggestions, we can pick and choose our own. And in The Witcher fandom? We have a whole feast to choose from. So don't let the show's portrayal bring you down. Use it, celebrate the bits you liked from the show and politely ignore the rest. Am I going to continue writing Eskel? You bet. Will it be show canon Eskel? Probably not. But that does not mean I can't cherry pick aspects from the various canons and mash them into something of my own. I can only hope everyone else can do the same and focus on the bits that bring them joy rather than what they disagreed with.

[dapandapod]

40 with dad vesemir and one of the wolves? 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

40. post-nightmare hug

Sure thing my dear! I might have gotten a bit emotional about it, I must confess, and I do love Papa V and Lambert. My brain is vaguely offline, but here, have a hug-ish! Please enjoy! <3

Warning: Baby witchers at Kaer Morhen, meaning they are having a shitty time. Hight toxcixity, potion overdose mention, nightmares, Lamberts immature insults. He is working on it.

Enjoy <3

Send me a hug prompt? On Ao3 Hug collection here

Toxicity can be rough for an adult to handle.

For a child, it’s even worse.

Vesemir has seen it so many times, and it hits each child differently. Some get violent, some get tired, some become catatonic.

His child of surprise, Lambert, was always angry. He lived through the Trial of the Grasses, he lived through the harsh training and he lived through the cold winters of the keep.

All this time, Lambert voiced his anger and defiance, roaring his rage to anyone who stood in his way.

Vesemir, being the one who put Lambert on the path, has always received the brunt of it.

But tonight, Lambert overdoses on his potions for the first time. His young body strains and fights against the toxins, his veins and eyes black as the night sky, his skin sickly pale and tacky with sweat.

As with everything else, Lambert recovers, but for the first time Vesemir finds him silent.

There are very few boys his age this year; the other wolf cubs are a few years older than him, finding comfort in each other's presence.

Lambert never allowed them to comfort him. He doesn’t trust them, doesn’t trust the adults, doesn’t trust the world to keep him safe. Rightly so, Vesemir thinks, believing distrust will hopefully keep him alive while on the path.

But tonight, that is worrying. Lambert’s silence is uncharacteristic and Vesemir has learned to watch out for it.

From the shadows, he follows Lambert, watching him sneak away to the barn and curl up in the hay.

Restless sleep and twitching limbs, his child tosses and turns as nightmares take him. In time, he will learn to repress the dreams, but for now they torment him.

Lambert startles awake with a muffled shout before he gets his bearings.

Crying children is nothing new behind the stone walls of Kaer Morhen, but Vesemir feels the responsibility weigh heavily on his shoulders.

He parts from the shadows, approaching Lambert and makes deliberate noise as he does. The child rushes to his feet, a knife in his hand in the blink of an eye, and Vesemir’s heart swells with pride.

“What do you want, asshole?” Lambert says, wiping his tears angrily with the heel of his hand.

“I have been thinking about something for a while,” Vesemir says calmly, walking up to Lambert and promptly plopping down on the hay.

“What,” Lambert asks, eyeing him suspiciously. The dark circles under his eyes are not only the remnants of the toxins.

“Sit down and I will tell you. And put away that knife before you poke someone’s eye out.”

Lambert grumbles but sits down without complaint. Again, not like him.

“What,” he repeats.

Vesemir eyes him right back, and then nods to himself.

“I have been wondering who would wear my hat better. You or me. But I still think I would do it better. So I’m keeping it.”

“You are so dumb.”

“The opposite. This hat has some splendid qualities and I’m not sharing.”

“Good.”

“Really? Not even if I let you try it out?”

“I don’t want to try your stupid hat.”

“Hm. What I heard is that you want to try my beautiful hat. Ok.”

Vesemir shoves his hat on Lambert’s head despite his protests, and then scoops him up in his lap and holds him tight.

“Hey--! You--! Asshole, let me the fuck go, you stinky… bearded- nasty!” Lambert fights him, but he is exhausted, and finally gives up, just accepting Vesemir's grip stiffly.

“Fine. Fucking fine. You got me, I’m wearing your fucking hat, what do you want?!”

“Yeesh, those words in your mouth,” Vesemir snarks, and wraps his arms more securely around Lambert.

It’s not a hug. Witchers don’t hug.

It is merely...a comforting wrestle.

They sit in silence for a few minutes until Lambert sniffles.

“Let me go,” he croaks.

“No.”

“Let me go!”

“You know, when I was your age, I hid in the stables.”

Lambert falls silent.

“Nightmares suck. But I don’t dream anymore.”

“No?”

“No. They can’t touch me. I’m too strong.”

“That sounds fake,” Lambert says, his voice wobbly and muffled under Vesemir's arms.

“You doubt my strength?” Vesemir asks, smirking and tightening his grip.

“Ugh, no, yuck, no, stop it, fine! I believe you!”

“Good. And now I am going to be super strong all over again and fight your nightmares too.”

“You can’t do that.”

“I absolutely can.”

“How.”

“Just close your eyes and let me do the rest.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You don’t have to. But you can keep the hat for tonight. It keeps the bad memories away.”

“Really?”

“If you believe it, it will,” Vesemir says, slowly letting go of Lambert's small body, watchful of a vengeful elbow. But it doesn’t come, and Lambert doesn’t move away from his lap. He leans back against Vesemir’s chest, fiddling with the brim of the hat between his grimy fingers.

“Don’t tell the others.”

“I won’t if you won’t.”

Lambert does fall asleep. As soon as the nightmares start to creep in, Vesemir soothes him, petting his arms until he settles again. At some point, he falls asleep too, but pretends not to notice when Lambert stands up, waking him out of his sleep. Lambert places the hat on his head, and sneaks away.

Vesemir remembers his first night with too many potions in his system. Toxicity can be rough for an adult to handle.

For a child, it’s even worse.