#not just regis to be clear

[ratsetflummi]

you have no idea how much it pains me when the narration just says something like "regis was chatting with entreri" and then doesn't elaborate on what they are chatting about. i recognize that it isn't important to the story, but it is important to me.

they have so much history! did they ever unpack that? this is the man who kidnapped you and maimed you, and stalked and repeatedly tried (and once succeeded) to murder your friend. and now he's your ally, and he's proven himself trustworthy, and you're actually quite comfortable in his presence now,

this man who we don't hear speak all that much, except to complain and to accuse and to shoot fools down with biting sarcasm-

what in the hell are you two chatting about?!

[dbphantom]

Titus: WHAT are you!!!!!

Celor, actively sobbing: an accountant?

[meangirls-imagines]

Protective Plastic

Description: Everyone in North Shore knows that Reader and the Plastics are in a polyamorous relationship. Guys still make nasty comments about them. Reader has a very short temper. It breaks at a party after Shane tries to corner Regina.

WARNINGS: mentions of blood, fighting, injury, alcohol consumption, minor weed consumption, the plastics being soft for their girl.

Everyone thank @yungpoetfics for inspiring me to write this.

Bubs. Thank you for rambling about mean girls with me and fueling my ideas! I luv u!

The party at Jake's was in full swing by the time Y/N pulled up to the house. She sighed before parking near the familiar jeep. She turned her car off and grabbed the pre-rolled joints she brought and got out of her car.

She had promised her girlfriends that she would come to the party. She didn't want to, she'd rather be at home smoking and enjoying her Friday night but her girlfriends gave her those damn puppy eyes and she couldn't resist.

She trudged up the front yard, passing a few passed out teenagers as she walked into the house.

The music was blasting and Y/N could already not hear herself think. All she wanted to do was find her girlfriends, but with the amount of people in the house, it was going to take forever. So, she grabbed herself a beer and headed out to the backyard where everyone was smoking or quietly talking amongst themselves.

She pulled out her phone to text the girls where she was so they could find her. She put the phone back in her pocket and pulled out her lighter and one of the joints.

She lit the joint and took a pull as Karen made her way out of the house. The girl scanned the yard before her eyes landed on Y/N. She lit up and walked over to Y/N, plopping herself in the girl's lap.

"Hi baby!" Y/N kissed Karen and smiled, offering the joint to the girl, who excitedly took it and took a pull. "You look so pretty, angel. How is your night going?" Karen blushed and handed the joint back to her girlfriend.

"Much better now that you're here! Gretchen and I were dancing a lot and Regina even joined us." Y/N smiled. As if she was summoned, Gretchen came out the back door, instantly seeing her girls and quickly walking over to them.

"Corazón!" Y/N smiled brightly at the girl as she sat down next to her, gently guiding her into a bruising kiss. Y/N moaned into it as Gretchen slid her tongue into her mouth. The two made out for a minute before pulling away.

Y/N looked at Gretchen with a smirk on her face. "Where did that come from?" Gretchen smirked back. "I've missed you, amor." Y/N smiled and pecked her lips. "I missed you too. Where's Gina?"

Gretchen motioned for the joint. "She's getting us drinks. She'll be out in a minute." Y/N nodded and continued talking to her girls as they passed the joint around. By the time the joint was finished, Regina still hadn't come out.

Y/N decided to go check on the blonde, handing the second joint to Karen and Gretchen along with her lighter, before venturing into the house. She searched the living room where everyone was dancing, not seeing Regina and headed to the kitchen.

What she saw made her see red and her blood boil.

Regina looked very uncomfortable as she was pressed up to the counter by none other than Shane Oman.

Y/N stormed over to where her girlfriend was and cleared her throat. Regina looked relieved to see her girlfriend as Shane turned around annoyed. "I think my girlfriend wants you to leave her alone, Shane."

The boy looked at Y/N annoyed. "Was I asking you, Y/N? No. Let Regina talk for herself." He turned back to the blonde and Y/N grabbed his shoulder to turn him once again.

"I don't care if you were asking me or not, she isn't interested." Shane glared at the girl before smirking. "Oh, I see. You wanna play hero. It's not going to end well for you. So back off." Y/N shoved him. "Shut up, Oman. You're just jealous my silicone dick is bigger than your actual dick."

Shane snapped and swung, connecting with Y/N's cheek. Regina gasped as Y/N recovered quite quickly before throwing herself at the boy.

Fists were wild flying as the two tussled on the ground. A crowd had formed and people were recording. Regina was screaming at the two to stop, trying to get someone to help her.

Shane had the upper hand, he had Y/N pinned down and was raining punches down on her face. Y/N had a major cut above her eyebrow and her nose was bleeding. She managed to get a knee up and knee the boy in the back, quickly getting the upper hand back.

At this point, Karen and Gretchen had ran back in the house and caught a glimpse of the chaos unfolding. Y/N managed to get a few good hits on Shane before she was pulled off by Aaron.

The two were a mess, blood all over their faces and knuckles. The girls automatically went to Y/N, immediately fussing over her as Shane was getting held back by a couple of football players. Jake had made his way to the commotion, breaking up the crowd and kicking Shane out.

He apologized to the girls for Shane before taking his leave. Regina stood in front of Y/N as she leaned back on the counter for support. Her girlfriends stood in front of her, assessing her injuries as the girl swayed. "We have to get her home. Gretchen, can you drive her car to my house?"

As the four made it back to Regina's house, Regina and Karen helped Y/N out of the Jeep, Gretchen coming to help. The three guided Y/N to Regina's room, before letting her lay down on the huge bed. The three sprung into action, Karen grabbing water and a snack for Y/N, Gretchen grabbing clothes, and Regina grabbing the first aid kit out of her bathroom.

Regina decided to clean Y/N up before she got changed and she pulled out alcohol pads, Y/N immediately cringing. Regina smiled at the girl. "Baby. I know you hate it, but I don't need that cut to get infected. It's gonna sting."

Gretchen and Karen held Y/n's hands as Regina cleaned her face up. Y/N hissed in pain as Regina gently wiped the cuts. Gretchen and Karen decided to take the time to clean Y/N's hands, gently wiping the dried blood off.

After the girls were done, they helped Y/N change before changing themselves and sandwiched Y/N in bed. Y/N laid in-between Karen and Gretchen who ran their fingers through her hair. Regina was spooning Karen and also holding Y/N's hand, gently rubbing her bruised knuckles with her thumb.

"Thank you for protecting me tonight, Y/N. I really appreciate it, baby." Y/N squeezed the blonde's hand. "Anything for you baby. I'd do anything for all three of you."

The girls voiced their gratitude and gently lulled Y/N to sleep, exhausted from the chaos.

[txttletale]

h… how is any of that racist

assuming that you mean my posts about the 5e monster manual entry for orcs and how insanely racist it is--by happy coincidence i have a bunch of sources about this strewn haphazardly across my browser so i'm happy to answer this.

so we will start with this. the words 'tribe' and 'chief' are deeply, deeply racialised. they have been used throughout colonial (and well into modern and present-day!) history to describe groups of indigenous peoples across the world—with implications of 'primitive' people and societies within the Western myth of linear societal progress. europeans have nations and kings--africans and native americans have tribes and chiefs. the 'tribe' is not a neutral concept--it is a concept that was constructed by europeans in positions of global military domination over a century to justify a narrative about the linear progress of civilization to justify domination [1][2]. of course, it's not just the use of the words 'tribe' or 'chief' but their deployment here in the context of what is obviously supposed to be a 'primitive' method of of government--the 'orcish tribe' is inherently violence, a 'savage' society entirely built on "bloodlust" and "fear"

regis stella puts it much better than i could in this account of an early 20th-century travel memoir in Imagining the Other: The Representation of the Papua New Guinean Subject

while we're on this point i figure i'll add all the other language around 'savagery', 'inherent bloodlust' and so on in the monster manual here to further illustrate my point: it's all quite rote and repeats itself a lot.

now, wait, waiiiit, wait a second. wait a moment. hold up what was that last thing

oh thats not good. having to explain why this is racist feels a little like having to explain why its bad to hit people with hammers but i'll do it anyway: the comparison of real-life 'tribes' of people to insects, vermin, and pestilences is a very real element of genocidal rhetoric--from the holocaust [3] to the rwandan genocide [4]. what is the implied correct societal responose to a tribe that is 'like a plague?'

finally, this is the part that made me say "holy fucking shit this is in the 5th edition monster manual?" because it is pure undiluted gygaxian eugenics shit. first of all, the narrative of the ever-swelling horde, the indigenous or Asian people as an undiffernetiated mass of amorphous Other, is an old one and one that's been used to devalue the lives of people of colour and justify violence against 'the horde'. but the part that's absolutely jaw-dropping is the use of the tropes of reproductive racism--the narrative of Black and indigenous hyperfecundity is also an established racist trope, one which was instrumental in the forced sterilisation of Black and Native women in the USA [5] and now manifests itself in the "great replacement" demographic anxieties of modern racism [6] -- think of White Genocide conspiracy theories and the 14 Words. and of course that is to say nothing of the fact that is made very clear and reiterated (and mechanicised in the form of the Half-Orc player race!) that WotC wants to be very clear about how much orcs "readily crossbreed with other races". this is miscegenation anxiety, plain and simple--somethign else stella talks about.

so yeah! hopefully nobody will ever ask me this fucking question again! (this is just across two fucking pages of the monster manual by the way don’t get me started on the shit that’s in the other books! god forbid i even think about campaign modules!!)

[unreliablesnake]

König couldn't help but smile while he watched you standing in the middle of the square, looking back and forth between the screen of your phone and the nearby streets with a confused look on your gorgeous face. You were lost, he could easily see that.

It was one of those rare occasions when he was off-duty, visiting his family in Austria without having to protect his identity with the usual veil. Yes, he felt naked, almost anxious again, but he reminded himself that everything was okay. He was alone. No one was following him. No one recognized him. It was all good.

So he laughed to himself quietly before walking over to you. "Excuse me," he began, already raising his hands in defense since he knew you would freak out because of his size alone. When you gulped and locked the screen of your phone, he went on. "You seem to be lost. Can I help?"

You hesitated, but your eyes never left his face. Were you just cautious and kept an eye on him to make sure he behaved? Or was there another reason? Maybe something was on his face? When he cocked an eyebrow at you, you cleared your throat and kicked the cobblestone sidewalk.

"I have the goddamn GPS in my phone and I'm still lost," you murmured angrily with an adorable nose scrunch. "I'm looking for this address," you told him once you found the email it was in.

He took a good look at the screen, and he couldn't help but smile. "I'm going right across the street, I can show you the way if you'd like," he offered.

Nodding, you put the device back to your pocket. "That would be great, thank you."

The two of you walked in silence for a while. König had a series of questions on his mind, starting with one about your name and one about whether or not you were a local. Even he got lost sometimes after being away for too long, so he wouldn't be that surprised to find out you were living in this city.

But he remained silent, and instead of opening his mouth, he silently observed your features, taking in the details as if he was trying to remember his girlfriend's looks. But you weren't his girlfriend, although a part of him desperately wanted to ask you out before you parted at your destination.

The great Colonel König was back to his anxious self because of you. His mind was in overdrive, one moment he was just about to open his mouth, the next he wanted to run away and hide from you. It was a terrible feeling, one he didn't have to face on the battlefield. Oh, how he wished he was back there.

"You're tall. And big," you suddenly mused as you turned to him with a smile. "I'm sure a lot of people tell you that, sorry."

He couldn't help but laugh at this. "Yeah, I get that a lot. And you're cute," he added without even thinking.

You came to a sudden halt and turned to him with your hands folded behind your back. "You think I'm cute?"

Damn it. Where the hell did that filter between his mouth and brain go? "I–I... It's not... Yes," he eventually admitted guiltily.

With a laugh, you moved closer to him and playfully nudged his arm with your shoulder. "You don't look bad either. Maybe we could meet later."

"As in going on a date?" You nodded with a smile. "I'd love that."

König knew you were close to your destination, so he pulled out his phone and gave it to you. "Can I get your number to discuss the details?" he asked.

Without answering, you took the device and typed your number along with your name before giving it back to him. "Give me a call or send me a text."

He looked at the new contact and couldn't hold back a smile. "I like your name."

"Speaking of names, you never told me yours," you noted with a pout.

"It's König."

"That's all? Hmm... mysterious. I like it."

The rest of the trip passed in silence, mostly because you wanted to avoid spoilers. We'll have time to talk on our date, you said. He was okay with that. But when he stopped in front of the building where you were heading, his heart sank. He didn't want to say goodbye yet, but there was nothing he could do.

Before he could register what was happening, you stood on your toes and gently pulled down his head to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for showing me the way," you whispered to him.

"Anytime," König told you.

[northernolddragon]

Wouldn’t Ciri and Vernon Roche be an awesome power couple?

Hello. I'm inclined to believe, that it would be a power couple, like any other pairing, with Ciri or Roche. And everything would be fine, if there was an adequate component in this whole story. By adequacy I mean: don't insult other people's pairings, that don't fit with your favorites, don't write to those, who don't belong to the Witcher fandom, even if they are familiar with it. This is inappropriate.

This position isn't clear to me. Because both Cirilla and Roche are one of the key characters in the Saga. The fandom will ship them to its heart's content with Cerys and Iorweth and anyone else, as well as any other characters in every fandom, as a great many ships rush forward across the ocean of the universe. :) Some drown, some keep moving. Your ship would have sailed further, if you had not tried to point your cannons at other ships. And towards those who consider them important to themselves.

My ship is Regis and Geralt - I have been sailing on it for a long time, but I will give up to those, who ship Regis with Dettlaff or Geralt with Emhyr or Yen. So many pairings. Everyone has their own preferences. Have respect. Elementary respect. I'm never against other pairings. Often, in addition to my main one, I also like additional ones. The authors create so much content, that you can't help but get carried away with something else. You are interested, because images of relationships form in your head into a story that can be written. I think, should just be more friendly. And don't do as the people did, who insulted your ship. Start with myself, I guess. There will always be those, who don't like your ship. They are in every fandom. Whether to react or not is your choice. But to respond with hatred to those who valued your stories - sorry, I don’t understand. I just don't understand the search for constant approval through mailings of this kind. Think about it.

[seancekitsch]

Can you do Jaskier catching you singing while doing something domestic?

it’s been a while but here it finally is!

For Jaskier, hearing his own songs being sung to him isn’t out of the blue. Plenty of people sing along in taverns or forget the titles of his songs and sing a chorus or a verse or two to explain themselves to him. However he’s never heard a voice so lovely, with a tone so clear and timbre so sweet. And really, it’s not like he’s used to hearing any of this outside of a town.

Jaskier stares up at the trees that make his canopy, at the trees that shield the hansa from the elements and you all have slept more or less in a pile under for almost two days now.

“But the story is this: she’ll destroy with her sweet kiss,” the voice sings, and Jaskier sits up with a start, untangling the arms of Geralt, Regis, Milva, Angouleme, and Cahir off of him in their cold little huddle for warmth as they push further into the winter.

He looks about him, and counts. The only one missing… you.

He follows the sound of the voice, now correctly matched to you, the typically silent member of the Hansa; only loud when you argue with Angouleme over who gets the last bit of cheeseboard when you all can afford a tavern. More often thought you are silent, observing, and using it to your advantage when you can.

Jaskier rises from his spot and follows the sound of your voice like a siren’s song.

Your voice, your song- HIS song, leads him to nearest body of water, a small lake still ebbing and flowing before the cold sets in for the season. You’ve taken it upon yourself to grab everyone’s extra clothing from their bags and do some washing.

“I’m weak, my love, and I am wanting,” you sing, your tone growing… sad? as Jaskier approaches, he starts to hum along.

“If this is the path I must trudge-“

“I’ll welcome my sentence, give you my penance,” Jaskier finishes the line, and you jump, practically throwing yourself into the water.

“Sorry!” He grabs your shoulders gently, bracing you.

“Butchered that worse than Geralt would, I reckon,” you joke, peering up at him not shyly, but in that quiet defiance that sometimes shakes him to his core.

“No,” he responds, breathy and stunted like the song took the words from him, “Beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

Your lips ease into a smirk, your whole face softening at his words… the ones he realizes he just spoke.

“I mean- the song, your voice.”

“I’ll take those compliments, all of them,” you joke, and rise to stand with the finished laundry in your hands.

“But can you take these back to camp for me? I only have yours left to finish.”

Even his? He didn’t even notice his own clothing in a pile next to you,

“Why do you do this for us?”

“Easy, I don’t like when you all smell like horse and I don’t want to argue to make you do your own washing,” you answer, shrugging as you turn back to his clothes.

“I like this shirt on you,” you comment, pulling one from his pile.

“And the singing?” He asks, not at all wanting to move from his spot next to you.

“Favorite song of yours,” you respond, dunking the shirt into the water.

Jaskier looks back to the camp, noticing that finally the rest of the Hansa has begun to stir.

“Will you duet with me next time, then?” He asks, hopeful to get another chance to hear that rare voice.

“Maybe if you help me with the washing,” you retort, your smile telling him all he needs to know.

[mchlgayser]

𝐀 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 ft jude bellingham

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: You and Jude went on an un-plan date that turns out very well

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: fluff / ✮

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: none

 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: I decided to change my style(?) like different from the previous one and I think I like this one better. But that aside, I hope you enjoy this one, a little inspo from my cutest friend @habuonlylikesu 🤞🏼🤞🏼 she helps me a lot!! This is her idea based on her dream, thx again babes MWAHH <3

(( my navigations ))

'You want a drink?' Jude asked, and stopped the car by the gas station. You raised your head from the book and look at him 'Yeah sure, please get me a coffee!' It's been two hours now. Both you and Jude are on a road trip to Dorset.

It was your idea to visit Dorset after a long time because you wanted to fetch by the Lyme Regis Museum. Jude obviously could not say no to you, after all, it is indeed been a long time since you both go on a date.

You watch him walking inside through the mirror and went back to reading. Moments later, he gets inside and handed you a bag of snacks.

The ride wasn't entirely silent, there was a time when you'd put your book and strike up a conversation with him to keep him out of boredom, and there's a time when you shuffle songs from your playlist and sing along to them with the windows rolled down as the wind light brush against your skin.

Another hour passed, and you are almost at Dorset. You get your phone from the inside of your bag to call your friend who's a worker there 'Hello?' You heard a shuffle from the background 'Hey! I was wondering if you are at work now. Jude and I are going there today, you know because it's been a while...' You heard more shuffling before she finally answers 'Oh my God! I'm so sorry, I thought you were coming tomorrow! I forgot to tell you the museum is temporarily closed for today, they're moving stuff in and out. Gosh, I'm so sorry I forgot to tell you! Are you on your way?' You forcefully chuckle and your eyes move to Jude's 'Nah, it's okay we can find somewhere else to go...' She apologized once more and then hung up

'So...' Jude sighed, hands caressing the steel, and looks around 'Well I guess we can always go somewhere... Okay, I know where to go!' The time is almost 15:00 when you caught up with your destination.

The place wasn't crowded, in fact, only a few couples were there enjoying sites and planning routes. Since it was a weekday, there are not many people. Jude stopped the car after over ten minutes looking for a place to park the mobile and sough in contempt 'I hope you are fine with the beach?'

You were now at Durdle Door, a nice spot for you, a beach and clear blue water lover. Jude brings a mat that you didn't know he had and place it inside the basket.

'We can get through the stairs and went down to see up close!' He suggested, taking your hands in his and walking.

It was a nice, warm, and long walk. You two talk on your way there and just have your best time of the day, it was rather a surprisingly nice date even though it was un-plan.

You two went just near the seaside and far away from the public before he laid out the mat and sat down 'Come! Sit here and enjoy the breeze!' You take off your sandals and sat beside him, knees over your chest.

No utterance was spoken, just the sound of waves crashing and hitting rocks, the blue clear water matching with the sky, the sun peeping from behind the cloud, and the faint sounds of birds squawking.

You two sat there and just enjoyed each other actuality. After some time, you two found yourself cuddling to each other, you in front of him with your knees still to your chest and he had his arms all wrapped around you, occasionally leaving chaste kisses down your neck, to your cheeks, temple and the corner of your lip.

You checked your phone seeing that it passed seventeen, thirty, and the sun was about to set creating a dimmed light of orange hue and a tint of yellowish shade. The sky was painted with birds flying around in groups, the neverending comforting sound of the waves gushing hardly.

'I love this fragrance on you, is this the one I gifted you?' He asked in a whisper, you hummed, and gently placed your head over on his shoulder. His arms are securely around you, never letting go and sometimes he brushes his hand underneath your top caressing your side giving your body a delicate shudder.

The sun set entirely, the night sky embracing you with her warmth, Jude finally let go looking over at you with a lazy smile grazing his lip 'Should we leave? It's freezing.' You nod and get up to clean the place and left the place, hands in hands. The moon witnessed the scene and left with envy.

[yellowspiralbound]

Since season 3 of The Witcher Netflix comes out tomorrow...here are some of my concerns on adaptation from this season onward. Potential spoilers for the future seasons and definite spoilers for the books. Long post ahead.

The Hansa's Dynamic

I am so worried about how the Hansa is going to be handled in the show. Like shaking in my boots terrified. The showrunners already really messed up Dandelion & Geralt's dynamic...and that's one of the easier dynamics present in the Hansa imo. The dynamic is already going to be screwy because Cahir is a middle aged man and not a petulant teenager if he's present in the Hansa at all (though I think he will be since Emhyr called him and Fringilla out at the end of s2).

Emhyr as a Character

Speaking of Emhyr...I think they might attempt to give him a redemption arc, and I cannot emphasize how bad of an idea that is. They're going to retcon the whole "wanting to impregnate Ciri" bit, which I have mixed feelings on. Like yes, on one hand that's fucking gross but on the other hand, that bit is in there to show how fucked up Emhyr is and why Geralt needs to get to Ciri so quickly; it adds a sense of urgency to the Hansa's travels. If I see Emhyr sympathizers on my dash after this season I will lose my fucking mind.

Milva's Pregnancy & Related Scenes

I suspect that Milva's pregnancy is going to be cut entirely or play up the rest of the Hansa's concern for her as a weird "men think they can control women's bodies" thing which Milva will have to fight with them about so the show can be appropriately pro-choice without exploring any of the pro-choice nuance the books bring up. I can just see Regis talking to the guys about it being turned into a "the father deserves a say in a woman's choice to abort" scenario instead of the "I will give this woman her abortion regardless of what you all think about that (and I've made that VERY clear) but I think she's making this choice because she believes you all will abandon her/not support her if she wants to keep this baby and someone needs to make sure that she knows that won't happen" scenario that it actually is. This is also plays into my concerns about the Hansa's dynamic as changing that scene changes it irreparably.

Characterizing Nilfgaard as a Nation

Right now I feel like the show could go one of two ways 1) Nilfgaard is wrong in everything it does or 2) Nilfgaard is right in everything it does (if Emhyr gets a redemption arc). The show has already made a show of the Northern Realms' racism, which is book accurate mind you, but I fear this will translate to a sort of "Nilfgaard is the better nation as its less racist" scenario. While Nilfgaard is better in that aspect and a few others, it is still a militant slave nation. Nilfgaard and the Northern Realms both have their evils and their virtues; that's a big point in the books and the games. Neither nation is 100% good or 100% bad - they're just nations. I don't think the show will be able to handle that kind of nuance.

Jaskier & Radovid...

Apparently, Radovid is supposed to be one of Jask's love interests this season. Radovid is a massive racist, a war criminal, and a teenager. I'm sure all of that's going to be retconned but for fuck's sake just make a new character if you're going to age up and completely change the personality and insanity of an existing one. Important note: I am 1000% in support of queer Jask. I have never shipped that man with a woman in my life (even in the books and games) but for the love of God why did his LI have to be fucking RADOVID??

Mistle & the Rats

If they make Ciri and Mistle a love story, I am going to be disappointed but not surprised. Let me be clear: Mistle is a rapist and an abuser. I suspect they will change that to shoehorn in a queer relationship (even though Triss and Philippa are RIGHT THERE if they want a semi-canon wlw couple). The Rats as a whole are definitely going to be made into more robinhood-like characters because God forbid a main character like Ciri is morally grey or does questionable/bad things.

Geralt's Disability

If this season ends with the Vilgefortz and Geralt fight, as I suspect it might, Geralt will be disabled permanently by the end of this season. The dryads do not fix it. Magic does not fix it. Geralt becomes disabled and stays disabled. His disability becomes a hindrance during the books and the reader actively sees him grapple with the fallout of this. I do not trust this show to handle that - especially with how much more closed off Geralt is in the show compared to the books. If I had to guess, Geralt's disability will be handwaved away or mentioned in passing and never actually shown to impact him which is not cool.

[sparklecryptid]

Reveal AU where Regis visits Galahd while Ardyn is training Ace. (Shhhhhh, ignore the occupation, Regis can just sneak onto Galahd, give his Shield and Council a few heart attacks)

Ace does Not Know Them. Ace does not know the two men currently glaring at each other as Ace stands between them. Ace most certainly does not recognize one as the fucking King and the other is most certainly not the asshole uncle who wants Ace and his entire line of the family tree dead.

Ace does not know them.

Ace is leaving.

He takes a step backward. Two pairs of piercing eyes land on him and Ace suddenly feels like he’s being stared down by two very irked dragons.

“The Elders will kill you if you kill me,” Ace feels the need to point out and pointedly does not think about how something that looks like hurt passes through both Regis and Ardyn’s features.

“If I wanted you dead I’d have killed you by now,” Ardyn says as he glowers at Ace.

“I’m not dead because you think I’m useful to you,” Ace says mildly, “I’m fairly certain you still want me dead.”

“You’d kill a child?” There is something dangerous in Regis’ voice and Ace does not react to how Regis’ magic uncoils from where it’s been carefully tucked away. The magic in the air around Regis is strange but familiar and rises like a dragon from its slumber.

Before Ardyn can do anything stupid Ace uncoils his own magic from where it lays hidden and silent and still and lets it grow fangs to bite at Regis’ magic.

Ace winces when he realizes that he’s basically outed himself as a Lucis Caelum.

Regis stares.

Katrina marches into the clearing and smacks both Ardyn and Regis upside the head.

“Mom!”

“Don’t ‘mom’ me!” Katrina snaps, “These boys deserved it.”

“That’s the king-“

“He’s just a man. He’s no more threatening than you are.”

Ace doesn’t know how to feel about any of that.

Regis stares at Katrina like he’s seeing her for the first time.

Ardyn locks his gaze on Ace.

“If you try to kidnap my child I’m going to flay you.”

Ardyn turns to Katrina and smiles prettily.

Katrina is not impressed.

“I would never.”

“It’s amazing how you lie with a straight face.”

“Katrina,” Regis begins, “May we talk somewhere private?”

“No need. Ace is your child. No you can’t take him back to Insomnia unless he agrees to go. Yes Ardyn is somehow related to you, I never bothered to ask how because I don’t care. Also if you hurt me or my son Carly has my permission to convince the Khara’s to murder you.”

“…what?”

“Yeah,” Ace says, “I feel that way all the time.”

[hanzajesthanza]

kind of fucked up that fringilla wears mink trim in toussaint and regis doesn’t

[redanianstupidity]

my witcher sexuality headcanons (if anyone takes this way too seriously im spitting on them)

philippa - stating strong, and lesbian, of course

triss - bisexual with preference for women

yen - bisexual with preference for men

sabrina - straight until she has two drinks

keira - gremlin

tissaia - hates everyone equally

rita - loves everyone equally

ciri - in books she's just traumatized / in games she's also traumatized but unsure if she's lesbian or bi

geralt - straight

dandelion - straight (i already hear them running louder than wild hunt)

regis - gay or bi spirits weren't clear about this one

dijkstra - bisexual and i stand by that

that's all spirits have told me for now

[eycsnow666]

witcher screenshot compilations

got a bunch of stray imgur links floating around on discord, but here they all are! mostly of character swaps to emhyr. be warned that character swaps involving female->male skeletons may be a bit...cursed ahah. check the reblogs for further additions, because the original post is cranky abt any more links being added to it.

shoutout to @tigerlyla-of-metinna who's done amazing edits to some of these pics and also for enabling my new hobby

Emhyr visits Kaer Morhen

quest is No Place Like Home, swaps are Lambert to Geralt, Yen to Ciri, Geralt to Emhyr. Emhyr graces Kaer Morhen with his imperial presence. in return, the witchers convince him to drink himself silly. welp, what dignity was lost was regained in camaraderie

La Cage au Fou ft.a sad hedgehog

while out trapping monsters, Geralt accidentally captures...the emperor of nilfgaard?? how he got there aside, he's in pretty bad shape and has apparently gone feral. lucky there's a witcher who's been through this rodeo before, so emhyr's in safe hands <3

Roche to Emhyr and Ves to Ciri

quests are Eye for an Eye and Reason of State, with bonus swaps Dijkstra to Dettlaff and Thaler to Regis. Ever wanted to see Emhyr plotting against Emhyr? these pics have you covered! also included: emhyr and geralt being big damn heroes, and drunk uncle Dettlaff giving Regis a headache by quoting Macbeth Vakmeth scenes. See one of my reblogs for this link, bc this post doesn't want to save with it here for some reason.

Emhyr x Geralt hugs (Blood Run quest)

Regis's expressions make Emhyr look so soft 💖

Something Ends, Something Begins (Geralt to Emhyr)

soft moments with Ciri and Emhyr getting some dad moments in.

Ciri's Story: Out of the Shadows (Baron to Emhyr)

Emhyr has a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Emhyr may be a snacc but his daughter's here to make sure he doesn't become a snack (for basilisks)

The Battle of Kaer Morhen ft.The White Flame (Geralt to Emhyr). lots of Sadmyr and tender moments with Ciri

father's day at kaer morhen

Geralt to Emhyr swap, quest is Blood on the Battlefield. Emhyr and Ciri destress with a snowball fight. Geralt's sitting out this one, probably collapsed of sheer shock from learning that Emhyr is capable of experiencing fun.

Emralt, now with reduced clothes!

Yen to Emhyr, the opening scene at Kaer Morhen. yeah these are actually Yen's body proportions bc Yen's skeleton but shhhhh

A Midnight Clear: Shani to Emhyr mod

more spooky scary (animation) skeletons

A Midnight Clear: spiciest Emralt highlights

Geralt x Emhyr action. don't look at the proportions too closely, just lie back and think of nilfgaard

[sanjismywhore]

Joyride

Gladiolus Amicitia x Reader

Warnings: None

Requested by @justasidebloglol

Tysm for making this request! I’m so sorry for the wait, I hope you like it 🫶🏽

———————————————————————

The group of four walked down the steps of the palace entrance, heading to the Regalia parked outside.

Just as the men approached the vehicle, the king’s advisor called out to Noctis: “Your Highness!”

The men stopped on the steps, turning a full 180 to the voice that called out. Noctis stepped in front of the others. The advisor bowed deeply to him, before addressing the rest of his companions.

"Deep apologies. It seems we failed to mention another thing before you all set off.” The advisor straightened up and turned to his right, revealing King Regis beside him.

“Sir, if you may.” He faced the king and motioned with his arm to step forward.

Regis nodded, stepping aside from his advisor and turning to Noctis. “It appears there will be an addition to your journey.” The king enlightened the men.

“They have offered their assistance in the coming events.” He made a silent gesture with his head as if nodding, pointing in the direction ahead of the group.

The men turned their heads in the other direction, curious about who it could be.

Then the sudden thunderous whirring of a bike engine alarmed the four, causing Prompto to instinctively reach for his gun. Despite this, the rest remained calm.

The sound grew louder until it became a cacophony of noise as one motorcycle burst through the courtyard gates. This was followed by another car and another, and another… and another.

They all stopped near the gates while the motorcycle continued towards the palace steps.

As the rider got closer into view, the group could see a few noticeable features. A woman was astride the bike with a black helmet, black leather gloves, leather jacket, and leather boots. The motorcycle matched the all-black aesthetic with a sleek shimmer to the front.

Rock music blared, seemingly from nowhere as the bike slowed almost to a complete stop, but not before drifting cinematically just to show off. As soon as the engine was cut, the motorist dismounted from the bike and took off the helmet.

You walked up the steps to the palace with your helmet in hand, then you stopped right as you approached everyone.

You observed the men just as they observed you. The short blonde was cute, but you had no opinion of him. The tall one with glasses looked lame, and the muscular one was quite handsome.

And of course, you already knew and heard of Noctis, though he didn’t look too enthusiastic to meet you.

King Regis cleared his throat and approached you, taking your side and facing the men. “Gentleman, this is (Name).” He introduced.

The men stared at you for a while, some smiling as if they were excited to see you, some unfazed.

From the corner of your eye, you thought the muscular one looked at you up and down. He seemed curious but also pleased to see you. Grinning to himself, his gaze lingered on you for some time. He added a subtle wink before flickering his gaze at your bike, clearly intrigued.

When you surveyed him back. There was something roguish about his appearance. His hair was styled like a wild, unkempt mullet. A large tattoo covered both arms; you could make out a bird's wings and face. His eyes were the right shade of amber, like honey. And to add to his sculpted features, he had a nice patch of facial hair.

You could tell he was striving for the “bad boy” look. Out of all the four, he caught your eye the most.

Smirking slightly, you ignored his gaze and instead focused your attention on the King. He said, “(Name) has agreed to assist in the coming events. Keep in mind they are here to aid us, not harm us.”

Stepping forward, you outstretched your hand towards the men, “Nice to meet you.” You took a moment to introduce yourself to the two blondes, greeting them with a polite handshake.

However, when you got to Noctis, he refused the handshake. Unwilling to make eye contact, he faced away from you and muttered, "Hey..." before apathetically walking away.

It wasn’t the most eloquent greeting, but you still appreciated the effort. You could tell immediately that Noctis would take a while to warm up to you.

Ignis, who observed the interaction, stepped toward you two. “I apologize for his apathy. He’s not exactly the social type.” He apologized.

“It’s cool, I get it.” You responded with a shrug, giving him an understanding nod.

Then Ignis continued, “Noct will get adjusted to the arrangement in no time. Again, It’s a pleasure to have you joining us.” His tone was polite and hopeful.

You nodded at him again.

Turning your gaze toward others, you spotted the muscular one inspecting your bike. He was bent over, running his hand over the vehicle's side. From your distance, you could hear his tongue click as he grunted in approval of the vehicle.

“Sweet ride ya got here.” He called out to you in a deep tone full of intrigue, his gaze fixed on the bike.

You watched the man feel up your bike before flickering your gaze at Prompto sneakily climbing onto the seat. As desperate as he was to hop on, his attempt failed because he was too short.

Laughing softly to yourself in amusement, you approached the two men with a smirk. “Wanna take her for a spin?” You raised a brow, nudging the muscular one’s side with your elbow.

His brow raised as he glanced at you. First, he stared at you blankly before a small smirk tugged at his lips.

His fiery amber eyes sparkled with charm before he asked, “How fast can she go?” He folded his arms against his chest, standing back up to his full height.

Pleased to know that someone is interested in your lifestyle, you asserted, “Come and find out?” You smirked back, making a gesture to the bike.

The man let out a deep chuckle that nearly caught you off guard, “Only if it's cool with his highness.” He remarked in a murmur, turning and gesturing at Noctis.

Noctis, who was already sitting in the Regalia’s back seat, looked up at the two of you. At first, he gave the man a judgemental glare before shrugging indifferently as he replied, “Do what you want.”

The muscular one made a face at Noctis, then looked back at you and extended one of his previously folded arms, “Name’s Gladiolus. Call me Gladio.” He grinned down at you and shook your hand firmly.

You shook his hand, responding, “(Name).”

He laughed at that, smiling proudly. “No need for introductions, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

You were caught off guard for a moment, “Didn’t know people still talked about me…” You muttered under your breath, blushing a little.

“You kidding, who hasn’t heard of you? (Name), the fabled crowns guard who got exiled for “

Suddenly you stepped on his foot, making him grunt. “Shut it!”

Gladiolus released your hand and placed his own inside the pocket of his leather jacket, muttering a curse to himself before chuckling. “The stories were right.” He remarked.

Turning back to the others, he called out, “Ready to hit the road?”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Ignis hopped into the driver’s seat of the car while Prompto took the passenger’s side. Once everyone was settled, Gladiolus looked at you.

You took your place on your bike, leaving enough room for Gladio to sit behind you. “Hope you don’t mind the arrangement.” You commented, “I’m not used to riding with big guys like you.” Turning the key, you felt the engine purr beneath your feet.

A hum left his lips as he stepped closer to the bike, “I’m sure I’ll get used to it.” He sat behind you, leaning forward slightly to wrap his hands around your waist for support. “You mind?” He uttered directly behind your ear, tightening his grip teasingly.

“Just don’t get too touchy.” You teased in response before pushing the kickstand back with your foot.

You heard Prompto make a gagging sound in response to the two of you flirting, making Gladio turn around to glare at him.

“Excellent.” King Regis spoke, bringing everyone’s attention toward him. Looking at you, he smiled royally, “I appreciate your help, (Name). We’ll leave you to your business now.” He waved kindly at you and the men as you began to make your exit.

Ignis drove the Regalia in front of you, expecting you and Gladio to follow close behind.

As you followed the car, you couldn't help but notice the beauty of the landscape around you.

The city building incrementally became less frequent along the roads, and soon there was only land.

The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over everything. The sky was a beautiful mix of blue and pink that complimented the sunset perfectly.

The air became slightly warmer with every kilometer you traversed. Finally, after a few minutes of driving in one direction, you are surrounded by desert sand; ways away from Insomnia.

It felt more comfortable than usual; almost relaxing. Most cars were gone, except for the occasional vehicle passing by. All kinds of creatures roamed the blank terrain.

After about an hour of riding in silence, Gladio decided to break the ice. “You gonna show me how fast this thing goes or what?” He teased, nudging you playfully in your side.

Chuckling lowly under your breath, you pushed your helmet down to hide the playful smile that stretched across your face before answering, “Just hang tight. You’re gonna get a surprise.” Your reply sounded more like a tease.

You revved the engine loud enough for everyone in the Regalia in front to hear it, a playful attempt at startling them.

It worked, they jerked around and turned toward you with shocked expressions. But before they could regain composure, you and Gladio whipped right past the Regalia at impossible speeds.

The wind curved around your helmet but blew through Gladio’s hair wildly. You felt him hold onto you with a death grip while leaning forwards onto you for wind resistance. He grunted from the shock, “Whoa!”

As fast as you went, you knew you could easily run off course and crash. But you kept going; hoping that Gladio was enjoying the ride.

Then laughed as he exclaimed, “Holy shit!”

Prompto’s laughter grew softer the farther you drove away from the Regalia. He stood inside the convertible to catch a glimpse before you were completely out of sight. “That’s so awesome!” He yelled, cheering loudly.

Looking back, you yelled, “Try and keep up!” A laugh escaped your lips as you sped up even more.

Gladio seemed to have gotten used to the speed and held onto you tighter than before. Lost in the fun of it all, you both laughed and cheered.

Your little detour managed to turn into a session for sightseeing. The farther you got from the road, the more interesting the environment became to you.

The land was grazed by all sorts of creatures that you had never seen before. In the middle of nowhere, it was breathtaking.

There were a couple of times when Gladio had to remind himself to breathe when you took the corner unexpectedly, but ultimately, you proved to be an excellent rider.

When you could no longer see the road, you knew it was too late to turn around.

In the distance, you made out the shape of a giant scorpion charging at the two of you. “The hell is that?!” You shouted in awe, pointing at the creature. Even though it was pretty far away, you knew better than to underestimate its size.

Gladio leaned a little closer to look at it too, “Shit. I didn't think those existed anymore.” He grunted after a pause.

A wide grin spread across your lips as another reckless idea came to mind. Tightening your grip on the brake, you slowed down and drifted the bike so that you circled the mysterious behemoth, “Wanna fight it?” You looked back, grinning at the big guy as you finally stopped.

The question caught him off guard. Cocking a brow, his face held a quizzical expression as he looked down at you, “You still know how to fight?” He smirked.

You rolled your eyes, “Please, the beast ain’t that big. Plus, I know my way around a fight.”

Pushing the kickstand down, you and Gladio got off the bike once again. Reaching behind yourself, you pulled out a shotgun from the large holster on your back.

You twirled it between your fingers skillfully before letting it rest in the palm of your hand, “What do you say? Wanna see my skills?” You were beaming with confidence.

“Guns aren’t my thing. I prefer blades.” Gladio responded with indifference. His expression remained stoic as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, “They’re more efficient if you wanna take that beast down.”

“Is that a challenge?” You raised a brow, smirking as you eyed him.

He hesitated for only a second, “Well if it’s one you wanna take on,” Grinning victoriously and whipping out his large blade, he added, “I won’t hold back!”

Then the both of you set off on a race to see who could take the beast down. It was fun.

Neither of you would realize how much you’d bond over the short timespan of knowing each other.

After a quick round of combat, you had the upper hand with your superior weapons.

But it wasn’t over.

You and Gladio were able to land a few quick blows, enough for the beast to fall to its knees.

As quickly as possible, both you and Gladio jumped atop the creature with your weapons ready to strike down at it. “Come on, boy! Give us some blood!” You urged the beast with a snarl.

It roared at you and knocked you back with the force of it. Gladio grabbed the back of your jacket to steady you, “Hold on tight. Don’t let go!” He yelled before swinging his large blade at the beast’s head.

The blade connected with a satisfying hit causing the beast to cry out in agony. You jumped off the creature’s head and landed near Gladio on the ground.

You took the chance to shoot at its joints and neck to make sure the beast could be rendered immobile.

A few more attacks and the challenge would end in a draw. Neither of you could tell who killed it.

After having fun with the beast, it would take another hour for you to regroup with the others.

It was getting close to dusk when you returned. The others were chatting among themselves, seemingly tired and annoyed by your antics. They all stood aside from the Regalia, sharing equal piercing glares in your direction.

Prompto was the first one to exclaim, “Where have you been?! We were looking all over for you two!”

Ignis joined Noctis in his tirade, “We thought we lost you two for good.” He turned his attention completely to you.

He noticed the two of you were covered in monster blood and bruises, which made him narrow his eyes. “You’ve been fighting, haven’t you? Why in the world would you fight alone? What if neither of you came back?”

You couldn’t tell if he was mad at you since his expression never showed a hint of anger, but his voice was laced with sternness.

“(Name),” He sighed, “If you’re going to work with us, you need to take this more seriously. It’s all fun and games now until we’re leading a war against the empire.” His tone was gentle, yet firm as if he was talking down to a child. “We need you to be responsible, not reckless. It’ll get you killed.”

Gladio interrupted, causing Ignis to narrow his eyes at him. “Hey, don’t be so hard on her. So what, we went on a little joyride? We came back in one piece. If anything, it was my idea-“

“You of all people should know better. I wouldn’t have expected you to encourage this. I’m holding you accountable for this as well, Gladio.” Ignis eyed him before turning his attention back to you.

He continued, “She’s right to want to go on these excursions, as well. However, It can be dangerous. Especially when you’re unprepared.”

Your cheeks were burning under his scrutiny. Looking down, you apologized. “I’m sorry. I let the adrenaline get the best of me…”

Gladiolus was about to interject, probably with something sarcastic in reply to the insult, but Ignis cut him off, “To fill you both in, we are camping here tonight at the Hammerhead. Rest up while you can.”

The three walked off towards an RV, presumably the “camp” Iggy mentioned. Leaving just you and Gladio alone.

For a moment, neither of you said anything. Then, Gladio cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Sorry about that…” His apologetic tone caught your attention.

“Don’t worry about it, man. No harm done.” You replied nonchalantly, kicking up some dirt. You walked back over to your bike and brought it to the fuel station, leaving it there next to the Regalia.

Gladio silently watched as you then made your way into the convenience store, but not before mouthing “Later.”

Moments passed, and you would walk over to where the RV was parked. The lights inside were on and you could make out the silhouettes of the four men.

Deciding not to bother them, you sat in one of the yard chairs out front and cracked a cold one alone.

As the sky began to darken, the air started to feel chilly. Wrapping your jacket around you, you stared into the night sky, thinking things over. Knowing your past, you predicted that something would go wrong. Something always does.

And as you thought about your reputation within the group, especially as a newcomer, your mood turned sour.

Then all of a sudden you heard voices arguing from within the RV. All you could pick up on was, “You should’ve done something,” “She's a liability,” and “She could compromise everything!”

But Gladio’s voice was able to outshine the others, “Giver her another chance!” He demanded. Noctis sighed, “You know her past. She’s trouble.”

“If she was so bad, then why did your father let her come with us?” Gladio snapped angrily, “She has potential. Giver her a chance!” He pleaded.

A few more words were exchanged between the men before Ignis finally spoke out, “We’ll speak about this in the morning. Everyone should get some rest.”

You were grateful that Gladio was willing to stand up for you, but it didn’t help the sinking feeling inside you. Everything you did mess something up. It always did.

You crushed the now-empty beer can and leaned back in the chair, closing your eyes and sighing. “Fuck…”

The door of the RV opened and then slammed shut as Gladio stepped out. His gaze lingered on you before he walked slowly over to the fire pit. Taking a seat next to yours, he gazed into the flames quietly for several long seconds.

You broke the silence with a soft murmur, “They don’t trust me, do they?” Your head hung low as you spoke.

He shook his head no, sighing deeply. “It’s not like that…” He scratched the side of his neck, "They’re just being… cautious.”

Sighing, you placed your chin in the palm of your hand. “I don’t blame 'em….” Your tone had dropped to near a whisper. A sad sigh slipped past your lips, “I’m known for my recklessness… You know how the stories go, I always fuck something up. Charging headfirst into fights.”

Gladio uncharacteristically chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s not how I saw it.” You furrowed your brows at him curiously, causing him to rub the back of his neck sheepishly, “I uh... I mean… I think you’re a total badass, not a failure.”

His voice was much softer than what you were used to, “The stories were right about one thing, you’re a damn good fighter. But everything else was insignificant to that.” He smiled at you gently, leaning back in his seat.

“I’ve never seen anyone who can handle monsters and danger like you do. And I’d bet my life that you know exactly how to use every weapon you have. You’re tough.” He winked and flashed you a grin, hoping to see a smile on your face.

Consequentially you smiled at his words, even if only a little. You hide your face in your hands, not wanting him to see how hard you were blushing. “You mean that?” You asked.

“Of course I do. Don’t you forget it.” You felt his arm wrap around your shoulder as he pulled you closer to him. The warmth of his body was comforting, although you were still embarrassed.

“I just have one question,” He started. “Why did you wanna join us?”

You bit your lip, debating whether or not you should answer. When you finally decided to tell him the truth, you looked him straight in the eye and responded, “I don’t want those stories to define who I am. I want to prove that I can protect something…”

Your head hung again, “But old habits die hard, right?” You added sadly.

Gladio grunted, shifting in his seat, “Don’t feel too bad about today. I was a part of this too.” He laughed a little, “Wouldn’t want you taking all the blame.”

Silence fell upon the two of you yet again. This time, however, it wasn’t quite as awkward. It almost seemed peaceful.

Gladio’s arm stayed draped across your shoulders. He was just starting to zone out when you spoke up again, “Thanks for having my back.”

His brow raised slightly, confused by your statement, “What? You don’t gotta thank me for that.”

"It means a lot to me." You looked at him directly and smiled. Your eyes seemed to sparkle with the moon’s reflection, making Gladio blush a little and glance away.

He cleared his throat, “Don’t mention it.” and continued looking out into space.

You shifted closer, resting your head against his shoulder. He tried his best to stay cool, but he couldn’t help noticing how cute it was.

Both of you watched the stars twinkling above, content to stay sitting together for the remainder of the night.

Neither of you wanted to break the comfortable silence, knowing that it might become awkward if you left. Eventually, you found yourself drifting off. As soon as your breathing slowed down, Gladio followed shortly after, snuggling up close to you. You were so warm, so inviting. He had no desire to leave.

[reinvent-and-believe]

Trick or Treat!!!

2 Geralt x Regis

2. ghost

ooooh, you picked one of the halloween-themed prompts! this is situated somewhere vaguely post-books/pre-blood and wine. happy halloween! 👻

—

Wraiths exist. Geralt’s dispensed with enough of them to know that better than most. Noonwraiths and nightwraiths and dozens of other spectral incarnations, all miserable, pitiable, dangerous creatures.

But ghosts? The essence of a person’s spirit, not broken and distorted beyond recognition but simply lingering, clinging to loved ones or providing comfort, signs, communication from beyond the grave? No. Those ghosts exist in only Dandelion’s songs, pretty tales to disguise ugly truth.

No, Geralt doesn’t believe in ghosts. But the autumn breeze in Metinna carries wormwood and sage and coriander and anise as it smooths over his skin like a caress, blows through his hair, surrounds him and fills his lungs.

Geralt doesn’t believe in ghosts, but wandering the streets of Oxenfurt, he hears a wry, pedantic voice in the distance lecturing about ethics and philosophy and history and the properties of wolfsbane. There’s no end to pompous men with wry, pedantic voices in Oxenfurt, but no matter how long he looks, he never finds that voice.

Geralt doesn’t believe in ghosts, but he takes a bite of soup at an inn in Kaedwen, and tastes silver bream and celery and onion, and he closes his eyes, lets the warmth from the soup heat every bit of him except the longing trapped beneath his ribs.

Geralt doesn’t believe in ghosts, but as he’s drifting to sleep in front of a small fire in a forest clearing not far from the Chotla, he feels a gentle pressure like a lover’s hand against his chest, then cold, careful fingers brushing his hair out of his face. When he opens his eyes, he’s alone. He closes them again, hoping against hope to feel it again.

He doesn’t believe in ghosts, but he sees Regis out of the corner of his eye in Metinna, in Oxenfurt, in Kaedwen, near the Chotla. Glimpses him in crowds and alone in the woods, a league away and just beside him, just a fleeting flash of grey hair and sharp black eyes.

Geralt doesn’t believe in ghosts, but he feels him, nonetheless.

[merge-conflict]

interview with a thief

tagged by @ghostoffuturespast thank you! I also decided to play with the framing of this one because it seemed like it'd be fun. please note that 'Hellman' within the text of this piece is actually Johnny in disguise, which hopefully becomes obvious after a bit of the interview. The number of line breaks means it's long under the cut, fair warning.

<>

Kerry Eurodyne has refused all media interviews since he moved into the penthouse suite at Maximus Turrim, but we were lucky enough to catch two of his associates: Dr. Anders Hellman and Valentina Myśliwiec, both former employees of Arasaka, at the Regis bar. They agreed to an interview on the condition that they would not answer any questions about their current legal entanglement, Rogue Amendiares, or Eurodyne himself. They have also chosen the questions for this interview. Due to technical issues, no video or photos are available.

Dr. Hellman has been reclusive since his widely publicized break from Arasaka, and looks very little like the tall, polished doctor who once presented at prestigious conferences around the globe. Myśliwiec is a dark horse, but with the kind of studied intensity one would expect from Arasaka SpecOps. They seem to be old friends, spending the first few minutes of our time arguing about the contents of the questionnaire.

Thanks for agreeing to the interview, I really appreciate it.

Hellman: Sure, although just to be clear I’m only a bystander.

Myśliwiec: You’re never only a bystander. Magnanimous of you to share the spotlight with me, though.

Well, you’re something of an unknown to our audience, so it’s great to get a chance to know more about you.

Myśliwiec: Oh, well that is exciting.

Let’s start with the basics. Name? Nickname?

Myśliwiec: Valentina Myśliwiec. You need me to spell that? No? People usually call me V.

How should I address you?

Myśliwiec: Thief. Any pronouns is fine.

Thief?

Myśliwiec: Is that a problem?

No, just unexpected, given your background. Is that from your days as a mercenary?

Hellman: Mercenary? (laughs) Two-bit gonk at best.

Myśliwiec: Takes one to know one. And to answer the question: yes. It was a very transitory period of my life.

Hellman: (scoffing) Really?

You could change it to fugitive now, I suppose.

Myśliwiec: (laughing) Maybe I should.

So, what’s your star sign?

Myśliwiec: I knew you were going to ask me this but I’ve just forgotten.

Hellman: Libra.

Myśliwiec: How do you know that?

Hellman: I looked it up, right here. Not sure you’re very diplomatic.

Myśliwiec: If I was undiplomatic you’d know.

How tall are you?

Myśliwiec: Six two.

Where are you from?

Myśliwiec: Born and raised in NC. This is actually the furthest I’ve been from home.

Hellman: Damn, V. Now that’s a sad story.

Favorite fruit? Do they have fruit in Night City?

Myśliwiec: …Kerry Eurodyne?

Is that a question?

Hellman: Alright, wise guy, Kerry isn’t an option on the list.

Myśliwiec: Tough crowd.

Hellman: Mango isn’t on here either. There, strawberries. What’s with this list, anyway? Where are the bananas?

Myśliwiec: (laughing) What?

Bananas?

Hellman: What?

Myśliwiec: Bananas have been extinct for thirty years.

Hellman: I knew that.

OK. Moving on. What’s your favorite season?

Myśliwiec: Spring.

Hellman: And how long have those been extinct?

Fifty, at least.

Myśliwiec: At least.

Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

Myśliwiec, Hellman: Coffee.

How many hours of sleep do you get on average?

Myśliwiec: Ten. Twice as much as I used to.

Even with Arasaka gunning for you?

Hellman: (waving his finger) That one’s not on the list.

Sorry. Can’t blame me for trying. Are you a dog or a cat person?

Hellman: She loves dogs.

Myśliwiec: Cat person. (peering over Hellman’s shoulder) You’d better have selected cat.

What’s your dream trip?

Myśliwiec: The moon. I’d love to see the Earth from up there.

Hellman: Ah, you are a romantic.

Myśliwiec: Don’t tell anyone. Can we strike that from the record?

Sorry, no.

Hellman: I’m going to select ‘outer space’. There’s no option for moon.

Who’s your favorite fictional character?

Myśliwiec: Hackerman.

Hellman: Who the hell is Hackerman?

Myśliwiec: The most powerful hacker of all time?

Hellman: Alright, better question: who the hell are all these people?

Myśliwiec: Let me see. Oh, definitely Maria the Destroyer.

Hellman: Hard to argue with a name like that.

Number of blankets that you sleep with?

Myśliwiec: Just one.

Hellman: Depends on how you define blanket. (Myśliwiec elbows him in the ribs.) Alright, alright, “one”.

What’s a fun fact?

Myśliwiec: Did you know there’s a kind of butterfly that preys on ants? The caterpillars pretend to be ant larvae and get taken back to the nest, where they use additional mimicry to act like an ant queen. They eat all the ant larvae, get big and fat, and then pupate right there in the nest.

Hellman: You and your disgusting bug facts. I’m not typing all that.

Myśliwiec: Well, what’s my result?

Hellman: It says Purple Force.

Myśliwiec: Absolutely not. Purple Force? I’m obviously Red Menace. You picked dog, didn’t you?

Hellman: What, you think I’d lie to you?

Myśliwiec: Uhuh. I guess that’s the end of our time.

Hellman: Your first interview. Not so bad, huh?

Not bad at all. Thank you for your time.

Tagging @corpocyborg, @corphoe, @gamerkitten, @dani-the-goblin The original questions for the interview are:

Name Nickname Gender Star Sign Height Nationality/Ethnicity Favorite Fruit? Favorite Season? Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? Average hours of sleep? Dog or Cat person? Dream Trip? Favorite Fictional Character? Number of Blankets you sleep with? Fun fact?