Imagine post-Voleth Meir, Geralt just assumes that Jaskier is going to join him on the Path again, because where else would he go thatâs safe? But then Geralt just looks at Jaskier in confusion, cause he told him he was leaving in two days and Jaskier isnât packed or getting provisions ready, and really what was the bard doingâ
But then Eskel (bc no he doesnât die donât be silly) explains that Jaskier is traveling with him for the year. That Eskel had offered and Jaskier, though unsure why Eskel would want him around, had accepted. And Geralt gets pissed, and jealous, and for the first time claims that Jaskier is his friend, only to be asked by Eskel what the bardâs name is.
Geralt says Jaskier, and even he isnât emotionally constipated enough to not see the pain on his friendâs face when no, he doesnât know anything other than his stage name. And his brother tells him what it is, because somehow heâs managed to learn more about the bard in a couple of months than the other Witcher was capable of doing in a couple of decades. And thatâŚwell. The only response Geralt has for that is to leave.
And the next winter, when Eskel comes back with only one new scar, armor that isnât falling apart, and looking happier than he has in decades, all the other witchers look at the bard he returned with in a new light. Geraltâs not blind, he sees the way Lambert chats the bard up at meals, jokes with him, insists he plays the raunchiest songs Jaskier knows when Ciri goes to sleep. And Geralt had already worked out an apology for the mountain over the past year, itâs the longest speech heâs ever given in his life, and he thinks it would have been enough. That Jaskier would have come with him when the snow starts to melt, if not for Eskel asking which herb the bard is allergic to.
And Geralt freezes as Jaskierâs shoulders droop, his jaw tight as Lambert reams him for not knowing heâs allergic to caraway. So Jaskier travels with Lambert that year, who wonât accidentally poison the bard, thank you very much, and Geralt spends spring, summer, fall writing in a journal everything he knows about the bard.
He stares at the seven filled pages in shame, a weight on his chest at the realization that half of what heâs written are actions Jaskier performs for Geraltâs sake. Still, he doesnât burn the journal, no matter how much he wants to.
He walks the path with Ciri, but come winter, he takes the time to learn his bard. Itâs slow going, with Jaskier alarmed and confused at the sudden interrogation Geralt performs every time he catches the bard, until someone pulls the Witcher aside and explains heâs scaring the poor man, seriously Geralt, what theâ
It took a century, but Geralt figures out how to hold a conversation. How to learn the things that make up his bard naturally, without giving the man flashbacks to fire and pain and hopelessness. He fills up several pages by the time winter is over, and even answers two questions from Lambert correct before the manâs cat has to step in, answering the third, fourth, and fifth.
And Geralt tries not to scowl, knowing Lambert probably cheated but feeling guilty enough he doesnât know the bardâs favorite song that he doesnât fight it. He says goodbye to Jaskier as he leaves with the cat, tells the bard heâll miss him, and tries to pretend the shock, disbelief, happiness the man exudes doesnât feel like an arrow to the heart.
The cycle continues for another few years, until Geralt is able to answer ten questions in a row, and his fellow witchers look appeased, and Geralt finds himself grateful for the trials and time if only for the smile of sheer joy on the bardâs face at being known. At being seen. At being loved.
I have this image of the younger siblings of Dick and Jason having full on meltdowns because their friends and co-workers and randoms on the street find them attractive and it isn't so much a jealousy thing, it's more that, they are their siblings, they aren't to be lusted after.
Kon: *staring at Dick mowing the lawn*
Cass: Dick, shouldn't you be wearing a shirt? You know what the sun does to your skin.
Dick, oblivious: Oh yeah, thanks Cass, it is pretty hot out today. Oh hey, Kon.
Kon: *lifting a hand to wave*
Cass: I will remove your eyes with a melonballer, Kent.
Jason: *working on his bike*
Roy: *watching*
Tim: Didn't you say you had to be gone by 3, Harper?
Roy: hmm? Yeah, well it's only 2:35-
Tim, pushing the hands of the clock forward: Well, look at the time.
Duke: So, like I was saying, these murders have a connection with the case you were talking about in Star City.
Wally:
Dick, all sweaty: Oh, do you need to use the Cave? The treadmill at my apartment wouldn't work I said I'd come over since I didn't think anybody would be down here.
Wally: You can stay.
Duke: No, you cannot.
Kara, from the sofa: I feel like we never hang out after cases.
Steph, making popcorn: That's because we never have any place to hang out. But everyone's out so-
Jason, walking in: Oh, hey, Steph. Kara. I didn't think anybody was here.
Steph: We're going to watch a movie. Beat it, Todd.
Jason: The Devil Wears Prada? Can I join?
Kara: Yes.
Jason: *sitting on the sofa, beginning his lecture on why Meryl Streep is a Queen*
Steph, sitting right between them so they're all bunched together: Oh, save some space for Rao there.
Kara: You're sitting on my leg -
Steph: *death glare*
Jason: *still going on about Meryl Streep*
Damian, breathless: I need uppies, immediately.
Jason: *frowning*
Dick: Oh are you OK, buddy?
Random pervy gala attendee: Aren't you a little old for-?
Damian: *throwing himself at Jason and Dick like he's blocking a bullet with his own body*
Dick: OK, OK, I'll-
Damian: No, both of you. Now. My legs...they are so tired as I am... small.
Dick: *looking at Jason, confused af*
Jason: Well, he is small. Come on little fella.
Damian, slung between his brothers holding under his arms and legs: *making slicing motions across his throat at the gala guest*
You can't convince me that Jason Todd is like the pet that Ra's al Ghul did not want but let Talia keep anyway once she brought him home. Ra's will be having some meeting and Jason will just wander into the room, playing a game on his phone with the volume up or leaning over to show Ra's a meme. Jason showing up to join the assembly lines at the League or briefings, wearing sunglasses and clutching a soda from McDonald's. Jason sat next to Ra's at meetings, his legs propped on Ra's armrest. Jason playing the Imperial March every time Ra's is walking down a corridor. One of the League yelling for Jason to get down from the rafters after climbing up there to avoid training only for Ra's to tell the member to knock it off. Ra's grumbles about Jason's lack of boundaries and his impulsiveness but never actually does anything about it and saying he's going to punish Jason but he never actually gets around to it. Jason just tells him "to try it old man" and Ra's just rolls his eyes and it's forgotten about. Jason can pretty much do or say or have anything he wants within reason. And even after Jason leaves the League, Ra's will still fork out for stuff like safe houses or weapons and memorably, every once and a while, Damian approaches Bruce with a satellite phone, it is Ra's calling to tell him to leave Jason alone.
Jay could forgive you.
So why canât you, dear Bruce?
Sometimes I hope Jay could join the family again.
Maybe Iâm the only one with this sad wish sobs.
Steve sighed as he stepped out into the late January air. He loved visiting the quarry at this time of year, especially when he parents strolled into town. He took in the view with a smile. God, it really was beautiful. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who thought so. He spotted Eddie Munson's van parked not too far away. He recognized it from all the times he picked Dustin up from Hellfire. The side door was wide open. Steve shoved his hands in his pockets and decided that he should go say hello. Dustin wanted them both to get to know each other, and he insisted that he had nothing to be jealous about.
"Hello? Munson?" Steve asked and peered into the van. "Eddie?"
That's when he heard it. Someone screaming. His instincts immediately kicked in, and he ran towards the sound. Steve reached the edge of the quarry and saw Eddie clinging to a ledge.
"Oh my god! What are you doing?!" Steve exclaimed.
"Well, gee, Harrington, I thought I'd get a better view - I fucking fell!" Eddie shrieked.
"Grab my hand!" Steve yelled.
Steve laid on his stomach and threw his arm down. Eddie didn't waste a second and grabbed his hand. Steve secured himself and started pulling Eddie up, but it was awkward. Steve groaned as he tried to pull him up.
"Okay! You know what? Just let me go, man, I can swim!" Eddie yelled.
"At this height, that water turns into concrete, and then you turn into mashed potatoes!" Steve exclaimed.
"You just had to put that image into my head!" Eddie shrieked. "You're fucking with me!"
"Yeah, that's right! I want to be known as the person who saved Eddie Munson's life!" Steve yelled.
"With all that hero hair, I bet you do!" Eddie yelled.
"You're so fucking - "
He was infuriating, and with that, Steve managed to find something inside of him to pull Eddie up. They stumbled backward, Eddie falling into his arms. Eddie clung to him, pressing his face into his shoulder and breathing him in.
"What were you about to say?" Eddie gasped.
"I was going to say that you were so fucking annoying," Steve said. "So annoying that I managed to use that to yank you up."
"So, what you're saying is that I saved my life," Eddie said. "I knew I could do it."
Steve laughed and loosened his grip. Suddenly, Eddie squeezed on tighter with a loud squeak.
"Eddie?"
"Don't let me go," he whimpered.
"Yeah, okay, I got you," he said softly and pressed his cheek to the top of his head, stroking hair hair gently.
"I just came out here because. . .I'm afraid of heights," Eddie said. "And I thought that I could just get over it by coming and putting my feet over the edge. It was so dumb. No one else knows about it. . .well, except you."
"Any other fears I should know about?" Steve asked.
"Ducks. You better not fucking tell anyone," Eddie said. "It's bad enough that Jeff mocks me for it, and now Dustin."
"I don't blame you. They look like freaky looking dinosaurs," Steve said. "I mean, I'm not afraid of them, but I totally get it."
"You're the only who does," Eddie said, letting out a dry sob. "You smell nice, by the way."
Eddie got up off of Steve and helped him up. He started dusting the gravel out of Steveâs hair before working his way down to dust off his back and then. . .
"Eddie, that's my ass! You're basically smacking my ass," Steve said, blushing.
"I'm just trying to be as helpful as you were with me," Eddie said and then scowled. "How the hell is this thing so bouncy?"
"Okay!" Steve said whirling around.
"Your cheeks are pink, you as cold as I am?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah. I got a blanket and a thermos of hot chocolate in my car," Steve said. "You want some?"
"It's kismet! I actually got space in the back of my van for once," Eddie said.
Steve grabbed the thermos and the blanket. He crawled into the back with Eddie and threw the blanket over the both of them. They leaned back against the wall of the van, facing the open door. He poured some hot chocolate for Eddie.
"I make it myself," Steve said.
"Goddamn, this is good!" Eddie grinned. "You really like it with extra chocolate."
"Yeah," he shrugged.
"Hmm, me, too," Eddie said. "What else is in here?"
"Can't tell you, it's my secret," he said.
"I nearly died, and you can't tell me your secret ingredient?!" He asked in disbelief.
"No!" Steve laughed as Eddie invaded his space. "You don't know what boundaries are, do you?"
"You tell me to back off, and I will," Eddie replied.
"It's fine," he blushed.
"I seriously want to think you for saving my life, Steve," Eddie said as he sipped his hot chocolate. "I never wanted to believe that someone like you could be such a good dude."
"I'm sorry," Steve said.
"For what?" He asked.
"That jocks like me have put you through so much hell that that it's made you believe so poorly in the sport," Steve said.
"Well, I suppose it happens with every group. I mean, most people think all metalheads are satanic and evil," Eddie said, rolling his eyes.
"When really they're all a bunch of teddy bears," Steve smirked.
"Shut up," Eddie said. "I suppose we all make assumptions."
"Well, Dustin was right about you. You're a great guy," Steve said.
"Not that I care about what little shrimp thinks," Eddie scoffs, blushing. "Besides, he totally worships you."
"He does?" Steve asked.
"Oh, yeah, I was super jealous as hell, by the way," he said.
"Yeah, me too," Steve said.
"What brings you out here?" Eddie asked.
"Oh, uh, my parents are actually home for once," Steve said.
"You don't like them, or they don't like you?" Eddie asked.
"I don't like them because they don't like me," Steve replied.
"Damn."
"Yeah. . .my dad is still ragging on me to join him at his company selling insurance, but I do not want to do that," Steve said. "On top of that, they're trying to pick out the girl they want me to marry."
"Jesus," Eddie said. "They can't do that, can they?"
"Well, they have the power to make me homeless, which they have brought up several times," Steve said.
"They're threatening you?! Yeah, I can see why you want to hide from them," Eddie said. "Why are they trying to force you to marry a girl?"
"It's complicated," he said.
"Oh, come on, I saved your life, you owe me," Eddie teased.
"Uh, that's the other way around, asshole," Steve said and laughed.
"You don't have to say anything, man, if you don't want to," Eddie said.
"They walked in on my fucking my now ex-boyfriend. . .who ended things, but apparently I wasn't worth it," Steve said. "So, now they're trying to cover up the fact that their precious boy isn't a freak."
"Jesus, okay, yeah, your parents are fucked in the head. You can't help being gay," Eddie said.
"Bisexual, actually," Steve said.
"Okay, context clues. . .judging by the fact that bi means more than one and sexual means - okay, yeah, okay, I got it, don't explain it to me," Eddie said, and Steve giggled. "You got anywhere else to go? Like people who actually care."
"I mean, yeah, but - "
"If they truly care about you, you're never a burden, no matter how much you mess up," Eddie said. "It took me a long time to realize that with Uncle Wayne."
"Yeah, I got a few people," he blushed.
"Good," Eddie said.
"So, how often do you need saving from yourself?" Steve asked. "Is it a regular occurence?"
"Wayne would tell you that, yes, I can barely get out of the trailer without tripping over my own feet," Eddie said.
"It sounds like you might need me around to save you then," Steve smiled.
"I definitely could, and you being around to pull me off the ledge would save the rest of Wayne's hair," he said, flashing his dimples.
"Sounds like I've got my work cut out for me, then," he said.
"I like to think that I'm worth it," Eddie said.
"I'm definitely starting to see that," Steve said.
"You know, if I were your boyfriend, I think I would have stayed and fought your parents for you. You're definitely worth it," Eddie said, casually sipping his hot chocolate. "So, how serious was this boyfriend of yours?"
"I mean, not very," Steve said. "I wasn't heartbroken when he left. Hey, wait a minute. . .Eddie, do you want to be my boyfriend?"
"Oh, I thought you would never ask!" Eddie exclaimed and kissed his cheek. "Hell yeah, big boy!"
"I wasn't - I mean, you know, what never mind," Steve chuckled. "It worked out."
"Yeah, it did," Eddie said, snuggling into him.
"So, how hard are you going to test my ability to keep you alive?" Steve asked.
"Oh, you have no idea!"
They continued to talk for a long time until they could no longer feel their extremities.
LATER. . .
Steve followed Eddie into his trailer as he barrelled through the front door. Wayne jumped as the front door slammed open.
"Boy, what have I told you about slamming that door and scaring me like that?" Wayne asked.
"To keep it up. You know how you told me that this trailer wasn't big enough for me to be bringing girls over?" Eddie asked. "Well, I found a loophole! I brought a boy home instead!"
"I didn't know you liked boys," Wayne said.
"Until today, I didn't realize that I did either," Eddie said with a grin.
Steve closed the front door behind him and quickly turned to Eddie.
"What?" Steve asked.
"It wasn't until this angel saved me from falling to my death, and no, I'm not being dramatic, that I realized that I also like the boys, specifically this boy," Eddie said.
"I should have suspected this when you offered to introduce me to your uncle," he grinned. "But I didn't realize that you didn't know about yourself until today."
"Sorry," Eddie said. "So, I know it's last minute, but he'll be sleeping in my bed for a few days until he moves into his new place."
"You really save his life?" Wayne asked.
"Oh, yeah," Steve said. "Idiot looked too far over the quarry and nearly fell in."
"Eddie!" Wayne yelled and then laughed. "Sorry, I didn't get your name."
"Steve Harrington," he said and held out his hand for Wayne to shake.
"Steve Harrington, huh?" he asked in amusement as he shook his hand. "Well, thank you, Steve Harrington, for saving my boy."
"It was no problem," he said.
"Enjoy your hair while you can because you're in for it," he said, and Steve snorted at Eddie's yelp. "You're welcome to stay as long as you want."
"He makes wonderful hot chocolate," Eddie said. "Come on."
He followed Eddie into his bed and watched him rush around the room to make it more presentable.
"Eddie," Steve said.
"Yeah?"
"Are you sure about this? It's all happening so fast, and I just want to make sure that you're not jumping in because I saved your life," Steve said.
"I've been struggling with my sexuality for a long time now because other people just automatically make the assumption that just because I'm a freak that I'm also queer," Eddie sighed, "And condsidering that it came from people who just wanted to beat me up all the time, the more I wanted to prove them wrong. Then you came along, and all I wanted to do was to finally stop fighting it. You did that, and it wasn't because you saved my life. It's because you held me after and you didn't let me go. You made me feel safe."
Steve smiled. He cupped Eddie's face and kissed him.
"You made me feel safe, too, right here and right now," Steve said. "Thanks for giving me a place to run to. Hold me?"
"Done."
Eddie dropped the clothes he was holding and pulled Steve onto the bed, right into his safe arms. He didn't have to worry about his parents ever again.
"You're trying to seduce me for my hot chocolate recipe, aren't you?" Steve asked and Eddie laughed.
"You got me!"
Steve smiled as Eddie's laughter caused them both to shake. He pressed his ear close to his chest. He closed his eyes, falling asleep to the sound of Eddie's heartbeat and laughter.
trying to explain to people in real life that iâm a supernatural fan in the ethel cain two boys striking out across america familial horror way and not in the 2014 tumblr gay angel and bisexual boy with daddy issues way
wincest is so insane because before you watch the show youâre like âoh it canât be that bad, itâs network tv, people probably just ship them because theyâre hotâ and then you watch the show and youâre like oh yeah theyâre not that bad They Are So Much Worse
