Fanfics from Ao3 - Private

Winter Secrets - C4t1l1n4

Jaskier isn't meant to overhear this, he thinks, not at all.

He's stopped outside their room in Kaer Morhen, wet hair dripping onto the stone floor from his bath in the hot springs downstairs. Murmured voices slide from under the crack of his and Geralt's shared room, halting him in the hallway, hand halfway reaching towards the door handle.

"How do you deal with it?" A voice asks. It's Eskel, Jaskier thinks, but he isn't sure.

"What do you mean?" Comes Geralt rumbled reply.

"With Jaskier."

Jaskier's heart clenches. On the other side of the door, something thumps against the bed. It must be Geralt setting aside his armor to focus more on the conversation, as he was cleaning it when he shooed Jaskier downstairs to the hot springs by himself. Perhaps he should go back down there and soak a little longer. The hot water would disguise his tears.

He starts to step away from the door when the voices pick up again.

"I mean, c'mon Geralt!" Eskel says. "He's just so, so..." He trails off, trying to think of a word.

Annoying? Jaskier's mind supplies, frozen in his spot. Loud? Obnoxious? Stupid? Human?

"Nice." Eskel finally says, and now Jaskier is stuck in place for a different reason, cornflower eyes wide and disbelieving.

Geralt hums like he agrees. "He gives a lot of compliments." His Witcher concedes.

The bed groans as Eskel sits down on it. Jaskier takes the opportunity to move closer to the door again.

"I know." Eskel agrees wholeheartedly. "He's so full of bullshit flowery language but..."

"But he means it."

"Right!?" Eskel exclaims. "No one ever treats Witcher like that. Then, one day, you show up with your bard and we're being showered in compliments."

"It takes a while to get used to." Geralt admits. "Even now, I'm sometimes caught off guard or don't believe him."

"He's..." Eskel hums in agreement. "Make sure you appreciate him more. He deserves a lot for putting up with you." The last part sounds like teasing, and Geralt shoves him a bit.

"He does. It's just, hmmm... hard sometimes."

"We don't exactly get taught the fine art of saying nice things to each other, that's for sure." Eskel concurs. "But hey, if you can't find a way to shower your bard with nice things, you could always let us have a turn with him. Maybe he'll like following me around the Path more. Or Lambert." The conversation has lost its sincerity entirely and based on the low growl emanating from Geralt's chest, now is a good time to break up their teasing.

He makes a show of opening the door and acting surprised to see Eskel there, but not enough for anyone to be suspicious. "Oh, hello." He says, clutching his towel in one hand. "Am I interrupting something? I can go back downstairs for another hour or something if you want me to lea-"

"Get over here, Bard." Geralt replies, cutting him off. "Eskel was just leaving."

His golden eyes flicker over to where Eskel sits on the bed, propelling him to his feet. "Right, just on my way out. Good night, Little Bard." He says, patting Jaskier on the shoulder before exiting into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

Jaskier hangs up his towel to dry near the fire, before settling himself on the bed next to Geralt. Cleaning his armor must have been completely abandoned because Geralt turns his attention to his bard, pulling him into his lap.

"You're -uh, very pretty." Geralt manages to say, stumbling over his words and avoiding eye contact.

Jaskier's heart warms at the compliment and the effort. He knows his Witcher isn't always the best at using words. He goes to tease Geralt about it, just to poke fun, but only finds an incohesive mess spilling from his mouth as well.

Geralt looks up at him again, only to find his bard a blushing mess, mouth hanging open slightly. Geralt raises an eyebrow playfully. "Who knew that a compliment was the only thing it took to shut you up?" He teases.

Jaskier's stupor is broken by the teasing words. "How dare you." He exclaims in false indignant anger. And then, settling himself closer, wrapping his arms around Geralt's neck. "You know, there are better ways of shutting me up."

Geralt hums. "And how is that?"

Jaskier's gaze flickers down to the Witcher's lips and back up to his eyes again, but doesn't say anything.

"I see." Geralt says and leans in to kiss him. "I love you." He whispers, just loud enough for the two of them to hear.

Jaskier leans in and kisses him again. "I love you too."