You mentioned I should drop a prompt, so what do you think of Geralt being soft? Like he’s actually a really intimate and gentle person when it comes to romance and Jaskier is in awe of this secret side of Geralt. Thoughts?
YES! Thoughts are, AMAZING!! Thank you for indulging me with this!
Also Im doing a sneaky and claiming this as 2/4 for my 400 follower celebration
I thought I was going to write a short but NO I DID NOT! Please have some soft boys and I hope I did this justice! I have many thoughts on the subject and I love them all!
On Ao3 here, for your consideration! Please enjoy
Jaskier is baffled. Flabbergasted. In a state of constant awe.
He has known Geralt for great many years. Pined after him for most of them, and therefore thought he knew Geralt and his ways. He has seen him at his best and his worst, from afar and up close.
He witnessed Triss falling for him, and Geralt not returning her feelings.
He was on the first row when Geralt fell head over heels for Yennefer, and how they fell apart over and over again.
And when Geralt broke his heart, on accident and on purpose, Jaskier saw, felt, witnessed, learned who Geralt is, and how he acts.
When Ciri finally was pushed into their lap by fate's cruel hand, he thought he had seen it all.
He was content with being Geralt's friend, he was fine with sitting on the sidelines, if only he got to be there. They had their fights, their falling outs, their own kind of breaking up for months.
But they always found each other, and Jaskier thought he knew how Geralt expressed himself and his own place in their lives.
But something changed.
Jaskier can’t put his finger on what or when, but Geralt started mending his socks when he did his own. When he complained about his lute case being in poor shape, bought him a new one.
And Jaskier has been to Kaer Morhen a few times. It has passed its glory days, it is true, but the beauty of history in a hidden corner of the world, a place to rest and heal and grow. To breathe the stillness of a winters day high above the ground, to be a part of the sky, to feel the cold bite his cheeks.
On a balcony far above everything, Geralt had kissed him.
He remembers the sky being a pale blue, almost white over the horizon, the sun high above them. They were talking about something as mundane as brushes for Roach and Pegasus.
Jaskier insisted they should have the brushes with a little longer bristles, because they were clearly superior to the soft, useless ones Geralt preferred. The longer would work better with the thick winter fur and the mud, obviously. Soft brushes are great for added shine, but they didn’t do much good before they were clean, would they?
And Geralt had smiled at him, a soft smile Jaskier had only seen at a distance before, and then Geralt had stepped right into his space.
Noses almost touching, Geralt's wonderful amber eyes almost hidden behind his lashes when he looked down and then leaned in. Dry, chapped lips against his, beard tickling him and his heart almost exploding with emotion. It took Jaskier completely by surprise, and Geralt had pulled back, smiled again and apologized.
And one does not kiss Jaskier like that and apologize for it. Especially not when you have been half in love with the idiot for a decade, possibly two.
Jaskier did the only right thing and kissed the daylight out of him, right there on the balcony.
So yes, things have changed, and entirely for the better.
But Jaskier, who spent most of his life watching Geralt, is finding out new things. It’s like someone lifted a curtain, opened a door, whatever cliché you would want to use. Geralt is letting him in, letting him see another side of himself. They have been through a lot, they both have changed and grown a lot. But there are more smiles, and they are brighter, softer, richer. The jokes are less cutting, and there are actual compliments.
Touches. Words, even.
A late night in the corner of a tavern, perhaps a little bit deeper into their drinks than intended, Geralt leans forward and takes hold of his chin. By now Jaskier expects a kiss, but Geralt just stares at him.
“You have the most beautiful eyes.” He murmurs, and Jaskier is moments away from death. Heart, lungs, you name it, they all take a break to restart and think out new ways to function. Because never, ever, had he expected that. There is no way he could compete with Yennefer, and he say as much.
“It’s not a competition.” Geralt had frowns at him, still a little too focused on his eyes. “Each of you has something that is only you. I could never compare. Your eyes are like a piece of the sky, a droplet of water, cornflower blue. It’s hard to look at you sometimes, because it’s so hard to look away.”
Needless to say, Jaskier drags Geralt up to their room and they weren’t seen for the rest of the night.
While on the path and on one horse each it wasn’t easy to find ways to casually touch.
But Geralt lets Roach get close to Pegasus, their feet and calves touching. Jaskier smiles at him and pushes at Geralt's shoulder, and Geralt catches his hand and kisses his knuckles. And then Geralt comments on the blush Jaskier suddenly is wearing.
Sometimes when they sit next to each other, Geralt will drop a hand on Jaskiers thigh. Grabbing his hand, letting his thumb slowly caress it. Twining their fingers together, touching their feet together under the table. Gentle touches for no other reason than to be a bit closer.
More than once while sitting in front of the fire at night, scribbling on lyrics and poems, Geralt would sit close if not next to him. Sometimes he would sit behind Jaskier, trace patterns on his back as he worked. Sometimes he would fiddle with his hair, kiss his shoulder or neck.
And when he peeks around at Jaskier, to see if he was getting any attention, he would pull a stray strand of hair behind his ear. His fingers are always hot, always careful.
Jaskier never saw this side of Geralt, no.
But it would turn out Geralt never saw this side of Jaskier either.
Might be that Jaskier recites many poems, and writes them even more. But before this, before the balcony, Jaskier would never dare write and read one directly about and to Geralt. When Jaskier reads them, every time without fail Geralt's mouth falls open, blush stains his cheeks and Jaskier has to fight not to lean in and kiss him.
It’s wonderful, he can never get enough.
Geralt is used to seeing Jaskiers easy platonic affection, but nothing could have prepared him for all the love and affection Jaskier harbors inside of himself, that suddenly is let free. How he for long, long moments can let his fingers run across Geralt’s face.
His nose, cheekbones, lips, chin, temples, over the shell of his ear. Exploring, caressing, touching. He is allowed now, after all. Sometimes he braids Geralt's hair. He sucks at braiding, they are crooked and uneven, but Geralt refuse to take them out for a day or two.
And when he finally does, his pale white hair is full of curls and waves, and there is nothing on this earth that can make Jaskier stop playing with it.
Of course there is a certain amount of flirting a bard is expected to do during his performance, but he somehow always makes sure he ends up sprawled across Geralt's lap, even with a perfectly good chair right next to them.
And it’s been but two nights they haven’t slept next to each other, or on top of each other, while together on the path. They have no reason to pretend anymore, after all.
Then of course there are the less obvious things, the things they have done for each other for years but suddenly are seen as what they should have been all along.
It seems like no one is surprised by this new development. No one but the two of them. It will take years for him, a decade, possibly more, to come to terms with this. But they have time. They practice every day. It’s not perfect.
They are still not good at talking, they fight and misunderstand and they yell and they forgive.
But it’s like they always have been. Always will be.
And they work for it, for their time and affection for each other, a little more every day.
The first I love you reverberate through his bones, etches itself on his heart. Making room for all the I love yous to come.
Hello again!!! I’m the person who asked about writing autistic characters a few days ago. I had a few scenarios in mind, but I didn’t want to go for anything without asking you or someone else. No pressure on answering this; I can easily ask someone else too!
But anyways, if you do answer this, would it be accurate for Person A—an autistic character—to find social interactions easier with people she already knows? For example, she has no trouble talking/joking/understanding sarcasm with her close friends or flirting with her girlfriend, but she struggles with small talk/sarcasm with strangers/formal conversations and flirting with people she’s just met.
Also, how accurate would it be for her to have been nonverbal as a child (probably used assistive tech), and after years of practice and work, she became verbal as an adult? This idea is just in the rough drafts, and it’s not likely I’ll use it, but I threw it in here in case it sticks.
And finally, can autistic people go through periods of being nonverbal? For a day or so, she may not talk or interact much, but is perfectly fine communicating the next day? Would/could the period of time stretch out over the course of several days?
Thoughts?
for the social cues differing based on people: that absolutely makes sense!!! i know i personally find it much easier to understand social cues with people i’m familiar with than with strangers, and i bet that’s the case for a lot of other autistic people.
as fo the nonverbal as a child thing, i wouldn’t go with that. i understand the inclination, but it might give the vibe that being nonverbal is something bad that should be “treated,” for lack of a better word. i know that isn’t how you mean it, don’t worry! just keep it in mind. if you want to incorporate nonverbal-ness, maybe she’s selectively mute, and goes nonverbal in certain circumstances!
and yes! going nonverbal can be temporary; it is for me, and for many other autistic people. i tend to go nonverbal for a few hours, but it can stretch multiple days or even weeks. so yeah, you’re on track with that!
feel free to send any other questions you might have!
Hi!! I am writing a spy novel featuring an autistic character, and while I have been doing research on autism and the do’s and dont’s, is there anything you would suggest/mention?
I am allistic, and my character—Person A—is an adult Black woman in her twenties. She stims a lot, has turn-offs (like touching gross fabric or eating weird textures), is good at social cues, but isn’t very good at recognizing her own emotions. Is this a good/accurate autistic person? What should I remember while writing her character?
I also want to include another character—Person B—who is a very close friend of A. Person B is highly empathetic (although not as much as you’ve described in posts about your hyperempathy) and helps Person A recognize and handle her emotions. Would this be acceptable? I don’t want to push the idea that autistic people need assistance to recognize their own emotions.
hi!!! thanks so much for sending this! i’m glad you’re being so respectful and good about doing research. but just a reminder, whatever you do, ask autistic people like you have been doing, don’t go to sites like autism speaks.
i should preface this by saying that i’m only in high school, and i am white, so it won’t be exact.
that sounds pretty accurate, yeah! i stim a lot (for me it’s pretty subtle, fidgeting too, though i flap my hands or rock back and forth sometimes), and that is in part because of my adhd. and the texture thing is super important!!! while it doesn’t happen to every autistic person, it’s pretty common, and it can be very random things (one of mine is elbow pasta. not pasta in general, i love pasta, but i hate elbow pasta specifically. i cannot stand it.) such as velvet or tin foil or wet grass. and vice versa, there are also textures we might love (especially plush or soft things)!
and social cues can be a difficult one. i myself am pretty good with social cues, but some other autistic people aren’t. everyone is different; and it’s important to remember that autism is a spectrum, but not from “less autistic” to “more autistic.” it’s more like a soup. you can have more or less of different “ingredients” like social cue understanding, stimming, hyperfocusing, verbal communication, etc!
the emotion thing is also a great question! like with other parts of autism, emotions (both how intensely you feel them and whether it’s easy to recognize them) are different for everyone.
as someone who is hyperempathetic because of my autism, i think it’s a great system of support! (and for some extra tips for character B, maybe have them occasionally get overloaded with emotion, and try to assign tells to their own emotions!)
this is especially a great system if, as you said, characters A and B are close friends. there’s nothing wrong with leaning on friends and getting support! just make sure that all of your characters (based on personalities and potential trust issues, ofc) all rely on friends, so it’s not just the autistic character who has support. but yeah, that sounds awesome!
also, whatever you do, steer clear of the sheldon cooper archetype, or the robotic, factual personalities we see all too often in autistic characters. we’re people! there’s nothing wrong with having your autistic character be intelligent; in fact, that’s a good thing! but don’t make them the super smart, math whiz, all-knowing nerd type, yk? again there’s nothing wrong with being autistic and a nerd, but don’t do the stereotype.
that said, some of us do enjoy very “left-brained” things. but in general, don’t make us sheldon coopers.
sorry this answer was so long! any other autistic people please feel free to chime in in the notes/reblogs!! and feel free to send any other questions you might have.
(also, spy novel with autistic main female character of color???? amazing, 10/10 would read)
Ah! This idea was spawned from a snippet of a book I'd read quite a bit ago called The Candy Shop War, middle school me highly recommends, but the only thing that you need to know right now is that characters could get trapped in mirrors
Less plot and more my wanting to play with something thematic, I want to write about the sort of devotion that it would take for Jaskier to get trapped in a mirror and then for Geralt to visit him, and/or for Jaskier to find a way to follow Geralt in his reflections
Jaskier had been pushed by a wayward mage into a mirror that had melded around him like water, puling him into somewhere other, with a perfect view of the room and world he's been forced to leave behind once he could orient himself again. And there is Geralt, staring directly at him with open horror, hand raised nearly unconsciously to meet his, pressed against a solid surface, a pane of glass between them.
There's something romantic about it to me-in a gothic sort of way- that I'm really interested in exploring, and of course I'm a total fluff butt so it will have a happy ending guaranteed
Thank you for the ask :D💙💙💙 Hopefully that explains it a bit
I am so happy right now!! Earlier this month, I stumbled upon one of your Geraskier fanarts but didn't follow you and my only clue was "Dankou" and a relative memory of your style but now I found your blog and I'm crying over your beautiful art. Love your work!!
Ahhh thank you so much!! ♥
Also yeah sorry about the sudden URL change, this is first time I’ve changed it properly in literally years... 😅
