IC Inbox - VR

[lovelybottom]

                  

Hm.

[Silence. In the background, a faint, admonishing Geralt! can be heard.]

Call the bard.

[ VOICE | VIDEO | TEXT | RANDOM ACTION ]

Comments

Action | Evening of the 24th

[rollstoseduce]

[They arrive at Violet pretty damn early in the morning, because Geralt has been pushing them a bit harder than their usual travel speed because of the winter. They already had to camp on the snow back in Route 30, and while it was a new experience (Jaskier never regrets new experiences!), he isn't sure he wants a repeat. Turns out, Geralt is damn right in having done so, their timing is perfect. It starts snowing heavily shortly after they step into the city...

They're also just in time for Yule celebrations.

Or that's what he learns anyway, after chatting with Nurse Joy at the Pokécenter where they stop by to refresh their teams and the owner of the inn they register at. And now Jaskier is excited, because he wants to participate in these celebrations! They're tired and they should rest, but as soon as breakfast is over Geralt goes out to find work (nobody is surprised) so Jaskier takes the chance to do some research around town while busking.

The second thing Jaskier learns is that these celebrations aren't like the Yule ones at home. The streets may be decorated, but the banquets are private - more of a family thing, really. Jaskier is disappointed at first, he was looking forward to a bigass party... but then he realizes this presents a unique opportunity. This the first time he is spending a winter with Geralt, the first time they are going to be together for Yule... he can make it special.

His mood improves greatly after he forms a plan in his mind. Jaskier spends most of his day busking and wassailing (or "caroling", he guesses, since Officer Jenny forbids him from doing anything alcohol related, beautiful spoilsport she is) with his Pokémon, then he goes shopping and makes a reservation at the best restaurant they can afford. When he meets Geralt later at the inn, he sends him directly to the shower (yes, shower, not baths today! sorry, they take too long) and pretties him up to drag him to the restaurant, no protests accepted.

This is important for our friendship, Jaskier tells him, being completely sincere but also knowing it's a bit manipulating - after the mountain mess, he thinks he has the right to be. From now on, I want us to make more special memories together.

The restaurant is quite crowded, which makes sense: this is a world filled with travelers, and not all of them are able to make it home for Yule, if they have someone waiting at home at all. And while Geralt's senses are muted now, Jaskier knows he still hates crowds, so he's reserved a booth in the corner - he doesn't mind, they still have a great view of the stage, which has this instrument called "piano" on it. (He doesn't know how to play it or how it works but he wants one so badly anyway.)

The bag with his gifts ends up hidden under his chair while they enjoy the food and the cheerful music. The restaurant may not be super fancy but everything they serve is still better than anything they could have in their world, and let's not forget to mention the fact they can even have access to some of these ingredients in the middle of winter. The meat is perfectly roasted with spices, the vegetables are prepared with sauces he's never heard of but make his tongue sing, and the wine! Oh, the wine. Nectar of the gods, that's what it is.

It's merry and even kinda cozy (if one can even be cozy in public) - it may not be a date, but it's still perfect.

After the speech he gave Geralt about their friendship, Jaskier tries not to get distracted by other people much. There are many couples around, but also traveling parties of friends, and in the end Jaskier tells himself he could at least leave the table for a minute or two, otherwise Geralt would find it suspicious that he isn't flirting his heart out. At three different times in the evening he accepts the offer of a dance, twice with girls and once with a guy. It still blows his mind that women can start the wooing here and that men can do it at all with other men, so those dances bring an extra touch of enjoyment: the enjoyment of freedom.

They're quick dances that he still hasn't learned, but his partners don't mind teaching him. Jaskier seriously needs to get on researching the local music scene. When the end of the evening approaches, however, the melodies become slower, a soft tune that is danced by swaying from side to side. It looks easy and-- kinda intimate.

Blue eyes watch those couples and crave.

Jaskier finishes his desert (he isn't sure what this "flan" is made of but he fucking loves it) and watches Geralt over the rim of his glass of wine, which he's currently emptying because he's going to need that liquid courage. It's dancing, nothing more nothing less - friends can dance, right? It doesn't have to mean anything (tell that to his heart, which is about to combust). And who says witchers can't dance? Geralt has always put too many limitations on himself back home, and those limitations shouldn't be haunting him here too. This is their chance to have normal, not-dangerous fun.

Oh, to hell with it. Jaskier has never been one to hesitate - what is the worst that can happen? Geralt may consider the idea dumb and say no, then they'll move with their lives.

Nothing to lose.

The napkin on Jaskier's lap is thrown on the table without a care before the bard stands up and walks to Geralt's side to offer an open hand that is trying its best not to shake. A deep breath - here goes nothing.]

Dance with me. [His voice manages to be steady, but his eyes are begging.] I'm not taking a no for an answer.

[lovelybottom]

[They get into Violet just in time for the weather to break; if they'd been caught out on the road in this, it might have delayed their travel just to wait for the snow to stop enough to see through. But with a little luck and mostly through Geralt pushing the bard to travel faster during the day, they've made it. Geralt can find work, they can rebuild some of their funds, and they'll have a warm place to sleep tonight. The bard won't have to huddle with him next to a sputtering campfire, eating cold trail rations and trying not to freeze.]

[A holiday is approaching, apparently-- Geralt hadn't been paying much attention-- and there's plenty of work for him to find. He's kept busy by it all day while Jaskier goes and busks for cash, playing to both of their strengths.]

[When he returns, Jaskier has done more than just busk-- he's bought clothes for Geralt, nice things to wear out to a restaurant that he's apparently made a reservation at. Geralt tried to argue about it, because witchers are barely allowed in shitty taverns, let alone nice restaurants where respectable people eat. The bard reminds him that no one knows what a witcher is here, and so long as he doesn't act like a complete boor, no one should be the wiser about it.]

[He still wants to refuse, but Jaskier hits him with the verbal equivalent of a crossbow bolt to the chest-- he tells him that it's important for their friendship, that it would be a blow to this fragile thing that they had re-established between them if he said no. And when put that way, what choice did he have but to go along with it? He can't take back what he'd said, whatever you want.]

[He goes to the fucking restaurant.]

[The food's good, at least, better than the stuff they'd get outside of some kind of nobleman's banquet, and has fresh produce that they'd never be able to get back in their own realm, not this far out-of-season. The wine's even good-- it's not watered down to make it stretch farther, nor does it have the sour notes of badly fermented product. It's almost a pleasant sort of evening, really. Good food, good wine, and the familiarity of the bard's company.]

[Geralt continues to idly drink as Jaskier takes a few spins around the dance floor with his various partners. The women are bolder here than back home, more willing to approach a strange man, and no one even bats an eye at two men dancing together. The witcher keeps a close eye on Jaskier as he's out and about, and it's... a familiar thing. He watches as Jaskier flirts and swaggers around like a peacock, trying to charm someone. He doesn't seem to get himself into any trouble, but Geralt is always on the lookout for it.]

[Jaskier has been sitting with him for a few minutes, ostensibly because he's run out of dance partners for the moment. He stands and Geralt assumes that he's spotted someone else that strikes his fancy, but the bard just turns and offers a hand to him.]

[Dance with me.]

I don't know how to dance. [Did Jaskier expect him to? He's a witcher, for gods' sakes. There's a wry twist to his lips.] Must have missed that day in witcher training.

[rollstoseduce]

[That... is not a no, not directly. Just trying to put up an excuse and knowing he doesn't have much of one. Jaskier stays hopeful, even chuckles at the mention of witcher training - the mental image of an old witcher instructor teaching a bunch of pups how to dance is pretty good.

But alright, he still has a chance to save this. Geralt hasn't told him to fuck off or call the idea stupid. Time to counter-attack! Here comes Jaskier with hands-on-his-waist-like-a-housewife and that tilt of his head that says Geralt is being silly.]

In case you haven't noticed, dear witcher, I don't know the local dances either. I've been improvising and learning on the spot, because unlike certain someone, I'm not afraid of trying out new things. Besides- [He raises a hand that draws a circle in the air to indicate the dance floor.] -there isn't much for you to learn this time, a glance will tell you all you need: sway from side to side, repeat until the end of the song. So let's try this again, shall we?

[With a huge grin on his face, he bows and offers a bent arm as he would do with a maiden.]

Will you do me the honor of this dance?

Action | Jan 20th

[rollstoseduce]

[Claude's words echo in his mind as Jaskier runs through the streets of Goldenrod, bundled up in his blue cloak. Rage fuels his step into a fast pace, but under that rage there's also the weight of guilt. How could he not see what's been going on? How could he be so stupid?

And it's not like Geralt just happened not to mention it, oh no, this isn't a matter of blessed silence. The bastard has been purposely lying about it. That's probably what hurts the most.

He knew it was fucked up. He knew Jaskier wouldn't approve. He hates unnecessary violence, and they are not short of coin. Then why?

Only one way to find out.

Jaskier recognizes the shape leaving the building as soon as he sees it - the witcher stands out, even in this world, and this bard has a little over two decades of seeing it in the dark not to put a name on it on the spot.]

GERALT! [He cries out as he run as as fast as he can to catch up with him and-- lets out a string of curses when he sees Geralt's state of dishevelment, but especially the fucking black eye. A hand is raised to brush its fingertips against the wound, a ghost touch that is trying to understand what it's seeing, to confirm it's real... and just like that it's gone, being thrown in the air as that pent-up rage takes over.] WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING, YOU CRETINOUS WITCHER?!

[lovelybottom]

[It hadn't been a bad night.]

[Geralt went to the fighting club for two things-- to keep himself sharp and to make coin. The latter is a matter of necessity, of putting his skills to good use to keep both himself and Jaskier fed, clothed, and reasonably comfortable while staying in cities or on the road. The former, as a means of exercise. And, when the bout is against someone who's actually good? There's some enjoyment to be had. He could have sparred without the pit and the rules and the shirtlessness, but like this, he can also get paid for it.]

[It's for the best that Jaskier doesn't know. He'd get upset, and--]

[And there he is, cursing and stomping up to Geralt as he leaves the building. His fingers brush against his aching face for a moment before he launches into his tirade. Geralt weathers it, as he always weathers the bard's histrionics.]

About how much coin I made, mostly.

[rollstoseduce]

COIN?! [He cries out, indignation making that high pitch come out as usual, hands thrown in the air once again.] There are hundreds of ways to make coin without getting a bloody black eye, Geralt! You don't even like fighting for the sake of it! What made you think this was a good idea? How could you-- ugh, bollocks.

[It's impossible to talk to him face to face without noticing the wounds - and they are the worst kind of wounds, too: the ones not made by monsters, but by fellow men. Jaskier would love nothing more than to enter that so-called "club" and give everyone a piece of his mind, but there's something more important to take care of right now.

Calloused fingers grab Geralt's wrist and pull, intending to stomp his way back to the inn while dragging the witcher with him.]

We're going to need ice and a whole new bottle of balm. [Huff, huff.] Any bleeding? Broken bones? Do we need to stop by the healer's before I sit you down to let you know in how many different ways you've fucked up? And don't tell me you haven't, because you know you did! That's why you've been hiding this from me!

[And if his voice cracks a bit then, well... it's because it hurts. He thought they were finally doing better...]

video; idk early feb probably

[machismost]

Hey Geralt! It's Kirishima. Just wanted to give you and Jaskier an update on the Mudbray I got from you guys. I know his mom's name is Roach, and I thought the bug theme was kinda cool so I decided to call him Ant cuz, y'know, the whole Ground type thing.

Anyway, we're in Sevii Islands right now and Ant's really enjoying the beach. Some kids out here really took a liking to him and decided to make him a sand castle 'birthday cake' when I told 'em he hatched recently, so I figured I'd share.

[ Cue the feed finally flicking to video of a Mudbray colt munching contentedly among the ruins of a sandcastle. ]

text

[lovelybottom]

[Geralt watches the video several times over, because even though the idea of horses eating literal dirt is hard to get used to, that's a very pleased-looking colt. If Roach's offspring had to go to someone else, at least he went to someone who will look after him properly.]

She's named after the fish, not the insect.

[He isn't so cruel as to name his horse after a cockroach. Sure, maybe naming his horse after a fish is a little weird, too, but the Original Roach was named that when he got her.]

He seems content. Take good care of him. His mother is a good horse, even if his father is a rake.

[Is Geralt over the fact that Jaskier's Ponyta knocked up Roach somehow? No. Will he ever be? Probably not.]

text

[machismost]

[ Listen, he wasn't trying to judge anyone. Cockroaches survive nuclear bombs! That's admirable! ( No, he didn't think at the time that the old men from the olden times probably have not had to deal with that sort of consideration ). Some people really like bugs!

But now Kirishima feels like a dumbass, so... Hey, text option! Great! Probably looks like he's just meeting Geralt where he's at! ]

Oh! I've only heard of a bug called roach. My bad!!!

But why did you name a Ground Pokemon after a fish?

3/4

[nastyboy]

[Dimitri has been having such an End Of February. So much has happened. It kind of keeps happening? He'd like for it to stop. Ecruteak was supposed to be nice.]

[As it is, it's been full of secrets, and comas, and a small child suddenly running away because depression. It's been So Much that Dimitri almost forgets something that he wanted to do... but, as they're on the road and he's riding in the rat sleigh, it hits him again.]

[Right. He should start making some calls.]

[So after waking up from one of his twenty minute naps, Dimitri stays inside so that he can start hitting up people. Just... ignore the fact that it doesn't look like he's been sleeping at all. He has! Just, you know. Not great!]

Greetings, Geralt. I understand you must still be enjoying yourself on the islands, but would you have any interest in returning briefly to Johto for a get together of sorts? I have been told of something called - well, I will butcher the word if I attempt it, but it is an small event where one eats and watches the newly bloomed flowers.

[lovelybottom]

Dimitri.

[If Geralt notices Dimitri's general lack of sleep, he makes no comment on it. Honestly, he's been there, and so long as Dimitri doesn't try to fix his insomnia with a very poorly thought out djinn wish, he's doing better than the witcher in terms of sleep.]

[The call, apparently, is to extend an invitation. He tries to think back to another time when he had been invited to an event that wasn't somehow tied to a job, and... comes up blank. No one invites witchers to parties unless they expect a monster to show, too.]

Where, and on what day? I'll need to account for travel.

[Granted, it's much quicker to travel around in this world than in his own, but he'll still need to catch a ferry and the train.]

[nastyboy]

I was thinking Goldenrod, on the 26th, if it would not be too much trouble for you. If you believe it would help, I could take Elshot, my Pidgeot, and meet you partway.

It may not be as quick a travel as trains, but he is still a fast flier. Although I do not know if you have ever ridden a flying creature before...

[Witchers seem to get up to all sorts of things, after all. At the same time, flying steeds seem to be unknown, so who knows.]

[Video]

[vrdantwind]

[Without preamble, Geralt gets a video call from Claude. With luck, he'll pick up, because he'll be happy with what he sees.

First plus: there's no visible Claude. The camera is clearly being held by the man in question, pointing at something else. Second plus? That something else is Gambit the Galarian Ponyta, Roach and Limelight's son. And right now, he's having a grand old time, romping around in a field.

He's having an extra good time, clearly, because right there horsing around with him is a standard fiery Ponyta foal, chasing and being chased by Gambit, nipping playfully at him, and making delighted little horse noises.

There's no commentary at first; Claude's also watching their silliness, just as much as he's broadcasting it for Geralt. Every now and then, the camera shakes a little bit as Geralt can hear Claude laughing at them. Once they quiet down for a moment, though, Claude finally speaks.]

I thought you might be happy to hear that Gambit's got a new playmate. I named him Wyvern; his personality already reminds me a lot of the Wyvern back home, even if this little guy's still young and my horse is full grown. I broke the naming scheme I've been using for the rest of my team, but oh well.

[Video]

[lovelybottom]

[Jaskier had told everyone who got one of Roach's offspring to send Geralt updates about them, and though he secretly suspects that some part of this is poking fun at his attachment to his horses-- which he does not have, because he is a witcher and therefore isn't burdened by emotional attachments-- he can't quite bring himself to be annoyed about it.]

[The fact that he takes pleasure in watching Roach's colt delightedly romping with a young foal is simply because such things are universally pleasing. It's good to see the simple happiness of these two creatures. Horses, Geralt has found, are good for one's disposition.]

It's a fine name. [A horse named Wyvern, a wyvern named Horse. A horse named Roach. The act of naming, really, is more important than the name itself; you have an obligation to the things you name. They're yours.] Foal seems healthy. Another breeder?

[He would've noticed if Jaskier had sent off another foal to someone. There's hardly a lack of Roach's progeny, much to Geralt's chagrin. His mare has unenviable choice in stallions for an otherwise discerning beast.]

Action | Morning of the 18th

[rollstoseduce]

[One of the wonderful things about being your own boss is that you're not tied to a routine. Jaskier usually sleeps as much as his body wants - if he goes to bed early, he wakes up early. If he goes to bed late because of (ahem) a variety of reasons, then he sleeps for longer, occasionally until noon if his night activities had been really enthusiastic. He doesn't have anything against mornings, he only hates it when he's woken up abruptly instead of waking up naturally - like Geralt's bloody need to go back to the road as soon as the sun is up. Sometimes even earlier.

So when the alarm he set up the night before goes off on Sunday morning, Jaskier groans and lets out a string of curses. Reluctantly turning on his side, he blindly pats the night table until he knocks off his gear... and the Pokéball next to it. The alarm is turned off, and Buttercup the Florges is now released and ready to get started. She gently shakes her trainer and calls him out in her own language, which works like a bucket of cold water in bringing Jaskier back from dreamland.

Fuck. The contest!

Jaskier adores Riegfried and Soy, he truly does, but they seriously need to have a talk about this schedule of theirs. Who starts a performance competition early in the morning? An artist needs their beauty sleep! Time to prepare! To get some alcohol in their system to kill the nerves!

Getting a bit nervous before bardic competitions isn't unusual for Jaskier, regardless of how confident he is in his abilities. Keywords: a bit. Now though? With limited time and needing to prepare certain witcher as well? That little nervousness is becoming full panic.]

Geralt, fuck, Geralt, quick, we need to--

[Wait - the bed is empty. It shouldn't be surprising, Geralt has always been an early riser, but Jaskier isn't exactly thinking clearly right now. So he quickly sits up and desperately looks around the room to find--

Oh.

Geralt has already brought breakfast. Because he's the kind of man that likes to be prepared and-- apparently that includes being prepared for Jaskier's performances too.

(The perfect moment to fuel his feelings when singing Love Run later, he thinks.)

It only takes him a couple of seconds to jump off the bed and tackle Geralt into a bear hug. Look, emotions are running high, alright?]

Thanks, old friend.

[And just like that, he's off. You can tell he's in panic mode because he didn't take an extra moment to enjoy the feeling of those mighty muscles in his arms. He turns to the table then, grabbing the teacup and downing half of it before stuffing his face with a pastry... which means that when he starts giving instructions to Geralt, all that comes out are incomprehensible noises.

To think he's the one to complain about the witcher's manners.

There's a lot of gesturing, though. Flapping hands point at Geralt, at the chairs where their clothes lay, at the bathroom door, at the bedroom door, and at Buttercup - who looks terribly confused at the moment, but still manages to catch her trainer's pajamas when Jaskier starts undressing right there in the middle of the room.

He's still chewing on the pastry when he enters the bathroom, and Buttercup turns to Geralt with a tilted head. Did Geralt get any of that? Because she definitely didn't.]

[lovelybottom]

[Geralt woke that morning as he usually does-- early, and with more than enough time for his usual exercise. He left the bard sleeping in the massive bed, careful not to wake him. There's that contest today that he's been so excited for, but he'd set an alarm for himself the night before so Geralt isn't concerned that he'll oversleep. He will, however, inevitably be a mess, because Jaskier's always a mess before a performance, especially if he can't get a drink or two in his system to ease his nerves. Technically, he probably could get a stiff glass of something even this early in the day, but it's bad for the digestion to have hard liquor before it's even noon.]

[He retrieves breakfast before he returns to the room. Jaskier won't even be awake yet, but when he finally does get his ass out of bed, he'll be less stressed if there's food waiting for him. Geralt's little help for a competition like this, but perhaps making Jaskier's morning a little easier will increase his odds of doing well.]

[As expected, when Jaskier finally drags his bones out from between the lavish covers at the behest of his bouquet-like Pokemon, he jumps almost immediately into a panic. Geralt's already eaten by then and is drinking coffee, nearly spilling it when the bard throws himself at him in gratitude. He doesn't even get a word in edgewise before Jaskier's stuffing pastry into his mouth and bolting his tea and trying to get himself into order all at the same time.]

[Anything that he says is entirely muffled by the fact that his mouth is full of bread. He gestures wildly at clothing and the bathroom and quite a few other things besides before just stripping and walking away, Geralt watching this show bemusedly. The bard can be esoteric on the best of days, but this is a particularly incomprehensible display.]

[Geralt fetches the two neat stacks of clothing that Jaskier left out for them last night and brings them into the bathroom for the bard.]

If you woke earlier, you wouldn't have to rush. [They've had this argument before. It always ends the same.] Don't drown yourself in the shower, I need to use it.

[Arguably more so than Jaskier did-- he's the one who went for a run that morning.]

Video - the Monday after prom

[bestswordmaster]

[Normally, Felix would have sent a text message to Geralt. He prefers texting; it's easier to put words together and to consider what he'll say before he says it. But Jaskier had asked him to call Geralt, and Felix supposes that speaking face to face is better (if more difficult) for this sort of thing. If it were Dimitri, he'd do it in person.

So he settles on making a video call. His split lip is still healing and the bruise across his jaw and cheek is in full bloom, but he ignores them.]

...hi. Jaskier asked me to call you, although I was planning to talk to you anyway. Are you...hm. How do you feel?

[lovelybottom]

[Geralt considers not answering the video call on principle, because he hates talking to people that way. Texting is a far superior method of communication-- like letters but faster, and he can ignore someone if he doesn't want to deal with them.]

[He answers this call, because it's Felix.]

I've yet to menace anyone with a sword, so I would think that I'm much improved.

[It's a low bar, but everyone's been having a rough day. Everything has just really happened so much lately, he deserves one day of having a low bar to pass.]

I assume your face is because of me. [He only remembers bits and pieces of the fight, up until the very end with Jaskier. And now that he sees Felix's purpled cheekbone, he can at least put that together with his own bruised knuckles to determine how that bruise got there.]

June 2nd

[rollstoseduce]

It's his birthday.

It's his birthday, and he's supposed to be getting ready. They have plans after all: Jaskier was supposed to make his post while Geralt went out for his morning run with his dogs, then the two of them plus Kiri could go out to the seafood festival for lunch and general fun - which as far as the bard is concerned, includes at least one go at the ferris wheel.

Instead, he's in the balcony of their room, only wearing pajama pants and sitting with his legs through the railing, feet tapping the air to the rhythm of a song playing from the gear that lays on the floor next to him.

♫I should be working hard instead of lying here naked / The phone rings but I won't take it / 'Cause you only get one life... only get one life♫

Hands, fidgeting as always, play around with the little cube he got exactly for this kind of thing, only stopping to occasionally raise a small glass bottle to his lips - pumpkin ale, the label says. It's never too early to drink, as far as Jaskier is concerned. Blue eyes stare at the ocean, lost in thought, until he hears the room door open and close. Ah - Geralt is back.

Part of him doesn't want to say anything, because he knows he's being stupid. But if he hides it, it'll be worse, won't it? And isn't he trying not to fuck up in the first place? Isn't he always telling Geralt to tell him whatever it's bothering him, no matter what it is?

♫ Going nowhere, it's really something / Getting busy doing nothing / We spend all our time running for our lives / Going nowhere, it's really something / Getting busy doing nothing ♫

"You got to try this, my dear," he says as he turns around to look at his boyfriend and raises the bottle in his hand to give it a shake. "This realm has the most peculiar brews."

He will tell him... just give him a moment because he doesn't even know where to begin.

[lovelybottom]

When Geralt returned to the hotel room from his morning exercise, he half expected to be greeted there by an affectionate bard, for Jaskier to kiss him at the door and then demand that he go shower off because he smells. There is a mysterious lack of bard when he enters, but he can hear the soft strains of music from out on the balcony; he toes off his shoes by the door and follows the sound out to where Jaskier sits, his legs dangling as he watches the sea. This room is more expensive than their usual travelling fare, but Jaskier loves being able to look out at the ocean so much that it's worth it. Their wallets can afford it, anyway.

Jaskier notices him and offers him his beer, and Geralt frowns at how early he's partaking. He takes the raised bottle from the bard's hand and knocks back a swig; the taste is odd, not to his liking, and he then sets it aside and sits down behind Jaskier, bracketing him with his legs. He replaces the bard's beer with a white paper bag on his lap instead-- he'd stopped at a bakery on the way home from his run, to pick up the kind of sweet pastries that he likes to have for breakfast. It is his birthday, after all.

Geralt wraps an arm around his waist and hooks his chin on Jaskier's shoulder. He's still a bit sweaty from his run, but Jaskier smells pleasantly like sea salt.

"It's early for you to be drinking peculiar beer," he says. "Have breakfast first."

At least put something in your stomach before you start adding alcohol to the mix.

Timewarping back to June

[rollstoseduce]

It's been a very curious birthday for him, to say the least. Not bad, per se, just different. Usually he tries to celebrate big, but his new project is keeping him busy for such a thing. But what he does instead is still incredibly enjoyable: seafood festival plus ferris wheel with his boyfriend and protegee? A complete delight. Organizing an event that will put him back on a stage and will help a good cause? Exciting as hell. Besides, the summer solstice can count as the actual celebration, he thinks.

So when he returns to their lovely suite in the evening, he's tired but incredibly pleased with himself. Geralt quickly tells him to take a bath, and Jaskier accepts the idea with a chuckle. He does like baths, though perhaps not as much as his boyfriend, so it's cute when that's the witcher's solution to things.

To be fair, today he is absolutely right. So Jaskier asks him to order room service while he gets the bath ready. He gets the water running then grabs his bag of grooming essentials and takes out... things that he's pretty sure weren't there last time he checked. He turns them around in his hands, reads the labels, sniffs the scents... Yeah, he definitely didn't buy these.

"Geralt?" he asks as he walks back to the room with a bathbomb in one hand and a massage oil bottle in the other. "Care to tell me where all these things come from?"

He has a hunch, one that says this isn't Kiri's doing... But better not jump to conclusions. That's it, isn't it? Trying out this communication thingy.

[lovelybottom]

Jaskier's in a good mood when he gets back from all his event planning and whatever other projects he's taken on, and, conveniently, he's also in need of a bath. Not just because baths are relaxing after a long day, but because it's been a warm summer day and he's been out and about for most of it, too. Geralt has prepared for this, and there's new things in the bard's bath kit for him to use.

The reason for all this, of course, is because it's Jaskier's birthday. Geralt is not particularly well-versed in the whole birthday thing, being that neither he nor the other witchers celebrated or even probably knew the actual date of theirs, but he understands that Jaskier does. In the past, the fanfare around the bard's birthday was usually bard-driven-- if they were together at the time and Geralt wasn't out on contract or Jaskier wasn't at a summer competition, he would decide what he wanted to do and Geralt would just... tag along, at Jaskier's insistence. Now that they're in some kind of... relationship, there's a certain onus on Geralt to do something for this day, at least according to Obstagoogle. And there is one thing that Geralt knows well about Jaskier-- he is a hedonist. He loves good food and good drink and luxurious things, spends his hard-earned money on silk clothes and trips to the bathhouse in Novigrad so that girls can put special mud on his face that he claims makes his skin smooth. Geralt wouldn't even pretend that he could buy an outfit for Jaskier that the bard would approve of, nor does he know the closely-guarded secrets of Novigrad bathhouses (nor is he entirely convinced that those trips aren't just an excuse for Jaskier to drink and swan about scandalously undressed in mixed company), but he can provide some little luxuries. A few new bath things in scents that he remembers that he liked, room service for the seafood dishes and wine that he prefers.

Jaskier finds those extra little things that he'd left in his kit, of course, and comes out to question him about them as Geralt sets the phone back in the receiver, their room service order placed.

"Don't use it if you don't like it," he says, which answers exactly none of Jaskier's actual question but probably still allows him to read between the lines. "Food's ordered. You'll want to be done before it gets here."

Backdated to Pre-Sylvain Depression Times

[bestswordmaster]

hi.
I assume you remember the day the indeedee showed up
and pried into everyone's private business to deliver secrets to people.
something jaskier said made me realize that one of the ones I received was from you.
and jaskier wanted me to tell you about it.
so it says:

"He reminds me of Lambert, but with better footwork. He'd have been a good Wolf, but it's for the best that he isn't. He would have resented it too."

jaskier told me lambert is another of your wolves.
the name confused me because lambert was dimitri's father's name.

[lovelybottom]

You're right, it's from me. Didn't think Lambert was that common of a name.

[Then again, you wouldn't think that Geralt is either, but somehow Byleth's father was also named basically the same thing.]

Is it going to be a problem?

text;

[necrodentia]

[ Surprise, surprise, Jaskier has been talking to his friends about Geralt! So here, have an un-asked-for, out of the blue text from a number you don't know. ]

Jaskier told me you like to see people's horse Pokemon... Meet Firestorm!

[ And then there is a photo attached of Rainer's Ponyta. ]