NOVEMBER - DECEMBER TEST DRIVE MEME

[indigo_events]

➞ Post with a character you wish to test drive in this game's setting.
➞ Tag other people's starters and thread out shenanigans!
➞ Invite your friends! Try out new characters! Come play with us!
➞ Have fun!

NOT SURE WHERE TO BEGIN YOUR TEST-DRIVE JOURNEY?
CHECK OUT ALL THE LOCATIONS WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN:

JOHTO | KANTO | SEVII ISLANDS

Feel free to make various prompts in multiple locations!

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OTHER USEFUL LINKS:
NAVIGATION | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

Comments

[lovelybottom]

[That's not fair, Jaskier had said when Geralt had told him that life's great blessing would be to take him off of his hands. Geralt is, apparently, a very unfair man-- in both his accusations and in this half-apology. He can only hope that the bard will forgive him for it, for trespasses both past and present. But Jaskier has always been good at forgiveness, hasn't he? He'd forgiven Geralt for any number of insults and casual cruelties over the past two decades, without the witcher even having to say a word of apology.]

[Jaskier makes himself look small, arms wrapped around himself and eyes on the ground. It's contrary to everything the bard usually is-- the sheer force of his personality always takes up more space than his physical body ever could. No amount of hecklers or angry fathers could diminish him.]

I know.

[He had wounded him without ever even reaching for a sword. And he has learned that he should not have taken Jaskier's presence for granted, that he shouldn't have assumed that he would know that he didn't mean if life could give me one blessing either. It was a hard lesson to learn, one that he took over the months of lonely travel, when there was that aching, restless thing in his chest that usually only reared its head in the last few weeks of winter. He had always thought it just wanderlust, a need to get back out onto the Path.]

You were never the reason for my problems, Jaskier. [Geralt is perfectly capable of being the reason for his own problems, and frequently is. No bard necessary.] It was never a blessing to have you gone.

[rollstoseduce]

[I know, Geralt says, and Jaskier hates it, hates how two little words have enough power on him to pull him forward, to make him walk until they're only one step away from each other. At least he has just enough self-control left (enough pride left) not to look up yet. Because he knows if he does, if he looks directly into those golden eyes while they're admitting once in their lives they were wrong, Jaskier is sure he won't be able to stop himself from giving in any longer.]

Is that your way of admitting you want my company?

[Again, so fucking unfair. This isn't the way he would've wanted to hear this. And yet his lips show just a slight curving and a calloused hand reaches out to pull at the witcher's sleeve. Just you - but also no apology. It's not different from the last twenty-two years, having Geralt only give him glimpses of a bigger picture, too stubborn and emotionally constipated to dare to do more.

Jaskier wants him back, it would be stupid of him to deny he does, but this can't happen again. He may still be a fool, but he's a fool who doesn't want to get hurt.]

If I'm not your maid, then what am I to you, Geralt? What do you want? And don't you fucking dare to say you want nothing. You wouldn't still be here if it was true.

[lovelybottom]

[Jaskier stands before him, and Geralt wishes that he could still discern what the bard's feeling through his scent-- he hates this guessing, never being sure if he's reading the other man correctly. Is this how humans do it all the time? Just muddling through by guessing what each little facial twitch or tiny gesture means, like some esoteric silent language?]

[His hand tugs at Geralt's sleeve.]

Come with me.

[That's what he wants, without saying that he wants. Witchers do not want-- it's against their nature, against what they were made for. It shouldn't matter to him whether or not Jaskier walks with him, because witchers don't have friends and they certainly don't have loud, vibrant bards following them around.]

This can be whatever you want it to be. Just come with me.

[rollstoseduce]

[Come with me.

This- this is Geralt asking for his company, asking him to be his travel companion. It's not poetic and it's not really a question or truly expressive a want, but it's sincere. It's Geralt's, a language that Jaskier knows well. Because he does, right? Geralt is telling him he does know him, that all his guesses and not listening to Geralt's denial the past twenty-two years were right.

There's so much Geralt is saying today that Jaskier's always wanted to hear, and it's a lot to process. The words echo in his head, fighting against the little dignity he has left, when the second blow comes, hitting him on his chest and making him catch his breath.

This can be whatever you want it to be.

Jaskier finally looks up with wide blue eyes, not believing what he's hearing, searching golden suns for the truth they hide behind those words. It can't possibly be this easy, not when a few hours ago he was pining over her...

Ah. Wait.

He pulls his hand back as if it were burning (it's actually shaking a little bit) and he has to take a deep breath before he can speak again.]

DON'T! [He raises a finger in front of Geralt's face, but not for long. It's soon taken back as his hands start flailing in crazy gesturing, which is the perfect visual representation of how he feels right now: a mess.] Don't make promises that you don't even know what they would entail just to appease me! You have no idea what you're offering here.

[His voice becomes small at the end of the sentence, matching the way his heart is cowering not to be hurt again.]

I know you! You feel guilty. So you're going to do whatever it takes to make it better. And- [He gulps.] -it's not as flattering as you think it is. At least, not for someone like me, who knows you and your stupid-arse witcher logic. That's what you said, right? You said I know you. Well, I do! [He opens his arms wide.] And that means you can't buy me back with service. I want you- no, I need to know how you feel. What you actually want, not what you're willing to give up - because yes, you oaf, they're different things. I need this friendship to be reciprocal! In case you haven't noticed, I've already been making what I could out of this for the last twenty-two years, and what has put us here now is your running away from it! No more running from this friendship, witcher. No more "fuck off, bard". No more "we're not friends". No more being a dick to me! I don't mind some banter and teasing, gods know I won't stop calling you emotionally constipated, but filling-less pie? That hurts, Geralt.

[A sigh.] I want to go with you. Like burning. But only if things get better from now on. Because no matter how much I care about you- [His arms drop to his sides, feeling tired, and not precisely of gesturing.] -I don't want to go through this again.