the hanza’s dynamic is already pretty solid, and i think why geregis works for me is that it doesn’t sideline the larger group dynamic for a romantic one. in other fictional cases, i might disagree with shoving a romantic dynamic into the platonic group for no apparent reason…
but if the premise is that “everything continues on as normal, but also these two guys have something going on behind the scenes” then i’m in
what they have together in canon is a friendship that developed against the odds and quite rapidly, but also with a degree of unusual intimacy in under such short time, with geralt willingly trusting, even requesting regis to lead with him, “but don’t tell her. tell regis. regis will know what to do,” asking for his advice and direction.
and these two are supposed to be mortal enemies who would destroy each other if given the slightest chance. but here they are instead, telling angoulême to stop running around looking for scandal, and coordinating everyone together for the october banquet… what they had looked like a domestic partnership and co-parenting setup, more than anything.
that’s not to disparage the agency or adulthood of any of the rest of the company, but regis openly distinguishes himself to geralt with “and just between you and i, you can send the young people to get packed by shouting (…) i deserve something else, if only for reasons of age,” it’s somewhat clear that regis begins to exist on a different tier of respect to geralt after he reveals himself
and even though old man yaoi is mainstream on tumblr, it also feels like a bit of a tongue-in-cheek response to geralt’s established taste for sorceresses that look twenty-to-thirty something. or dragons that look thirty-something. there’s no way that canon geralt would go for this cross between dracula and van helsing who is not only a man, not only middle-aged, but also skinny as a rail. when milva barring is standing right there? with her marble thighs? vilgefortz must have broken geralt’s head along with his arm and leg.
there’s also the curious fact that fringilla and regis are so contrasted. geralt’s lust for fringilla is almost immediately overshadowed by his dislike for her, his lack of enthusiasm to humor and please her. he manipulates her in return, refuting her attempts to hold him in beauclair and stay his quest. that lust and that manipulation were the only two things bonding them, and yet, fringilla should be the more desirable because she is a woman, because she is beautiful. but geralt does not trust her, understands her role placed to manipulate him, and begins to deploy counter-tactics with her.
meanwhile, he speaks with regis in private, a secret conversation amidst rose bushes, centfolia. he demands to be able to speak with him in private, he becomes frustrated when they are interrupted. “i have no secrets from mister regis,” he says. the entire opposite relationship he has with fringilla, which is only secrets kept from one another.
and it is indeed regis, not fringilla, who truly knows and accurately predicts geralt’s direction and the next step he will take. lady of the lake is very clear to contrast these two, with them holding their iconic argument at the breakfast table like two players in a game of chess.
but the outcome is what’s most curious to me, because the sexy woman loses in the battle for geralt’s affection. she loses against her opponent, the other chess player, who champions the opposite values; not lust, but instead, truth. the story ends up suggesting to us that lust, physical attraction, isn’t enough. true attraction comes from trust, from deep meaningfulness of a relationship, from shared values and journey.
so because of these pieces of canon, acknowledging the intimacy these two share, to me somewhat feels like a soft and quiet rebellion, needless to say, a valid queer interpretation of the text.
and then if you add in the additional speculative value, the inherent and underlying tension that must exist between such a professional witcher and such a powerful vampire, as well as the fact that geralt’s forever type is not, after all, immature girls, but one who is “slender, dark, terrible” with “cold, penetrating, wise eyes” and a “triumphant smile,” who’s been around longer than him, who is subject to no one… with, also, the identity crisis regis’s very existence invites, then you have a bit more ground to stand on and something to think about
theartofmadeline
origamiaround
jacobvanloon
areudirty
vaporwave
izzy806
