With a Witcher

s i x

It surprised her that Geralt did not leave whilst she slept. Before they were whatever they were, he did that a lot. It became a habit of his. Leaving before she could say good-bye. Before breakfast and a kiss. He'd always say that it made it easier for him to go before he could see her eyes sadden when he got dressed or how she would pout as he unties Roach. It helped him get a lot less attached.

She was pleased to find his body next to hers. Through groggy eyes, she did not believe that he was actually there until she reached out and felt his large body. She presumed that he really meant it when he said that he wanted to show her just how much he really cared. There was some comfort in that. She felt loved by him. If somebody had asked her if Witchers were capable of love a few years ago, she would tell them no with as much certainty as she had about the sun being bright. 'Morning.' She was groggy from sleep and the beams of sun burnt her eyes.

It was too early for her to be awake but she wanted to catch Geralt before he left. 'Morning, sweetheart.' He kissed her lips lightly not caring about her morning breath. She wrapped her arms around his body and pulled him closer to her on the bed so she could curl into his body for a few seconds longer. 'I have to go soon, don't tempt me with going back to bed.' She thought about doing so before deciding against it. The sooner he left, the sooner he would return.

She lightly hummed against his skin before she sat up. She finger-combed his hair until she could run them through it without hitting any knots. He loved when she played with his hair. There was something so intimate about him letting someone touch him in a non-sexual manner. It brought him a lot of comfort. 'Geralt. Stop moving so much. I just want to tie the front of your hair up so it doesn't get in the way of your eyes.' He stilled almost instantly at the sternness in her voice.

He hated having his hair up but he never told her. He liked how concerned she was for him. She insisted that the reason she always did up his hair was to ensure that he could see without any obstructions. However, she didn't say that she just loved just being close to him and touching him. It brought her a lot of joy. It was a simple thing but it also let her know that he was really there. With her.

They were finally getting somewhere as a couple and as a team. It was a step in the right direction for the pair of them. Neither of them were alone anymore. It scared her. It meant that there were people in her life that could hurt her. It was a risk she was willing to take. He took a risk by being with her. As a Witcher, he always said that the more people that he cared about, the bigger the risk was. Caring about people was a liability for a Witcher. It made them weak. He knew that. He was taught that. And he defied that. He did it for her and she knew that.

*

They ate breakfast together. Cirilla and Jaskier left them alone to say good-bye. She stalled his departure by petting Roach and brushing out her mane. It gave them a little time to talk. He brought up the idea of getting another little cottage somewhere far up north. They could be away from it all, have a home, and quiet life. Like they had before.

The mood was sombre. The last time that they were away from each other, she was attacked. He hated the thought of leaving her but he was also aware that it was actually safer for them both to be apart. He would be too worried about her safety if she were to be with him but he also hated the idea of not being the one to protect her. Logically, he knew that Triss and the rest of the Brotherhood were more than capable but there was a fear in giving up that level of control.

As she kissed Geralt good-bye, she could not help but think about the possibility of children. She had always thought about having them. What person hasn't at some point in their lives? But she didn't know if she ever wanted any. Not truly. It would be selfish for her to have a child in this world. Food was scarce and the war was constantly imminent. To some degree, it was lucky that Geralt was sterile.