Try, Please Try For Me

Intertwine

The last time Geralt felt as though someone was watching him it hadn't ended well.

It was a few years ago, a mage had decided to try and have Geralt killed and hired a group of assassins to do the job. Why the mage wanted him dead, Geralt never found out for sure-- he pissed off powerful people enough of the time for it to be somewhat of a common occurrence-- but it had turned out to be more annoying than a cause for concern. Things were trying to kill Geralt nearly every day after all.

He noticed the first man immediately whilst sitting at the back of a tavern. A witcher's senses are far too keen for him to have not. And though a group of men trying to gut him in the alley behind the tavern wasn't the biggest inconvenience, having to kill them without the townsfolk noticing was. In the end it didn't matter that the men were there to kill him (or try more like it), all the people saw was Geralt violently massacring eight men in a back alley. It was enough for them to run him out of town and for Geralt to never bother going back.

So yes, last time did not go well. This time however, the someone watching Geralt is significantly less threatening in the "I'm going to kill you" department and leaning more towards the "I'm going to tear you apart mentally" category. They are also infinitely prettier.

Geralt wakes up that morning with tense muscles and an aching headache. Eskel, the bastard, had slept great and was actually in such a good mood it was bordering on annoying. Geralt's time outside did eventually help with the feeling of being trapped in the walls of the manor, but it also replaced those thoughts with thoughts of Jaskier and he was left staring at the ceiling for most of the night.

When he's summoned for breakfast, Jaskier is lingering down the hall and staring at him, but disappears once Eskel emerges from their shared room behind him. At first Geralt thought it was a bit odd, but maybe Jaskier had just been waiting to talk to him alone and Eskel's presence scared him away.

Geralt wants to talk to him too, he finds. As awkward as everything is, Geralt wants to get to know Jaskier in some capacity before the wedding or things will just get a thousand times worse. And while he has his apprehensions about marrying a viscount-- or anyone for that matter-- he has to admit, Jaskier is...intriguing. Last night had been a small start, and now Geralt is burning with even more questions, but he doesn't want to scare the man away too soon. So instead he waits for Jaskier to come to him.

But Jaskier, well, Jaskier is acting weird.

The Earl doesn't join them for breakfast which is a small relief, since Geralt rightfully detests dealing with nobles longer than necessary, their pompous attitudes often being unbearable. (Of course Jaskier is the exception, Geralt has had one and a half conversations with the man and that condescending air was nowhere to be found) The table in the dining room is ridiculously large and can seat thirty people. Various foods are laid out on glass platters; warm bread, boiled eggs, little smoked sausages, shaved ham, tomato slices and an arrangement of fruit. Geralt and Eskel situate themselves at the very end of the table and fill their plates.

Geralt picks at his food sleepily, not caring what he puts on his plate or in his mouth and tries to pay at least some attention to what his brother is telling him about the book he's been reading.

"It really is fascinating, Geralt, the way that the same stories and folklore differ depending on location, I think you'd enjoy it."

Geralt responds with a halfhearted "hmmm" and takes a sip from his cup, eyes glancing every other minute to the door. It's not that he's not interested in what Eskel is saying, a conversation with him is usually enjoyable, and Geralt probably would like the book, but he has too much on his mind to focus. Eskel doesn't seem to mind Geralt's attention being elsewhere though and just continues talking as if nothing is out of the ordinary.