KittenKat1888

Luke looking at Julie ✨

It’s a surprise finding, Geralt thinks to himself. At least, it goes against everything he knows about Jaskier.

He’s born noble, spoiled and doted on by a loving family for eighteen years. He has the best education, one that gives him endless titles as a master of the arts and a position at the best university. He wears fine silk, dines with lords and ladies, and sings for kings and queens.

And yet, Jaskier’s eyes always light up when Geralt prepares a simple meal at the side of the road as if a chunk of rye bread is anything finer than what Lettenhove can provide for him. He always leaves the lecture halls of Oxenfurt at the first thaw of spring to catch Geralt’s early contract of the year. He delights in the most mundane days on the path and colors them bright with his songs.

“I wonder how many are as lucky as me. How many souls under the sky,” Jaskier says one night, lying on top of a thin bedroll, under a sky full of stars. “To have found what pleases them, and get to keep it.”

“The stars?” Geralt mumbles sleepily. The day has been long and he’s too tired for Jaskier’s bouts of musing. “You don’t get to keep them, Jask.”

“No, you oaf. It’s…” Jaskier trails off, huffing a smile against Geralt’s shoulder. “Never mind. Sleep for now. You won’t understand today.”

“Yes, sleep.”

“Sleep, and you just might tomorrow.”

Jaskier snores through the night on the ground. He wakes up at the first light of dawn, eyes bleary and hair mussed. He wakes up to Geralt, lying next to him and calling his name gently. A soft smile overtakes his face, their limbs still tangling.

and just. what an amazing thought, you know? in a world where we're all struggling to get by, recognising this beautiful thing we have created, knowing that we're all sharing in taking some sort of pleasure/lesson/comfort etc from reading and/or writing it?

Absolutely.

I touched on this earlier with a different ask, but I'm glad you brought it up because I actually feel like shouting it from the rooftops. It goes way further than just her.

Note: I don't actually think Lestat is blameless here. I think they are all in the wrong, but I haven't seen Lestats pov mentioned much so that's my focus. Also minor book spoilers.

...

Lestat has been hurt and or abandoned by everyone he cares about. He was nothing but a bloodline to his own maker.

He thinks Louis will break that cycle.

Louis who has been verbally and emotionally abusive to Lestat since before Claudia was even made.

I was shocked when he told him 'that's why you'll always be alone'. It was the worst thing you could say to him, and a nasty, toxic, abusive way to breakup with anyone.

Those words are still ringing in his head an hour or so later when Louis begs him to save Claudia. Lestat knows it's a mistake to turn her but he's in a vulnerable state, and he's afraid of how Louis will react if he doesn't.

Things are better for awhile after that, but Louis starts to resent him for giving in and turning her. Blames it on him all the while showering Claudia in all the love he craves from him.

When she leaves it's 7 years of Louis taking joy in hurting Lestat. Pushing his buttons and then completely ignoring him.

His comment about setting himself on fire says he's having suicidal thoughts at some points during all this. (Thinking of his own maker)

And then she comes home. But it's only for Louis.

And she tells him he's not worthy of love. The cruelest thing anyone could ever say to him.