#aidskier

“What if it hates me?”

Not for the first time, nor the fourth, nor the tenth that day, Aiden sighed at him. Jaskier stuck his tongue out but it didn’t actually alleviate any of his fears, his hands still wringing themselves together in front of him as they walked, his fingers unable to rest.

“Seriously though, what if-”

“Don’t pick out one that hates you then,” Aiden pointed out oh-so-helpfully, and Jaskier was just worked up enough that he would have snapped at him if it weren’t for the way the man reached for his hands then, tugging them apart to hold one in his own. He was sure Aiden could feel how fast his heart was beating through that little contact alone.

The pet shop was just around the corner. All that stood between it and them was the crosswalk they stopped at and a single block, then a turn right, then there it was. It was a small place that Jaskier had honestly visited too often of late, drawn there on little dates with Aiden just to go see the kittens and the birds. Aiden loved the reptile area but Jaskier liked to stay very far away from it, no matter how cool his love looked with a giant iguana resting on his shoulders.

Cool, yes. Terrifying, also yes. He’d stick to his small furry animals.

Except Jaskier had never owned an animal before, and when the crosswalk announced they could walk again he could feel the nerves trying to get him to turn right around and walk back home instead. Which would have been a massive waste of Aiden’s time, and his own, and he really couldn’t do that but what if-

“Do you think we got everything?” He walked a bit closer to Aiden, looking up at him, thankful that the man had enough patience to put up with his anxious questions. And Aiden even put some effort into pretending like he was thinking the question over despite it not being the first nor fifth time he’d asked that, and Jaskier was really going to have to think of a new and creative way to thank him later. The typical blowjob just wasn’t going to cut it this time.

“I think,” Aiden drawled, bringing Jaskier’s hand up to kiss his wrist before pulling him around the corner - and then they were there, in front of the pet shop, and there was really no turning back now, was there. “I think we got more than enough, and that you should just go in and look at the kittens like you always do.”

Easier said than done. But he opened the door after a little hesitation anyway, holding it open for Aiden to enter, and Aiden walked straight to all the windowed cubbies where they kept all of their baby kitties.

They were super cute, as usual. Jaskier went up to the cubbies and couldn’t help but dance his fingers up in the air near them just to see the kittens try to chase them. Not all of them tried to play, some were just desperate to be held, and their cries went straight to his heart and had his eyes tearing up. Just like always, he was an emotional wreck over the little creatons.

“Back again so soon?”

Jaskier didn’t even turn towards the worker, which was unlike him but, well. Today wasn’t a normal day. Aiden took over thankfully, explaining that they were there to adopt, and the worker was all excitement and smiles for them. Jaskier just did his part and looked at each and every one of them carefully, not sure how on earth he would pick a couple to hold and get to know let alone pick one to keep, and he was suddenly very, extremely thankful Aiden had helped him get all the stuff before they came here.

He already needed a nap, and he hadn’t even adopted one yet.

In the end he held perhaps a dozen or so little ones, their personalities ranging vastly from each other and yet they blended all together. Some of them couldn’t stay still in his arms. One fell asleep against his chest and he damn near cried when he had to put it back, certain he’d end up with that one. Two of them climbed his shoulder and started to climb his back, and both of them managed to get stuck on his shirt in the process, Aiden laughing shamelessly as he helped extract the little ones as they mewed helplessly.

The anxiety had gone down by the end of it at least. Jaskier was left more overwhelmed just because he loved each and every one of them, even the one that had bitten his finger and almost made it bleed. And Aiden really wasn’t helping as he wrapped his arms around him from behind, putting his chin on the top of Jaskier’s head as Jaskier stared at the wall of cubbies like the kittens might answer the big question for him.

“Which one?” He whined, feeling Aiden snicker at his back, making him pout. He looked up at his boyfriend and reached up to tug at one of his long black braids, chewing over all of the possibilities and still not reaching an answer.

“You could walk around for a bit. Step away and think on it, songbird.” Aiden kissed his forehead and then stepped away from him, and the traitor went straight for the reptile cages to start peering in at all the lizards and other things that Jaskier would never allow in his own apartment.

And that was the entire reason Aiden told him to think on it, too. He couldn’t fool Jaskier. He just wanted to look at all of the slithery things.

But, it wasn’t the worst idea in the world. Managing to tear his gaze away from all of the cute little fluffballs crying out for his attention was the hardest thing he’d done all day but he somehow managed it, heading over to fish section just for a change of scenery, thinking over each and every one of the kittens he’d held while watching the fish follow his fingers.

He’d never had a kitten before. Never had any sort of cat. Growing up they’d been a fish household and a fish household only, his mother having been horrifically allergic to most any animal that could produce dander, so he hadn’t exactly ever had an animal placed in his care that required anything more than a feeding a day and a tank cleaning once a week. Low maintenance animals only, and here he was, thinking on adopting a baby.

A voice that sounded suspiciously like Aiden’s popped up in his thoughts then, reminding him of all the research he’d done over the past several weeks just for this occasion. All the books he’d poured over, all the mommy bloggers that he’d followed just to see their takes on what a kitten would need and what would be bad for them. He’d done more research for this kitten than he’d done for his last actual research project in school and that was certainly saying something given music theory was his life’s blood.

He shouldn’t be that worried over this. He was horrifically worried all the same. Gods but he needed a stiff drink, and the lionfish really weren’t going to give one to him no matter how long he stared at them. The bastards.

Jaskier left them alone with a huff, looking around to at least try to find his boyfriend before he went up and just picked the first kitten he saw. But Aiden was ducked away somewhere further in the reptile section than Jaskier was willing to go, especially since he’d have to go through the spider section to reach him, so he was left throwing his hands up in the air and waiting for him.

It was when he did just that, a dramatic show of exasperation, when something caught his eye. A fluff of tan and a bit of brown curled up in a cubby in the corner, and Jaskier’s interest had immediately been caught. He couldn’t help but go see whatever kitty cat was there.

For some reason, the pet shop had kept their kittens and their other cats separated - probably due to space, past renovations, but for whatever reason they were not in the same part of the store. This corner was mostly empty of animals, just two or three adult cats, one with a scarred up ear who hissed the second Jaskier stepped near. He avoided that cubby despite the fact that the cat couldn’t reach him, going towards the big lump that had caught his eye and drawn him here in the first place.

She looked up when he tapped the glass lightly, and he knew she was a she just from the first glance at her ID card. Her eyes were a lovely shade of blue and her face gave away her age immediately, but it was the kind sort of face that made him want to pick her up and hold her close for as long as she good.

A look at her ID card told him she wouldn’t like that, though. ‘Lolla’ was her name, and she was 13 years old - he blinked at that, a little emotional because this poor thing was old and no old animal should be kept in a cubby.

She didn’t like to be held. She loved to be pet behind her ears. Some fiend who had owned her before had decided to declaw her front paws but had left her back ones alone. Her arthritis was slowing her down but she still loved to play, and she had a regular vet due to medications she was taking. A very helpful note at the bottom said to talk to a worker there if anyone wanted further information on that, which Jaskier was definitely going to do.

“Aiden?”

It was like he’d been hiding nearby and waiting to be called to pounce, because no sooner had the name slipped from Jaskier’s lips was Aiden suddenly wrapping his arms around him again, drawing a squeak out of him. The snickering earned the bastard a smack to his arms but there was little heat to the glare Jaskier sent up at him, no matter how horribly cruel the man was.

“How much are vet visits?”

“Hmm?” Aiden scrunched up his nose at the question, but his eyes quickly found the kitty they were standing in front of, and her ID card gave him his answer. “Depends on the ailment, love. If it’s a common one the medicine can be cheap. It’s giving the medicine that’s going to be fun.”

“I didn’t say I was adopting her,” Jaskier pouted, bumping his head lightly back against Aiden’s chest, his fingers playing with the hems of his light overshirt.

“Didn’t say you did, songbird.”

Fuck, he was going to adopt her and he knew it. He squirmed in Aiden’s arms, wondering if they could really do that. Adopt an older kitty instead of a kitten like they’d planned. It...couldn’t be that different as far as preparations went. They would require the right stuff, just...just perhaps different food. And he’d only gotten a small bag of the kitten food anyway, which could easily be donated to an animal shelter so it wouldn’t be wasted.

“I think I want to adopt her.” He whispered the words out, reaching out to put his hand against the glass. The kitty blinked at him once before bumping her head against the glass, and Jaskier felt his heart ache in that moment, knowing it wouldn’t be a decision he’d regret.

And then she meowed at him.

“Wha- what was that?”

A laugh got his attention but it didn’t make his eyes any less wide, the worker from before coming over with a set of keys to the cubbies. “She’s old, she just sounds like that.”

“Is that even a meow though? Is that normal?”

“Sounds like she’s been smoking,” Aiden put in, though the small shaking Jaskier could feel told him he found this more amusing than concerning.

“For at least several decades, is her throat okay? Is it damaged or-” she meowed again and Jaskier stared at her as she rubbed her head against the glass, trying her best to get pets despite there being something in-between them.

“She’s perfectly healthy. Well, besides her thyroid, but the medication keeps her t levels at a good range. And it’s only about ten dollars a month at her dosage, which is very affordable. Plenty of other elderly cats have a lot more expensive vet visits than this one.”

Jaskier eyed her, watching as she slowly stretched out, her weight shifting oddly on her front legs as she turned around in a circle. The ID card certainly wasn’t lying about the arthritis. If he remembered correctly, though, there were little steps one could get for animals that struggled to jump up and down from things, so…

“How expensive are the vet visits though?” Jaskier side-eyed the worker as if his heart hadn’t already made up his mind, and Aiden hummed behind him before kissing his hair once more. The bastard already knew his heart was made up, too.

At least he was cute. And the cat was beautiful, part siamese and some other breeds that the worker didn’t know (which was more than typical for cats, Jaskier knew that much), and when she was gotten down from her cubby and sat on the floor for him to pet and play with he fell in love with her even more.

“I want her,” he whispered up at Aiden, his eyes tearing up, and the edges of Aiden’s eyes crinkled in that way they only did when he was especially soft.

“I know you do.” He brushed his hand through Jaskierr’s hair as Jaskier let the cat - Lolla, his cat, as soon as the worker got back with the paperwork - gently tap his toes as she stretched out on the floor in front of him. And really, he’d known since he came over and saw the way Jaskier was looking at her but he didn’t say anything, just left and let Jaskier gently play with the sweetheart that had stolen his heart right out from under his nose.

Joke was on Aiden though, because now he had competition. And according to her card this kitty cat didn’t bite - though, he’d never really cared that Aiden loved to bite him, and considering he still needed to think of some way to thank him Jaskier figured there’d be plenty of biting coming in his future. And plenty of purring kitty cats for him to pet and love and adore.

-

The world was a bit blurry. No matter how Aiden tried to blink the blur away, his vision wouldn’t clear up - and neither would his head, either. He groaned, turning over to bury his miserable head into his pillow, the movement unsettling his empty stomach.

Nothing he could do about that. Last he’d checked, he’d been running a bit of a fever, and even crackers weren’t sitting very well. He did peek up to eye the water bottle next to him on the bed, but decided against it. Drinking would involve sitting up, and until he absolutely had to he wasn’t doing that.

Though sitting up would probably come sooner rather than later anyway. Past the fuzz that had invaded his mind and turned it to cotton, he heard the front door open, and he scowled over at the bedroom door.

Jaskier was at Pride. If the sun was up then it wasn’t time for him to be back for sure. They’d planned to go to the parade and meet up with a few friends, have some fun, maybe even walk with Dandelion if they’d let them. Afterwards they’d planned to go back to Geralt’s bar and have a few drinks; the whole night had been set aside for the event, so Jaskier being back anytime before sunset was a bit confusing.

Still, Jaskier soon peeked his head around the doorway, a sneaky grin on his lips when he saw Aiden’s confused scowl.

“I’d half hoped you were still asleep, but it’s good to see you up. Well, awake, anyway.”

“You’re home?” Aiden’s voice was rough and awful sounding, but Jaskier didn’t comment on it. Just slipped through the doorway with his hands behind his back, some sort of rustling coming from behind him. “Shouldn’t you be at the bar? The parade?”

“I was - well, I didn’t go to the bar. Decided to come home instead.”

Didn’t really make any sense, but Aiden felt too sick to question it. He just plopped his head back down onto his pillow with a grunt. Bad enough their plans had been ruined by him getting sick - it had been supposed to be his first pride, the first to be held since he came out, and it had been something he’d actually been looking forward to - but now Jaskier had come home to take care of him instead of spending time with his friends. Wonderful.

Jaskier was shuffling around his room from the sound of it. No doubt he was opening the window to let in some air, curtains to let in some sun, and etcetera. Aiden truly did appreciate all of his effort but he didn’t really have the energy to be all that thankful. All he wanted to do was lay there in a pile of self-pity and maybe go back to sleep.

But the shuffling continued. Long enough that Aiden got curious, finally peeking back out from his pillow - and then he had to blink the blur away again, because what greeted him was color.

There were little splashes of color all over his room. Sticking out from his aloe plant and his other tiny succulents, stuck on one of his hats, several splashes on his desk. Little flags of all varieties. If he squinted enough he could make out just about every pride flag he could think of and a few he didn’t recognize: trans masc, trans in general, aro, ace, bi, pan, gay male, lesbian, and more and more.

“How much did you spend?” he managed to croak out, but all he felt was wonder.

When he looked at Jaskier, he was shaking out a much bigger flag. A simple trans flag, the pretty blue and pink bright in the sunlight, creases still on the fabric from how new it was. “I just thought- well, I mean, if you couldn’t go to Pride, I thought I could bring it to you.”

“You’re such a sap,” Aiden teased, a crooked grin on his lips as he sank back into his pillow. His heart was light as he looked at all of the colors Jaskier had brightened his room with, his head just a touch clearer as Jaskier started to hum a song, working on hanging up the big flag on the opposite wall from Aiden’s bed.

It definitely wasn’t the pride he’d planned, but Aiden supposed it wasn’t a bad one. And when Jaskier sat down on the bed, running his fingers through Aiden’s hair and gently humming to him until his eyes closed and breathing evened out, well. He couldn’t think of a single complaint then.

-

It wasn’t every day that they ran into one of Geralt’s fellow witchers, let alone two.

Jaskier had watched, at first in horror, as a rather feisty fellow had hurdled himself towards Geralt and tackled him to the ground just outside of the village. They had just taken a contract over some odd noises and mysterious events surrounding an abandoned keep, one the villagers themselves had insisted on them taking despite how many times Geralt had told them he doubted it was anything - apparently it sounded much less like a monster and much more like a secret getaway for the young folk about but the innkeep had been certain something foul was afoot. 

At the very least, Jaskier thought it would make an amusing tale, already crafting lines and lyrics as Geralt tied Roach up in the stable and went off towards the keep (allowing Jaskier to tag along without complaint for once, considering it shouldn’t be dangerous).

Which is one reason Jaskier was rather startled, to put it lightly, when he was suddenly witness to one of the toughest brawls he’d ever seen Geralt take part of. Geralt had grunted and then snarled when he hit the ground, rolling and grabbing for the other man’s limbs, them both rolling while Jaskier clutched at the strap that held his lute to his back, some rather undignified squeaks escaping him while he struggled to keep up with their movements. 

But he couldn’t just stand there stalk still while his nearest and dearest friend was fighting for his life. He jerked his arm into motion, grabbing for the dagger Geralt had tried to convince him not to buy half a year ago at one of the southern markets, and managed to fight it out of its sheath and hold it at arms length, waiting for just the right moment to throw it at the accoster. 

“Wouldn’t do that if I were you, darlin’.”

He jumped and whipped around, dagger first, and the man who’d snuck up behind him didn’t quite duck in time to completely miss the blade. It cut into his cheek, a drop of blood slowly dripping down, cat eyes staring at him in a way that made him freeze.

A smirk that Jaskier really wasn’t sure was from amusement or a promise of death stretched his lips, showing off some very sharp teeth. 

“G-Geralt?”

“I’m busy, Jaskier.”

A thump from behind him allowed Jaskier to jerk his head around, seeing Geralt pining the other man face first into the dusty road - but the other man was laughing, even as Geralt’s face was twisted into a snarl, the both of them dirty and scratched up from their fight.

“Damnit, Lambert,” he gave the man another shove but then got off of him, and Jaskier almost squeaked out that that was very much not a good idea - but then Geralt was helping the man up, the anger fading from his face as he dusted some of the dirt off of him.

Dusted...the dirt off of him, yes, because that’s something completely normal for enemies to do with one another. Help clean them off. After fighting. Maybe Jaskier had never woken up that morning after all and this was just some strange dream? Would explain the way the other other man leaned forward into his face sudden, nose twitching as he sniffed, a thoughtful frown tugging his lips down as Jaskier leaned away from the invasion.

“Smell like lavender, but not the flowers. Fancy your oils, huh?”

“Do you know these men, Geralt?” He took a step back away from the one that was once again giving him that smirk, beating a hasty retreat to his friend’s side. Geralt, for his part, finally looked away from the man he’d started to exchange some pleasantries - or what counted as pleasantries for his dear witcher, which was mostly grouching - and turned to look at the other witcher.

He cocked his head, and Jaskier knew before he said anything that Geralt didn’t know that one. “Lambert, one of my brothers.” He slapped Lambert in the chest with the back of his hand, passing the hit off as handing him back the weapon he had gripped in that hand. The man - Geralt’s brother, apparently - took it and buckled it to his side, though not without shooting Geralt a shit eating grin. “The other one I don’t know.”

“Oh, I’m wounded, Lamb.” The man practically purred the words before bowing with a flourish. “Aiden, not necessarily at your service.”

“Don’t call me Lamb, kitty cat.”

“Watch who you call kitty cat, sweets.”

From the increasingly dangerous looks on the two witchers’ faces, Jaskier thought it best to interrupt them then. “Jaskier, long time sufferer of all the hmms and grunts that Geralt passes as communication - though perhaps we could save further introductions for later? We have an, ahhh, rather important contract to be getting done.”

It wasn’t a contract they ended up doing alone. Lambert and Aiden followed them with little hesitation, the promise of shared coin more than enough to garner their interest (though Aiden made a few faces at the correct of a small amount of coin). Really it wasn’t all that surprising, after all; though Geralt was a rather closed book about a lot of his personal life Jaskier had learned over the years that his brothers were very near and dear to him, and he saw them very little throughout the year - winter being the one big exception.

The two brothers spent most of the journey trading snarky remarks and the occasional shove, Geralt doing his best (and utterly failing) to seem like he wasn’t as into the roughhousing as his brother. With those two rather busy catching up it left Jaskier to follow behind them, wondering what tales those two had to share, what journeys they’d spent together, what hunts they’d conquered.

“Didn’t know what I expected,” Aiden mused, suddenly next to him, his silent steps making Jaskier jump when he finally noticed him. “But it wasn’t what I see, ya know? Big hero and all that.”

“Huh?”

“Suppose anyone could seem a hero, if the right bard sings of them.” He gave a wink, his arms crossed behind his head as he walked, the silver beads in his tight braids glittering in the sunlight. It took a moment for Jaskier to catch up with what he was saying but finally he did, turning back to look at the brothers that walked ahead of them, both looking very much like the heroes to him.

Who else would carry such broad swords so proudly on their backs, wear such armor, but the heroes? Maybe not all witchers would be quite as heroic as Geralt but Jaskier was firm in his belief that they were all capable of such, like so many of his own kind seemed to sniff at in disbelief.

“You’ve not met him before,” Jaskier said a little tightly, trying to not get too defensive of his friend. “No one looks like their proudest moments but he exemplifies them nonetheless. As much as he loves to blather on about not getting involved he puts himself right where he needs to be, even when no one would think to thank him for it.”

“No one but you.”

Jaskier blinked at that, not really sure what Aiden was on about. But he didn’t have time to ask, Geralt motioning for them to come to a halt now that they’d reached the keep, the group of them going quiet for now.

It was, as it turned out, not just a gathering place for the young folk. Aiden was the one who found the mountain lion kits and quickly shooed the rest of them away, sniffing about the rest of the place himself without their help and coming back with a shrug. Nothing but cats and ghosts.

“And not the fun kind of ghosts.” Aiden tossed a coin idly into the air, a rather dirt caked one he’d found during his scrounging. “Just old smells, tattered fabric, a faded painting or two. No monsters here, dear pups.”

“Then what about the noises?” Maybe he sounded a bit whiny but Jaskier had walked all the way here for essentially nothing if it wasn’t even a romantic getaway; his feet were tired and his muse demanded fuel.

But Aiden just flicked the coin in the air again, letting it land in his palm as he said, “Ever hear a mountain lion scream, little bird?”

He had not, and when Aiden made them stick around til he did he regretted admitting as much. Jaskier was very glad to make it back to the inn, empty handed or not.

The innkeep, however, was very reluctant to let go of any coin, even if there were now three witchers and a disgruntled bard there to stare him down. In the end Jaskier managed to convince him to part with some of what he’d promised though not all, and to make up for the rest (to keep that anger he saw flash in Lambert’s eyes at bay) he promised to perform and earn enough coin to keep the gull flowing.

It was a real shame he didn’t have any ballads yet for the other two. His performances went as well as usual, the crowd eating out of his hands, the general mood shifting from hot tension to easy fun. As the night went on he saw even the witchers easing into their corner, the innkeep pleased enough with the promised production that the gull was soon free to the three, something that brought a brilliant smile to Jaskier’s face and a new wind to his songs.

There had been a rather shy woman near the edge of the room at the start of his performance, who left sometime through but came back later in the night. In her hands was a lute of her own, and in-between a brief breather between songs she came up to him and asked, if it wasn’t a bother, if he wouldn’t mind, would it be all right if she joined in as well.

And who was he, honestly, to say no to such a quiet and hopeful request?

She was an absolute talent and Jaskier had nothing but praise for the music she weaved with her fingers. It was a bit of a fumble at first, them not knowing the same songs, eventually crafting some new ones just for this particular crowd to enjoy. Because she was so shy and hesitant Jaskier had to admit he was worried the room of rather drunken bar tenants might not take kindly to her attempts but he was pleasantly surprised, and after a time he even left it to her, bowing out to marvel at the pride and confidence that held her shoulders straight now.

There was no doubt about it, she had talent. He leaned back against a wooden pillar in the room, his breaths a little heavy from exertion, his heart light in his chest. Oh, what a time to be alive, to witness the youth come into their own.

No matter that he was still young himself. He could have wistful, old man thoughts if he liked.

“You seem to do that to people.”

“You seem to love to sneak up on others, you daft-” Jaskier cut himself off, startled into his sass and nearly falling over when he jerked away from the pillar. Aiden now leaned his shoulder into the side of it, one dark eyebrow raised, his eyes alight with amusement - which just made Jaskier wish he hadn’t stopped his sass, if he were honest.

“Startle easy, little bird?”

“What do you mean?” He ignored the second question, for now settling back into his spot, habitually checking that his lute was indeed still on the table to his right where he’d placed it a little while before.

“Bring that out in them.” Aiden nodded his head towards the woman, but his eyes didn’t leave Jaskier. “Whatever you’d call that. Confidence. Belief in their self. Their proudest moments, you have a knack for bringing those out, don’t you?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.” He sniffed delicately, but did add, “Though I suppose I am a rather decent influence. Hard to be around such talent and not seek it out yourself. And I do have quite the air of confidence I’ve been told.”

“And your smart, and beautiful, and have the single best taste in fashion, and are oh so modest to boot,” Aiden drawled, that dangerous smirk coming back, and this time perhaps it was the atmosphere around them - the belly laughter from the crowd, the smell of drink in the air, upbeat and cheerful music kept in time with the stomping of boots on the floor - but that smirk made Jaskier’s heart flutter dangerously in his chest.

Despite the implied insults. Or, fake compliments. Or assumed bloated sense of self that Aiden was suggestion - there were plenty of ways to take his teasing but Jaskier was certain it wasn’t meant to be harmful.

Mostly certain.

“Do you usually travel with Lambert, then?”

He wasn’t really sure what possessed him to ask that. Before he had much time to think on it he flicked his eyes away from that dangerously handsome face - handsome face? - and focused instead on his newest pupil, who had taken a request for a dance piece that was apparently popular in the area. A few in the crowd started to push some tables aside drunkenly, saved by the few sensible not drunk patrons, and soon her fingers were plucking away and the place became twice as lively as it had before.

“Yes, I do, little bird.” Jaskier dared to glance over at him, able at least to not get distracted by the beads in his braids, now nearest to the side Aiden kept shaved. “Lamb and I have been through quite a lot over the years. He’s got my back and I’ve got his, no matter the circumstance.” Something dangerous flashed in his eyes but it was gone when Jaskier blinked next, cat eyes focusing on him again instead of off into the distance on memories he had no knowledge of. Yet. “He is my friend, and I don’t say that word lightly.”

“I’m telling him you said that.”

“The bird threatens the cat now?”

“Oh are we speaking in third person now?”

He really wasn’t sure what had come over him, but something about Aiden - something about that look in his eyes, how the gold in his eyes seemed to glow against his dark skin, how the even darker freckles dusted his cheeks beckoned his fingers to brush against them-

There was just something about him that drew Jaskier in.

Aiden cocked his head, studying him, and for just a moment Jaskier felt very much like the birds he loved to compare him to, trapped in a cat’s gaze. But it wasn’t fear that made him lean forward just so, towards the man he’s amazed he’d never even met before halfway through that day. 

And then Aiden’s gaze softened, just for a moment, and he said so softly that Jaskier could have been entirely mistaken that he heard it at all: “You’ll do.”