#which is a head canon ive had since i realized Dandelion was the voice of the load screens

[abluescarfonwaston]

He opens his eyes and Dandelion is there in his stupid colorful clothing. Covered in dirt. Pulls him into his neck and holds him as he cries. "I thought I'd lost you. I thought I'd lost you."

This is the first time he thinks as he coughs dirt from his nose and lungs. Although. Maybe not. Dandelion smacks his back hard trying to help.

Maybe. Maybe this has been going on for years. How many mortal wounds had he woken up from?

But this is the first time he's woken with his own graves dirt in his lungs.

"Don't do that to me again." Dandelion begs.

When his lungs are finally clear and he can almost breathe he holds him. Let's the warmth of him sink into his chest that was as cold as his grave not an hour before. And he does not promise, because he suspects, it would be a lie.

This is the first time, he thinks, as he stares up at the mountain peak high above he's fallen from. The first time Dandelion's done it from a distance.

The wyvern screams above.

He stands. His back no longer broken. Thinks of the bard waiting for him at the inn with a tankard of ale.

And he goes back for round two.

This. Is not the first time he thinks as Ciri startles from her pale shaking wailing. And holds him.

And then Yennefer stirs next to him. Her silent chest suddenly beating. And it is a first. The first time Dandelion's brought someone other than him back.

And then they both hold her.

"You were dead! I thought I'd lost you! I don't know how I did that!"

"You didn't." He reassures. "We're right here."

And they both hold her.

"Geralt!" Zoltan jumps like he's seen a spector. "They said you died in the progrom!"

"I did."

He smacks him. "Dandelion! You'll never guess who just showed up!"

Dandelion pops his head around the corner. The feather in his cap falling into his face. "Geralt!" He greets. Excited but not surprised. "Told you he wasn't dead! You owe me fifty crown!"

"I'll deduct it from your debt!" Zoltan laughs back.

He crosses the room to Dandelion. Pulls him into his arms. "Thank you." He says as he crushes him to his chest.

"For what? Thinking you were alive? Most people would call that denial!" He laughs.

"For bringing Yennefer back too."

Dandelion's arms finally wrap around his back. "Course. She's the love of your life." He whispers into his shoulder. "And I wouldn't do that to Ciri."

"What's it cost?" He asks at long last. Because magic always has a cost. And whatever it had been, he hadn't brought Essi back.

"It's always worth the cost when you come back." He deflected, pulling away. "Come. I believe you owe me an ale."

He caught his arm. "But what's it cost?"

He shook his head. "What do I always say?"

"Anything for a friend."

"Promise it's true."

"I don't want it to be true!" The other patrons turned to glare at him. He lowered his voice. "I don't want you trading your life for mine. Or something worse."

Dandelion turned back or him with a roll of his eyes. "As I said in Dol Blathanna, if they're going to kill you they best kill me too." He reached out for his cheek but settled for his bicep instead. "Like I'd let you go on an adventure so grand without me."

"Id rather you outlive me."

"And I you." He ordered them drinks with a wave at the bar. "So I suppose we shall have to compromise and go together. As we're both far to stubborn for anything else."

He was silent as they waited for their drinks. Dandelion catching him up on the state of things.

"Where are you headed?" He asked when their drinks arrived at last.

He smiled. "Nowhere." He drank heavily. "That is to say. I could go where you're going."

He smiled back. "I'd like that." And with that Zoltan pulled him away for a game of gwent.