#yen is totally ok with aging....

[bruisedswan]

random thought: was stressing about turning 18 in two days (8 april mark that on your calendar ho) and was like 'omg i'm gonna be an adult' then remembered that in my true reality i'm 22 with a whole ass job and technically immortal and was like 'ohhhh yeahhhhh'

[fangirleaconmigo]

I know that technically TWN has moved past Sword of Destiny, but they do have a tendency to jump around and bring in characters out of time. So I would still LOVE if they could work in Essi, and would die of joy if Madeleine Hyland were cast as Essi.

“Yeah but Essi was only 19.”

But consider this.

It would be better if she weren’t.

(Book spoilers and random loud personal opinions under the cut)

Practically every woman actor in TWN was 25yo or younger in S1 and apparently we’re getting a super young Meve too, so how about let’s allow more women actors to exist in TWN who are older than 21yo.

Sure Essi’s age is a big part of why she was so distraught and freaked out about being in love (almost instantly) with Geralt. But consider this too. We don’t need the thousand “in unrequited love with Geralt” subplots from the books either. Like one was enough to establish he only loves Yen. We got Triss. We get it. Do we need more to continue to belabor that point? No.

It actually drove me nuts to get amazing women characters, get excited about them, then find out…oh…she’s here because she’s in unrequited love with Geralt too. It was totally deflating.

So, let Essi be great. Let her defend and love Geralt because she’s a good person and she respects him and let Jaskier have a best friend who sings with him and has spiky but loving bard banter.

Personally I get sick of every choice women characters make having to do with romance (like that’s the way TWN is going with Tissaia and Vilgefortz, god help and deliver me from that) and frankly, Essi being in love with Geralt was the least interesting thing about her. (Also the sex scene was awful because Geralt did not want to be there. Some things are just better left on the page and don’t need to be on the screen.)

The most interesting things about Essi were her courage, her spitfire, her spirit, her kindness and willingness to defend Geralt, her artistry, her sensitivity and her beautiful voice.

So. Cast Madeleine. She would portray all of those things beautifully.

Then we would also get to hear Madeleine sing. And not just sing, but sing with Joey.

So THEN who would be the real winners. That’s right. Us, baby, us.

And let’s not forget that in the books, when they sung together, Geralt thought to himself that they had the most beautiful voices he had ever heard. So. That’s realism ok.

And look sometimes I want things to happen simply because I personally like it.

[itsrapsodia]

Did you see season 2? How are you feeling?

mmm mostly alright! i binged all of it in one go (minus ep 1 cause i saw the earlier screening) so my brain is full of information and i need time to process it more i think??

but! all in all, i enjoyed it! I thought it was fun and exciting and the plot hooked me at important times. The yenskier scenes stole the entire show and i owe them my life. Jaskier's songs were AMAZING. Lots of Good Dad Geralt content, which i can always appreciate. That one moment with Geralt and Vesemir that i described to my friends as having "Look at me vesemir. Look at me. IM the dad now!!" vibes (he's not mad, he's disappointed). The political stuff was intriguing and messed up and cool to watch. Fringilla was awesome to see this season! The interactions with yen and the sorceresses were great. Nenneke was AMAZING i loved her. Lots of neat stuff!

I do have my criticisms though. An attempt at organizing those thoughts a bit under the cut:

- they keep fucking up their main romance SO BADLY sdhfsdf. honestly yenralt doesnt feel like end-goal at ALL to me. it didnt in s1 and i hoped they would do better this season but boy they didnt.

-their reunion didnt make any sense. from geralt ok, i'll take it, cause he believed she was dead. but from YEN??? her whole "i cant believe this" or whatever??? last we knew she was still upset with him, and that's when she even thought about him at all. She has way too many things to worry about and even from last season geralt feels more like a fling that went wrong, instead of an epic romance that torments her thoughts.

-Eskel. Eskeeeel. i guess they made him unlikeable cause they would kill him immediately? and then pulled the bumblebee scene after to be like "noooo, you SHOULD care about this, i guesss." it was just bad and felt unnecessary. they could've gotten to the "mutated monsters" plot thread hundreds of different ways, and if it was as a way to hurry geralt's vision of "must protecc ciri" to "must teach her to protect herself" it was totally unnecesary cause that was already underway with vesemir's talk

-in general im just Big Fucking Mad that geralt APPARENTLY has had the ability to be nice and openly care for people this whole time, yet refused to do it for jaskier. Aside from nivellen no-one comments on this as if it's weird behavior, or geralt having "changed" at all, so we can assume he just is this way with people he cares for. except for jaskier i guess.

-playing the "no one can stand jaskier" thing as comedy really does a disservice to the character and what he can be. other people have said this better than me, but really yen is the only person that treats him with any respect, and the interactions from it are so good. it's just really sad to think about with any depth.

-the way they represented kaer morhen?? like anyone can go there?? like people can TELEPORT INSIDE?? yet triss despite having been there before has to walk up i guess? sounds like lazy writing to me. the whole thing with the whores felt off too, i didnt like any of that.

-w h y does ciri wear mascara the whole time what is the point. Also in general i hate how much they aged her compared to season 1. That kid aged 4 years overnight.

-also time is linear now but everything in the continent seems to be half a day's ride away from each other??? from oxenfurt to cintra to kaer morhen?? kdjsnfsdj it's absurd.

i probably have more thoughts but i've forgotten them dfgjkf. this is what i have for now. despite these i really did have fun with the show, it was a good time! cant wait to read a thousand fics to make up for the things i didnt like though dfjkdg

[kyotakumrau]

The World Unknown to Matsuko aired April 6th.

Music that ended up evolving A LOT in the age of social media Special: "The World of Visual-kei bands"

(I'll be just doing the main points of the program)

They start with introducing Fujitani Chiaki (藤谷千明) who's been following v-kei world as a fan and a column writer for 25 years now ('a former Self Defense Force member who came to love over 100 bands in 25 years').

The slogan on the screen that accompanies this is 'The great pick up of ultimate bands starting from legends to evolving styles (kei)'.

Chiaki's life changed after she saw LUNA SEA's "ROSIER" in junior high. When she was 18 Kuroyume announced they're stopping activities and shocked she decided to enter Jieitai (but it was also because there were very few employment chances in her hometown).

A message Chiaki wants to convey the most in the program: "I'm fed up with realistic times, let's experience the extraordinary more".

Matsuko commented that she also thought that the entertainment in Japan is very plain/reserved, that's why she thought about visual kei, she brought up Sawada Kenji (ジュリー). They talked about using make up talking about Kpop as well, that v-kei is so different.

Next came teaser "tremendously popular in the 90s" - "the word 'Visual Kei' became established overseas" (as background here they showed dir's footage and some foreign fans wearing vkei style).

Chiaki: nowadays Japanese people have an image of Visual-kei as 'old', 'scary', 'behind the times' and they both talk about tylhe extraordinary being important.

Next part "after 22 years the time has come when Visual-kei is necessary!" They talk about the chronology board prepared by Chiaki, she also explained that the genre was born in 89 with X and the term visual came from X's PSYCHEDELIC VIOLENCE CRIME OF VISUAL SHOCK.

1994 faced restructuring and unemployment crisis, they showed LUNA SEA's TRUE BLUE and commented how popular it got. 'how did Visual-kei fare in such difficult times?'

Matsuko brought up SHAZNA - everyone was shocked then how cute the vocalist was.

Then they talked about 1999 and Nostradamus and end of century, Chiaki sees 1999 as a peak of visual-kei. They talked about GLAY's legendary show at Makuhari with 200,000 people (they also show their best album sales, about 4,870,000 (the top 3rd in Japan)) and how much media attention it got.

Another legendary show that was held that year was LUNA SEA's 10th anniversary with a stage that costed hundred millions of yen. That stage got destroyed just 3 days before the concert due to a typhoon but band decided to go on with plan and held the concert as planned.

(haha I can totally see Chiaki's sparkling when she talks about LUNA SEA😆)

"Totally necessary for these times! Introduction of the legendary bands immersed in the extraordinary":

����MALICE MIZER: 'immersed in extraordinary with super extravagant costumes! ultimate visuals with extreme beauty'

Matsuko commented that performance (from merveilles~終焉と 帰趨~l'espace) looks like Takarazuka. Chiaki said that for the sake of worldview they don't play instruments on stage and that Sho Kiryuuin from Golden Bomber was very influenced by them.

Matsuko said that fans of course want to see the artist perform, but also are happy to see them dance, that visual-kei is infinite.

Matsuko also compared Mana to Marie Antoinette.

🌹Chiaki then introduced Versailles as a band that still pursues such worldview. They are dressed as French aristocrats, are very popular abroad especially in France.

💀DIR EN GREY: 'extraordinary performance going to the very end'

Matsuko knows dir, Chiaki explained for the audience about their major debut with 3 singles produced by YOSHIKI, that they are popular overseas as well as in Japan. They express 'human pain' and 'the darkness of the heart', the peak of extraordinary. Chiaki talked about the situation with M Stage program when the tv got complains from parents after their kids cried seeing dir on tv, Mstage was on tv just before Crayon Shin-chan and many ended up seeing one of dir's songs (I love how someone burst out laughing in the studio here😂). Matsuko asked what kind of performance was it:

"The following footage contains material not suitable for all audiences"🤣🤣🤣

and of course it's 残-ZAN-

Chiaki: The shock received in your own living room...

Matsuko: certainly, suddenly seeing this kind of deathmetal

Matsuko: something that Tamori (Kazuyoshi Morita, tv celebrity/presenter/comedian) could suddenly introduce

the commentary: 'and even in recent performances' (they proceed to show dir's live footage from DSS in Nippon Budokan)

Chiaki comments that as dir's lyrics are about the pain and extraordinary, and how cathartic can be a very intense show, and she really loves how 'we love the extraordinary in order to deal with the ordinary life' (yes😭❤️)

Matsuko: ... really? But they have songs so deathmetal like. Ok, I guess I'll check them out.

Chiaki: I just heard from the staff that dir's vocalist, Kyo, is a fan of this program and is watching every week.

Matsuko: who's here connected with the band?? (asking the studio people)

Staff (from behind camera): when getting permission [to show dir's footage] I was told that.

Matsuko: so in a sense I'm deathmetal too. Ok, I think that's it.

Next the program moves on to "a mystery hot pot eaten in the dark of performance incorporating all trends and fashion"

Matsuko: is 'Yaminabe performance' a band's name? Ah, ok, no, we're changing the topic!

Chiaki explains that it's difficult to explain what visual-kei bands are like now because there are so many elements.

They show the Raid (manga style) and Kiryuu (Japanese horror) as examples of the 2nd generation of evolving visual style, and what elements entered visual-kei: rap, dance, underground idols, Japanese kimono, ???

Matsuko: is the bottom right visual-kei??

Chiaki: has common elements (くくり)

●they show NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST and talk about their image and Hiro, the vocalist. the ??? gets changed into 'muscles', they comment on change in the expectation that musicians are very skinny.

Matsuko comments she personally likes the look of the 'underground idols', like what are they actually doing there?

●They show 0.1gの誤算 performance and Chaki explained anything can happen there. They also showed their recent show where fans prerecorded their shouts and member calling on their phones to play them when loud response is not allowed due to covid.

●Alice9 represents 'dance' element.

●CHOKE represents 'rap'

●Mogamigawa Tsukasa for 'kimono', the drummer in THE MICRO HEAD 4N'S who's singing enka.

The 2nd half of the program introduced humanbeatbox topic (very cool to watch but no report from that part😅)

[flynn-science]

@khnpostskhspoilers MEEEEEEEEL! I finished Dark Road and have thoughts and questions to fire at you, but an ask is too small to contain them. So I decided to just tag you in a post. Here we go! (Spoilers below for anyone else reading)

Question 1: How can Emblem Heartless exist in DR’s time period? Apparently in the Q&A Nomura said this ties into Missing-Link’s setting, so putting a pin and red string on this one.

Question 2: I totally agree with you, how the FUCK do individual world’s timelines work??? Do they just stop when a main character isn’t there? How is Maleficent cursing Aurora both now and 65 years later? How are Jafar and Iago even alive? At least UX had the excuse of the Book projecting the future, but this doesn’t make a lick of sense. We SEE Xehanort and Eraqus age, but no one else???

Question 3: Not even a mention of Yen Sid? Was he not a Keyblade wielder at this time or is he somehow even older?

Ok this one isn’t a question, but that “Yep, walking like a carpet” line was the best joke in the entire game and I’m lowkey annoyed it was from Xehanort. “Horrible-person-to-be makes funniest joke of the week.”

Question 4: Ok real spoilers here. So Ephemer is Xehanort’s great-great-grandfather. That’s a separation of 4 generations. That’s like 150 years tops. So... the Keyblade War WASN’T thousands of years ago like we’ve thought this whole time??? Like 4 generations isn’t that long in actual years, and I don’t know how to reconcile this with how everyone else has talked about the Keyblade War like it’s ancient, near mythical, history AND Luxu’s writings about his lives “filling volumes” and “spanning ages.”

Another not-question, I wish we had seen more of Xehanort deciding to leave Scala, taking No Name, and fighting Eraqus. Like it feels disconnected from the rest of the plot. Like I guess we can mostly see how that Xehanort could become the one we know from BBS on, but I still feel like I can’t articulate how he got there. I wanted to see more stuff in the same year as the ReMind conversation with MoM. More of that Xehanort who’s starting that change.

[gemstonerose]

KH AU. Out of Time Wayfinders

Some extra notes to add on to Part 1 of this Au that I hope this answers some questions people had. Will be posting part 2 of the au tomorrow so keep an eye out for that.

Pre- KH1

Ventus and Aqua where trapped in the Realm of Darkness for about 8 years both only aging about a single year during that time. Timeline:

3 years after the end of BBS they reunite.

Once Ven and Aqua are out they head to Yen Sid’s tower to rest for a bit before returning back to the Land of Departure. Aqua only semi-fixes the castle which leaves it in as weird hybrid between Castle Oblivion and LoD. Aqua is still too exhausted and says screw it she’ll fix it later.

Sometime later they get separated and the 0.2 events happen (Zodiac Aqua and Terranort). These events along with the separation totals to a few months before the two find each other again. Aqua doesn’t tell Ven about those events.

They get out of the RoD at the start of the new year.

Something I realized is that if Ven was like 16-17 during BBS then in this AU he’s like 19-20 and my mind is exploding from this. He’s no longer tiny baby!

KH1

Ventus and Sora instantly click after Ven decides to join him. They become two peas in a pod. Aqua is convinced that they are long lost brothers lol.

Aqua is very protective of Riku. He reminds her of Terra and had figured out that Riku is his successor. But she’s learn from her past mistakes and her time in the RoD she’d learn to sense the Darkness within people better and she sees the shadow that lingers on the boy. So, she keeps him close. Aqua couldn’t save Terra she refuses to make that mistake with Riku.

She doesn’t coddle him, but Riku knows she’s worried about him. Knows that she’s seeing something that he can’t and is trying to protect him from it. Riku appreciates it. In turn he always assure her he’s ok.

Ventus also sees Terra within Riku. He also see the similarities between Sora and Riku’s friendship and his and Terra’s.

[lesdemonium]

📙 📖📓📚 from @sherlock-totally-loves-john

THANK YOU

ok so this one is a geraskier one that tbh i like so much maybe i'll eventually figure out how to turn it into original fic. i daydream about it so much i have a lot of major plot points figured out, i just need to write the damn thing!!

way back canon era, jaskier was cursed by a witch he offended that if he kissed his ~one true love (i'm a fan of fairy tales, ok), they would die. well jaskier, who was already head over heels for geralt, goes "welp. that's definitely geralt." but this is already post mountain, so he figures it doesn't really matter, and just goes about his life like normal, except now he doesn't kiss anyone he sleeps with.

except apparently a side effect is that jaskier cannot die. he does not age, if he gets mortally wounded he "dies" and comes back to life a few hours later, which is particularly traumatic and terrifying to just discover on your own. he still heals exactly the same as a human would, feels pain exactly the same, etc, he just gets better from everything.

so now the story is set in modern times. geralt and yen are both still alive bc they're immortal now bc i said so (i mean i'm pretty sure yen canonically is??? but idt geralt is but he is now). there's been a string of murders specifically targeting immortals, and though they have both been out of the game, the immortal community is fairly small, you know, so they've heard about it. and want to figure it out. they need jaskier to help because, while nearly every immortal knows each other, jaskier knows almost everyone (hey, we don't slut shame around here).

only there's hurt feelings between geralt and jaskier considering they're basically exes. and they've been avoiding each other for centuries, even after they made up after the mountain. but they're trying to figure out their issues alongside this murder mystery while also dealing with jaskier's "no kiss" rule, which he does not explain to geralt for entirely too long, and it's just messy and everyone's hurt and *yeah*.

it's just an excuse to write intimacy that does not involve kissing lmao lbr.

send me a book emoji and i'll explain the plot of a fanfiction that I haven't written but daydream about.

[oceanselevenism]

I've seen that most of the stories on ao3 about them are mostly canon-compliant (and I don't have anything against that tbh) but I was wondering if you have any aus that you think could fit them or that you'd like to see?

omg i have SO MANY aus!! (it got Very Long so its under a cut)

- college au! danny gets kicked out (hes on full scholarship and does Thiefly Things to cover his expenses so hes not endangered just fairly fucked up abt it) (does it count as kicked out if u only live w ur dad three months a year) in freshman year, he befriends rusty (1 year below him) in sophomore year, debbie also befriends rusty (she and danny dont talk much but shes 2 yrs below him at the same college), and when reuben comes calling for a job he thinks debbie has a boyfriend (thanks to debbie telling her dad that she does) so she fake dates rusty. who ends up joining the job. and danny is Very Jealous

- snl ripoff au! danny and rusty are the weekend-update-adjacent anchors and they get gay. i Would have this take place in la (reuben is taking A Risk producing a late night sketch comedy show on the west coast but the 11/12/however fuckin many are fantastic cast members so even though they lose revenue from the other timezones not watching as much as they watch snl or whatever, they still make BANK... but danny and rusty getting gay throws the equilibrium out of whack) BUT la sucks DICK so its happening in new york. also this way u get Ocean Sibling Banter (debbie and lou are the anchors for The Actual Weekend Update and when debbie/lou get together and also when danny/rusty get together there are so many ‘just switch out the blondes/brunettes nobody will be able to tell and we won’t have hr down our necks’ jokes)

- au where the caldwells, abt to go deep undercover on a Huge Fucking Case, have to give up custody of 6 year old linus to tess and danny. the case stretches on for twelve years and linus grows up w tess and danny (who get divorced like right after they adopt him bc tess finds out abt dannys Thiefly Activities-- he confesses to her bc he doesnt rly want to predispose the kid to said thiefly activities) and also isabel (she and rusty break up like Right Before tess and dannys wedding and its very funny; she then goes on to marry tess) parenting him (rusty isnt as much in the picture bc he doesnt feel bad at all abt stealing and tess doesnt want linus to pick up that mentality also rusty Feels Things abt danny)! then when linus is like 18 or 19 danny disappears (tess and isabel think its Thiefly Activities again and arent concerned, just disappointed, but linus is very concerned for his dad-slash-stepdad-slash-sort-of-uncle) and he tracks down rusty so they can find danny. they roadtrip across america and eventually catch up to danny, who is helping the caldwells, and the five of them take down whatever gang the caldwells were chasing. linus now has 6 parents

- au based on this post where some archaeologist finds a bunch of dannys [french person voice] Love Lettairs 2 rusty and so obviously the logical course of action is to rob the museum (which happens to be the museum that tess is curating. funny how things work out) without telling his team What Theyre Stealing. they successfully pull off the heist but turns out the letters were not among the items they stole!! danny is getting desperate. as a last-ditch attempt he calls tess and asks her to let them rob the museum. shes like Why The Fuck Would I Do That. he explains and she begrudgingly agrees. danny and livingston go break into the museum Again but rusty tails them bc dannys been acting Weird and he finds out abt the letters bc livingston sweats more whenever he tells a lie. they live happily ever after (literally, theyre immortal) the end. also even though dannys a werewolf the 11 all call him the new jersey devil (its not his fault that legend came to be ok!! he was very drunk!!)

- childhood friends au!! danny and rusty were best buds as very young kids and then the oceans had to move. flash forward 2 present day where danny and debbie r robbing a museum (theyre building a flower shop over the vault and tunneling in, the dudes in brazil who came up w it are very very clever) and guess which two people are the assistant curators (is that even a title?). guess. ill tell u its tess and rusty! danny recognizes rusty, rusty ‘does not recognize’ danny (which is valid. look at photos of child george clooney and tell me you would recognize him). the 11 demand that they use this to their advantage and so danny and rusty Sort Of Date while the rest set up for the robbery, and danny feels really bad abt it so on the day of (after everyone has gotten away, ofc, he might be a lovesick bitch but hes not a snitch) he confesses and rustys like lmao i was onto u from the start. what kind of a name is [insert alias here] anyway. then they go live a life of crime and its great

- @sanduschism came up w a fantastic au where danny pickpockets rusty and feels bad so he sends the wallet back and they strike up a Correspondence

- HOSPITAL AU!!! danny and rusty r er techs while theyre doing med school and nobody knows how they juggle their shifts w school but also rusty can do a tracheotomy in like 5 seconds and danny can tell when a person needs an mri before they even list their symptoms so nobody questions it and nobody splits them up Ever. when they eventually become surgeons, danny does cardio and rusty does neuro, and whenever they have to work together not only do they never have to say what theyre doing, they don't even have What Do U Want To Cook For Dinner convos fully out loud. tess is head nurse... she makes so many excel spreadsheets... they are ALL color coded. isabel is head er doc and nobody dares to halfass things on her watch. reuben is head hospital admin, saul is chief surgeon, basher is head of the burn unit, the malloys r the HUNKIEST nurses in town, frank does plastic surgery/ent (every patient loves him bc he is just So Calm), livingston is The IT Guy, yen does like orthopedics or physical therapy, and linus is their fav resident who they all lovingly tease 24/7. the ocean sibs r both Cardio Gods and each dominate their respective coasts. debbie is an nyc doctor and if she sees a mass gen doctor its on SIGHT. the few surgeries that she and danny collab on go so fast that the med students in the gallery Cannot tell whats happening. lou is also a plastic surgeon and she and frank r best buds. linus requests time off like 6 months in advance Every Time and everyone hates it bc then They have to be on call but he doesnt realize his Extreme Overachieverness is causing so much strife. whenever tess and danny get in an argument she colorcodes his rounds spreadsheet to be the most neon shit youve ever seen. can you tell i never fully progressed past my greys anatomy phase this one is like 93489302 lines long

- superpower au where rusty has midas touch and danny has corrosive touch and when theyre too young to have control over their powers (abilities develop throughout adolescence and the user gains control at the end of adolescence) they accidentally brush hands and are terrified they just killed each other but turns out their powers like. cancel out. so until they reach like 21 or 22 and can touch things without fucking them UP they just. hold hands all the time. bc otherwise they have to wear gloves to prevent Accidents and both of them “hate gloves” (and also love holding hands. gayasses)

- uhhh hallmark au where danny is a crime fiction writer out on some beach north of ocean city nj and rusty is his fancy nyc editor. everyone else is a thief including debbie who is just Very weirded out that her brother, who robbed boston’s institute of contemporary art at age 22 and got away with it, has decided to spend the rest of his life churning out books. he is very critically acclaimed and about half of the 11 are buds with him and use his published books as heist inspo. the other ~half of the 11 are buds with rusty, and they tell him if danny’s heists are feasible or not (they always are. scarily so.) anyway rusty and isabel break up 12 days before xmas and danny and tess break up 8 days before hanukkah so dannys heading to debbie’s place in upstate new york to mope for the holidays when A BLIZZARD HITS and he gets stranded in midtown. and he and rusty are buds but like. Email Buds. they dont hang out irl and therefore they dont let their Totally Bud-Like Feelings mess up their professional relationship. but danny is stranded and its hanukkah and he ends up crashing at rustys place for the duration of the blizzard. and then rusty ends up coming to debbies place for the rest of the holidays. and then they kiss on new years eve and debbie kicks them out bc theyre being gross

- And More! thanks for the ask, anon! sorry it got so long lol i just have Many Thoughts

[bokutosbestie2]

Chapter 1

Hi guys!! This another story I’ll be working on, I hope you guys enjoy!

Summary: (This takes place during the time skip!! ) Y/n gets dumped by her boyfriend .. 2 days later her best friend Semi Eita ( age 24 ) is hosting a party. Y/n ( age 22 ) goes to the party and ends up getting drunk which lead her to pick a fight with a stranger.Then Astumu Miya (age 23 ) came into the rescue and is now stuck with a strange drunk girl...

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆

2 days ago..

" Wait so you're breaking up with me? " I say

" You heard what I said we are done! "

" BUT- I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING... "

" That's the thing I can't keep a secret anymore I don't...  Love " you " anymore.. "

" Oh. " I say as my heart just shattered into a million pieces.

" Yeah sorry I can't go on like this... “

Now back to the present day:

" WAIT SO HE REALLY SAID THAT? " Semi shouted in the studio.

" YEA HE DID... WHAT a jerk"

Well... at least your single for the biggest party of the year! " Semi nudged my elbow

" YAY! A party after getting told "I don't love you anymore... " I rolled my eyes

" Well at the party you can meet new guys! You never know you might be the one.. "                                                                                                                      " OH hell no! I'm so over guys right now, all I'm  going to do is drink my sorrows away."                                                                                                                      " Oh gosh when you get drunk it's the funniest thing ever.. " Semi says as he tries to keep in his laughter                                                                                      " YEA YEA WHATEVER! "

The last time I drank was at an after-party after a huge photoshoot I did for a model... And let's just say I broke my arm.

" Ok well Semi if I'm going to your party tonight I have to get going so I can get ready! " I tell him as I get up from the studio chair.

" Ok don't be late! It starts at 10pm!  " he shouts as I leave the studio doors. Was I excited for the party?

Maybe a little bit after getting dumped it wasn't the best thing to do. I do need a distraction from the whole thing, so maybe the party will do wonders! I mean I'm still young after all, I'm only 22.. I just have to live my 20s like a huge party....YEA THATS MORE LIKE IT!

After getting lost in thought my stomach started growling .  To be fair it was 7pm and I haven't eaten since 5am.

I looked around to see if there was any nearby places to eat on my phone. There was a place called " Onigiri Miya " only about 3 minutes away.

So I got into my car and drove there. Once I got there I parked in an empty spot and hop out of the car.

I walked into the restaurant only to get greeted by a guy about my age. He has dark hair and he was wearing his work uniform. Not gonna lie he was pretty good-looking.

" Hi! Can I get a 3 Salmon flake onigiri! " I say

" Yes of courses 3 Salmon flake onigiri coming right up and total will be 700 yen." the young man says.

I paid him 700 yen after that I sit in the restaurant waiting for my food. All of a sudden I heard yelling from the back.

" ATSUMU HELP ME  MAKE SOME ONIGIRI! I NEED TO TAKE THEM TO A PARTY AROUND 10! "

" OSAMU IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU TOOK UP THIS OFFER! "

I assume the one name Osumu is the one who took my order. Also, they have to make onigiri for a party that starts at 10? Maybe he is catering for Semi party..

After hearing the bickering between the two males in the back. Osamu comes out with the 3 huge salmon onigiri.

" There you go miss.. " he said as he gave me the bag to go.

" Ah thank you so much! ‘

" Not a problem please do come back soon!" he said as I walk towards the door. I gave him a small little wave.

I got into my car and drove straight to my apartment to get ready for the party. It was already about 8:30, I still needed to get dressed.

So I hit straight for the shower after I put on a pink short sequin mini dress. Next, I straighten my short/long hair, then I did some light makeup.

Once I was done getting ready I check the time and it was 9:30. I was only about 20 minutes away from the building where the party was being hosted it at. I leave my house and get going to the party.

I got there I could see a crowd of people waiting to get in. LUCKY FOR ME being friends with Semi I don't have to wait to get in.

I park my car, as I get out of the car I text semi that I'm here so he can bring me to the party.

5 minutes later

Y/N! OVER HERE! " Semi yelled while waving his arms.

" I'M COMING! "

" Oh wow, you look really good! Watch out some guys are going to try to hit on ya! " Semi said laughing.

" Oh gosh, I'm so over guys right now. " I said.                                                      " Ok whatever, let's get into the party! "

" Yay! " I say sarcastically.                                                                                Once Semi opened the back door, we were at the party. Purple lights were everywhere, there was a bar on the left. Everywhere you would go there would be someone dancing or girls flirting with boys.

" SHEEZ Semi this party is pretty big! " I yell over the music.

" DIDNT I tell you it was going to be one of the biggest parties! " He said.

" I didn't think that big! "

"It's a party it should be BIG! " Semi said as we

walked through the crowd. Then he stop near a table where  Tendou and Ushijima were at.

" Hey, guys! " Semi waves at them

" Hey Hey! " Tendou said jumping.

" Why you guys here? Tendou wanted to come huh! " I say looking at Ushijima.

" Yea Tendou wanted to come, I don't trust him at parties especially when he drinks. " Ushijima said in his usual monotone voice.

" He gets crazy huh! " I ask Ushijima Ushijima just nodded.

" HAHA BE CAREFUL When y/n drinks she brok- . "

" SEMI YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL EVERYONE ABOUT MY EMBARRASSING STORY.. "

" I'm just saying Be careful with her tonight," Semi said as he walked away with other people. " Well EXCUSE ME BOYS ILL BE HANGING AROUND THE BAR NOW! "

" Be careful y/n don't drink too much" Ushijima said

" YEA  BE CAREFUL USHIWAKA can't take care of 2 Drunk adults tonight! " Tendou said laughing.

" YEA YEA ILL BE GOING NOW! "

I walked through the party, and I kept running into people. I was so over this night already but I'm a good friend and I need to stay for Semi.

Once I got to the bar I asked the bartender for a Bloody Mary.  I was not having it after a break up especially.

Soon before I knew it I had about 6 shots and was already drunk.

As I sat there a random guy about my age sat next to me.

I was already out of it but it seems like he was trying to flirt. I'm not in the mood for this, so I get up from the chair. All of a sudden the man grabs my arm. Who the heck does he think he is?

" When I'm talking you stay and listen! " the man says.

" Yea no! " I say as I try to leave his grip.

" You aren't leaving unti-"

There I did it I slapped him... Damn, that was pretty bold of me!

" You ho- " the man said as he tried to hit me but someone stopped his hand.

" Don't you see she drunk ? " the blonde guy said.

At this point, I have no idea what's going on but this blonde muscular guy just helped me... I think...

Chapter 2

[argumentl]

The Freedom of Expression Ep 14 - The Party To Protect The People From The NHK (N Koku Party) commences "Same sex, same name stealth operation".

K: Hi this is Dir en grey's Kaoru, starting this episode of The Freedom of Expression. Joe san, Tasai san, welcome....Well, recently, who knows whats really happening?

J: Yeh, its troubling. I've been spending a lot longer looking at my phone and computer. I've been getting a lot of coupons. My favourite shops or brands are all going online...well, no ones going into the shops, so they can only sell online. So i've been getting coupons like, if you spend over a certain amount, you'll get 20,000yen off.

T: I see.

J: I think like, 'Waa, I wanna spend!'..but then I think, actually since April, I've had less work so I need to restrain myself. I experience this conflict every day for about 15mins. Like, whats wrong with me?

T: I see.

J: Thats thier strategy.

K: If you have free time...

J: Thats it.

K: You'll end up spending money.

J: Normally, they have expirations, and I just think 'Aghh', so its really...

K: You can't help buying stuff, right?

J: I do end up buying stuff!

K, T: *laugh*

J: I really do! I bet there are people out there addicted to coupons! Aren't you? Are you ok?

K: Well, im ok. I just shop by mail order.

J: Ahh

T: I see

J: People are shopping like that a lot right now.

T: Hiranabe san, who works at our place, he's got a lot of offers from night time establishments, and he's troubled as to what to do.

J: Oh, to get him to go there?

T: Yeah. He got an unprecedented amount of messages.

K: (quietly) Unprecedented?

T: Like, 'please come, please come, please come'.

K: He only gets them now? Cause he'll be quick to spend.

J: How is Hiranabe san doing?

T: Well, as expected, he seems scared. He's in his 50s, it looks like he finally understands that his life might be in danger if he caught the virus. He wears a mask, he wears pollen protection glasses. When he goes outside he's like..'the virus won't get in my eyes'.

J: Sounds like a terrorist! Thats just like him.

T: He flipped 180°. He used to be the guy who says, 'Im not wearing a mask'.

J: Oh, really?

T: He's that different now.

J: Well, Im a similar age to Hiranabe san...

T: I can't believe it!

K: I can't believe it.

J: So, what was it?..Its risky, if you are over 50 its more dangerous?

K: Ohh right, yeah.

J: If you catch it, there's a higher death rate at this age?

T: Also, men are more at risk, right?

K: Yeah.

T: They are saying the death rate is higher for men.

J: Well, we are among that group. Shall we get on with the main topic? I thought we'd go with a topic that is unrelated to corona this time.

' "N Koku Party's 'same name, same sex' stealth strategy for Shizuoka no.4 district Lower house by-election". With the death of Mochizuki Yoshio, the LDP's former environment minister, candidates standing for election are the LDP's Fukuzawa Youichi, an independent group of the unified opposition's Tanaka Ken, independent candidate Yamaguchi Kenzo, and the Party Against the NHK (N Koku Party)'s Tanaka Ken, whose name is the same as the unified opposition's candidate. N Koku's Tanaka Ken uses the same kanji, and has the same reading as the unified opposition's Tanaka Ken. The opposition parties, electoral commission, and local media are racking thier brains about it. If a vote is for 'Tanaka Ken', there will be no way to distinguish between the two. Its a proportional division system, so ambiguous votes will be split according to the overall percentage of votes. The electoral administrative committee have taken measures to change the rule that makes a ballot paper invalid if it includes anything other than a candidate's name, to allow a candidate's age to be written aswell. As a result of this, with the aim of reducing ambiguous votes, the unified opposition are promoting 'Tanaka Ken - Age 42' in thier election cars, posters, and online in order to attract votes. On the other hand, N Koku's Tanaka Ken surprisingly hasn't taken any action. He has refused pre-election interviews with the media, hasn't published an campaign bulletin, he doesn't appear in election posters, he has no plans to visit the area. There are expected to be people voting who are unaware that two Tanakas are standing for election. As for N Koku's aim, their leader, Tachibana, had this to say.."We want to test how the votes will be split when there are candidates with exactly the same name. We are not appealing for votes either online or on the ground. We are a weak political party, and want to know how we stand *1'.

There's also suggestion of running another female candidate named Koike Yuriko for Tokyo governer. I thought we could talk about this kind of same name/sex disturbance strategy which the N Koku party has set up.

T: Its amazing, isn't it?

K: So are they doing it to siphon votes?

J: It seems like it, yeah. Especially, that would be the aim if it was for Tokyo Governor.

T: They said they wanted to test how the votes would be split, so like you said Joe, for Tokyo Governor, if it was someone else called Koike Yuriko, they would want to get the data of how the votes are split.

J: Well, its not about freedom of expression, but there is nothing illegal about what they are doing in terms of the election, so its totally ok for them to do this. What do you think, Kaoru?

K: Well..*laughs*, even if you ask.....its interesting but...how will it end up? But, well, hmmm...its fine, isn't it?

J: As it happens, I've been on a radio event with Tachibana san once. And also...well, in this kind of election, a candidate who no one is expected to vote for is called a bubble candidate, the most famous example is Mac Akasaka. I've worked with Mac Akasaka before, so I've listened to what these kind of guys have to say. I mean, certainly, these guys are laughed at and made fun of a lot, but apart from the question of what Tachibana Takashi is doing, to be a candidate for Tokyo Governor, you have to pay a deposit of at least 3 million yen. And if you recieve under a tenth of the total valid votes, you have to forfeit your deposit. The Tokyo Governor elections get about 5 million votes, so if you get under 500,000 votes, you will lose your deposited 3 million yen. As for national elections, the deposit is 6 million yen. So you can call it a prank all you like, but they are spending a lot of money to do this. What a lot of bubble candidates will tell you is, its not free, so they are doing this with the intention to win, they do think thier ideas will improve the country, improve thier party. If there was no financial risk, it would end up at the level of annonymous postings on SNS. But after they've actually paid money, most of them will start electoneering. Making election posters costs money, and there's the cost of gas to run a car to go handing out flyers, and all sorts of things like that. It will end up costing another huge chunk of money in election costs. So in doing this, there is another side to these guys other than, 'they are just idiots'. Maybe they are trying to get people to change the way they see elections, instead of just routinely voting for the faces they know.

T: Well this case has great advertising effectiveness.

J: It does, yeah.

T: Tachibana san's name has really been sold with this.

J: It has.

T: Like, with his own business, and on you tube and stuff *2.

J: Well, as for my personal opinion, I remember Uchida Yuuya running for Tokyo Governor. You can still find his political broadcast on youtube, its great. If you compare Yuuya san to Tachibana san, honestly, Tachibana san seems to have more of a knack for it.

T: Its interesting seeing that kind of political broadcast on NHK. ????*3

J: Well, even in times such as these, we are still having elections. From now on, due to corona we'll probably see new ways to vote and new ways to do all sorts of other things.

K: Its created a need to re-think things, like with the custom of personal seals...in Japan there's a big custom of 'You have to do it this way', or 'You need it on paper'.

J: Yeah, as you mentioned Kaoru, the custom of using personal seals...in the end, even Japan's IT minister also stands as the head of the organization to retain personal seals. Somehow in Japanese society, one of the things companies insist on is the personal seal. There are those who ask why they can't just settle things digitally, but if the minister responsibile for advancing IT is also the head of a group advocating to retain the personal seal, there is a clash going on now. This is the kind of time to think about changing the political system.

T: Things would change a lot if we switched to online voting.

J: They would change, yeah. If young people started voting a lot online...

K: Yeah, right now, in the situation we have now, I think people are starting to think about future.

J: Yes, in that respect, although its very difficult with corona around, I feel like we are starting to wake up to the things we have just put up with till now. I mean, what comes next? In particular, with coronavirus, a lot of countries' governments have taken on huge powers, and in some countries its almost like a corona dictatorship. So, its very difficult, but we really need to slightly re-think the way we carry out elections and the way the state operates from now.

T: We, ourselves are a part of it, right?

J: Yes, yes...Yep, so, same sex, same name...it even hard to search for him. I wonder what this candiate actually intends. ?????*4

K: He's not showing his face much.

J: What will he do if he wins? ...Eh? Hello??

K: Is he sleeping?

Kami: Yes, yes.

J: Were you asleep, Kami?

Kami: No, I was waiting till you called on me.

J: Oh, you were waiting? Oh, sorry.

Kami: I've had a thought.

J: Oh, have you?

Kami: I have...Um, Joe should run for the N Koku Party.

J: *laughs*

K, T: Ohhh

J: Me?!

T: Thats a good idea.

J: Would it be ok, though?

T: In the Tokyo Governor election.

J: In the Tokyo Governor election? Which election?

Kami: It would be ok, yeah.

J: Would it?

Kami: Yeah, anything is ok.

J: *laughs* You couldn't participate in the election could you, Kami? You don't have voting rights?

Kami: No, I don't, but instead, I can make myself into substance.

J: What?

Kami: By pretending to be a citizen.

T: Prentending to be a citizen?

J: Oh, is that it?

K: So that means you could pile up votes for someone?

J: Right?

Kami:...No, I can only do it once.

J: Oh, so you can only take on substance once?

Kami: Yeah, yeah...a bit like Devilman.

T: Ah, like Devilman.

J: But if you could do that, surely you'd be able to do it will two or three people? I feel as if you've just made that up.

*K laughs*

J: Did you just make that up, Kami?

Kami:...Yes, I did.

K: *laughs*

J: He did.

K: I feel like his heart hasn't been in it for a while now.

T: *laughs*

J: Kami, has your mind been elsewhere?

Kami: Ye...uh, no no no.

K: He said yes!

J: *laughs*

Kami: Crush the NHK.

J: Yes, crush it.

K: Well, on that note, I think we can finish here. Thank you, please tune in next time. Please subscribe, thank you very much.

J: Please do.

Kami: Vote for Joe!

*1 I think the confusion arises here, because rather than ticking a box, Japanese voters have to actually write down the name of the person they are voting for.

*2 Think thats what he meant.

*3,4 Couldn't catch these bits.

[fangirlshrewt97]

Geralt Whump Week Submission Day 3

TITLE: What Am I Worth (If I Cannot Protect You)?

SHIPS: Geralt of Rivia / Jaskier|Dandelion

PROMPT DAY: Cursed

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

WARNINGS: NA

SUMMARY:   

When a monster hunt leaves Geralt blind, it is up to Jaskier to make sure he is alright while Yennefer works on finding a cure. Ciri is there to remind them what they are fighting for.

Excerpt:

Geralt stumbled at the sudden weight, hands landing awkwardly on his sides before they adjusted and tightened around his doublet, pulling him closer until Geralt had his nose pressed tightly against Jaskier’s neck.

Jaskier let himself be manhandled, but grew tense, something about Geralt’s behavior was odd.

Ciri’s gasp made him grow even more tensed.

Pulling back, he bit back his own gasp as Yennefer’s light illuminated the Witcher, specifically his eyes, which had gone from that sunset gold to milky white, translucent and unseeing.

WORD COUNT: 8088 words

AUTHOR’S NOTES:  Additional Tags include Geralt Whump Week, Prompt: Cursed, Temporary character blindness, Soft, Whump, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Self-Esteem issues, Self-Worth issues, Self-Hatred, Fluff, Bathing, Established Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier|Dandelion, Soft Geralt of Rivia, Soft Jaskier|Dandelion, Angst with a Happy Ending, Jaskier|Dandelion & Yennefer of Vengerberg Friendship, As you can see Geralt really puts himself through the shredder in this fic, but it’s ok though, because Jaskier is right there to remind Geralt of exactly how much he is loved, and how much he deserves it

AUTHOR: Fangirlshrewt97

CHARACTERS: Geralt of Rivia, Cirilla Fiona Elen Rhiannon, Jaskier, Yennefer of Vengerberg, Triss Merigold

LINK TO AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25051126

                                                     /////

Jaskier allows them to wait until the sun has set before he verbalizes the internal freak out he has been having.

“It has been nearly a day Yennefer. Something has happened to him.”

“Jaskier. He will be back soon. He’s on a contract, you know those aren’t always predictable. Now sit down, your pacing is giving me a headache.” Yennefer replied from where she was lounging on her temporary mattress, enjoying even the threadbare soft bed to the harshness of sleeping in the wild. Even if both boys complained that with her magical tent, she couldn’t even be claiming to be camping like they were.

“Maybe we should go check on him anyways?” Ciri said from where she was sitting on the opposite corner of the bed, fiddling with a thread on her coat, tugging at it.

Jaskier came to a stop beside her, standing against the foot board so Ciri could lean back against him. The girl was putting on a brave face, but her body language betrayed her nerves. And Yennefer, for all that she was lounging with cool poise was also worried. She had been the one to push Geralt to come into town, even if the Witcher had been hell bent in just rushing them towards Kaer Morhen.

///

She argued that they couldn’t hide from civilization forever. They needed to know what was happening with the war, and more importantly, they needed to give their two human companions a break. Even if Jaskier had a couple decades of walking alongside a Witcher and Ciri was at the age where energy seemed boundless, they still needed to rest.

Geralt had been reluctant but caved when he saw both humans curled around each other by the fire in their campsite, Jaskier curved protectively over his young charge. Geralt agreed to go but set up a couple of conditions as a safety precaution. Yennefer should refrain from using magic at the town if possible, and that Ciri’s hair be dyed to make it less striking. There wasn’t enough magic to hide Geralt’s appearance totally so he said that the three of them should enter the town as a family, and he would follow them after a bit. Jaskier and Yennefer had tried to fight him but he had stood his ground, and the sorceress and bard finally conceded.

As planned, Jaskier and Yennefer walked into town with their daughter Fiona, on their way to Yennefer’s hometown to avoid the war if they were asked for a story. Jaskier was to be a music professor at Oxenfurt, which would explain the lute he carrier. They found an inn with enough space to accommodate them all and got settled. They had just finished and come down to the inn when Geralt walked through the door, causing a silence to descend upon the place.

Geralt approached the man behind the bar. “Kind sir, do you have a room vacant?”

The man looked Geralt over twice before giving one sharp nod. “End of the hall.”

“Thank you.” Geralt took the key the man offered and moved to go to his room. He brushed his hand over Jaskier and Ciri briefly on the way up.

The trio made their way quietly towards the booth at the end of the wall closest to the stairs, grateful for the darkness.

Geralt descended a few moments later, and headed for the bar, ordering dinner and an ale. The place was tense again, the townspeople all looking at each other in a way that put Jaskier on edge. Yennefer was also poised to throw a spell if the need arose.

Finally, after the eternity of a minute, one man got up and approached Geralt. If asked to guess, Jaskier would say the man was perhaps a blacksmith or a logger, arms nearly as thick as Geralt’s and a build to match.  

“You are a Witcher.” he stated.

Geralt inclined his head. “Yes.”

“I am Roald Tiggen, the town’s blacksmith. I have a job for you.”

Geralt blinked before nodding. “I have arrived in town after a long day’s travel. If it would be acceptable to you, can I eat while we discuss your troubles, friend?”

“Ay, that sounds fine to me. Chrissy, get this man his food and ale quickly!” The man shouted to the barmaid who nodded enthusiastically and scurried into a back room, presumably the kitchen.

Geralt and Roald, settled at the far end of the bar. The Witcher would join them upstairs as soon he was done talking about business. They had not discussed whether Geralt would take more contracts, focusing mainly on getting North as quickly as possible. But it was sensible, and it would provide them with some cover, and funds to keep them going.

Jaskier called the barmaid and ordered their dinner before undoing Ciri’s travel braid, finding a peace in mindlessly running his fingers through her long, newly brown, locks. The young girl melted into his side, tucking her nose into his collarbone as her arms loosely wrapped around his waist. Yennefer watched them with a fond smile, and Jaskier gave her a grin back, making her scowl. He chuckled.

The food had been good, and after eating they made their way upstairs to their bedroom. Or more accurately, Yennefer and Ciri’s. Their Witcher had joined them soon enough, briefly explaining how the contract was for a monster in the nearby lake that had drowned two of the townspeople last week and cut off their primary water source.

“Is it safe?” Jaskier asked. He knew Geralt was the best of the Witchers, no one better for the job, but it still worried him when Geralt was out of his sight for too long, he had a predisposition for finding himself in trouble at all times.

“I don’t imagine it will take longer than half a day, I will leave early in the morning, and should be back by nightfall. Make sure to restock our supplies as needed, I am leaving the coin purse with you.”

“You don’t come back, I’m sending a search party.” Jaskier said, only half joking.

Geralt snorted. “As you wish bard.”

The day had come, and as promised Geralt was out before the rooster crowed, but he had not returned by sunset.

///

“You stay behind with Ciri, I will go out and find him.”

Jaskier’s “No!” and Ciri’s “I don’t want to stay behind!” were simultaneous and immediate.

Yennefer sighed.

“It is not safe for all three of us to go together.”

“How is it safe for you to go alone?”

Yennefer just raised an eyebrow.

Jaskier thought for a moment and conceded. “Okay, fine. Stupid question. But explain how it would be safe for us here without you?”

“What?”

“Let’s say someone comes to hurt Ciri. By your logic, do you trust me to take care of Ciri all by my lonesome?”

Yennefer glared as Jaskier put on his best butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth expression. Ciri was clinging to Jaskier’s shirt, peeking from behind him, face worried, but her eyes glinted with a familiar determination and stubbornness. She was a brave girl harboring unprecedented power, but she was still a child.

Yennefer regarded the two of them again before resigning herself to the inevitable.

“Fine. But you listen to me. And if I tell you to run, you run back here, got it?”

Both of them nodded their heads so hard she thought they might come off. Yennefer swallowed another sigh, straightening herself.

“Get ready then. I want to pack a couple of potions. You make sure anything valuable we leave in Roach’s bags.”

Ciri jumped off the bed and tugged Jaskier along, combing the two rooms as they got ready.

Within five minutes, the three of them were prepared and at the entrance of the inn. Yennefer looked the two of them over, both having switched their usual bright hues for duller colors that would blend easier into the dark night, an added layer of protection.

“Come on, let’s go.” she said when she was satisfied with them. And so, the group of three made their way into the forest, following the path Geralt had been talking about last night. When it got too dark for them, Yennefer conjured a small orb to provide light.

“Shit.” Jaskier said as Ciri caught him from tripping over a tree root for the third time since they started their journey. “Yen, stop. Do we even know where we are going?”

Yennefer growled. “I can track him.”

“I don’t doubt you can. I am asking if you are lost.”

Yennefer, rather than answering just turned and wandered farther into the darkness, making Ciri and Jaskier pick up their pace to keep up with her. Her ability to move so gracefully with such an impractical dress always impressed Jaskier. Not that the bard would share that fact.

They must have been wandering for almost an hour, Jaskier grumbling under his breath for the latter half of it, when they heard a strange noise near them. Yennefer swept in front of Jaskier, who in turn pulled Ciri tightly behind him. “Remember, on my command, run.”

Jaskier gave a tense grunt. Ciri tightened her fist on Jaskier’s cloak.

“Whoever is out there, I suggest you show yourself. Otherwise you will end up dead.” Yennefer called out.

The forest was quiet, save for the rustle of the breeze through the trees. The moon’s rays barely made it to the ground, stopped by the thick foliage above them. In the distance they heard a chorus of owl hoots start up.

And then.

A cracked twig, and Yennefer’s light orb turned into a flaming projectile. Yennefer brought her hand back to throw it when they heard a familiar voice call out. “Yen, it’s me!”

Jaskier couldn’t contain the sob that clawed it’s way out of his throat. “Geralt!”

Yennefer’s projectile turned into a bigger orb, illuminating a wider area. And at the edge of it, Jaskier saw Geralt’s unique silhouette.

Jaskier waited just long enough to push Ciri into Yennefer, not even slowing at Yennefer’s shout of his name, before he sprinted towards his Witcher, throwing his arms around him, squeezing him and nearly crying again as he smelled Roach and the unforgettable scent of recently slain monster guts on him.

Geralt stumbled at the sudden weight, hands landing awkwardly on his sides before they adjusted and tightened around his doublet, pulling him closer until Geralt had his nose pressed tightly against Jaskier’s neck.

Jaskier let himself be manhandled, but grew tense, something about Geralt’s behavior was odd.

Ciri’s gasp made him grow even more tensed.

Pulling back, he bit back his own gasp as Yennefer’s light illuminated the Witcher. Specifically his eyes, which had gone from that sunset gold to milky white, translucent and unseeing.

“Geralt?” Jaskier whispered, unable to keep the fear from his voice. But gods bless Yen, seeing that her companions were too stunned, she yanked at Jaskier until he stumbled away from Geralt, Ciri catching him and huddling close to his side. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her in without thought.

The sorceress had taken Jaskier’s place, placing a gentle hand against the Witcher’s cheek even as the other one gripped his bicep tightly to keep him in place.

“Just stand still, I need to know what kind of curse this is.”

Geralt growled, but he stood his ground.

A shimmering halo circled Geralt’s head before disappearing. Yennefer’s face was shuttered, concern evident if you knew to read her face, which Jaskier had grown to be an expert in.

She turned back to them, shifting her grip on Geralt to lightly encircle one of his wrists. “Come, let us get back to the inn, I need to check a couple more things and don’t want to stay in these woods longer than necessary.”

Jaskier nodded and let her lead the way, trying to stifle the panic growing inside him as Geralt stumbled.

His Witcher was the epitome of grace, he had seen the man navigate their campsite in the early hours of dawn, when sunlight had not yet reached them, moving with a surety in his steps. The man in front of him was unsure of each step, staying close to Yennefer while trying to appear as though he was not clinging to the sorceress.

Soon, but not soon enough for Jaskier, the little family made it’s way back to their rooms. It looked like nothing had been disturbed. In these little towns, one could never be sure of how slippery the fingers of the people were. They all shuffled into Geralt and Jaskier’s room, shifting until Geralt was sitting on the bed, holding himself stiff and proper. Yennefer disappeared downstairs before reappearing with a small bag which she started to root around in for something. Ciri finally separated herself from Jaskier and approached Geralt, hesitantly placing a hand on top of Geralt’s. The Witcher twitched minutely before relaxing at the familiarity of those delicate fingers. “I’ve ordered a bath to be delivered to my room, after we finish I want you to clean up Geralt.”

“Are you alright cub?” Geralt asked. He kept his eyes glued to the floor, where they had been since they had arrived at the inn.

Ciri swallowed, sneaking a look at Jaskier before nodding. “Yes Geralt.”

Jaskier coaxed her to sit by Geralt’s left side while he flanked him on the right. “What about you, dear heart, how are you doing?”

Geralt remained silent.

Jaskier leaned into Geralt, gently pressing into him until Geralt was bearing the entirety of his upper half. Ciri mirrored him on the other side. Some time passed before Yennefer made a small noise and rushed to them from where she had been sitting at the table in the room. She held a book in her hands, and her eyes were illuminated with victory. Jaskier thought she looked radiant.

“I found what has caused Geralt’s affliction. Geralt, I need you to tell me if this is correct alright?”

Geralt nodded.

“You went into the forest. You found the monster. It looked like a ghoul, but not like any you have fought before.”

Geralt nodded.

“When you delivered the killing blow, there was a flash of white light, and when it faded, you couldn’t see anything.”

Geralt nodded. Jaskier felt the slight tremor in the Witcher by virtue of holding his hand.

“What type of monster was it Yen?”

“It wasn’t a monster. Not exactly. It was just a medium, a way for a curse to be placed on someone.”

“Someone…cursed a person?” Ciri asked, confused.

Yen shook her head. “Not exactly Ciri. It is more likely the body belonged to someone who was already dead. The curse was placed on the dead person to affect whoever encountered them.”

“The blacksmith did not mention any of the townspeople going blind, though!”

“He told Geralt that people were going into those woods and were found in the next morning drowned right?” Yen stated.

“That sounds like drowners.” Ciri piped in.

“Normally that would be correct Ciri, but what if the reason they drowned was because the monster which lived near the lake blinded them and then let them drown in the lake? My guess, based on what clues we have, is this is a modified reanimiation spell.”

“Reanimation? I thought that was forbidden.”

“It is. What is dead should not be brought back. In this case the monster was a dead human, and they weren’t brought back to life so much as turned into a conduit.”

“So what exactly is the curse?” Jaskier finally asked.

“And the bad news?” came the response from Geralt simultaneously. Ever the pragmatist, Geralt knew Yen was hiding something.

Jaskier saw the smile on Yennefer’s face dim. “I’m not sure how to break it. Or how long it will last.”

“But it is possible to break it right? This isn’t permanent?” Jaskier asked, infusing a cheerfulness he didn’t feel to try and offer comfort. Ciri nodded her head and she burrowed closer into Geralt.

“It isn’t permanent! Geralt will be well really soon. ” Ciri declared, trying to comfort Geralt as she started rubbing his arm. Geralt caught her hand and pressed it to his chest.

“I’m sure it will cub.”

Jaskier and Yennefer heard the pain behind the words. Yennefer felt like tearing the world apart, but would settle for the sorceress who had cast this spell. Jaskier on the other hand felt like he was free-falling, this thoughts racing from one worst-case scenario to another.

So focused was he on his thoughts, he didn’t feel a large hand land on his neck until it squeezed him. “Little lark come back to the ground.”

Jaskier gasped at the sound of Geralt’s voice. When he turned, he saw those foreign glassy eyes staring straight at him. Making a weak watery smile, Jaskier cleared his throat. “I must be very obvious if you can see me lost in my own head even without you being able to see me.”

Geralt actually managed a sincere smirk. “I don’t need my sight to be able to see you.”

Jaskier scoffed. “Is losing one of your senses what was required to finally develop a sense of romance my White Wolf?”

“Ugh, I can’t believe it only took ten minutes for you too to become all romantic again. I am going to check if the bath is ready, wait a moment.”

Yennefer came back soon telling them the bath had been prepared so Jaskier led Geralt to the bath and washed him as he had a thousand times before. They both ignored the shaking hands and racing heartbeats they shared.

Once done, Jaskier escorted Geralt back to their room, while Yennefer and Ciri bid them goodnight. Yennefer exchanged an understanding nod with a grateful Jaskier.

Once the door closed, Geralt asked “They’re gone right?”

“Yes.”

It seemed as though those were the words Geralt had been waiting for because he collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut, collapsing inward. Jaskier’s hand on his chest was the only thing that kept Geralt from melting to the floor. The bard panicked for a second before hauling Geralt backwards, scooting back until he hit the backboard and he held on tight to his Witcher.

Geralt for his part shifted just enough to settle more comfortably against Jaskier and shook. He felt as though he was falling apart, with only these two hands around him holding him in one piece. He was not sure how long he stayed just so, collapsing one molecule at a time, all he knew was that when next he was able to string a coherent thought together, he felt the warmth of the sun on his skin.

Was it daytime already?

Then he registered fingers in his hair, a thumb rubbing at the spot he liked behind his ear.

He stirred, shifting his weight off of the bard, who had graciously borne him all night long.

“Morning dear heart.”

Geralt blinked his eyes open, sleep still having a grip on him. Of course this disappeared when Geralt opened to utter darkness. Panic seized his chest and he scrambled up, starting to rub and claw at his eyes before familiar calloused hands grabbed his wrists in an iron grip and brought them away from his eyes.

“-lt! Darling, please, I need you to listen to me!”

Jaskier’s voice was suffused with a concern that still made Geralt stagger. Witchers were creatures of convenience, tools that existed to fight off the darkness, they were not deserving of sunlight or soft touches. And yet, Geralt had found a small sun of his own, who sang for him, and washed and praised and loved him. He loved him, and Geralt was terrified.

“Jaskier?”

The bard let out a sob. “I’m right here, darling, right here.”

Geralt sunk back into the bard’s embrace, one hand caressing the doublet before slipping his hand underneath that and the shirt below that. He heard the intake of breath as his hand grazed silky smooth skin absent of the scarring that marred his own. He traced random patterns into the skin, his own version of tuning a body he knew every nook of even without his sight.

“Geralt.”

“What if she doesn’t find a cure Jaskier?”

Jaskier stiffened, but moved his arm from where it lay over Geralt’s back to the nape of his neck, starting a soft massage. “She will.”

Geralt tried to get up, but Jaskier squeezed the hand on his neck and Geralt relaxed again. “Don’t start doubting Yennefer now Geralt, it is really inconvenient.”

“Jaskier I am a liability.”

“What?” Jaskier asked, incredulously, “My dear Witcher, you are many things, stubborn, arrogant, obnoxious, too soft for your grizzly exterior, but the one thing you have never been nor will ever be is a liability.”

“Ciri is the priority! You can’t afford a liability.”

“I know that! But what exactly are you proposing? That we go traipsing across the Continent without you? Leave you to die in this hovel? Yennefer is strong, but it is still a while to Kaer Morhen and it is not a journey we are making without you.”

“I can’t see Jaskier!”

“I am perfectly aware Geralt!”

“Then why are you being so obtuse?”

“Why are you so self-loathing?”

Geralt’s entire body was a coiled spring of angry, and Jaskier had just said the magic words.

“I am a Witcher.”

“Yes. And you are also my Witcher. You are Geralt of Rivia, and you are the most incredible man I have ever met. So what if you can’t see? Yen will find a solution to it.”

“And if it doesn’t exist?”

“Like I said before, if it doesn’t, then we continue on our journey regardless, this time having had a chance to recover in a proper inn for longer than a single night. Together.” Jaskier emphasized the last word to make sure it got through Geralt’s thick skull. Of course he always forgot just how thick it was.

“You need a warrior, not a burden.”

“Fine, then Yen and Ciri can go on ahead, I will stay with you.”

“Jask-”

“You just said they need a protector. What kind of protector am I?”

Jaskier was standing up now, looking at Geralt as he hunched in on himself on the bed. The Witcher looked truly pathetic, so Jaskier took a deep breath to bring his emotions under control, running a hand through his own hair before exhaling. Gently, he dropped to his knees in front of Geralt, heart aching at the sight of Geralt’s flinch. Moving loudly to announce his movements, he shuffled forward and rested his palms on Geralt’s thigh, stretching the other one to turn the Witcher’s face towards him. He forced his heart beat to remain steady as those white eyes he was unaccustomed to met his gaze. Jaskier rose up on his knees and pressed a close-mouthed kiss to Geralt’s lips before gently headbutting him.

“Please darling. Yen will find a cure for you. Have a little faith. If not for her, then for me.”

Geralt placed his arms tentatively on Jaskier, without his sight he could feel the heat of his lover but not his features. Tracing his hands above the biceps he had gripped, he moved one hand to cradle Jaskier’s jaw to pull him into a proper kiss.

“Alright. For you.”

Jaskier smiled against his lips. “That is all I am asking for, dear heart.”

Geralt pulled Jaskier up into his lap, spending some time cuddling while they were alone before Ciri came into the room, hands loaded with food. Yennefer followed her in, settling the jug of mead she had in her hand down before dragging the nearby table and chair.

The small family had their breakfast in comfortable silence, Geralt allowing Jaskier to hand feed him. Ciri had settled back into Geralt’s side while Yennefer was seated on the chair opposite them.

“Did you find anything else Yen?”

“No. Not with the books I have on hand. But I have contacted Triss to ask for her help.”

“She was even more hurt than you. Will she be up for the task?” Jaskier said as he moved from Geralt’s lap to sit by his side instead. The Witcher kept one arm curled around his hip.

“Triss may look fragile, bard, but I assure you that you will be able to move a mountain before you get her to not give her all to a friend.” Saying so, Yennefer got up, brushing a few crumbs from her skirt. “Now, I am going to my room to continue researching. I’m sure you’ll find a way to keep yourselves busy!”

“So…what do we do today?” Ciri asked, looking at Jaskier.

“Ummm.” The bard had not thought that far ahead.

“You go get supplies.” Geralt jumped in.

“Oh ok, fine, well Ciri, you stay with Geralt, I will be back in a couple hours.” Jaskier said as he stood up, only to be yanked back to bed by Geralt.

“Take Ciri with you.”

“No.” Jaskier stated and “I want to stay with you!” Ciri cried out together.

Geralt sighed.

“There is no point in you staying with me here cub.”

“Then you can come shopping with us!” Ciri suggested.

Jaskier paused. “That isn’t a bad idea.”

Geralt shook his head though. “No. Can you imagine the panic a blind Witcher would cause? Especially the one who was sent into the forest to deal with a monster?”

Jaskier bit his lip. “Fine, but I still don’t want to leave you alone.”

Geralt clenched his jaw. “I do not need a caretaker.”

Ciri cut in because the bard could. “You still fought a monster last night Geralt, you need to rest. And what if the villagers come after you trying to see if you came back and find you anyways?”

Jaskier smirked. Clever girl.

“I will be fine.”

“I want you to tell me a story.”

Jaskier started to silently laugh. Oh how he loved his smart princess.

“Well then it is settled. I will be back in a while. Keep your cub entertained Wolf.” Saying so, Jaskier grabbed the coin purse and left the room before Geralt could finish “Wait Jask-”

Laughing at Ciri’s antics but trusting the girl to keep Geralt entertained, Jaskier exited the inn and made his way to the main stores in town. It took him about two hours to get through all his purchases, and he was ready to drop on his feet. He made his way back to the inn, ordering a late lunch because he knew none of his group had enough self awareness or considered themselves mortal enough to require something like food.

After making sure the food would be delivered, Jaskier made his way to their rooms, knocking lightly. When no one answered, he tried the door and grew a little wary when it opened. Taking a hesitant step inside, he found a sight that made him stagger against the door.

There on the bed, Geralt was asleep, Ciri curled on top of him, his arms a tight embrace around her. Both of their hairs were in braids, albeit Ciri’s was a lot messier than Geralt’s. Placing his shopping bags next to the door, he walked over to the pair. Sinking to his knees, he lightly brushed some of the locks on Ciri’s face behind her ear before pressing a kiss to her forehead. Then he pressed a kiss to Geralt’s eyelids, smiling brightly when his eyelids fluttered.

“Afternoon darling Witcher.”

“Jaskier.”

“Hello beloved. I see you found a way to spend the time. Tire her out with your stories did you?”

“’M not as a good a storyteller as you.”

“Oh I think you do a fine job when you try.”

“You got everything?”

“A bigger amount of the list than I expected this town to be able to supply us with. Now, what are the chances you lot had lunch?” Geralt’s silence was answer enough.

Geralt tried to shift, only to freeze when Ciri made a small noise in protest. Honestly, Jaskier felt as though his heart was going to burst with how much he loved these two. He placed a hand on Ciri’s shoulder and shook her gently.

“Ciri, dearest, wake up. It is time for lunch.” Ciri snuffled again before trying to burrow deeper into Geralt.

“Cub, you must be hungry.” Geralt said as he rubbed a hand down her spine.

Ciri whined some more but untangled herself enough to roll off of Geralt. She sat up and rubbed her eyes as her other mouth covered a yawn. The sight was adorable beyond words.

“Get her sorted Geralt, I will fetch our sorceress.” Jaskier instructed before leaving the room.

Soon enough, the small family was having their lunch in companionable silence. After lunch, Jaskier showed everything he had purchased. Ciri chatted about the stories Geralt had said, making the man twitch with either embarrassment or shyness. Yennefer gave an update that Triss may have found a lead for the cure, and would tell them if it panned out.

She disappeared back into her room after lunch, while Jaskier sat with Ciri and taught her about the region. Geralt gave his own input, talking about the local flora and fauna, about monsters that could be found nearby.

Yennefer reappeared during dinner time, eating quickly and whisking Ciri off to bed, leaving just the bard and Witcher alone.

“Want a bath Geralt?”

Geralt grunted.

“Right, I am ordering one. Hold on.” Jaskier said as he went to ask the tavern owner to bring up the water. When the owner asked why a music professor was ordering a bath for a Witcher, he shrugged. “Seemed the decent thing to do for the man who made sure my family and I would not be killed on our journey by a stray monster.

The water was tepid, but an Igni from Geralt guided by Jaskier set the water to a more soothing warmth. Jaskier made quick work of Geralt’s clothing, stripping him of everything and helped him into the bathtub. He went to take his place behind Geralt so he could wash his hair when Geralt’s arm shot out, and if Jaskier squinted, it almost looked as though Geralt was blushing.

“Geralt?”

“Join me?” Geralt asked hesitantly.

Jaskier paused. It was not an uncommon request. Albeit one that they only indulged in rarely.

“Alright”, Jaskier said.

Jaskier took off his clothes and joined him in the tub. Geralt tugged him until he was sitting with his back to Geralt front. Jaskier leaned his head back onto Geralt’s shoulder.

“Want to tell me what you are thinking?”

“You are a protector.”

Jaskier hummed.

“How so?”

“You may not know how to do magic or fight with a sword but you are clever. You are the bravest man I know, not despite being a human, but because of it. You are fearless and always willing to stand up for me.”

Jaskier tried to turn but Geralt had an arm around his chest that he tightened.

“I am…scared.”

It took all of Jaskier’s formidable breath control to keep his breathing even. Geralt had shown him degrees of vulnerability before. Geralt was a man used to being betrayed, being disposed of, being abandoned. The world had hurt him, time and again, so he had built walls of stone five feet thick around his heart, a line of defense against those trying to hurt him. But Geralt had a soft heart, a kind heart that wanted to help, even those who saw him as a beast. It had frustrated Jaskier at first, the taciturn nature and the recluse nature the man had. And then he had travelled with him, seen first hand the prejudice of the townsfolk who were willing to send him to his potential death to see their monster killed. People who would not waste a thought if he died.

Jaskier considered every moment of trust Geralt showed him to be a gift to be treasured. It was an act of courage to ask a human to help him, to care for him, to love him. But it had never been a burden to Jaskier. Loving Geralt was as easy as breathing, and as in his control as his own heartbeat.

Jaskier was also so proud of Geralt. How much he had grown, and how much he had learned the value in asking for help when he needed it, learned that he didn’t need nor could he carry the world on his shoulders alone.

“Tell me.”

“All I know is violence Jaskier. I know how to kill monsters, that’s what I was made for, that’s what I am. If I am blind, I cannot do that, and if I can’t do that, what use am I?”

Jaskier did not know what broke his heart more, the Witcher’s resignation to a fate that may not yet come to pass, or his certainty that his worth was dependent on his ability to kill.

“Dear heart, may I turn, please?”

Even if Geralt could not see him, Jaskier wanted to see his beloved’s face.

Geralt loosen his hold enough for Jaskier to turn in his arms, settling of Geralt’s thighs, his own bent on either side of Geralt’s hips, straddling him.

Jaskier pulled Geralt in for a deep kiss, one without a purpose beyond just conveying his affection for this idiotic man who he loved so much his heart felt full to bursting.

Both were softly panting when they finally broke for air. Jaskier cradled Geralt’s face in one hand as the other traced his face, the strong line of his nose, the bruised lips, the defined cheeks. He followed his fingers with his mouth, kissing him until Geralt had practically melted against the tub.

“Geralt. I don’t care whether Yennefer finds a cure or not. Or rather, I don’t care if you end up being blind permanently. You are worth so much more than just your ability to kill. You called me a brave man because I was a human, and I am saying you are a good man because you are a Witcher. Humanity is cruel to you, ostracizes and blames you for their miseries, and you? You go on helping them anyways. You don’t accept coin from those who can’t afford to part with it, nor do you fight for the coin that is due to you rightfully when you are underpaid. I have travelled the Continent with and without you by my side, and will testify in any court or town that I have yet to meet another as good as you.”

A single tear made it’s way from Geralt’s eye which Jaskier wiped away. His eyes were closed. They had been for the whole of Jaskier’s declaration.

“Open your eyes?” Jaskier asked. Geralt shook his head. “Please, my love?”

Jaskier saw Geralt’s knuckles turn white where they were holding the edge of the tub. Slowly, Geralt’s eyes fluttered open. Jaskier tilted his face up. This time, when he was met with milky white instead of his familiar golden-cat eyes, he sighed. “You are beautiful even as this. Come what may, I promise, I will stay.”

Those seemed to be the words Geralt needed to hear, because suddenly, the Witcher started to cry in earnest, silent tears tracing tracks through his face as his whole body shook. Jaskier just held him until he calmed down, held him long after the water grew cold, long after the clock in the town chimed midnight.

A routine developed after that. In the mornings, the four would have breakfast together, and then Ciri would stay with Geralt while Jaskier scoured for information regarding Nilfgaard as well as anything else they could use. Yennefer still spent the majority of her day in her room, only coming out to join them for food. In the evenings, Jaskier performed under the name of Dandelion, the name he had used during his early bardic days in Oxenfurt. He was just another troubador, taking requests and playing well known songs that had nothing to do with the White Wolf or the witch with purple eyes. Geralt convinced Ciri to join Jaskier in the tavern on those days stating, he could still hear the music whereas the girl couldn’t. So for a couple hours every evening bard and child entertained the crowd, slowly refilling their nearly empty purses. And then after dinner, when Yennefer took Ciri back with her, Jaskier and Geralt shared a bath, just basking in each other’s presence, believing in a love they had long assumed would never be granted to them.

It was almost a week before Yennefer burst into the nearby tavern when Jaskier was performing, indicating he cut his performance short and accompany her. Once they were all in Geralt and Jaskier’s room, she told that she had managed to find the cure for Geralt’s blindness.

The small blaze of hope Jaskier had been carrying since this whole ordeal began started to grow larger.

“Are you sure Yennefer?” Geralt asked, ever the skeptic, sounded so unsure.

“Yes Geralt. Triss and I have confirmed it multiple times. She will be here tomorrow-”

“Wait, what do you mean she will be here?”

Yennefer stared at them blankly. “The spell, it requires a complicated potion I cannot make with what I have at hand. So Triss will concoct it and bring it here.”

“We cannot do the spell inside the inn, we will need to go into the forest.” Geralt said.

Yennefer nodded. “Agreed.”

Jaskier was nervous, but also hopeful now.

“Come along Ciri, I might need help. Jaskier, make sure Geralt doesn’t hurt himself?” Yennefer told as she left the room, the tease serving to ease the bard.

“I’ll try my best Witch. Not as if I haven’t been doing it for 22 years!”

Once the door closed, Jaskier heard a thump and saw that it was Geralt who had slumped back heavily against the headboard of the bed.

“Geralt?”

“What if it doesn’t work?”

“No. Enough, you have been doubting this all week, I refuse to let you spiral into even more worst case scenarios.”

“But-”

“No more buts Geralt. It will all work out!” Jaskier exclaimed as he sat beside the Witcher, throwing one arm around his waist. “I believe it will.”

And Geralt was weak against the sincerity in his voice. He believed him. “Alright.”

Triss arrived after lunch time the following day, sparing a greeting to the other three before disappearing with Yen, who dragged her out to the forest where she was planning on doing the spell.

Geralt was nervous. A week spent locked in a room, unable to do much by himself had left him thrumming with energy that had no place to go. Ciri requested Jaskier to play some fast jigs, and taught an awkward Geralt how to do a few courtly dances, guiding his limbs by standing behind him. Seeing the normally graceful Witcher stumble and trip hurt Jaskier’s heart, but it was worth it for the lines of tension the disappeared off his shoulders. Jaskier left his lute behind to dance with his Witcher for a couple numbers, providing them a beat with just his songs. And when Geralt pleaded pity, Ciri and Jaskier danced all over the room, their happiness permeating the room and settling Geralt’s nerves further.

Around dusk, Yennefer came to collect them. They dressed Geralt in his armor and cloak, and had Ciri lead him out of the inn while Jaskier provided enough of a distraction that no one would notice the two figures slipping out the back door. Jaskier met them at the rendezvous point, a clearing a few minutes away from the village.

By the time Jaskier reached the place, Ciri was seated on a big rock at the edge of the clearing, and the sorceresses had drawn a large alchemic circle on the ground, and had Geralt in the center of it.

“Can I step inside?” Jaskier asked.

Triss nodded. “It is not active, so it is safe. Be quick though.”

Jaskier slipped to Geralt, embracing him before pressing a kiss to his lips. “I believe in them Geralt. And more importantly, I believe in you. It will be alright.”

Geralt squeezed him once before releasing him.

Jaskier went to stand by Ciri, who slipped down from the rock and burrowed into his side. He put one arm around her, using the other to pet her. “Don’t worry princess, Yen and Triss will make sure Geralt gets better.”

Ciri just hugged him tighter.

Yen stepped into the circle, giving Geralt something, a potion most likely, whispering something to him that Geralt nodded at. She met Triss’s gaze, tilting her head to the side. Triss moved to stand at the edge Yen indicated while the purple-eyed sorceress took her place on her opposite side.

“Geralt, drink the potion now.” Triss called out.

Geralt gulped the potion in one go, before the vial slipped from his grasp and he was collapsing on the ground groaning in pain.

“Geralt!” Jaskier called out in panic, only for Yen to freeze him.

“It will be alright Jaskier, trust us!” Triss said. She and Yen then started to chant a spell, the circle starting to glow a white glow that kept getting stronger. The light seemed to rise from the ground to form a wall all along the lines of the circle, and soon Geralt was hidden from sight. Jaskier turned his back to the now blinding light, covering Ciri with his body.

The air around the clearing seemed to be getting thinner, as Jaskier was having a harder time drawing enough breath, feeling simultaneously like he was being crushed. In his arms, Ciri started to cry in pain. And then, suddenly the pressure disappeared, making Jaskier collapse to the ground as he gulped in large breaths to compensate. He was still panting when he turned around to see the circle had turned to a faded black color, the light having disappeared. The two sorceresses were also on the ground, exhausted from the spell.

In the center, Geralt was on his knees, hands on the ground in front of him. Stumbling, Jaskier extracted himself from Ciri and made for Geralt, collapsing again when he reached his Witcher.

“Geralt?”

Geralt was also breathing heavily, and there were beads of sweat lining his brow. When Jaskier went to touch him, a hand shot out to catch him, making him inhale sharply at the tight grip. The pain faded to the background when he met Geralt’s gaze though. His knowing gaze through Jaskier’s favorite golden cat eyes.

Choking on a happy sob, Jaskier threw himself at Geralt, knowing the Witcher would catch him.

“I told you it would work, I told you, I told you!” he babbled into Geralt’s ear.

Geralt huffed a laugh. “So you did bard, so you did. Thank you.”

Jaskier pulled back, wiping away his tears as a brilliant grin took its place. “I love you. So much.”

Geralt grabbed one of Jaskier’s hands and pressed a kiss to the center of his palm. “I love you too Jaskier.”

And then, the others were there. Ciri joyfully plastering herself against Geralt’s back, shouting in happiness. The sorceresses were a little more dignified but their relief was also palpable.

By the time they made it back to the inn, night had properly fallen. Jaskier ordered for a large dinner to be sent up, as well as their best ale. Tonight was a night of celebration.

When Jaskier entered their room, he was stuck breathless again. Geralt caught his gaze when he entered the room, and the sheer joy and love he saw in those golden eyes made him feel like he was flying. He was struck, stuck, he couldn’t move. Geralt rose from where Ciri had been playing with his hair and came to him, stopping when there was barely an inch between them.

“Hello.”

Jaskier blushed. Geralt was brusque and roughness, practicality and reason. He was not the romantic sort, and Jaskier never denied him that. But when the mood did strike, Melitele help him, Jaskier often wondered how he survived the night alive.

“Hi.”

Geralt’s smile only grew as he heard the bashfulness in his bard’s voice. He moved forward, closing the remaining inch so they were chest to chest, and Geralt slipped an arm around Jaskier’s waist, pulling him closer still. Jaskier yelped, fingers grabbing Geralt’s shirt and fisting them.

Brilliant molten gold met clear sky blue, the gaze stretching a second into an eternity, before Geralt kissed him. A kiss so full of passion and love that Jaskier felt his knees give, Geralt’s arm the only thing keeping him standing.

Distantly he heard a catcall and a whistle, before something hit his head.

“Ow.” Jaskier said as he broke the kiss, rubbing the spot on his forehead as he caught his breath. He couldn’t even imagine what he looked like right now.

“There are children present you perverts.” Yennefer stated, deadpan. Ciri had a high blush in her cheeks but she was also radiating joy.

Before Jaskier could come up with a retort, Geralt spoke “Then you better take yourselves to your room. We will see you in the morning.”

“But Geralt, we promised to celebrate…” Jaskier started only to stop at the heated gaze Geralt sent his way. He gulped. He knew that look. His pants started to feel a little tighter. Was the room always this hot?

“Spoilsport.” Yennefer complained as the three ladies stood up. And just to annoy them, she intercepted the food and drink and directed it to be sent to her room instead. “Those two have a different kind of celebration in mind.”

Jaskier blushed harder, but thoughts of what all Yennefer could be teaching Ciri about sex fled his mind as his Witcher pressed himself to his back, a solid line of heat that was starting to make him feel faint.

Right then.

Celebration.

///

The next morning, Jaskier woke up with a groan. The bed was empty, but the spot next to him was warm. Geralt must have just risen. Jaskier sat up slowly, stretching himself out, groaning as muscles twitched and cracked.

He fell back onto the sheets, exhausted but satisfied. Last night had been…something else.

Just then the door opened to admit his Witcher.

“And where were you so early in the morning.”

Geralt quirked an eyebrow as he smiled, “Just woken up, and already asking questions bard?”

“Always” Jaskier answer, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

“I was out. Training with Ciri.”

“That’s good.”

“Hmm.” Geralt said as he sat down next to Jaskier. The bard shivered and leaned into the Witcher’s touch when he carded his fingers through chestnut brown locks. “You need to pack up. We are leaving after breakfast.”

Jaskier whined. “You get better and we can’t even take a full day to enjoy? You drive a cruel bargain Witcher.”

“I recall you enjoying a whole lot last night.”

Jaskier blushed “That’s different.”

“I’m sure it is. Now up, get dressed. The others are waiting for you downstairs.”

Jaskier pouted. “A kiss first?”

Geralt shook his head fondly and leaned down, only to brace himself when Jaskier pulled him down fully. The kiss was just starting to turn more heated, Geralt gripping the edge of the blanket still preserving Jaskier’s modesty when a knock at the door startled them away from each other.

“Oi, we have to leave with some daylight still left, you can have your fun at the next stop!” Yennefer called through the door.

“We-” Geralt started, clearing his throat “We will be down in a few minutes Yen!”

Jaskier whined as he flopped back on the bed, the arousal completely doused. “I hate her.”

“No you don’t. But if we aren’t down in a few minutes, Yen will send up Ciri. Get up.”

Jaskier nodded and rolled over, starting to put on clothes as Geralt helped to pack the last of their things.

Together they went downstairs to meet their family for breakfast.

And as Jaskier curled into Geralt’s side in the booth, he relaxed into the sounds of their group’s laughter, a rare total contentment melting him on the inside as almost all the people he cared about in the world shared a meal, safe for the moment.  

[gayregis]

zireaells replied to your post “Hi good morning can we talk about twn ciri for a sec? There is...”

Oh man thank you for pointing out how young freya is! You’re totally right, she likely had little to no control over how the character was portrayed, and I do think that she’s a capable and talented actress. But like you said, the directorial choices were just REALLY BAD! And I think that part of what rubs me the wrong way is the focus on her princess-hood, like you said, and the focus on her being the lion cub of cintra but that doesn’t really mean anything?? Because we don’t get to see her being fierce and intense and independent and difficult and stubborn but eager to learn. Like you said, she really doesn’t even get to do very much or make very many consequential decisions, and I think that really is unfortunate. But that totally makes sense about the change in how she’s introduced! I didn’t even pick up on that, but it absolutely makes a HUGE difference, and the aging up definitely does too.  And I think like you’ve said in the past, they’ve stripped everything parental and caring away from geralt and made it seem like he’s pushing her away just because he doesn’t believe in destiny or he thinks she’s a bother! Instead! Of the fact that he pushes her away because he loves her and doesn’t want to corrupt her and ruin her life! Idgi though because in my mind ciri is absolutely the main character of the novel series—geralt and yen’s stories are pulled entirely by her. And it feels like they tried to make her more of a Feminist Female Main Character in the show by keeping her introduction and character so independent of geralt, but it actually sort of just? Takes away the emotional impact and the fact that he is her FATHER FIGURE of course he influences her THATS THE POINT

yes i totally agree! like they just removed geralt and ciri’s relationship from the equation, the only “interaction” they have is geralt saying he doesn’t want a child or trying to break their bond of destiny. they don’t even speak to each other in the ending sequence, ciri only says “who’s yennefer,” and that’s it. they don’t know each other and ciri also has no reason to care about geralt asides from the fact that calanthe told her to find him as her dying wish... if it wasn’t tragic, she wouldn’t care? what does she have to do with some “geralt of rivia”? nothing! she doesn’t have a reason to be around him, and he doesn’t have a reason to be around her, because he never had an opportunity to become her dad.

i was going through my blog last night and found a post about twn that i made around (iirc) 11 months ago, where i had found out that they cut brokilon from the netflix adaptation, and i immediately knew it was going to be absolutely pointless and a horrible flop, unless they substituted it somehow with them meeting in an equal way to brokilon (like, maybe they meet in the soverign nation forest of snorkilon instead. i don’t know). 

because like you said, ciri IS the main character. i think the series is called “the witcher” because it leaves it ambigious as to if it’s about geralt or about ciri, and in actuality, it’s not about really either of them, but rather about the themes and messages of being a witcher... the burden of a blade, the responsibility of killing, the effects of violence. and this HINGES on the fact that geralt is ciri’s father, that she INHERITED this burden from him, and now it will forever be with her, and even though geralt tried to prevent that, tried to protect her, it was futile in the end because her life was consumed by the same violence and killing that has haunted him since he was a child, as well. and we get to see this series of events unfold, slowly and slowly as ciri’s childhood is taken away from her bit by bit and how nothing her parents do can protect or save her from this fate. it’s... not a happy story. it’s a tragedy, and that’s OK. but by trying to present it as a valorous tale is where netflix went wrong. ciri is not the hero of her own story, she doesn’t emerge victorious in the end. no one emerges victorious except fate and violence.

[rureikia]

Chapter 4

[Previous] [Contents] [Soon...]

The start of high school was a very crucial milestone for me. Because not only did I have a crush on Kita, but I also got accepted to go to the same school like him too. 

Inarizaki High.

When I saw the magical letter of confirmation, my heart blossomed by a large magnitude.

I was so agitated with the thought of having three more years with Kita Shinsuke I thought I was beginning to see stars... I mean, for a young girl whose heart was fully set in stone for a celestial being like him, how could you not be awfully excited? It meant three more years of opportunities that I'd definitely not let go to waste, three more years of seeing his face! All the scenarios occurring in my head, in hopes that one day, these would come true...

I specifically remember on the day the letter arrived on how I was sprinting around the house to show mom and dad.

At the time, my parents didn't know why I was that happy over getting accepted since I used to be pretty distasteful about studying. But they quickly shifted it aside and congratulated me nevertheless.

It was like the scream painting. I can still draw out their faces in my head. Mom and dad were startled as they never expected me to have gotten into one of the top high schools in the prefecture — they ended up jumping along with me regardless of their previous doubts!

So on the first day of school, I marched out of my house in my new uniform, and a satisfied grin widely spread across my face.

The basic philosophy was to try and pass all exams, but the true aim for me was to find Kita Shinsuke, then ultimately confess to him. Next, he'd accept my confession and we would date, he then proposes, we get married, start a family ehehehe... Ah, I mustn't carry on or else I'll get too thoughtful...

But I was really excited (excitement lasted one-week maximum). I wanted to get to school pronto and see all the new people that would be circling me all through the next years. And so my determination was at its top game by then.

Whilst dusting my skirt and straightening it out, I closed my front door, but kept hold of my door handle to wait.

After a minute or two, from the opposite side of my street, I also heard someone else's door open.

I let go of my door handle, appearing as if I just came out of my house too.

In an instant, I knew who it was, hence why I gasped apprehensively to myself and thrashed around to look, "Ah, Kita!! Good morning!"

He sees me, adjusts his bag strap, and walks away without considering my call.

"Kita!" I called out again, assuming he didn't hear me the first time, "Wait for me!"

I was nearly about to run and go get him because he was already walking from a significant reach away. But just then, my mother abruptly forced the front door open with an annoyed scowl face before I had even managed to escape.

"(Y/N)! Why are you yelling so much in the morning? You sound like a stupid person, the neighbors will complain because of your loud mouth!" Her hands were on her hips, and she spoke to me in much vex.

I flashed a swift glimpse at Kita. 

Okay. He wasn't waiting for me.

Mom was still in the middle of scolding me, and I got impatient as she was suddenly like an obstacle I needed to overcome for me to catch up with fast-feet Kita Shinsuke.

"Yeah, yeah I'm in a hurry. Mom, let's talk later okay?" I replied in slight rashness.

"Excuse me? Why are you acting like that? If you are in such a hurry why are you still here? I don't understand!!" Mom grabbed my hand, throwing down 600 yen for lunch then shoved me away, "You forgot this too. Gosh... Who is this hopeless girl? I don't know her. Just leave now!"

Why must this old lady insult me so incredibly fast?

I halted to stare at the money in my palm and solemnly glanced back at her, "Wait, mom... This might not be enough for lunch..." I whined.

"Yes it is. Lunch is cheap there." She smacks my shoulder and I made another whine a tad louder at the impact, "Tsk, (Y/N) don't complain anymore. Just be grateful, have a good day, and go."

My shoulders grieved a bit but I went along with it, "OK thanks...Bye-bye..."

As soon as she closed the door on me, I left.

I tried my best to catch up with Kita who was walking by himself in the distance. And after seeing him in the same uniform as me, once again, I was unbearably excited to go approach him.

This was a period of time where I'd constantly be a hindrance to Kita. However, I didn't really take this into account until much much later.

Since I took interest in him during second-year middle school, that interest only developed from thereon. By the time it was third-year middle school, I full-blown liked him. And then at first-year high-school, it developed into something called puppy love.

Kita, he was rather laid-back about it. He didn't tell me to go away nor to stop talking to him — rather he would just let me do whatever whilst throwing cold logic at me whenever he feels the need to.

Well, I say that he's rather laid-back but in actuality, he'd try and evade me at times by ignoring the things I'd do. I was still childish and quite gullible, so I simply assumed he was bluffing to push me away and to hide his genuine feelings.

With that in mind, I remembered how back then I was wholly convinced that I could win him over in a jiffy. And this was entirely due to my mind being intoxicated from those all dramas, shoujo mangas, and anime's I watched in the past. Subsequently, I thought I owned a special power like no other, which was the power of love and commitment.

15-year-old me seriously believed that she would be able to do anything with the power of love deeply engraved in her soul. I basically believed I was the next generation's Sailor Moon...

For me to express my loyalty towards Kita, I revised everything needed for that entrance exam with extra diligence. And that was more than enough proof to show that the power of love really does work miracles. After all, because of my power, I was wearing the school's crest embedded on my blazer, the same one as whom I strived for.

"Kita good morning, hhh." I greeted breathily, speed-walking next to him.

He nods a response, "Morning."

I straightened my posture and smiled awkwardly at him by accident. Then I tried to strike up a conversation which was probably also accidentally awkward, "Kita don't you think this is such a coincidence? We will be going to the same school again this year. It's uh — it's a perfect match isn't it?"

He carries on walking forwards, without looking at me. "The entry requirements for Inarizaki must have lowered this year if that's the case."

I didn't know at the time, but this guy was totally degrading me here.

"Oh yes, that has happened. By a couple of points, it has lowered actually." I addressed with formality in my speech like some intellectual, "That means the God of fortune must be by my side, don't you think?"

Kita didn't reply and we walked in silence for a couple more seconds.

.......

"Uh......... Kita!" I called out.

The suddenness finally resulted in him shifting his head a little to peer at me.

"Kita, wait for a second." 

Kita listened for once, stopping in his tracks, glancing back at me.

When we were teenagers, he would experience my resilient pestering daily. This was additionally a section of life where relationships and emotions are new to everyone, especially for kids that were around that age — high-schoolers.

I can distinctly pick out the uncountable amounts of times where I'd loiter outside my house early in the morning just before he comes out. And when I hear his door open from across the street I would act as if I just came out too — "Kita, you just got ready now? Oh, what a coincidence, so have I."

There's also the case that would happen in school. I'd pack up all my belongings and shove it in my bag before the teacher dismissed the class. This was so I could have enough time to leave and walk home with Kita, "Another coincidence! I'm going to leave school too!"

"..." Eventually, I took a deep breath and gripped onto my bag straps that were wrapped around my shoulders tightly, building up the fury in my chest. Then studying around carefully I made sure no one was present before I took a few side-steps closer to him.

I don't know why I was such a shameless little girl back then. I have to admit that it's not very good to reminisce about my past, it hurts my dignity a lot.

But with the expression as if I was going to complete a huge quest, I confessed to him.

"I like you," I said.

Kita stared at me blankly for a second, then furrowed his eyebrows and told me, "I don't."

"..."

With that, my life advice is: do not read too much manga.

After the rejection, he blatantly left it at that and continued walking to school as if he forgot about it. I, on the other hand, felt extremely embarrassed and tried to think of what to do. My rational decision was to run off towards a different path like a coward.

Just as I was about to bolt, I nervously called out to Kita for the last time that morning, "I-I guess I'll see you later okay Kita?!"

He didn't acknowledge it since he didn't look back, but neither did I. And so we both departed ways.

Obviously, me being older now, I understand how I was unmistakably not as discreet as I presumed to be. I have been told by many friends that even an elephant wearing a shocking pink dress can do a better job at being discreet than me.

So I know now. Teenage Kita already could tell that I liked him for a very long time even before that terrible confession of mine. But oddly, he chose to not bother spilling to others regarding it, I still don't know to this day why.

As a child I was impatient, that's why I chose to confess on the actual first day of high-school. And that impatience lingered on for a while. I'm sure that this flaw caused me to be a nuisance to Kita Shinsuke; so he probably disliked that part, which is another thing I didn't think about until much later.

Later on, when I arrived at school, I experienced the worst sort of depressiveness where I felt my whole environment turn into a darkening abyss.

Outside the 1st year hallways, I examined the posters where it would tell us what class we would be assigned in.

KITA SHINSUKE: CLASS 7

Okay, that's very good!

(L/N) (Y/N): CLASS 2

That... I hate...

And so I dragged myself to Class 2 where a certain someone saw my dismal brooding.

"(L/N) why do you look like that? You look so miserable on your first day already?!" An enthusiastic voice called me out.

I gloomily averted my gaze up. It was my old friend, Taro.

Taro also went to the same middle school as me. And we became friends over the liking towards graphic novels — it was actually because of that interest of his, he wasn't very popular with the girls haha.

"...I'm not sad. I'm devastated." I sighed out in a daze.

He was eating bread, and talked with food still in his mouth, "Why?"

"Because I was put in a different class to what I think I really deserve. Don't you think the class rank system is a bit unfair?"

Taro snorted contemptuously and shook his head at my idea, "No not at all, you just want to be in the same class as Kita."

"Not so," I argued.

"Is so." He argued back with his head held higher, "(L/N), I don't know why you think this is unfair, you very much deserve it."

I glared at him in disapproval.

Then he proceeds, using the bread in his hand to gesture at me, "Whilst Kita has an IQ of at least 200, yours is way below in the negatives. So you're incredibly lucky that you weren't put in your true class. Class zero."

"Huh...? Class zero doesn't exist... What are you even saying?"

"You get to be in the same class as this intelligent guy instead!" Taro uses a spare hand to pat his chest, "Isn't that great (L/N)?!"

My face rapidly scrunched up in displeasure at those words and actions, "Uwah... Calling yourself intelligent. If you think that I have an IQ below the negatives, you will be the same as me since we're in the same class. Who do you think you are?"

"I am someone that at least has enough common sense to find someone not way out of my league, that's who I think I am."

I briefly grinned at him in annoyance and retaliated with a reply, "Go back to sit on your seat, leave me alone now."

He stifled a quiet laugh and did what I said with an effortless shrug.

I wasn't expecting to be put in class 2 to be honest. I would never expect myself in class 7 either. But I just wanted to be in the same class as Kita in hopes that we'd be deskmates for the following three years.

But as shown, that never happened.

Instead, I had to rely on my individual skills to be around him as much as I could.

I went straight to bed after last night and woke up with the worst possible headache that one could imagine. The headache was so bad in fact that I was concerned whether I had a type of brain disease and wasn't going to survive.

And the throbbing pain only attacked me once I groggily opened my eyes to see the sunshine which wasn't a good idea since I felt dizzy. So I had to cover my face with my duvets to stop any more light from stinging me.

I'm currently in pain right now, but I was quite okay when I was asleep and felt nothing. In fact, I underwent a type of sleep that was so deep, it confused my dreams towards real-life circumstances, making me rather delirious.

I opened my eyes again, reluctantly tossing around to squint at the ceiling fan, and tried hard to recall what happened yesterday.

From what I can accurately remember... I went to a goukon with Sumiko, I met some new people, I ate at least twenty dishes, I drank, I saw a handsome worker, I saw Kita with that handsome worker, I got frightened and quickly hid outside, but suddenly he was outside too(?!?!) so I was forced to talk with him for a minute before I went back inside, I drank some more and incidentally got drunk, I then remembered that he took me home because of how drunk I was......... And then, we kissed.

Oh yes, we k-i-s-s-e-d. Me and my ex-boyfriend.

And I was thinking about the kiss so much apparently I was given a dream about it too.

It was a dream akin to where I was with Kita. An altered memory of that same kiss replaying over and over again for what felt like hours on end. In that dream, we may have used a bit too much mouth work and tongue which isn't very good... Makes me feel quite abashed... Then I woke up with my cheek muscles feeling sore which additionally, isn't very good.

I rubbed my eyes sluggishly when lifting my torso from my bed to regain proper consciousness. I noticed was still wearing my work attire from yesterday, except I looked tenfold scruffier.

Did I fight someone while I was in the zone? Honestly, I'm so tired I didn't care about the context. So I'll just go back to sleep...

...Well, that's what I wanted until I heard a voice sing to me inside my head.

"If you remember... Call me."

"you remember... Call me."

"remember... Call me."

"Call me."

(GASP)

As expected from an unintentional flirt like Kita, his words woke me up.

I frantically attempted to roll out of bed but ended up falling flat on my back with a loud, painful thump. At the impact, I groaned, staggering to my feet and grabbing my phone that was on the top of my neatly folded work blazer by my chair.

Once I accomplished to scamper around like a bug, I turned it on to scroll to Kita's contact information and stared intensely at his name.

Me: "..."

No, I couldn't do it. I clicked on my friend Taro's contact information instead to procrastinate. And to my surprise, he picked up abnormally fast.

......

"Hello, good morning~!" Taro said in English appearing a bit too happy for my liking.

"Hey, it's me..." my hoarse morning voice croaked with a tired sigh at the end.

"Oh... Jesus Christ. That doesn't sound too good... What is it (L/N)? You sound a little dead." He said, "Did something happen last night?"

I nodded my head vigorously as if he could see me, but regretted when it made me feel woozy. "Yeah kinda... — wait, how did you know that something was going on last night?"

"Instagram aha. Well, Sumiko mainly."

"Eh...? Sumiko? Something must've happened with you two then." I scoffed, "Okay, tell me yours first. Go on."

"Alright, I'll be brief 'cuz I want to hear your story. But to summarise, Sumiko-chan broke up with me and she wanted to prove that she can find someone very quickly." He begins to explain, "I then checked Instagram last night to see some of the posts from the goukon you two were at."

Ah, their romance is a little confusing I should mention. This is probably the fourth time they "broke-up" this month.

To others, this might seem a bit neglective and unhealthy, but I know the most that these two care for each other strongly. Last night, I noticed that she didn't even bother flirting with any of the men. Instead, she talked with the women throughout the majority of the event.

I switched my phone from one ear to another, "So I've heard from herself that the two of you have broken up again. What's it this time? Did she get angry over something silly?" I asked, "Is that why she accepted the goukon invitation?"

"Pfft, obviously. Of course Sumiko got angry over something silly." He laughs, "But... She didn't run off like that to seriously break off with me. You know how she is. Sumiko just tried to prove me wrong in something because of how prideful she can be. Sometimes, she even has the same competitive energy as you."

I breathed out a chuckle, feeling a little more calmed down, "Impossible. I'm nothing like her when it comes to that sort of stuff. I'm not as confident."

"No way. I think you guys are definitely similar in that aspect. I've been with the two of you since high-school, I think I know the best." He affirms, and I shake my head at his claiming words, "Anyways, back to you. What's up (L/N)? Why'd you call?"

He reminded me why I wanted to call. And all of a sudden, I became remarkably hesitant. I was so hesitant actually I almost bit my tongue when opening my mouth to speak.

"Uh — Taro... You remember Kita, r-right?"

"Mhm, of course, yeah. Your ex-boyfriend, Mr. Perfect."

"Well... Me and Kita met last night..."

"Eh?! —" His tone jumps by four octaves in surprise, then deepens, "— Uh, Okay...?"

"And I wasn't really expecting him to be there..." I trailed.

Taro paused and inhaled sharply before filling words between our silent space, "(L/N), you're kind of scaring me now..."

Don't worry, I'm scaring myself too.

I swallowed the nervous saliva that built up as I struggled to speak, "And kinda...We maybe uh — kissed."

......

"WHAT?!" He loudly exclaimed. His side of the audio turned distorted and my eardrums burst.

"A-Ah yeah hahahaha..."

"LAST NIGHT?! Are you sure?! How come I didn't see him in any of the goukon posts though? Did Sumiko invite him purposely just to mess with you?! That's pure evil!! I'll scold her for you when she gets home... Wait unless... Are you guys back together then?! After three years, I thought you two would never be together ever again! But what the heck (L/N), you and Kita really kissed? What the actual fu-"

I can't do this anymore.

I hung up. His voice is quite annoying to listen to with a hangover like this. I'll let Taro try to figure out everything himself.

I scrolled through my contacts once more and attempted to call Sumiko but was immediately left on voicemail to my disappointment. So now, the only remaining person I wanted to call left was... Kita Shinsuke...

For some reason, when my finger hovered over his name it felt like I was being punished with the death penalty. And to make matters more nerve-wracking, once I clicked on his contact information, my hand was shaking whilst I raised my phone to my ear.

It took another couple of seconds, but his phone started ringing. Hearing the ring made me so scared to the point I shuddered and started pacing around my room.

......

Kita picked up and spoke first, "Hello?"

"Ah." I jolted.

Oh god, why did I make this phone call? I should have practiced what to say at the very least.

His voice stayed nonchalant, "(Y/N), what is it?"

Okay, I think I got something.

I stopped and took a whole two seconds to build up the confidence needed for the next thing I'm about to say.

Then, after a big breath, I began my rambling; "Okay Kita, listen here. I am very unhappy with you right now. You kissed me last night while I was drunk and you did it without my permission, it's not good to do that to someone in that state! Kita why? What on earth were you thinking?! Your actions were very wrong, and you need to think thoroughly about what you did, and you shouldn't do that to me again. In fact, you shouldn't do that to anyone!! Consent is very important to people, and if I was drunk you should haven't taken advantage! You're rather lucky that I am a nice person and that—"

He cuts me off, "(Y/N). Don't yell. I can hear you even if you speak normally."

I shut my mouth at his scold straight away and quietened by a significant volume, "Oh... Was I being too loud? Sorry about that... But still, you shouldn't interrupt so suddenly, I am trying to tell you something important..."

"You shouldn't be loud nonetheless, you'll feel light-headed if you have a hangover."

I was going to ramble again, but I had to stop myself when I sensed something peculiar in my environment.

Something wasn't right.

For a brief moment, I pressed my phone to my chest and silently glanced around as if trying to wait for an event to occur. When I became even more suspicious, I put my phone back to my ear, "Hold on, say something."

Kita, "Like what?"

I could hear two voices. Both unquestionably belonging to my ex-boyfriend. And to make matters worse, I also smelled something bad coming from outside my room. Hence why I hastily sped out of my room like a professional athlete.

The reason I could hear two different Kitas was because I saw him in my kitchen from the open living room. I panicked and ran straight there.

So it seemed that he really was in my apartment, therefore I wasn't experiencing complete hysteria. And he was also cooking something too (not a good sign), the phone still to his ear.

The only thing was, it smelled like pretty bad burning.

Fumes were coming out of my kitchen and I couldn't believe the fire alarm hadn't buzzed off violently by now.

I hurriedly ran inside my kitchen, my first animalistic instinct was to turn the stove off. My second animalistic instinct was to hold back this huge urge to do something to Kita. I really wanted to throw an object at him, maybe my cushion or my lamp because of what I had just witnessed.

For a man that is known to be good at everything, he doesn't seem to know a single damn thing about the kitchen, does he?

"Kita Shinsuke! What do you think you're doing?!" I exclaimed, taking the wok he grasped by the handle. I swear if I woke up any later my apartment would have fallen into a crisp.

He turned to look at me with the most innocent expression on his face, "You're up earlier than usual." He said, ignoring what he just did, "You used to sleep until 11 on weekends."

In return, I ignored his statement and stared at my precious wok, seeing charred eggs that were now an indescribable dark matter.

 I was using my index finger and thumb to carefully take it off, but it was stubbornly stuck to the material... It wasn't glamorous at all.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, this guy forgot to put oil and burned everything... Ahhhhhhhhhhh I'm going to have a mental breakdown now... My wok!!! He ruined this one-of-a-kind wok I ordered from Beijing!!

I crouched down and placed my wok on the kitchen's tiled floor. Then very aggressively, I was scratching the top of my head, showing my painful distress, "Kita, why did you try and make eggs without oil? I have taught you in the past that you must put oil when making stuff like this, did I not? And I don't understand why you're in my apartment either!"

"I couldn't find your oil, so I used water." He said with a perfectly straight face.

"..."

I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it since I had nothing to say. And at this moment I felt utterly incompetent. Hence why I was sitting down on my kitchen floor, wanting to collapse and go to sleep right on this spot.

I have come to understand that I cannot understand Kita Shinsuke.

He then continued, "Last night you told me that you didn't want me to leave. That's why I'm here."

I looked up at him with a frown, "No. You're lying."

"I'm not."

"How come I don't remember that and remember everything else?"

"Maybe you were drunk." Kita shrugs and cracks a teasingly small smile, "What do you remember then?"

That question was atrocious because I knew what he was hinting at. So I had to hold my voice down even though really wanted to wail aloud, "How... drunk was I?"

"Hm. Do you really not remember anything?" he asks, crouching down to pick up the messed up wok and rose back up.

I remembered the kiss, after that everything truly was a blur, I couldn't seem to recall anything. No matter how hard I try to think back, nothing comes into my mind. Therefore I needed to check myself again. 

What happened? Is there anything different about me?

I'm still wearing my work attire, however, the blazer I had on last night was not on me anymore, it's neatly folded on my chair, which Kita must have done. I'm not wearing my stockings either and my blouse was untucked too...

Oh.

That's when electricity struck me.

I stood up with great suspense, wrapping my arms around my torso protectively, "You... —You didn't do anything to me, did you? I remember this kiss, but you haven't done anything after, right...?"

Kita's brows pinch in irritation and he pushes my forehead back with his index finger where I made a sound of struggle at the action.

"(Y/N) are you dim? What is going inside that small brain of yours?"

"A-Ah! I'm just asking out of worry..." I said slouching back, finally relaxing a bit, "You don't have to speak to me like that..."

Kita puts the wok in my sink whilst I slumped, gave up, and decided to go to put some water in my kettle to make tea. When doing so, I asked him another question.

"Were you here all night then?"

"Yeah." He replied.

Why?

"You should have woken me up," I chided, "I had a spare futon you could have used."

He shook his head modestly, "Your couch is comfortable too, so I was okay."

"I see."

"But what about you, did you sleep fine?"

I took a mug out of my cupboard and exhaled a little, "I slept fine as well. My head kinda hurts, but there's medicine in the bathroom, so I'll leave to go take that and wash myself up soon."

"That's good."

There was a lot to process already, but I decided to push that away for now.

One of my main concerns however was what he said to me some moments ago.

Kita claims that I told him I didn't want him to leave, which is the reason why he stayed. And I began to question what I might have said to him exactly for him to do actually listen to that supposed request.

He was washing the wok he ruined as I was now heavily debating what to do by eyeing him every couple of seconds or so.

I felt quite conflicted. I hated to think about how Kita was utterly handsome during those stealthy glances I did.

His hair was messed up, his eyes were more doe than usual. He wasn't wearing his jacket or sweater from last night but was presently wearing his T-shirt and jeans... And we were both standing here. In my kitchen. Where I sensed no discomfort coming from his body language as mine was astonishingly rigid.

Still, despite my negative demeanor, I couldn't help but contemplate while making a cup of tea. This is where the inner-conflict comes into play. 

I didn't know whether to hug him from behind like what you'd see in the movies. Or maybe secretly stand up on my tiptoes and deliver him a kiss on the cheek, or carry on watching his concentrated side profile while crying really big, salty tears.

In the end, I just called out his name, "Kita. Your tea is here."

He didn't answer verbally, but nods.

I tapped Kita's shoulder this time, "It'll get cold, drink fast."

To that, he takes a short glimpse at me then goes back to washing my traditional Chinese wok, "I'll clean this up first. It won't take long."

Hmm, perhaps he feels bad for the mess he made and is trying to make up for it.

"Okay," I said, "If it gets cold, you can just reheat. I'm going to wash up now."

He nods again in reassurance, and I give him one last glance before getting out of the kitchen to grab stuff for the bathroom.

[Previous] [Contents] [Soon...]

[yamithediaperdork]

Trick or Stink: a pokemon story

It was a dark gloomy night.. well OK not really. the sun was setting sky and the cloud cover was next to nothing, at least in Virdian city. children were getting their costumes on and getting ready to trick or treat, while the pokemart and Pokemon center rushed to get a haunted house (with different levels for different ages) ready. Walking towards the haunted house to help, was two trainers from Pallet town. One was dressed in a tuxedo and had on some make up, to make him look palish.. and had some red on his chin and some fake fangs in. He was the champion of the region, and so far the longest reigning one.. Red. he was smiling big time and chuckling now and then as he looked at his companion The former champion, with the shortest reign in history, was huffing and waddling just behind red. Blue was dressed like a oversized toddler/baby. he was in a black diaper shirt, blue jean shortalls..with a pacifier hanging around his neck. and worse, oh so much worse.. was the three thick diapers between his legs, giving him a waddle and making it so every now and then when they hit a rough spot.. Blue had to take red's hand. "I want you to make it god damn clear to everyone this costume was your god damn idea." blue huffed for the fifth time. "yeah yeah.. No one would ever think that a crybaby like you would dress up like one." "NOTA CRYBABY!" Blue yelled and glared, bottom lip sticking out in adorable pout. "right right, I'll make sure to tell anyone who asks you lost a bet." red snickered, wishing he'd grabbed a camera. "think of the plus side of this.. this volunteer work is gonna look GREAT on your application to become gym leader." Red said. "nggggh.. only reason I'm doing it..HEY! STOP STARING!" Blue huffed then yelled. they were coming up towards town now and three boys, dressed in legendary bird themed costumes had stopped and stared, giggling. "Awww the big baby is grumpy!" 'Moltres' called out. "Maybe he needs a ba-ba!" 'Zapdos' added. "or a diapie change." 'Articuno' snickered. "That's it!" Blue huffed and went to reach for a pokeball, he was gonna unleash some gyarados fury on them..then recalled that red had taken his Pokemon from him. "look, with your temper you're gonna do something stupid..I'll hold onto your mon for you." Red had said before they left. "Like hell you will!" "Attacking trainers will not help you get that gym job." "Nggggh.." So now as he went to reach behind his back for the pokeball..it just looked like he was patting his butt. needless to say the bird boys giggled like MAD at that and ran off. "Give me a pokeball..I'm gonna-" "Do nothing and hurray up and get to the haunted house. we need to refresh our costume then find out what we're doing." Red said. "Yeah yeah.. Maybe they'll have a costume change for me..I doubt a baby will be very scary," "I dunno, if you end up needing a diapie change.." Red snickered and held his nose. "HEY! I'm NOT freaking doing THAT! bet or no god damn bet!!" "Ok ok, don't wet your huggies!" "Effing jerkass little.." blue grumbled and huffed for the rest of the walk to the house, blissfully unaware of the looks and giggles they were getting. There was two Jenny's helping set up the last few props,one was dressed like a jenny, and the other was dressed like a growlithe. a Joy was dragging out a playpen towards the front,dressed like a Jenny, when they looked and giggled. "Hey you two! about time you got here!" The first jenny said. "Oh wow..I didn't think he'd.." the second one started. "Eeeee! Blue you look ADORABLE!" Gushed the Joy, dashing over and hugging him, while blue blushed and squirmed. And then looked at the playpen. "...Red...how did they know they needed a playpen?" He asked, ice in his voice. "Well uh..we had to make sure no ones costumes clashed with each others you know." Red said, looking a little sheepish. "HOW many people knew I was gonna be.." Blue trailed off as he looked at one of the posters advertising the event.. and noticed it had his head superimposed on a toddlers..advertising the former champion as a big cry baby for the event. "...WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" "Uh, Red, I thought you said he knew we were-" Jenny started up as Red waved his hands, trying to shush her. "You set me up from the beginning and You..I.. Gah! two fingers, to all y'all! I'm out!" Huffed blue, flipping off all of them and he turned around to leave. "Thats disappointing..and here I was going to sponsor your application." joy tsked. Blue stopped, looking over his shoulder. "What?" "Well if you were willing to humiliate yourself so much for the entertainment of the trainers around here, then you'd make a GREAT gym leader!" She said in a sing song voice. "But..I.." blue whimpered and turned around.. and the girls had to bite their touge to keep from going d'aww. "ngggh..fine.. Whatever.. what do I hafa do?" He said finally. they worked fast to get everything just right, to get the other volunteers in key settings to be nice and scary for the second floor, and kinda cute but maybe scary for the basement. Blue was posted at the entrances, and was put in the playpen (something that really irked him but he was doing it for the gym) and had loads of flashlights in the playpen with him..and some baby toys if he got bored. (And boy, when they had added those had he gotten huffy again!) Red was at the exit, to collect flashlights and wish everyone a good night. getting ready to open, red ruffled blue's hair. "OK, ready for this? remember if it gets to be too much or you need a you know what, holler for me, i brought extras." red said. "Your a right prick even when trying to be nice, you know that right?" Opened for business (the fee was a mere 10 yen) two groups came in. the first was filled with maybe first graders, some of them looked younger then others. But they ALL got a good giggle out of seeing blue. "Look look! he's totally in diapies!" "Hahaha i don't need diapies anymore right mommy?" "oh gosh he's so kewt!" all this and more and as blue handed out the flashlights to the little kids. one or two mommies giggled and tried to remind the kids it was just a costume, then the jenny in the growlithe costume lead them down stairs. the older kids came in and of course the bird boys were there..this time with cameras (though blue manged to semi hide his face) Lots of head pats and condescending talk, and Blue was bright red in the face and almost on the verge of tears. A ace trainer, there with his little sister, saw this and barked for them to ease up on the poor guy..then poped blue's pacifier in his mouth and smirked as blue nursed on it. "Remember me? I was one of the guys you thrashed on victory road..who'd the loser now?" he whispered and laughed. blue just suckled and whimpered and the other Jenny took the group away. Left alone, Blue suckled and tried to clam down.. it was over for a lil while at least, though he could see anther group gathering outside. Trying to put his mind on something else he day dreamed about being a gym leader and making sure to crush anyone who'd try and challenge him.. not noticing as he picked up a gyarados stuffie and was semi playing with it. Then the first shriek was heard and blue jumped up to his feet, pacifier popping out of his mouth and he looked around wildly. 'oh..right...haunted hou-' he started to think and then there was anther shriek, followed by a deep and evil sounding laugh Blue yelped and lost his foot, plopping down on his bed and then scuching up his face in confusion. Why was his crotch suddenly warm? Reaching down he poked his crotch, and felt the squish.. and turned crimson. HE HAD WET HIMSELF! Thankfully there wasn't a tell tale smell or any visible sign (aside from the diapers ballooning out a little and Blue squirmed. There was more screams now and more evil noises and blue whimpered a little, squirming and squishing as he grabbed the gyarados.. just for.. something to toss if he needed to.. or so he told himself as he held it close. Watching from his pokegear app, Red smirked at what a little crybaby blue was acting like and was pretty sure he was a soggy butt already. he almost went to go and check but then the two levels were done and he had to collect flashlights. "Wow that was super fun!" "Jesus I'm gonna have nightmares for a week!" "Never coming back again..except maybe to see the baby.." "Heh, doubt the baby will be here next year.." As the last of the kids walked away red gathered up the flashlights in a bin, and got ready to come around. Blush meanwhile was being gushed over what a cute baby he was, and just how into his role he had gotten. The evil noises had stopped before he'd started to cry but his eyes were still a little watery and there was a drool line down his chin from nursing on his pacifier too hard. The first group was the nice ones..the second one.. was barely any kids at all, but the more advanced trainers who he regiozed as people he'd trampled on route to the elite four. "What a little BABY!" "Ahahahah this is a good look for him!" "Look at how thick his diapers are, he must be a super soaker!" "I can't believe I lost to such a big diaper dork!" Still in a fragile state, their insults HURT and blue whimpered even as he handed out the last of his flashlights, lisping around his paci. "Dun be so mean!" Naturally, this didn't have the desired effect. the group took off and blue was left upset and huffing. 3 minutes after the groups had gone red showed up and smiled. "Hey buddy, how you holding up?" "Ah 'ate dis!" Blue yelled around the pacifier, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. "Heyy it's ok.. it';s just for a few more hours..come on, if you wanna be a Pokemon master you need some thick skin right?" Red coo'ed. dumping the flashlights in and handing blue the gyarados stuffie.. with the big baby clutched at and held to his chest. "I..I guess." "Now come on.. would the future gym leader break down over some teasing?" red asked, helping blue stand up in the play pen and rubbing his back. "N-No.." Blue said and let the paci drop out of his mouth, and rubbed his arm over his eyes. "S-Sowwy.." "It's ok.. do you want a diaper change while there's no one here?" Red asked. "I don't need a diaper change." blue said far too fast. "Are you sure?" Red asked. "It's ok if you do.." "Nope! I told you, I'm not using the diapers." Blue huffed. "Alright alright. I need to get back to my post anyways.. if you need me.." "I know O know." Blue said and rolled his eyes, getting some of his cockiness back. With that, red smirked and left, waving bye. And about 30 seconds later the screaming started again. Only this time..it wasn't piss that came out of him. Blue was barely aware of what he was doing as he went from standing in the playpen to squatting..then the muffled fart told him everything. 'NO!' As if it had a mind of it's own his bowels decided to unload and he could feel the smelly logs slide out into the waiting diaper, pressing against the bulk and the shortall's and spreading over his cheeks. 'NO!!' Loud gross farts came out of him, almost rapid fire and it almost drowned out the horror noises.. but this was a horror all it's own for poor blue. 'Please god no no no noooo!' The mess was still going but the back of the diaper was loaded, so it went the only place it could, ozzing to the front of the diaper as tears ran down Blue's cheeks. The snaps on the shortalls couldn't hold up and burst open.. his diapers puffing out and stained brown. As if the smell alone wouldn't give away what had happened. As he finished..doing..THAT.. he looked up. the next group was ready to come in. Red had of course watched the whole thing happen, and was grinning from ear to ear. Blue's mess wasn't as fear based as he might think it was, as his pacifier had been loaded with laxative powder. Still he had to draw his attention away to take the flashlights back and wish everyone a happy Halloween..and by the time he was done it was too late to stop the next group from coming in and too late to give blue a diaper change. The smell was thick in the air and parts of each group left, unable to handle it while others were giggling that blue was SUCH a big stinky baby. The poor trainer couldn't even hand the flashlights out.. he was on his knees, sucking on his paci and hugging the stuffie close. No attempt to hide his face as the older kids took pictures and parents just reached in and grabbed flashlights for those who were too little. The jenny's saw what had happened of course but had to do their tour. one of them manged to let one of the monster volunteers know to run up and tell red what had happened...and that Blue could have his break early. Of course as the groups came out one little boy, trying to be helpful tugged on red's cape. "uh, scue me mister, but the big baby up front needs a diapie change and wots of cuddles." There was no more lil kids so blue just numbly accepted it when the growlthine dressed jenny gently helped him out of the playpen, rubbing his back and trying to cheer him up. "A-at least you didn't have a blow out right?" she asked sweatdroping. Somehow this didn't make Blue feel better. Blue stood there, waiting on Red. Once Red was there he could get changed and go home and pretend this all never happened. Red did come up and instantly put a hand to his nose. "Phew! somebody used gunk shot huh?" he teased and blue whimpered. "Hey, it's OK..come on, give me your hand and we'll get you all cleaned up OK buddy?" red said. blue huffed, and slapped away the offered hand. sure he was a big kid in a massively messy diaper but he could walk on his own god damn it! And he took three steps then slipped and landed on his butt, squishing the mess and making the smell 20 times worst. Blue blacked out after that, but apparently (according to sources) he had started to wail and then act like a lil toddler for the rest of the night. After getting his diapers changed he asked 'dada' (Red) to take him home and of course the Jenny's and Joy let them. Red had tried to take blue to his house but blue didn't wanna be left with a icky girl and sobbed that daddy didn't love him..so red had brought him home with him. His mom dug out reds old crib and the big baby had spent the night in it. When he woke up the next morning he was back to his old self and refused to wear any more diapers or baby outfits. He just wanted to go out and train and wait for his application to go though. Unfortunately his little stint as a big baby had been well documented and blue was out for maybe half a hour before returning to town, red faced from all the teasing, and claiming someone had used a starmie to spray the front of his pants. (Of course a starmie's water gun doesn't usually smell like piss, but red let it slide.) As the days past by, Blue was having more accidents (by the 10th one he gave up trying to say it was a water gun attack) and begrudgingly started to wear some pull up style protection.. that never seemed quite up to the task. By the end of the week he was back in diapers, but was managing to NOT go poopie in them. (Though this was in part due to red having him sit on a potty for 10 minutes every hour and half to try and poopie.) Finally the day came when Blue was summoned by the council for their decision, and they had asked Red to come along too for some reason. Blue figured it was they were annoyed he was neglecting his duties as champion. "Blue, we'll address you first. while you have indeed shown you'll go to great lengths to help out the town.. your antics are not becoming of a gym leader. What would the other regions think if they saw we had a diaper messing big baby as one of our leaders?" the head of the council asked, and Blue's jaw droped. "That..that was just.. you can't judge me just on one nights-" He started. "Your wearing a diaper now. " "I-I am not!" "There's a hold in the back of your shorts. That said, we DO still need a gym leader for virdian.. and Red, you're part in this fiasco with Blue is known as well." Blue whimpered and turned to Joy and the Jenny's, who looked apologetic and shrugged. All that shame..all of it..for nothing,..for.. "We'd like you to step down as champion..and assume the role of gym leader till such time as we believe we can find a suitable replacement." the head started but was interrupted but a loud sob. Red looked and Blue had plopped on his butt, and was bawling, a hand rubbing a eye. "It's not fairrrrr!" "Oh for the love of, Thats it, we'll be revoking your license blue!" The head snapped, and Blue sobbed harder, audibly soaking his diapers. "No you won't!" Red snapped, and he walked over, helping blue up and blue hugged him tight, burying his face in reds shoulder as red rubbed his back. "Excuse me?" "If you want me to step down as champion then I will, but I won't accept the gym leader position and further more I'll reveal just why the last gym leader left,.. I know he was head of team rocket and you want that kept from the press..Or..I can take the position..and blue here will be one of my gym trainers." "You want this big..BABY..to battle at your gym." "Yes. Now thats the deal, take it or leave it." four days later and the earth gym was reopened..however this time it had a odd gimmick.. it was almost like a oversized nursery. despite it's babish appearance, it still housed some strong trainers. In fact the leader himself was rarely challenged.. because the trainer in front of him while dressed in thick diapers and a t-shirt on hot days, and overalls otherwise else, was still strong as heck. There was also a small rumor going around that anyone who manged to face the leader and lost.. had a waddle to their step when they left...

[heamaybe]

July 2020

The Alpha’s Warlock by Eliot Grayson: I started this book because the synopsis had a Sterek vibe and honestly it ended up being funny and cute. The end battle was not cute and the ending felt a bit rushed but considering I had no expectations beyond lol sounds like Sterek, this was better than I thought.

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Leguin: My understanding of the story is that a wizard was on a journey and met a lot of people. I think there were a couple fights but mostly they just talked. There was a dragon. I’m not sure what the point was because I was listening to this on audiobook and the voice of the reader was so calming and deep I kept dropping out of the story and just listened to the voice.

Rough Canvas by Joey W. Hill: Oh boy did this piss me off. I’ve calmed some since, but I still wish I had never started this book. On top of all my smaller annoyances I think the biggest reason I hated this so much was the other main character’s relationship with his family. And this is not an isolated situation with only this book, this is a thing that will make me hate a book so fast if it’s not properly handled. Basically, the family took him for granted and I would call the mother abusive with the way she treated him. And he felt like he had a duty to them, that he needed to give up everything to take care of them and forgive all the shit they did. And I am not here for that. I do not believe in unconditional family love, if they treat you like shit, cut them out of your life. 

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall: After that rant, I forgave this book so much because this could have done that and it didn’t. I thought the main character was a bit of an asshole to be honest, but maybe because he was like that, he actually cut ties with shitty family. I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters but the story had it’s moments. I don’t remember much so I wouldn’t call this memorable except for that first point because it seems to be too rare and I need more of that.

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid: What even happened in this? It was cute but less cheesy than the first book in this series. I don’t actually think there was all that much plot, just big hockey stars fucking, I guess they fell in love since it is a romance book. I may have a thing for sports stars falling in love...

Hat Trick by Eden Finley: ...since this kind of continues that trend too. Though this had the problem of the other party being a rock star and that’s such a meh for me. I didn’t really care for him in the previous books in the series and this didn’t make me care either. However, it’s totally a me thing so I can’t call this book bad based on it, especially when I’ve liked the previous ones and this isn’t any worse, it’s just the musician thing. Also the endings for these books are so cheesy. I use that word too much I’m sorry, I don’t have a better one in English.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon: The concept of this is super interesting and I liked the book a lot. It’s a pretty short book and I’m kinda glad it is because the subject was a lot heavier than what I normally read and I’m not sure I could have given it the level of focus it required and deserved all through if it had been longer. 

The Old Guard by Greg Rucka: This was ok. I mean I like the concept and the story but the art isn’t my favorite. I kind of preferred the movie version, the story was mostly the same with a couple changes and there was Charlize Theron.

Haltiain verta (The Witcher: Blood of Elves, Finnish translation) by Andrzej Sapkowski: Ok here we go. I liked this surprisingly much. I wasn’t sure what to expect after the two short story collections. This doesn’t have that much plot to be honest, there are people plotting a war and Ciri training. The thing is, I really like the female characters and their scenes make the book so much better, as they did in the previous ones. I especially like Triss and Yen is awesome too. I kinda really dislike Jaskier a lot, to the point I have trouble understanding why he got so popular after the Netflix show even though I KNOW his character in the show is very different, for a good reason.

Not Your Villain by C.B. Lee: Yeah so, here’s the thing: I really do not care about teenage love trouble. I appreciate the diversity and it was great for parents to be present in a YA book and I’m sure if I was 15+ years younger I would have liked this a lot. The plot is just very basic for someone who has been reading superhero stories for over 10 years and while the parents were there, it kind of killed the purpose when the kids decided the adults weren’t doing enough and that as true teenagers they obviously know better.

Someday Someday by Emma Scott: Back to the forgiving abusive family thing I hate but level it up a bit. It took me ages to finish this and I was so close to not finishing at all, but I have yet to learn how to give up on any book no matter how much I hate it. It’s a problem. At least I liked the main couple fine enough. This could have been a very cute hurt/comfort story, but it was a bit too heavy on the hurt for me. I guess someone who likes angsty stories and can overlook the family thing would like this.

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh: This was lovely. The concept was lovely. The story was lovely. It was a bit weird and super short so I was a bit lost a couple of times about what was real and what was happening, but I didn’t feel like it in anyway ruined the story for me. I don’t mind being a bit lost. As I’m writing this I’ve also read the sequel and it cleared up a couple questions I was left with too. 

[ficsandcatsandficsandcats]

FAQ

Do you take requests?

Yes! Happily! Almost 200 of them so far and counting! I have some prompt lists in my masterlist but you don’t have to go off of those alone. I accept other ideas as well whether it be song related, a daydream you really wanna read, etc.

Do you write smut?

Yes! There are some things I don’t feel comfortable writing. For example, teacher/student or other power imbalance pieces aren’t my jam. I will write BDSM or basic Dom/Sub dynamics though! I also write for w/w, m/m, and w/m (or, in a more gender inclusive way of talking, I will put any body and gender identity with any other body and gender identity with equal enthusiasm). Please know that if you’re worried about a kink or an idea being judged that 1. I am not judging you. Even if a thing is totally not my cup of tea, I do not judge it being yours. Also 2. I have anonymous on for a reason so if you’re really worried please know you can always use that and then no one shall know your secrets you dirty, filthy beastie

Do you write Headcanons?

Yes! I’m new to them, but I have a long track record of having opinions and feel confident in my ability to form new ones about a thing you ask

What’s the deal with Valdo Marx?

One day someone on this beautiful internet made a post stating that Robert Sheehan would be the perfect Valdo and they spoke a powerful truth that day. I’ve long held the opinion that Valdo Marx is probably not a raging asshole as Jaskier describes but instead probably just a bit of a cocky guy with a fierce rivalry because bards are #dramatic and now (in great thanks to @heroics-and-heartbreak for their tireless Valdo Marx Support work) he’s become a regular character featured in our fics. 

Who is @heroics-and-heartbreak ?

Joz is my writing partner! This means that they hold my hand through the computer as I cry about my trash fingers making garbage fiction (we all have those days guys) and they also write things with me and help me come up with ideas! They are currently collaborating with me on our Punk!AU and are an a talented writer and artist as well! Check out their work here!

What’s this Punk!AU I keep hearing about? What’s Vicious Mockery?

A lovely reader wrote in and asked me to write a fic featuring a Punk!AU Jaskier. I wrote it up, setting him, Geralt, and Yen in a band called Vicious Mockery, and the rest is history. And by history I mean Joz and I are both of an age (lol) where we grew up with some good ass punk music and are very much about that #aesthetic and they drew the gang and we now have a whole canon for it featuring Reader as a fan who got to tour with them and fell in love with Jaskier and OCs who’ve become very close to our hearts (Aevryn Swift and Sam Pankratz especially though Nic Merigold is worming his way into our hearts more and more each day - but more on him in the future~~~)

Is it ok if I... If it’s not too much trouble... I hope it’s ok if....

Sweetie pie honey bunch cinnamon toast crunch I am so honored that you read my work and then went “I like the order this person puts words in and I want them to put words in an order for me” you are never bothering me and I am always happy to receive your prompts!

What happens if you get a prompt you won’t/can’t write?

I have declined prompts before. For some it’s because of personal reasons related to trigger, for others it’s because I just don’t feel that I’m the right voice for that piece. In the case that this happens, if the prompt requester is anonymous (and so far that’s always been the case I believe), I reply with a succinct explanation along with thanks for the ask and an offer to have them submit something else. I also invite other authors in the fandom to adopt a prompt, which has worked in the past! If someone were to write me off of anonymous I would privately reply to them. I never want anyone to feel shamed or discouraged from reaching out and this is the way I make sure I am taking care of myself as well as my readers

Misc.

I have an About Me page and my inbox is always open if you have other questions. I think this covers some of the basics but please let me know if I’ve missed any. 

I would also like to offer a quick shoutout to @unapologetic-and-aesthetic for the lovely aesthetic collages they’ve made inspired by my fics. They are gorgeous and I am so happy that my words prompted art. It’s genuinely the coolest thing.