#witchlion

Him sitting dramatically in the darkest corner of a tavern isnt because hes being a cool monster hunter and gatherig intel on the local population, its cuz when he came in the tavern the layout confused him, and instead of walking around like an idiot he sat at the first empty table he saw, and then when he did get his bearings it would be weird to sit down and stand right back up again to walk to the bar and ask for a room so he sits there for an hour and twenty minutes silently reevaluating every choice that led up to this moment.

The woman trying to strike conversation with him thinks the witchers not replying because he thinks hes above her, in reality, Geralt would rather eat his own foot than enter in conversation with a stranger.

Geralt's confused because all of his hunts are going so fucking well. Not one injury in months and he even feels more powerful, more agile. He didn't notice at first but when Jaskier plays, he feels like he could kill any beast, best any man. Yen is the one to break it to him that Jaskier's subconsciously charming him. It's not mind control; it's Jaskier's magic and mind looking at Geralt and saying 'we like this guy; let's keep him alive'.

Because Jaskier would be totally unaware. And this makes Geralt even happier for some reason (that Jaskier is trying to keep him safe whether he recognizes it or not).

On the flipside, he can also cast Vicious Mockery where he insults his enemies and they actually take damage. I'm weirdly imagining him having to rescue Geralt from killing a bunch of townsfolk and Jaskier just insults them until they fall unconscious or run away.

(This all,of course, ends with probably the best sex of their lives because they go to bed and Jaskier's moans have the same effect and Geralt spends half the night hearing his bard make those sweet sounds.

so when he talks to roach he can hear her talk back, carrying on full conversations with the horse,

and sometimes his eyes flick to a blue that is too bright, too clear, to be human, at least fully,

sometimes they’ll be camping peacefully, Jaskier leaned back against a tree idly plucking at his lute strings and his ears will perk up, and he insists to Geralt that they need to move on from this part of the wood, his eyes bright with a danger Geralt neither sees nor hears,

and Jaskier has never been hit by an arrow, only seldom grazed by daggers and always healed a bit too quickly, like Lady Luck herself was keeping watch over him,

and the way he seemed to glow when meeting a new person, when he asked for their name and they gave it freely, how a grin of something like possibility spread across his face, like he wasn’t going to use any sort of power but he could and that’s what excited him the most,

then there was the way he looked in the sunlight, like something ethereal and otherworldly,

guys what if he purrs like a cat, like the low sort of vibrational grumbling? And he doesnt even realize hes doing it, and its only something he does when hes real comfortable!!

basically one night hes in bed with jaskier, geralts reading a book and jaskier is humming quiely to himself, composing something, and at some point jaskier just pauses and begins to look around in confusion,

geralt brings his head up from his book and asks “what is it?”

It brings Geralt such a simple joy to walk into a tavern and not feel like everyone is afraid of him, did he wish that that werent because Jaskier had built up a reputation fiercer than his own? Perhaps.

Theres only so many times Jaskier can threaten to stab a man, or burn down his home, or sleep with his wife, or actually do any of the aforementioned, before word about the white wolfs feral bard spread.

And his fierce protectiveness for the witcher was something never left out of the rumors and gossip.

One ill intented word about “a damn witcher in town” and youd ave a knife to your throat with an intent behind it.

Like, Geralt extending affections to Jaskier that he didn’t even think himself capable of, genuinely caring for his wellbeing, sticking with him even if he jokes about leaving him behind.

Geralt being so clearly infatuated with Jaskier, and being unable to see it because Jaskier stayed with him and that’s already too good to be true.

Then one day, he needs Yennefers help for a job or something, they’re secluded in a shady corner of a tavern discussing plans and magic and monster lore. Jaskier finishes collecting his coin from a performance, and he walks up, drops his lute on the table and slithers in next to Geralt who’d had his arm stretched out across the back of the chair.

Yennefers eyes went wide as he pressed himself up against Geralts side, leaving no space between them, and Geralt just kept on talking, like there’s nothing out of the ordinary! And then- and then he took his arm off the chair back and placed it delicately around the bards shoulders!

Yennefer dragged him away after that and demanded an explanation

“I don’t- Jask is just touchy,” he looked confused at her questions, but the nickname and-

“Oh, gods above and chaos within, Geralt, you’re really genuinely clueless about this?”

“Yennefer I don’t understand what you’re implying,” of course he didn’t, he always was dense.

Ok, words never were his strong suit, she reached a hand out and delicately wrapped her fingers around his wrist, he immediately pulled away, and she looked triumphant.

“Jaskier was nearly in your lap back there and he’s just a touchy friend according to you, there may be nothing left between us but I’ve been in your bed, Geralt, and you can’t stand my touch for even a moment,” she noticed his wide eyes and pushed on “so if you insist there’s nothing between you two, why not?”

“I- fuck,” he looked, understanding at this point and Yen couldn’t help but feel a little vindication.