My Domestica | My Bodyguard Book 2

Chapter 39 | Tongue-Tied

Julian POV

Jaskier gave a smile as he saw Geralt's eyes open up and was relieved that he had not woken him up. He walked towards Geralt until he was standing in front of the couch and gave a chuckle an a shrug at him. "Well, I am left-handed and I am well, horrible at doing bandages on myself no matter how well I can do it others," he said with a small smile before he frowned and looked at how Geralt was laying. He knew the scent of cinnamon was probably over the whole entire house now.

"Why are you out here darling? Why aren't you in bed?" He asked, his head tilting to the side slightly in confusion. He stared into Geralt's eyes, relieved that the man was in fact not angry at him anyway and realized he was staring so he moved his gaze down to his own hand, holding it out slightly to look at it properly. It wasn't too bad, well, actually it was horrid. But whatever. He moved so that he was closer to Geralt, not wanting to go ahead and make him uncomfortable at all. He crouched down so he was in front of Geralt and at a similar height to him. He peeked over as he crouched, hearing her eating away and chuckled lightly. 

He smiled lightly as he moved his gaze back to Geralt and put out his right hand towards Geralt, gently brushing it over his cheekbone and caressing his thumb over his jaw lightly before bringing it back to himself, not wanting to make Geralt feel too pressured to have physical contact. He knew he wasn't the nicest to Geralt by pushing him too far earlier on.

Geralt POV

Geralt raised an eyebrow slightly, but said nothing. That he understood. He could bandage himself well enough, the Corps had seen to that, but he was still better at doing it on other people. Jaskier reeked of cinnamon. It was perhaps a little stronger than Geralt would have liked, especially with the scent overtaking the rest of the apartment, but he found he didn't mind all that much. It was a pleasant enough change.

He met Jaskier's eyes, only to have the man looked away again. "I don't sleep in my room," he said after a minute, examining Jaskier's hand with his eyes. "Not after Yennefer." He didn't know how much of her Jaskier had been able to smell earlier. But to him, the scent was as strong as if she had just left, and would be returning at any time.

He let Jaskier run a hand over the side of his face, not lending into it but not pushing it away, until the man removed it. Geralt gently took ahold of the hand the man was holding out some. "Do you want me to rewrap it?" He offered. He was willing to, and now that Jaskier had crouched down, his eyes were easier to meet.

He could hear Roach eating, could Ciri's light snores. Briefly, he wondered if he should start leaving his bedroom door open, so that the scent of cinnamon and Jaskier could fill that room instead of lilac and gooseberries. Maybe he should. It would still bring hurt when Jaskier left, but a different kind of hurt. And one that, with a little luck and work, Geralt wouldn't be able to feel.

Julian POV

Jaskier gave a small smile towards him, not one of pity but instead one of understanding. He understood that. Why else would he want to keep Geralt's shirt after all of this was over? He needed some form of grounding. And Geralt was all that he has and once he leaves here, then it would be had. "Do you want to try..sleep in there tonight? We don't have to, it's just a suggestion. I would say you can't sleep on the couch forever but..well..you are you." he said with a lighthearted chuckle before feeling Geralt's hand reach out and gently take a hold of his. He was surprised, to say the least at the offer. "Oh, um, if you wouldn't mind the sure," he said, feeling the warmth creep up his neck yet no blush was visible.