Waiting On Your Lips |Geraskier High School AU| COMPLETED

Bodyguard

Jaskier’s POV:

3 months after the breakup

I woke up to my alarm blaring and a pain in my wrists. I slammed the off button and turned towards my wall, really not looking forward to work today. I had gotten a new job closer to home and it was nice aside from the fact that Colin frequently visited. It was a cute little cat cafe and my job was the cat room attendant. Most customers were nice, some tried to get handsy and then there were the Karens who so badly wanted to steal the cats and I'd often have to get someone to kick them out.

I laid in bed for another moment before dragging myself out of the warm covers and changing into my work uniform which was just a white shirt with the company logo and whatever bottoms we wanted to wear. I decided to match my top with a black dress shirt underneath, a black frilly skirt, my starry leggings, pink and white lolita shoes and a straw hat with a white ribbon around it. I was trying to get back into wearing skirts in public again because it made me happy when I wore them. I brushed out my fluffy hair and made sure I looked presentable before grabbing my phone and walking down the stairs to go to work. Ciri was watching TV and Geralt was eating breakfast in the kitchen, both of them silent as mice. Neither of them seemed to acknowledge I was there so I just made my way out the door and went to work silently.

Things had been different since the break up, that was the one thing I noticed. Geralt was silent again, he never talked much anymore and mostly grunted or glared. Ciri was usually off in her own little world, never really home much anymore either. I once left the house for two days and not once did either of them text me to figure out where I was and they never asked me where I had been when I came back. They didn't seem to care about anything anymore and that worried me just a bit. Of course that didn't stop me from thinking that maybe if I left they'd start caring about things again.

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Work had been long and tiring today. Colin really upped the creep level by watching me the entire three hours he was there and he tried to touch me multiple times even though I made it very clear that I did not want to be touched. My coworkers tried to keep him away from me having known the basics of what he did to me in high school, but it didn't stop him from trying to get closer. We also had many rude customers today who acted as though they deserved a free cat for our "terrible service" and such.

It felt nice to just walk through the door and plop onto the couch where Ciri was playing on her phone. She barely acknowledged me and stayed engrossed in her round of doodle jump. I sat there for a moment, just relaxing after my long day. Ciri didn't need to say anything, I just needed her company right now and it was fine.

"Do you think Geralt will get over her?" She asked softly, now looking at me. She seemed tired and scared but mostly sad. I know she worried alot for her brother, especially after a rough relationship with someone like Yennefer. I still remember the yelling from that day fresh in my mind as if it happened two days ago.

"I think he just needs time, Ciri. She had her claws in him so deep he asked the outcast for help," I said, giving her a really good fake smile. I'd been getting good at faking my smiles so they wouldn't worry, especially for Ciri. She gave me a small smile back and leaned against me. She seemed relieved to finally have an answer to the question that was probably on her mind all these months.

It was late at night when I heard the door open and close, the sound of Geralt returning home after his night shift. He had started working late at a bar on top of his bodyguard job in the morning so he was hardly home anymore. I heard him every night because I could never sleep anymore. Him coming home would sometimes startle me into a deep cut.

Tonight it just made me aware that I had made too many cuts. Both arms were dripping blood and some cuts would most likely need stitches to heal correctly, but I didn't worry about stitching the bad ones. Lately I didn't worry if Geralt would walk in while I hurt myself or if somebody saw the scars. See, on top of stalking me at work Colin had decided to obtain my number and send me messages and calls every day that I tried so hard to block but they kept coming back. He would tell me things if it was just us two in the cat room. Sometimes he'd talk about the day he raped me, saying things like I deserved worse or that he should've gone harder. It was pushing me into a state of numbness that I could only escape through self harm these days. It felt like every cut could drag his presence away for a few more seconds so if I got caught I didn't care so long as he was gone.

I was startled from my thoughts by a knock on my door-  somewhat usual for Geralt so late at night. I made quick work of wrapping my arms and hiding the blade before I answered the door. Geralt looked tired and sad so I let him into my room with a gentle smile. He closed the door behind him and pulled me back over to my bed where he simply cuddled me and I let him. I didn't say anything, just let him hold me and bury his face in my hair. Some nights he would just knock on my door and silently ask for cuddles and I didn't mind. The first night it happened he had to actually say it for me to know what he wanted. After that all he needed to do was knock on my door and I'd know exactly what he craved. I knew he just missed the warmth of another person some nights so if that meant giving him cuddles then I would give it to him. Especially if it meant it would get him closer to speaking to us again.

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I woke up the next day to an empty bed and sticky arms. I didn't have work today so I took my time fixing my bandages and changing into a hoodie and sweats so no one would ask questions. I made my way down into the kitchen where Geralt was making breakfast while, strangely, humming to himself. I didn't say anything because it seemed like he was in a better mood today than most days.

I sat down at the table and waited for him to finish cooking whatever he was making. It was quiet and peaceful and I enjoyed it a lot. It was a nice difference to everything that's been going on since she left. Geralt finished making breakfast and made two plates, setting the one with a smaller portion in front of me. It was scrambled eggs, pancakes and bacon today. He sat down in the seat across from me with his plate and we ate in another comfortable silence.

"Jask," Geralt said softly, making me glance up at him. He had his serious face on which was usually never good. I paid close attention to his next words. "As you know my day job is to be a bodyguard. As of yesterday I was informed that I will be working at your job in the cat room protecting you specifically." I knew exactly why my coworkers hired him, too. Colin was getting physical and harder to deal with. The girls needed someone meant for that type of issue since he keeps coming back, even after we banned him. "I need to know who this person is, Jas," Geralt said softly, a small twinge of concern etched in his eyes.

I was silent for a moment, not used to this side of Geralt after having months of silent Geralt. Then I realized he probably already knew who it was and probably wanted to hear it from my mouth.

"Colin. From highschool," I said softly, pulling my hands to sit in my lap and fidget with the sweater sleeves. Geralt was now listening intently and seemed a little angry after hearing who's been harassing me for the past few months.

"He started with just stalking me at work, watching me invite guests and make sure they're following the cat room rules. Lately though..he's started hurting people. Attacked another customer for just talking to me a few days ago." I felt like crying remembering that day. I was just telling the customer our adoption information because he was curious and Colin had shoved the man, nearly beat his face in before the girls got him away from the man. "We tried banning him but he just keeps coming back. The cafe is woman owned, I'm the only guy who works there so we can't kick him out ourselves. He isn't scared of us, even my strongest coworker doesn't scare him and she's as big as you!" Geralt looked even angrier after hearing only half the stuff that Colin has been doing. I didn't tell him about the following me into bathrooms, cornering me in the cat room just to touch me in ways you shouldn't touch another person without consent, and smacking my ass every chance he got.

"Looks like you've got yourself a bodyguard now, then," he said, ending the conversation to clean up.