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“I love the way you just sit in the corner and brood.” That was the first (of many, many, many *heavy sigh*!) sentence Geralt heard coming from Jaskier’s mouth.
The White Wolf, even if he was surprised that a human didn’t fear him (and that was such a novelty he didn’t know what to do with it), didn’t really know how low Jaskier’s fear of Geralt was (at least negative 1 million, according to Jaskier). Not until he took a bath in a river after a hunt. There, on his arm, written in the same blue that Jaskier’s eyes was the word “kind”.
(And he never told anyone that he stood like an idiot, looking at that word, for at least 30 minutes)
He thought it was a fluke.
...
It was not a fluke. With every encounter with the bard, new words appeared: “handsome”, “inspiring”, “magnificent”, “heroic”, after Cintra’s disaster. The bard didn’t know what he was talking about.
Sixteen years after their first meeting, Jaskier was still here. And Geralt looked at this new word, still blue, but a sad blue. “Passionate”. Well. The only thing he could think related to this word was his little encounter with Yennefer. Oh! Maybe Jaskier wanted to bed Yennefer himself? But why he was the one receiving the word? A mystery!
From then, every Jaskier’s words where tinted with more or less sadness. And it was driving Geralt crazy. Because he didn’t know what was making his bard sad and so, if he didn’t know what, how could he makes things right again?
Inspiration struck during the dragon’s hunt. And after a talk with Borch.
“You tell me, that your friend Jaskier is sad because it’s you with Yennefer and not him.
- Yes. That’s the only explanation.
- Hmmm. Tell me, what are the words that Jaskier uses for you?
- Kind, heroic, charming, inspiring, handsome and others of the sort.
- And Yennefer’s words?” And Geralt begun to realize that he never looked for Yennefer’s words on his skin. And when he looked, he found only one “Useful” in a sick purple glow. He saw his own words on Yennefer’s skin. But obviously, she didn’t love him the same way he did.
“Why? I love her…
- Are you sure? What do you think love is, Geralt of Rivia?
- I… It’s… I don’t know… I don’t know…
- Are you sure? Tell me Witcher. The path you walk is hard, unforgiving and often, lonely. You have traveled with some people. Of all these people, who walk your path with you, is there one you would like to keep walking with, for as long as you can?” The answer came quickly.
“Jaskier. Jaskier is the one I would like to keep with me on the Path.
- Then, why do you think you love Yennefer?
- I… It is not what people do? Fall in love with someone of the opposed gender and found a family?
- Or fall in love with someone of the same gender and found a family. Love doesn’t discriminate Geralt.
- I… I thought same-sex relationship was just for the fun?
- Love is love. Do you know that before becoming my wife, my wife was my best friend? She was amazing, and no matter how much she grumbled and moaned, she took care of me, making sure I wasn’t hurt too bad and well, I was hurt more often than not.
- Jaskier does that too. He’s complaining about being exhausted but still keep walking; he helped me to be more than the “Butcher of Blaviken”; he takes care of me after a hunt… I… I couldn’t ask for a better friend. And I’m feeling… ashamed, because I don’t think I did for him a tenth of what he did for me.
-It’s not a competition, Geralt. As long as you here when he needs you.
- Even after drinking the potions that make me look more monster than human, he’s not afraid of me. He even hit me once, on the chest. It was really a brush with the tip of the fingers but he wasn’t afraid of my dark eyes or pale skin. He was never afraid of me.
- If you don’t mind a last advice. Go talk to your friend, don’t talk about love but about friendship first, take the time to actually talk and know your friend. When the time is right, tomorrow or a year from now, you will tell him, and both of you will believe it, because you will have built something strong first.”
Geralt thanked Borch and walked toward his bard.
“You know, I’m jealous. You spoke more to Borch here than to me in the 22 years we have been together. Traveling together, I mean. If you let me a second chance, I’ll prove to you than I’m worthy travel companion.
- You already are.
- Well, yes, I know… What?
- You’re the only one I wish to travel with. You are… the best friend I could ever ask.
-That’s… This is the kindest and best thing you ever said to me. I’m… speechless.
- Maybe a should do it more often then.” Jaskier looked at him, overly spouting nonsense for a few seconds before smiling. And by all Gods, Geralt loved that smile.
“I was thinking, maybe, after all this, we can go to the coast, you and me? Take a pause of contracts and fighting?
- I would like that and maybe, this winter, you can come with me to Kaer Morhen?
- You want me, ME, into your home?
- If you want, I mean, you probably have already plann…
- I would be delighted! Meeting your family! Tell me about them?
- Of course.” It didn’t take a year for them to be together. They learned a lot about each other. And if Jaskier talked less, Geralt talked more, finding the perfect balance. But this is another story.