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When Geralt finally meets Jaskier again, when he apologizes to him, he expected the bard to maybe scream at him. Definitely to dramatically tell him off until he finally relented at Geralt& #39;s apology. He did not expect, however, for Jaskier to look at him and quietly say, "okay."
Geralt smiles at him, they& #39;re gonna be back in the Path together. Jaskier smiles back, but the smile doesn& #39;t reach his eyes.
Maybe he& #39;s tired, Geralt thinks. Maybe Geralt stumbled back into his life in a bad moment. But today they& #39;ll share a room, and tomorrow, they& #39;ll be back
Maybe he& #39;s tired, Geralt thinks. Maybe Geralt stumbled back into his life in a bad moment. But today they& #39;ll share a room, and tomorrow, they& #39;ll be back
on the Road, and things will be as always.
But the new day come, and Jaskier barely speaks. He doesn& #39;t ask him where they& #39;re going. He doesn& #39;t ask him about what he has been doing. He just walks next to Roach. His lute silent in his case.
But the new day come, and Jaskier barely speaks. He doesn& #39;t ask him where they& #39;re going. He doesn& #39;t ask him about what he has been doing. He just walks next to Roach. His lute silent in his case.
Geralt stops for lunch, but Jaskier barely spoke to him to tell him he wasn& #39;t tired, they could go on. Geralt feels strange in his own skin.
Jaskier& #39;s back at his side. But it& #39;s not Jaskier.
He checked. He passed him the silver dagger to cut at the hare he had hunted, but
Jaskier& #39;s back at his side. But it& #39;s not Jaskier.
He checked. He passed him the silver dagger to cut at the hare he had hunted, but
Jaskier didn& #39;t even flinch.
No, this was Jaskier. This was Jaskier after the mountain. This was Jaskier after Geralt broke his heart. Even if he smells different, the acidic stang of sadness clinging to him.
"Come here," Geralt says at night. "It& #39;s cold."
No, this was Jaskier. This was Jaskier after the mountain. This was Jaskier after Geralt broke his heart. Even if he smells different, the acidic stang of sadness clinging to him.
"Come here," Geralt says at night. "It& #39;s cold."
Jaskier looks at him, and says nothing as he crawls closer to Geralt to share body heat. He gives his back to Geralt, and even though he allows the contact, his shoulders are tense.
That night Geralt doesn& #39;t sleep. And judging by his breathing, neither does Jaskier.
That night Geralt doesn& #39;t sleep. And judging by his breathing, neither does Jaskier.
The silence continues, but every time Geralt tries to make him talk, he& #39;s met with a "I& #39;m fine, Geralt." So after the third day Geralt changes strategy. He talks umprompted about the adventures Jaskier missed him. He tells him witcher secrets he never told anyone before.
But Jaskier doesn& #39;t even acknowledge his attempts at communication.
It comes to a head when they reach the inn at the next town. Jaskier goes to sign, even if he looks anything but in the mood to perform. He does decently enough that he is thrown both bread and coin.
It comes to a head when they reach the inn at the next town. Jaskier goes to sign, even if he looks anything but in the mood to perform. He does decently enough that he is thrown both bread and coin.
"Use them yourself," he says, giving the coin to Geralt. "I& #39;m tired," he says as he goes to their room without eating.
The metal burns in Geralt& #39;s hand.
Geralt strides after him.
"What is it? Please, talk to me."
Jaskier looks at him, he scoffs at the irony.
The metal burns in Geralt& #39;s hand.
Geralt strides after him.
"What is it? Please, talk to me."
Jaskier looks at him, he scoffs at the irony.
"I& #39;m just tired."
"Please, I know it& #39;s not that. Let me in," Geralt begs.
Jaskier& #39;s eyes bore into him. "There& #39;s nothing to get in." And he divest his clothes to get ready for bed, as if Geralt wasn& #39;t dying on the inside.
Geralt crawls into bed, and grabs him.
"Please, I know it& #39;s not that. Let me in," Geralt begs.
Jaskier& #39;s eyes bore into him. "There& #39;s nothing to get in." And he divest his clothes to get ready for bed, as if Geralt wasn& #39;t dying on the inside.
Geralt crawls into bed, and grabs him.
"I& #39;m sorry," he cries into his neck. "I hurt you and I& #39;m sorry."
But it& #39;s not enough and he has never been good with words. Jaskier puts a hand on his back, half-hugging him back. It& #39;s a kindness, but Jaskier still feels limp in his hands. Still feels empty.
But it& #39;s not enough and he has never been good with words. Jaskier puts a hand on his back, half-hugging him back. It& #39;s a kindness, but Jaskier still feels limp in his hands. Still feels empty.
They go on like this for weeks.
Geralt feels in the silence with technical stories of hunt. He talks about potion when he runs out of hunts. He talks about herbs next. Jaskier remains silent.
At night, Geralt cries into Jaskier& #39;s arms.
Every single night.
Geralt feels in the silence with technical stories of hunt. He talks about potion when he runs out of hunts. He talks about herbs next. Jaskier remains silent.
At night, Geralt cries into Jaskier& #39;s arms.
Every single night.
"Ciri is waiting for us in the next town," Geralt announces one day.
Jaskier looks at him and nods in acknowledgement, but says nothing.
Geralt doesn& #39;t say Yennefer& #39;s there too. He doesn’t say he will beg to the sorceress for a cure.
Jaskier looks at him and nods in acknowledgement, but says nothing.
Geralt doesn& #39;t say Yennefer& #39;s there too. He doesn’t say he will beg to the sorceress for a cure.
When Jaskier sees the witch, he says nothing, barely hums. He goes into the tavern, and plays instead. He performs, oh he performs, and smiles and sings. But as soon as the strings of the lute stop vibing, his smile is gone.
"It& #39;s not a curse," Yen says with sad eyes.
"It& #39;s not a curse," Yen says with sad eyes.
"It& #39;s worse."
"What is it?" Geralt asked desperate.
"He& #39;s defeated, Geralt. His spirit is... broken."
"How do I fix him?"
"You can& #39;t."
"Did I lost him forever?"
"Maybe," Yen says. And she understands the dragon when he talked about painful truths.
"What is it?" Geralt asked desperate.
"He& #39;s defeated, Geralt. His spirit is... broken."
"How do I fix him?"
"You can& #39;t."
"Did I lost him forever?"
"Maybe," Yen says. And she understands the dragon when he talked about painful truths.
Afterwards, when Ciri is with them on the road, Geralt still speaks to him, even if Ciri looks at him as he& #39;s crazy.
Ciri instead, she doesn& #39;t speak to Jaskier expecting an answer. When she talks she& #39;s mostly answering Geralt. Instead, she touches him when she sees a yellow
Ciri instead, she doesn& #39;t speak to Jaskier expecting an answer. When she talks she& #39;s mostly answering Geralt. Instead, she touches him when she sees a yellow
flower. She passes apple slices so he can give to Roach.
One day, Ciri takes his hand, and Jaskier grabs her back. Ciri smiles at him, even when Jaskier doesn& #39;t smile back. She knows is still progress.
That night, as Geralt hugs Jaskier from behind, stiffling his silent cries,
One day, Ciri takes his hand, and Jaskier grabs her back. Ciri smiles at him, even when Jaskier doesn& #39;t smile back. She knows is still progress.
That night, as Geralt hugs Jaskier from behind, stiffling his silent cries,
Ciri approaches him on the front.
"You know, I can& #39;t wait until you tell me your stories. Geralt always said to me you had a gift for words. I& #39;d love for you to tell me a story one day."
Jaskier says nothing but looks at her with tears in his eyes. Ciri makes herself a place
"You know, I can& #39;t wait until you tell me your stories. Geralt always said to me you had a gift for words. I& #39;d love for you to tell me a story one day."
Jaskier says nothing but looks at her with tears in his eyes. Ciri makes herself a place
on Jaskier& #39;s chest, and sleeps there.
In the end, when Jaskier talks again it is because of Ciri. They were sleeping in the forest, until Ciri woke them up with her whimpers. They have little time to prepare before she& #39;s screaming, the nightmare too real.
Jaskier& #39;s closer, he
In the end, when Jaskier talks again it is because of Ciri. They were sleeping in the forest, until Ciri woke them up with her whimpers. They have little time to prepare before she& #39;s screaming, the nightmare too real.
Jaskier& #39;s closer, he
crawls to her, gathers her in his arms and starts talking to her as he caresses her hair.
"Your mother screamed like this, when she was a bit older than you..." he begins, until Ciri calms down. Until she& #39;s awake panting in his chest as she gathers that she& #39;s safe. They& #39;re safe.
"Your mother screamed like this, when she was a bit older than you..." he begins, until Ciri calms down. Until she& #39;s awake panting in his chest as she gathers that she& #39;s safe. They& #39;re safe.
She eventually falls asleep in his arms.
When Jaskier looks up from her, Geralt& #39;s kneeling in front of him, looking at him in awe.
"I missed you," he breathes.
Jaskier sighs. "I& #39;m still not back, not really." But it& #39;s already more than what he had said before.
When Jaskier looks up from her, Geralt& #39;s kneeling in front of him, looking at him in awe.
"I missed you," he breathes.
Jaskier sighs. "I& #39;m still not back, not really." But it& #39;s already more than what he had said before.
"Please, don& #39;t go," Geralt begs.
"I don& #39;t have anything worth to say."
Geralt finally understands. He crawls to him, and hugs him, him and Ciri. "You& #39;re worthy. You& #39;re so worthy. But I am a fool. A fool who didn& #39;t deserve you, who was afraid. But you& #39;re so worthy."
"I don& #39;t have anything worth to say."
Geralt finally understands. He crawls to him, and hugs him, him and Ciri. "You& #39;re worthy. You& #39;re so worthy. But I am a fool. A fool who didn& #39;t deserve you, who was afraid. But you& #39;re so worthy."
"You& #39;re the most worthy man I have ever met. Please, don& #39;t hide anymore. Please."
Jaskier& #39;s crying silently.
He nods.
Then he clears his throat. "I& #39;ll try."
"Please," Geralt begs again. Tightening his arms around him.
Jaskier& #39;s crying silently.
He nods.
Then he clears his throat. "I& #39;ll try."
"Please," Geralt begs again. Tightening his arms around him.
The next time they run into Yennefer. The witch sees the bard talking animatedly to Ciri. The smile that adorns his face reaches his eyes, even if they& #39;re not fully clear. The bard then leaves a kiss on Geralt& #39;s lips, before going back to perform. This time, the lightness in his
step is real.
Yennefer approaches Geralt and sits next to him as she watches the bard play.
"You fixed him."
"No," Geralt says. "He did."
/Fin
Yennefer approaches Geralt and sits next to him as she watches the bard play.
"You fixed him."
"No," Geralt says. "He did."
/Fin
