#twff

Marinette no longer bent over backwards for other people's approval, she no longer cared who fell for Lila’s lies, and her life was better. She spent more time with Aurore, and Mireille after they finished with their weather report and went to grab breakfast at the bakery. Marinette spent more time in the art room when Kagami was in her fencing lessons and became better friends with Marc and Nathaniel. She even got to hang out more with Nino again now that Lila was spending more time with Alya, and she didn’t realize how much she missed her childhood friend. 

Adrien was only gone for two years, and he had been back for two more, and Marinette had never been happier in her life. She was surrounded by the people who cared for her and loved her. She could remain their everyday Ladybug without feeling the same drain she felt in school because she knew her limits and her friends respected that. She was happy. 

“Marinette, I must ask you something,” Kagami stated as Marinette typed away at her desk, working on one of her final assignments for the business course she was taking. “It’s important.”

Without thinking Marinette spun around on her chair to look at her best friend, one whom Marinette had no qualms about saying grew into her looks beautifully. The usual stoic and regal woman couldn’t meet her gaze, and that was more than enough to send alarm bells through Marinette’s mind. “What’s wrong?”

Kagami wrangled her hands together, fidgeting in anyway she could. It was so unlike her friend that she had to take a second look. That was when Kagami held out her hand for Marinette to see the ring in which she was previously fiddling with. “Could you please make my dress?”

“Adrien finally asked?” Marinette was out of her seat in seconds, already standing in front of Kagami and looking at the ring in amazement. She knew it was going to happen at their dinner the night before, Adrien had told her previously and asked for more than a little advice. She was thrilled at the development and couldn’t be happier for them. Either of them. 

“Yes, and we will be having a duel tomorrow night in order to see if you will be my maid of honour, or Adriens Best Woman, but either way we were both hoping you could be the one to design our outfits for the special day.” This was the closest Marinette had ever come to see Kagami blush, and she wasn’t going to let the chance slip by. 

Marinette reached her hand behind her to grab the camera she had sat at her desk. “Of course I will!” And as Kagami’s face lit up like the night sky during Heros Day Marinette took the picture. “And I will definitely be the best maid of honour you’ve ever seen.”

Kagami rolled her eyes, but the smile wasn’t going anywhere. “You are so certain I will win this duel?”

“Duh, I’ve seen you kick his ass a number of times. What’s one more?” Marinette teased, placing the camera back down on her desk and giving her friend the tightest hug she could muster. “I’m so happy for you two! I knew it was only a matter of time, but still! I can’t believe it’s finally happening!”

Kagami returned the hug, relishing how warm her friend was against her. How supportive she had always been. “It’s finally happening.” Kagami repeated, tasting the words on her tongue. “It’s actually happening!”

“What did he say? What did you say? Like I know you said yes, but set the scene for me. You know I would have been there if I could.” Marinette pulled her friend to her loveseat and sat down, intent on hearing it all.

Kagami laughed, “as much as I love having you around, you can be worse than the paparazzi when it comes to these sorts of things. Like an overly proud mother who needs to add a million photos to her album.” 

“Emilie asked me to help make up for lost time, and it is my sworn duty to that lovely woman to do so.” Marinette shrugged, unashamed of her tendencies. She realized soon into their friendship that both Kagami and Adrien needed someone unabashedly supportive and proud of them and who was she to deny them of that? 

“Well now your sworn duty is to help plan this wedding, if you are up to the task.” Kagami leaned against her friend and grinned. “Adrien insisted that his cousin needs to assist in planning, he’s practically tossing all of the planning on the two of you.”

“His cousin? Felix?” Marinette made no effort to hide her distaste. “That dickhead?”

“Adrien told me about him causing three akuma’s in one go when you all were young. I’ve met the man myself, he is an upstanding man now.” Kagami stated, “please give him a chance.”

“Well, don’t expect me to fall head over heels for him, but I don’t mind working with him if he’s willing.” Marinette laid her head against Kagami’s and smiled wistfully. “Hold up, are you also asking that I plan your wedding?”

“Yes, wedding planning is too much stress for the baby.” Kagami said cooly. 

“What baby?”

A bright laugh filled with raucous joy warmed Eskel’s heart as he looked over to where his companion ducked back under the overhang, his chestnut hair now sopping wet from the sudden autumnal downpour.

“Ah, refreshing,” Jaskier smiled, running his fingers through his hair and shaking it a bit, sending cool droplets to pepper the freckles on Eskel’s cheeks. “The rain shan’t last much longer, I’m sure of it.”

Eskel crooked his brow with a smirk. “And why should I believe you, bard? The last time you said that, we ended up having to hunker down under a willow tree for most of a night.”

Jaskier scoffed, waving his hand airily. “Please. I did not hear one complaint from you while the wind whistled through the leaves and the air cooled our travel-weary skin, the pattering of rain soothing our-”

“Alright, alright. While I’m sure everyone would love to hear the ballad you’ve just spun in your head, how’s about you go rustle up some coin from these folks while we wait for the rain to pass?”

Jaskier beamed, truly beamed, sending a shock of fresh air through Eskel’s bones. “I suppose you’re right. May I play my new one for you later, then?”

Oh, those blue eyes and rosy cheeks. Eskel felt as though the absent sun was staring back at him, bathing him in its light and asking if it could bless him with a song. “Of course, Jaskier.”

“Lovely!” Jaskier winked and bounded away, ducking in and out and between awnings and letting his lute cheer the crowds with every pluck of his fingers. The Witcher sighed and looked up to the clouds in the sky, watching the beginnings of sunlight peek back through and shine down onto the town.

For once, Eskel thought, Jaskier had been right. The rain lasted only through the first bit of afternoon, drenching the fields in nourishment before dissolving away into soft evening sun. The people bled into each other, surrounding themselves in celebration of death and rebirth as they wandered merrily and aimlessly. A bonfire was lit, raging into the night as young lovers danced and made merry silhouetted by the bright flames.

It hurt Eskel’s heart sometimes to watch Jaskier in those moments. He looked so free, swept up into music and joy and other nameless things. That’s not how Eskel lived. His life was spent drifting, blown on the wind from one place in squalor to the next. Following his Path without thought, without question. Without anyone else. Empty.

Until Jaskier fluttered into his life. Unapologetic and brash, overprotective without an ounce of self-preservation, the bard brought a refreshing light into Eskel’s life and fit himself right along his side. It was weird. It was unprecedented.

It was nice.

It made it impossible for Eskel to walk away, to leave Jaskier in a place where he knew that he could flourish without shame or someone holding him back. He was selfish; he couldn’t send away the one human who looked at him as if he hung the moon and offered to sing him soft songs in the quiet depths of night.

“-thinking quite loudly, Eskel.” Jaskier had sidled up next to Eskel, one hand behind his back and a twinkle in his eye.

Eskel hummed and crossed his arms, looking towards the brightly setting sun as it slipped beneath the horizon. “Can’t help it. Got a bunch o’ thoughts.”

“As one does, I suppose.” Scents of lanolin and sweat and spiced mulled cider seeped from the bard’s skin, enticing Eskel just a teeny bit closer to catch another whiff as Jaskier’s hair drifted in the breeze. “I brought you something.”

“And what might that be?” Eskel smirked, cocking his hip and seeing the mirth play in Jaskier’s river-blue eyes.

Jaskier wordlessly pulled his hand from behind his back, revealing a circlet made of bright yellow and dark maroon leaves woven with dandelion stems. It smelled of cinnamon and the same sweat that beaded on Jaskier’s temple, and Jaskier held it out to him with the same look of a youngling showing their beloved the flowered ring they had made whilst playing in the dust: all big eyes and fluttering heart.

Eskel ducked down, closing his eyes as Jaskier gently placed the crown atop his head. It sat comfortably and the leaves didn’t lean down and tickle his skin, but he really couldn’t have cared less if they had. For when he rose back to his full height, he was met with Jaskier still looking up at him, his eyes shining and his fingers slowly slipping down through his hair and over his neck, settling on his shoulders with trepidation seeping from every pore.

Air sparked like static between them, something spiced and soft, tasting of the sort of anticipation that preluded a storm that altered the very course of the universe and the way the ships sailed into the shores of undiscovered islands.

“Eskel?” Jaskier did him the courtesy of interrupting his romantic thoughts.

He hummed, the rumbling of thunder from his chest vibrating between them.

“Might I kiss you?”

Eskel’s breath caught, a tinder spark setting alight the brambles in his lungs and drawing his lips to close the scant distance left between them. He could hear the pounding of Jaskier’s heart in his chest as their lips finally met, just the barest glance of flesh that tasted of autumn storms and cinnamon-toasted sugar.

One breath, and another. Eskel felt the beginnings of doubt creep into the shadows in the corners of his mind just as Jaskier surged up to meet him once more. His lips were soft, but firm, the stiff petals of a flower bloomed late. Eskel’s mind blanked as his hands found purchase around Jaskier’s hips and hauled him close.

Jaskier gasped and laughed into Eskel’s mouth, that same world-changing laugh that led Eskel into some sort of sanity on the nights that felt too long and too lonely. The world fell away, leaving the two of them grasping onto their embrace and holding fast with the kind of neediness that should only come in the most desperate times.

Jaskier pulled back first, his chest heaving as his lungs fought to regain air. “Well,” he chuckled, twisting a lock of Eskel’s hair around his finger with a smirk, “I suppose that means you like your crown?”