#carrottheluvmachine

Blinking against the tears in his eyes, Jaskier quickly pulled his shirt on and all but ran out of the room, hoping to escape his reflection, and reality.

*

Jaskier has been acting weirdly, Geralt noticed. His lover had always had an incredibly high sex drive: for nearly twenty years, they couldn't go a day without jumping each other's bones. But now, Jaskier always claimed he was tired and wasn't in the mood, which could happen, and Geralt had always respected his boundaries, of course, but now this was an everyday occurence.

Not to mention, Geralt could smell Jaskier's arousal, could hear his increased heartbeat when they started kissing. He knew Jaskier wanted it, but something still made him change his mind in the last minute.

And it wasn't just about the sex. Jaskier had been avoiding him altogether, as if he wanted to hide from Geralt. Geralt wanted to know what was going on; he couldn't handle one more day of his lover being so distant and so obviously sad for some reason.

"Please, talk to me," Geralt pleaded him one day, sitting Jaskier down on the bed. He took his hands into his, kissing each of his knuckles, trying to make him smile. He hadn't even smiled for the past two weeks or so.

"What is going on, Jaskier?"

"Nothing," Jaskier said with a small shrug. "I'm just tired."

"Are you getting sick?" Geralt placed a hand on the bard's forehead, checking his temperature. "Jaskier. Tell me, what's wrong."

For a second, it seemed like Jaskier would open up. His lips twitched, and he sighed deeply. His shoulders were tense. He looked up at Geralt, sadness swimming in his beautiful cornflower blue eyes.

"I..." he trailed off. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're avoiding me. You always look so sad. Did I hurt you?" Geralt gently brushed Jaskier's fringe out of his forehead. "Did I say something?"

"No," Jaskier said quickly. "No, no, it's not your fault. It's mine."

He sighed deeply. Lower lip caught between his teeth, he muttered:

"I'm so disgusting. I didn't want you to look at me."

Now, this was utterly confusing, because "disgusting" and Jaskier couldn't fit in one sentence. Geralt would have thought him the most beautiful man even if he were to grow scales all over his body.

"What are you talking about?"

Jaskier chuckled, a sad, self-deprecating sound.

"Come on, stop pretending like you don't see it."

Geralt's brows furrowed together as he tried to figure out what Jaskier was thinking. He looked at his lover, but he was none the wiser. He just saw his beautiful bard, nothing more.

"See... what?"

"That... Geralt, don’t lie to me!"

"I didn't even say anything."

"Yes, but... you act like you don't see it, so you're lying!"

Geralt sighed deeply. He cupped Jaskier's face between his hands, and gave his forehead a kiss. That finally made him deflate somewhat.

"I'm sorry, but I really don't know what's wrong," Geralt admitted. Jaskier swallowed audibly, and Geralt could feel his cheeks growing warm beneath his hands.

"I've gotten fat," Jaskier whispered. His face turned a deep crimson red, and he hung his head in defeat.

Geralt blinked. Oh. That was what it was about, then.

He did notice that Jaskier had gained weight, obviously. He never made it into a big deal, though: Jaskier looked absolutely perfect, no matter how much weight he carried. And he had always been so confident, Geralt didn't even realize he could feel insecure about his looks.

Clearly, he was wrong. Jaskier's eyes were full of pain, and even now, his arms were wrapped tightly around his torso, as if to try and hide his stomach. Geralt's heart shattered at the sight. He couldn't let Jaskier feel that way.

"You're gorgeous," Geralt told him earnestly as he caressed his face. Jaskier scoffed.

"No, you're gorgeous. Your abs... How can you even be with someone like me?"

"Because I love you, and you're perfect to me. And I think you're the most beautiful thing on this Continent."

Jaskier didn't seem convinced. Geralt needed a different approach to make him see it.

Gently, he pushed on Jaskier's shoulders until he lay flat on his back. Jaskier sent him a confused look, but Geralt just smiled at him reassuringly.

"What..." Jaskier squeaked when Geralt pulled up his shirt, revealing his stomach. He instinctively sucked it in, making Geralt tut at him softly.

"Don't," he told him gently, smoothing a large hand over the soft skin. He smiled as he leaned in, pressing a kiss there.

"I could never find you disgusting," Geralt promised as he littered kisses all over Jaskier's belly. His lips sunk into the soft flesh. It was a pleasant sensation: there was something about seeing Jaskier like this, a bit rounder and plumper, that made Geralt's heart flutter. He would rather have Jaskier like this, his body comfortable and well-fed, than seeing him with his ribs poking out under his skin. He was utterly perfect like this, and Geralt just couldn't get enough. He continued kissing all over Jaskier's belly, then his hips. He nosed at the small dimples there, smiling when the skin broke out in goosebumps.

Jaskier's heart fluttered inside his chest as Geralt gently nipped at his waist. He gasped when Geralt sucked a mark into the skin, while his hands kneaded at Jaskier's thighs.

"How can you ever believe that," Geralt said, his hands continuing their journey all over Jaskier's body. He caressed, kissed and rubbed his cheeks at the places Jaskier hated the most.

"How can you believe that I could stop being attracted to you? Look at yourself. I can't get enough of you."

Jaskier's cheeks went pink at the praise. Indeed, his body seemed less heavy and grotesque as Geralt continued worshipping it. There was outright adoration on the witcher's face as he squeezed Jaskier's plush hips, nosing along his lower belly.

He shrieked when Geralt blew a raspberry onto his stomach.

"What the hell, you brute!? Stop it!"

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Geralt chuckled. He gave Jaskier's belly a possessive squeeze. "Do you believe me now? Do you believe that I still find you gorgeous?"

Jaskier hummed. He beckoned Geralt closer with his finger, and Geralt obliged, moving up over his body to plant a kiss on Jaskier's lips. Jaskier noticed Geralt's hands were still kneading at his belly, and that made him flush.

"Well, maybe you can try and convince me some more?" Jaskier purred against Geralt's lips. Geralt grinned as he licked into his mouth, coaxing Jaskier open. Jaskier sighed happily as Geralt kissed him deeply, his body pressed close into his.

"I guess I can try," Geralt drawled. He kissed Jaskier one more time before he ducked down, reaching for the laces on Jaskier's trousers.