Continuing My Exploration Of Older Prof Jaskier And Geralt Romance, Now With Smooches In The Remote Corners

I Hate The Ending Myself But It Started With An Alright Scene

@zutaraweek

Day 5: Hesitancy

(Part 3/4)

In the end no one needed to summon Toph, but only because Sokka took it upon himself to intervene first. He may deny it, but Katara knew he can’t stand to see her sad, especially when he can do something about it. It’s a trait he had even before their mother was killed and was only amplified after. She tries not to use it against him. Too much.

She didn’t know what he said to Aang, but that night the Avatar found her and they talked for a long time. Apparently before he had arrived at the Fire Nation he had planned to do his best to woo her one last time and if she still wasn’t interested, he would try to move on. He had hoped seeing him again would reignite their original spark and they could work something out. She didn’t think it necessary to tell him that spark had always just been wishful thinking on her part. He didn’t ask when she and Zuko first started liking each other. Actually, he seemed reluctant to talk about Zuko at all. So Katara talked with him about other things.

Aang was glad she was happy, but also still needed some time to work through his feelings. The meetings with the Earth Kingdom had only one more day left, so he was planning on leaving right after. He hadn’t yet asked Toph or Sokka if they wanted to cut their visit short to go with him.

Katara was sad to see him, and possibly Sokka and Toph, go so soon. But while it wasn’t the response she had been hoping for, it definitely was not the worst. In an attempt to cheer her up, Zuko wound up quoting everything he could remember Uncle Iroh saying about time being the best healer. And then for good measure he started making up his own quotes, which made sense only half the time, but succeeded in making her laugh.

And Aang stopped running from her. He attended meals with her and Zuko and the others and it almost felt normal, like old times. Only now she was very conscious of how much attention she gave Zuko when around Aang. She was used to not showing any special interest in her boyfriend when other people were around. Their relationship was kept private for now, though she doubted anything was actually a secret in the palace. Still, they didn’t want the Fire Nation nobles or the other diplomats to assume she was getting any special treatment just because they were dating. She knew at some point she’d have to give up her position as Water Tribe Ambassador, but she wasn’t ready to do that yet. She still had so much she wanted to do to help her tribe as well and the Fire Nation.

So acting impartial to her boyfriend was nothing new, but that was something she had to do in front of palace staff and old politicians. She shouldn’t have to do it in front of her friends. Aside from the fact that she wasn’t actually doing anything wrong by dating Zuko, there was also the fact that they were both still healthy teenagers and it was often very difficult and annoying to keep their hands to themselves. It wasn’t like she wanted to make out with him in front of their friends— like, at all — but casual touches would be wonderful. She liked leaning against him so he’d wrap his arms around her. Maybe idly play with her hair while they talked or read or whatever. She loved holding his hand because he’d give little squeezes in response to things she said or did or just when he wanted to. Because he could.

She knew showing any public displays of affection would just be cruel to Aang right now, but she wondered if there would ever be a time when she and Zuko wouldn’t have to hesitate to show their love. They both understood what they were getting into when they agreed to date and she was determined not to let anyone dictate what kind of relationship they were allowed, but sometimes the waiting felt like too much and she had to stop herself from kissing him in front of the Council of Elders just for their reaction.

Maybe Zuko could share some of Uncle Iroh’s advice on patience. Not that he ever used it.

Fixed it fam.

Have y'all ever thought about the impact that Jaskiers song/s about a Witcher, on other witchers? Because i unfortunately have...

Eskel goes back to the tavern to get his coin for killing the monster that terrorized the village for months. The owner had been hostile about accepting a witcher into his tavern, but the man who had given him the job requested they meet here after he was done (if he survived). It had taken him a whole day to find, kill and finally bring back the monsters head.

When he enters the tavern, he expects deafening silence and hostile glares, instead he finds the whole room singing jovially and out of tune. A middle aged man plays the song on his lute as everyone yells the lyrics and laughs. Some turn to look at him and- ah now they'll stop and glare, it was about time- they grin, see the monsters head in his hand and then cheer. Eskel is absolutely lost. The tavern is cheering his deed?! Since when? The most he ever got was a grateful but wary Thank you and if they were feeling generous, some free ale, but this!?

The patrons kept singing to the catchy tune as Eskel tried to make sense of the situation. It took a few more seconds for the words of the song to register in his brain

Toss a coin to your Witcher!

Oh Valley of Plenty! Oooh!!

Toss a coin to your Witcher

A friend of humanity!

A song that paints Witcher in a positive light?! That made no fucking sense, no one wrote positive songs about witchers, let alone ones that encourage people to pay them! He's just about to sneak to the corner of the bar and quietly wait for his employer to pay him, then mount his horse and leave before the villagers sobered up, when someone, the tavern owner he recognizes, catches his arm and although a bit reluctantly, offers him a free dinner and a room for the night. Needless to say Eskel is shocked, even if his face doesn't show it, but accepts the offer anyway. The song is played at least 3 more times for the rest of the night and he falls asleep with the tune engraved in his mind, and the lyrics dancing in his ears as he dreams.

. . .

Lambert has just entered the small town when a bunch of kids, playing with long sticks and fake swords, see and approach him. He glares down at them to scare them off so they leave before their mothers see and curse him for daring to look at their children. Unfortunately the kids don't seem to have an ounce of self preservation in them since they barely budge. One looks at him straight in the eye and says "Are you a Witcher?" to which he replies "Yes, and unless your parents want me to kill a monster for them then you should move along and not bother me." He expects them to run away now, after the hostility and the glare to go with it, but the kids only look at each other and grin up at him "Cool! Here!" They put their hands inside their trousers and skirts and pull out... A coin? Bronze coins and silver ones, three of them aren't even coins he's pretty sure they're just wooden disks of the same shape of a coin, they hold them up to him and look at him expectantly. But Lambert is so confused that they might as well be asking him to figure out the meaning of life. Finally the kids get tired of waiting for him to make a move and one suggests "Maybe we need to *toss* them at him! Like the song says!" Absolutely genius! All the kids agree and Lambert finds himself being thrown coins at by a bunch of children and that's what it takes for him to snap out of his confusion. "Hey cut that out! God damn it, what do you think you're doing?!" He yells and that finally attracts the attention of a few adults who recognize his attire and swords. Finally, they'd come and take their children away, maybe curse and glare at him a bit, but at least no more weird brats. What happens though, is not expected at all. A round, friendly looking man comes closer to see if everything is ok, he tells the kids to go back to playing then turns to Lambert and Smiles? at him. "Kids take things a bit too seriously he heh. Are you looking for a job?" No outright fear, only caution of meeting a stranger, no hostility, no cursing at him for talking to the kids. Lambert is starting to think he's going insane or this is the friendliest town in the continent. The man takes him to a bar where a bard is singing. The tune is annoyingly catchy, the lyrics though... What the fuck?! That's why the kids threw coins at him?! A friend of humanity?? Was that the reason no one glared at him when he entered the bar? Just how popular was this song?! Who wrote it? Who would write such a song for witchers?!

When he asked the barman he said a bard named "Jaskier" who travelled with a witcher and wrote ballads inspired by his adventures. The song got changed a lot from bard to bard but the Witcher was always called Gerald of Rivia, The White Wolf. Lambert was sooo going to bring that up to Vesemir when he went back home. But for now he needed a job... On his way home he couldn't stop humming the stupid tune...

When Gerald brings Ciri and Jaskier to Kaer Morhen he expects his brothers to either ignore the bard and act like he doesn't exist, or tease and make fun of him until he leaves on his own. He's hoping for the first option even if it's not ideal.

What actually happens though is beyond his imagination... Eskel and Lambert look at him and then at each other. Then their eyes travel to the bard and the princess at his sides. He prepares himself for the jabs that would soon come from Lambert and the mild teasing from Eskel. Nothing comes, they're looking at him, each with a raised eyebrow "welcome back *White Wolf*" they say and he sighs. "Where's Vesemir?" He asks and the two get up. Ignoring his question Eskel asks one of his own "Soo... Is this the famous Jaskier?" And Gerald can physically feel the thin string of hesitance inside Jaskier snap and he steps up to his brothers. "The one and only! It's a pleasure to finally meet Geralds family! You two are way more handsome in person than what Gerald described you, but again, he is hopeless with details!" The two witchers look at Gerald pointedly and he shrugs, did they expect he'd wax poetry about their ugly faces?

He gives up on trying to understand what the hell is going on with his brothers, and heads to find Vesemir. Ciri stays behind with Jaskier and they seem to be doing just fine, hopefully they won't eat him alive.

It takes Gerald a few days to realize that Eskel and Lambert have no intention on eating alive his bard, actually, they seemed to want to get to know him, befriend him. They looked at him as if he was some mysterious puzzle they couldn't seem to understand.

It takes him a bit more to realize his brothers are fans of his bard!? He would laugh if it wasn't the weirdest shit he'd ever had to see. Two grown ass witchers, following a bard around like puppies, because they liked his songs?! Ciri thinks it's cute and Vesemir finds it hilarious. Gerald finds he's loosing his mind. And Jaskier? The little asshole is enjoying this whole thing too much, he seems more than eager to give them attention and sing songs about their adventures, which they describe in detail "You should learn something Gerald!".

Gerald just wants to catch a break...

Post AC au !

Are we walking into soft territory gang ??

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Russian elections be like

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When my English native friend still can’t understand what I’m saying, so it probably means I’m using words wrong and also mispronounce them.