They talk about their childhoods. Or lack of.
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Jaskier had always wondered what the training was like for witchers. He knew it was brutal and only 3 of 10 boys survived.
One night while around a fire jaskier finally built up the courage to look at the Witcher and ask.
"What was your childhood like?"
There is silence between them before geralt hums. He doesn't look away from the fire but jaskier isn't put off by it.
He waits patiently to see if the witcher will tell him anything. He knew it was a chance.
"I didn't have one" geralt says and jaskier shakes his head
"Then tell me about your lack of one" jaskier says wanting to know anything
The witcher took a deep breath before slowly letting it out preparing himself for an emotional story.
"I don't remember anything before Kaer Morhen. Most boys don't" geralt says looking into the fire.
Jaskier listened intently to every word not wanting to miss anything.
"Most are dropped off by their parents or villagers who don't want them." Geralt says bitterly.
"You have to survive the hike to Kaer Morhen. Not many of the children make it." Jaskier was suprised that it was so bad from the beginning
"Once you make it they put you through training. They strengthen your body and in turn take your humanity." Geralt says and jaskier feels saddened by this.
"Then they go about turning you into this" he says gesturing to himself
"How they change your eyes don't always work. If it doesn't the next day is so much worse and very few survive it." Geralt is obviously thinking of those he saw.
"They are never the same after." The witcher says closing his eyes.
"If you survived you would be put through more training. Train you to control the magic." Geralt tensed at the thought.
Jaskier ran a calming hand down the witchers back. Geralt looked suprised but didn't pull away.
"Then the ransacked happened." Geralt said with a frown.
"They killed anyone. Our professors, us.... even the children who hadn't been turned weren't spared" gerslt says and jaskier cringes at the thought.
"There was very few of us left. We changed. The way we were raised changed. My mentor raised us differently then the ones who died would have." He explains and jaskier raised an eyebrow
"He acted more like a father then a professer" Geralt explains and jaskier smiled
"That's all there is" geralt says and jaskier nods
The bard expects the conversation to end but instead the witcher turns to him.
"What about your childhood? Growing up as a Viscount of Lettenhove must have been interesting" geralt says and jaskier frowned.
The food was ready and geralt passes jaskier his portion. The bard took it taking a small bite so he can have time to think of what to say.
"It started great" he replied making the witcher suprised.
"When I was born everyone seemed happy. I was a boy and that's all that mattered to my dad. My grandmother gave me the name jaskier. Her dandelion" Jaskier says taking another bite
He chews it just so he can have something else to focus on.
"My mother and grandmother showered me with love. When I was about 7 years old my grandmother died. My father dicided I was old enough to start training." Jaskier says and geralt raises his eyebrow
"It started out with reading. Learning everything I would need to know when I became a Viscount." Jaskier says and sighs at the memory.
"When I turned 8 he dicided I wasn't manly enough and put me in sword lessons" jaskier says annoyed.
"I was more endless beatings and less actual training." Jaskier spits out the words like they hurt.
"Then my mother died" jaskiwr says sadly.
He messes with his food a little just thinking before he takes a deep breath.
"It turned to abuse. The daily beatings he called sword practice. The way he would look at me or talk to me." Jaskier says frowned.
"It wasn't all horrible. I used to sneak out, climb the mansion wall and look at the stars." Jaskier says smiling slightly at the memory
"I may act arrogant but i wasn't always like this. I was quiet and behaved but it was never enough." Jaskier says and then sighed
"The breaking point was a stable boy I got close to..." jaksier says looking at the ground.
"My father didn't like how close we were and commanded me to kill him. Handed me that samn sword and told me to kill him" jaskier says shaking
Geralt takes the bards hands placing the food down. Jaskier doesn't look at the Witcher but he does hold his hands tighter.
"I wouldn't do it.... I didn't want him to die. Then he told the captain to do it and had gaurds hold me so I had no choice but to watch" jaskier says and feels like crying.
He hadn't spoken of his old friend in many years. He was glad to tell someone about the shit he went through.
"After that they sent me away to learn thinking I would miss home but I didn't. I found that I was free." Jaskier says honestly and then nods
Jaskier shakes his head and smiles again. He tries to seen ok even though the witcher can see the unshed tears.
"The rest is history" jaskier says and geralt pulls the bard into his arms.
"You'll never have to go back. I'll never let you go back" geralt promises and jaskier breaks.
They hold each other while the bard cries.
There had been a time shortly after the trials geralt had done something similar.
He had finished the trials just before the attack. The days that followed he cried in his mentors arms.
He was processing what he was and what had happened. He knew the pain of losing a friend
Jaskier pulled away enough to hold the witchers face.
"I promise you'll always have me" jaskier says and the witcher kisses him.
After a few more kisses they pull away to finally eat. They both felt lighter, happier.
YOU ARE READING
Geraskier one shots
Fanficart is done by yakichou on deviantart Geralt of Riva/ jaskier dandelion. bxb just some one shots of our favorite Witcher and his bard. hope you enjoy.
