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watch-that-writer-burnnn · 1 year

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Would you care to dance, my dear?

Pairing: Jaskier x female reader

Summary: Jaskier has been invited to perform at a ball and has convinced the reader to attend with him, but she is uncomfortable - that is, until she sneaks into the garden for some air and Jaskier notices and joins her.

Words: 2.6K

Warnings: lots of fluff, reader implied to be female, close friends to lovers, lots of hugs and singing from the bard, mutual pining, reader has a lot of thoughts at the start but I promise there is heaps of soft bard fluff after!

A/n: So I was thinking about the lack of Jaskier fics with a demisexual reader, and came up with this. It certainly doesn't have to be read that way, but it was in the back of my mind when I was writing. The song lyrics are from Fair by The Amazing Devil, it's a beautiful song you should all go listen to. As always it's unedited, so apologies for errors. Hope you enjoy!

You hunched slightly in your seat as your surroundings continued to encroach on you. Loud chatter and laughter, the clinking of glasses, expensive shoes tapping against tiles, figures brushing past you on their way to the ballroom floor.

No one had asked you to dance yet, thank the gods. You were sure it had something to do with your miserable expression and the men's pants and doublet you wore, in stark contrast to the elaborate gowns and hairstyles of the other women in the room.

The night was only made more tolerable, of course, by your companion, Jaskier. An excellent bard, and your best friend, he'd asked you to accompany him to the party at which he'd been invited to perform. You were reluctant at first, preferring the quiet comfort of a tavern or a night under the stars, but he'd seemed so disappointed by your initial refusal, staring at you with those sad blue eyes until you finally caved. The clothing was another issue, as you owned nothing formal, hated dresses in fact, but he gladly lent you one of his simpler outfits, insisting you'd look wonderful in anything. You'd scoffed at his words, but were appreciative of his consideration for your comfort.

He danced about the room, strumming a playful tune on his lute, grinning from ear to ear as he winked at various party goers. You rolled your eyes, unable to help a smirk as you watched. Ever the performer, it wasn't only his music, but his whole manner that served to entertain the guests. He always looked beautiful in this setting, radiating happiness, thoroughly in his element. His blue doublet was open, the low cut shirt beneath revealing a smattering of hair on his chest, which heaved as he sung. His boyish fringe was swept across his face, which seemed almost sculpted, the golden glow of the many candles in the room accentuating his delicate features. Then there were his eyes. You loved his eyes, a mesmerising blue, always seeming to convey such an unbelievable level of meaning and emotion, drawing you in the longer you looked.

Noticing you staring his way, he gladly returned the smile you didn't realise you'd given him, his eyes seeming to light up even more upon meeting yours. You gave him an encouraging nod, and he grinned, launching into another song. At least he wouldn't feel guilty for dragging you along if you pretended to be enjoying yourself.

As the night dragged on, you found it harder to maintain your false appearance of positivity. You fiddled with the undoubtedly expensive food on your plate, unsure exactly of what it was and unwilling to find out. You had rejected a couple of young men who'd offered you dances, finding yourself as completely uninterested as usual, instead mumbling apologies and excuses about a sore leg. As the guests became louder, drunker, rowdier, you finally stood abruptly, in dire need of fresh air. You threw a final glance in the direction of the bard, who was currently preoccupied with entertaining a gaggle of young women with what was most likely some dramatic tale of dreamy lovers. He shouldn't notice if you stepped outside for a few minutes. Taking a deep breath, you wove your way towards the large double doors leading to the gardens beyond.

***

Taking deep breaths of fresh air, you wandered between rows of brightly coloured flowers, running your fingers through the petals as their sweet scents brushed across your nose. You manoeuvred between carefully trimmed hedges until you reached a low marbled bench, placed before an intricately carved fountain with mythical figures intertwined beneath the rippling water. Sitting down with a sigh, you ran your fingers through your messy hair, a nervous habit you'd never quite managed to shake. You didn't know why you were so averse to these kinds of gatherings. The people? The clothes? The food? Maybe it was just the atmosphere, the fake smiles, the superficial laughter, the whispered barbs whenever someone turned their back.

Or maybe you were just paranoid. Maybe all these people really were enjoying themselves. Maybe you should be too - you were, after all, invited as a guest, arriving with your dearest friend, a man for who many here would give a great deal in order to take your place at his side. Many of the women he'd thrown nonchalant winks and smiles at tonight would be jealous of a relationship which doesn't actually exist, like many others who'd assumed the pair of you to be lovers simply by observing your innate closeness. You'd never understand the way all those women could so quickly fall for him, for anyone, really. He'd often encouraged it, of course - less so now, you'd noticed, but certainly when you'd first met. He seemed to fall in love with everyone, and they always seemed immediately infatuated with him in return. While his reputation wasn't as extensive as he'd have people believe, he had a reputation nonetheless. Still, it was something you hadn't even considered when you'd first met, and Jaskier seemed just as glad of your friendship as he would have been had you sought something more.

Of course, you'd be lying if you said you hadn't grown to find him quite attractive, beautiful in spirit and appearance, with a kind, empathetic soul. You found your thoughts drifting, lulled into a daze by the soft trickle of water from the fountain and the distant chirping of night insects. You really loved him, that much you knew. He was your constant companion, your closest friend, your bard. But recently you couldn't help but find yourself wondering if he could be... not something more, that implied your friendship was of far less significance than it was, but... something different. Why now? You'd been friends for years. Why couldn't you have had these feelings and acted on them from the start? Or why couldn't they have just stayed away completely? You groaned, frustrated with your own thoughts, placing your head in your hands.

"Are you alright?"

You turned at the voice, which was deep, melodic, instantly recognisable, and laced with concern.

Jaskier stood uncertainly behind you, absentmindedly fiddling with the strap of his lute, pouting thoughtfully as he awaited your response.

"Oh I'm... I'm fine, Jask. Sorry, I didn't mean to distract you from your performance-"

"You've nothing to be sorry about, my dear," he insisted, moving to take a seat at your side, resting his lute carefully on the bench beside him. You sat in silence for a moment, the soft sounds of the night filling the air, before he spoke again.

"If anyone should be sorry, it's me. I know you hate these sorts of things, I..." He looked down, tugging at the frilly cuffs of his shirt. "It was selfish of me to drag you along."

"Don't be ridiculous, Jask. I agreed to come, didn't I? I liked the idea of spending the night with you," you felt your face redden at the poor choice of words, but chose to stumble forwards over your mistake, "I- it's a nice evening, and..." you reached down beside you, grasping one of his hands in your own. "... And I really am glad to be here with you."

He met your eyes as the corner of his mouth quirked up in a cheeky smile that slowly spread across his entire face. It was infectious, and you quickly found yourself beaming back.

"I'm happy to hear it, dear heart," he said, before shuffling closer, leaning in to rest his head on your shoulder. His fluffy hair, which shone a golden brown in the moonlight, brushed against your neck and chin, making you laugh as he squirmed about, trying to find a comfortable position.

"Are you going to wriggle around like that all night?" You teased. "Don't you have a performance you need to get back to?"

"Everything I need is right here," he murmured against your neck, voice far more gravelly than you'd expected, his hot breath sending goosebumps across your skin. That was... That was new. You hesitated a second, before leaning back against him, the warmth of his partially exposed chest pressing into your shoulder as you rested your head against his.

"Can we just... Stay like this a while?" He breathed, eyes fluttering shut.

"Of course," you murmured back, closing your own eyes.

You enjoyed each other's silent company and the warmth of your bodies pressed together as the moon crept higher in the sky. Absentmindedly, you fiddled with his fingers, lacing them between your own. Reaching up with your other hand, you ran your fingers through his hair, drawing what sounded almost like a low moan from the bard, which was quickly interrupted by a cough as he stood abruptly.

"What's wrong?" You asked, staring up at him, causing your breath to hitch in your throat. Gods, you didn't know how he could have looked any more beautiful than before, but he did. The night cast shadows across his pale skin, accentuating his delicately sculpted features with a soft blue glow. His eyes seemed to burn with energy as they stared back into your own, and you noticed a deep red glowing through parts of his ruffled hair in the light of the moon. His doublet was crumpled from where he'd leant against you, and the low cut shirt beneath was pulled far to one side, revealing a teasingly large amount of his chest. You forced yourself to tear your eyes away as he responded.

"Oh, it's... It's nothing. I... Do you... That is..." He stopped for a second, composing himself, before his face lit up, seeming to have thought of something. An embarrassed smile broke through his features as he walked up to you, placing one hand behind his back and outstretching the other towards you.

"Would you care to dance, my dear?"

Heart pounding in your chest, you smiled, before reaching up to take his hand.

"I- I would love to, my sweet bard."

He let out a nervous laugh of relief at your response, stepping back as you rose from your seat, eyes locked on each other. His fingers, calloused from years of music, tenderly grasped your own, before his hands slid down your sides to find purchase at your waist, while you placed your arms either side of his head. You held your breath, the contact making you shiver, your heart fluttering in your chest.

What is wrong with me? It's not like this is the first time we've been this close. We've shared a horse, a bed, even danced together a couple of times at village fairs. Why should this be any different?

Too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice your lack of composure, Jaskier confidently led you around the small patch of ground hidden between hedges, your own natural dance floor, with the sighing wind, bubbling water and singing crickets providing the music. He absentmindedly bit his lip as his mind swirled, heart thumping just as fast as yours.

Why am I doing this? Of course we're close, we always have been, but this is different and I know it. I'm an idiot, a hopeful idiot. She's never been interested in me, and, as much as it wounds me, I promised myself to never let my feelings get in the way of our friendship. Promised to never tell her just how deeply in love with her I am.

Jaskier pushed his troubled thoughts aside. He wanted to enjoy this moment, and wanted you to as well. Besides, maybe he could find out, once and for all, how you truly felt about him. Or at least, ease his aching heart by finally revealing his own feelings, regardless of your response.

Taking a deep breath, steadying his trembling body, he slowly leant towards you, until his lips barely brushed your ear. A pleasant warmth shot through your stomach at his unexpected touch, and you closed your eyes with a hum of contentment, welcoming his body as your arms pulled him closer.

Softly, he began to sing as the pair of you continued to sway in the moonlight, words raw and full of pure, unbridled emotion as he murmured them into your ear.

"It's what my heart just yearns to say, in ways that can't be said..."

You tightened your grip, clinging to him in silent awe as he continued the song, each new lyric causing heat to rise to your skin in the cool night air.

"Oh, how, oh, how unreasonably in love I am with everything you do, I'll spend my days so close to you, 'cause if I'm standing here, maybe everyone will think I'm alright."

You'd stopped moving now, not daring to pull away, confused by the tide of emotions flooding your mind. What was this song? You'd never heard it before, but it seemed to come straight from the heart. Was it possible...

"It's not fair, it's not fair how much I love you"

At these words, something clicked. You kicked yourself for not realising sooner. How could you be so blind? Forget your own emotions, you knew you hadn't always been in love with Jaskier. But him? He'd been infatuated with you from the start. Yet he'd kept quiet about his feelings, until he knew they were reciprocated. Your poor, kind, beautiful bard.

You closed what little distance was left between you two, burying your head into his chest. His voice trailed off as he gently slid his hands further around your waist, returning the embrace. He gave a deep sigh, hugging you as though he never wanted to let you go, nestling his head against your neck.

Eventually, you felt his lips brush your jaw as you pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, shining eyes filled with adoration, an expression of deep satisfaction resting on his face.

"That was... That was..." He breathed, fingers gently trailing across your back.

"It was beautiful," you finished, fingers twirling the fluffy brown curls at the back of his neck.

"I'm glad you liked it," he said softly, a half smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, as his eyes flitted across your features, eventually dropping to your lips.

"This feels too good to be true..." He mumbled, closing his eyes as he gently brought his lips forward to brush yours.

"Yet here we are," you whispered against his mouth, before finally pressing your lips into his own with a sigh.

He kissed you carefully, deliberately, the heat of your bodies pressed so close together serving only to fuel the motion. You slid your hands up the back of his shirt and he moaned into your mouth, sending another wave of warmth through your body. You allowed him to deepen the kiss, his tongue lapping and darting into your mouth as he made a series of small, pleasured noises, whimpering and gasping as you continued playing with his hair.

When you finally seperated, you were both breathing heavily, hearts pounding. Jaskier's appearance made you weak, as you examined his lust darkened eyes, the soft blush creeping across his cheeks, and his puffy, crimson lips. He looked so ruffled, like a startled baby animal, that you couldn't help but giggle. You moved to rest your forehead against him, his eyelashes briefly kissing your cheek as he moved to wrap his arms around your waist.

"I love you, Jaskier," you said, running your thumb across his cheek, causing him to hum softly at the touch. You hesitated, grinning, before adding, "thanks for waiting for me."

"Of course, dear heart," he said, cheeky smile once again tugging at the corner of his mouth, before adding more seriously, "You're more important to me than you could ever know."

"I think I have some idea," you smirked, grabbing him by his shirt collar and pulling his lips into your smile.

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watch-that-writer-burnnn · 2 years

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hi, i've read a lot of your fics [and recently took over the writing aspect of my friends account - this one] and i was wondering if i could get permission to write a fic based on/inspired by your recent work? i'd tag you and credit of course.

Sure, no problem! Thanks for asking.

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watch-that-writer-burnnn · 2 years

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Keeping You Warm

Pairing: Jaskier x reader

Summary: Sad bard turns up soaking on reader's doorstep during a storm, so they offer to give him a bath to warm him up. Comfort and cute bath fluff ensues

Warnings: fluff, fluff, fluff! Nothing explicit but it does get a bit steamy... Maybe a little angst but not really.

Words: 2159

A/N: I wrote this ages ago but forgot to post it. Hope you enjoy!

He was the last person you'd expected to see tonight, especially not looking like this. Dripping wet, brown fringe plastered onto his delicate face, soft blue eyes staring sadly down at you. He shivered, numb fingers trying in vain to hold his soaked doublet closed across his chest, which was heaving with ragged breaths of exhaled steam.

Behind him, rain mercilessly tore up the muddy ground, the light from the lantern by the front door casting odd shadows on the shimmering ground.

A puddle formed on your doorstep as you stared in disbelief at your old friend.

"Jaskier? What are you doing here?"

He attempted a smile, opening his mouth to respond, but was suddenly overtaken by a coughing fit, doubling over. You rushed forward, reaching for his shoulder and guiding him inside, pulling the door shut behind you.

"S-sorry..." he muttered shakily. He managed a smile as his eyes met yours. "It's good to see you."

You beamed back at him.

"It's good to see you too, Jask." You threw your arms around him, squeezing him tightly as he wrapped his own arms around you, firm hands pressing into your back. You relaxed in his embrace, smiling into his shoulder. He really was soaked, and the brush of his fingers through your shirt felt like ice. You finally pulled back.

"What the hell were you thinking, being out in that storm? You could have frozen to death!"

"Yeah, I know. I just... Needed to see you. And my weather forecasting skills are unfortunately lacking."

You sighed. "Well, at least you're here now. Come on, let's get you warmed up."

You pressed a kiss to his cheek, the warm touch of your lips making him blush slightly, obvious against his cold, paled skin, and led him by the hand towards your crackling fireplace.

"We'll get you out of those wet clothes, and then run you a bath," you said, looking him up and down to determine which of your garments would best fit him.

"So keen to get me undressed?" he smirked. You punched his arm.

"Don't flatter yourself," you winked.

"You'll freeze to death if you stay in those soaked clothes."

You turned to leave the room, but Jaskier quickly reached out and took your hand in his own, pulling you back and staring deep into your eyes.

"Thank you," he said, rubbing his thumb absentmindedly against your fingers, traces of playfulness wiped from his face, replaced with a genuine appreciation for your actions.

You swallowed.

"You're welcome, dear heart," you whispered.

***

You returned with a blanket just as Jaskier was pulling off his shirt. His doublet was neatly folded over the back of a chair by the fire, and his boots lay discarded on the floor. You approached the shirtless bard, eyeing his exposed form. He was still quite skinny and slender, skin soft and chest covered in a thick coat of dark hair, but he appeared fitter now, more muscular.

"Here. Wear this until the bath is ready," you smiled encouragingly, moving towards him with the large blanket outstretched and indicating a chair nearby. He sat, and you leaned in to wrap the blanket around his still shivering form, feeling his warm breath on your face as you pulled it over his bare shoulders. He wriggled cutely in the chair, getting comfy, his movements prompting you to giggle.

"What is it?" he asked, oblivious to the effect he had on you. In response you simply leaned closer to him, resting your forehead against his. You both closed your eyes, and he sighed at your touch.

"I've missed you so much, Jask," you whispered, bringing a hand up to cup his cheek.

"I didn't realise how much I needed you in my life until you left," you admitted.

"Don't worry, love. I'm not going anywhere," he said, voice a low rumble. You made the mistake of opening your eyes, and were met with an intense electric blue gaze, which was locked on your own. Your eyes flicked down to his party open lips, tantalisingly close, and suddenly you kissed him, quickly, strongly and filled with longing.

Then you came to your senses - you'd just kissed your best friend. The two of you had always been close, but this was something different.

"Oh. Oh god, Jaskier, I'm so sorry, I don't know what I-"

He silenced you with a passionate kiss of his own, letting the blanket fall away as he pulled you closer with an arm around your waist and a hand on the back of your head. He moaned into your lips, eventually pulling away.

"You've got no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he smiled, brushing his fingers along your cheek.

"Me too," you whispered, pulling him closer, warm lips back on your own.

***

Jaskier sank beneath the steaming water, groaning with relief as the weight was taken off his aching muscles. He sank down lower beneath the bubbles, closing his eyes and sighing.

"Just how long were you riding to get here, Jask?" you asked, turned away from him as you gathered a collection of soaps and scents from around the room.

"Oh, I don't know. A week? Two weeks? Don't worry about it."

You spun around, brow creased with concern.

"Don't worry? You were alone, without protection, on the road for two weeks. For what? To see me? I'm not worth the risk, Jask. You should have waited for Geralt."

"He was... busy, and like I said, I needed to see you - and you are absolutely worth the risk, dear heart." He did his best to look sweet, pouting and staring right at you with his intoxicating blue eyes. It worked.

You shook your head, unable to mask your smile as you moved over to the bath, setting the soaps down on a nearby table. You smeared shampoo onto your hands and moved closer to the bard.

"What- what are you doing?"

He pulled back as you reached towards him.

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm washing your hair."

He glanced uncertainly at you, swallowing nervously.

"It's alright, really. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just go take care of yourself. Besides, the greasy look rather suits me, don't you thi-"

You swiftly leaned in, kissing him gently.

"I knew that would shut you up," you smirked. "Now, please," you whispered, "let me look after you for once."

He nodded slowly, and you kissed him again, before pulling away to sit on a stool positioned behind him. He gratefully sank back against the edge of the bath as you buried your hands in his soft brown hair, massaging in the soap. Jaskier hummed in satisfaction as you rubbed your hands against his scalp, forming a foamy layer over his hair.

He began to sing softly, occasionally sighing deeply as you passed your fingers through his hair. You poured warm water over his head to rinse the soap through.

"How does that feel, love?"

"It's wonderful. Thank you." he reached behind him to grab your wrist, pulling it around and placing a soft kiss on your hand.

You wrapped your other arm around him, one either side of his head, and leaned forward, burying your face in his shoulder from behind as you slid your hands down onto his partially submerged chest.

He hummed as you rubbed his chest, stroking a finger along his collarbone and enjoying the soft hair beneath your fingertips. You began kissing his neck, pressing your lips into the hot, sensitive skin and drawing a series of whimpers and little moans from the bard. He tilted his head, exposing more of his neck as you continued.

"Don't stop," he begged softly as you began to pull away.

"Patience, love." You shuffled your chair around to the side of the tub, before reaching towards Jaskier, turning his head to face yours. He groaned as your lips collided once more. You slid a hand behind his head, pulling him into you, and squeezed his shoulder with the other. His tongue darted greedily into your mouth, and you moaned. When you finally separated, he kept his eyes closed, lips parted, savouring the memory of your touch.

You stroked his face and he smiled, slowly opening his eyes. "We should do that again sometime," he sighed.

"How about now?"

***

Jaskier had finished his bath, which included lots of kissing, and even more touching. Now that your feelings were out in the open, Jaskier couldn't seem to keep his hands off you, rubbing your back, stroking your face, tracing his fingers - or lips - along your arm. You'd insisted on taking care of him, washing him with plenty of soaps and scents, gently massaging the mixtures into his soft skin as he hummed happily, eyes closed. As reluctant as he was to have someone take care of him for a change, he clearly enjoyed it.

Now, you were cuddled up in bed, beneath heaped blankets, bodies pressed tightly together. Jaskier lay almost on top of you, one leg thrown across your thighs, his bare chest pressed against you and his arms wrapped around you in a tight embrace.

He pressed a kiss to your forehead.

"Thank you, love."

"For what?"

He hesitated, pouting, searching for the right words.

"For caring. I don't usually... Well, not many do. Care about me, that is."

You sighed sadly, and kissed him gently.

"You deserve to be cared for, Jask. More than anyone I know. I see the way you spend so long looking after everyone else, making sure everyone's okay, but... no-one ever seems to return the favour."

He looked away, lowering his gaze, but you noticed his cheeks reddening and his eyes sparkling with fresh tears.

"I-" he croaked, unable to find the words. He'd clearly given this quite a bit of thought before you'd brought it up.

"Hey," you whispered, "It's okay."

You reached up to stroke his cheek, before gently turning his head to face you again. You met his deep blue-grey eyes, the flickering light of the fire reflected in them. Gods, were they gorgeous. Intoxicating.

"I love you, Jask."

He managed a smile.

"And I adore you."

His lips met yours again, and he squeezed you tighter, moaning into your mouth. You ran your fingers down his exposed back, making him shudder and increasing the array of sounds coming from his mouth.

When he finally pulled back for air, you took the chance to flip him onto his back, and lay on top of him. You wrapped your legs around his waist, running your hands over his chest as you deepened the kiss, feeling him exploring your mouth with his tongue and humming contentedly.

"So good for me... I don't deserve you..." you muttered praises against his lips.

Jaskier shuffled backwards, sitting up against the headboard as you settled in his lap.

You continued to kiss him, leaning over him to grasp his face in your hands and pressing your lips down into his.

Jaskier broke through the moans escaping both your mouths as he began to sing pieces of his newest song, snatching at the words between ragged breaths and passionate kisses. You laughed against his lips, prompting him to sing more, almost moaning out the words as you tugged playfully at his silky brown hair, twirling it in your fingers. You finally pulled back, and he tried to follow your lips with his own, eyes still closed, outlined with delicate lashes set against flushed red cheeks. You sighed at the sight of him, so desperate for your touch, but stopped him by running your hands down his chest. You pressed a quick kiss to his nose, which he scrunched as your lips made contact.

"You're so beautiful, Jask," you said, gently caressing his face, his features appearing almost elven in their candlelit beauty.

He looked up at you with eyes full of an equal amount of adoration. His gaze managed to make you weak, as always, and you gave into those big blue eyes, returning your lips to their place against his smile.

***

You lay on your back once again, the crackling of the fire and Jaskier's soft breathing creating a beautiful melody in your ears. He lay on top of you, and you could feel the vibrations of his breathing against your chest. You snuggled comfortably beneath his warm, heavy body. His arms were wrapped around you, and the blanket lay strewn across him, leaving the smooth curves of his shoulders and back visible in the dim light. You stroked his hair as he began to fall asleep, utterly exhausted, but stubbornly continuing to sing under his breath, despite being so tired.

Managing to place a soft kiss on your lips as he was drifting off, he breathed a soft "thank you, my love," against your skin, before relaxing in your arms and settling into a deep, contented sleep.

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watch-that-writer-burnnn · 2 years

Text

Be gentle with me

Pairing: Jaskier x reader

Prompt: "I need you to wake up because I can't do this without you"

Summary: reader wakes up beside an unconscious Jaskier after the pair are attacked. Angst, followed by fluff.

Warnings: angst, unconscious/injured Jaskier and reader, some blood, prelude to smut

Words: 930

A/n: I'm highly sleep deprived and don't even know what I'm writing anymore. Hope you enjoy! Please feel free to let me know if I've made any mistakes in the warnings.

Your vision swam as you opened your eyes, waking from unconsciousness. You blinked slowly as your head rolled limply on your shoulders, confusion creasing your brow. Where were you? Captured and held prisoner, or left somewhere to succumb to your injuries?

The room - or, rather, the shallow cave - around you gradually came into focus, and thoughts flooded back to you. The ambush, a fight, the bard...

"Shit! Jaskier!" you yelled, the memory of his bloodstained face crashing into your mind as you threw your head back, crying out in pain as it connected with the cold rock wall behind you. Your groan of agony twisted into a gasp, as you noticed the nearby form of the bard lying unmoving on the rough stone floor, his back to you.

You did your best to crawl towards him, whimpering as you fought to ignore the agonising throb of pain in the side of your head.

Reaching his side, you ran your hands through his soft brown hair, scared to turn him over and examine the extent of his injuries. This was all your fault.

"Jaskier... Jaskier... Jask!"

Your patience eroded as the bard gave no response, and panic began to clench your throat.

"Oh gods, Jask... Please... Wake up!"

You grasped his shoulder, gently shaking him. Still no response.

Choking back a sob, you struggled to flip your friend onto his back. This was tricky in your weakened state, and he was heavier than he looked.

You cried out softly at the sight of his usually pretty face beaten and bloody.

Fluffy fringe matted with a dark liquid, one cheek swollen and bruised, soft lips cut and dripping with blood...

You swallowed, forcing yourself to do what you'd been avoiding - you lowered your head to his side, eyes level with his chest and watching carefully for any sign of movement.

It seemed like an eternity before you finally spotted the barely perceptible rise and fall of his chest, visible through the low cut of his undershirt - his doublet must have been stripped away by your captors. You too were left only in your undershirt and pants - robbed and left to die, with no weapons and no sign of Jaskier's lute. He would be devastated when he woke up, you thought, eyes skimming across his battered yet strangely peaceful face. You reached down, tracing first his cheekbones, then lips with a shaking finger.

"Jaskier... Wake up, Jask. Can you hear me?"

You sobbed in defeat, burying your face in his chest, tears seeping into the soft hair there.

"Jaskier. Please. I need you to wake up. I need you to wake up because I can't... I can't do this without you!" you yelled, helplessly slamming your fists into the ground.

You slumped over his prone body and the tears continued to flow, fueled by the guilt of your failure to protect your helpless bard. You slipped a hand into his own, gently squeezing his cold, limp fingers.

A small groan shook you from your dark thoughts. Your head shot up and your hands rushed to either side of his face.

"Jaskier!"

"Hey..." he strained to form the words, grimacing in pain as he did so.

His mesmerising blue eyes began to scan your tear streaked face, his expression brimming with worry as he asked, "Are you alright?"

"Am- am I alright?" you couldn't help but laugh.

"My sweet bard, if only you could see yourself right now- and you still think to ask if I'm alright?"

Jaskier didn't respond, instead attempting to sit up. You slipped a hand around his waist and one behind his neck to help support him, his pained whimpers making you flinch.

You sat facing each other now, his warm breath tickling your face, and you noticed Jaskier's gaze flick to your lips. You couldn't help but let your eyes drop to his mouth, and before you knew what you were doing, you'd pulled him closer, lips tingling as they brushed his own. Jaskier seized his chance, dragging you in for a passionate kiss, his warm lips working against your own, leaving a slight taste of iron from the cut on his lip. You deepened the kiss, shuddering as he pulled you into his lap, allowing you to wrap your legs around his waist. You moaned into his mouth as he ran his fingers down your back, leaving a trail of warmth in their wake and causing you to arc your body against him. Jaskier moaned, hungrily engulfing your lips with his own and shuddering with the pleasure of your touch as you began to grind your hips into his.

Gods, you'd both wanted this for so long.

What you first took to be a pleasured whimper from the bard, as you ran your hands up his shirt to massage his back, quickly turned to one of pain. You pulled back, remembering his injuries, and mentally kicked yourself for being so selfish.

"Oh, Jaskier I... I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Are you alright?"

To your surprise, the bard flashed you a grin, before pulling you in for a kiss.

"Much better now."

You smiled into his mouth as he hummed contentedly against your lips. Before either of you had the chance to lose yourself in the other, Jaskier pulled back, stroking your hair and neck and making you shiver.

"Just one thing, love... If we are going to do this, just... Be gentle with me, would you?"

You pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.

"Of course," you mumbled against his skin, heart pounding. Despite your injuries, you couldn't help but feel a little glad the two of you had been left alone together.

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watch-that-writer-burnnn · 2 years

Text

Let's Get You Cleaned Up

Pairing: Jaskier x reader

Summary: Reader gets into a fight after getting drunk over a job gone wrong. Jaskier intervenes and helps them get cleaned up, lots of comfort/fluff.

Warnings: Fluff, some angst, hurt/comfort, mild violence, mild/moderate language (I hope I didn't miss anything)

Words: 2K

A/n: I wrote this with a female reader in mind but it still works as a gender neutral pairing. Hope you all enjoy this one!

"What the hell did you just say?" you slurred, pushing your chair back from the bench with difficulty, ignoring the way the room around you lurched slightly as you stood.

"I said, this beer is almost as shitty as the entertainment," snarled a large, bearded man, whose body odor was competing with the stench of his breath.

"You got a problem with that?" he added, daring you to retaliate.

You glanced across the room, where your gaze fell upon the handsome young man playing the lute for a small crowd that had formed around him.

Jaskier had convinced you to come along to watch him perform, insisting it would do you good to have a night off after the horrific turn of events you'd experienced earlier that day. But you couldn't put your own failure out of your mind. Hence the drink, which unfortunately spurred on your fiery response.

Defiantly, you looked up into the eyes of the burly man.

"Yes. I do. In fact, the only shit I can see around here is you."

Taken aback by the aggressive response, the man's face contorted with anger, beginning to burn a deep red.

"You're gonna regret that," he growled, cracking his knuckles.

No worries, you thought. I've taken out bigger guys than him.

A cocky smile worked its way across your lips, as you attempted to take on a ready stance. You swayed violently as you lifted your arms up in a weak defense.

Lunging towards the man, you swung wildly, missing his head by a mile.

Damn, you thought. Did I have too much to drink?

Seeing just how bad your condition was, your attacker laughed coldly and took a pass at your head. You dodged, barely, but stumbled over your own feet, falling sideways and crashing against a table, knocking several mugs to the floor.

The commotion seemed to have caught the attention of the other patrons in the tavern, and a crowd began to gather. Vision swimming, you leant heavily on the table, pushing yourself to your feet. In the distance, you were vaguely aware Jaskier had stopped playing, but were more preoccupied with trying not to throw up.

"That all you got?" you challenged, turning to face the burly man.

You didn't even see the fist heading for your face, only felt its agonising contact with your nose and mouth.

The ground rushed up to meet you, and you collapsed with a groan of pain.

An unsympathetic laugh echoed through your aching skull.

"Now who looks like shit?" he cackled, aiming a hard kick at your ribs. You yelped as your side exploded with pain.

Blood trickled from your lips as you struggled to focus on the crowd around you. None seemed keen to interfere, most likely for fear of sharing your fate.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

You dragged your head around to find the source of the voice, which sounded like it was underwater. But the face was unmistakable. Jaskier, clutching his lute, was shoving his way through the crowd, looking angrier than you'd ever seen him before.

"Good sir, how dare you treat my friend this way! The utter nerve..."

Jaskier trailed off as the large man took a step closer to him, fists tightly clenched.

Knowing it was a fight he couldn't win, Jaskier reluctantly backed away, concerned grey eyes resting on your prone form. Frowning with anger and worry, he knelt by your side.

You felt his hand grip your arm, the other placed firmly against your back for support.

"Are you alright?"

You tried to respond, but you struggled to get the words out. Instead you swallowed a mouthful of blood before nodding.

Supporting you with both hands, Jaskier gently pulled you to your feet.

"Be ready to run," he breathed against your ear, tickling you with his breath.

Jaskier, seeing you were able to stand on your own, turned back to your attacker.

Then, faster than you'd ever seen the bard move, he aimed a swift kick right between the man's legs.

You stared in disbelief, watching as the burly man yelped and doubled over in pain.

"Come on!" Jaskier yelled, snapping you out of your dazed state.

He wrapped an arm around your waist, draping one of your own arms around his shoulders, and dragged you along as he bolted for the door of the tavern. Neither of you dared look back at the source of the angry scream as you threw yourself out into the chill night air.

Clinging to Jaskier for support, you limped as fast as you could manage away from the tavern, ignoring the burning pain in your side.

When you were a safe distance away, you slowed, Jaskier pulling you behind a nearby building.

Worried, he cupped your cheek in his hand and scanned you up and down.

"You look absolutely awful," he decided.

"Thanks," you mumbled through numb lips, rolling your eyes.

Jaskier forced a smile, worry still evident on his face.

"Let's go home and get you cleaned up," he said, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead.

***

Jaskier poured another flask of hot water into the deep metal tub, humming softy. He fluttered around the room you'd been renting, collecting various soaps and scents from his belongings strewn about the cozy space. You'd found a smaller inn on the other side of town to the one you'd had your fight, and had been staying there for the past few days.

When he was satisfied with the preparation of the bath, and the layer of bubbles coating its surface, he approached you, where you where sitting on the bed clutching your ribs.

His face fell as he noticed your pained grimace.

"Are you sure those ribs aren't broken?"

"Pretty sure. I mean, I've broken ribs before. And that hurt heaps more than this," you attempted to reassure him.

He sighed, unconvinced - the slight drawl in your voice, courtesy of your evening spent drinking, did little to support your claim.

"Fine. In that case, you should come have a bath now. It'll make you feel better."

You saw a chance to tease the bard and, encouraged by the alcohol, took it.

"Are you going to bathe me, Jaskier?" you said, doing your best to keep a straight face.

"What? I- no. No, of course not. Unless... You wanted me to?"

You couldn't help but laugh at the flustered bard, who was blushing heavily.

You shook your head and stood, limping over to the bath.

"Well?" you said, turning back to Jaskier who was still staring at you.

"Oh. Right." He reluctantly turned around, giving you the privacy to undress.

You soon found out this wouldn't be as easy as you'd expected.

"Shit," you mumbled, biting your lip at the pain stabbing through your side as you attempted to pull the shirt over your head.

"Everything alright?" Jaskier asked, without turning around.

"Well... No, actually. I think I may need your help after all."

"Of course," Jaskier said, spinning round to see you hopelessly tangled in your shirt.

Impressively, he refrained from making some smart comment. Instead he set about disentangling you from your clothes in the least painful way possible. Gently grasping your arm on the injured side, he slipped it from your sleeve. You tried not to react as the burning in your ribs increased for a second, but the rest of the ordeal was relatively painless. He pulled the shirt off over your head in one swift motion, freeing your other arm in the process.

Jaskier swallowed, face reddening, as, having discarded the shirt, he looked back at you, nude from the waist up.

You and the bard, after travelling and living in such close quarters for quite a while, had seen each other naked on a few occasions - getting dressed in a shared room, treating injuries - but Jaskier had never quite been so... interested in you as he seemed to be now.

You cleared your throat, surprised to feel yourself blushing.

"Thanks... I think I can manage now."

Jaskier obediently turned back around, and after a few pained grunts you'd managed to shed your trousers and drag yourself into the tub, submerging yourself beneath the bubbles.

"Ok," you called out. "Now what?"

Realising it was safe to turn around, the bard did so, walking over to the bathtub.

"What, haven't you had a bath before?" he smirked.

You caught his eyes flick between the top of your chest, visible above the waterline, and your lips. You shuddered slightly, body tingling. You forced yourself to concentrate.

"I mean, all those fancy soaps you've been hoarding must have some use, right? Also, if you hadn't noticed, my face is covered in blood, and you're the one with the washcloth."

"Fair enough." His confidence returning, Jaskier dragged over a stool and sat by your head. He dipped the cloth into the water, before beginning to gently swipe it across your face.

"Is that alright? I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"That's fine," you mumbled, closing your eyes and enjoying the warm water on your bruised face. Occasionally Jaskier's hand would slip off the cloth and brush your skin, which you were surprised to realise you found more pleasant than the warm cloth itself.

"Jaskier?"

"Hmm?"

"About today... Earlier, I mean. That job I took... I was supposed to protect that family. But-"

Jaskier put down the washcloth, reaching up to hold your face in both hands.

"Hey, hey, no. You've got to stop thinking about that. Stop blaming yourself. There's nothing you could have done."

"I- I know," you sniffed, tears welling in your eyes.

"But what if I- I could have done better... Could have saved them? It's... It's all my fault-"

Unable to bear the sorrow in your eyes, Jaskier leaned in and silenced you with a loving kiss.

At first your eyes widened in shock, but quickly closed as you felt the comforting warmth of Jaskier's soft lips melting into your own, making you shiver with pleasure. You welcomed the sense of calm and comfort his touch brought, but couldn't help continuing to sob silently. Jaskier's hands slid around your back, and he ignored the water seeping through his thin shirt, leaning over the edge of the bath to pull you closer.

Reluctantly slipping his lips from yours, Jaskier continued to hold you tightly, gently stroking your hair until your sobs had lessened in intensity.

"Are you alright?" he asked with concern.

You nodded into his shoulder, breathing in his scent.

"Alright. Let's get you to bed."

***

You stepped from the bath, Jaskier gently wrapping a towel around your dripping shoulders.

You didn't complain as he helped you struggle into your clothes, and tried your best not to wince at the pain in your side, seeing the concern in his face each time you did.

Whether he was deliberately trying to stop you from worrying or not, his behaviour worked either way. Jaskier remained close to you for the rest of the evening, his constant caresses and brief kisses distracting you from your dark thoughts, as he moved around the room, making the bed and tidying his belongings. Anything to make the space more comfortable for you.

It seemed that now was certain of how you felt about him, he couldn't get enough of your company, your love.

As the two of you finally slid into bed, you felt considerably calmer, the bard's company easing your mind and his gentle touch soothing your wounds.

He curled up next to you, throwing a leg over your waist and wrapping his arms firmly around you, as though afraid someone would pull you away.

You gazed into his beautiful grey eyes, forehead pressed to his.

"You know I'm always here for you, don't you?" he said, softly kissing your cheek, his eyelashes tickling your skin as he closed his eyes, savouring your touch.

You managed a smile.

"I know. Thank you, Jaskier."

"Don't mention it, love."

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watch-that-writer-burnnn · 2 years

Text

Teach Me To Play

Pairing: Jaskier x reader

Summary: Reader loves Jaskier's singing and asks him to teach them how to play the lute. Lots of fluff, cuddling, musical duet and bonus Geralt fluff at the end.

Warnings: lots of fluff :)

Words: 1.2K

A/n: My second fic! More fluff, might try something with a bit more angst/plot next time, but anyway I hope you all enjoy this. Once again any likes, comments or feedback is much appreciated!

Jaskier's melodic humming drifted across the clearing, accompanied only by the spitting and crackling of the dying embers of the fire. The soft strumming of his lute, rather than irritating Geralt as usual, had put the exhausted witcher to sleep. Geralt lay on a bedroll by the fire, chest slowly rising and falling with each breath.

You leaned comfortably against a log, across the fire from Geralt, chin resting on your chest and the feathered hat you'd playfully snatched from Jaskier's head earlier tilted down over your partially closed eyes. A contented smile spread across your lips as the glow of the fire warmed your skin, and you continued to listen to Jaskier's beautiful singing. With each carefully placed note, he seemed to draw some of the tension of the day's travelling from your aching muscles.

The bard sat off to your left, his back against a tree stump, eyes closed and a smile mirroring your own visible on his lips. He'd discarded his doublet, thanks to the warmth of the fire, and was instead wearing only his white undershirt, sleeves cuffed with decorative lace in typical Jaskier fashion.

Not only did you love his singing, but you were entranced by the sounds he coaxed from his lute with each gentle movement of his fingers. You wished you shared his talent on the instrument.

Pushing the hat back on your head, you sat up, turning to the distracted bard.

"Jaskier?"

"What is it, love?"

"Could you teach me to play?"

The question seemed to catch him off guard.

"Can I- well, of course! Come over here."

Smiling broadly at your request, Jaskier patted the ground beside him. You stood, brushing dirt from your clothes, before walking over and dropping down next to the bard.

"Here," he carefully placed his precious lute, a gift from the elf Toruviel, into your outstretched hands.

"Show me how you think you should be holding it... No, no not like that," he laughed, blue eyes sparkling, as he reached towards you, gently grasping your hands and moving them to the correct positions on the delicate instrument.

You felt suddenly self-conscious, realising this may be trickier than you'd thought.

"Alright. Try... This chord," Jaskier said, reaching over and once again attempting to position your fingers on the correct frets. But from his spot at your side, he struggled to properly reach your hand.

"We really should have thought this through... Why don't you sit here?"

You felt warmth rise to your cheeks as Jaskier uncrossed his legs and gestured to his lap.

"Uhh... Yeah. Sure," you muttered.

You crawled closer to the bard, positioning yourself between his thighs and leaning back against his warm chest, which was heaving slowly as he breathed. Your own breath caught in your throat as he drew his legs in closer on either side of you, before wrapping his right arm around you to rest on your strumming hand, while his left moved up to guide your fingers into a basic chord shape. As he moved to look over your shoulder, his warm breath on your neck made your skin tingle, and strands of his unkempt brown mop brushed your cheek.

You forced yourself to focus on his words, rather than how closely he was pressed up against you. Closer than you'd ever been.

"...and while you're holding those down, strum with your right hand..."

Doing your best to follow the bard's instructions, you eventually managed to pry a sound from the instrument.

After around and hour of this, you'd melted into Jaskier's embrace, gladly welcoming the feeling of comfort and safety his touch brought you.

Pleased with your efforts, you shakily produced a few more chords, stifling a smile at the adoring grin filling Jaskier's delicate features. Then he began to sing.

Your eyes widened, surprised that Jaskier had found your chords worthy of singing to. Fumbling with the lute, you did your best to repeat the sounds you'd learnt throughout the evening, unwillingly to interrupt Jaskier's song. He continued to sing, beautiful words seeming to float from his lips and colour the silence of the night. After a shaky start, the sounds of his voice and your lute playing began to blend together, forming some semblance of music.

Without breaking his song, Jaskier reached up and gently stroked your hair, while his other hand slid behind the lute to wrap around your stomach, which lurched at his touch. You missed a chord, surprised by the unexpected contact, but continued to play.

Jaskier's voice softened, as he distractedly ran his hand from your hair to your cheek, which was close beside his own. You stopped playing, feeling your heart pound as he gently cupped your face in his hand, turning your head towards him. You leant into his touch, sighing deeply. Slowly, he pulled you closer, silencing his own soft singing with a kiss. The warmth of his lips filled you with exhilaration. He moaned against your mouth, sending a tingling through your body. You discarded the lute and gripped the bard tighter, pulling him further into your embrace. You felt him shudder with joy as he pressed against you, massaging his hands slowly against your back.

Finally, he pulled back for air, stroking your face with a hand as he gazed into your eyes. Then he leant forward and buried his face into your neck.

"That was nice," he mumbled against your skin, lips tickling you with each word.

"Maybe we should do it more often," you replied, lovingly stroking his hair, as he began to hum.

The two of you remained like this for a while, until Jaskier's humming turned to contented snores and your hand slid limply from his head.

***

Geralt woke, blinking sleep from his eyes. The fire had died down, and the cool night air pricked his skin, making him shiver and draw his blanket more tightly around his shoulders. He instinctively glanced across the fire, wanting to make sure his companions were warm enough.

When you weren't visible where he'd last remembered, he scanned the campsite more closely before noticing you curled up tightly in Jaskier's embrace. The bard's sleeping face was decorated with a lopsided smile, as your head rose and fell slowly against his chest as he breathed.

Geralt couldn't help but smile at the sight of the two of you. He'd spent the last couple of years watching you grow closer, constantly flirting despite each being painfully unaware of the feelings of the other. Finally, it seemed, one of you had made a move.

He stood with a sigh, retrieving an unused blanket lying nearby, and quietly moved around the embers of the fire towards you and Jaskier.

Seeing the frosty breath rising from your lips, Geralt gently wrapped the blanket around the pair of you, tucking it in as well as he could without waking you. Standing back, Geralt, eyes still creased in a smile, gave a satisfied nod, before stretching and walking back towards his own bedroll.

***

In your sleep, you sighed at the increased warmth and snuggled up closer against Jaskier, who squeezed you tightly before relaxing once again.

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watch-that-writer-burnnn · 2 years

Text

Together in the Shadows

Pairing: Jaskier x female reader

Summary: My take on the classic "oh no, we're being chased by bad guys, let's just hide in this alleyway and... wow we're close together now" with Jaskier and a female reader.

Warnings: mild/moderate language, tension, fluff

Words: 1.2K

A/n: I've never posted (or written!) Anything like this before, so naturally I was a little nervous to share. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out though, and it seems to serve its purpose as a somewhat short fluffy fic. I had early s1 Jaskier in mind when writing this but there's no particular place this fits into the Witcher timeline (so no spoilers). I hope you enjoy, please leave a like, comment or any feedback you have!

Your feet pounded against the rough flagstones, echoing loudly across the darkened street. The brown haired boy by your side breathed heavily, unbuttoned doublet flapping freely against his heaving chest as he ran.

Distant shouts drew nearer at your backs.

"Come on, Jaskier. Just a little further," you said, hoping to encourage the bard to pick up the pace.

"I... know," he responded between deep breaths. "But we have to lose these bastards first. Can't lead them back to Geralt."

"Dammit, if only it weren't so late. We could have lost them in a crowd. At least they haven't had a good look at us yet."

You continued to sprint along the winding streets of the town, calling occasional words of encouragement to the exhausted bard. Despite your efforts, your pursuers continued to gain on you.

"Hey! I can hear them! Just up ahead!"

You didn't risk turning to see the owner of the voice. It sounded much closer than any of the others.

"Shit!" Jaskier yelped. Then he almost stumbled as something seemed to catch his eye, willing him to pick up the pace.

"Up ahead!"

Without stopping to explain, Jaskier slipped his soft hand into your own and dragged you along the darkened street.

"In here, quick," he instructed, as the shouting behind you grew painfully close.

Still gripping your hand, Jaskier ducked into a narrow alleyway, pulling you after him.

Abruptly shoving your back against a wall, he pressed himself as close to you as possible while the footsteps around the corner drew nearer. You quickly became oblivious to the sound, however, as you realised how close you were to Jaskier.

His arms were propped against the wall on either side of you, one with his palm flat against the wall and the other with his forearm resting against the cool stone of the building. His firm chest was pressed tightly against your own, unbuttoned doublet and low-cut undershirt allowing his body heat to easily penetrate your trembling abdomen. You hoped he couldn't feel the intense pounding of your heart as your body surged with the elation of being so close to him. You tried to remain focused, ignoring the feeling of his pelvis pressing into your own, one of your legs placed between his to make room, but the shivers this close contact sent through your body made this near impossible.

Finally, the shouting of the men passed by your hiding spot, causing you to breathe a sigh of relief.

Jaskier didn't move, however.

"Better wait until we know they're gone for sure," he muttered reasonably, accidentally brushing your lips with his own. You shuddering unintentionally at the excitement of his touch. Feeling your cheeks redden, you became for the first time glad of the darkness embracing you. Still, you quickly looking down and forced a nod, praying he hadn't noticed.

Don't be an idiot, you think. This is purely practical. He's trying to keep you both out of harm's way.

Pleased with how you'd managed to reason with your chaotic thoughts, you immediately undid your efforts by making the mistake of looking up into Jaskier's face.

His intense grey-blue eyes stared into your own, intoxicating, and you somehow managed to stifle a soft whimper. His soft brown fringe tangled with your own messy locks, bridging the small gap between your foreheads, and his red cheeks mirrored your own. His delicate nose brushed against yours, as his lips, tantalisingly close, softly exhaled warm air against your tingling skin. You shuddered once again as he shifted his stance slightly, causing his hip to press awkwardly against your leg.

He seemed about to pull away, finally, when you heard a shout.

"Well they must be here somewhere, you idiots! Find them! Search everywhere!"

Snapping out of your daze, panic filled your eyes. Glancing to either side, you saw that the narrow alleyway was a dead end. But whoever was in the street outside would surely catch you if you tried to make a run for it back the way you had come. So you did the one thing you could think of. You reached up, quickly cupping Jaskier's face in your hands, and pulled his warm lips to your own.

Eyes widening in surprise, he couldn't help emitting a loud moan, before quickly relaxing and seeming to melt into your kiss, wrapping his arms tightly around your body. You shuddered in his embrace, running a hand up under the back of his shirt and pulling him closer, if that were even possible.

This was part of the plan, you told yourself. With any luck, your pursuers would mistake you for an oblivious couple enjoying each other's company, rather than the unruly accomplices of a famous Witcher.

Whether or not Jaskier had caught on to this plan, you were unsure. But when one of your pursuers inevitably came across the pair of you, your actions, whether quick thinking or simple lust, had paid off.

"Hey! What do you two think you're doing?"

You reluctantly pulled away from Jaskier, who leant forward in an attempt to keep his lips against yours a second longer. Running a hand down the bard's chest to gently push him away, you slowly turned to the bandit, who was heavily armed and wearing a bloodstained tunic.

"I said, what are you doing here? Start talking!" the man demanded, raising his sword.

Seeing the man's hesitation, you decided to take advantage of the situation.

"Well heyyy there," you mumbled with a drunken drawl. "Don't suppose you could point us in the direction of the nearest inn?"

Jaskier, catching on, giggled and stumbled against you, leaning heavily on your shoulder and waving playfully at the bandit, sending him a wink for good measure.

The bandit sighed.

"I don't have time for your drunken shit. Piss off, before I change my mind. And stay away, this area is off limits. Dangerous fugitives about. You understand?"

"Yessir," Jaskier slurred, unable to resist. "Thank you kindly. Now, my wife and I had best be on our way."

Jaskier gripped your hand, stumbling past the bandit, who threw you one final scowl before turning on his heel and marching off to continue his search.

When you were a safe distance away, you dropped the drunken charade, but noticed Jaskier continued to hold your hand.

You couldn't help but turn and grin at him. "Wife?"

"I- well- look-" he stammered, cheeks reddening. "You- you kissed me first!"

"After you pinned me to a wall! You were practically asking for it!"

"I was trying to keep us safe."

"So was I. And it worked, didn't it? Besides, you weren't exactly complaining."

Jaskier opened his mouth to retaliate, but closed it as a smile crept across his features. "True, I'll admit it was a nice kiss, despite the life or death situation. Although I didn't notice you complaining either. You seemed pretty into it, if I recall."

You didn't even try to fight the cheeky smile spreading across your lips, mirroring Jaskier's own expression. "And what, exactly, are you implying, dear husband?" you asked, pressing up against the bard. He turned, wrapping his arms around your waist and pressing a confident kiss to your lips before responding.

"I'm suggesting we go find that inn."

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