#and my sister was just like. its a roach i get that nobody wants to deal with one and bugs are scary sometimes but like lol

[tchaikovskaya]

i always forget how many Critters there are in the deep south until i either spend a lengthy amt of time away from here and come back, or i interact with someone relatively new here (esp in the summer). like wow u cant expect to see a lizard and a tree frog stuck to the outside wall when you open the front door to leave the house? wild

[hirik0]

Jealousy Part 10

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9

09 Soap/Ghost

Soap is about to have the most embarrassing phone call of his live. He asked Ghost if he can take Riley on a walk. Ghost raised an eyebrow clearly confused before he asked" Is this a I need a private phone call walk?" And then gave him a long leach after Soap said yes. "And Soap don't let Riley roll in a cadaver " "What?" "Happend to Scarcrow ones." He dials the number of his littel sister, waiting for her to pick up. "I'm honored to get one if your rare calls, John." He sister answers over the sound of traffic. "You're in a car?" "Yeah I'm about to pick up some friends from the airport." "Emma, I need to ask you for a favour." "Okey..", Emma seems to smash the horn and then cursed loudly. "I need you to buy a collar for me." Silence Soap nervously figtgets with the leash. "Jesus you can't drop something like this on me. If I wasn't standing at a red light I would probably had a crash." "Sorry." "You need the collar for a sexual context right?" "Yes", Soap answers his face burning from embarrassment turning red. "Got a kinky girlfriend?" "You're still at the red light?" "Yes." "It's for my boyfriend." "Thanks that you gave me time to mentally prepare.", his sister jokes. "Can you get me the collar or not?" "Sure, just some questions. What color ?" Soap thinks a while about it the obvious answer is black, but its his claim on Ghost. "A dark green." "Okey so how did you meet?" "Work." "Oh.. so is he also on the battlefield?" "Yes." His sister is silent for a while thinking about something. A siren can be heard in the background. "Maybe a more discreet collar would be better then." "Discreet?", Soap unsure if Ghost would like something that. "Yeah some thing that people would thing is a necklace." Soap is thinking about it something like a necklace could be easy hiden under cloths, if Ghost would be fine with it. "I can get both and he can chose", his sister offers clearly sensing her brother has no idea what to choose. "Thank you Emma." "So how long you two are dating?" "We well we are just fucking at the moment." "Oh, how did that happen?" Soaps face turns dark red and he stops walking making Riley shortly stop and look at him. "I walked in on him." "John MacTavish, couldn't keep it in your pants couldn't you?", Emma says in her best Impression of their mother. "You got send home form school for indecent behaviour, don't tell me about keeping it in my pants.", Soap hisses. The traffic noise ended, Emma must have reached the airport parking lot. "So two collars one for day to day live and one for in the sheets. Should I send them to base?" "No, I will be at my place in 1 and half weeks, just drop it of there." Soap sees Riley disappearing in to a bush. "Riley, come here if you roll in a cadaver your owner will kill me", he shouds after the dog, but to late Riley is gone. "Are you walking a dog?", Emma ask confused knowing of Soaps dislike for dogs. "Yes." "Is this your not boyfriends dog." "Yes." "Cute and I want a picture of the dog. With out a cadaver", Emma demandes. "Sure and Emma thank you." "No problem, love you bye." "Love you too, bye." When Soap is putting away his phone Riley reappears with a giant tree branch in his mouth. "Well at least no cadaver", Soap says to himself.

Ghost is losing his mind. Ever since he realised he fallen in love with Soap he just feels out of control. And the worst he has nobody to talk to, Roach is not returning before his leave. So he hides behind work, trying the hardest not to hide from Soap. With how their relationship changed hiding is just not a option anymore. Soap himself also seems to need somebody to talk to already walking Riley for nearly a hour. At least he hopes they are still on a walk and it's not because Riley rolled in a animal cadaver again. Several baths were needed to get everything out of his fur and this dog hates being bathed. Getting him dry again was also not easy. For the last 4 days he freaked out about this unwanted development of his emotions. Basically just laying on his bed the second he's done with the days work, sometimes staring at the ceiling, sometimes reading and sometimes showering Riley with attention. And Riley is getting concerned by his change in behaivour. Well in 3 days he can freak out in his flat. He's pulled out of his thought spiral by his phone ringing. "Soap? If you call to tell me that Riley is covered in dead animal, we have a problem." "No, but Riley trys to bring half a tree back in to the barracks and don't take no for a answer." Ghost chuckles at this. "I'm on the way."

When he walks out he laughs out loud, because Riley had a gigantic branch, looking proud of himself. Tail wagging and a really pissed of Soap. "Did you let him disappear in the woods?", Ghost ask amused. "Yes", Soap don't look amused. "Riley drop it", Ghost says and Riley drops the brench looking unhappy. "Good boy." "Of course when you tell him to drop it he does it." "Well it's not my fault this is the longest interaction you had with Riley alone." Soap gives him a pisst look. Ghost makes sure that the branch don't cause any accidents. Kneeling in front of Riley and the dog instantly drops his side so Ghost can give belly rubs. "Had a good call?" "Yes." The three walk back in together Soap following Ghost to his room. "Something the matter, Captain?" Ghost ask a bit nervous. Soap not really knowing why he followed Ghost just happpy that he can spend a bit more time with him. He feels that Ghsot is avoiding him, not as bad after the night in the bar that caused all of this. So he comes up with something. He looks around before stating: "I will pick you up on the way, need to pass Manchester anyway." Ghost nods while opening the door. Riley already walking in the room dropping on his dog bed to take a nap. "Soap, thanks for walking Riley." "No problem Oh and my sister likes dogs and eh can I send her a picture?" "Sure." Soap steps in Ghostt rooms taking the picture. When he walks out the room, Ghost grabs his arm. When he looks as Ghost he sees his fully exposed face. "Simon?" Ghost presses his lips against Soaps. Soap closes his eyes enjoying the kiss and pulling Ghost right back in the next kiss when he trys to pull back. Soap bites Ghost lower lip slipping his thought in his mouth when Ghost gasps. Ghost to focused on the kiss to notice that Soap is slowly pushing him against a wall till his back is hitting it. "Soap", he moans "I meant it when I said keep it in your pants." "Well you never said I can't get you out of your pants." Ghost is blushing, mouth open as he looks speechless at Soap. "Got that bratty attitude finally out of you?", Soap ask smug. Ghost is conficted getting off by something that his not his own hand sound so nice on the other site his heart is hurting, knowing that this is just sex for Soap. Soap is getting nervous, Ghost is not talking back too him, starts feeling like he fucked up somehow. "I, I should go", he stammers before walking out the room. Ghost just slides down the wall, feeling his heart break a bit. "Fuck", he says into the room. Tears are gathering in his eyes.

To say the next few days are tense between them is a understatement. Gaz and Meat ask them concerned if everything is okey. "Yeah, just the leave that makes me nervous", Ghost lied. Gaz just told him he will drive him to his flat. Ghost has the feeling he will be ask some question on this car ride. They make it past Shrewsbury before Gaz is starting his interrogation. "What is going on? And no I hate going on leave bullshit Lieutenant." "I.. I'm in love with Soap and he wants just sex", the words fall out of Ghost mouth. Feeling like a weight is falling of his shoulders that trys his dammest to crush him. "Are you kidding me? I get it you're bad with feelings and all this scary aura and making the enemy shit their pants think, but you really think that Soap wants just sex?" Gaz ask him clearly confused. "Yes." "Okey, let me ask it in a other way. Do you think someone that just wants sex is sabotaging your one night stands for months, says no to a person that is clearly their type, gripping their glass so hard it nearly breaks when somebody is flirting with you or is so pisst at Stacy from admin for telling everyone you showed a woman a great night with leaving bruises in form of his hands on you?", Gaz just stats some of the thinks Soap did over the past months. "Well I..", Ghost stammers, his heart beating so fast it feels like its about to jump out his ribcage any moment, his hands getting sweaty. "NO, Ghost the answer is NO!"

Oh, oh.

"How am I supposed to know?", Ghost ask, blushing out of embarrassment, preferring his heart jumping out of his ribs. Gaz gives Ghost a short shocked look before focusing back on the traffic. "Is Soap your first love?", Gaz ask carefully knowing one gslse word could be his last. "The first in a long time.", Ghost admittes not even rembering his first love. Gaz just nods. "So all misunderstandings on your side a cleared?" "Yes, and Gaz if you tell anyone, your body will never be found." "Of course Ghost." A small smile appearing in Gaz face. The rest of the trip is silent only the radio and Riley snoring filling it. They are stucked in Manchester traffic when Gaz is talking again. "Well, hope you have a nice time when Soap is visiting you." "Garrick", Ghost warns voice dropping dangerously low. "Oh common, you go on leave by choice and 4 days later Soap also goes on leave? Not like its hard to figure out." "Garrick." "I know of nothing Sir." "Good."

The 4 days where hell for Ghost. Soap send him some texts, they talked on the phone ones. Riley hates sleeping in so Ghost has to spend a lot of time beeing nervous about the few interactions with Soap. Soap asked him to buy lube and condoms of his likeing so it sounds their original plan is still standing. Soap texted him a while ago when he will reach Manchester and Ghost is sitting on packed backs. He's crawling up the walls, the nearer the time of Soaps arrival is coming the more is growing his restlessness. "Fuck Riley, this is dumb it's just Soap no reason to get this nervous", he says to the dog. Riley just yawning at him from the couch. The true torture of the last 4 days was him thinking about what to say to Soap every think just sounds like shit. To put 'sorry for being wired before my leave, I thought you just want sex and I'm deeply in love with you' in words should not be that fucking hard. But it is because he did nearly nothing else but overthink this for 4 days. He feels like he's about to throw up a gigantic knot forming in his guts. His heart is beating fast, he's sweating not just because Britain is still cooked by a heatwave. Riley is pushing his nose against Ghost leg clearly concerned about his owner. "Everything is fine, just nervous", he says to the dog before sitting on the floor burring his face in to Rielys fur.

Soap is nervously drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He's stucked in traffic just 10 minutes from Ghost flat. First he needs to apologise to Ghost clearly he did something wrong, pushed to far, ask for to much. Gaz told him to not worry about it to much. And he did the exact other think. Getting questioned by Price who marched in his office the second he heard about Ghost mysterious one night stand, also didn't help. "Son, I don't care if you and Simon are fucking. But I will make sure you get kicked out of the military if you hurt him. You know what happend to him. Oh and keep it in the apropaited places, i dont want any paperwork because you two getting catchend in a closet or somethink like this", Price right out threatenes him. "Yes, Sir of course Sir", he just stammered out, but this was nothing against getting the shovel talk from Roach. Price would take away his job but Roach? Roach is ready to hurt him. "You maybe got in his pants, but let me tell you something I don't care how good Ghost thinks your dick is, if you hurt him you had a dick for the longest time of your life, Captain." Soap honestly still fears for his live, Roach is a very lay back person so for him to say such words is nothing to just brush over. Earlier this morning Emma texted him she placed the boxes with the collars on the kitchen table. He shortly text Ghost he's stucked in traffic. Ghost asking him if he should wait outside the building and Soap told him to just wait inside as the sun still clearly trying to fry Britain at the moment.

20 minutes later Soap is standing in front of Ghost flat. Hes nervous hands sweaty heard ponnding. he rings the bell and Ghost opens the door a bit confused. "We could just have walked down", Ghost states but lets Soap in. "I know, just wanted to talk about something first." Ghost is visible tensing what is not helping Soap nervousness at all. "I want to apologice for the day in your room I took it to far", Soap vomit the words out. Ghost looks at him like he just grown an extra head. "I, Soap you did not took it to far.. I just had some false ideas in my head about... us", Ghost says in a very mechanical way as if he thought about saying this way to long. "What do you mean with false ideas, Simon?", Soap ask unsure. "I...", the rest of the sentence ends up in a mumbel. "I need to be able to understand what you are saying. Can you repeatthis, please?" "I.., god this is really dumb and emberressing. I thought you just want sex from me." Soaps jaw drops open in uter shock, well he guees this is what you get from fucking twice and only talking about the next time and nothing else. "Simon, i would not fuck you in my office where EVERYONE could just walk in on us for just sex." Ghost is blushing, his face burried in his hands. "I now know that too", Ghost wispers in his hands. Soap carefully steps in to Ghost space under the very watchfull eyes of Riley. He removes the hands from Ghost face placeing a chaste kiss on Simons lip. "For some guys that trust eachother with their live we are really shit at talking about important stuff", Soap jokes getting a amused huff from Ghost. "I guess." They both laught. Ghost keeping the i love you for himself, feeling its maybe a bit to much right now, mostely for himself. "So we ready to go?", Soap ask smilling at Ghost. "Yeah, can you get the last bag from the bedroom?", Ghost ask not remebering he did not clean up his toys he used earlier today.

[jaskiersvalley]

hi hi!! can i request some fluff or comfort possibly?? my dog passed yesterday and i could use some distraction but im quickly burnung through ao3 😥

I am so sorry to hear about your dog, Nonnie. While there isn’t a lot I can do to fill this newfound void in your heart, I can offer up a bit of silly fluff to distract you.

“Come to Lettenhove with me.” The words were so out of the blue, Geralt had to wonder just what Jaskier was truly asking because so often the words his bard spoke were not quite the ones he meant. “Just think, a few days of rest, we have the most wonderful tub even you could fit in.”

“Why do you need to go there?” Not that Geralt was against the idea but he wanted to know the truth, not be lulled in with fancy words only to have so ‘surprise’ sprung upon him.

After a moment, Jaskier pouted. “I want to swap out my clothes.”

Which was fair enough really. Jaskier did take great pride in his appearance, liked keeping up with trends and detested looking road worn like some common bardling. He had standards and he made sure he lived up to them.

“Fine.” Geralt had learned which battles to pick. No doubt there’d be a contract or two along the way and he’d scout some out in Lettenhove too. The Path was the Path, no matter where it took them.

Lettenhove was quite pleasant, all things considered. Which was nice because it wasn’t the kind of area Geralt often frequented. But not so good because there were no contracts and they had to rely solely on Jaskier’s skills to gain shelter and food. At least the closer they got to Lettenhove, the nice people seemed to be to Jaskier and, rather than scorn Geralt, they were more inclined to pretend he just wasn’t there. Which suited Geralt just fine.

They were walking up to a stately home, Jaskier chattering away, pointing out windows and telling what he thought were great stories about hanging out of them to not get caught stealing from the kitchen again. Thankfully, he was interrupted. Less fortunately, it was a squeal of “Jaskier!” and someone barrelled into him, only to be picked up and spun around.

“Geralt!” Jaskier beckoned him. “Come meet my sister.”

Never before had someone curtsied for Geralt in quite such a genuine manner. He nodded back in reply and watched as Jaskier and his sister started talking, trying to draw him in but accepting his silent nature. Maybe it was a sibling thing to not be fearful of witchers.

They ended up inside the house where more and more people greeted Jaskier and were courteous to Geralt. Definitely a family thing. That idea was cemented in Geralt’s mind when Jaskier’s parents made an appearance. They were obviously delighted their son was back and it was nice to see.

“You must be Geralt. Julek’s witcher.” Hearing those words from Jaskier’s mother’s mouth had Geralt’s mind going blank which was taken as an invitation to keep talking. “He talks so much about you, it’s so nice to have you visit. Would you like a room to call your own while you stay? Or we can move a larger bed into Julek’s room if you prefer to share.”

“Mother!” Jaskier looked scandalised.

“What? It’s not like your childhood bed could take the strain of the two of you making love on it.”

Titters went up and one of Jaskier’s siblings ruffled his hair as they jeered.

“It’s okay, we’ll have a room made up and the bed changed. Then you can decide how you’re most comfortable.” It was said like it was the most obvious thing on earth.

“And you must join us for dinner this evening.” Jaskier’s father was in on the act it seemed. “We normally don’t stand to formality but it’s been years that we’ve heard stories about you, it feels like we already know you through the letters and stories. Would be nice to actually spend some time in your company.”

Nobody had ever wanted to spend time in a witcher’s company before. Geralt stared at the peculiar family gathered around Jaskier and him and could only wonder what poison had been dropped in their food that they all survived but were a bit funny as a result of.

Dinner was as chaotic an affair as Geralt had feared. There was no seating plan, no hierarchy. Everyone wanted to crowd around him and Jaskier, keen to share embarrassing childhood stories and listen to tales of their travels. It was one of the most exhausting social engagements Geralt had ever had. He slept well that night, in a large bed that had been put in a room for him. With Jaskier in his arms because “I’m not defiling my childhood bedroom, I just can’t”. He didn’t seem to have a problem with doing that to the guest bedroom though.

They spent three days in Lettenhove during which Geralt learned that Jaskier had a tendency to steal things from his siblings like a magpie. Though he was also claiming it was payback for all the jump scares they unleashed on him. They said it was to see what high notes he could hit. Geralt knew exactly what high notes could be pulled from Jaskier and scaring him was not the way to go about it.

“Get him a parrot,” he said as he walked past a huddle of giggling idiots. Geralt didn’t expect his words to be heeded.

The screech which rang through the home the next morning was one that trailed off into such ranges only witchers and dogs could hear it. It made Geralt’s eyes water in pain and he grumbled that they were at breakfast so it was too early.

“But Geralt! Look!”

Where Jaskier normally sat was a basket. In it was a parrot with a bow around its neck. Someone clapped Geralt on the shoulder.

“Thanks for the tip.”

No amount of arguing could convince Jaskier to leave the parrot behind. It was colourful, nibbled happily on Jaskier’s ear for attention and squawked when he sang.

“If your horse is called Roach,” Jaskier had mused, “the I suppose we can call this parrot Pike.”

“No.”

“Salmon?”

Geralt gave him a stern look.

“Bass? Tuna? Guppy.”

The last got a snort and Jaskier beamed. “Guppy it is. Thanks love.”

When they got back on the road, Jaskier with a new set of clothes, a parrot on his shoulder and coin purses sneakily topped up, Geralt couldn’t help but turn back and wave at the strange family that made him feel more welcome than anyone ever before. Maybe he would direct his brothers through here too, see what reception they got.

Come winter, Lambert didn’t return to Kaer Morhen. He did send a letter though.

Thanks for the tip. This is so much better. Suck it, up in the cold halls. Come here next year. Lambert Pankratz, adopted son of the Count of Lettenhove

[bijoulilou]

If Jude's parents still lived pt 3

Days had passed since that night. When I awoke, I was in my own bed, Taryn sprawled on the floor. I had deduced that we had come through my bedroom window on the second floor. Vivi answered my question by throwing it open herself and crawling through gracefully. She had given me a triumphant expression that I couldn't help but complement with a tired but relieved smile.

I didn't bother running that morning or any other after that. Dad noticed right away and asked if something was wrong. I merely replied that I was exhausted. But it wasn't true. None of it was. As I sat at my desk taking notes for history, my mind starts to wonder if I should join a gym or run around the track something falls out of my book. My eyes widen and I slowly reach to pick it up off the floor.

A black feather, the plumage so dark its iridescence shines between a purple and blue twirls between my fingers. I look up to see if anyone notices but they don't. I quickly place it beneath my notebook and turn the page to continue with lecture. There are scribbles there, too elegant to be my own, written anecdotes that don't make any sense. At least not to others like me. At end of the page there's a familiar one, Tayrn and I used to wonder aloud what it meant growing up and Vivi would tease us with a possible answer.

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

I remember Cardan tangling his arms through my own as we danced. The honeyed wine I was warned against drinking, the hungry eyes that gathered around and reveled in my humaness. How tired I became and the way we sat and talked for what seemed forever.

I glance at the page until class is over, I try to push the thought of it out of my head for the rest of day. After school, practice is a welcome distraction from the constant buzz of senior nonsense. During this time I don't have to worry about college admission, scholarships or be invested in Taryn's clique drama. She eats up the attention and admiration from everyone, particularly when she gets casted for a lead in a play. When we went back to public school, there was this expectation that it was going to be weird. After watching hours of television, with plotlines revolving around outsiders being rebuked by the general pop--it was natural to be wary. But no, not many people cared if we were homeschooled for a bit. They found us interesting and entertaining. I remember Taryn glowing with pride when our classmates would invite us over to their table for lunch or to hang out after pickup. I was bored and preferred Dad showing me his creations or mom her medicines. It amazes me how right the weapons always felt in my hand, especially the weight of the sword. Dad beamed and said I looked like a knight, I think that's why I took to sports so easily, I played other sports in the off season to stay in shape and ready. Mom would lecture us when we'd play with wooden swords about strategy and cunning. Vivi would leave the room, she didn't want to hear stories of battles that didn't happen or the undercut ways to win wars. But the way mom would describe would sound so real, she'd stop talking about when dad came in the room. Mom would wipe us with poultice and make us strands of hawthorn and rowan berries when we'd play in the woods. After we started hanging out with other children she'd stop doing it as much.

A teammate of mine had tackled the lights out of me, I felt the wind get wicked out of my lungs. This wasn't like me, to be here but not totally here. To be absentminded.

In the locker room, after a very long cold shower and scaring some of my teammates with my scowl, I slowly get dressed.

"Pick your poison." Katie, dark haired with deep bronze skin holds up a kinesthetic tape and baby aspirin. I pick the aspirin, taking two with a swig from my water bottle. Katie hands me the tape anyway and I reluctantly start to wrap up my ribs, hissing during the process. The phrase sticks in my head, like a rhyme.

Pick your poison.Pick your Poison.Pick your--

"Do you want to go to Laken's party tonight?" Mara asks us. She's the one that tackled me out on the field, she gives me an apologetic expression. I throw a pair of dirty socks at her and call it even. Mara accepts this with a wrinkled nose and sits next to me, waiting for our answer. Katie nods, we were going to go hang out at a coffee shop and do homework. But after today, I can blow some steam.

"Let me just drop off my bag at home at first." They both give me an unimpressed eye roll. They suspect that I'll bail, I'm not a huge fan of Laken's parties. They tend to get out of hand, not in a fun way either. "I gotta run it by parents first, you guys know how my mom hates texts."

They nod. It's only half true that , mom hates when we text her, she'd prefer seeing our faces with face time or in person. She's been wary about us being on our own as we get older. Dad usually covers for us, like he did for that night in woods. He thinks mom worries too much.

"Hey Jude, there's someone here for you." One of the junior girls notifies me. My brow furrows in frustration. Taryn can be a real priss sometimes, she detests coming into the locker room. Taryn complains of the smell, but I swear the boys locker room's stench wafts all the way to the tennis courts.

Katie gives annoyed snort, " That sister of yours is a piece of work."

Before I can defend Taryn, Mara interrupts and says she'll walk me out and makes us confirm that we'll meet up later. Katie and I give a half hearted okay. When I try to hand Katie back her wrap she tells me to keep it. I give her a thanks, which is rare. We call it a truce.

As we're walking out Mara starts to ask me what's the deal between Katie and Taryn. I explain that those two have always been at odds since middle school. Taryn accuses her of being a nag and a bore, Katie says that she's pushy and manipulative. Mara sighs, but before she can say anything, a slight girl with thick cloud of white hair greets me. Except she's not a girl.

Mara waves goodbye, telling me she'll hopefully see me later at Laken's party. My visitor greets me but I can see through disguise. A boy in passing gives her a hooded look, she responds by winking. As she retrieves a beanie from her back pocket, he looks back repeatedly hoping to catch her eye. She's oblivious, or probably doesn't care, as she asks me to follow her. Without hesitation, she grabs my hand to lead me anyway.

Not sure why, but I follow her. I could easily take her, magical being or not. We walk the past tennis courts cutting through the now empty fields to some abandoned benches. There's a slumped figure sipping what seems like a slurpee, the closer I get i can see that he isn't human either. His crooked nose hangs at a strange angle while his skin has unhealthy green gleam beneath it. I ask if he's alright and she grins like it's a joke. She whistles and he looks up but I see another figure shoots up like a bullet.

I stop, unable to help my jaw from dropping. Its Cardan dressed in casual clothes like his companions.

"Are you all actually dressed in regular clothes or is that glamour?" The three of them stiffen. "Is everyone really that surprised that I figured that out? I mean my sister is one of you. Half of you?" I wave off that math problem and face the one at hand.

"Ah. Yes and no." Cardan admits, the other two don't know how to process his open honesty. He makes introductions, "These are my acquaintances, I trust them with most things and I hope you do the same. This is the Bomb and the Roach." The male does a little curtsey while the female does a flourish with her hat as she bows.

"Fancy," I admonish," I am Jude as you all know." I bend my knees a little and awkwardly wave. Cardan beams and I start to notice all the little details. He's wearing an outfit that seems oddly familiar with a few tags sticking out. The Bomb and the Roach's attire look worn and inconspicuous.

"Funny, I would have thought you referred to as the Queen." The Roach points one of my many embellished sweaters I have on. An oversized maroon pullover with my nickname scrawled in gold on the sleeves and crown on my chest. Dad gave it to me for Christmas. There's a knitted cal that's meant to look like a crown at the back of my closet. I wear that after a game to show good sportsmanship.

"Yeah. Hey, I've seen that before. Did you get that off a mannequin at Target?" I squint and start to pull off the tags. Yep, definitely from Target. I notice the venti spiked black matte Starbucks cup in Cardan's hand. "DUDE! I've been saving up to get that. Where did you get this?"

"I just happened to come upon this today." Cardan casually shrugs but the way he phrases it sounds strange.

" You took this from someone didn't you." I can imagine him on his way out of the store with bags in hand, spotting this cup and taking someone's order.

"It was there in the open, nobody had claimed it. I assure you." Cardan rises and beckons me forward. "Did you get any of my messages?"

Before I could answer, the Bomb steps in. "Your highness, perhaps it be a better idea to have this conversation in closed quarters."

Cardan assess her but agrees with a tilt of his chin. "Jude, would you join me?" He extends his hand towards me as the other two turn to leave into the woods.

"Where? Wait where are they going?"

Cardan sighs and extends his hand again, "Do you trust me?"

Without hesitation I hand him my bag and say, "No. But I've got questions. Perhaps you can fill me in." I take his hand instead and start leading him away from the forest and start dialing my mom's number. I press a finger to my lips, gesturing for him to stay quiet. Mom picks up on the third ring, opting for face time.

"Hey mom. My friends and I are going out to eat and I might spend the night at Katie's. Laken's having a party." I roll my eyes at the last bit.

Mom tucks her hair behind her ears, revealing the seashell drop earrings Taryn gave her for mother's day. With a grimace, she calls Laken an awful child which prompts her to ask questions. Where's Taryn? Have I heard from Vivi? Why am I going to said awful child's thing if I detest it so much? What's the point of having so many children if they dont keep an eye for each other?

While I answer her questions with mostly shrugs and half hatched answers, Cardan observes the contents of my backpack. I throw my shoe at him, quickly hanging up before my mom can hear his disapproval.

"You should be so lucky." Cardan sighs and pulls on a beanie with my name emblazoned on it. Taryn made that so people don't confuse us, I'm not that narcissistic. "Ah, there it is. So you did get my messages." He flips through my notebooks and pulls out what looks like the feather I found in class today.

Cardan zips up my backpack while I decide what's the best course of action.

"Is it safer if we go to a human place to eat or your potential hide hole?" He cocks an eyebrow in my direction. "I only assume it's not where you actually live. I doubt I'm welcomed there."

Cardan fixes upon me, measuring my pause and I'm afraid he can hear how fast my heart is beating. I put my hand on my hips, relieved that I left my sports bag in my locker. All that weight might slow us down again.

"Let's go somewhere safe for the both of us." Cardan gestures and I take his hand to lead us to the diner.

We walk at a leisurely pace as Cardan takes in the sights and observing my kind in their natural habitats. We make it to the Moonlight diner to find it mostly empty. I lead Cardan to a booth and wait for the waitress to greet us.

Watching Cardan bounce on the seats and dump the sugar out of the canister prompts me to apologize and order water and napkins. The waitress is not amused by my companion's peculiar behavior. I mouth that he's an exchange student before she walks away. Cardan flips through the menu, catching the reflection off the laminated surface, he starts to flip it back and forth.

Repeatedly.

When the waitress returns I ask for more time. With an annoyed look she leaves us and I slam my hand to stop Cardan from playing with the menu.

"What do you recommend?" Cardan sits forward with his hands under his chin, upset that I ruined his fun.

"The cat tendencies with you." I point out and then quickly add,"If you have a sweet tooth then I suggest the pie a la mode or a milkshake." He holds a hand up and asks for both.

When she comes back I ask for two order of the pie, a vanilla milkshake, and coffee. I'm going to need the caffeine.

"So...where to begin?" I muse bringing the cup of black coffee to lips. My eyes flicker to his as he's sipping his water. Cardan makes a face but keeps sipping it anyway.

"Let's start with my unanswered messages." Right then the waitress, Cindee, as it says on her name tag brings Cardan his milkshake. An expression flies across her face as she catches the last bit of our conversation. She walks away thinned lipped, intrigued by our table.

With a clearing of my throat I explain that I haven't a clue about what he's referring to. I raise my legs to put my feet on his seat. Cardan's eyes fall on them and he asks about my knee. I tell him that it's better, I hardly notice it at all. What I don't tell him is that I saved the scrap of cloak that he wrapped it in. It's locked away in my jewelry box.

"Those riddles and rambling in my notebook...the feather, were those what you're referring to?"

Once again, Cindee chimes in with our food. When I thank her, she slowly retreats away to tend to somebody else.

"That and other things. What about the others? I had them delivered on your walk home and at your window." When he sees my confusion he reaches for my backpack and retrieves an acorn. Before I can ask how that got in there, he pops the top off and reveals a thin scroll of parchment with familiar scrawling.

"Is that why I keep finding acorns everywhere?!" I take it and hold it up to the light. Sure enough it's a message from Cardan about how he missed me for my morning run. Asking if he could join me. I try to imagine Cardan running and instantly laugh. He does not find this amusing.

"I sent them in pinecones and on ribbons. Imagine my surprise when I heard you finally came upon the ones I wrote upon your notebook. That's why I sent the Bomb to meet you. The Roach helped me blend in, you pointed out that my usual attire can be distracting."

"Sorry, I still can't wrap my head around the pinecone thing." There's a few that I found on the other side of my windowsill, one just this morning. Cardan makes crude noise. He tells me not to apologize ever to a faerie, especially himself. I reach for the extra milkshake cylinder and take a spoonful. Make sure to keep that in mind.

"What did you want to tell me that you couldn't tell me in person?"

One of Cardan's ears peek out of the beanie as he sips on his milkshake. I glance at it quickly before looking out the window. When we were little, Vivi let us touch her ears. The childish urge to trace them surfaces and I silently repress it. Sitting on my hands, I wait for his answer.

"I wanted to make sure that I was keeping up with my promise. You asked me to refrain from stalking you and I didn't want to offend you."

I turn to face him with a softened gaze, "Me too. I mean, I was half expecting you to show up at my window. I'm pretty sure Locke has been visiting my sister. Taryn doesn't want to admit that he can't tell us apart. " I recall how he called taped on my window one night and I threaten to push him off the roof.

Cardan bursts out laughing, the beanie falling off his head. Without missing a beat, he reaches to put it back on. His cheeks are rosy and I can't help the corners of my mouth from tilting up.

"I must admit, I was...wary of Locke being around. He tends to fancy himself a charmer."

I think back to the party, as Cardan and I conversed in the dark, from the corner of my eye I saw Locke talking with the blue haired girl.

"He doesn't sound like a good friend to me. I couldn't help but noticing the way the blue haired girl glared at us. They seemed to be talking half the night." I take a spoon and being to dig into my melting pie a la mode. "Was she an ex of yours?" I ask point blank.

Cardan frowns, "An ex?"

Taking a bite of the pie and melted cream, I supply the phrases 'ex-lover' and ''ex-girlfriend'. He nods and I can deduce that Locke had everything to do with it.

"Makes sense. I thought only girls on the field wanted to melt me with their eyes. Now I got a mermaid out to murder me."

Another chuckle leaves his lips, "It truly surprises me how quick you are." He uses his spoon to taste from my plate and I slap it away with my own. The metal clanging hirts my teeth but this is my life's honor I'm defending. He reaches for it anyway and I smack that back of his hand with my spoon this time. "Young lady, may I remind you that this is a prince you are dealing with. Most would find you bold--"

"Most do find me bold, dear prince." And I rapidly take a spoonful of his cherry pie and smile triumphantly at slight of hand.

Cardan does not find that amusing, "I've punished others for less you know." His voice is laden thick with warning and I serve him an equally cool tone.

"As have I. Though you are a prince, as funny as you may find, many consider me queen. This is my domain sort to speak and you are my guest. I expect you abide by our customs as most would yours."

His eyes darken at my words and he rapts his long fingers on the table. "If our roles were reversed and you were amongst my people instead of yours, would you pay me the expected respect of my title?"

"If you behaved as a faerie of your title should, with just and fairness?" I ask and he gives a little nod," If you didn't provoke or threaten my livelihood I might abide by those natural laws of your world. But that is neither here nor there. Besides, I can't imagine a situation were I would even get that close to you, much less be accepted under your court."

" Jude, even you with your lightly heeded title are respected amongst your peers. Though my kind are by your definition unpredictable but we still abide by rules and Mark's of respect. There are exceptions at my court, under my father's rule nothing quite surprises me. A human to be accepted as part of the gentry, it's not unheard of."

I'm not convinced, "Okay. Give me an example. A real example not something that you heard some inkling of from centuries before." I play with the last bits of my food the conversation turning my stomach as our light attitudes are dampened by what goes unsaid.

What a ridiculous notion, to fall in love with a person from a different world.

Cardan chooses his words carefully and he begins to trace the lines of my open palm. I've realized that he does this as a distraction and come to find all these excuses he makes to touch me. As if I might disappear like a whiff if smoke. He observes a garnet ring that I have on my ring finger. It belongs to my mom, theres an insignia on it. Honestly it could be anything for that matter.

"Actually, there was a general. A Red Cap that married a mortal." Cardan picks apart my fingers, memorizing their shape and intricate grooves. "I've been told that my mother was great friends with this woman, which is rare for such a mortal to not only be accepted but recognized as his legitimate wife. Those two would be at the center of it all causing mirth and chaos. One day the general comes back from battle to find his residence burned to the ground. His wife and child burned to ash."

I pull my hand away from the story. Something about it sounding so familiar. My voice is quiet and I manage to keep the quake out of it when I ask him to continue.

"Nobody knows. There are rumors that his enemies took advantage of his absence to take their revenge. Others say perhaps she had a spurned lover who committed a crime of passion." Cardan's eyes become engrossed with the outside world for a moment," But I believe otherwise. I'm convinced that our world, like for most humans, threatened to consume her and she ran away to start anew. Our ways are not for everyone you see. We fae are naturally violent and bloodthirsty. Our hedonistic lifestyles have lead many of then to abandoned their offspring to other faeries or creatures a like to look after them. Even at times switching us with human babies so that their parents can supply us with love and affection."

We stay silent, even as Cindee brings us our check and I hand her the money to pay. She returns with my change and I leave her a tip beneath the now empty sugar canister.

Cardan doesn't turn away instead he waits patiently for me to react or say anything. I don't do either but just sit there. My phone rings and Cardan's face finally breaks to retrieve my buzzing device. Its Taryn.

I quickly text back a response. Mom had told her that I left with some friends to go eat out before a party. She's making sure I meet up with her and that I wear something appropriate. I send her a snarky response and an illusive idk. Taryn quickly texts me back to no be lame and the time she expects me to be there. She's at a friend house getting ready it seems.

"I gotta go. Everyone's expecting me attend a kickback or whatever." I reach for my stuff and get up to leave. It takes a minute for me to go outside and process what he said. I'm not sure if the story sounds familiar or if it's a warning of what's to come if I choose to continue down this path.

Path? What am I going on a soul quest? No! I'm 17 and a senior in high school, waiting to go to college and figure out my life here. Nothing's changed. Except I met this weird boy whose definitely been stalking me for several months now. Sending me messages via pinecones and holding mybhand carrying my bag. The first part is off but the rest of it isn't anything new. I mean I've had boyfriends before that would do that stuff. Like Collin, he did that all the time before we broke up over the summer before college. Why I am worried about boy or whatever he is? This is dumb, my feminist foremothers did not--

"Jude are you okay?" Mara asks and I practically jump out of my skin.

While I was silently tail spinning, Mara and Katie happen to be going by. I'm not sure what I looked like, standing outside the Moonlight diner, staring at the void as all this new stuff came crashing down on me. But nonetheless, I'm glad they showed up when they did.

Katie and Mara share a moment before asking me where I'm headed. Katie's eyes narrow down at my backpack and she questions me about it. Just then, the last person that I wanted to be there decided to catch up with me. My friends do not hide their ogling as he butts in.

"Whose this?" Mara asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Oh this? This is Car-rigan. He's my new next door neighbor." Katie's sniper eyes move from my backpack back to me and then Cardan. Mara repeats the name that she was just given and Cardan promptly nods.

"That's what I'm called. It's a family name." Katie doesn't seem to buy it and asks where does he live because its obvious my family lives in every secluded area. "Its a hard to find but I can assure you it's back there."

They offer to give us a lift, that way we can all wait and leave for the party at the same time. I'm about to refuse until Cardan accepts their offer. As we get into the car, I worry if the amount of iron will kill him. But he seems unbothered by it for the most part. He reaches for my hand. I reflexively pull it way, still shaken by our conversation.

When we get to my door, they're surprised to see him follow me out. They offer to take him home but I decline. I'm surprised when they pull away, they text me that they were heading to moonlight diner for some grub anyway and just to text them when we were ready. Mara sent me a wink in our group chat and I had a hard time understanding what she meant.

Surprise surprise, my dad was out back. It was already dark but there was an half empty pizza box on the table. Typical. Cardan looked around, mystified by it all. There were drawings and portraits scattered throughout the house with pictures of all of us even Vivi. Recently there was a one of her and her girlfriend Heather on the fridge. Dad had wondered aloud if she should be included in our family Christmas card. Mom pointed out that we never had a family Christmas card.

"Yeah, it's an eclectic mix of bohemian meets OCD. It's like mom likes the idea of chaos but lives for rigid order. Don't get mud on the carpet, she'll skin you alive and show all her friends her rare pearl prince throw rug in the spring. "

I tell Cardan to wait there as I go upstairs. But I hear my dad call my name from the back porch and I grab Cardan's hand and race with him up the stairs. I shove him in my room and lean over the banister with a 'yeah dad?'. Dad pokes his head through the door way but doesn't move to join me. He thought it was me when he saw me through the window and he offers me pizza. From here I can just make out the graying temples of his hair, most men in his family gray early. He pushes his glasses that he seems to use more of now in older age, his olive skin with a smattering of freckles that make him seem younger than he is. Dad smiles and asks about my day. I give him mostly sincere answers and he tell me a bit about his. I'm trying not dance in panic because theres a boy/magical prince in my room. Dad doesn't catch on and waves me off to get ready. He informs me that mom is out with her friends so she's more than likely to come home buzzed and forgetful about curfew. Dad shrugs playfully and I giggle at his cleverness. The old man has it figured out.

When I hear the door close, watching dad's retreating figure return to his converted barn through the back porch window, I race back to my room. Cardan is casually sifting through my things, bauble earrings are threaded in his lobes and my knitted crown sits right above his head.

"You know it's really unfair how attractive you still manage to be when quite clearly look silly." I finally drop my bag and jump to lay on the bed. Cardan removes the earrings but not the crown before sitting beside me. In a flash I rip it off and replace it the hat from before. This time without tucking his ears. I nod at my handy work and lay down. Cardan doesn't move. At first. Eventually he moves to lay beside me, put feet dangling off the side of the bed.

"Now what?" Cardan asks but stay fixated on the ceiling. If I were to turn, there's no question what i would do. I would behave illogical as most girls would have done. But I Jude Duarte have no time to act illogical.

"This whole afternoon just came out of left field. It was unexpected. A pleasant un-expectation. Though I can't let it happen again." My voice sounds different but it's the tone I need to convey right now.

"Jude, look at me." Cardan's voice is soft but there's an edge to it like my own.

"If I do," I keep myself focused on this one spot above me, " will you kiss me?"

"If you allow me to do so, yes."

For a moment we don't move, my chest barely rising up and down nor do I hear the breathing of his. It almost startles me when Cardan begins to talk again. He's waving a thin piece of black almost gossamer fabric above me and I recognize what it is.

"Why did you keep this? I had earnestly believed this meant nothing to you. Just a simple bandage." He is about to toss it when I take it from him, his fingers quick to tangle with mine. "Jude?" Cardan asks softly.

I close my eyes as I admit "After the night, when I woke up in my room. I kept it as a reminder that that night was real. In case I ever forgot to keep my word."

"A reminder of my favor." There's a dulcet tone to his voice as he says my name again but I stay fixed upon the ceiling. It isn't until he start to kiss my fingers, palms then wrists. The controlled yet hungry manner he rolls up till we see chest to chest and he buries his hands in my hair.

For a moment, I allow myself to be young foolish and illogical. But even I have a hard time swallowing that lie.

[thewitcherdeacon]

Toss a bard to your Witcher

So I wrote a thing, its a bit messy but I spent way too long on this not to post this. The first song is Fire on the Mountain and the second song is one I wrote.

Geralt and Jaskier endeavor to find his brothers bards...

    The keep of Kaer Morhen was usually a sullen place, sunk high in the blue mountains. A quiet place for the Witchers to take refrigue in during the harshest months of the year. It had not always been this way and on this night there was music and laughter. 

Jaskier was playing a classic tavern song that had most of them singing along. He smiled brightly, a ray of sunshine on a dark and cold night. 

“How’d you get so lucky. You bastard.” Lambert snipped at Geralt after the song was done and the bard had sat back down.

“Hmm.” Geralt thought for a moment, but his thoughts were dulled by strong alcohol. “Don’t know.”

Eskel put his head in his hand and looked at the bard wistfully, then looked back into his drink. 

“I want one.” Lambert was clearly drunk, perhaps he had started before them 

“Tsk tsk." Jaskier chorded, “If you wanted a bard, all you had to do was ask.” 

“Shut up.” Lambert gently pushed the bard, the pair laughed and that was the end of that conversation. The night continued on much like the others this winter with heavy drinking, silly games and saucy stories, but they all headed to bed before they had to scrape anyone off the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geralt woke the next morning with a pounding headache and a half baked idea inspired by the previous night’s conversation. He waited for the bard buried under the covers next to him to wake up.  

The smaller man yawned and opened his big blues eyes and tossed a lazy “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” Geralt paused, “What you said to Lambert last night, did you mean it?”

“Oh my, you must be more specific.” 

“That stuff about bards.” he grumbled.

“Whatever do you mean, love.” Jaskier was teasing him now, he knew exactly what he meant and maybe he had been thinking it as well. 

“My brothers want bards.” he finally said after a long moment of deliberating. 

“That's an excellent idea.” Jaskier said quickly. “It’ll take some doing. Not any bard will do for my wolves.”

“Not any bard is willing to travel with a witcher.” Geralt added. 

“You’d be surprised. Adventure, romance, monsters, the stuff true masterpieces are made of.”

“A witcher’s life isn’t glamorous.”

“That's true.” Jaskier smiled, “But I’ve got a few talented minstrels in mind.”

“I’d want to meet them first.”

“Of course. There is a festival in Gult in late May, you can meet them there before the festival.”

“And introduce them to my brothers afterwards.”

“I must head off on my own once the path is clear to arrange everything.” 

The plan had been laid, now he just had to convince his brothers to visit the festival. He decided to slowly drop subtle hints, having loud conversations about the festival with his bard, having him describe in detail the festivities. There would be singing, a fire juggler, a sword swallower, and a plethora of food. All the talk made even Geralt want to legitimately go to the fair. 

Eskel was the first to relent, Jaskier was describing in detail what a sword swallower does, explaining that it has nothing to do with magic and all about disciplining your body.   

“Sounds like somethin’ worth seeing.” the dark haired witcher chuckled, and Geralt was sure he would see him there. 

It took longer to weather Lambert down, the five of them sat in the great hall by the roaring fire after dinner and before the drinking had truly started. Vesemir was reading, Lambert was sharpening a sword, Eskel and Jaskier were talking while Geralt listened intently.

“Is this town open minded?” Eskel asked, the question was clearly about how two witchers would be greeted. 

“Yes, a few of the visiting troubadours are nonhumans and Gult is fairly diverse itself. Two witchers will hardly be an imposition.” 

“You seem to know a lot about this fair.” 

“I’ve been a few times, and have traveled on rare occasions with this band of troubadours.”

“Fine! I’ll go, just shut up about it!” Lambert yelled but his eyes glinted. 

“Jeez even I’d go at this point.” Vesemir grumbled

“Are you planning on attending?” Jaskier smiled broadly. 

“No. Three witchers is enough for one town.” the elder witcher shook his head, he definitely suspected some sort of scheme but thankfully never said a word.  

The rest of the winter passed without incident. Jaskier and Geralt parted ways at the bottom of the mountain with the promise that they would meet in Gult. 

Geralt busied himself with contracts, making himself some coin as he slowly made his way to Lyria. The town of Gult was tucked away in the small kingdom, but he was not in a rush to get there.  

He found himself drifting into Gult just in time, the town was moderately sized and they were still in the midst of preparing. Nobody paid him much mind as he rode through, maybe it was the bustle of the place or everyones general good mood, but the witcher was not going to question it. He dismounted Roach and led her through the loose group to a man who was directing some others in their work. 

“The troubadour camp?” he asked.

“Haha, its a’that away.” The man shook his head, “Can’t wait to see what a witchers’ going to perform.” Geralt would have argued with the man but thought better of it and walked the direction the man had pointed.

    The camp was outside of town, a simple wagon sat horseless, a couple horses were grazing untacked nearby and he let Roach join them. He surveyed the group, most seemed to be splintered into small groups talking quietly by several fires. He saw Jaskier sitting alone with another bard away from the fires. The other bard was a woman, a lute case strapped to her back, and she was listening intently to Jaskier. She laughed at something he said, and Geralt suddenly felt dirty watching them; was it too late to walk away, forget the whole thing?               

    It definitely was too late, Jaskier had just caught sight of him and was beckoning him over, he walked deftly over to the pair and sat in the grass with them. 

“Geralt, this is the bard and one of my oldest friends Dandelion.” Jaskier said with slight flourish. “Dandelion, this is Geralt of Rivia.” 

“It's a pleasure to finally meet you.” the woman smiled and extended her hand in greeting, she had light brown hair that went past her shoulders and wore a simple light blue doublet and matching pants. He shook it cautiously, and looked to his lover who simply winked at him. Oh, this was one of the bards that Jaskier mentioned, one of the candidates. 

“Dandelion has only recently started traveling as a bard, but has always been quite the artist.”         

“You flatter me too much.” she pushed him gently, “I’m just a simple bard, you’re the famous one.”

“You're not looking to be famous?” Geralt asked.

“Not really. I want to travel, see the world and have some adventures. The troop is helping me do just that.” She had a horizontal scar on her left cheek and he wondered how she got it.    

“Have you ever thought of traveling with a witcher.” the white wolf decided that he liked her.

“All the time.” she blushed and looked over at Jaskier.

“We never know where paths may lead.” the other bard said cryptically. “Now I’d like to talk to my witcher alone.” With that she stood and scurried away. “What do you think?” 

“You’ve never mentioned her before.”   

 “I have, Dandelion is her stage name, Marlina Joanna Pankratz just doesn’t roll off the tongue.”

“Marlina? I didn’t think you’d offer your sister.”

“Actually I’ve been thinking about setting her and Esek up for awhile but this works just as well.”  

“I haven’t heard her sing, but I like her.”

“I would not pick talentless louts Geralt.” Jaskier sighed. “Do you want to meet the other candidates?” The witcher nodded and followed his bard. 

“Now my next candidate is a mandolin player named Garond.” he gestured to a young man with blond hair that was pulled into a ponytail.

“You think he’d be good for Lambert?”

“I don’t know him incredibly well, but he has similar energy and he's a lot of fun.”

“Maybe somebody with opposite energy.” The last thing anybody needed was Lambert with an enabler, it was bad enough with Jaskier around. 

“The last candidate is a violinist named Reena.” he gestured to a woman with long burgundy hair. “She’s older than Garond, more patient. I was honestly a bit surprised she was interested in traveling with a witcher."

They walked over to the three women, Reena, Dandelion and another woman. The third woman took one look at Geralt and walked away, he was used to the blatant fear but it still got on his nerves. 

“You must be Geralt, the white wolf. My name is Reena.” Reena gave a small smile. “Do you need something?” 

“No, just wanted to talk.” he said, Reena wore a simple dress but held herself with poise. “How’d you become a traveling minstrel?” 

“I’ve always enjoyed the sound of a violin, my father paid for lessons and I ended up playing professionally with my teacher. But I quickly grew tired of performing for a bunch of entitled pricks and began travelling. What about you witcher, why do you travel with a bard?” 

“At first he stuck to me like an annoying layer of mud. We became friends, and I can’t imagine things without him.” His speech was a little more heartfelt than he preferred, so he added “He’s still annoying though.” Reena nodded thoughtfully and Dandelion suppressed a chuckle. 

“Why don’t we go sit by one of the fires.” Reena suggested, the light was fading and a light spring chill was settling.     

    The four of them settled by one of the less occupied fires and talked. First about music, then about their various travels. Reena had been just about everywhere with one troop or another, she told the story about a group that she traveled with hired a witcher as a bodyguard once and how they had become friends. Jaskier regaled them with tales of his own adventures, Geralt occasionally correcting him, but largely letting him boast. 

Dandelion had not been traveling for long so did not have any tails of adventures, but she did tell a story from her childhood with Jaskier. The story involved a young Jaskier and her desperately wanting a dog. Being a wonderful big brother, he claimed, took off to find a dog despite their father forbidding it, he of course found the dirtiest most flea ridden thing possible, but they loved it. They both got increasingly involved in a series of lies, sneaking the dog in and out of the house since their father refused to have it inside, culminating in him walking in on the dog, Jaskier and Dandelion having a tea party.   

Renna commented on them needing rest for the performance tomorrow, most of the others were turning in for the night, Geralt had hardly noticed the passage of time with the conversation being so good. He laid his bedroll out next to Jaskiers and went to sleep under the stars. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     The next morning after breakfast the troup set off towards town to start the festivities, Geralt had most of the day to himself since the concert would happen near the end of the day. He meandered around town watching a few of the more interesting tricks and tried some of the food. He caught sight of Eskel in the town square talking to the sword swallower, the men were in deep conversation so he did not bother them. 

There were some games set up and Lambert challenged him to one, this drew a small crowd as people watched the witchers compete. Lambert won, Geralt grumbling that he let him win.

After some time had passed a pudgy man climbed the make-shift stage in the town square and announced in a booming voice “The concert will now begin. It is with great pleasure that I introduce the illustrious bard Jaskier!” 

There was some cheering as Jaskier stepped up onto the stage that died down as he started to play. He played a couple of songs and some of the town's people danced to the beet. 

"Now it is my utmost pleasure to introduce you to the bard Dandelion." Jaskier announced as Dandelion joined him on the stage, she nodded and they started playing toss a coin to your witcher. He simultaneously hated and loved the song, it was catchy and changed their reputation for the better. The two bards were performing it with great skill and looked like they were having fun.  

After they finished the song Jaskier took his leave and Dandelion started playing. It was not a song that Geralt knew, but he was pretty sure it was inspired by one of the stories Jaskier had told her. After that she played a tried and true love song, it was not an original piece but he liked her rendering of it. The concert continued on as the next bard took over after Dandelion was finished, he was not as good as her and Geralt was glad when Garond took the stage. The mandolin player sung a pleasant rendition of a popular drinking song that had many singing along, and a couple other cantankerous songs. By the time Renna took the stage it was getting dark and the crowd thinned a bit. Renna played her violin like it was second nature and tapped her feet to the beat, and she sang an interesting ditty. 

“Long distance runner, what you standing there for?

Get up, get out, get out of the door

You're playing cold music on the barroom floor

Drowned in your laughter and dead to the core

There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town

Takes a whole pail of water just to cool him down” She sang a chorus of “Fire! Fire on the mountain!”

    “Almost ablaze still you don't feel the heat

It takes all you got just to stay on the beat

You say it's a living, we all gotta eat

But you're here alone, there's no one to compete

If mercy's a business, I wish it for you

More than just ashes when your dreams come true” She sang another chorus, joined by some of her troup,  “Fire! Fire on the mountain!”

    “Long distance runner, what you holding out for?

Caught in slow motion in a dash to the door

The flame from your stage has now spread to the floor

You gave all you had. Why you wanna give more?

The more that you give, the more it will take

To the thin line beyond which you really can't fake” 

    After the chorus ended she took a deep breath and played a much slower song, a classic elvish song that paired beautifully with her playing. Geralt did not understand much of the words but it sounded like a song about traveling that he had heard once. 

“I thank you all for your time.” The pudgy man that had started the concert said after Renna ended her performance. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somehow Geralt had convinced his brothers to join him at the troubadour camp, maybe it was the concert or the amount of alcohol being consumed, he was pleasantly buzzed, but they came along with minimal resistance. Now the six of them sat around a fire, three witchers and three bards, talking and laughing. No one had been wearing armor all day, and it was nice to relax in good company.  Eskel kept stealing glances at Dandelion, while Lambert and Renna were exchanging dirty jokes. 

“So, Jaskier. How’d you meet your girlfriend?” Lambert asked with a sly grin, the siblings were leaning close with their hands together on the grass. 

“Girlfriend?” Jaskier looked at his sister and gave her a soft push, “Stinky is more like it.”

   Dandelion laughed as she bumped Eskel's left shoulder, “He’s my brother and he shouldn't call anyone stinky when he’s the one that smells like Geralt’s feet.”

“Are you saying my feet are stinky?” Great asked in mock annoyance.

“Nobody’s feet smell good, hun.” Renna chuckled. Jaskier gave his sister a pointed glare and shook his head. 

The night continued on like that, everyone was having a good time and Geralt almost forgot they were in a forest clearing. Dandelion’s shoulder was pushed against Eskel’s, but he had not pushed her away and they were talkinging in a hushed tone. Lambert was drinking and adding snide remarks to the story Renna was telling him. Jaskier went to stand at one point, probably to say something stupid, revealing their plans, but the white wolf just grabbed him and pulled the bard into his lap.     

The next few days of the fair passed in a blur of concerts and performances, fun and games. His brothers were getting to know the bards Jaskier had picked for them. The last day of the fair Eskel asked Dandelion if she wanted to travel with him, she of course said she would be honored. After the festivities were over on the last night Renna announced that she would be traveling with Lambert, he grumbled about not needing a babysitter but did not protest further. 

~~~~~~~~~~

    That next winter Kaer Morhen was the fullest it had been in a long time. The three witchers and their three bards, a cat witcher named Aiden, and Coen had come to spend the winter with the eldest witcher. Nine people was a far cry from the dozens that used to call the keep home, but in the main hall the warmth of the company easily overpowered the warmth of the hearth. 

    “Why don’t you birds sing something?” Vesimer said, his mouth quipped into something like a smile.

    “We have been working on a little ditty just for you witchers.” Jaskier stated and the three bards arranged themself so they could stand and be seen by everyone. They started to play and Dandelion started singing softly.

“One fated morn 

I traveled with my wolf

Up to his den.” 

“A keep so gray 

Set in mountains blue

A cold wind blows

Telling a tale old 

Of ghosts bold.”

“Can't let that keep us down

Let's fill this cave

With music 

With laughter 

Fill the cups

Till their full” The music’s pace quickened, Jaskier started to sing along and Renna tapped her feet to the beat.

“Let’s chase away the ghosts 

With music 

With laughter 

Light the fires 

Break out the lyres” 

“Let’s drink away the chill

It’s still quite a thrill

In the den of the wolf 

Fill the cups

Till their full”

“Can't let that keep us down 

This cave is a home

Let's make it warm

With music 

With laughter”

The witchers clapped and hollered when the chorus finished and the bards took a bow at the sudden praise from their usually stoic audience.

[blookmallow]

hey wow look what i found buried in my drafts from 300 years ago

this started as Bits Of Story Notes but then i kinda ran with it and let it become more drawn out prose so now its like. a lil writing blurb 

specifically, about antis and their formations. its kind of a nonspecific narrative voice i didnt want to try to work into particular characters bc then id be limited by which characters know what/who would be willing to tell who what/etc so its not anyone in particular (theres also some names missing bc i havent figured out all the details)

--

“But what IS an Anti? How could something so... sinister come from someone so kind?”

“Well... that’s the trouble of it, you’re looking at it all backwards.”

“Backwards?”

“Well, to start, they come from nothing. It’s no fault of the Origin’s, after all. ...and you speak as if humans are inherently something kind, Antis inherently something cruel. I can promise you that simply isn’t the case.” 

Antis are not literal pieces of their origins - it isn’t so much “my dark side, embodied,” no proper Hyde to one’s Jekyll, as it were. An Anti comes not from within, but without; like a formless, nonsentient parasite locking itself to an unwary host. This occurs at random, of course- anyone could have an Anti. 

Any human, that is. 

Though they’re said to be particularly drawn to those with high propensity for magic.

The nebulous spirit matter from which they come is all around us- no, don’t look, you can’t see it. Not even the Soul Collectors can. But something invisible, no matter how transient and slight, is none the less real. They have no self yet; no mind to think or to consider, no consciousness at all. Only the instinctive drive to become. Antis long to exist before the conception of “longing” exists within them. They form themselves as a sentient, corporeal being through the unconsenting assistance of the Origin. That person becomes a sort of mold, a self and a form from which the Anti creates a kind of reversed mirror image to inhabit itself. 

The very moment of formation is still quite mysterious even to Antis themselves; how exactly it occurs, or why this moment and not that, and each Anti is quite different just as humans are from one another. It is not impossible for two Antis to form in the same way, but the variation is infinite. 

However, it is as of now believed that an Anti comes to fruition upon achieving some kind of inciting incident which serves to shove the dormant spirit into physical reality, such as a moment of intense emotion, contact with magic, a traumatic event - something to release the spirit that has been quietly building itself up. 

“But-...what if it doesn’t? What if there is no incident, the spirit never released-? What would that... do to a person?”

Well... Nobody knows. Possibly it might kill the both of them. Possibly something more sinister may occur, an amalgamate form never meant to be. But we need not worry about that. One could hardly imagine a person who never has a moment of intensity in their entire life. It is most likely the case that the spirit, upon having built itself up long enough, eventually will release on its own, anyhow.

Now, some Antis have an immediate fixation on their origin, some are an immediate destructive force, some are scared and confused by their own sudden existence, and... some just want to get as far away from them as quickly as possible. It’s not entirely fair to compare them to parasites - their formation is not harmful to the Origin, after all. But it is said that they are never quite the same afterward. 

Damian Nightfall - yes, that one -  formed from shadows one night when young Skye Blue had a particularly violent nightmare; he was suddenly awoken in the middle of the night and overwhelmed with dread in the darkness of his room. He had never been afraid of the dark before. He had sensed a growing anxiety every time the lights went out for weeks beforehand, but never told anyone; it felt silly and irrational to him- why would I be scared now? Why, I’ll be turning thirteen soon! I ought not to be afraid of dark rooms. 

But he was, anyway. 

He watched in confused horror as his own shadow turned into a dripping, crawling darkness that slowly gained mass and moved sluggishly across the floor on its own terms.

the thing on the floor immediately fixated on him, and while it was only half-formed and still an amorphous shambling mass of shadow, it lunged out of the darkness to attempt to strangle the boy the moment it had anything resembling hands

Miss Shuri immediately felt the intense distress - and the threat to Skye’s life, as it most definitely was - and appeared at once to cast the Anti out. But she refrained from killing him, though she could have, because a soul collector never kills if it can be avoided - and Damian was really only a child then. 

He slithered off somewhere into the woods, and continues to terrorize Skye to this day - though he’s no longer interested in actually killing him. An Anti without an Origin becomes mortal and powerless, as he’s learned all too well. 

And so that was Skye’s first encounter with Damian. He still suffers from frequent nightmares, and cannot sleep in the dark anymore. His shadow, even in bright sunlight, is oddly faded and light - not terribly noticeable, but almost as if there’s less of it somehow.

Miss Iris appeared as a sudden face in the mist of toxic fumes that erupted when Christina had fallen into a patch of mushrooms in the woods

there was a brief moment of grotesque entanglement as Iris’s body formed against her; both confused and trapped against each other, but both struggling to get away, each in disgust of the other 

the moment they became untangled, there was a brief instant of hatred between them, and Iris vanished in smoke. These days, the two are content just to live their lives completely away from each other - neither acknowledges the other’s existence, and both are better off because of it. 

Laelia Thorne’s Origin’s hand was cut off in an accident - and moments later, the severed, still-bleeding hand suddenly began spasming and mutating, growing itself out hideously, red blood pouring out in a bright rush as if it were being purged out - until Laelia was formed.

The poor girl was so horrified, she passed out from the shock. When she finally came to, Laelia was gone. No one believes her, supposing her to have been in a state of hysteria from the traumatic event - but the hand was never found. 

She never saw Laelia again. 

Lex Calamity’s Origin was looking into a mirror one day; feeling a crisis of identity, stressed and alone and feeling lost, when she realized suddenly that her reflection looked somehow wrong.

It wasn’t following her movements anymore, as if it were frozen in wide-eyed horror. She stared back into the mirror, feeling as if she were looking into a stranger’s eyes. A wild impulse to smash the glass to pieces came over her, but she could not bring herself to move.

Tears slowly slipped from the reflection’s eyes - which were rapidly changing color - but not from her own. In a sudden movement, she reached to touch her own face, but the tear was not there. The reflection did not move. 

Inky black spread over the reflection’s blonde hair, consuming it as if a bucket of paint had been dropped over its head, as she could only watch in horror. 

She slowly, slowly reached for the mirror. This time, the reflection moved in sync - but when their hands touched, she felt cold skin instead of glass, and the fingers twisted into hers. 

She screamed and pulled back, inadvertently pulling the reflection out with her, and they both tumbled to the floor.

The reflection scrambled to its feet like a frightened cat and ran.  

They found her, hours later, sobbing on the bathroom floor, shattered glass everywhere. After they heard her story, the sisters took her away to be exorcised of the evil she professed immediately. There was no trace of the demon reflection, and it was never seen again. 

She is to this day desperately afraid of mirrors - and if ever she dares to look, her reflection is distorted and blurry- like some part of it has left. 

Sage Blackburn’s Origin nearly drowned in the sea; She was desperately tangled up in seaweed that suddenly became arms - she saw bright yellow eyes glowing in the dark of the water, and felt someone holding her, pulling her up toward the surface. 

Those eyes were the last thing she was conscious of before she passed out - the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, she says. 

She awoke on the beach, alone, but alive. 

She believes a mermaid came and saved her. She calls her her Muse; she paints pictures of her all the time, trying to remember, and dreams of one day finding her again. She has overcome her fear of the ocean after this event, determined to return to the sea that she loves, and find her Muse again. 

Sage knows nothing of this, and left the girl on the beach, hurrying away to discover her own life. She has told no one of this story; and so no one knows if she saved her Origin out of compassion, or just so that she herself would survive - and Sage wouldn’t tell you if you asked her. 

[-unfinished-]

[roach: origin was very, very sick for a long time - and suddenly coughed up a huge bug that skittered away into the dark (and later, unseen, became Roach). they coughed up a few small, repugnant mushrooms, and immediately felt better. They recovered rapidly and seemed completely unphased by the whole ordeal.]

[gasket keskar: formed in a spark of lightning that destroyed a tree, but did not harm anyone. Origin (Kavi Narang) knows he exists, but has never seen him again - though he is actually interested to meet him again.]

[malkin erebus: formed in an explosion which destroyed Origin (Cyril Flintwitch)’s home and killed their mother. malkin did not intend to do this, and feels terrible for it, having never intended harm. cyril has permanent mental scars and has never been well since, though their paranoia and anxiety has improved recently - as well as their relationship with malkin. malkin is at times infatuated with cyril - and has had a very tumultuous history with them - but is learning to respect boundaries, and is accepting the responsibility for the things he has done.]

[crow hackett: unknown] 

[crank: unknown]

[zyx: formed from the dust under Origin (Cody Jemson)’s bed. lives there still. unsettling, but not actually harmful. yet.]

[siren hemlock: unknown]

[doubleddenden]

Not to sound like a spoiled brat but I really hate how much I'm being forced to adapt to life out here again. I want to find work so I can earn fucking money, but I cannot because the Internet is so spotty and finicky that I literally can barely get a signal unless I stand by the bathroom window, and therefore cannot apply for jobs. I want to watch YouTube videos so I can not be bored with what's on tv and it's thousand reruns/reboots/terrible content. I want to be able to log online so I can be with friends at a moments notice.

Know what else I hate? I'm forced to be here to work outside to try and control these damn plants, but it's so fruitless! I've uprooted weeds taller than me and they'll be back within 2 days. I'll kill wasp nests only for 5 more to take its place. I've mowed the grass twice this week here and at my sister's but it keeps FUCKING GROWING BACK!!! The vines and trees are trying to grow into my and my aunt's houses! What the hell! No matter what I fucking do it's literally reversed within a day!

Not to mention the inside. I live in a large, roach infested house ruined by years of hoarding, but I'm the only one that will do anything because the other person living here can't do much because of his disabilities and the rest of the family just yells when I ask for help cleaning the messes THEY LEFT BEHIND! I kill roaches every day, I've bombed the house in like 8 different rooms TWICE now, they keep coming back and WONT DIE!!! I ask for pest control but NO THATS TOO EXPENSIVE!

Then there's the fact that nobody is here anymore. My friends all live hours away from me now and I hear from mostly 2 people other than my family now. I could drive 2 and a half hours one way or 3 hours another to visit, BUT OH FUCKING WAIT!!! I'm fucking broke and can't find work! Because we live out in the middle of fucking nowhere with NOTHING to do and NOBODY hiring at this point!

I'm so bored. Like painfully bored and frustrated. I'm tired of listening to racism in my own family and neighborhood and general political and global idiocy expressed so freely and constantly. I tell them to stop and they explain why I'M the one who is crazy for not being racist. Like oh my god please I just want to live somewhere else. Yes they feed me and let me have a roof over my head but I'm so TIRED OF THESE PEOPLE!

I miss seeing friends at a moments notice! I miss being able to just drive over to see someone! I miss having shit to do other than non paid work. "Oh it's just part of getting older" then why is it that my friends are able to see each other at a moments notice??? Because they had the bright idea and familial aid to get the hell out of this boring town! I just want people to be with and to socialize with.

I also want to stream. I miss that. I know I don't get views at all but I still like it a lot and want to upload more content.

I'm permanently exhausted, permanently bored and broke and can't do anything to change it. Yet this place is just PARADISE to these bumpkins that like sitting on their porches and listening to country music EVERY FUCKING HOUR OF THE DAY. I sound like such a stereotypical "city boy millennial" but! There's a reason people don't like living here!!!

I stg I don't want any grass to cut, no bugs in my home, no messes other than my own to clean, or bigotry in my own home when I'm finally able to leave. I want to be able to be near people I enjoy being around and I want internet so that I can entertain myself and friends. I want to go a day without inhaling poison from bug spray or my dad's fucking cigarettes that he inSISTS on smoking around me and in my vehicle even though I have asthma.

God I just hate it out here

[tthad]

Party Crasher

When Sarah first saw him she thought it was someone’s idea of a sick joke.

 “Jesus, who would do that?”

 Alphonso handed Sarah a Coke and looked over at the guy she was staring at.  He was dressed in blue jeans with holes in the knees and a black t-shirt sporting some symbol or design that was too faded to read.

 “I don’t get it, who’s he supposed to be?” Alphonso said, suddenly not so self-conscious about his own less than stellar attempt at a pirate costume.

 “Look at the face.  Doesn’t it seem familiar to you?”

 Alphonso looked again, trying to match the kid with any of the teen celebrities he’d seen on tv, but still came up with nothing.  “Is he one of the Jonas Brothers?  Cause in my defense, that shit’s pretty dated.”

 Sarah scowled at him exasperated.  “It’s Bobby Reynolds.”

 “Holy shit.”  Alphonso said, suddenly remembering the photo that had been circulated around school when Bobby first went missing; this kid was the spitting image, even down to the way his brown hair hung in front of his eyes like a visor. 

 “What is it, some sort of latex mask?  How the hell did he even make the thing?”  

 “I don’t know, but it’s incredibly fucked up.  Can we go outside for a bit?  I don’t want to be around this.”

 “Sure.”  Alphonso said and took Sarah by the hand heading for the backyard.

 ***

 “This really takes me back.”  Emily said, plucking another Dorito from the giant plastic bowl in front of her and washing it down with a swallow of punch.  “Explain to me again why it is we’re taking this little stroll down memory lane?”

 “Because I promised my parents I’d keep an eye on things and make sure my little brother and his friends didn’t trash the place while they were gone.” Callie said.

 “I don’t understand how your folks even knew that he was throwing this little shindig?”

 “He posted about it on Facebook.”

 “Kids these days have absolutely zero skill in the art of subterfuge; gotta put everything online like a bunch of amateurs.”

 “We would’ve totally done the same thing if we’d been able to.”

 “Oh no, not me sister.  Don’t you remember Becky Rapowski puking in the back of my VW Rabbit after downing half a bottle of Capitan Morgan at prom?  I’ve kept that shit secret to this day.”

 “You told Karen Waller about it in Art class.”

 “Well yeah, but nobody else.  Didn’t want her thinking I was the one who ralphed in my car.” 

 “I’m just trying to be a good big sister.  There’s no way my parents would’ve let him have this without some sort of supervision.”

 “Christ Cal, is this what we’ve come to, high school chaperones?” 

 “Afraid so my dear.”

 “The fucking humanity.”

 “Hey, at least we haven’t had to hold any hair back or break up a bunch of make-out sessions.”

 “Like I said, kids these days...so disappointing...”

 ***

Roach looked over the business card again, scrutinizing the legibility of the phone number and email address underneath the bright green logo that read, Head In The Clouds: Recreational Liaisons.  

 “I’m still not sure we should’ve gone with such a funky font?  What if our customers can’t read it when they’re, ya know, impaired?”

 “No man, trust me, you have to grab people’s attention.  Don’t want folks to think we’re selling life insurance or aluminum siding.  This little beauty here...”  Chris said holding up the small, cardboard rectangle. “Demands that you sit up and take notice.”  

 Chris still liked to think of himself as a showman even after ditching his former moniker and going back to his real name.  It seemed a bit strange to him after all this time, but he’d simply woken up one morning and decided that he no longer wanted to be the clowned prince of refuse.

 “Okay, but are you sure we should be passing them out at a high school party?” Roach said.

 “This is a prime market partner, and it’s not like we’re doing anything illicit.  Hell, we should be commended for providing a valuable service and helping keep these youngsters from getting into an accident trying to score tacos while under the influence.”

 “Somehow I don’t think their parents are going to see it that way.”

 “You’re the mastermind and maestro behind the scenes that got this brilliant plan started; now it’s time to let me go and perform my promotional schmooze magic and we will be golden.  I promise to be discreet.”

 “Alright man, do your thing.”

 “Thank you.”

 Chris filtered his way into the crowd and started chatting up a knot of kids playing some sort of drinking game in the living room and Roach watched him and crossed his fingers.  When he first came up with the idea he’d considered not including Chris, afraid that he wouldn’t take it seriously, but in the end Roach couldn’t imagine doing it without him.  

 Even if the whole thing ended up falling flat on its face, at least they can say that they did it together.

 ***

  Sarah tapped out a Marlboro from the pack in her pocket, lit it, and turned her head to blow the smoke away from Alphonso.

 “You okay?”  Alphonso said.

 “Yeah, seeing that kid just freaked me out.”

 “Me too.”

 “I can’t believe someone would dress up as Bobby Reynolds.”

 “People pull all sorts of stupid shit on Halloween.  The anonymity and accepted mischief tends to bring out the asshole in folks.”

 “I guess, but after what everyone in this town went through I just...oh shit...”

 “What?”

 “I think I just saw Shaun Haller.”

 “Who?”

 “A guy I had a couple classes with and kinda knew in junior high.  He and Bobby were close.”

 “Think he saw that kid yet?”

 “I don’t know, but I think someone oughta warn him in case he hasn’t.”

 Alphonso nodded and the two of them started walking towards Haller.

 ***

 Shaun wasn’t really sure why he’d come. 

 He was exhausted from working a double shift and mostly wanted to crawl into bed, but he’d barely been out anywhere in weeks and the few times he had it usually involved going to a movie by himself.  It seemed like a good idea not to let himself become a total hermit, if only to avoid the pointing and whispers from folks around town, but now that he was here he didn’t know what to do with himself.

 “Hey.”  Sarah said, tapping Shaun on the back of the shoulder.

 Shaun turned.  “Oh, hey, how’s it going?”  He’d seen the girl before, even had class with her in eighth grade, but couldn’t remember her name and was hoping desperately that she didn’t pick up on it.

 There was a tall guy in loose jeans standing a couple feet behind her who suddenly came forward and Shaun wondered if he knew him too and was starting to think his memory might be going.

 “Hi, I’m Alphonso.”

 “Do we have Physics together?”  Shaun said.

 “Nah, I’m actually a Senior.”

 “Shit, sorry.”

 “No worries.”

 “So…”  Shaun said, digging his hands into his pockets and trying to seem nonchalant. “Looks like half the school showed up to this thing; think I saw two different guys dressed as Star-Lord.”

 “There’s actually three of them.”  Alphonso said.

 “Well, I just got here.”  Shaun said.

 “Seen anyone else?”  Sarah said.

 “I saw an Affleck Batman and a girl who I think was supposed to be Daenerys Targaryen, though she looked more like a blonde Xena with a couple of plastic dragons on her shoulder.  Oh, and there was a chubby guy with a baseball hat that I think was supposed to be that curly-headed kid from Stranger Things.”

 “Nobody else?”  Sarah said.

 “Like I said, I just got here.”

 “Listen, we gotta tell you something.”  

 “Um, okay...”

 “There’s a guy at the party dressed as Bobby Reynolds.”

 “What?”

 “I know, it’s really messed up.  I just thought you should hear about it before you accidentally ran into him.”

 “Where is he?”

 “I think I saw him headed downstairs when I went in to use the bathroom.” Alphonso said.

 “Did either of you talk to him?”  Shaun said.

 Alphonso shook his head.

 “No way, I didn’t want to be anywhere near that asshole.”  Sarah said.

 “Do you think...I mean...could it actually be Bobby?”

 Sarah started to say something and then stopped.  The idea that the person she’d seen might be the real Bobby Reynolds never occurred to her.  In her mind Bobby had long ago become a ghost, the kind of local apparition that permanently haunts a place.  She wasn’t sure if he was really dead, but felt certain that he’d never be back, that he couldn’t possibly come back, because it was the only thing worse she could imagine than the specter of his memory hanging over the town.

 “I have to see him.”  Shaun said.

 “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”  Alphonso said.

 “I promise I won’t freak out or anything, but I need to know.”

 Sarah put a hand on Shaun’s shoulder.  “I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now, but however this turns out, wouldn’t you rather it not happen in front of a bunch of people at a party?”

 “...I need to know...”

 “Okay.”  Sarah said and Alphonso looked at her like she’d just gone insane.  “But we all go together and Alphonso and I are gonna stay between you two until we know what’s what.  Agreed?”

 Shaun nodded.

 The three of them headed down to the basement.  There was a soft orange glow from party lights tacked to the wall next to the staircase that transitioned to vibrant purple strands hung like a curtain from the ceiling at the bottom of the steps.  Shaun heard music, some pulsing club song that was popular a few years back, but turned down so low that it was just barely audible.

 When they hit the landing at the bottom Alphonso motioned for them to wait.

 The only people in the room were a couple of guys throwing darts and the kid dressed as Bobby sitting slouched in a beanbag chair in the corner of the room. Alphonso said something to the dart players and a moment later Shaun saw them shrug and he and Sarah moved aside so they could go upstairs.

 Shaun stepped into the room and stared at the kid on the other end.  Even in the violet tinted light with his head tilted down, Shaun could still tell that it was Bobby.  The way the boy’s high cheekbones curved into his jaw and his nose slanted slightly to the side there was no mistaking him.  

 The kid didn’t look up at Shaun or acknowledge the others and Alphonso made sure he stayed between them, though neither had made any attempt to cross the room. Sarah looked at the boy and then at Shaun trying to gauge their expressions, but each was completely blank as if they were playing a game to see who could remain still the longest.

 Shaun was sure it was really Bobby, but there was something about him that wasn’t quite right, and it took Shaun several minutes to realize what it was.

 This boy looked exactly like his memory of Bobby, right down to the scabs on the knuckles of his hands that he’d gotten the week before he went missing when Bobby had wiped out on his bike while he and Shaun were riding back from the comic shop.  

 It was the face of the kid everyone had searched for staring back at him, not Bobby the way he ought to be now.

 Shaun glanced over at Alphonso and Sarah to see if they’d realized it too, but they were both still looking at him waiting to see what he was going to do.

 “Bobby?”  Shaun said.

 The boy with Bobby’s twelve-year-old face stood up, eyes glinting beneath that dark fringe of hair, and smiled...

[jaskiersvalley]

TITLE: Maybe It’s Just You

AUTHOR/ARTIST: @jaskiersvalley

PROMPT DAY #: #5 Realisation

SUMMARY: Sex wasn’t something Geralt was overly fond of or needed. He just assumed that it was something to do with being a Witcher. When he felt the need, once in a blue moon, he paid for company but otherwise was quite content. Except, Jaskier entered the picture and turned his world upside down by just being himself.

WORD COUNT (if applicable): ~1k

BOOKS/NETFLIX/2002 SHOW/VIDEO GAME: Netflix show

TRIGGERS/WARNINGS: Assumed asexuality, demisexuality

RATING: Mature

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Written as part of @geraskierweek.

All through life, Geralt had never quite understood sex. Well, he understood how it works and its function but he never quite experienced that pull of need everybody seemed to talk about. There was the odd time he thought it might feel nice but whenever he paid for company to indulge, he always came away feeling hollow. Sure, there was a pleasant aspect to it but it wasn’t one that Geralt could claim to be earth shattering or mind blowing.

When Jaskier came along with his voracious appetite for, well, everything and everyone, Geralt never said a word. If that was how Jaskier experienced life, that was fine by him. And not once did Jaskier seem intent on shoving his views onto Geralt. Whereas other before him had tried to push him into encounters, set Geralt up with women and men in the hopes of him finally having a roll in a bed that made him see the appeal, Jaskier never did that.

“I see a pair of lovely sisters by the bar, wish to join me to see if they’re amenable to two rugged men’s attention?”

“No.” And that was that. Jaskier approached the women by himself, smiled and when one of them glanced towards Geralt with a questioning look, Jaskier smoothly directed them away.

It happened on a few occasions, Jaskier suggesting some outing or party for Geralt to join him on but each refusal was taken at face value. That was something Geralt deeply appreciated about Jaskier. He never pushed, never nagged and the one time he encountered Geralt leaving a brothel, he didn’t even comment.

Over time, Geralt grew to appreciate Jaskier’s company. The silence was always filled. Whether it was song, chatter, snuffles and sneezes, it was safe to say Jaskier couldn’t exist in silence. As annoying as it had been to stat with, it was one of the many things Geralt had grown to like about him. His humour and wit were sharp, scathingly so at times while awfully awkward and painful at others. Sometimes Geralt liked to tease him with the “best of” compliments and put downs Jaskier had managed to utter. It usually earned him a friendly punch to the shoulder.

Just existing alongside Jaskier was fun. Gradually, Geralt grew to not just tolerate or enjoy but actively seek out the bard’s company. He began to look forward to travelling between hunts when it was just the two of them and Roach. Those were the times he had Jaskier’s unbridled attention, no barriers between them, nothing distracting either of them.

That was another thing that Geralt couldn’t get to grips with. Of late, he had felt uncomfortable when Jaskier flirted in taverns, smiled and disappeared for a night. He couldn’t put into words why but it bothered him.

“I don’t like it when you flirt,” he blurted out one night.

“Would you prefer it if I flirted with you, my dear Witcher?” Jaskier threw a wink his way.

“No.” The word was out of Geralt’s mouth before he even had time to consider it.

“Then, my one true White Wolf, all I can say is: deal with it.”

Only, Geralt didn’t know how to. Now that Jaskier had opened his eyes to the possibility of flirting with him, such thoughts occupied Geralt’s waking thoughts. He wondered how he would feel if Jaskier did direct his attention to him. If the smiles, winks and sometimes horrible compliments were for Geralt. Such thoughts had him blushing.

He had hoped that the thoughts would leave him after a few days. But they didn’t. If anything, they got worse. Geralt’s eyes were drawn to Jaskier’s lips. He could imagine kissing the bard. That had never happened before and Geralt was having a bit of a crisis. He knew Jaskier, they were friends. And yet he found himself wanting more.

Going to a whore house didn’t help. Even if he thought about Jaskier while with someone else, it still left him feeling unsatisfied and used. Like something was missing that only Jaskier had.

“I want you to flirt with me,” Geralt announced in the corner of an inn they were staying at. All through food, Jaskier’s eyes had been flitting over the other customers, trying to decide who he could charm and bed.

The look Geralt got at his request was one he couldn’t read. “Would you now?” Jaskier’s lips tugged up into a smile. “And why’s that?”

No words were enough to explain and Geralt’s eyes flitted between Jaskier’s gaze and lips as he shrugged. All he knew was that Jaskier was someone special. Someone Geralt had slowly developed feelings for, ones he had never experienced in the past.

“Nobody’s had a connection with me before,” he tried to explain. Something changed in Jaskier’s gaze then, some kind of soft understanding. He reached up and traced Geralt’s bottom lip with a thumb.

“We’ll take this at your pace then. Find what works for us.”

He made it sound so simple, so natural. Like everyone was the same as Geralt even if he’d never found anyone like himself. True to his words, Jaskier didn’t press Geralt, never demanded more than he could give. Kisses were chaste to start with, only slowly deepening as Geralt found himself getting more comfortable. He had certainly felt surprised when, after making out for half an hour, his trousers were tented, that hadn’t happened before and he was apologising before he knew it. A hand on Geralt’s cheek stopped him, soft reassurances that it was okay were dropped between small kisses. Jaskier showed him how very much okay it was. And, for the first time, Geralt lay in bed, sated and understanding what all the fuss had been about.