Livin’ Like Larry

Lisa didn’t want to see. She’d lived it, after all. That was enough for her. But Y/n was a nice girl, and she made Austin happy. That’s all that mattered to the woman. Sure, her mother was right, similarities were there deep down if you looked for them. But in the beginning, she honestly couldn’t see whatever it was that took Priscilla’s breath away.

It wasn’t until years later that she experienced the phenomenon for herself. 

It was a week before Christmas, a sacred time for every Presley, and both Lisa and her mother wanted to host a dinner at Graceland. For family and friends alike, they wished for their home to be as full and lively as it used to be all those years ago. How it was meant to be. 

How they knew Elvis would have wanted it. 

And of course, Austin and Y/n were invited. After everything he’d done for their family with Baz’s movie, and everything they’d done for him in return, they were practically family by now. Still, Lisa had to take a moment for herself to prepare. Just a moment, only a breath. That’s all she needed. 

When the door rang, Lisa ran to answer it, and couldn’t help but smile at the sight. 

“Oh, come in, come in!” she welcomed both Austin and Y/n, immediately pulling the former into her arms with a sigh of relief. “It’s been too long.” 

Austin melted into her grasp, a look of both shock and excitement on his face. He once told Y/n (in confidence, of course) that he was always waiting for the day where his relationship with the Presleys would dwindle. Gradually, but inevitable. She told him he’d be waiting for eternity. 

From over Austin’s shoulder, Lisa caught Y/n’s eye, and energy sparked within her again. 

“You too, give me a hug!” 

Laughs echoed throughout the doorway as Austin was pushed aside, replaced by his own wife. Truth be told, he was happy to see it. It warmed his heart that the people who loved him loved her too. 

Y/n’s voice was as sweet as ever, but muffled by Lisa’s shoulder. “Thank you so much for having us. I know I say it every time, but this house is just gorgeous.”

“You’re welcome over anytime, honey. I hope you guys are hungry,” she gave Y/n one last good squeeze, before stepping back to smile at them both. “Dinner was just about to start.”

Austin helped Y/n shrug off her jacket. “We’re not late, are we?”

“No, not at all. Please, come sit down, everyone will be so excited to see you both.” 

And they were. The entire night went by peacefully. They ate, told stories, and made up for the lost time which life had forced upon them. Sure, there were melancholy moments, but it was difficult to feel anything but joyful in that house. Lisa could feel her father with them all, reveling in their happiness. 

“I’d like to make a toast,” Priscilla stood towards the end of their meal, clinking her glass to grab everyone’s attention. All of the parents in the room scrambled to quiet their rambunctious children. “To everybody here. You’ve all been with us through thick and thin, and I can honestly say none of this would’ve been possible without you.” 

Her eyes glossed over, but not with tears. Priscilla’s face was perfectly content. 

“To see this house full again, busy and loud with the people we love…it means the world to me. And I know it would mean the world to everyone who isn’t here with us right now. So,” her glass rose towards the ceiling as she motioned for others to do the same. “To us, and to them.” 

Everyone followed, repeating her words and humming in agreement. From a few seats over, Y/n caught Lisa’s eye. 

“Y/n,” she chastised, a teasing grin on her face. “You can’t make a toast with water, hun. Somebody get this girl some champagne.” 

“Oh no, water is alright for me! I’m the driver tonight,” Y/n let out half a laugh.

“A small glass won’t hurt!”

Y/n shot Austin a worried glance, who shrugged with his own crooked grin. Now the whole table had quieted to watch the interaction, which just made everything more uncomfortable. 

“Um,” Y/n struggled for a moment and giggled to herself. From beside her, Austin threw his arm over her shoulders in support. “It would, actually, because…I’m…well, we’re…expecting!” 

There was silence for only a moment, and in that moment, Lisa watched Y/n’s whole body tense in anticipation. She couldn’t fathom why. Following quickly afterwards was an explosion of congratulations. And nobody was louder with their excitement than Priscilla. 

“Oh my goodness!” she was out of her seat in an instant, running towards the now blushing couple. Y/n stood to properly welcome her onslaught of hugs and kisses. “That’s the best news I’ve ever heard, oh my goodness! I can’t believe it, you must be so excited!” 

Lisa Marie stood too, walking over to give Austin a kiss on the cheek, which he happily accepted. “Congratulations, sweetheart.”

“Thank you,” his smile told her everything she needed to know. He was completely and utterly over the moon. 

Next to them, Priscilla still had Y/n firmly locked in her arms.

“Okay, mom,” Lisa took pity on the girl. “You’re suffocating her.” 

Priscilla laughed and let go, smoothing out both their clothes and running a hand over Y/n’s hair with motherly affection. “Sorry, dear, I’m just so happy for you!”

After the initial congratulations, conversation around the table settled again, allowing Austin and Y/n to have a more private moment with the Presley women. 

“We haven’t told anyone yet, so you guys are actually the first,” Y/n explained, a breathless smile still on her face. 

“Oh no, I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that.”

“Not at all! I think it’s about time we start telling people, don’t you,” she looked up at her husband, whose eyes seemed only for her. 

Austin simply pressed a kiss to her head. “Whenever you’re ready, baby, I am too.”

They’d always been a sweet couple, but everything about today made a little more sense now. Why he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her, why her face glowed with happiness even in the most mundane of moments. They were standing on the precipice of a new future. One of their own creation, one born of the love between them. One that would last for generations after they were gone. 

And it was then, for the first time, that Lisa Marie understood what her mother saw in Y/n. 

Because Austin and Y/n were young, in love, and completely unprepared. They practically had the world at their feet with no idea what to do with it. And in nine months, everything they knew would eternally be turned upside down. The only thing that made it worth it, in their eyes, was the idea of doing it all together. 

It’d been a long time since Lisa saw that. She was young, then, with naive eyes and childish ideals. But her parents loved each other; that much she knew, even at the end of it. So maybe her existence was an accident, but it was one born of affection nonetheless. At least, that’s what she always told herself when the past came back to bother her again. 

Seeing people with her father’s eyes and mother’s smile looking happy and relaxed and not at all worried about their present, but rather the new addition yet to come, was refreshing. Or maybe it was thrilling to see something she hadn’t been there to see before? Or, rather, completely and utterly terrifying? 

“You guys are going to be great parents,” Lisa said to them both, though the words fell from her lips on their own accord. A numb feeling of shock had settled itself into her bones. “I just know it.” 

----------

After that, Lisa distanced herself for her own wellbeing. And theirs. She didn’t want her conflicted feelings of the past to dampen their excited ones for the future. 

But honestly, that was easier said than done. Because no matter how much she wished to stay away, when her phone lit up with Austin’s name on the screen, she couldn’t help but answer. 

“Hello?” she pressed the phone to her ear. “Austin?” 

“Hey, Lisa, long time no talk.”

She laughed as if that wasn’t at all on purpose. “I know! How have you been, sweetheart?” 

“I, uh,” Austin stumbled on the line for a moment. “I hate to do this, but I was actually calling to ask for your help.” 

Immediately, Lisa regretted staying away in the first place. “Of course, what is it? Is everything alright?” 

“Yes! I didn’t mean to worry you or anything, it’s just…well, it’s Y/n.”

“Oh?”

Even over the phone, Lisa could hear the worry in his voice. “She hasn’t been feeling well lately. Sickness, migraines, body aches. Some days, moving from the bed to the couch is the most she can handle. I keep saying we should go see the doctor, but she’s adamant that it’s all normal pregnancy stuff, and I just…well, I don’t know, I feel helpless.”

“Oh, Austin…” her heart dropped from her chest. 

“And I’d love to bother my mom with this stuff,” Austin’s words rushed from his lips. “But she isn’t here anymore, and you were the first person I could think of who knows what it’s like to be in Y/n’s position. I’m really sorry if this all comes at a bad time.” 

“No, I’m so happy you called! I always want you to reach out if you need any help, Austin, I’ve told you that already,” she lightly scolded him for ever second guessing himself. 

“I know, it’s just-”

“Honey, do you want my advice or not?” 

Lisa heard his deep breath of relief, a tell-tale sign of defeat, echo over the receiver. “Yes please.” 

“Well, first things first, how is she eating?” 

“Half the time, her cravings drive her wild. The other half, she can’t keep anything down.” 

“That could be contributing to the migraines. When I was pregnant with the twins, they kept my stomach in knots constantly, but I never found any relief with my headaches on an empty stomach. Always try to get her to eat something if you can, even if it’s something small.”

“Okay,” Austin’s voice was so studious, Lisa wouldn’t have been shocked if he was taking notes. 

“Also, do you have a pool?”

“Yes?”

“Then use it. She may fight you at first, but once she feels the weight off her back and hips, you may have a hard time getting her out of it.” 

At that, he actually laughed, which Lisa considered a success. Two birds, one stone. “Alright then.” 

“But most of all, Aus, just relax. Y/n may be stubborn, but she’s not reckless. If it reaches the point where doctors are needed, she’ll know, and she’ll tell you. All you have to do is be there for her.” 

“Always,” he answered immediately, and a smile split Lisa’s face. 

“Then you have nothing to worry about.”

They talked for a long time after that. About life, about parenting. About navigating this world that Austin knew nothing about. And when they finally hung up, Lisa hoped he felt satisfied with her answers. 

Because she was only left with more questions. 

Had her parents been this afraid before she was born? Did her father ever have questions with no mother to go to for answers? Had her mother been sick, but pretended not to be for the sake of her husband?

It was a different time then. Elvis was a different man. Priscilla was a different woman. But sometimes, when looking at Austin and Y/n, that was a little more difficult to remember. 

----------

“Y/d/n, sweetie, stay away from the pool!”

“But Daddyyyyy!” 

“Just until we’re done eating, hun, and then Daddy will come swim with you.” 

Their toddler was a mirror image of Austin, much to Y/n’s annoyance. And it was clear to just about everyone, Lisa included, that she completely worshiped the ground he walked on. Again, to Y/n’s slight annoyance. 

But god, were they happy together. Throughout all the hard moments, the sleep deprivation, the frustration, they still couldn’t help but enjoy the little love they’d made. The stress beforehand was nothing but a distant memory now. Austin couldn’t fathom not having these two girls in his life. 

They were his life. 

And he wanted nothing more than to share his life with the people he loved. So the Butler’s decided to invite some people, the Presley’s included, to their house for a summertime pool party. It was no Graceland, that’s for sure, but nobody really cared as long as they were together. 

Admittedly, Lisa took it as another excuse to observe. And maybe reminisce. 

“She really does march to the beat of her own drum,” Y/n laughed at her daughter, who had since directed her attention from the pool to a patch of flowers in the grass. Completely oblivious to the rest of the children, who’d abandoned their sandwiches to play a rough and dirty game of football. 

“She gets that from you,” Austin piped up. 

Even Priscilla couldn’t pretend to agree with him. “Oh, suuuure, Austin…” 

“Y/d/n, what did we just say?” Y/n called again. 

The blonde, little pig-tailed girl was back near the pool again, gazing hopefully at the water a bit too close to the edge for her parents' liking. Her head spun around at the sound of her own name, and the most manipulative pout known to man fell on her face as she stepped back. Immediately, a laugh bubbled from deep within Austin’s chest. 

Y/n glared at him, half joking and half deadly serious. “This is why she never listens, you know. ‘Cuz she knows that Dad will always get her out of trouble.” 

“Can you blame me? Look at that face!” 

“Yeah, well, I’d prefer if that face remained above water, thank you very much.”

“Mhm,” he relented, leaning in to give her a quick peck on the lips. “I know.”

“Keep an eye on her, please, while I run to the bathroom?” 

Austin nodded as she stood, watching her leave with a small twinkle in his eye. He noticed Lisa, too, looking on in amusement. 

“She thinks I make her the bad cop,” he explained. “While I play good cop.” 

Priscilla snorted. “Sounds like someone I used to know.” 

“Don’t go there,” Lisa laughed, though it was all good heartened in nature. She turned her attention back to Austin. “Every kid needs a fun parent.”

“Who says Y/n doesn’t want to be the fun parent every once in a while? But she can’t if Austin isn’t more strict,” Priscilla argued back.

“Well maybe he’s doing the best he can, he’s been under a lot of stress lately…” 

“Y/D/N!” 

Austin’s voice boomed throughout the whole backyard, effectively freezing everyone in their tracks. They all fell silent, careful, in case they were the one to upset him so grievously. All eyes quickly fell to his daughter, who had just barely caught her balance after once again leaning over the edge of the pool. Her face, pale as if she’d just seen a ghost, snapped to her father in shock. 

In less than five strides, Austin had his daughter in his arms, shaking her with both anger and worry. 

“How many times do I have to tell you to not stand by the edge of the pool?” his voice wavered slightly, his tone full of frustration. “Do you see why now? You could have fallen in and gotten hurt! I don’t want to see you running around there without your mother or I ever again, do you understand me?”

Before anyone could help de-escalate the situation, tears were already forming in his daughter’s eyes as she nodded feverishly. Her lip, trembling in a way that told Austin a meltdown was sure to come. He sighed and gently pulled her head to lay on his shoulder, his hands rubbing up and down her back in a soothing pattern, of which she immediately accepted. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Daddy didn’t mean to yell, I just want to keep you safe…”

Within seconds, Lisa watched as all the tension eased from Y/d/n’s body. Even with tears in her eyes, tears which her father had inadvertently caused, she still found utter solace in his arms. 

The older woman knew what that felt like. 

She knew what it was to be loved by someone like that. To have a father who had the whole world begging for his attention, and to feel honored when he only ever wanted to give it to you. The realization nearly knocked the breath from her lungs, and a very recognizable feeling invaded her senses. Suddenly, and not for the first time, she longed to feel her dad’s arms around her.

Lisa noticed her mother’s stare, though she refused to meet it. They both knew what she was thinking. 

“Do you remember when-”

“Yes.”

Priscilla laughed before she could stop herself, and Lisa cracked a smile of her own. “I’ll never forget the face you made when your father yelled at you that day,” her voice was quiet enough to not catch Austin’s attention. “It’s like you couldn’t possibly fathom why he’d done it. Pure shock!” 

Lisa looked her mother in the eye’s, then, but only to defend herself. “Of course I was shocked! He never yelled at me about anything before then!” 

“I’m aware,” Priscilla gave her a knowing look. 

Perhaps it’s because Lisa knew what it was like to be a mother now. Maybe, despite her childlike admiration for her father that would never waiver with time, she could see her mother’s point of view. Whatever it was, one thing was for certain: Lisa had been too hard on her mom in those years. “He wasn’t very hands on, was he?” she admitted, though no true resentment could be found in either woman. 

Priscilla nodded, looked over at Austin, down at her lap, then back to her daughter again. “He loved you,” was all the answer she needed to give. 

And so the two Presley women watched the couple across the yard with gentle eyes. Watched as Y/n ran out, running her hands down Y/d/n’s back while she asked Austin about what happened. Watched as the man took both girls in his arms, holding them close and savoring the gift he’d been given. Watched as he pressed a kiss to his wife’s cheek, promising to take their daughter inside and explain why he’d yelled in such a way. 

They watched because they knew where this road could lead if the Butler family made the same choices the Presley’s did. And they watched because they knew, deep down, that they wouldn’t. 

“I see it now,” Lisa told her mother after a moment of silence, quickly before Y/n returned. 

Priscilla didn’t need her to elaborate. “It’s uncanny at times, isn’t it?” 

Uncanny. Uncomfortable. Unfathomable. Lisa wasn’t sure how to describe it. 

“And yet, they’re so different.”

“For the better, I think,” Priscilla agreed. 

For the better, because their child would never have to grow up without her father by her side. Because this time, love would be what kept them together, not what pushed them apart. Popularity would not make them all feel so alone, as long as they had each other. 

Of course Y/n knew, which is exactly why she did it. She loved watching Austin’s face scrunch in pretend annoyance. Honestly, you’d think he of all people would feel comfortable in front of a camera. 

“So you’re not gonna smile for me?” she pouted, holding the camera up to her squinted eyes to ensure he was still in frame.

Austin rolled his eyes at her obvious guilt-trip, but his face still fell into an easy grin. Y/n marveled at her boyfriend through the viewfinder. From the way the sun hit his golden skin just right, singling out each freckle and blemish that she’d traced a dozen times with her lips, to the way his hard-earned muscles practically melted in the warm beach sand. 

He laughed up at her from his place on their shared blanket. “What are you doing exactly?” 

“I’m recording. Documenting! It’s our first beach trip.”

“I grew up in California, babe,” he squinted, wishing his girlfriend would shift to the right a little to block the sun from his view. “I can assure you, this isn’t my first beach trip.” 

Y/n shuffled forward to kneel in front of him, and his hands moved to catch her as she wobbled in the sand. “I know, silly, but it’s our first beach trip as a couple! Say ‘hi’ to future us.” 

She allowed the camera to pan down Austin’s frame, grazing over his toned chest and abs. Under normal circumstances, perhaps she’d feel a bit shy; ashamed to be ogling him in such a way. But loving someone with a great personality and a great body was something worth celebrating. “And,” she continued with a soft smirk. “Let old-man-Aus remember how hot he was in his youth.”

A look Y/n knew well settled on Austin’s face as his grip on her waist tightened significantly. “Oh?” He raised a single brow. “You think I’ll lose my looks with age, is that it?”

She bit her lip and smiled. “I think your days are numbered,” Y/n could barely say the words without laughing. 

Austin used her moment of distraction to steal the camera from her hands, tucking one arm under his head while using the other to point the object back at her. He didn’t bother looking through the viewfinder, though, preferring to appreciate Y/n with un-filtered eyes. 

Her wild hair, blowing every which way in the wind, was practically begging for his hands to try and tame it, even if it would’ve been a pointless effort. Her easy grin, her rosy cheeks, the vision of her kneeling over him with the sun at her back and mischief in her eye, it all left him a little dazed and dizzy.

But really, who could blame the man? 

“Well I don’t think future Y/n has anything to worry about,” Austin said with a matter-of-fact tone to his voice. He very expertly zoomed in to catch Y/n’s bashful laugh. 

“I won’t look like this forever!” 

“You’ll be beautiful forever,” he’d never been more sure of anything in his life. 

Y/n hummed, silently congratulating Austin for both his quick thinking and sweet talking. She shuffled forward on two knees until she was close enough to turn and fall back-first into his already waiting arms. With her head nestled comfortably on his shoulder, she reached up to turn the camera so it faced them both. 

“We’ll want to look back at these one day,” she explained to both the camera and Austin. Y/n was oblivious to his gaze, which never moved from her face. “Bits and pieces of our life caught on camera; the real parts, not just what everyone else sees. Like a movie, but for our eyes only.” 

Finally, she turned her head to meet his eyes. “You think it’s stupid?” she tried to gauge the look on his face. 

He corrected her with a gentle smile. “I think it’s sweet.” His hand raised, fingers dancing gently over the apples of her cheeks. “You’re burning.” 

“Hm,” she pressed a quick kiss to his wrist. “Or you’re just making me blush.”

“No, I think you need to re-apply.” 

Y/n wanted to roll her eyes, though she knew he was only looking out for her. He always did things like that, going out of his way to worry over something miniscule.

“I will,” she conceded, which seemed to make him content. 

When Orion was little, and her favorite place in the whole world was Geralt’s arms, the Witcher didn’t have to worry about finding the right words to say. All he had to do was hold her, and it was like everything that worried her little head would disappear. 

At first, Geralt detested this. It made him feel like a Witcher turned cuddler and coddler, and he could feel Vesemir’s disapproving glare from all the way across the Continent. After giving it some thought, though, he figured it was probably for the best. Those who truly knew him knew how verbose he could be, but witty remarks and philosophical ponderings never meant too much to a six-year-old. 

But now his Orion was twelve. Her eyes were forever wide, never shutting for the fear of missing something worth learning. And she had so many questions that Geralt alone was in charge of answering. He couldn’t wrap her in his arms anymore and pretend the Continent wasn’t confusing or dangerous. He owed her answers, and she deserved his words. 

Geralt hesitated for only a moment. The truth was unfortunate and uncomfortable, and he’d hoped to not have any conversations resembling the one they were about to have until she was older. But it was too late for that now, and he wouldn’t lie to her. 

“Yes.”

Before he could explain, Orion was already rushing away, quickening her steps to meet up with the rest of the group. 

“Wait-”

She didn’t listen.

“Orion. Wait!”

He jogged forward, grabbing her arm and twisting her around to face him. She ripped herself from his grasp at once. Her face was stone cold, but still present were the hints of a curled top lip and flash of barred teeth.

She looked so much like him when she did that; it nearly made his head spin. 

He cocked his head to the side a little, a warning for her to check her attitude. She didn’t take it.

“Will you let me explain?” he asked with an even tone. 

“Explain what? That you regret taking me in?" The powerful rage in Orion's voice was not enough to mask what Geralt knew was lying underneath: deep, overwhelming hurt. "Well, you know what, no one held a knife to your throat and made you! If you didn’t want me, you should’ve done something about it!”

“That is not what I said.”

“You said-”

“Orion!” he shouted, and the child’s mouth clamped shut. She could count on one hand the amount of time he’d raised his voice at her. “What I said was that taking you in taught me, more than anything else, that raising a child is not something to be taken lightly. It’s a lesson Yennefer could benefit from learning.”

The girl bit her lip and wrapped her arms tight around her middle. “You said raising me taught you that your life isn't suited to a child. That implies regret.” 

“I do have regrets,” he agreed. “Would you like to know why?” 

Orion stayed silent. He suspected she'd rather end the conversation where it stood.

He spoke his next words very softly. “Every minute of every day, I regret not being able to give you the life you deserve.” 

That clearly wasn’t the answer she was expecting. He could tell from the immediate wrinkle of her brow. 

“What?”

He sighed again, averting his eyes to the group behind her. They were making a steady pace up the mountain. And Jaskier, with his slightly codependent nature, was glancing back every few steps to check on his travel companions. Apparently, their yelling was loud enough to attract the attention of even the loudest of bards. 

Their eyes locked, and Geralt nodded once to let him know that everything was alright. Or, at the very least, that it would be. Jaskier didn’t look convinced, but he gave a defeated shrug and turned back around. The Witcher hesitantly directed his eyes back to Orion, who seemed to be frozen in a state of confusion. 

“Geralt, I don’t understand any of this.” 

“Our life on the path isn’t normal, Orion. You think it is, because it’s all you’ve ever known, but it’s not.”

“I know tha-”

“No, you don’t. You grew up hiding from monsters that most humans never see in their lifetime. By the age of eight, you were well versed in the art of ignoring those on the streets who throw stones as you walk by. And that's…that's not a reflection on you, it’s a reflection on me.”

“But-”

“I’m not telling you this to make you feel bad about the cards you’ve been dealt. It’s the same way I was raised, it’s all I know. But Witchers are a dwindling species for a reason, and the last thing I wanted was to make you a part of our ranks. I never wanted you to be like me.” 

“But I did! I’ve always wanted to be like you.”

Geralt wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He opened his mouth to try, but all that came out was a confused grunt. With a tilted head and lifted brow, the Witcher stood in silence. 

How was it possible that after all this time, his sweet, open-hearted Orion still didn’t believe what he knew to be true? He wasn’t the man she thought he was, and the longer she failed to realize that, the longer she would spend wandering blind in the dark. 

Orion took a few steps closer until they were an arm's length away. It always shocked the Witcher when he noticed how big she had grown, how much she had changed from the little girl he used to know. “Geralt, people throw rocks at us because they’re afraid of what they don’t understand. You’re the one who told me that.”

“I did, didn’t I?” he averted his eyes. “What was I thinking?” 

Orion’s lips lifted in half a smile. “And people die every day because they don’t know how to hide from monsters. Most humans don’t even recognize the signs for when one is around. I have a leg up on all of them.” 

“But you wouldn’t be around monsters as often as you are if it weren't for me.” 

“I wouldn’t be alive if it weren't for you,” she reminded him sharply. “If you hadn’t found me, I’d probably still be sitting at the entrance of Kaer Morhen. A pile of bones and dust.” 

“Don’t say that!” Geralt snapped. His sudden change in tone shocked Orion to her core; it was a fiery anger that had never before been directed at her. His eyes were wild and rabid as he watched her, body tense and shaking. To her, it was an extremely paradoxical image; he'd somehow managed to look terrified and terrifying at the same time.

The Witcher had to squeeze his fists to stop himself from saying something he might regret. It wasn’t Orion he was mad at. If anything, it was himself.

Because the idea of his child going through a life-or-death situation should have been something he could only imagine. It should have been a distant nightmare, something that tortured his sleep but eased away once he awoke and realized it was only a figment of his imagination. 

Except that it wasn’t. Not for him. Orion had looked death in the eyes more than he could count, and Geralt was the one leading her directly to it. 

“Don’t,” he repeated again in a clipped tone. “Don’t say things like that. You’re here with me because I made a choice. And while I may regret the implications of that choice, don't ever insinuate, even for a second, that I don’t want my child.” 

Orion was used to him calling her his. And she was, in all the ways that mattered. But it was still a shock to her heart when he did. 

If Geralt noticed her reaction, he didn’t show it. “You needed me, and I made a choice,” he continued on. “Just as I made a choice to not do the same with anyone else.” 

Oh, she knew immediately to whom he was referring: the infamous child surprise. From what Orion knew, the whole thing ranked somewhere high on Geralt’s top ten list of stupidest things he’d ever done. 

She wouldn’t pretend to understand why he was so insistent on ignoring the existence of someone he was connected to. “What if the child you claimed needs you too one day?” she asked. “What then?”

“He’s a prince of the largest and fiercest kingdom in all the North. He’s got people pleading for the honor of wiping his arse. I doubt he needs the help of a lowly Witcher.” 

Or she, Orion thought absently. And perhaps a little dreamily. What luck it would be if Geralt was tied to a princess.

“Kingdoms fall everyday, Geralt. You also said that.” 

“Let's stop using my own words against me, hm? I’ll have to start keeping track of what I say around you.” 

Orion didn’t respond, staring back at him with an expectant glare. 

“Orion,” he leveled with her. “If Cintra falls, he’ll have dozens of people whose sole responsibility is to take the sword for him. He’ll be alright.” 

“And you’re sure of that?” Orion implored. “You can sleep peacefully at night knowing that maybe, just maybe, there’s a kid out there who might one day be as helpless as I was? A kid that, unlike me, is entitled to your protection?” 

“The only person entitled to my protection is you.” 

They were at a standstill. After a moment of nothing but silence and a gentle breeze passing between them, Orion decided to let it go. She wouldn't berate him for ignoring her question, because truly, she knew the answer already. She knew that every night, when he thought she was asleep, he rose and paced in circles for hours on end. The sound of him incessantly cleaning his swords had become white noise for her throughout the night. In fact, Orion couldn’t remember the last time she actually saw him sleep; really sleep, that is. Because Geralt wasn’t nearly as much of a master at pretending as he thought he was. 

So instead, all she did was try and direct the conversation back to its original topic. If Geralt wanted to be pig headed about the situation he put himself in, then fine. That wasn’t her main concern. 

At least, not right now it wasn’t. 

“Okay, well,” she sighed, fumbling for the words. Suddenly, the whole conversation felt awkward. She felt stupid for being so insecure, and she felt even more stupid for bringing up Cintra when she knew he’d shut down. “You don’t have to worry about not giving me the ‘life I deserve,’ or whatever it is you regret. I quite like the one I have.” 

Geralt remembered her saying something to that effect before. She’d probably said it a number of times by now. But it never mattered, never meant anything real to him. It felt too comparable to a mutt saying that it quite liked its cage. 

So he stayed silent. That alone spoke volumes to Orion. 

“You’re never going to believe me, are you?” she groaned with an exasperated tone. “No matter what I say?” 

He gave her an honest look. “It’s not likely.”

Orion surged forward at once, crashing into his chest with a resounding thud. The Witcher barely had time to catch himself, but even as he took a step back to regain his balance, his arms were firmly wrapped around her. 

This wasn’t at all how he imagined this conversation going. He could’ve sworn she was mad at him not ten seconds ago. 

She smushed her face tight to his side, and Geralt strained to hear what she said next. “Can you at least try to understand that I want to be here? With you?”

It’s bothering her, he thought to himself as he rested his chin on her head. And she’s too stubborn to let it go. 

“Can you try to understand that I want you here?” he answered her question with one of his own. 

He felt her nod against his chest, which he supposed was enough. Though truth be told, Geralt wasn’t much for changing. 

And unfortunately, neither was Orion. 

He would never forgive himself for his shortcomings. Day after day, mistake after mistake, Geralt looked back and saw all the ways that he could’ve done better at raising her. He wasn’t used to failing at a job; Vesemir had raised him better than that. And in his eyes, caring for the girl in front of him was the ultimate job. 

But he hadn’t been prepared for it. 

And Orion would never be able to ignore the feeling that a part of them was missing. A part of Geralt, really. It was something he refused to acknowledge, refused to accept. It would gnaw at him forever until he did, and the idea of that continued to gnaw at her. 

This painful circle of lies where one swallowed their truth for the sake of the other had become tense and never ending, and it was difficult to pretend that they both weren’t craving something that they desperately needed. For Geralt, a chance to start over. A chance to give Orion the family she should’ve had from the beginning, the one he ripped her from when they left Kaer Morhen. And for Orion, something that would ease Geralt’s mind once and for all. 

Years ago, on the day they’d met one another, each of them had been given something new. A different life, a fresh start. It was all they needed back then. But not anymore. 

Ignoring it would get them nowhere. It was clear now, even if neither of them could voice it, that something else was needed. 

Something more.

--------------