Everything & Nothing

Then, around the end of last year, I began listening to audiobooks on sleep headphones, and it is more effective than ANY DRUG. The trick, I learned, is not to listen to new books (because then I get involved and can't go to sleep) or very exciting favorites (ditto). Instead, it has to be relatively sedate favorites I've read so much I almost know passages by heart (THE SHELL SEEKERS, LITTLE WOMEN), or audio courses on topics that I am interested in but either (a) know very well already or (b) am not so fascinated by that I'll wind up staying awake to hear more. The Great Courses on physics, chemistry and ancient civilizations tend to work beautifully. This is especially effective because my biggest issue wasn't taking a long time to fall asleep (though this was a thing), but waking up in the night and then thinking/fretting about ALL THE THINGS for hours on end. Now I wake up, hear somebody talking about nuclear particles or the Olmecs, and engage with that very minimally before I drop off again.

Dandelion has run out of lip balm, and Geralt helps to apply from his own. Just soft fingers running over lips, and gentle smiles? <3

Here you go my love! Somfte husbands 🥰

________

“Time to go, bard!” the barkeeper snapped from the bar.

Dandelion pouted from where he was sitting in Geralt’s lap, long limbs barely able to stay contained in his husband’s arms. His plum coloured hat was lying on the table, and Dandelion was rhythmically stroking the heron’s feather between his fingers. It felt soft and tingly, calming his mind when it raced too fast. Geralt’s hands were wrapped around his waist, holding him close. The weight of Geralt’s arms helped to ground him, and Dandelion sighed as he leaned back into his lover’s embrace.

“It seems, my dear, that my adoring public awaits,” he said, sighing dramatically once more.

So, with a heavy heart, Dandelion sprung free of his husband’s embrace, swiping up his lute and strutting over to the front of the tavern. He plucked softly at his lute to test the tuning was still correct and then he cleared his throat. The eyes of his new audience fell upon him, and Dandelion plastered a bright and shining smile on his face. It wouldn’t take much to charm them, they were a common audience with simple pleasures in a world that had been cruel to them. So, Dandelion launched into a lewd ditty that was absolutely not about his husband’s fine arse, stamping his feet as he flirted and danced around the tavern.

Soon, the whole place was eating out of his hands. He even caught Geralt tapping his feet, despite the grouchy expression on his face. They would make ample coin that night but Dandelion didn’t really care. He was tired, and he just wanted to spend the evening snuggled up to his husband, where he didn’t have to perform all the damn time. Being a troubadour was exhausting somedays. Everyone expected so much from him all the time. He had to look and act perfectly every second of every day, but they’d had a long day hiking along the path and Dandelion wasn’t the young man he’d once been. His muscles were sore and his throat was dry from the dust on the road.

Except I accidentally captioned it, “guys check this out, I’ve got the one and only AO3 grandfather cock.”