#tldr: jaskier gives his wolves the birthdays they deserve | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

jaskiersvalley · 4 years

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Hello! I am thus rudely intruding upon you with the thought that since birthdays and celebrating them with gift-giving is canon in the Witcher universe, it's not unreasonable to think that Jaskier would be inclined to note them and do something special for them, perhaps celebrate extravagantly -- while Geralt probably doesn't even know when his own birthday is. Just an angsty thought I had, hope you don't mind sharing my pain :D

Please do keep intruding upon my day with such wonderful ideas, Nonnie. This may have turned out a little less angsty than intended. Sorry about that!

After a while, Jaskier lost track of how many years he’d travelled with Geralt. They met up, had adventures and parted ways as it suited them. Sometimes it was days or weeks, other times it was months, maybe even years before their paths crossed. However, it was safe to say that Jaskier had spent all seasons bar winter with Geralt.

It was probably their fifteenth year together when Jaskier greeted Geralt with a cheery “have a good winter and birthday?” because logically, if Geralt hadn’t mentioned birthdays the rest of the year, it stood to reason he was a winter baby.

“Winter was cold.” Geralt replied and it was impossible to miss the fact he had side stepped the topic of birthday.

“What, did the other witchers not bake you a cake?” Jaskier was joking but looking at Geralt’s face he had a sinking feeling he was right.

“It wasn’t my birthday.” Which made no sense. If Geralt hadn’t mentioned his birthday in all their time together but he said it wasn’t his birthday over winter then when- “I don’t know when it is.”

It took all of Jaskier not to screech “what?!” at the revelation. He’d spent the last who knew how long swanning around and needling Geralt into treating him whenever it was his birthday, spending coin to lavish himself because it was a special day. He’d bemoaned the fact if nobody was going to spoil him on his special day then he was going to have to do it for himself.

Now, Jaskier felt guilt and the burning need to rectify that.

“Well, do you remember getting gifts? Or being celebrated?”

A scoff was his first answer but he kept watching Geralt until he was graced with a verbal reply. “You really thing witchers are celebrated? Or showered in gifts at any point?”

And that was how Jaskier’s heart broke. Because birthdays and their special meaning had been so ingrained into his childhood, he had assumed everyone had similar experiences.

“Not even as a child?” he asked softly.

“I don’t remember.” To make it worse, Geralt seemed like he didn’t care. As if this was perfectly normal to not have a birthday or people to celebrate with.

Almost hesitant to ask, Jaskier knew his next words were going to break him no matter the answer. “What about the other witchers, do they know theirs?”

“I don’t think so. Maybe Lambert, he likes to get absolutely smashed for no reason on the third day after summer solstice.”

Jaskier had been right, his heart was crumbling and crying out at the injustice that was called the life of a witcher.

“Right, well-” he clapped his hands, “-next winter, I’m coming home with you.”

If Geralt had thought he’d forgotten about the idea by winter, he was very much mistaken. Jaskier spent the whole year preparing. Trinkets, small gifts, things he’d seen Geralt’s eyes linger on or items that he thought would make a witcher smile, they all ended up hidden in his pack. By the time winter rolled round and they arrived at Kaer Morhen, Jaskier had two extra packs, he’d also stashed some of his spare clothes and items in the safe keeping of a friend so he could make sure he had everything.

Setting his plan into action wasn’t all too difficult. He commandeered the kitchen, raided the pantry, even got up early one morning and barred all the witchers from coming in. In fact, he banned them from the dining hall too. It made his job so much easier. While the cakes were baking, he could decorate. Jaskier put the slightly crushed silk flowers on the table along with candles, and an envelope with a card in it on top of a small pile of carefully wrapped gifts. He’d tried to put as much thought as he could into the gifts for each witcher, giving them each an identity and a sense of uniqueness rather than a generic pile of “this is what I thought a witcher might like”. So while Eskel’s gifts included a comb for his hair and oils to keep his saddle in peak condition, Lambert’s had a new pair of sturdy leather gloves and a premium shaving kit. Jaskier had even remembered to include Vesemir, found older tomes on the history of spells to go along with a soft throw that was both warm but could be folded up into a surprisingly small parcel for ease of travel.

FInally, there were four cakes ready, a candle in each of them, all decorated with a name. There was even a hand crafted party hat made from parchments Jaskier tore from one of his notebooks, the ties made of the finest ribbon he could find.

“Oh wolf pack!” He trilled from the door. “Come satiate your curiosity!”

Like the least subtle pack of starved wolves, the four of them rounded the corner, trying to look like they hadn’t been trying to take a peek. They poured into the dining hall and froze, looking at the banner hung haphazardly declaring “Happy Birthday!”. Casting furtive glances at each other, they zeroed in on the table and Jaskier waited with baited breath.

“Go on. Find your name.”

There was hesitation from the witchers and suspicion. They approached their own little piles, not trusting whatever was going on. Even Geralt, who had known Jaskier for so long, looked hesitant.

“Happy birthday, my wolves. Blow your candles out and make a wish.”

It was Eskel who did it first, the most trusting of the lot and he sat down, curiosity getting the better of him. Given that his name was on the envelope before him, he picked it up and pulled the card out. Nobody expected him to read the card, face going through a subtle shift before he was pushing away from the bench and striding over to Jaskier, pulling him into a bear hug. That was what helped the others lurch into action. They each pulled their cards and read the message and birthday wishes Jaskier had left them.

Upon reading his, Lambert got up and stalked into the kitchen. There was the sound of a thump and he emerged three minutes later with watery eyes. He took one look at the table, at Jaskier and turned again, unable to cope with it all. It took him a further ten minutes before he slunk back in and settled by his gifts.

In that time, Jaskier watched Vesemir with thinly veiled interest. The oldest witcher seemed utterly unperturbed. He nodded once at Jaskier after reading his card. It seemed he was utterly unaffected by the whole thing, taking it in stride. However, the modest pile of gifts seemed to disappear piece by piece. Never when anyone was watching, like a starved wolf he snatched the closest one and opened it under the table, out of sight of everyone else. Each small treasure was then whisked away, hidden in his robes and out of sight as though it had never been there.

Quietly, Geralt had tugged Jaskier down next to him. He hadn’t touched any of his gifts though he had swiped his finger through the icing on his cake and tasted it with an appreciative hum. And then went back for more.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

“Don’t thank me until you see what I’ve gotten you. You might hate them all.” Jaskier tried to play it off with a joke but his heart was bursting with love as he watched Lambert croon over the new coin pouch he’d just unveiled.

“Thanks for those too. But thank you for this. For making them so happy.” Geralt looked at Jaskier at long last. “I don’t think they’ve ever smiled this much.”

Meeting the steady gaze, Jaskier beamed, “Best get used to it. You’re all my winter birthday boys now.”

He was already making plans for the following year, plotting ways to make it even better for his wolves.

#geraskier #geralt of rivia #jaskier #eskel #lambert #vesemir #witcher wolf pack #tldr: jaskier gives his wolves the birthdays they deserve

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