#ch: jaskier
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okay like I’m answering like this bc apparently tumblr put a limit on how long you can make asks and I was getting too long as usual but hahahaha well
my friend my countryperson, I can talk about them and then I will see myself out and start drinking way too early because of the pain, but not counting the addendum which killed me because yes hahahahahahahahha OH MY GOD YES *cries and kicks netflix*, it's choke full of parallels because like (I'm going off netflix and what books I read wrt witcher I haven't finished them yet but I got enough)
like first of all there's direct jaskier > stede and geralt > ed comparisons in the sense
jaskier and stede are both nobles/rich people who came from money/titles and gave it up to lead an 'adventurous' life or anyway something that puts them completely outside their original class status but don't care for what it brings them and at the same time are kinda gnc wrt what one would presume is A Real Man in their universes (but also irl tbh) because they both dress well/care about their appearance and put a lot of effort in maintaining it (I mean book!jaskier curls his fucking hair pls)/use what they learned in high society when they have to and the situation calls for it but at the same time they don't behave like anyone who doesn't come from high class is a lesser person and they don't gaf wrt who they're friends with
on the other side geralt and ed never mind the clothing similarities (because the black is just netflix!geralt game and book isn't exactly into LEATHER BLACK AESTHETIC but netflix is so we'll count it) have the whole thing where most people they meet/know perceive them as someone extremely dangerous/at times inhuman [for ed because for geralt it's most of the time when he's not with friends]/feel like they have to play into that part in order to get by in life/are sort of born into a violent job that makes them risk their life over and over (like geralt didn't have a choice about it and ed pretty much couldn't have done anything else) and they basically tried to embrace it as much as they can even if they want other things from life starting with being treated for themselves/like human beings also we can add that they both come from a poor background and they have a shitload of parental trauma that they never worked through (geralt with his mother and ed with his father) and to top it all off they're canonically seen by others (and themselves to a point) as monsters (geralt bc he's a mutant and ed has the whole kraken defense mechanism)
to which we could go with the first obvious bunch of relationship parallels in the sense that in both ships (not counting how bad netflix is at show don't tell) the thing is that jaskier/stede immediately see ed/geralt as someone they like/they want to be friends with and they don't care about whatever bad fame they have if they even knew about it (I mean netflix!jaskier doesn't even know wtf is geralt before he goes and talks to him while everyone was giving him a wide berth and stede had shown ed the secret closet after literally five seconds he didn't know he was blackbeard) and make them feel like they don't have to pretend to be someone they're not at least with them while on the other side they feel like they can also be themselves without getting judged for their idiosyncrasies or for all the reasons they didn't fit in high society
to which we could add that ed/geralt have canonically saved stede/jaskier's asses as well I mean in netflix we mostly had bottled appetites when it came to geralt saving jaskier's ass but in the books it happened way more often as far as I read up and ed signed his freedom away to save stede's life like we serious
but then there's the other parallel which you hinted because yes there's the whole angle with the what makes you happy part but let me go into it a second
like, jaskier and ed in that sense is kinda obvious because they're the two who bring up the whole 'wanting to figure out what makes me/you happy' (and the one difference is that since obv netflix!witcher isn't going that route geralt was never gonna say IT'S YOU while stede did but I mean that went unsaid) but they're also the two that are more in touch with their feelings, because jaskier has no problem bringing up the thing and admittedly he's the one out of the two of them who tries to actually talk about stuff and same for ed who for being like... in a fairly crap position for it is actually way more open about his own feelings and needs and shit than stede is (more on that later), takes the first step and puts himself on the line...
which brings us to the fact that at the end of S1s of both shows jaskier and ed are the two people who are in the same position because they’ve been left heartbroken by ed/stede ie the two people they trusted/cared for the most (and were in love with) and you don’t want to know how much I screamed when ed was working through it with the breakup song because my immediate thought was ‘if it was the same universe and he heard burn butcher burn he’d track jaskier down just to have drinks with him about the fair-headed assholes who obviously broke their heart’ and I’m just sad I don’t have time to write that crossover but like are we fucking serious, and the fact that both of them pretend they’re over it after but actually aren’t (ed cries in the nook at the end of S1 and jaskier is lit. crying while singing the last line of BBB) isn’t anything I can get over atm
I can also rant about the fact that actually jaskier and ed are the ones that have uuuh the most similar fashion choices because YEAH YEAH I KNOW THE BLACK LEATHER but listen to me a second like jaskier dresses all Not Exactly Masculine™ with his own flair, not with previously put-together outfits, and he has the post-breakup red leather outfit, but it’s still nice stuff (the frilly shirt, the silken vest) because he figured out what he wants to dress like and has no issue donning that right, while ed starts with the black leathers but that’s his blackbeard thing, then moves on to stede’s frilly stuff and he likes it but it’s still not him™, and the moment he could actually pick and choose what he wanted... he got stede’s trousers and the silken pretty (red) floral vest, the long hair and nothing else including the trademark beard, which is... Not Exactly Masculine™ but is his own flair over what he found out he liked wearing and he was exploring it before izzy had to go ruin it but I digress
meanwhile netflix!geralt and stede until the end of S1 dress in... well, coded outfits unless someone puts them out of it in the sense that geralt never gives up his leather get-up unless jaskier gives him the nice clothing and stede has only frilly coordinated outfits all the time except when they’re at the academy (and we could talk for ages wrt he and ed being dressed the same when they kiss but nvm that) but at the same time like the other witchers don’t dress like geralt so we can take for granted that he chose that get up and likes it/maintains it same as stede liked the frilly clothing and never cared that he was judged badly for wearing it, but it’s kinda armor-y for them if it makes sense imvho? idk I’m ranting but anyway let’s move on to the actual stuff
because clothes nonwithstanding on the other side geralt and stede have in common a terrible level of emotional constipation brought by the fact that both of them think that they can’t be genuinely loved/cared for by other people/think they’re bad news for them, like the fact that geralt keeps on telling himself he doesn’t have feelings (false) vs how stede keeps on saying he agrees he’s a monster and ruins beautiful things is... kinda the same thing at the end of it because neither of them is anywhere near in touch with his feelings (as much as stede is good at making others discuss them) and it takes them a... I don’t want to say traumatic event bc that doesn’t exactly fit, more like a lifechanging revelation like thing to start getting over it - like, for geralt is finding ciri and having to be emotionally available for his daughter and therefore getting more in touch with his feelings for others at the same time, for stede is hearing mary talk about what it means to be really in love and realise that’s what he was feeling because he couldn’t recognise it as it never happened to him before and no one actually loved him like that either, and while with geralt/jaskier isn’t exactly 100% the same bc obviously geralt is close with the other kaer morhen witchers jaskier is still the first human friend he had and obv in between witchers it’s a different thing
which brings us to the part where geralt and stede are the ones who actually cause heartbreak for jaskier/ed, geralt because he has the pent up rage moment and unloads on jaskier also probably because he knew he could do it with him and on one level he thinks jaskier would be better off without him anyway but doesn’t realise how much it actually would have hurt him and stede because he thinks he ruins everything and that ed would be better off without him when instead ed is a lot worse off without him, so they basically are working on assumption about themselves which are not true and end up driving away the other two who has just bared their heart out to them ops
so like geralt and ed would have an interesting conversation and stede and jaskier would have the same because both would be like eh being a noble sucked, but the double date would be something because it would end up with jaskier and ed siding vs the other two being like eeeeh we did fuck up didn’t we but I digress
and I mean at this point I’m here sobbing like why the fuck are these fictional people doing this to me but YEAH THERE ARE PARALLELS and I’m nowhere near ready to consider most of this without feeling like I’ve been personally attacked
#geraskier#blackbonnet#janie writes meta#god i didn't think this was going to be my first contribution to this fandom but#antiqualugar#I DON'T EVEN KNOWWW#the witcher#ch: geralt of rivia#ch: jaskier#otp: it's onion#otp: fuck it#our flag means death#ch: stede bonnet#ch: edward teach#otp: you wear fine things well#otp: co captains#queue of the beam#put this on queue bc i edited it five times but anyway here you go
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❛ can’t sleep? ❜ (from Jaskier )
@acourtcfmuses
"What gave it away?" Wanda replied with a sad laugh, rolling onto her side so that she was facing Jaskier. To her credit, she had been trying to sleep for the past hour before she had eventually gave up, though she had been tossing and turning ever since. She had thought that Jaskier was fast asleep though, and she couldn't help but feel a little guilty if she had kept him awake. "Sorry, I hope I wasn't keeping you up."
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dandelion: geralt — a moment ago, i spoke with a dryad in the common speech, she spoke without an accent, she told me . . .
geralt: you dreamed it, dandelion. this is brokilon. many things can be dreamed here.
dandelion: really?
geralt: of course. many strange and illusory things can be dreamed. for instance, i dreamed we had sex last night.
dandelion:
dandelion: that actually happened, though
geralt:
geralt: oh yeah. so it did
#go read time of contempt ch 5 if you didnt understand this#geralt x dandelion#gerlion#geraskier#geralt x jaskier#jaskier#time of contempt#mutuals dont watch me summon the dark forces with my tags alright#sorry this is so stupid but i thought of it and now everyone will just have to deal#woe. BOOK FANON be upon ye#return to book fanon where every gerlion shipper knows they had some kind of emotional reunion in august#the witcher books#book: time of contempt#because i wish to eat a third donut#s: i want to be by your side
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@coreofgold cont. from here
"I wanna talk about it but I don't even know where I should start. It's just confusing" Sally told Jaskier and grab the glass of water.
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Sunshine bard x emo edgy blond guy who can fight
This OC sprung on me like spring after winter and he can't leave me alone. I live for characters of opposing personalities meeting and you know,,, having a relationship. Now they are in my mind, demanding that I write the scenes that have come into my mind about the two of them.
Hopefully I will keep this not too long because my septa oc is where I want to do a lot of minor world building and it's shaping up to be dark, while I would like this to be a sun ray through a cloudy day.
OC's name is Kaesar for now, baby boy can sing, play and sass.
#hotd oc#ocappreciation#fuckyeahasoiafoc#fuckyeahhotdoc#ch: aemond targaryen#aemond targaryen#hotd#house of the dragon#house of the dragon character#house of the dragon fic#hotd fic#aemond x oc#face claim is jaskier because i love him#aemond imagines#hotd imagines
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A Place Amongst the Wolves, Chapter 9: Friction and Feathers
Words: 13k
Rating PG-13
Summary: Crow has a very busy day after not being around for the past two. Will they find the Wolves easier to get along with or butt heads and forge rifts between them? What will happen when Ciri and Jaskier find them on the brink of another meltdown? Or when Vesemir calls them into his chambers to talk to them about something? So many questions...
The gears in Coen’s mind twist and turn as he walks briskly down the corridor. He doesn’t necessarily want to see the entity but he also wonders how it knew about the significant decrease in protein at the Keep. He hadn’t really seen it at meal times in the past and Lambert really only complained about it today.
Maybe he can ask some questions and gather more information. It hasn’t been aggressive toward anyone, and it’s been keeping out of the way so maybe Lambert is overreacting about the danger this being poses.
He also is reminded of when he was almost to the keep a couple of days ago. The wind was bitter, his bones aching from the cold. His fire did little but provide some light in the middle of a deep midwinter din. He was losing blood, his body was aching and when he felt his medallion vibrate that night, he truly thought that may have been his end. It was only for a moment, but it was there.
The vibrating got stronger, the snaps in the brush made his heart rate pick up just a little, and when he looked deeper into the wood and saw the onyx claws dripping in icker and coal black eyes, he thought for sure that was it.
But nothing happened.
The creature made no moves toward him and left. That was all and when he woke up and made to continue the journey to his home, a thick winter cloak greeted him on a tree branch. Honestly, Coen wonders if that was his saving grace. He’s going to ask them about it, just to see if his hypothesis is correct.
Coen enters the kitchens calmly, trying to ignore the fight or.. Well, just his fight response that his medallion sparks and takes in the situation.
Crow has neatly placed each carcass on the large counter, making sure each was facing a good direction to start skinning and cleaning the bodies. The rabbits are stacked nicely in a pile and the elk are each placed sideways so their stomachs are easier to access.
Upon hearing his entry, the entity’s ears prick up and it peers over its shoulder at him.
Crow’s gaze turns away quickly.
“Hey,” he says. “Want any help?”
#fan fiction#the witcher#witcher fanfiction#the witcher oc#a place amongst the wolves#crow#chapter 9#ch 9#geraskier#geralt of rivia#jaskier#vesemir#coen#lambert#kaer morons#kaer morhen#ao3#ao3fic
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you're making "the face" again. (To Jaskier from Ciri )
" You're their spitting image these days, do ya know that? I could close my eyes, hear you speak, and oh! Never even know who was talking. "
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Modern!Human in Kaer Morhen
Summary: How the Witcher characters would try to impress a modern person + feel about them
Notes: I put some of the non-Witcher characters here too since some of them wintered at Kaer Morhen as well
it's been a while, but i had my wisdom teeth removed and was incapacitated for the last few days
Tagged: @lucyinthelibrary @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie @sunndust (hmu to be tagged!)
Masterlist | based on this request | requests are OPEN!
Geralt
He tries to stay away from you at first since destiny loves to fuck him over
But you’re just so nice
Finally he’s being treated like a normal person
Would never admit it out loud
Doesn’t try to impress you per se, but tries to show that he cares about you and might become very protective
Yennefer
Has one talk with you, becomes the Continent’s first suffragette
Loves you for being a feminist (if you aren’t, why are you reading this??)
Tries to impress you with magic
Would probably work (come on! PORTALS???)
Very possessive of you, even as a friend
Triss
Honestly, she doesn’t really think about impressing you at all
But she kinda does?
She’s just a super kind person in a super shitty world
If she actually does try to actively impress you, it’ll also be through magic
Just more wholesome opposed to Yen’s intimidating
Jaskier
Will write you a song
And a song about you
He’s a bard, so be prepared to be serenaded (it would probably work on me tbh)
Ofc super flirty
So happy that you treat his witcher friends as anyone else
Eskel
Internally screaming
AKJSDJFHASAJFJKHKJ SOMEONES TREATING ME WITH DECENCY???
Crushes so hard I’m not okay
Tries to impress you with absolutely everything
From fighting to good reading recommendations to leaving little gifts (especially the little gifts)
How could you not love this guy?
Coen
He just constantly hast to remind himself that you’re nice to witchers
And ofc he melts for it bc obviously (obviously being deep-rooted trauma and self-image issues, applying to all witchers)
Tries to impress you by teaching you how to fight
And showing off all the while
Means well, but very distracted
Lambert
He’s defensively aggressive from the get-go
And so startled when you’re just… normal to him
Has no idea how to act around you
He can’t just… be mean now???
So chaotic with trying to impress you
Starts tripping while showing off his sword skills
Vesemir
Super suspicious of you being nice to his boys (and him)
Yeah, he doesn’t trust you in the least
When he does start to like you, he tries to impress you with kind gestures
And by being a good listener (Vesemir = Kaer Morhen’s local therapist)
Also makes the boys respect you
#geralt#yennefer#jaskier#lambert#vesemir#coen#eskel#triss#netflix witcher#geralt x reader#geralt of rivia#geralt of rivia x reader#geralt x y/n#geralt x you#eskel x reader#eskel x you#eskel x y/n#jaskier x reader#yennefer x reader#lambert x reader
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It's time again to play...
I Can't Believe It's Not Fanon
otherwise known as:
Witcher facts that sound like Geraskier fic writers made them up, but that are, in fact, book canon. The subject of this post is...(drumroll please)
In fic, Geralt is often extremely, over the top, protective of Jaskier. Is this is a bit of an exaggeration invented to please Geraskier shippers?
Well, folks...
It is canon, my friends. And I think you guys are going to really like this one.
Geralt is especially protective of Jaskier/Dandelion, thinking of him first, even in war zones, and even when he has others to protect.
Now, to review, my previous post was about how Dandelion is protective of Geralt. I've written here how he mocks people who are bigoted against Geralt. I wrote here about how He puts his pride aside to take a job he doesn’t want to do because Geralt is hungry and gives him the equivalent of puppy eyes. He also withstands torture for Geralt and lies to his employer Dijsktra (essentially becoming Geralt’s spy rather than the other way around)
But now we're going to talk about:
Geralt as a Protector of Dandelion
When we think about Geralt being protective, we tend to think sword fights and bar brawls. And that is true, for sure. Geralt is absolutely fine with killing anyone who threatens someone he loves.
But it’s not just grand gestures and homicide, folks, it’s day - to - day devotion.
Geralt is a bit of a mom friend and considers it his job to protect Dandelion’s from his own trademark curiosity.
Dandelion has little restraint when he gets it into his head to examine, grab, question, taste, ANYTHING that he discovers. (I think Joey shows this very well in TWN when he’s in the Kaer Morhen lab sticking everything in his mouth!!) Everything fascinates him!
And this comes up a lot.
Once again Geralt quietly cursed the bard’s irrepressible curiosity.
Baptism of Fire Ch 2
and
Dandelion, who had never been able to reign in his curiosity, urged Pegasus on…
Baptism of Fire Ch 3
Geralt takes it upon himself to protect Dandelion from the effects of his unfettered passion and interest in the world. Here is a funny (to me) scene in Sword of Destiny. Dandelion insists on going with Geralt on this job to look for a sea monster. He’s hoping to see a mermaid.
They spot some underwater steps and immediately Dandelion wades out too far.
"...they are steps," Dandelion whispered in awe."
Uh oh. Geralt tries to warn him.
"Dandelion! That's a trench! You'll slip off!"
Dandelion dismisses him of course. He has already seen this new cool fuckin thing, and won’t be dissuaded.
"...See it's shallow here, barely waist deep...as wide as a ballroom.."
Until
"...Oh, bloody hell."
Yeah, that’s what I thought. Bloody hell. Geralt intervenes.
Geralt jumped very quickly into the water and grabbed the bard, who had fallen in up to his neck.
Dandelion, of course, isn't fazed. He just ignores it and prattles on about the pretty mollusks he's found. (Is Geralt still grabbing him?)
"...It's a pretty color don't you think? Grab it and shove it into your bag, mine's full already."
LOL he’s filled his bag with sea shit and expects Geralt to now take up space in his bag. Poor Geralt. He tries again.
"...Get back on the shelf this minute, Dandelion, this isn't a game."
I laughed when I read that. ...this minute, Dandelion. See, it's no wonder he's such a good dad to Ciri. He just acts like that all the time. Then, sea monsters come out of the water (like they do) and Geralt and Dandelion run away. But Dandelion...
"...suddenly stumbled and fell...Geralt caught him by the belt and hauled him out of the foam, now seething all around them."
Sword of Destiny pp 221-226
I just love that visual of Dandelion trying to keep his head above water and Geralt hauling him out by his belt. I picture him like a flailing yowling wet kitten being scruffed. But anyway, they drag each other out and Geralt lives to fight another day.
But not before Geralt says RUN DANDELION SAVE YOURSELF and Dandelion says NO I’M NOT LEAVING YOU.
That is a habit of theirs. You’re gonna see that a few more times in this post.
Dandelion’s physical safety is always in the back of Geralt's mind. He thinks of it when making any decisions.
In Baptism of Fire, when they are about to go into a scary forest with a whole company of friends, Geralt’s first thought is for Dandelion:
I’ll have to keep Dandelion on a short leash, and make sure he doesn’t touch anything. Particularly since there’s no shortage of plant life that likes to supplement its chlorophyll diet with morsels of meat, plants whose shoot are as deadly as a crab spiders venom when they come into contact with skin. And the gas of course…
Baptism of Fire Ch 7
I just picture Dandelion on a little short leash and I cackle.
Now, what about when Geralt has more people to take care of? Does he still think of Dandelion first before anything else? Yes.
In Baptism of Fire, Geralt is traveling with a company of friends (the dearly beloved hansa), Zoltan Chivay and his crew, war widows, and war orphans. (Don’t ask how he gets himself into these things...it’s usually bc his heart is squishy shh don’t tell him I said that)
But holy shit! What’s this??? Nilfgaardian troops appear out of nowhere! (Well, not nowhere, they are traveling through an active war zone). Shrieks from the refugees pierce the sky.
“Nilfgaaaaaard!”
Cavalry from the West! Nilfgaard are attacking! Every man for himself!
There is utter pandemonium. Milva (archer friend, love of my life) calls out to Geralt.
“Our horses!...Our horses, Witcher, follow me!”
Milva is the biggest horse girl in all of the saga (Geralt is merely a second rate horse enjoyer, world’s okayest horse dad next to her) and she’s like COME WITH ME.
Now, let’s look at what Geralt does. Let’s review. There are civilians. War widows. War orphans. Several other dear close friends. Horses. And what does Geralt do? Well, actually let’s start with what Dandelion does...you know, what he always does...shriek for Geralt.
“Geralt!” Dandelion shouted. “Save me!”
If there is one thing Dandelion will do every time he is in trouble, it is shriek for Geralt. Again, this is well represented in the show by Joey when he tells Yen: "You don't get to be the damsel in distress. That's my job." (I really wish I knew which lines were improv'ed bc I loved that one)
But ok, so back to the passage.
“The crowd separated them, scattered them like a great wave and carried Milva away in the blink of an eye. Geralt, gripping Dandelion by the collar, didn’t allow himself to be swept away...”
So. He didn’t think long about that one. He already has him by the collar when shit starts happening. Then Geralt tries to get his bearings but he can’t because:
The Witcher could no longer see anything, but neither did he have any time to watch since he was busy rescuing Dandelion, whose legs had been swept from under him again by a stampeding hog. When Geralt bent down to pick the poet up, a hay rack was thrown straight onto his back...
Ouch. Now he’s on the ground and Dandelion is up.
“Get up!” the troubadour yelled. “Get on your blasted feet!”
“I can’t,” the Witcher groaned...Save yourself. Dandelion.”
“I won’t leave you!”
Baptism of Fire 166-167
They are again, in the midst of danger, shouting vows to not leave the other. It’s their thing.
When Geralt comes across Dandelion in Sword of Destiny, he is fleeing the war and once again asking Geralt to deliver him.
"...Geralt, don't leave me here! I'll never survive by myself! Don't leave me!"
"You must be insane, Dandelion," 'the witcher said, leaning over the saddle. "you must be insane with fear, if you think I'd leave you. Give me your hand and jump up on the horse..."
Sword of Destiny p 368
So. They are just Like That.
Ok, onto the next dramatic Geralt rescue where he is so impressive and gallant in Dandelion’s defense it blows Cahir’s balls off. (Not literally. Also, if you’ve only seen TWN please forget everything you know about Cahir before proceeding. They are friends here).
Anyway, it’s near the end of Baptism of Fire, and the hansa is caught in the crossfire between Nilfgaard and Lyria. Dandelion is trying to get the Lyrian's attention to tell them they are on their side...ie...they are Nordlings, not Nilfgaardians (quick somebody hide Cahir). Someone shouts at him to get down. He...doesn’t listen.
The poet, as usual, rather than listen to the warning, wanted to know what it was all about. And right then, arrows whistled through the air...Two flew straight for Dandelion, but the Witcher already had his sword in his hand, leapt forward, and deflected both of them with swift blows.
“By the Great Sun,” Cahir grunted. “He deflected two arrows! Remarkable! I’ve never seen anything like it...”
Baptism of Fire 328
I mean COME ON. Gallantry. Can you hear me clapping and whooping? Geralt, buddy, you are magnificent.
There is SO MUCH MORE OF THIS. In fact, my first canon or fanon post was about him slaughtering a whole room full of people to rescue a kidnapped Dandelion.And I still haven't covered everything. I can only include so many examples. But you get the idea.
Ok, but you could say...he always defends Dandelion because he’s the most hopeless one. And Dandelion usually is the least warrior-y person around. But not always! Sometimes there are war refugees.
But more importantly, the thing is, we KNOW why Geralt saves him. The story tells us that it enrages Geralt when people harm Dandelion. It is his emotions. He just reacts. Here are two examples.
First example of Geralt feeling rage when Dandelion is harmed:
In this one, the people who harm Dandelion live (or more correctly do not live) to regret it. So, in Baptism of Fire (can you tell I just reread this one) Geralt and Dandelion are fleeing the noose (long story) and Geralt steals a horse.
"Jump on, Dandelion! And hold tight!"
They are fleeing soldiers but end up surrounded. Arrows start flying through the air. Dandelion has his arms around Geralt.
Dandelion yelled, this time very loudly indeed, and dug his fingers into Geralt's sides. The Witcher felt something warm dripping onto his neck.
"Hold on!" he shouted, catching the poet by his elbow and drawing him closer to his own back. "Hold on, Dandelion!"
They lose balance and both fall from the horse. Dandelion hits the ground.
The poet thudded onto the dirt and lay still, groaning pathetically. His head and left shoulder were covered in blood, which glistened black in the moonlight.
Geralt does not take this well. Like. At all.
The Witcher sprang up, feeling a wave of cold fury and hatred inside him. He jumped out to meet their pursuers, drawing the horsemen's attention away from Dandelion. But not because he wanted to sacrifice for his friend. He wanted to kill.
So Geralt felt a wave of cold fury and hatred. He sprung up, not to sacrifice himself because he had no intention of doing so. He was going to kill. And reader, he does exactly that. He kills them all.
Then when he gets Dandelion back to camp, Regis offers to help. Regis is a barber surgeon and can do field dressings. The only thing is, Geralt has just FINALLY realized that Regis is a vampire. So even though Regis has saved his life and been a fucking amazing friend, Geralt is a TAD TENSE. Also, he is still emotional from seeing Dandelion get hurt. So when Regis says the following:
"Your blood smells nice, poet."
Geralt does not react well to this.
At precisely that moment the Witcher did something Milva would never have expected. He walked over to the horse and drew a long Nilfgaardian sword from the scabbard fastened under the saddle flap.
"Move away from him" he snarled, standing over the barber surgeon.
Now, Regis meant that Dandelion's blood wasn't infected, and was also poking at Geralt (the way he does). But we do see Geralt becoming enraged in that scene when people harm or when (he thinks) they threaten Dandelion. He's like, get your blood licking vampire mouth away from my fave boy. (Never to worry, they do all make up with best boy Regis)
Here's the second example of the story telling us literally that Geralt feels rage when Dandelion is harmed.
In The Last Wish, we are told how Geralt feels when Toruviel breaks Dandelion’s lute. More specifically, we are told how Geralt feels when he sees Dandelion’s lips quiver.
Here is Dandelion's response to seeing his lute smashed.
The poet turned as white as death. His lips quivered.
The very next sentence after "His lips quivered." is this.
Geralt, feeling a cold fury rising up somewhere within him, drew Toruviel's eyes with his own.
Geralt doesn’t feels fury when Toruviel kicks him. He is calculating. Smart. But now that Dandelion's lips are quivering, it's cold fury time.
Next, we get typical Geralt ‘kill me, not him’ gallantry. Filavandrel comes in and informs them that he has to kill them. Geralt says:
"Spare him, at least," Geralt indicated Dandelion with his head. "No, not out of lofty mercy. Out of common sense. Nobody's going to ask after me, but they are going to take revenge for him."
I have to include the next part because it’s hilarious. (even though I’ve talked about it before). Filavandrel says...I can’t, because if I spare the poet, he’ll come back and avenge you.
So Geralt is having a ‘save yourself Dandelion’ moment, which as fucking always, Dandelion will. not. let. him. have.
"You can be sure of that!" Dandelion burst out, pale as death. "You can be sure, you son-of-a-bitch. Kill me too, because I promise otherwise, I'll set the world against you. You'll see what lice from a fur coat can do! We'll finish you off even if we have to level those mountains of yours to the ground! You can be sure of that!"
"How stupid you are, Dandelion," sighed the witcher.
The Last Wish, pp 190-200
But there is an even greater reason why Geralt defends Dandelion with such constancy and devotion. There is the single most important thing of all. Geralt tells us exactly what it is with his own words. So let’s let him tell us.
In the djinn story in The Last Wish, Geralt is in the tent with Chireadan explaining why he needs to get Yennefer to help Dandelion with his throat, and he says,
“…this only concerns Dandelion. He suffered at my side, in my presence. I didn’t manage to save him and I couldn’t help him. I’d sit on a scorpion with my bare backside if I knew it would help him.”
The Last Wish pg 236
Geralt values his friendship and appreciates his loyalty. Plain and simple.
And ultimately that is why Yennefer comes to value Dandelion too, despite the fact that he can be a complete nightmare. It is his sheer loyalty and steadfastness that wins her over. In Blood of Elves when she is explaining why she wants him to be safe, she says:
“...Do as I ask. I wouldn’t like anything bad to happen to you. I like you too much, owe you too much--”
“You’ve said that already. What do you owe me, Yennefer?”
The sorceress turned her head away, did not say anything for a while.
“You traveled with him,” she said finally. “Thanks to you he was not alone. You were a friend to him. You were with him.”
The bard lowered his eyes.
“He didn’t get much for it,” he muttered. “He didn’t get much from our friendship. He had little but trouble because of me. He constantly had to get me out of some scrape...help me...”
She leaned across the table, put her hand on his and squeezed it hard without saying anything. Her eyes held regret.
Blood of Elves, p37
The fact is, both Yennefer and Geralt have had long lives filled with people using them as tools. Exploiting them. Wanting to use their power in the service of things they don't care about or actively despise. They both have a metric shitton of trauma plus some serious self worth issues.
So what both of them need more than anything is someone who values, likes, and loves them simply for who they are. That is why they both end up as parents to Ciri. They both make the decision to fight for her. To fight for the chance to love her as a child, not as a Source or a Chosen One or anything else. They realize they need humanity and to embrace their inherent worth as people.
That is why Geralt loves Dandelion. That is why Yen grows to love him. That is why he fits right in.
Because in a continent full of people with agendas who are thirsty for power and don’t hesitate to try to use them or Ciri, Dandelion is just there because he loves them. That’s it and that’s all. And what is more important than that?
I would fight to defend that too.
#the witcher#geralt of rivia#jaskier#dandelion#geraskier#gerlion#the witcher books#canon or fanon#i can't believe it's not fanon
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Wasting in the Wings Preview Ch. 19
Because y'all have been patient for like 4 months. Just a few snippets from the next chapter. Suggestive on the last one, so take heed:
[It is very clear in this part of the story that they're just literally sleeping in the same bed, not sleeping together like sex:]
“You should know by now to close the door once we’re all in. You’ll let the warm air out,” she complained. “Hurry up and come to bed so we can arrange the covers.”
This was new territory. Jaskier paced closer uncertainly. He’d slept with Yennefer. With Geralt. But he’d not slept with them without Ciri in company. It felt odd without her, as if her comfort were the only reason they might all come together. The rules were different when Geralt lay with Yennefer. There was something there, he knew. He envied and respected it in silence.
“He’s slow to it,” Geralt grunted. “He spends half an hour getting undressed, distracting himself with his lyrics and books. You’ve seen him.”
-
“Geralt is so much like you,” Yennefer interrupted. She sighed, fingers stroking his face once more, a sort of melancholy fondness in her expression. “You have the same hesitation in your kiss, always thinking. You hold each other back.”
Jaskier blinked at her. His eyes widened, brow furrowed in confusion.
“What do you … what do you mean?”
-
Explicit beneath cut:
Yennefer added another finger and Jaskier whimpered. “Did you hear much from his exploits?” she asked curiously.
“Inn walls are thin,” Geralt replied. “Especially when he’s being fucked against them.”
“And when you press your ear to them to listen, cock in hand.”
“It’s never near enough.”
Jaskier reached a hand down to squeeze the base of his cock, wishing to hold himself back. “Fuck, Geralt, did you really? Were you listening?”
“Yes,” Geralt answered. “I like the sounds you make.”
Jaskier gave him another sound in thanks.
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The Viper: Rewritten
Chapter Five
Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Ch 6 - Ch 7
Jaskier x gn!Witcher!reader
AO3 - I recommend reading it there
Warnings: canon-typical violence (blood, gore, disturbing ways of killing people), angst, grief mention, swearing
Word Count: 2799
Masterlist
Tag List Form
“Viper!”
You shot up, dagger held out, ready to defend yourself. You were met with wide, blue eyes. Once your mind caught up, you sighed and dropped it back into your lap.
“Hurry up,” he breathed out urgently. “Eyck is missing and Hendrick, he’s… well…”
“He’s what, Jaskier?” You rubbed sleep from your eyes. Where the hell were you? Oh, yeah, that’s right. Jaskier slept in your bed last night and you slept sitting on the floor. No wonder your arse hurt like hell.
The bard sighed. “Someone killed him.”
Your eyes snapped up to meet his. There were no lies to be found in the sympathetic look he held. You pushed yourself up, rushing past him and out of your tent, to see for yourself what had become of your employer.
You burst through the tent flap, eyes wide and wild. Geralt was already there, kneeling by the Temerian man who lay dead in his cot, neck sliced open. The body was hours old - blood no longer poured from his neck, already cooled into a thick, dark ooze. The Wolf’s eyes found yours. They held just as much sympathy as Jaskier’s.
“Oh, fuck.” Yarpen came up by your side, keeping his distance from the pool of blood. It soaked through the soles of your boots. You didn’t care.
“Was bound to happen eventually.” You didn’t have to turn to know it was a Reaver talking. What was their ringleader’s name? Broheni? Bolbolm? Something Redanian, you knew that much. He stood just at the tent opening, peering inside with a forced grimace. His dark gaze turned from the corpse to you. “A Nilfgaardian guiding a Temerian?” He scoffed. “Like a rat fucking a hag.”
You ignored just how Yarpen stepped away from you, as though you were going to slit his throat open next.
-
“Our people used to mine these mountains. We know a shortcut that will take half a day off our journey.” The Reavers were far ahead by now. The rest left behind slowed down to listen to Yarpen. “Let the Reavers take the long way around. We’ll nab the treasure before they even set foot in the cave. We’ll watch each other’s backs until we reach the next peak, then every man for himself.”
Two bodies were found that morning. Yennefer’s escort, Sir Eyck of Denesle, and your employer’s, Hendrick of Temeria. Nobody else suspected Yennefer of killing Eyck. You, on the other hand…
All morning, you had trudged along far behind everyone else. Still, they glanced and peered over their shoulders to make sure you weren’t about to make a move against them. The only few who trusted you - Borch and his guards, Jaskier, and Geralt - could not sway the minds of the Reavers and Dwarves. Yennefer, you suspected, did not trust you for your title as a Nilfgaardian alone.
“What say ye?”
“Let’s go!” Borch answered.
“Only thing: that murderer can’t come,” Yarpen spat, glaring at you as he spoke to Geralt.
The White Wolf’s lips curled into an offended snarl, brow furrowed and eyes burning with a fire reserved only for monsters. But before he could say anything, your hand was on his shoulder, turning him away from the Dwarf to face you. The flaming eyes of the Witcher met with your own, gleaming with the warmth and comfort of an amber mead after a long day.
“I’ll meet you at the top.”
You both just stared at each other, as if speaking with your eyes. You were deadlocked once again, only this time it was not with blades.
If Geralt tried to insist you come along, he could be left behind, as well. It was pertinent to reach the top before the Reavers, who would not think twice about slaying the dragon. But doing nothing left you at a disadvantage. You would be forced to follow the Reavers.
The scowl faded from his lips.
“Fine.” The word was grit out between clenched teeth. Even as the group began moving, he lingered for a moment longer, searching your eyes to make sure this was alright. They gave nothing away.
The Dwarves led the way down a side route, Borch and his guards following close behind. You stood at the crossroads. Your path was to follow the Reavers, the group of arsehole dragon-killers who framed you for murder; there was nothing you could now do to prevent it. If you were lucky, you would be able to sneak ahead while they slept.
Jaskier stopped to stand by your side, watching as Geralt chased after Yennefer to bring her along on the shortcut. He sighed.
“Guess I’ll see you at the top, then? You don’t really have to come now that… Well…”
You scoffed softly. “I wouldn’t wish to pass up the opportunity of seeing a dragon.” You turned to look at him, nodding down the side path. “You best catch up before they leave you behind.”
He glanced over the hill the Reavers crested moments ago. “So should you.”
You lifted your hood. The dark cloth ghosted your face with shadows, hiding your eyes and making you appear more intimidating. The easy, almost playful, grin on your lips ruined the illusion. “Stay safe, Jaskier. I would hate to hear what treachery you encounter without me.”
He chuckled, calling after you as you began the trek down the main road. “I won’t leave anything out!”
“I hold you to that!”
And in moments, you disappeared over the hill, and Geralt returned with the Witch in tow.
-
The dragon was dead when you arrived. Long, slender neck and powerful body curled around her still unborn child. It made your soul ache. To see a creature so magical, so formidable, being protective over a life so small…
When you neared, Téa and Véa appeared from the shadows, weapons armed and prepared to cut you down. You could not even spare them a glance, far too entranced in the ‘monster’ behind them. You mindlessly removed your blades and tossed them to their feet as you whispered a promise not to touch the egg or they could kill you where you stood.
They watched, prepared to do just that, as you carefully rounded the egg and sat by her head. Her scales tingled with magic as you brushed her snout, but she was cold; she had been for a while now. The stench of rot tainted the air around her. You wished you did not know the smell as well as you did.
Your chest was tight with emotion. Not mourning, but a semblance of something like it. She did not just remind you of home, of Stuldweck protecting and caring for you as she did now for her egg, even in death. She reminded you of a home you once had. Of your own mother, and father, and that big old farm horse. Of the frogs, and the well, and stitching by the fire. Of that grand oak on the hill.
Through the haze of a long-lost life, you heard boots scuffing against loose dirt and hard stone. Rushing in, carrying all manner of mismatched weapons, were Reavers. They charged head first into battle. Geralt, the Zerrikanians, and the Witch, all defending the egg.
You could mourn later.
You carefully sidestepped the egg, keeping your eyes up on the fight as your hands reached down and grabbed your abandoned sheaths. Holding the hilts, you flicked your wrists, and the leather casings flew away, revealing curved blades laced with Basilisk venom.
Reavers charged for you, confident they could kill a Witcher trained for killing humans. They were wrong. You cut them down, one after the next. You almost didn’t think about it anymore. Your mind was solely focused on defending the egg and the dragon laying with it; you could not feel the tension against your arms as you plunged your weapons through flesh and muscle, nor their own weapons landing hits on you.
You were snapped back into the fight when a long blade from behind sliced through your armor and traced almost directly over an old scar. You had to grit your teeth to hold back the scream. You turned and caught the man in the temple. Your hilt touched his skull. Someone bodied you, forcing you to abandon the silver dagger in his head.
You stood from the blow, raising your dagger defensively. There, not even ten feet away, was the Reaver that taunted you. His deep, sunken eyes stared at you from within yellowed skin. Crooked teeth malformed into a crooked grin. In his hand was a heavy, two-handed war hammer.
He charged forward, closing the distance, and driving the spike of the hammer in an upward swing. You dodged back sharply. He struck again and again and again. A seemingly endless barrage of attacks.
He got in close, swinging for your chest. You couldn’t block it. The war hammer would shatter your wrists before ever slowing down. All you could do was dodge. He was counting on this.
He swung. The adrenaline in your veins clogged your judgement; you dodged the wrong way. The butt-end of the hammer slammed against your sternum, sending you careening toward the hard floor. You landed hard on your arm. Your ribs bent, a sharp prick shooting through your side. Lightning-hot fire shot up the cut in your back.
“It would be easier to lay down and die, wouldn’t it, Rat?”
You couldn’t stop. You only had a second to look up. His teeth grit together, flames alight in his dark irises. The war hammer was coming down on you, sharp end poised to puncture. You bit back a groan as you rolled out of the way, just in time for the spike to impale the floor instead.
“But you have to get up. You have to fight.”
He ripped the hammer out of the stone. You kicked his knee, forcing him to kneel as he grunted in pain. One handed, the other clutching his knee, he swung again.
“C’mon, Rat. Fight.”
A scream tore from your throat as you reached up to meet his hand with your dagger. It was your bad arm. White, searing hot shocks of pain ran all the way down your shoulder to your wrist. You gripped your dagger with enough force to break the skin of your knuckles as the blade connected with his wrist and sliced through it.
The hammer, still gripped in a disembodied fist, flew past your head and skidded across the cavern. He screamed. You took in a breath, preparing yourself, holding it in your chest. You forced yourself up and jabbed the steel into the hollow of his throat.
His whole body froze. Wide eyes reflected your disheveled state back at you. His tongue moved inside his gaped mouth, forming words without the oxygen to speak them. Blood soon flooded it, pouring from the corners of his down-turned lips and into your lap.
The blade crunched and squished as you pulled it from the hollow. His expression was frozen. His body collapsed toward you, unable to stay upright any longer, before you shoved it to the side.
Waves of agony washed over you as the adrenaline fully left your system. Your hands trembled as you forced yourself to your feet. Nausea settled in your gut as the tight pain in your chest reached the forefront of your mind.
You were covered in blood. Most of it was his, you knew that much. You could taste the distinct, mutated flavor of copper on your tongue. Every breath was agony. But you could breathe, and that was worth something.
You scanned the room. The floor was littered with corpses. One was burnt; the closest to the egg. The egg…
You whipped around, much too quickly. Blood rushed to your head, your vision spinning with your mind. Rough, but surprisingly gentle, hands grabbed you. Their face came into focus before you could slash at them.
“Calm down,” Borch advised. The slight scratchiness of his voice, undertoned with knowledge and age, clicked immediately. He held you upright by your shoulders, waiting patiently as you shut your eyes and let the world catch up to you. “You have fought valiantly.”
You looked at him again. His face no longer blurred or warped. He smiled.
“Thank you for protecting her.”
You opened your mouth to speak, but could find no words. He seemed to understand, though, as he let you go. He turned back to the green dragon. His shoulders hunched, as if a heavy weight rested on his shoulders. You did not stay to watch.
Jaskier was the first one to greet you outside.
“Well, you look like shit.” You forced your eyes to focus on him. He was dirty and unkempt, watching his every step as to not walk on any of the many bodies strewn about. He was a welcome sight. His grin at his little joke fell when you did not react. “What’s wrong? What happened?” His hands floundered around, hovering over your arms and shoulders as he tried to figure out whose blood was where.
“I’ll tell you later.” Your voice was so quiet. You blamed it on exhaustion, but the ache in your chest was not purely from the war hammer.
His brows knit together in concern, but he nodded nonetheless. He made a motion, gesturing as he tried to find the words. “Uh, uhm, potion- Swallow. Do you have any…?”
You nodded. You lifted your arm, drawing his attention to the line of bottles along your belt. Your sheaths and silver blade were still discarded inside. You loathed the thought of having to go back for them, but you would not be leaving without them.
You tried to reach for one of the vials, but he stopped you when you winced. “Here, let me.” He didn’t touch you - as much as he could avoid it, anyway. Nimble fingers slipped it out of its holder, uncorked it, and held it out to you. You tossed back the strange liquid without hesitation.
-
“If life could give me one blessing, it would be to take you off my hands!”
The words echoed through the mountain valleys. Jaskier’s fingers rubbed together, itching for anything to fiddle with as the insults sank into his chest. His throat felt tight. His eyes burned. Someone he had considered a friend - someone he could trust, depend on - only thought of him as a burden, wreaking havoc on his life.
“You fucking bastard.” Geralt’s piercing gaze shifted from glaring at Jaskier to where you sat up on the hill. You grunted as you forced yourself to your feet. The potion was working - it didn’t hurt as much to breathe, and you could use your arm again, but you hadn’t had time to clean and bandage the cut along your back. For now, the blood was slowed down enough you weren’t immediately concerned about it. Loose pebbles and rocks shifted under your boots as you shuffled down them until you stood protectively in front of the bard. “No one asked you to claim the Law of Surprise, or make that wish with the djinn. You only have yourself to blame.”
The Wolf’s lips curled into a sneer. “If he hadn’t dragged me-”
You scoffed bitterly, stumbling the rest of the way down the hill to stand directly in front of Geralt. “No one forced you to go! Friend or not, you could have declined, you pompous git! You did this to yourself! No one else!” You stepped back. Despite your injuries, you stood with your shoulders squared, ready to fight. Your eyes burned into his own, daring him to test the waters. You would fight at a disadvantage to protect Jaskier, who he saved over and again just to throw away.
But Geralt’s shoulders fell. He averted his eyes, staring pointedly at the distant horizon. He would not be fighting you.
“Congratulations. Your blessing has been granted.” You stepped back, watching the Witcher to see if he would do anything. Instead of gearing up for an attack or trying to argue again, he just huffed and turned to gaze out at the view. The tension in your muscles faded, eyes losing the burning anger.
He was your last opportunity for a family. For brotherhood.
You turned your back to him and clambered back up the hill. Jaskier was speechless for once. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Geralt. You touched his shoulder, and blue eyes, wide and glossy, tore through you like a knife. You offered him a thin-lipped grin.
“C’mon, Jaskier.” You nudged him gently away from his old traveling companion. He glanced back once, before swallowing down his hurt and helping you climb. “If we’re lucky, we’ll be halfway down the mountain by nightfall.”
---
Tag List:
@writeawaythepain
@sleepyqueerenergy
@adozenforks
@plaguedoctorsnake
@solomonssimp
#fanfic#fanfiction#the witcher#the witcher fanfic#the witcher fanfiction#the witcher fic#jaskier x reader#jaskier#jaskier the bard#witcher jaskier#the witcher jaskier#geralt of rivia#geralt & reader#x reader#gender neutral reader#x gender neutral reader#gn reader#x gn reader#cross posted on ao3
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A little bit of magic, Ch 2
A Jaskel fic
Happy President’s Day, y’all! I had the day off, a good night’s sleep, childcare, and lo and behold the writing bug hit!
Dearest @firefly-party if you still yearn for Jaskel, I offer this with love! 💕 I may have had your artwork beside me for inspiration today… maaaaaaaybe this one in particular!
Part of a series on AO3!
—-
Eskel wasn’t sure how long they stood holding each other. Eventually, Jaskier began to hum a slow melody, and they swayed together under the mid-morning sun.
“Jaskier,” Eskel said softly.
“Hmm?” came Jaskier’s reply.
“I’d really like to kiss you some more,” Eskel said simply.
“Oh, good!” said Jaskier. “Where?”
Eskel burst into laughter and scooped Jaskier under the knees to carry him to the bedroll. Jaskier whooped gleefully.
Eskel laid him down and playfully nibbled at his ribs.
“Here,” he said, amidst Jaskier’s giggles.
Eskel quite enjoyed the feeling of Jaskier writhing beneath him, so he continued nibbling the ribs on Jaskier’s other side.
“Here, too,” he said.
Eskel pinched Jaskier’s bottom when it lifted from the ground, and laughed when he yipped. Gods it feels good to laugh in someone’s bed, he thought. He looked up at Jaskier in adoration and felt a wave of vibration wash over him as the look was returned.
“Come here, Eskel,” Jaskier beckoned with his arms open. “Lay down so I can fondle you properly.”
Eskel chuckled, nosing at the soft flesh under Jaskier’s bottom rib. “In a moment,” he said. He gave Jaskier a devious grin and gently drew the skin between his teeth to flick with his tongue. He was rewarded with a breathless Oh! and a ripple of gooseflesh all along Jaskier’s side. Eskel brushed his warm hand across it and felt Jaskier shiver in pleasure.
“I’m enjoying myself, you see,” continued Eskel, bending his head to leave a love bite.
Jaskier’s hand found its way to the back of Eskel’s head. “Well don’t tarry too long, my love. Eee! Oh gods! Actually, do that again!”
Eskel placed a meandering trail of kisses up Jaskier’s abdomen and chest, lingering whenever Jaskier gasped or squeaked.
“Are you sensitive here?” Eskel asked, dragging his tongue across one of Jaskier’s nipples.
“Mmmm, your mouth feels nice and warm,” Jaskier began. He paused, thinking.
“Hold on!” Jaskier gripped Eskel’s shoulders. “If you’re asking me that, is it because…”
Eskel winked at Jaskier.
“Oh ho ho ho ho! You are!” Jaskier exclaimed. “Eskel! Lay down this moment!” he ordered.
Eskel found himself being pulled down to the bedroll as Jaskier took charge. He was maneuvered onto his back with Jaskier straddling his thighs and holding his wrists above his head. This is a nice view, he thought.
“Now then, are we comfy?” asked Jaskier. Eskel gave Jaskier an amused smile and nodded.
“Gods, you’re adorable,” Jaskier said fondly, kissing Eskel’s nose. Another wave of vibration washed over Eskel, and he closed his eyes to enjoy it.
“My lips are eager to enjoy that broad chest of yours, but before I do, I want to know - how sensitive are you? Will I hurt you if I use my teeth?” Jaskier snapped his teeth together in demonstration. Eskel’s cock jumped. Jaskier smirked and said “I think I may know the answer.”
Eskel laughed, and responded. “You won’t hurt me, Jaskier. In fact, you’ll likely bring me to a quick finish.”
Jaskier’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Yes,” said Eskel. “I’ve been trained to feel every part of my body… to sense the world around me and react with precision. It has some… benefits.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Jasker, in awe.
Eskel felt Jaskier release one of his wrists, and watched him wet the pad of his thumb in his mouth. Jaskier kept his eyes fixed on Eskel’s as he reached down to brush the thumb across Eskel’s nipple. Eskel felt the skin tighten and grow firm. The air around him buzzed. He closed his eyes and sighed in pleasure.
“My body is humming with the energy you’re giving off,” Eskel whispered. “It won’t take me long to peak.”
“The energy I am giving off?” asked Jaskier, leaning in to kiss Eskel’s bottom lip. “You mean the vibrations?” he clarified, nuzzling Eskel’s jaw. Eskel hummed in agreement, as Jaskier made his way down Eskel’s neck. “Why do you think it’s coming from me and not from you?”
“I just sense that it’s coming from you,” Eskel said. “Your love feels a bit like magic.”
Jaskier stopped kissing him and sat up in astonishment. “My love feels like magic?”
“I think so,” said Eskel. “I’m more sensitive to chaos than most folks, and that’s what it feels like to me.”
He reached out for Jaskier’s hand, placed it against his chest, and covered it with his own.
“Try this,” Eskel directed. “Close your eyes, and draw on your storytelling gifts for a moment.” Jaskier closed his eyes. “Pretend that you’re sitting astride a horse, and it’s bringing you someplace unpleasant… perhaps, to visit an unkind relative.”
“I don’t need to pretend that,” Jaskier huffed.
“And I don’t feel any buzzing,” said Eskel. “Now open your eyes, and look at me.”
Jaskier opened his eyes.
“I love you,” Eskel said softly.
Tears welled in Jaskier’s eyes and the depths of his emotions were written clearly upon his face. Eskel felt heat radiating fromJaskier’s hand, and the air around him became charged with energy. It surrounded Eskel, who found himself humming in a tone to match the vibrations. He squeezed his eyes closed as he felt his pleasure growing, and his humming gave way to a loud moan as he crested the wave and shuddered through a powerful orgasm.
As he came back to himself, he took a few calming breaths before opening his eyes. Jaskier was gaping at him, mouth open and blinking in wonder. Eskel began to giggle, and then Jaskier began to giggle, and then they both laughed until they cried.
“What. Was. THAT!?” Jaskier squealed in glee.
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what does dandelion (jaskier) look like in the books?
(jaskier (buttercup) also translated as dandelion, marigold, larkspur, and lovage...)
this post is a third installment in my "witcher character descriptions in the books" series.
physical appearance
physical build
Bounds of Reason, Pt. III: Beside him, a slim man with a fanciful little plum hat pulled down over his eyes, adorned with a silver buckle and a long, twitching heron’s feather, was reclining, gently plucking the strings of a lute.
Eternal Flame, Pt. I: A slim man in a little plum hat with a white feather jumped aside like a scalded cat, and the flowerpot crashed onto the ground just in front of him, shattering into pieces.
Something More, Pt. VIII: He looked down. A slim man in a cherry jerkin and a little hat with an egret’s feather was jumping up and down and waving his arms on an abandoned cart loaded with cages which had been shoved off the highway.
dandelion is slimly built.
a good start to this post would be to remember that n*tflix is only one in a line of adaptations, and it's not the first where jaskier's appearance has not matched that of the books - from an interview in 2001 where sapkowski answered questions from fans, one fan explained all the reasons for why he did not agree with the hexer's casting for jaskier. in his opinion, zbigniew zamachowski was, quote...
Kaszycki Nestor: Next - troubadour, Jaskier - he is pretty, young, popular with women, he is athletic (jumping on the roof in "Blood of Elves" and entering through the window to find Geralt and Shani). And unfortunately Mr. Zamachowski, in my humble opinion, does not have all these features. I know that the film does not have to be a true reflection of the book, but please, have some limits! The stories are really of the best quality, I wish you further successes and I hope that the film will be released soon, staying true to what you really wrote.
sapkowski, of course, replied that it was not his fault because the adaptations are not his to meddle in:
AS: All comments - especially requests - are directed at the wrong address. After all, like all vain artists I consider my work the only creative material.
Sapkowski answers the questions of the active users of "Sapkowski Zone" (2001)
the fan is, of course, referring to this scene, which, to his credit, is indicative of a degree of dandelion's athleticism, likely gained over the years from escaping out bedroom windows of his various fiancees when their husbands arrived home:
Blood of Elves, Ch. 5: He slipped unseen into the garret, clambered out by the window vent, slid down by way of the gutter onto the roof of the library, and – nearly breaking his leg – jumped across onto the roof of the dissecting theatre. From there he got into the garden adjacent to the wall. Amidst the dense gooseberry bushes he found a hole which he himself had made bigger when a student. Beyond the hole lay the town of Oxenfurt. (...) He merged into the crowd, then quickly sneaked down the backstreets, dodging like a hare chased by hounds. (...) He climbed the ladder to the thatch and leaped onto the roof (...) Gripping the moss-covered roof tiles, he finally arrived at the window of the attic he was aiming for. An oil lamp was burning inside the little room. Perched precariously on the guttering, Dandelion knocked on the lead frames (...)
it's also worth mentioning that dandelion is able to pick up and swing around essi "little eye", who is like a sister to him. she is described as a young woman, not older than eighteen, and very slim.
A Little Sacrifice, Pt. III: "Ech, Puppet." Dandelion seized the girl around the waist, picked her up and spun her around so that her dress billowed around her.
although he does, i won't mention the part where dandelion picks up yennefer because it's spoilers for the very end of the saga and it's insinuated that he had help in doing so... but also for context, yennefer is "short, even in high heels" (the last wish) and "willowy, slender" (a shard of ice) so she, like essi, also likely doesn't weigh too much.
i'll also mention that dandelion sometimes exercises good judgement in quickly dodging or leaping aside when he needs to, but is not prone to bouts of athleticism or agility. he just seems... pretty average.
if you want more specifics, just think of a poet who spends half of his time writing, half of his time in brothels, half of his time in restaurants, and half of his time starving alongside an equally starving witcher. and none of his time at the gym :)
hair and eyes
Eternal Flame, Pt. IV: Tellico straightened up abruptly. His face’s features, still those of the Witcher, blurred and spread out, and his white hair curled and began to darken.
Note: The context for this scene is that Tellico (otherwise known as Dudu), a doppler (also known as mimic - a shapeshifting creature), has taken Geralt's form but is now taking Dandelion's, so the description here is of comparing Geralt's features to Dandelion's. White is the absence of color, so changing it to any color at all would have "darkened" it... though this passage was misleading before Season of Storms (which explicitly calls Dandelion blond) was published in 2013, and led many to believe Dandelion has dark hair.
however, he is also stated to have fair hair on his chin in the story following eternal flame, a little sacrifice:
A Little Sacrifice, Pt. III: The troubadour looked down at the ground and scratched his chin, which was covered in light, soft stubble (jasnym, miękkim zarostem). Drouhard, mouth gaping, moved closer.
i've also seen this translated as "peach fuzz".
and in the mentioned season of storms, he's blond:
Season of Storms, Ch. 4: (...) A dandy in a fanciful hat with an egret feather stuck into it, with shoulder-length blond hair curled with irons.
it's also mentioned in the original saga that his hair is long and curly:
Baptism of Fire, Ch. 2: As for Dandelion the dandy, he had already been mistaken a few times for an elf or half-elf, especially since he had started wearing his hair to his shoulders and occasionally used curling irons.
dandelion has shoulder-length hair blonde hair, which he often curls with irons.
Bounds of Reason, Pt. III: A pair of cheerful cornflower-blue (modre) eyes shone from under the bonnet, now shoved back on his head.
dandelion has blue eyes.
age
Blood of Elves, Ch. 5: "I know you’re almost forty, look almost thirty, think you’re just over twenty and act as though you’re barely ten."
Tower of the Swallow, Ch. 3: "You, Dandelion, are still not forty. Writing was drummed into you in the temple-cliff school with a cane in the butt when you were eight. Even if we assume that you have written rhymes ever since, you’ve served your mistress poetry no longer than thirty years."
dandelion is in his mid-to-late 30s during the saga and "looks" to be in his late 20s or early 30s.
and yes, he was at least in his 20s when he met geralt. here's why:
he is already a famous poet during the time in which he first met geralt in edge of the world:
Edge of the World, Pt. I: “Eh, famous witcher? Haven't you wondered why?”
“I have, famous poet. And I know why.”
he only became famous after studying for four years, then did a fifth year teaching, and had to gain fame over at least "several" more years of travelling:
Blood of Elves, Ch. 5: (...) considering he had studied there [at Oxenfurt] for four years, then had lectured for a year in the Faculty of Trouvereship and Poetry. The post of lecturer had been offered to him when he had passed his final exams with full marks, to the astonishment of professors with whom he had earned the reputation of lazybones, rake and idiot during his studies. Then, when, after several years of roaming around the country with his lute, his fame as a minstrel had spread far and wide, the Academy had taken great pains to have him visit and give guest lectures.
and he only "seriously" began poetry when he was nineteen:
Tower of the Swallow, Ch. 3: "(...) But I don’t have to assume, because you yourself have frequently said that you started seriously rhyming and composing melodies when you were nineteen, inspired by the love of Countess de Stael. That makes one less than twenty years of service, Dandelion."
though it's worth noting that shani, a medical student at oxenfurt, is seventeen years old and in her third year, and it's also referenced in other areas of the series that novices at aretuza also begin their schooling around 14 years of age, if dandelion began his schooling at oxenfurt when he was 14, the comment about him seriously beginning poetry at 19 would make no sense because he would have already graduated by then. so perhaps there are different starting ages for girls and boys?
it can be estimated that dandelion started his education at the academy of oxenfurt when he was 18-20 years of age, due to the specific reference that he seriously became involved with lady poetry when he was 19 years old.
i'll say 18, and adding 4 years to this, he would have been 22 when he graduated, and 23 as a lecturer. now let's say "several" is around 3 to 5 years of travelling. he would have been in his mid-to-late 20s by the time he became famous, and in his late 20s by the time he met geralt. (and if you indeed want to have him enrolled in oxenfurt at 14, he would still be in his mid-20s by the time he meets geralt).
"that doesn't make sense because of the amount of time that passed between the short stories and the saga—" and i'm telling you, it doesn't need to. i may write a longer post about dandelion as a litmus test for geralt's character development throughout the series at some time, but the fact of the matter is that sapkowski likely just forgot about dandelion's age being a plausible thing, because it mattered so little in relation to the actually important parts of his character.
clothing
buckle up, buttercup! i've decided to chronologically structure this section of the post because dandelion features a myriad of outfits throughout the saga and he's described as wearing something different almost every time we see him; however, there are also some steadfast articles of clothing of his, which i'll make note of at the end. but these are all the times in which i can remember his outfit being mentioned.
edge of the world, pt. i
They climbed onto the cart. The witcher stretched out comfortably on the straw. Dandelion, evidently afraid of getting his elegant green jerkin (kubrak) dirty, sat on the plank. Nettly clucked his tongue at the horses and the vehicle clattered along the beam-reinforced dyke.
the last wish, pt. vii
“That's all. And now…” Dandelion pulled himself up, brushed his
jerkin, adjusted his collar and fancy—if dirty—jabot (żabot). “…perhaps, gentlemen, you'd like to tell me the name of the best tavern in town and where it can be found.”
the voice of reason, pt. 5
A peal of laughter and the strumming of a lute resounded in the corridor and there, on the threshold of the library, stood Dandelion in a lilac jerkin with lace cuffs, his hat askew. The troubadour bowed exaggeratedly at the sight of Nenneke, the heron feather pinned to his hat sweeping the floor.
season of storms, ch. 4
Geralt didn’t know who he [the person who had intervened] was. But he knew perfectly well who the noble-looking man’s companion was. A dandy in a fanciful hat with an egret feather stuck into it, with shoulder-length blond hair curled with irons. Wearing a doublet the colour of red wine and a shirt with a lace ruffle. Along with his ever-present lute and with that ever-present insolent smile on his lips.
bounds of reason, pt. viii
Dandelion tried to trip Gar (, but ineffectively; Gar clung to the bard’s rainbow-hued jerkin (tęczowy kubrak) and thumped him between the eyes with his fist. Yarpen Zigrin, leaping from behind, tripped Dandelion, hitting him behind his knees with the haft of a hatchet.
eternal flame, pt. i, pt. iv
‘You don’t keep up with the fashion,’ the bard grimaced, brushing a chicken feather from his gleaming, cornflower-blue kaftan (chabrowego kaftana) with puffed sleeves and a serrated collar. ‘Oh, I’m glad we’ve met (...)’
‘Phew,’ sighed the bard, springing up, ‘I’ve got it. It’s fine, Geralt, we can go now. Admittedly my cloak with the marten collar is still there, but too bad, let it be my grievance. Knowing her she won’t throw the cloak down.
‘Dudu,’ he said to Dandelion’s strangely deformed cordovan boots sticking out of the rolled-up kilim. ‘Copy Biberveldt, and quickly.’
EDIT: note that the polish word kaftan does not refer to the same garment as it does in english, the long robe-like garment, but rather something like an elongated kubrak, (jerkin), reaching below the waist but coming up to above one's knee, long-sleeved or sleeveless. this was specified by @karanfile 💖 thank you!!
a little sacrifice, pt. ii
They had already sold Geralt’s gold signet for food, and an
alexandrite brooch the troubadour had once been given as a souvenir by one of his numerous paramours. Things were tight. But no, the Witcher was not angry with Dandelion.
something more, pt. viii
A slim man in a cherry jerkin and a little hat with an egret’s feather was jumping up and down and waving his arms on an abandoned cart loaded with cages which had been shoved off the highway.
blood of elves ch. 1
He got to his feet, fastened his belt and pulled on his jerkin, all the while looking at the nobleman standing at the threshold.
baptism of fire ch. 2
Dandelion dogged Zoltan's company. He wore a quilted jacket he had acquired from the dwarves, and he had replaced his crumpled feathered hat for a marten fur cap that made him look like a scoundrel. In his wide brass studded belt, he had planted a knife he'd been given as a gift, giving him the look of a true rogue. The knife had a bad habit of pricking him in the groin every time he bent forward. Fortunately, he soon lost the roguish dagger and didn't have another to replace it with.
it's worth mentioning that this outfit is likely what he wears for the next month during his travels with geralt through to tower of the swallow / early october.
baptism of fire ch. 5
dandelion is injured in an escape and has to have his head bandaged.
Geralt took off his jacket and tore off a sleeve. The tip of the arrow had scratched Dandelion’s ear, leaving a cut that reached to his temple.
‘I will give you a few stitches,’ Regis said, still not paying any attention to the witcher or his sword. ‘Be brave, Dandelion.’
Dandelion was brave.
‘I’m finished,’ Regis finished his treatment. ‘Between now and the wedding, as they say, you’ll heal. A wound is perfect for a poet, Dandelion. You will walk as a war hero with a big bandage on his head and the heart of the girls who look at you will melt like wax. Yes, truly a poetic wound. (...)’
baptism of fire ch. 7
Behind Regis and Geralt rode Dandelion on Pegasus with his head bandaged like a war hero. Along the way the poet had composed a heroic song, in which military rhymes and melodies resonated and was reminiscent of their recent adventures.
we don't hear anything about his bandage in tower of the swallow so i assume it healed over the course of the month of september
tower of the swallow ch. 3, 5, 7
in september 1267, dandelion has a leather tube of manuscripts which was the first draft of half a century of poetry.
‘From these notes’ – Dandelion showed them a tube filled with papers – ‘my life’s work will be created. Memoirs under the title Fifty Years of Poetry.’
Dandelion pressed the tube with the manuscripts to his chest. He had not separated from it recently, even for a moment. You could tell that he was struggling with his thoughts. And the thoughts were winning.
‘And just in time!’ Dandelion shouted, coming up together with Angouleme and a small group of pilgrims, lute in one hand and his trusty tube in the other. ‘And not a second too soon. You have a sense of drama, Geralt. You ought to write works for the theatre!’
he loses it in anna henrietta's closet sometime in april 1268 when he cheated on the duchess with baroness nique.
‘Dandelion!’ Geralt had only just noticed what he should have noticed much earlier. ‘Your priceless tube! Your centuries of poetry! The messenger didn’t have them. They were left in Toussaint!’
‘They were.’ The bard nodded indifferently. ‘In Little Weasel’s wardrobe, under a pile of dresses, knickers and corsets. And may they lie there forever.’
lady of the lake ch. 3
The man who greeted them was Dandelion, coiffured and arrayed like a prince.
lady of the lake ch. 4
He found Dandelion in the knights’ hall. The poet was wearing a crimson beret, as big as a loaf of sourdough rye bread, and a matching doublet richly embroidered with golden thread. He was sitting on a curule seat with his lute in his lap and reacting with careless nods to the compliments of the ladies and courtiers surrounding him.
lady of the lake ch. 11
‘You are free to go, Viscount.’
‘And my property?’ yelled Dandelion. ‘Eh? You can keep my chattels, copses, forests and castles, but give me back, sod the lot of you, my lute, my horse Pegasus, a hundred and forty talars and eighty halers, my raccoon (szopami) -lined cloak, my ring—’
A ducal messenger caught up with them almost at the very border of Toussaint, from where one could already see Gorgon Mountain. He was pulling behind him a saddled Pegasus and was carrying Dandelion’s lute, cloak and ring. He ignored the question about the one hundred and forty talars and eighty halers. He listened stony-faced to the bard’s request to give the duchess a kiss.
his hat
up until baptism of fire ch. 2 / mid-august of 1267, dandelion wears a plum hat with an egret or heron's feather, a sight which is iconic:
Geralt knew this little hat (kapelusik) and this feather, which were famed from the Buina to the Yaruga, known in manor houses, fortresses, inns, taverns and brothels. Particularly the brothels.
‘Dandelion!’
it's called a "bonnet" in the official english translations, but this is somewhat misleading as it is called "kapelusik" in polish, translating to "little hat" because it's just the diminutive of hat (kapelusz), likely indicating that it's a hat that is not a wide-brimmed hat.
"bonnet" is not completely out of line with the character, because it likely refers to a tudor bonnet (as opposed to, like, a milkmaid's bonnet), and at this point is just a feature of the translation. as you can read above dandelion also wore a large beret in toussaint, which is essentially what a tudor bonnet is without the brim.
in season of storms, it's clarified as to what shape and material dandelion's hat is made of, as geralt compares the hat of frans torquil, a constable of gors velen, to dandelion's:
The constable took off his hat and brushed needles and seeds from it. His headgear was of identical cut to Dandelion’s, only made of poorer quality felt. And instead of an egret’s feather it was decorated with a pheasant’s tail feather.
we can infer from this that dandelion's hat is made of a high-quality felt, and is like a hunter's cap (i've had this reference saved for a while)
though make note that his hat has an egret or a heron's feather:
his lute
dandelion received his lute as an apology from the elf toruviel who broke his previous one. her lute was a work of elven craftsmanship.
Edge of the World, Pt. VIII: “By the gods, Geralt.” Dandelion stopped playing, hugged the lute and touched it with his cheek. “This wood sings on its own! These strings are alive! What wonderful tonality! (...)” (...) laughed Dandilion, carefully turning the delicately engraved lute pegs.
Time of Contempt, Ch. 5: He removed a lute from the saddle’s pommel. It was a unique, magnificent instrument with a slender neck. This was a present from a she-elf, he recalled, stroking the inlaid wood. It might end up returning to the Elder Folk . . . Unless the dryads leave it by my dead body . . .
his horse
he has a horse during the events of the short stories, but during the massacre of cintra and the flight from the jaruga, this horse is stolen:
Something More, Pt. VIII: ‘What are you doing here, Dandelion? How did you get here?’
‘What am I doing?’ the bard yelled. ‘You want to know? I’m fleeing like everybody else, I was bumping along on that cart all day! Some whoreson stole my horse in the night! Geralt, I beg you, get me out of this hell! (...)’
in blood of elves, he's gotten a new bay gelding, and in time of contempt and baptism of fire it's revealed this horse is named pegasus.
Blood of Elves, Ch. 5: Dandelion smacked his lips at his bay gelding and rode on, making his way through the crowds roaming the streets.
Time of Contempt, Ch. 5: The ravine was sombre and damp, and the wet clay and carpet of rotten leaves lying on it muffled the thudding of his dark bay gelding’s hooves. He’d called the horse ‘Pegasus’. Pegasus walked slowly, head hanging down. He was one of those rare specimens of horse who could never care less.
Baptism of Fire, Ch. 5: She [Milva] first recovered Pegasus. The poet’s gelding was ignoring the kicks to the ribs and the cries of the peasant who was riding him. He would not gallop and walked among a birch grove sluggishly, lazy and slow. The peasant was left far behind the rest of the horse thieves. When he heard and saw Milva approaching from behind, he jumped off the horse (...) Milva (...) jumped into the saddle, ringing the lute strings strapped to the saddle. Familiar with the horse, she was able to force the gelding to a gallop. Or rather a sluggish run, which Pegasus considered a gallop.
tl;dr
his physical appearance: blonde, long-haired, curls hair with irons. blue-eyed. slim. looks to be in his late 20s, though he is mid-30s. ever-present insolent smile.
his usual outfits: jerkins and doublets in a vertiable rainbow of colors, including rainbow! his "basics" or undergarments worn underneath include shirts with lace cuffs and ruffles. he also has some jewelry and fur-lined cloaks.
his outfits change during the travels with geralt in august - september of 1267, and during his stay in toussaint in october 1267 - april 1268. see baptism of fire, lady of the lake sections for more.
his hat: plum hat with egret or heron's feather. see section. he doesn't have it after mid-august of 1267.
his lute: elvish. see section.
his horse: a lazy dark bay gelding named 'pegasus'.
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@coreofgold continued from here
"But is not. I mean, we all have afraid of something, being afraid means you're still human and not everyone is strong all the time" Sally told Jaskier with a nod. "I guess I'm getting stronger".
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Thank you @loki-is-my-kink-awakening for tagging me!
Rules: Pick five fragments from your unfinished WIPs and then tag five people to keep it going. Let’s have fun with it and help each other shape those fragments into published fics!
All of these are Witcher fic snippets, and I think the last count for WIPs was...close to 70...
Also, fun fact! The siren Jaskier fic was one of the very first I started for the fandom! And who knows when it'll be finished :D
1 - Subnautica AU Ch. 2
Could he even find out if the air was safe to breathe? Without trial and hopefully not error? He licked his dry lips, wincing when he found the crack and dried blood again, and swore under his breath at himself.
“Yen, can you run diagnostics on the atmosphere of this planet?”
“In order to run diagnostics of that kind, I’d need access to a particle counter, a moisture meter, an air flow monitor, a thermal imaging camera -”
Geralt growled as the voice went on in a dry tone, reaching up to rake his sweaty hair out of his face and swearing again when he hit his helmet instead.
2 - Arranged Marriage AU Ch. 1
Julia had certainly made a sight. The gown had suited her, lace and train and all. Her hair curled and pinned up, her lips a deep red, eyes a stunning blue. Eyes that hadn’t met his even once. Not when she walked down the aisle, not when they said their vows. Not when they shared a chaste kiss in front of the witnesses.
Her lips, deep red and brilliant, had been a thin line the entire wedding and reception. At least, Geralt thought while nursing his wine, he wasn’t the only one suffering.
3 - Siren Jaskier, one-shot
“A warrior.” Jaskier ran his hand up Geralt’s thigh and shifted beneath him. The tip of his tail flicked some water into the air, spraying it onto the other end of the nest. “How fearsome, brave, heroic. Geralt the witcher saving the world from big, scary monsters.”
“You make it sound ridiculous,” he snorted, tugging off his glove and tossing it towards his swords.
“Bet you make it look glorious. Beautiful.”
Geralt dropped the second glove right onto Jaskier’s face just to get him to stop.
4 - the ruin in me Ch. 4
Jaskier wasn’t strong enough for this.
It was day three, and he was sweating. Itching. He couldn’t think about work when his entire body was screaming at him, and despite knowing how pathetic it was he couldn’t think hard enough to care.
Work was slow. His cock was hard. And he couldn’t see the screen in front of him.
5 - Jaskel thing that I forgot about
Eskel had ever been an observer of people. As much as he loved to stay out of their way, sit in the corners of rooms and avoid the main roads, walk to the side and let people pass him by, he had ever been a watcher all the same. Studying the way people laughed, how their faces would turn in any number of emotions, what clothes they would wear and what it all meant to each and every person. There were times before Deirdre when he would sit and people watch just because he could, wondering what their lives might be like, tucking away the little bits of information he learned about them away in the back of his mind for no other reason than he found them interesting.
It had been only natural, then, that he watched the bard.
Tagging:
@jaskierswolf @geraltrogerericduhautebellegarde @dapandapod @damatris @fangirleaconmigo @luteandsword @kueble @kuripon and anyone else who wants to?
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