#ADHD jaskier

[dapandapod]

Well planned miscalculations

There, another story hidden in the depths of my wip archive! This time from November something! Thank you beloved Ebs for beta reading, you are a gem!

please enjoy! <3

On Ao3 here

"Jaskier, Hocus Pocus doesn't count as a scary movie."

"Geralt," Jaskier says, matching his tone, looking down his nose for good measure. "They eat children. They are witches. I was terrified. It counts."

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Geralt leans on the arm rest on the couch, while Jaskier sits curled up in the other corner. 

"So what makes you think you can deal with Paranormal Activity?" he questions, looking so completely unimpressed Jaskier can't help but feel a little offended.

"I got you? And it's not real! Right? I can tell the difference between a movie and reality, I'm not a child- stop giving me that look, I am a man grown! Ish! Grown enough, shut up, I'm almost as tall as you."

"I literally said nothing," Geralt huffs, not even trying to hide is smile, but gives in and settles back more comfortably as he starts the movie. "Do you have your pillow, mister Man Grown?"

"Locked and loaded." Jaskier beams, opting to ignore whatever Geralt is insinuating, but with his Protection Pillow firmly set in his lap.

To exactly nobody's surprise, the movie is scarier than Hocus fucking Pocus.

It takes minutes for Jaskier to realize that this was a very bad idea. Partially because, you know, watching it is scary. It’s a little bit because he has to walk home, all alone, and also sleep all alone.

He sure as shit is never going to put up security cameras in his house, because if there is something in there except him, he doesn't wanna know. Never. Unless it's a cat. Or Geralt.

Point being, this was a mistake.

He sinks lower and lower into the couch, hiding behind the pillow. It brings up some logistic struggles, because he can't have his feet on the floor or a monster will be able to grab his feet from underneath the couch. Mister Man Grown knows how this works.

Eventually, Jaskier realizes he has been ignoring the obvious.

Geralt is just the right size to hide behind—against—to hide him! He has yet to work out the details on exactly how, but the increasingly creepy sounds from the tv makes Jaskier keep his eyes trained on his best friend in this entire world (as if that is unusual for him) to figure out a way of action.

After some serious thinking, planning and risk calculation under the span of about three seconds, Jaskier decides that the solution is to be discreet. Geralt is already mocking him for being (reasonably!) scared of witches, there is no way he will get away with hiding behind him as well.

Jaskier turns his head towards the tv, but makes sure to keep his pillow strategically placed to cover his plan. Perfect. Step two is to become a dangly little worm, a stealthy little sneak, and squirm sideways to get close enough to take refuge behind Geralt's shoulder. 

Flawless plan.

Excellently executed as well, if he may say so himself. Geralt only gives him a side glance once (or twice), and thus it is a win.

There is a lull in the movie, some plot being all relevant and stuff, and Jaskier takes the opportunity to straighten up a little, to get more comfortable. It just so happens that their shoulders touch now, and Jaskier wedging his own shoulder between Geralt and the couch is just a mere coincidence.

Perfection.

Until Geralt turns towards him with a smirk and yet another shake of his head. How dare he look so attractive when he does that? Terrible.

"Scared already? It has barely started," he teases, and ah well.

"Just being prepared." Jaskier sniffs, and to prove his point he wraps his arms around Geralt's, like his arm is just a well shaped teddy bear. A very comfortable one.

The problem with this plan, however, is how very nicely Geralt smells. And how very warm and comforting it is to press against his side. And how awkwardly placed Geralt's hand is right now, since Jaskier has pulled up his knees too to create yet another barrier between him and the terrible things on the tv.

The problem solves itself, though, by Geralt simply putting a hand on one of Jaskier's knees. It then creates another problem entirely, because with Geralt causally just touching him like this makes Jaskier's hands all clammy and his heart all jittery. A kind of clashing contrast to the feelings he's getting from the movie.

Time ticks by, and Jaskier finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into the couch, pressing his cheek to Geralt's arm when he dares look, and his entire face when he does not. It seems Geralt is taking some pity on him, leaning back against him, his thumb rubbing against his knee soothingly (and distractingly) every now and then.

When the movie is finally over, it is already past midnight, and it is too late for another, kinder one. 

They sit in silence for a while after the end credits start rolling, still pressed together.

"I guess it's time for me to head home," Jaskier ventures, but makes absolutely no move to get up yet.

"Just stay," Geralt suggests gently, and Jaskier's head whips around to stare at him. "We both know you are going to call me the moment you step outside my door anyway, and be scared to fall asleep-"

"-Hey!"

Geralt gives him the 'tell me I'm wrong' look that he has perfected throughout his years at Jaskier's side, and continues as if Jaskier never opened his mouth.

"-so, you might as well stay. You still have a toothbrush here since last time."

Everything he has said is true. Jaskier opens and closes his mouth a few times to retort, but he really doesn't have anything. Truth be told, he actually does want to stay. Geralt's bed is big enough for both of them, and having him there next to him is a sure recipe to keep nightmares away.

After teeth are brushed and t-shirts borrowed, they tuck into bed. 

Jaskier is quick to pick his feet up from the floor, a shiver running down his spine even for that brief unprotected moment between the wardrobe and climbing up. It is silly, he knows, but he can't help it.

Geralt doesn't seem to notice, or at least to care, and climbs in next to him, on the right side. 

They turn the lights off, and wait for sleep to claim them.

 Only, Jaskier can't stop tossing and turning.

He swears every sound of this entire fucking building is out to get him, and if he doesn't keep his eyes firmly shut, he vow under oath that he can see a reflection of eyes across the room. Which is blatantly untrue, not only because there really is no one there, but because the room itself is pitch black.

After a few minutes, Geralt gets tired of his moving about. He turns on his other side and pulls Jaskier close against his chest, holding him tight.

Jaskier was not expecting this, not at all, and he lies there blinking, heart racing and arms stuck between their chests.

"Better?" Geralt grumbles, shifting to get a little more comfortable.

Jaskier wriggles some more, until his arms are free enough to wrap around Geralt's chest, and he can tuck his forehead under Geralt's chin, then he sighs contentedly.

"Much. My brave, strong hero." He can feel Geralt draw a breath, his arms tightening around his back and shoulders, which is a little curious.

"Sleep," his friend grumbles, tucking his nose into Jaskier's hair. "And no more scary movies for you."

"You'd miss the excuse for cuddles," Jaskier shoots back, sleep drawing him in now that he is being held so securely.

"I would," Geralt whispers, so quietly Jaskier barely catches it. 

 Sleep takes some time to come, but while he was protected so fiercely, despite the night doing its damndest to scare him, Jaskier finds there is little else on his mind than his friend, wrapped around him.

[casually-eat-my-soul]

Okay so after the mountain breakup Geralt wants to apologize but he’s not sure how too. When he goes home for the winters he’s much more grumpy then usual and his brother and vesmir can smell his angsting. It take them nearly all winter to figure out why Geralt is so sad, but when they do they try and help.

All three of them try to figure out a way to have Geralt apologize. But they are Witchers and treat this in the same way they treat a monster hunt. They also don’t understand humans, and Geralt isn’t really that helpful as Jaskier is so different from humans.

When they finally come up with a decent plan, that has backups of course — “what if he escapes out a window instead of listening to Geralt?”

“Humans don’t jump out of widows lambert, they wouldn’t survive”

“Hmm no Jask jumped out of a three story widow when he heard that Valdo Marx was in the same building.”

“Fuck, we got to block out all the exits”

— Geralt sets out to apologize, and unbeknownst to him Lambert and Eskel follow him. They decide that since Geralt bard is well a bard, Geralt obviously needs to serenade him as he apologizes. (Ye old boombox)

So they buy cheap instruments and lay in wait. When Geralt finally starts to apologize it comes off awkward they jump in and start play horribly. They are both sing two different songs while they play hit cross buns. — “I fucked up and now I’m an angsty bastard without you, please fuck me again.”

“Lambert shut the fuck up, the lyric we agreed too was I’m deathly in love with you and being without you leaves me heart broken and berate” — It’s not really a surprise though lambert only followed to make fun of Geralt, while Eskel is a true romantic at heart.

They end up getting into a fist fight, in front of one mortified Geralt and dying laughing Jaskier. but while they are distracted with fighting each other Geralt pulls Jaskier aside and properly apologizes. It’s a sweet moment and they are both slightly crying — “I know that you may never forgive me, but I wish for you to travel with me again, to be better for you, to you.

“Geralt I forgave you two days after the mountain, I missed you too.” — Coen appears out of nowhere with a flower bouquet and gives it Jaskier and claims it’s from Geralt. He also kisses Jaskier hand before stepping away. Geralt nearly decks him. Jaskier makes a joke about swooning over Coen, so Geralt in a fit of confidence kisses him.

Next winter when Geralt brings Jaskier to the keep, they roast his ass. There isn’t a day that goes by without lambert or Eskel bringing up how angsty Geralt was last winter. Jokes on them they don’t have someone like Jaskier to wake up too.

[hannibard]

JASKIER IS BI CANON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[geraskierfanficprompts]

Prompt 40

In a modern world, Geralt has been chatting online with a man named "Dandelion" for about four weeks now. They finally worked up the mutual courage to go out for a date... I R L... (shocked gasps from the imaginary audience)

Only, Geralt has been sat alone at the restaurant they agreed upon for about an hour and a half now. All his messages to Dandelion have been ignored. He doesn't want to hope something bad happened to him, but he also doesn't want to hope the man is fine and just decided to blow off Geralt and their date. But then he finally gets a call from Dandelion. "Hi! Geralt! Geralt, Right? I hit the right number? Listen- Um- I locked my keys in the car. I know it sounds like an excuse but it isn't! And the car fixer men can't come until tomorrow, so I was just going to hire an uber, but I can't find my wallet, and I doubt I have the money for it, for see, my darling white wolf, I may have splurged all my money on quite a lovely bouquet to bring you- Um- It's on my kitchen table-" (the sounds of a man clambering and stumbling through his own apartment) "-And so i was going to do the very embarrassing act of asking you to pay for my uber, even though you were already generous enough to offer to pay for the entire meal, and so I decided I'd think on it and try and find my wallet again after my shower, but see then I fell in the shower, and I- Well, to be honest, I think I might have broken my arm, um- I think I need a raincheck? And can I borrow money for an uber to the hospital? I'll pay it back, I swear!" Long story short, Geralt's first date with this 'Dandelion' guy he's had a massive crush on for weeks, is driving him to the hospital and checking him in. The worst part of it all is that Jaskier (Dandelion's real name*) is so charming, that Geralt can't even be upset about the whole situation. *Geralt soon learns that "Julian" is Jaskier's 'real' real name, when he ends up helping Jaskier write out his medical forms, but this is all just semantics.

[sacred-algae]

Falling Away With You by Muse has always been a very Geraskier song to me. And the new demo version just strengthens that association.

It screams Jaskier pining for Geralt. I like to imagine that in the world of The Witcher, he wrote it. It’s full of so much pain, fully encapsulating a love that is so strong it’s killing you and yet you can’t stop for the life of you.

But the new demo is perfect. It’s acoustic, and there are no lyrics besides humming and “ooh”ing here and there. It’s in progress. Listening to it feels like you’re walking in on a private moment you shouldn’t be listening to. It changes and shifts as Matt is recording. As a songwriter, I can practically hear him thinking “Well what about this? No, that’s not right. How about this? Oh, yes, I like this.”

So picture this with me:

Imagine Geralt and Jaskier sitting at their camp. It’s their first day back together after one of their little few month breaks. Imagine Geralt sitting on a rock, cleaning his sword from a day’s work. Imagine the campfire crackling, the crickets chirping. Imagine a 28-year-old Jaskier has his notebook and lute out. Geralt likes to hear him play as they wind down for the night, and Jaskier… well Jaskier has been hyperfixating on a song he’s been working on while he and Geralt were apart. He has the lyrics done, but the tune isn’t quite there yet.

The songwriter’s hands itch to play this new one that’s still in progress. It’s like resisting a pull, but this one isn’t one he wants to write in front of Geralt. No, he can’t. But the hyperfixation is too strong, and he moves to pluck the riff as he tries to play other things. Things he knows Geralt likes—

“Play the new one.”

Well fuck.

“It’s uh… a work in progress.”

“I like it. Keep going.”

He can’t say no to Geralt.

“There aren’t any lyrics yet,” he lies.

“That’s fine.”

So he plays the new one. And it sounds something like this: (lyrics for the og are under the cut)

I can't remember when it was good

Moments of happiness elude

Maybe I just misunderstood

All of the love we left behind

Watching our flash backs intertwine

Memories I will never find

So I’ll love whatever you become

Forget the reckless things we’ve done

I think our lives have just begun

I think our lives have just begun

And I'll feel my world crumbling down

Feel my life crumbling now

Feel my soul crumbling away

Falling away

Falling away with you

Staying awake to chase a dream

Tasting the air you're breathing in

I hope I won't forgot a thing

Promise to hold you close and pray

Watching our fantasies decay

Nothing will ever stay the same

And all of the love we threw away

And all of the hopes we've cherished fade

Making the same mistakes again

Making the same mistakes again

And I'll feel my world crumbling down

Feel my life crumbling now

Feel my soul crumbling away

And falling away

Falling away with you

All of the love we left behind

Watching our flash backs intertwine

Memories I will never find

Memories I will never find

[is-your-blorbo-neurodivergent]

does he have adhd?

submit your own characters here to be featured!

reason: he just gives The Vibe. often he can seem distractible. he is quite regularly regarded by others as stupid and therefore is underestimated, but in reality he has high intellect and a strong sense of empathy and passion. he tends to fixate on people, particularly partners. adhd seems like it would best fit him over other neurodivergent conditions, but i don't think theres any way this man is neurotypical [] edit: just remembered rsd is an adhd thing and he handles a lot of rejection, which causes him a LOT of emotional pain. (the mountain scene that created burn butcher burn being the main example)

submitted by @angelellipsis-devilofdots

[thelostgirl21]

Please join me, as we all take a moment to appreciate that The Witcher Season 3's soundtrack has a track that's actually called...

[positivityjediprince]

Their ADHD/Autism dynamic has me bewitched body and soul.

[tschulijulesjulie]

I... kinda am obsessed with Radskier rn. so I downloaded a video editing app and made an edit. Radovid is a certified Jaskier fanboy and that's completely valid. I also broke my own heart once again with the end.

[dapandapod]

Bring a friend home

Hello there! I honestly don't remember what the exact prompt was, but @firefly-party insisted on Jaskel something something Ikea, and thus, here we are! It was one of those eves I'm convinced I'm hilarious, lets see if you agree xD Please enjoy this silly madness!

On Ao3 here

See, there is thinking outside the box, and there is thinking outside the box. Then there is IKEA. Ikea is the kingdom of DIY and flat boxes. There is nothing you can’t do with a poor man’s budget and imagination, just ask youtube.

Which is why Jaskier finds himself getting lost by the couch section, and then again by the kitchen tables, and then there were the pretty lights and the cool shoe racks. HIs favorite was hot pink, in case anyone was wondering.

Oddly enough, Jaskier’s goal is the kid’s section.

He knows they are supposed to be at the end of the lap, and learned the hard way that short cuts really is just short for really-fucking-lost-where-was-that-blasted-map.

All he needs is the huge roll of drawing paper, and he means the HUGE one. It is heavy as shit, and well, maybe he should have brought something to carry it with, but that was future Jaskier’s problem, and now present Jaskier is cursing past Jaskier for getting distracted by the funky looking bed set.

It will be fine, probably, if he can make it to the downstairs area there should be those heavy duty baskets.

Jaskier is contemplating if he should buy the low budget pens as well, wondering if his niece and their Infinity Art Project will be worthy tools, when something catches his eye. There, by the exit, there are giant plushy baskets.

See, Jaskier is not a big fan of plushies, not really. They lack the warmth and the weight a person would have, but they are also much, much less dramatic than a person, probably.

And there, between the orangutan and the giant panda, there it is.

It is blue and white, and has just the one row of teeth, which his niece would have plenty of words about if she was with him.

It is soft and it’s silly and it’s silly and it's perfect, and Jaskier possibly said that out loud because there is one of those yellow striped shirts with the blue print turning around, and it takes him a moment to look up from that unfairly well shaped chest and into the face of a giant.

Which he also might have said out loud, if the twitch of the giant’s lips is anything to go by.

“Hej,” The man greets, of course he does, as if Jaskier speaks Ikea. “Anything I can do for you today?”

His name tag says Eskel, and it takes a WILD amount of willpower to not blurt out ‘How about me?’ and instead just stand there gaping for a moment, clutching his huge roll of paper.

“Your shark only has one set of teeth,” Jaskier says after one heartbeat too long, Eskel’s eyebrows lifting with the corner of his mouth.

“Well, I hear teeth make them harder to cuddle, and frankly, I myself find too many teeth a bit concerning. Tried to bring it up with the design team, but turns out I’m not very good at swedish,” the giant says, and Jaskier is feeling weak.

Actually yes, the paper roll is getting too heavy to hold the way he is, so he shifts, considering whether to either put it on the floor or between his knees, because that clearly is the right way to hold a giant huge fucking paper roll.

“Bitemarks are hot though,” Jaskier says before he can shove his entire fist in his mouth, which also would have been an unfortunate thing to do in front of this man. “I’ll just-” Jaskier says, turning on his heels to flee, only to walk almost straight into one of the display shelves.

He is saved by a big hand on his shoulder, and then not saved when Jaskier proceeds to drop the monster of a paper roll an inch from his toes.

The thud of the paper landing on the concrete floor makes Jaskier just close his eyes and accept his doom, because there is no way paper nor floor survived that.

“Ah, let me get that for you,” Eskel says, and when Jaskier opens his eyes again, the giant yellow striped man is kneeling in front of him, picking up the paper roll like it weighs nothing to him. It probably doesn’t.

Jaskier is wondering if Eskel would be able to pick him up as easily, and firmly shuts that down.

“Where to? Do you have a basket or a shopping cart?” he asks, and Jaskier is an embarrassed, shamed, blushing puddle on the floor.

“Ah, I was just… going to get that and get to the registers.”

Eskel nods sagely, and nods towards the shark plushies.

“Go give them a squeeze. You just might find a cuddly friend to bring home,” he says, and Jaskier…cannot.

Either this man is as dense as a brick and doesn’t realize what that sounds like, or he does.

Either way, Jaskier does walk over to the shark cage, the iron bars of the plushie basket holding an unholy amount of soft and silly and perfect bodies with staring eyes and too few teeth. BLÅHAJ, he reads, completely unable to pronounce it, but bewitched anyway.

He squeeze one, as instructed, and then the next. But the way the first one is looking at him, as if betrayed, Jaskier can’t help but to pick it up and hold it as he squeezes the others.

It is very nice to hold it actually, and Jaskier realizes he is indeed leaving here with a shark, and he is mentally preparing himself for the berating his niece will get him when they are introduced.

Finnigan. That is his name now. And he knows he will be berated even more when the niece finds the pun in there.

Turning around, Jaskier is surprised to see the employee is still watching him, and still holding that huge, now slightly dented paper roll for their Infinity Art Project.

“You are a good salesman, I’ll give you that,” Jaskier says, wagging his finger at Eskel.

“I’ll help you down the stairs with this, your hands look rather busy,” the giant says good naturedly. “If you don’t have more to pick up from here, that is,” He adds, stopping himself halfway to the stairs.

Lovely, simply lovely, and the way the scar stretches when he smiles, Jaskier squeezes poor Finnigan very hard to his chest. Good thing he isn’t a squeak toy, or this would have been very awkward.

“No, I’m done, thank you. But I can take it myself.”

“It’s alright,” Eskel waves him off with one hand, WITH ONE HAND, SIR!

It is simply unfair how some people just are like that, it is almost insulting how one person can be this kind and handsome and strong at the same time.

It is probably illegal somewhere, and Eskel will be put in handsome-jail if he ever goes there. Fuck, Jaskier needs a coffee and to shut his brain the fuck up.

They walk together down the stairs, but then Eskel just follows him and refuses to let the giant huge fucking paper roll down. Jaskier explains the Infinite Art Project and Eskel makes a contribution with a handful of those hand sized miniature pencils from one of the dispensers and winks as he tucks them into Jaskier’s bag. Well fuck.

Their time is up when Jaskier actually arrives by the registers and is forced to choose which line is the shortest and which one will offer him more time with this hunk of a human.

“When can we expect the art exhibition to begin? Any chance one can get an invite, considering how I am contributing?” Eskel asks, and oh boy, yeah, that man probably knows what he is doing.

Jaskier feels himself giving a crooked smile and pretends to consider it.

“For the meager price of One Cinnamon Bun, I might even let you in on the process itself,” Jaskier dares, heart racing and hands sweating. Poor Finnigan, they haven’t even left the store yet, and he is already on cuddle duty.

“A man should know his worth,” Eskel agrees with a nod. “You got yourself a bargain. Though I will add in a chosen beverage to go with it, in about fifteen minutes when my shift is over?”

Oh dear lord, Jaskier is going to combust on the spot.

They part ways, allowing Jaskier to dump his stuff in his shabby little car and to run into the bathrooms and check out his hair, only to meet up again by the Bistro outside the register area.

If Jaskier felt weak from seeing this man in yellow and blue stripes, it has nothing on him compared to Eskel in civilian clothes.

Eskel is enlightened about the arts of a 7 year old, and Jaskier brings home two cuddly friends from Ikea that day.

[islenthatur]

Write a new fic... must make a banner!

We’ve all read the stories where Jaskier collects Witchers, well my friends this is where the Companions of Witcher’s Collect Jaskier.

OR

The one where Roach loves her noisy-foal and so do the others.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/44239222

[emiwrites3reads]

Jaskier has to be ND

[geraskierfanficprompts]

Prompt 80

Jaskier has a hard time falling asleep, especially when in the middle of a project. Geralt makes sure Jaskier is quiet doing whatever he does when he stays up, and only then can Geralt rest. At first, Geralt had no idea what was wrong with the bard. Jaskier will stay up for hours and hours and hours, and yet be saddened by waking up late, or being tired when woken early. "I didn't want to stay up so late." "Then why did you?" Geralt just didn't fucking understand it. Until he started to like Jaskier, and learn about Jaskier. Now it worried him more than anything. Perhaps it was medical.. Or a curse.. Jaskier has... Q u i r k s... Geralt isn't sure if it's a bard thing.. Or a human thing.. But it's a Jaskier thing, that's for sure. Jaskier is staying up one night again, when Geralt takes his song journal away, and scoops him up. "Geralt!" His bard squawks, but Geralt doesn't care for his complaints. He'll be sad in the morning if Geralt doesn't help him. Geralt carries him to the bedrolls, and places him down. Only then Geralt can rest. "...But if I don't finish the song tonight-" Jaskier says, trying to get up. Geralt huffs, and wraps his arm around Jaskier, keeping him down. "Go to bed, Jask." Jaskier stares for a moment, before laying down, and within minutes, he's deeply asleep. Only then Geralt can rest.

[geeneelee]

My baby girls: little shits with undiagnosed adhd (frequently because they predate the diagnosis)

[hanzajesthanza]

headcanons for dandelion (julian)'s backstory + meeting countess de stael

credit to @toussaintred for countess de stael headcanons :)

julian was a son of noble birth - an only son, as after his mother gave birth to him, she was unable to have other children. his father died when he was young, and thus throughout his childhood his mother placed undue pressure on him to grow up and fill his father's shoes, expecting him to be able to fulfill a political role which required a lot of serious matters, paperwork, and sitting in one place for a long time.

but julian was an artistic soul and these kinds of work and expectations of him were tortuous, for both him and those around him. his teachers and tutors constantly claimed that he had great potential, but just lacked discipline.

to their frustration, this boy seemed to be a kind of savant. he was able to memorize long passages of literature even their masters could not, he could identify and describe noble escutcheons and coats of arms from the buina to the jaruga, and he could even reckon geographic distance and tally days without the use of an abacus. in spite of these so-seemed natural talents, he earned the reputation of a lazy and unapplied student, as he was fond of daydreaming, slacking off, and insolently joking with his tutors. in class, he would stretch in his chair and sigh, and out of class, he would leave studies for the last moments before due.

in julian's point of view, the family grounds and court were stifling. when not pacing around them, he would climb the rooftops of the castle in an attempt to get to the highest vantage point just for a chance to see beyond the misty horizon. it was also here that he was able to evade the demands of his mother and various pedagogues, who were determined to keep him to a schedule.

he was taught music from an early age, as was befitting of a child of high birth to be well-educated and knowledgable of the creative arts. (change next sentences depending on your interpretation of dandelion's birth sex) much to his mother's disappointment, he was not interested in the other activities befitting a nobleman, and when it came to education in swordplay, he was fond of intentionally dropping his sword when sparring, or hiding in the grass when it came time for lessons. | he was educated in poetry and rhyming schemes, but often argued that a stuffy alcove was no place to learn and demanded that they sit in the gardens. to the exasperation of his tutors, this often ended in his escape when he grew bored.

at this time, he did not take it too seriously. partially because of his disdain for his mother's expectations of him, julian was not concerned with much. confronted with a perceived lifetime of desk work and political ambassadorship ahead of him, he aspired to little beyond next morning's breakfast and trying to gain the attention of the girls around the estate. it seemed a futile attempt to try to prolong youth as far as he could, as he dreaded the boredom and monotony of adulthood. best to enjoy the charming spring flower meadows and company of giggling girls now, he supposed.

this philosophy of his changed when he met the countess de stael.

she was tall, dark-haired, and graceful - her deep red gown was sumptuously cut with fashionable slashes, and her long hair rustled with every step. a mature woman, not prone to giggling with fervor and blush like the girls julian was used to - her deep throaty laugh and amused smile, accented with dark red lipstick, pleased the ears and eyes.

she contradicted his every expectation of nobility. instead of being reserved, severe, and joyless, blind beyond her own nose and with a permanent grimace attached to her lips, she emanated warmth, pleasure, and worldly charm.

was he in love? perhaps, one befitting of youth. but in his love for her, he found love for himself. for the countess' joie de vivre extended beyond appearances; she was an exceptionally well-travelled, having been received by kings and queens from kovir to rivia. she could play various instruments and knew multiple compositions by heart, along with all of the great works of literature and history. perhaps most curiously, she had never married; only taken a long line of lovers with seemingly no beginning and no end. owing to this, she had never settled in one castle or manor; instead, she toured with her fortune and enjoyed whatever the road had to offer.

it did not take long for julian's curiosity to get the best of him, and he approached the countess in conversation. impulsively, foolishly. but she appreciated his candor. and in a manner somewhat uncharacteristic for the young julian, he did not approach her with base flirtation. he respected her too much. though his cheeks burned when they were near.

he asked her questions. about life, desire, beauty, the world... and poetry, which, of course, encompasses all aforementioned. in many ways, the countess was the first who understood him for who he was. and who he wanted to become. they spent long hours talking. she enjoyed his amusing mannerisms. and his questions were always interesting. she tutored him in poetry, and his curiosity and inspiration grew.

meanwhile, julian's relationship with his mother worsened. he was of an age to attend academy, but had put off the enrollment, always finding (or fabricating) an excuse to push it to the next year. but this year, he was ready. though it wasn't as his mother had hoped.

when he finally commanded the boldness to tell her he was leaving to study poetry, she did not even turn to look at him. he had expected more: a reproachful gaze, a snide smile. when he finally saw her face, it was dull and expressionless. it was as if she had already known his plans for a long time. for once, she did not scold her lazy son's stupidity, denounce his ineptitude, or scoff contemptuously at his insolence. she sighed, walked to her desk, and from a top drawer produced a small, thin document. it had already been prepared.

without hesitation, he left. without hesitation, he signed away his right to his family name. to his coat of arms. to his lands and estates, forests and castles. all which was his by birth was no longer his. by the terms of the agreement, all which was to be his was the tuition to attend oxenfurt. after four years of study, he would never again receive a single penny from his family. and post-graduation, he was not to use his nobly-given name to sign his ballads.

with a stroke of his pen, julian agreed to the terms. legally, he had lost it all. but he felt as if he had gained everything.

he left the countess de stael a poem. his first poem. it was a shoddy work, still untrained and still unperfected, but it did the trick. it told a story of inspiration, muses, love, and beauty. about desire, taste, and experience. about names, identities, and families. it expressed gratitude, farewell, and

he left it open-faced, unfolded, asking to be read. and at the bottom, it was signed:

dandelion.

[thelostgirl21]

Okay, someone wrote that they thought Jaskier had ADHD in some of my tags, and I've just GOT to address this, because asfjasfljadsflasjd;dlasja;slfjd;as...

@aro-tarot , OMFG YES!!!

As someone with ADHD, I've got such strong ADHD vibes from Jaskier like you wouldn't believe!

(That, plus I tend to headcanon that Jaskier suffers from Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), a condition strongly associated with ADHD, but more on that further down...)

I mean he's usually got no freaking impulse control whatsoever, and no filter on his mouth!

And even when he HAS that filter on, and some vague awareness that opening his mouth further and speaking his mind might get him into yet more trouble…

Well, the frustration he feels in the now is apparently so strong that the possibility of having to pay a price later is but a too distant and abstract concept to be enough to put a stop to that mouth!

I mean, that moment right here?

Someone without ADHD would have stopped themselves at "Am I going to say it?" because of the "Yeah, if I antagonize him, he might decide to keep me away from getting on that boat and I'll jeopardize my safety as well as the safety of the people that are currently counting on me," that should normally logically follow...

Someone with a very strong case of ADHD however... Well, they might just have to say it!

Same thing in Season 1 with the elves. Jaskier's bound and tied ,and he just keeps antagonizing them because he's angry, and the need to express his anger somehow screams louder than the punch or the kick he'll be receiving 2 freaking seconds later if he keeps verbally lashing out at them!

Self-soothing and impulse managing are two skills that Jaskier doesn't quite have a good mastery of.

Like, don't let him get his hands on a djinn while heartbroken, drunk, and deeply wounded (because his best and very possibly queerplatonic friend just insulted his singing, while implying that it was likely why his other friend/lover had just left him, no less)... He might just start wishing Valdo Marx dead!

Generally, I'd strongly advise keeping him away from anything that could potentially become a weapon if he's highly emotional.

That's never a good combination.

Jaskier might do something he'll regret, and realize it was awfully dumb and stupid only once he's deeply in trouble, or has finally calmed down.

ADHD isn't a mood disorder, but it's been described as a "failure to self-regulate moods disorder".

Meaning that people with ADHD feel the same emotions as anyone else most of the time (RSD is a bit of an exception; again, more on that later), but they'll just have a harder time avoiding openly expressing them, and stopping themselves from acting upon them.

They can succeed most of the time (thankfully); and I highly suspect that Jaskier might be at his most focused and emotionally measured around Ciri, because he feels responsible for her.

Adults often have this instinct to sacrifice their own needs and wants to give priority to those of children (including sometimes teenagers, and/or grown children they've adopted as part of their family system and are still mentoring through life).

People with ADHD also tend to have a blast playing aunt/uncle, because we can super easily connect with the sense of wonder, excitement, and defiance of authority of children and younger people - be very impulsive and silly with them and act like children and teens ourselves, at times - while still remaining responsible and protective of them when we need to be.

It's like suddenly flipping our "adult switch" on, because we're aware they need us to be the adult.

But fellow adults don't need us to "adult" for their sake.

They typically have their own shit together way better than we do! So, we're just that almost full time impulsive dumb kid that they need to constantly watch out for while around our adult friends.

UNLESS they make it extremely clear to us that they need our help and/or for us to focus. We can "adult" if the stakes are high, and/or they need our support, too.

But that's not our default mode!

We'd rather be chasing butterflies and playing videogames / writing songs (or meta... Meta's good... My brain loves meta because it's always over-analyzing things!), doing whatever keeps us interested and stimulated in the now, than carefully planning things and being responsible.

And there's also that scene where Jaskier is in the Witcher lab with Yennefer, while Ciri's possessed by Voleth Meir (you know... going around killing people, lives are at stake and all that...).

But, since all of this is happening in another room, Jaskier can't quite emotionally connect with the gravity of the situation, so he's eating whatever he finds his hands on while randomly talking about nipples because Yennefer said "oriole", and his brain thought it sounded like "areola" (yeah, our brains are always making a bunch of connections that aren't relevant to the situation)!

Yet, as soon as Yennefer makes it clear that she needs him to focus, he's 100% in the moment with her, and has flipped that "adult switch" on.

We can go there, but it typically requires a strong enough emotional incentive for us to ground ourselves, and it's a state that gets draining when sustained for a too long period of time.

And given how we're at our best when highly stressed, Jaskier's probably the person you want there with you when things start really going to shit!

He's at his best when he's got no idea what he's going to do, and he has to think fast and improvise to respond to whatever is happening in real time.

Oh, and I'm about 99.9% sure that he suffers from rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), too (yeah, we're finally going there).

I discovered what RSD was about 5 years ago, how it tied into my ADHD, and that it had been something that I'd been struggling with (and often doing everything I could to hide) my whole life without really understanding it.

One thing that people with RSD tend to do, sadly, is constantly downplay our own hurt and pretend everything is fine - do our best to keep others constantly entertained and happy with us, even at our own expanse at times - so that they won't perceive us as a burden, and will continue to want to have us around.

Since a part of us is deeply aware that our emotional response to real (and/or even perceived) rejection, and the pain it causes, feels way more intense than it normally should be, we tend to be ashamed of it, and unable to fully discuss those feelings with those we love.

So, even when we do speak up for ourselves, we are afraid that we might be exaggerating, and/or making the issue much bigger than it is.

Thus, we almost regret it right away, and/or feel guilty for it afterwards, and we'll be almost desperate to let our friend "off the hook" as quickly as possible so they'll love us again.

Therefore watching Jaskier's behavior in Season 2, and the way certain characters (except Yennefer, that genuinely surprised me) responded to him, was actually physically painful for me to watch at times.

Some of the most triggering moments for someone with RSD include:

Jaskier brushing off Geralt's sincere apology - attempting to hide the depth of the emotional devastation he'd caused him - to avoid being perceived as being too much trouble and risking abandonment again.

Jaskier humorously pretending that Ciri going past him, as if he didn't exist, didn't hurt, while joking "Like father, like daughter".

Him going "Right, yeah," when Yarpen Zigrin dismisses him - having chosen to turn that constant rejection into some kind of game between them - because it's much easier to be under the illusion that they're just good-naturally teasing each other, than facing the possibly that Yarpen might genuinely consider him an unwanted nuisance he'd gladly do without, and that having excluded him from the word "friend" was 100% done on purpose!

That same little heartbreaking "Right. Yeah" after he tells Lambert "Look at us. Just one big happy family, eh?" and Lambert goes "No." While pushing him out of the way.

Jaskier is a sweet, loving, empathetic, highly sensitive bard that's on the freaking aromantic spectrum!

And aromantics can most definitely love their best friend in the whole wide world with an intensity, a depth, a sincerity, and a level of devotion that can easily match - and perhaps even surpass - any romantic couple.

Heck, I don't consider myself to be quite on the aromantic spectrum (given that I do experience primary romantic attraction towards people), but I also have a tendency to form friendships that are more emotionally (and sometimes physically, and even sexually) intimate than many of the romantic relationships I've had (except, perhaps, my current one, that is definitely on par).

I think the only reason why I've managed to remain with the same romantic partner (that I do consider the romantic love of my life) for 17 years now - and would gladly spend the rest of my life with him - is because of how deeply supportive and respectful he's been of those friendships I have.

I've built my own found family over the years that I wouldn't want to live without. And I've broken up with prior romantic partners that couldn't agree to "share me" with those other people I love (in a non-romantic way, but that doesn't make it any less tangible or real!) without regretting a single thing.

So, I wholeheartedly believe that Jaskier does love Geralt and always has loved him.

And I know that, if I'm right about this, and if Jaskier is indeed prone to RSD, then the level of emotional and physical pain that Geralt's rejection put him through would have been absolutely soul wrenching.

"I've also survived, no thanks to you," sounds just about right.

Jaskier is human, while witches and witchers are frozen in time. He's been loving Geralt and travelling alongside him and singing songs about him for about 20 years.

20 years, in a human life, is a lot of one's life to devote to someone...

Then, the moment that Geralt's romantic love interest (Yennefer) leaves him, he turns on Jaskier and basically tells him that he's brought him nothing but bad luck and misery for two decades, and that what would please him ,above everything else, would be for life to rid him of him!

Why don't you just take a sword and run Jaskier through, Geralt? I think that would have been less painful to watch!

So, I think this is one of the reasons why Season 3 has been so freaking cathartic to watch for me!

I've been literally crying my eyes out each time people made Jaskier feel loved, wanted, said thank you (even Yarpen!!! Freaking Yarpen stopped to thank him, and called him by his preferred name, Jaskier)...

And of course, there's Radovid...

I could go on and on about how good it felt to have a character that finally treats Jaskier with the same care, attention, and empathy that Jaskier offers others...

But, I think one of the things I loved the most, with Radovid, is how Jaskier himself responded to him.

He's not trying to please him, quite the contrary.

When Radovid asks "Have you come to sing us pretty songs?", Jaskier answers "No. I don't do pretty".

And then, when Radovid says that, while he appreciates the information that Jaskier has brought him, all he really wants is a song, Jaskier responds by saying that "he's not really in a singing mood."

Because yes, he's a bard. Yes, he sings about people he's encountered on his travels, and yes, he sings about people he loves...

But he doesn't want to sing "pretty songs" about Witchers, fairytales, heroics and heartbreak for the entertainment of a Prince and his court!

He's not there so that "Prince Radovid" can sing the praises of "Jaskier the Bard" 's triumphant private performance at the palace!

That's not what pleases Jaskier anymore.

I don't think Jaskier feels like he's got anything to prove performance-wise anymore and, sadly, I believe that, instead of giving him a sense of finally being seen and loved - of belonging...

At times, all this singing and performing - often for the benefit of others - has made him feel even more invisible and isolated.

And that's the beauty of him singing "Extraordinary Things", because that song is all about Jaskier.

It's vocally raw, vulnerable, filled with a fragile hope for love and for someone that makes him feel like he is seen for who he is... For someone that can help Jaskier finally believe that who he is is enough.

For someone that makes him feel like he doesn't have to try so hard to pretend to be happy, and fine, and give others what he thinks they want, so that maybe they'll love him (or keep on loving him) back.

Because it's not just Geralt...

Geralt is the one whose rejection hurt Jaskier the most, because he's the one Jaskier has loved and trusted the most...

Geralt is the one that broke something in Jaskier - his ability to feel safe in the belief that his closest friends would never abandon him.

Thanks to Geralt outburst, Jaskier is likely now being cursed with a little voice, in the back of his mind, that will continue to pop up from time to time whenever he feels safe and happy in his relationships, to make him wonder if his friends and family don't secretly wish that they could get rid of him.

Rationally, I'm sure that Jaskier understands that what happened with Geralt was caused by Geralt's own issues, and that his own behavior wasn't the cause of the rejection.

Rationally, I'm sure that he can trust in their relationship, and feel confident in the love they share.

But emotionally? Although trauma can be managed and kept at bay the vast majority of the time, there are always moments where you're bound to be more tired, stressed out, and where you don't always have the energy to push back against all of those nasty voices that wait for you to let your guards down to be heard and make you doubt.

However, besides what specifically happened with Geralt, Jaskier sadly has a very long history of having had to deal with rejections of all kinds, and been made to feel like he was never enough.

Even Valdo's obstinated refusal to learn Jaskier's name is like he's constantly trying to symbolically murder Jaskier by denying him the very right to exist, for fuck's sake!

After watching those scenes, I thought "Yup! It's really no wonder this happened:

So, while having gotten Geralt back - and obviously having built strong emotional ties with Yennefer and Ciri since the end of Season 2 - has likely tremendously helped easing some of the pain rejection has caused Jaskier throughout his life, he still has those moments where it deeply hurts him.

And I think that Geralt knows...

Jaskier might have been trying to hide it - and Geralt might not fully understand why Jaskier was hurt as deeply as he was (I doubt RSD is something that people often talk about in their world) - but he knows that a part of Jaskier still fears being rejected or abandoned again.

He's just being so soft and patient with Jaskier this season; making it immediately clear that he's not angry with Jaskier, and that their relationship is not threatened the moment that he senses his discomfort.

Or, you know, just reassuring him that the separation between them is only temporary, and that he's going to be the first person he comes looking back for as soon as he's done dealing with Rience.

If Jaskier truly is someone that tends to see people as they really are - not as they pretend to be - then it's easy to see why Jaskier did fall in love with Geralt.

That level of perceptiveness is both a gift and a curse for Jaskier, though.

Because when the person you love is set on self-destructing and unable to embrace who they really are, you might find yourself caught in the blast.

Still, when Geralt is allowing himself to be loved, and to openly love people back, he's an absolutely wonderful (platonic, alterous, romantic...) partner to have.

He's shown as someone who is able to not only apologize, but also recognize the impact that his mistakes have had on others, and take full responsibility for them.

Jaskier may have been quick to brush his apology off and pretend that all was good, but Geralt apparently knows better and, more importantly, is showing that the apology was sincere.

He's making efforts to better communicate with Jaskier and he's doing everything he can to not only alleviate some of the pain he's caused him, but to avoid triggering his insecurities.

Sadly, RSD is not something that Geralt alone can fix, especially not when Jaskier has been exposed to a number of different patterns of interpersonal rejections throughout his life.

And, while Jaskier has a tendency to pretend being fine even when he's not, his eyes almost always tell the truth.

Makes you wonder just how emotionally smart and insightful Radovid is...

Because when someone sings to you those lines...

The greatest songs are made up of unspoken words of love Of them I have had enough With you, I have enough With you, I am enough I am, I am enough

Then looks at you with those eyes...

Well, it's rather easy to understand that Jaskier has been made to feel like he wasn't good enough for those he loved, and/or still loves in the past.

And, given the success of "Burn Butcher Burn", I wouldn't put it past Radovid to have guessed that - athough they were back to being close friends - Geralt might have had something to do with the enduring vulnerability and the hurt he saw reflected there...

Thus, leading him to taking an educated guess as to what might have happened, and ask Jaskier "Does the Witcher know how lucky he is to have you?"

Somehow, with that simple question, Radovid has achieved two very important things...

He's just told Jaskier that not only does he, indeed, believe him to be enough, but he would consider himself lucky to have him...

He's just told Jaskier that whatever Geralt might have said or done to make him feel unwanted in the past, it had been wrong.

And, judging by Jaskier's answering smile, our beloved bard just got himself a fresh new (and quite princely) voice in his head to help him drown out the sound of all the other voices that are occasionally trying to convince him that he's a barely tolerable burden to those he loves.

Radovid has thrown just enough shade Geralt's way to avoid insulting their relationship; while at the same time sort of giving Jaskier the permission to mentally go "Ha! See?! There are people that want and love me, and would consider themselves lucky to have me in their lives! God, you used to be such an asshole, Geralt!" should he still need to go there to help himself manage his pain.

As a victim of Geralt's harsh and cruel words, Jaskier is entirely entitled to have moments where he needs to be a bit petty about the way Geralt used to treat him, and to call him the "family goat".

It's a very healthy way of coping with the residual hurt and anger because it puts the blame in the right place (Jaskier didn't do anything to deserve the way he was treated by Geralt nor to provoke that rejection) with just enough humor to keep that pain and resentment from growing into something that could actually be damaging to their relationship.

Radovid is an impressively good and attentive listener - at least as far as Jaskier himself is concerned.

And maybe that's one of the (many) reasons why Radovid asking to borrow Jaskier's lute, and singing the song back to him, touched me as much as it did.

It stood in sharp contrast to people singing Jaskier's songs back to him while thinking it makes THEM special for knowing a few lines! That Jaskier should be grateful to THEM for being fans, supporting his art, etc.

The entitled patrons that believe Jaskier's singing should be about what they love to hear without being really interested in what Jaskier wishes to say.

Like that obnoxious guy at the docks who started singing "The Golden One" with Jaskier, basically going "See! I'm a big fan! That totally makes us buddies now! And, as such, here are my artistic input, so that maybe you can do better next time! You know, it's good, but it's not good enough for me. Here's how you can improve!"

Basically sending Jaskier the message: "You, the artist, the message and the feelings you are trying to convey through your art don't matter. You are but invisible. Sure, you have a name, and now I'm excited at the opportunity of making my friends jealous by saying I've met you! But you're just a tool that I can now use to make myself more important and interesting to others! Your job is to stay in the shadow of your songs! Your job is to make me happy, to entertain me, to please me, to sing what I want to hear the way I wish I could hear it and to make your art all about me."

Instead, Radovid simply borrows Jaskier's lute, and humbly starts playing the song with a sense of reverence, gratitude, respect, and desire to offer Jaskier something in return for the gift he's offered him by sharing a part of himself with him through his song.

Radovid said that he had long wanted to meet Jaskier in person and presented himself as someone that is a fan of his songs, but that's because they fascinate him.

He genuinely cares about what Jaskier has to say and communicate to others (and/or about others) through them, not about what he wants to hear.

In a world where Jaskier has had to constantly fight to fit in, where he's often made to feel like he's "barely tolerated" (and it usually takes a long time for people to get to genuinely appreciate him, and openly love him back the way he loves them)...

Radovid is someone that comes along showing him that love is not supposed to be earned.

Love is a gift. You love people for who they are, not for what they can do for you.

And what Radovid heard, through those songs, was something so special, intriguing, and irresistible to him that his own response was a genuine desire to get to know the man behind the art.

He tells Jaskier that the unique way he sees the world, and his need to express it, does not make him hypersensitive or annoying - it makes him special.

I don't think the hurt in Jaskier's eyes will ever 100% go away, and that his RSD can ever be completely resolved, either...

But it doesn't need to, because it can be managed and shouldn't get in the way of one's ability to experience joy and happiness, too.

Pain is a natural and healthy part of one's life, as long as it doesn't stand in the way of everything else - as long as there's balance, and room for healing whenever it comes along.

As as long as Jaskier's found family continues to love and accept him the way he is - to let him know that he's an important part of their lives - I believe Jaskier's going to be fine. REALLY fine...

Even the moments when he's hurting are going to be fine, because that's not all there is, and he's got people loving him and offering comfort.

And maybe I'm too hopeful about this, but I think there's most definitely hope for Radovid and Jaskier to make a relationship work between them, too.

Even if it turns out to be a somewhat unconventional one, and completely different from what people might have in mind when they think of a classic "romantic couple", they can find a way to make it work for them.

My advice to them would be to leave all expectations and social conventions at the door, allow themselves to be creative in "loving outside the box", and to build something together that addresses most of their respective needs, while acknowledging and respecting the other responsibilities and emotional attachments each other have.

Oddly enough, Jaskier is one of the few people that I could imagine clearly understanding that Radovid's existence is a bit of a tragedy where he'll never be free to fully belong to himself.

In the event of his brother's untimely death (for example), should Radovid decide to give up his claim to the throne to live a less complicated life, any Redanian ruler could still try to have him assassinated "just in case" he was to change his mind, and later come challenge them.

The palace is a golden cage, and I think Jaskier would not hold it against Radovid, or grow resentful towards him, that he would only be able to offer Jaskier what he is actually free to give without risking both their lives in the process.

He might grow frustrated with all the circumstances that are creating some significant challenges to their relationship, but I could imagine Jaskier wishing to face those as partners, and avoiding to be angry at Radovid for what he can't magically change.

This is where Jaskier's ADHD brain might become an asset by helping him make unique connections, and find creative solutions to allow Jaskier to - as Batey suggested - still find the light in the darkest of places for them two.

So yeah, I definitely tend to headcanon Jaskier as having ADHD (with some significant amount of RSD), too.