#tree eskel

one word prompt: Shooting star

pairing: Eskel x reader

word count: 460

Shadows danced in the firelight, the soft crackling the only sound in the clearing for the last hour. Huffing out tiredly, you hug the blanket tighter over your shoulders, breath puffing out like a snuffed out dragon- the thought amusing you.

A large breeze sweeps through the open space, trees and grasses rustling, the soft hum of the forest pulling your attention to the shadow of a figure heading your way. You don't even try to hide your smile as your witcher drops his weapons further away from the fire before plopping down beside you groaning softly. Chuckling, you reach up to brush a couple of curls from his face, fingers coming to rest on the side of his face affectionately, gently tracing his scars. Humming in satisfaction, he nuzzles his nose into your palm.

“You've gotten clean already” you tease, wiping away damp hair. He laughs, nodding. 

“I figured a fair lady, such as yourself, would prefer I didn't join you covered in guts.” with false solemness, you nod.

“You figured correctly, Witcher.” he just snorts.

“Witch” time has proven the nickname to be hostile- but there is no venom in his voice, only affection.

“Healer.” you correct, laying your head on his shoulder, eyes turning up towards the sky, tracing the stars. You can feel his shoulders shake slightly in laughter, warm arms wrapping around your waist.

“To each their own” he states, placing a kiss on the side of your nose, making you scrunch it up. He loves watching your expressions, he never has to guess what or how you're feeling. You're about to say something snarky, or at least try when your eyes lock on a white streak in the sky. Bouncing in place, you grab his hand.

“A shooting star! Make a wish” you sing, closing your eyes, holding his hand between yours like your praying.

“A witch making a wish? Now I've seen it all” Eskel laughs, watching the star fade from view. When he looks back down at you, you're pouting. 

“Healer.” he just shrugs. 

“Semantics.” 

“And my mother taught me that,” you say softly, a small smile tugging at your lips, looking down at the hand of his you still have clasped between yours. He softens, you don't often speak on your family. 

“What did you wish for?” he melts at how blinding your smile is, shoving his chest gently. 

“You're not supposed to say, or it won't come true!” 

“It isn't like I made a wish myself.” he teases, blowing a raspberry on your cheek, making you giggle.

“And why not?”

Pausing, he wraps you back up in his arms again, tugging you into his lap, nuzzling his nose into your cheek. 

“Because I already have everything I want.”

--

Heart Tap (9569 words) by kuwdora Chapters: 1/2 Fandom: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, The Witcher (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Characters: Eskel (The Witcher), Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Lambert (The Witcher), Vesemir (The Witcher), Hemrik (The Witcher), Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canonical Divergence, Alive Eskel, season 2 leshen Eskel, Character Study, Monster Biology, Fantasy Botany, Alchemy, Monsterfucking, monsterfucker geralt, Crack Treated Seriously, Angst, Touch-Starved, Tentacles, Body Horror, Vivisection, Medical Experiments, The Inherent Tragedy of Witchers, First Time (in a new body), Oral Sex, memory loss/problems, Eskel has carnivorous urges, Some Bondage, References to animal harm, References to Canon-Typical Violence, Eskel and Geralt become pioneers in the field of Leshkeltology, the author REALLY LOVES TREES, please see notes for more warnings/details Series: Part 1 of The Warden Along the Path “You want me… to tap you. Like a maple tree,” Geralt said, repeating the words carefully like he wasn’t sure he heard them correctly.

“What better way to get a sample to study?” Eskel asked matter-of-factly. He needed more information about what he’d become, what he was made of underneath all the bark and wood. If the old parts of him were still under there. He needed to know if there was something worth holding onto.

Driftwood

Geralt/Leshen Eskel

canonical divergence/alive Eskel, Leshen Eskel, crack treated seriously, slice of life ~3k, rated T

Geralt meets Eskel for an afternoon on the lake. 🌳🛶 

“Come on,” Eskel said, nudging him away and pointing in the direction of the lake.

“Are we going for a swim?” Geralt asked.

“Something better,” Eskel said and grinned, nudging Geralt by the shoulders with several vines until he turned around.

As they walked, Geralt watched Eskel detangle some branches, revealing several packs that had been strapped to the branches and deftly hidden away inside the braiding.

“Have you figured out how much you can actually carry?” Geralt asked.

“I could carry your sorry ass and all your supplies back to Kaer Morhen without breaking a sweat,” Eskel replied with a grin.

“You don’t sweat anymore,” Geralt pointed out and Eskel laughed.

“Got me there,” Eskel said.

Once they were at the lake Eskel began depositing what looked like his crossbow and two quivers of bolts, a set of throwing knives, and several unmarked bags, including one that smelled like an apothecary. He also laid down a large sword in its sheath. Eskel had become weapon enough not to need such things, but Geralt understood his need to hold on to some of the skills he had relied upon before his transformation.

One bundle Eskel treated more delicately than the others, his vines deftly loosening the knot around the bag and removing the contents with a care Geralt had usually seen reserved to the way Lambert treated his bombs. Geralt blinked in surprise when he saw what the bag’s contents were.

“…Are you carrying a little garden around with you?” Geralt asked, bending to look at the set of ceramic pots filled with soil that had been lashed together with a tendril Eskel must have snapped off himself and fastened to the pots before it desiccated.

Eskel chuckled a little uncomfortably “It’s kind of an experiment. Unfortunately this is the third time I’ve tried to get these seeds to germinate. I can’t overwater the seeds, so I don’t dare take them with us, and they could use some afternoon sun while we’re on the water,” Eskel said. Then he dug another small burlap sack out of himself and held it out to Geralt.

Geralt took it. When he looked inside, he found it held a few pieces of bread and smoked boar meat, a jar of preserves, and a surprising amount of beer.

“Where’d you get the alcohol?” Geralt asked.

“Oh,” Eskel said and laughed. “There’s a small village—very small. No more than four families I encountered when I was tracking a chort through their backyard. I killed the chort, and they were grateful. They call me The Drinking Tree in that area now, and leave out offerings for me.”

Geralt raised an eyebrow. “That sounds like quite a story.”

“I’ll catch you up. But first: take off your clothes. I can’t guarantee this’ll be a dry ride,” Eskel said.

Geralt wasn’t sure what that meant, but he took off his clothes without question. By the time he was done removing his socks and braies, Eskel had unfurled all of his branches like he was a sail, and the vines and tendrils seemed to have quadrupled since Geralt had looked away. Eskel began walking into the lake as his myriad limbs began weaving themselves together. Several branches remained free of the weave and were half-extended down his back. Geralt knew if Eskel wanted, he could extend them and pull Geralt along without even looking.

“What are you waiting for?” Eskel asked, turning around in the water that was now up to his waist. Some of the ivy began to float on the surface of the water. With his branches spread out, Eskel was an impressive sight.

“I thought you said we weren’t swimming,” Geralt said.

“You’re not swimming,” Eskel said. He grinned.

🎢 Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

ahaha. That is absolutely my Leshen Eskel fic Heart Tap. We have a touch-starved witcher whose body is mutated yet again and also his mind isn't quite right. He has monster urges, he's experiencing memories that don't seem to fit, and he just doesn't understand enough of what he's been turned into. Which is why he asks Geralt to tap him like a maple tree to find out what he's made of. This is is crack treated so fucking seriously and I go so fucking hard with the monster biology and fantasy alchemy worldbuilding elements. There's intimacy and sex that is not quite tentacle sex because Eskel's still figuring out his new body. And aahhhhh, this is just the beginning of my Leshkel saga.