This idea stuck in my head for a while to be honest. But imagine Eskel getting drunk with
Lambert and Geralt. Imagine Eskel mistaking his room with reader’s and ending up with
reader in one bed. Imagine him realizing whole situation in the morning after he wakes up.
And seeing reader snuggled into him and sleeping peacefully and Eskel panicking being
overwhelmed with their oh so close presence, because he may have feelings for reader for a
while and not have clue and courage to make a move. And while all he wants is run away
before they open their eyes he loves so much and freak out seeing Eskel in their bed. But
deep down there is also warmth – feeling reader so close, sleeping so peacefully and
cuddling him makes him want to stop the time. And he presses soft kiss on their head and it
put reader into consciousness a bit, so Eskel starts deserting as delicate as he could so he
wouldn’t wake reader up. But they snuggling into him a little bit more and whisper to stay
with them a bit longer.
Your humble fan, 🌻
A/N: Hi babe! Sorry it's taken me a bit to post this. I hope you like it :) This was done with game!Eskel too
Warnings: none really, very light angst (I think?), mostly fluffy, mentions of Eskel being drunk the night before
Something tickled Eskel’s nose, drawing him from his heavy sleep. He scrunched his nose in an effort to make the unpleasant feeling go away. When that didn’t work, he tried to use his hand to scratch the itch. His hand, however, was stuck, pinned beneath something.
Eskel opened his eyes, now confused, and found that he was staring at the back of someone’s head.
What the hell?
Eskel was beyond confused.
But then he caught your scent. The witcher froze as he realized he was lying in bed with you.
He didn’t remember going to bed with you. In fact, he couldn’t remember much of the previous night. He knew he had gotten a bit intoxicated with Geralt and Lambert, but he didn’t think that he had gotten blackout drunk.
Fear began to ooze into his veins. Had anything happened between you both? What if Eskel had been rude or crass in his drunken state?
You shifted around, pulling the witcher out of his tormenting thoughts.
Eskel became acutely aware of the position he was in. He was on his side facing you with one arm tucked beneath his head. The other arm was wrapped around you, his hand laced with yours at your waist. One of his legs was tucked comfortably between yours.
Eskel had never realized how warm you were, nor had he ever noticed just how sweet you smelled.
The sound of your soft breathing and steady heart beat was enough to almost lull the witcher back to sleep.
But he couldn’t! He couldn’t stay. He needed to leave. You were his dear friend, someone he treasured. If he ruined it all in a drunken haze, he’d never forgive himself.
Eskel let out a small breath and kissed your head, then began his attempts to slip out of bed.
You began to stir, shifting around as the bed moved and Eskel’s warmth left you.
You turned over on to your back and rubbed your eyes.
“Eskel?”
The witcher cursed under his breath. He had only just gotten to his feet.
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Y/N.”
You looked at him, prepared to tell him good morning, when you saw the look of worry on his features.
“Is everything alright?”
Eskel opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. He cast his gaze down for a moment.
“I-I am so sorry for last night, Y/N.”
You sat up, furrowing your brows.
“What are you talking about, Eskel?”
He shook his head, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
“I didn’t- I never wanted this to happen. You…. I wanted to do things different with you. Hell, I would’ve preferred to remember it as well. Y/N, you don’t deserve that-,”
“Hold on just a second, Eskel.” You stopped him. “You…. You think something happened between us last night?”
Eskel hesitated to nod his head.
You smiled softly, shaking your head.
“What happened last night, Eskel, was you knocking on my door at nearly 3am rambling about how you’d like nothing more than to hear my voice.”
The witcher’s face flushed with embarrassment.
“You could barely walk and your brothers weren’t much better, so asking for their help in getting you to your room wasn’t an option. I let you in and within ten minutes, you were asleep.”
Eskel nodded, his hand coming up to tentatively touch his scars.
“I don’t know if that makes me feel any better.”
"You are one of a kind, Eskel.” You smiled at him. “Worried that we’d shared a bed intimately. Sweet man."
“Well, I-I want it to be a mutual thing.”
“Oh, trust me, my dear witcher.” You returned to laying down in the bed. “It would be a mutual thing.”
His eyes widened just a little as he realized the implications of what you were saying.
“If you don’t mind, it’s far too early for me. Good night, Eskel.”
“.... Good night, Y/N.”
Taglist will be reblogged because tumblr hates me :)
A/N: This was an ask from I believe @creatingstuffinpeace but I accidentally deleted the ask right as I was about to post it. I am going to probably make this into a little series with at least one more part because I have an idea, it's just a matter of when I have time to write it out :)
***
Thunder rumbled outside.
You moved around the bookshop, tidying things up.
“But momma! What about Gunnar?” Your son, Cas, tugged at your skirt.
“He’s probably just outback chasing a cat, love.” You brushed your fingers over his hair momentarily before picking up a small stack of books. “Will you help me with putting these back, Cas?”
He took two of the books from you and began to follow you to the other side of the little store.
“But momma! It’s about to storm! Gunnar doesn’t like storms!”
“Cas–,”
“What if he’s hurt? What if someone’s taken him or something’s happened to him? What if he’s lost!” The more the six-year-old thought about all the things that could have happened to his pup, the more frantic he became.
“Casimir.” You placed the books down on a table and knelt down to his level. You took the books from him and put them aside.
Tears welled in his eyes as he gazed at you. His bottom lip quivered.
You cupped his face and brushed your thumb over his cheek.
“I don’t want to take you out in the storm. But if you promise me to stay upstairs until I return, I will go look for Gunnar.”
“You will?”
You nodded.
“Okay.” He sniffled.
You wiped the tears away and leaned in to kiss his forehead.
“Let’s get these books put away. Then I’ll take you upstairs.”
As you stood up, Cas grabbed four of the books and tried to hurry towards the bookshelf they belonged on.
The front door creaked open and the bell above the door chimed, signaling someone was entering.
You glanced to your son once more before turning to greet the customer.
It was a tall figure with broad shoulders and a hood over his head. Something underneath his cloak moved and out poked Gunnar’s head.
“Gunnar!” Cas squealed in delight, running towards you.
The man put Gunnar down and the pup ran to meet Cas.
“I was just about to go searching for him.” You smiled at the stranger, taking little note of his vibrant golden eyes with catlike pupils.
“I found him clear on the other side of town.” His voice was deep but quiet. He gave a tight smile before turning to leave.
“Have you got a hunt to tend to at the moment, Master Witcher?” You asked, messing nervously with your hands. You hoped you weren’t crossing any boundaries by asking this.
“Not with the storm outside.”
“Would you want to stay for dinner? As a thank you for bringing my son’s dog back?”
The man hesitated to answer.
“I don’t want to impose.”
“It wouldn’t be imposing if I invited you.” You smiled just a little. “The rain seems to be coming down awfully heavy out there. And we’d like the company, wouldn’t we, Cas?”
Cas held Gunnar in his lap but was watching the witcher curiously.
“Yeah.” He answered quietly, a shy smile tugging at his lips.
“Your manners, son.” You lightly chided. The witcher turned back to you.
“Yes.” Your son repeated, this time lifting his head a bit.
“You don’t have to do this, m’lady.” The witcher insisted, his voice quiet and a bit on edge.
You could see with the way the poor lighting caught his face that there was something…. unnatural about his features.
“If you feel uncomfortable with the matter, my apologies.” You murmured softly, smiling. “I just wanted to thank you for your kindness. Not many people would bring the dog back, especially not in such weather.”
The man said nothing.
“Please stay, s-sir.” Cas spoke from behind you, his voice timid. “You brought-brought Gunnar back h-home. Let-Let us thank you.”
The witcher looked past you to your son briefly, before nodding his head.
“I am Y/N. This is my son Casimir.”
“Eskel.”
***
You took Eskel upstairs to your home located above the bookstore.
As you prepared dinner, you made conversation with the witcher. He was very polite and well-spoken, though he remained silent unless you asked him a question.
Your son sat by the hearth, watching Gunnar as he ate his dinner. You happened to be looking at your son when he looked into the kitchen. His eyes were focused on Eskel.
The witcher’s eyes flickered over to Cas, shifting ever so slightly in his seat. Was your son making him uncomfortable?
You moved around the table to place a mug of tea in front of the witcher. Golden eyes found you once more, taking in your every move. He turned his head just slightly away from you as if he was trying to keep his right side from you. But you had already seen the scars, the mangled lines that pulled at his face.
“You’ll have to forgive Casimir.” You lowered your voice so that only Eskel could hear you. “He’s young and just a curious boy. He means no harm, I promise you.”
Eskel’s brows furrowed together just slightly. Had he given you the illusion that something was wrong?
“Cas?” You looked up, smiling as your eyes landed on your boy. He perked up and raised his head. “Is everything alright, love?”
“Yes…. Can I get the book about daddy?”
“Of course, love.”
Cas shot up to his feet and ran to his room. Without finishing all of his food, Gunnar followed the boy.
“Your boy did nothing wrong.” Eskel spoke as you moved away from him. His eyes followed you. “There’s no need for any apologies.”
“But I know how cruel children can be, Master Eskel.” You focused on the pot of soup over the fire, stirring the contents steadily. “They are mean and cold because they are raised to be that way by their parents. They see it in the ones they look up to. They see fathers calling women in the streets filthy slurs and mothers degrading anyone who looks different from them or from their idea of what is normal and what is right….”
You trailed off, only realizing with the silence that followed that you had started to ramble.
You turned your head to Eskel, completely embarrassed that you had let yourself start down that path.
“I’m so sorry, Master Eskel. I didn’t mean to lecture you on my views of society.”
“Don’t apologize.” He shook his head, holding a hand up just slightly. A little smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “What you said is true. Children learn from their parents.”
You nodded, turning to check the bread in the oven.
“Momma, here!” Cas ran into the kitchen. He held a thin book high above his head. Gunnar was on his heels, happily wagging his tail.
“Set the book down on the table, Cas.”
Cas chose to stand at the table directly to Eskel’s right. He placed the book down on the wood and opened it up.
“Tell Master Eskel what the book is about, Casimir.” You took the bread out of the stone oven and placed it on the counter top.
Cas turned his head to look at Eskel but only for a split second. He didn’t want to stare for too long. Staring was rude and Casimir was better than that.
“It’s about the tales of a witcher!”
Eskel read some of the words over Cas’s shoulder, but the six year old seemed to just want to flip through the book.
“Momma?”
“Yes, my love?”
“May I ask Master Eskel a question?”
“He’s right beside you, Casimir. Go right ahead.” You paused what you were doing, placing one hand on your hip as you watched your son.
“Master Eskel?” Cas closed his book and rubbed his fingers over the wording on the front cover.
“Yes?” Eskel looked down at him.
“How many witchers do you know?”
“I suppose a handful. There aren’t too many of us left.”
Cas nodded his head. A furrow formed between his brows. You could tell he was deep in thought.
“Casimir? What else would you like to ask Master Eskel?” You moved towards the table, kneeling down so that you were at your son’s level.
“Do you think he knows the one who knew daddy? The one who gave me this?” Cas tapped on the book.
“Oh, love.” You gave him a sad little smile, brushing your fingers over his hair. “The one who gave you that wasn’t a witcher. It was a man who travels with a witcher. A Witcher’s barker or bard. I don’t think Master Eskel knows him. That happened so far away.”
Cas nodded understandingly.
“May I ask who it was?” Eskel asked almost hesitantly.
Your eyes met his. You weren’t sure if you wanted to keep talking about the matter knowing that it would upset Cas, but Eskel was just curious.
“It happened when we lived in Cintra years ago. The witcher’s name was Geralt.” You explained.
“And we had to move far, far away from home.” Cas nodded his head, taking a deep breath. His voice was sad and made your heart break. “Now we live here.”
“This is home.” You leaned forward to kiss his head.
“I’m going to put my book back.”
You watched him leave the kitchen.
“I do know that witcher.” Eskel spoke. He didn’t want to say anything loud enough for Casimir to hear him. He wasn’t sure if you wanted your son to hear what he was saying. “He’s my brother.”
You opened your mouth to speak but nothing came out at first. You weren’t sure what to say. You were surprised. What was the chance that this witcher sitting here at the table knew your dear friend Geralt?
You pulled out the chair directly across from him and sat down. Your eyes fell to the wedding band on your left hand.
“Geralt was great friends with my husband. Geralt saved him on more than one occasion.” A fond smile came to your lips at the memories. “My husband, rest his soul, could never stay out of trouble in his youth.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Your eyes flickered up to Eskel, offering him a smile.
“Do you know Geralt’s bard, Jaskier? He wrote stories of Geralt and my husband’s journeys together for our son and had a book created so that Cas would have a book to always remember him by. He clings to it.”
“That was very thoughtful of Jaskier.”
“It was. Brought me to tears for nearly a month afterwards.”
Eskel watched as you tapped your fingers absentmindedly against the table. Your eyes were stuck on the hallway but you weren’t watching the hallway. Your mind was elsewhere. You were absent. He knew that look. The look of someone who had lost someone, a part of them.
Silently, the witcher wondered how long ago your husband had passed. Time never made things better, but it did help to numb the ache of a loss. He had plenty of experience with time and with loss.
“How long has it been since you’ve seen Geralt?”
You blinked and straightened your posture, no longer lost in your mind. The sound of Cas coming back to the kitchen made you remember what was happening, where you were, and what you were supposed to be doing.
You stood to your feet and began to finish the last bits of dinner.
“Um, oh…. I’m not sure…. He, um, I think he came to visit just after….” You trailed off, looking at your son then at Eskel. “Just after it happened.”
Eskel nodded understandingly.
Casimir returned to his seat directly next to Eskel.
“Alright, gentleman. Thank you for your patience tonight.” You placed two bowls down in front of them then turned to get yours.
“Thank you for joining us, Master Eskel.” Cas picked up his spoon and began to eat.
“Thank you for having me.” Eskel smiled, golden eyes flickering over to you.
You met his gaze. Your eyes lingered on him for a few heartbeats before finding your soup.
Uhhh hi I have so many Eskel thots. If you’re looking for fluff, just imagine Eskel making a friend with a highland calf.
If you’re wanting smutty nonsense, think about Eskel coming back after a summer in skellige, his skin tanned and his stomach well fed, and he’s so gotdam pent up. He just. Needs release.
:D
A/N: OMG babe I have always loved the idea of Eskel with a highland baby!!! It especially makes me soft when I see art where Eskel's hair is scraggly and in his eyes!! I made a little HC of Eskel and his cow Cinnamon. I want to make another part already!! And as for the smut, well that is definitely on my to do list...👀
***
-Eskel first set eyes on the calf at a market outside of Vengerberg. The highland calf was terribly underweight and struggled to fight its way to a trough for water among the other calves present, all of whom were quite bigger than he was.
-The witcher watched from a distance, knowing it was in his best interests to not intervene. He spent an hour and a half just watching the little runt of the litter with shaggy red fur grunt and moo in an attempt to be heard, to let his companions know how frustrated he is that he isn't being listened to.
-Eskel's stomach twisted up into knots as one of the older calves walked by the runt and bumped into him, easily knocking the babe over into the mud. Eskel stepped away from the wall he had been leaning against, nearly unable to keep himself from stepping in to help the runt.
-The little thing struggled to get to his feet, grunting and mooing in displeasure. Red fur was now caked in mud.
-There was a sudden loud shout, a man driving a cart and horse that stole Eskel's attention from the runt. That was when Eskel realized he had stepped down into the middle of the road. He apologized and continued across the road, heading straight for the man running the market for the cattle.
-The next thing the witcher knew, he was walking out of the market with Scorpion at the end of one lead and the runt at the end of a rope.
-Being that he still had miles and miles to travel before they reached the safety of Kaer Morhen, Eskel resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be able to stay at an inn. There was no where he could keep the little runt. But he was okay with camping out in the woods for the next few weeks. He could sleep just fine knowing the babe was with him.
-As the sun began to set, Eskel found a bend in a creek to make camp for the night. Scorpion was hitched to a tree and the russet colored calf was guided towards the gently flowing creek. It took some convincing and a bit of Scorpion's apple, but soon the runt followed. Eskel used what oils he had on him that he knew were safe for Scorpion on the calf's fur. This resulted in the little fella smelling of cinnamon.
-The travel to Kaer Morhen from Vengerberg would have usually taken just two weeks, but with the babe,, promptly named Cinnamon, being with the witcher, he stopped for breaks quite often in fear of overworking the little thing. The trio arrived at Kaer Morhen a week later than planned, but that was okay. It didn't bother them.
-Scorpion was happy to be home, while little Cinnamon was excited to explore the unfamiliar place. Eskel left him untethered and allowed the calf to follow him through the grounds towards the large doors that led into the keep. Seeing that only your horse was present in the stables, Eskel wasn't worried about Vesemir getting on to him about a cow being in the keep.
-Cinnamon stood just at the witcher's knee, prancing alongside him as they walked through the keep. Bleater was quick to welcome Cinnamon, though she was very vocal about it at first.
-Vesemir did not like the idea of a cow no matter the size being in the keep, but Eskel reassured him that it was temporary and it would only be until Cinnamon was old enough to be out side by himself.
-But like most of the animals Eskel brought home, Cinnamon remained an inside pet.
Was wondering if you could do a gender neutral Eskel/Reader where the reader is nonhuman and worried abt meeting Eskels brothers established relationship? You’re writing... is v good
A/N: Hi babe!! Sorry it took so long to answer to this. I got distracted with a few other works and then I just ended up sitting on it because I didn’t like how it felt when I finished it. But I fixed some things and I hope you like it!! Also a huge shout out to my lovely husband @writingawaymylife thank you so so much for helping me with this baby!!! I love you <3
Warnings: there’s talk of mentions of past harm caused to the reader for being both nonhuman and gender neutral so I’m not too entirely sure how to tag that?? There’s no descriptive details of the harm but it is mentioned. But there’s a lot of fluff!! And supportive Eskel!!
***
Eskel followed the sound of soft humming and the crackle of a fire. He moved quietly, wanting to hear everything.
You were humming as you moved around the kitchen, busying yourself with making breakfast for yourself and the witcher in your bed. You were too occupied to hear him leave the bedroom and being the nearly silent man he was, he still made no sound when he leaned against the doorway to the kitchen.
The wolf chose to study you, to take in your every move. You were quite graceful, your movements fluid but languid, as if you weren’t even trying to be so breathtaking. Your hair was tied back out of your face, something Eskel had rarely seen. He noticed fairly quickly that you preferred to have your hair down. The long locks acted as a shield to keep your ears from view. They gave away that you were not human, but an Elf.
With your long hair tied back, Eskel could see the scar that trailed down the right side of your neck. The scar was from a mob that attacked your home. You’d moved since then, but the scars remained. You were wary of humans and always made sure to cover any markings that would identify what you were.
When you turned around completely, you jumped at the sight of him, your hand coming up to your heart.
“Eskel. I didn’t see you there.” You smiled a little nervously, noticing how he was watching you.
“I’m sorry.” He was quick to apologize.
“It’s alright.” You wiped your hands off on a rag on the table. You gestured for him to take a seat at the table. You found it strange how even though you two had shared a bed four or five times a year in the two years you knew him, he was still hesitant to do anything without asking you first. He was a gentleman. He didn’t want to overstep any boundaries or do anything that would make you uncomfortable.
“How long have you been up?”
“A while. Woke up when you left.” He admitted, moving towards the table.
“I’m sorry I woke you.” You moved to get him a cup of tea.
“That’s okay. I…. I should be leaving.” He looked to the door.
Your eyes followed his gaze. His two swords, still in their sheaths, were next to the door. He didn’t like the thought of bringing them any further into your home. However, you knew he wasn’t completely comfortable without them near, ready to be used if needed. What you didn’t know was that he kept them as far away from you as possible as to not make you uncomfortable or fearful of him.
“So soon?” You tried to hide the upset tone in your voice. His eyes flickered back to you. You placed the mug in front of him. “You only arrived just last night.”
He said nothing to you.
You began to move away from him but his hand clasped your wrist, keeping you near.
“I’m sorry, Y/N.”
“It’s okay.” You assured him with a little smile. “I understand.”
He released you, allowing you to move around the kitchen. His eyes followed you, noticing a shift in your demeanor. You were no longer humming and your shoulders weren’t held as high as usual. They were slumped. You were upset.
“Where are you going, if I may ask?”
Eskel turned his head to look out of the only window in the kitchen. A thin layer of white snow had gathered on the ground outside. He had gotten a late start on heading home this year.
“Kaer Morhen.”
You nodded your head gently.
“Come here, love.” He pulled the chair out next to him and motioned for you to sit. You did as he directed, clasping your hands together in your lap. He leaned forward in his chair, his elbows on his knees, and wrapped your hands in his own. “I don’t want to leave, trust me. But I don’t want to chance a blizzard coming and blocking me from getting to the keep safely.”
“What’s waiting for you there? At Kaer Morhen?” You tilted your head to the side a little. You’d only heard about Kaer Morhen in stories from your family, but Eskel had never once mentioned it to you.
“My brothers.” He answered honestly. The little smile that came to his scarred lips warmed your heart. “It’s, um, it’s sort of tradition. Every winter, we meet there. We rest and prepare for taking the Path in the spring.”
Your eyes fell to his hands. They were warm and comforting, though they were worn from years and years of hard labor.
“I want you…. I want you to come with me, Y/N.” Eskel’s words were quiet and hesitant. Your eyes flickered up to meet his.
“You what?”
“Only if you want to.” He was quick to add, unsure if you would even want to step foot in a witcher’s keep. Witchers hunted monsters and to many humans, you were a monster. “You don’t have to though.” He shook his head, pulling his hands away. He was fearful he’d crossed the line with saying what he did.
“Eskel, I’d love to spend the winter with you.” You reached over to place your hand on his arm. “But I…. I don’t want to invade. Kaer Morhen is your home. You should spend time with your brothers.”
“I’d…. I’d like for you to meet them. If you want to, that is.”
You gazed at him for a few moments, heart racing at the idea of him introducing you to his family. A smile spread across your lips and you nodded your head.
“I’d love to meet them.”
***
You stuck close to Eskel as he led you out of the stables and towards the castle.
“What if they don’t like me?” You quietly asked him, turning your head to look at the witcher.
“Don’t be ridiculous. They’ll love you.”
You couldn’t help but feel anxious. Your stomach twisted up into knots. But what if they didn’t love you? What if they didn’t even like you? What if they viewed your kind as less than them simply because you were Elvan? What if they attacked you like the humans did? Surely you wouldn’t survive three witchers.
Eskel could hear your heart beat faster and the way your breath seemed to catch in your throat. Your hand on his arm tightened too, almost to the point of hurting.
He came to a stop and turned to face you.
“You’re scared.”
You couldn’t meet his gaze, your eyes finding the tall tower that peered over one of the stone walls in the courtyard.
Eskel placed two fingers beneath your chin and turned your head so that you had no choice but to look at him. Warm pools of honey gazed at you, tender and affectionate.
“Tell me why you are scared.” He spoke quietly. “Is it because they are witchers?”
“No, Eskel.” You shook your head, pulling his hand from your chin so you could lace your fingers together. “That’s…. That’s not it at all.”
“Then please tell me. I don’t like seeing you so scared. You have no reason to be.”
You turned your head away from him again, fixating your eyes on the tower. You were quiet for a few moments, trying to think of the right words to use.
“It’s…. Eskel, it’s because of me.” You turned your head to look at him but you could only hold his gaze for a split second before looking down to the medallion on his chest. “Not only am I Elvan, but I don’t…. I don’t conform to what many think of as ‘normal’ even for an Elf. I don’t fit nicely into a ‘male’ or ‘female’ slot. I’ve been persecuted because of my race and who I identify as. I’ve-Eskel, I have been attacked for something I can’t control, for being me.” Your voice broke and you shook your head. “And that punishment is often inflicted on those I’m with. I’m worried about how they will treat you for being with me. You have enough to deal with, with the outside world. I’d never want to make your home unsafe for you or to make you feel unwelcome. I don’t want the ones you love to treat you that way.”
His brows furrowed together softly and a frown became etched on to his scarred lips. Sadness filled his eyes.
“Y/N, you don’t deserve anything that’s happened to you because of who you are.” He pulled you in for a hug, his big arms wrapping tightly around you. His hand came up to the back of your head, cradling you to his chest. “You are the kindest person I’ve ever met. You are compassionate and thoughtful and caring. And you’re brilliant and funny. You deserve to be treated based on your personality, not on what you are or identify as.”
You held him tightly, inhaling his scent and letting him comfort you.
He pulled away first, large hands coming up to cup your cheeks.
“You are perfect just the way you are, Y/N.” Eskel leaned forward to kiss your lips tenderly. “And I promise you that you have nothing to fear from meeting my brothers. They won’t think any different of me and they definitely won’t hurt you. We know what it is like to be judged by our appearances, Y/N. We’re witchers for crying out loud.” He chuckled a little, though it was sad.
You nodded your head, squeezing his hand and smiling softly at him.
“Thank you, Eskel.”
“I’m only telling you the truth, my love.” He placed a kiss on your cheek and turned to walk towards the keep.
***
Your grip on his hand tightened as the large doors to the castle were pushed open by Eskel.
“Just so you know, we have a few extra guests this year.” He whispered to you. He could hear talking and laughter coming from the main room, and thanks to his enhanced hearing, he could tell that there were many more people there than just his brothers.
The large doors creaked shut behind you both.
“What?” Your eyes widened, a little panicked and caught off guard.
“They’re all friends, practically family.” He explained, bringing your hand up to kiss your knuckles. “People we’ve met along the Path. Well, mostly Geralt. He has a habit of bringing in strays.”
As you both turned the corner, the chattering stopped and all eyes turned to you two, though you felt as if they were more focused on you than Eskel. There were a few seconds where you thought for sure everything was going to be terrible. But then an ashen haired man stood from the table and moved to greet Eskel.
You let him go and stepped aside so the flock of people could say their hellos and hug Eskel.
“Who are you?” A man with brown hair and yellow eyes asked, moving towards you. On his chest was the same medallion that Eskel had.
“Y/N.” You smiled politely and held your hand out. He looked at your hand and stuffed his into the pockets of his trousers. You put your hand down, suddenly feeling like maybe trying to shake his hand wasn’t a good idea.
“Where are you from, Y/N?”
“Ignore him.” An older man dawning the same medallion brought his hand down on the brunet’s shoulder. “Vesemir.” He held his hand out for you.
“Vesemir.” You repeated, a smile forming on your lips. You shook his hand. “I-I’ve heard so much about you. Eskel, he talks about you a lot.”
“Oh, please.” The brunet rolled his eyes. “Eskel’s a suck up.”
“It’s good to see you too, Lambert.” Eskel moved around the two witchers to stand at your side. He introduced you to everyone and for a moment, you were a little overwhelmed with the attention. But then they started to return to their tables and you were able to breathe.
“Not so bad, is it?” Eskel asked you quietly as he laced your fingers together.
“No.” You smiled softly. “I like them.”
“Nice of you to finally bring Y/N to Kaer Morhen.” The white haired man said, yellow eyes finding you.
“Y/N, this is Geralt.” Eskel gestured to the man.
“The White Wolf.” You nodded, smiling.
“Don’t encourage him.” Lambert rolled his eyes, swatting a hand in your direction, and then he went to the table.
“Geralt is just fine.” Geralt said. “I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Before you had a chance to ask what he meant by that, he was walking back to the table too.
You looked at Eskel.
“You’ve told your family about me?” You asked him quietly, a little smile pulling at your lips.
“Just Geralt.” Eskel blushed a little.
Someone called for you both and when you looked at the table, a colorfully dressed brunet man was waving you two over.
Eskel slipped his arm around your waist and guided you towards the table.
For the angst prompts, eskel and reader # 43 and/or 34?
34. “Will you miss me at all?”
43. “Are you leaving?”
The bed shifted and moved, stirring you from your light slumber.
You opened your eyes, finding your bedroom dimly lit from the light coming in through the window. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon.
You brought your hand up to rub your eyes, rolling over onto your back.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.” His voice, tender and raspy, caught your attention.
You turned your head to see Eskel sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to you.
You watched him breathe, admiring the muscles rippling beneath scarred and tanned skin.
“It’s okay.” You turned over on to your side so you could face him, folding one arm beneath your head. “What…. What are you doing up so early?”
“Can’t sleep.” His answer was quiet and short. His hands gripped the edge of the bed. You could see his arms flex, see his muscles become more prominent as he gripped the edge of the bed.
“Are you leaving?” You asked.
“Yeah.”
“So early?” You furrowed your brows together, pushing yourself up into a sitting position. “You-You just got in last night.”
“I know.” He stood to his feet and moved away from your bed, casting one last look over his shoulder at you before moving across the room to gather his clothes.
You sat up in the bed, clutching the linens to your chest. Your bottom lip was taken between your teeth and your brows drew together.
Your mind began to wonder, to question why he even bothered to stop by if all he was going to do was leave.
You’re so stupid,Y/N. He came here for a warm bed. For company. He didn’t come for you.
As he pulled on his trousers, Eskel looked at you. Your silence was confusing. You were looking across the room, eyes glossy and harshly biting your lip. He knew what you were doing. You had an awful tendency to overthink everything, to question everything.
Thinking it would hurt you less, he picked up his shirt and left the bedroom silently.
The door clicked shut behind him, pulling you from your thoughts. You scrambled to get out of bed, to follow him, to get to him before he completely left. You pulled on a shirt that had once belonged to the quiet witcher and hurried out into the main room.
The main room was much colder than your room. The fire had gone out some time in the night, letting the bitter autumn air come into your home.
Eskel was next to his armor and his swords that he kept near the front door. He didn’t like venturing too far into your home with those things.
“Are-Are you going to leave without telling me goodbye?”
“I didn’t think it would do us any good.”
“Eskel, look at me.” You moved towards him, putting your hand on his bicep. It amazed you how the tender and affectionate witcher you’d come to love could shut down so easily and become distanced with you.
His movements froze, eyes darting over to look at you.
“You just got here last night. Please consider staying a few more nights.” You pleaded, squeezing his arm carefully.
“It’s getting cold. Winter is coming.” He shook his head. “Need to get to Kaer Morhen.”
Your hand fell from him and you watched him pick up the satchel he kept his clothes in.
You crossed your arms tightly over your chest, moving to the window in the kitchen.
A hefty layer of orange and yellow leaves covered your yard. The sun was just beginning to peek through the trees.
“At least let me make you breakfast.” You couldn’t bring yourself to look at him, knowing you’d lose your composure if you did.
He let out a soft sigh, yellow eyes gazing at the back of your head.
He knew his cold and distancing attitude were hurting you. He could hear it in your voice and see the way you tensed up.
“Y/N…. I’m-I’m going to be honest with you because I care about you.”
You turned to face him, your hands falling to your sides.
“I won’t be coming back.” His words were quiet, voice trembling as he nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
Your lips parted, shoulders slumping. You stood there for a few moments, in shock, unable to process what he was saying.
“You-You won’t- You won’t come back this year?” You asked, hoping and praying that you heard him wrong.
“No….. I’m not coming back at all. Ever.”
Your knees became weak as the breath in your lungs seemed to disappear. You pulled out a chair at the table, sitting down heavily.
“Y/N, I-I don’t want to lead you on-,”
“Seven years.” You cut him off, eyes focused on the wooden table.
“What?”
“Seven years.” You brought your eyes up to meet his gaze. :”That’s how long we’ve…. How long I’ve….” You couldn’t find the right words to use. You had never defined your relationship with the witcher, never out a title on what you were.
He’d come and go as he pleased, as he needed. You would sometimes see him several times a year. Other times you saw him once when the seasons changed, when the first signs of spring showed. But he always came back to you.
“Seven years, Eskel! That isn’t leading me on! That’s-That’s using me! Using my kindness! Using me for a warm bed, decent food, and a good fuck.”
“Y/N, it’s-its not like that-,”
“The hell it is, Eskel!” You couldn't help but feel used, manipulated even.
“Seven godsdamned years, Eskel. Had I known it was nothing to you, I would’ve spent those years searching for a husband, for someone who loved me-!”
“I love you, Y/N! I do!” Eskel finally raised his voice, cutting you off. “I-I love you more than I could ever show or tell you. That's-That's why I can’t come back here.”
You furrowed your brows together, unable to wrap your head around what he was saying.
He let out a heavy breath and ran a hand over his face.
“I was stopped on the way through town last night. A group of men on horses. They told me that if they saw me come here ever again, they’d kill you.”
You brought your gaze down to your hands. Your village had never been kind to him, but recently a few newcomers demanded no beasts of any kind. Witchers fell into that category.
“Y/N, I love you-,”
“Will you miss me?” You cut him off, your voice cracking.
The wall that Eskel had put up to make this easier came crashing down, crumbling to pieces.
You were on the verge of tears because of him, because of what he was doing, because of his choices. The very thought of you crying because of him was enough to make him sick with himself.
He moved to kneel down between your knees. You wouldn’t meet his gaze, diverting your eyes to the medallion on his chest. He cupped your face in his large hands, swiping a tear from your cheek with the rough pad of his thumb.
“More than you could ever know.” He murmured.
You closed your eyes, a sob slipping past your lips, and you leaned forward to rest your head against his shoulder.
“Please stay.”
“I can’t, doll. I can’t-I won’t risk your safety.” He turned his head, pressing a kiss to your neck.
“Then let me come with you.” Your hand found his chest, fisting the material of his tunic.
Eskel said nothing.
“I-I have nothing here. Without you, I am nothing.”
“It wouldn’t be safe for you to come with me.” He started. “The Path is unsafe, and not just because of the monsters I hunt. The people, the humans, can be far worse than any ghoul or fiend I encounter. They are unkind to witchers and their company.”
You pulled away from him, needing to see his warm honey eyes.
“My life means nothing without you.” You whispered.
“That isn’t true.” Eskel shook his head, his thumb trailing across the apple of your cheek. “You have so much to offer someone who is…. who is capable of giving you the life you deserve-,”
“I don’t want a husband with a boring life.” You cut him off, shaking your head. “I don’t want a boring life in a village full of arrogant pricks and judgemental assholes. I want you, Eskel. I am willing to take everything that comes with being yours. The months of separation, the dangers of enemies, the Path, all of it. Eskel, I am in love with you.”
His lips parted as he took in a soft breath. Even after all these years, hearing you say those words out loud and with such passion left the witcher speechless.
After a few moments, the faintest traces of a smile tugged at the scarred corner of his lips and he looked down shyly.
“I know. Don’t know how, but I know.”
“Then you know that all this talk about the dangers of traveling with you will do nothing to keep me away.” It was your turn to make him look at you, hooking two fingers beneath his chin and tilting his head up. “If you don’t want me anymore, then just tell me the truth. Be straightforward with me, Eskel.”
“I do want you.” His brows drew together softly. “Gods, Y/N, I want you more than anything.”
Eskel leaned forward, his nose brushing along yours. Your eyes fluttered shut as he did the same. His fingers traced the side of your face. He smiled just a little when you took in a small shaky breath.
“I’d never wish for more when you’re all I could’ve ever dreamed of.”
“Then don’t do this.” You told him, pulling yourself from the warmth of him and sitting back in your chair to look at him. “Let me come with you.”
He held your gaze for a few moments before nodding, smiling once more.
Sooo i was thinking that Eskel's daughter would totally be a daddy's little girl right? So picture this: Eskel learning to comb Nadia's hair and make some pretty braids, and while he's doing it, she keeps babbling with that cute baby voice
A/N: YES YES AND YES!!!! ESKEL DEFINITELY DOES HIS LITTLE GIRL’S HAIR AND SHES SUCH A DADDY’S GIRL ESKEL IS WRAPPED AROUND HER LITTLE PINKY
***
You winced as the sunlight pouring in from a crack in the curtain blinded you. You brought your hand up to shield your eyes, turning your head in the opposite direction.
You sat up and shivered. It was chilly in the room. The fire in the hearth had died out. You frowned, wondering where Eskel had been. He was always making sure the fire stayed warm enough in the cold months of winter. He hated the cold.
You pulled on your robe and shuffled out of your room. Peaking into Nadia’s room, you found her bed empty. Eskel must have her.
You could hear her incoherent babbles. When she was in a chatty mood, she oftentimes didn’t make much sense. Every now and then there would be words that made sense and came together to form a choppy sentence.
Eskel sat by the fire with her in his lap and a fur blanket thrown over her. He was braiding her hair back into two braids. Though she was only two, her hair fell a little past her shoulders in thick dark waves.
It was a nightmare for you to get her to listen to you and let you do her hair so it wasn’t constantly in her face. Eskel, however, could just beckon her over to him and she’d comply, plopping down in his lap and allowing him to do as he pleased with her pretty hair. He was a quick learner. He picked up on how you’d do her hair.
“Isn’t it a little early to be up?” You teased, moving towards the fire to get warm.
“Mommy!” Nadia clapped her hands together.
“Hello, love.” You got down on your knees in front of her and kissed her forehead. She put her fingers back into her mouth, content with watching you.
“She couldn’t sleep.” Eskel explained, still focusing on one of her braids. “She came into the room before the sun even came up. I was sure she’d wake you up so I brought her out here.”
“She gets her sleeping habits from you.” You sighed a little, looking at the fire. You wished that she’d stay asleep for just one night. Eskel was always the first one to respond to her. His enhanced hearing ensured that he’d hear the quietest of noises come from your daughter. “I wish you’d just wake me up when she wakes up. You need to sleep too.”
“I don’t mind getting up for her.” His eyes flickered up to briefly meet yours, softly shaking his head.
“I know but she’s both of our responsibilities. It’s not fair to you that you keep waking up every single night and can’t rest.”
“I get plenty of rest.”
You looked at him, your lips pressed together in a slightly irritated manner. You were tired and grumpy.
He finished tying her braid and gave you his full attention.
“Come here.” He motioned for you to move closer to him. You crawled around his legs on your hands and knees to sit facing him on your knees.
“Doll, don't worry about it. You gave me the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” He leaned over to kiss your forehead. “I could never repay you.”
“She isn’t just mine, love.” You brought your hand up to cup his cheek, your thumb gently brushing over the scar that pulled at his lips. “She’s yours too. Ours. You have no need to repay me.”
He leaned forward to rest his forehead against yours, his eyes closing as he took in your sweet scent. But the tender moment didn’t last long.
“Daaaadddy!” Nadia shouted, clapping her hands together and turning around in his lap. She took Eskel’s face in her little hands and turned him so he looked at her.
“Hi, love.” He smiled warmly at her. She kissed his forehead and then his nose.
“I think someone is a little jealous.” You giggled softly. Nadia threw herself into his chest only to be engulfed by his arms. “She is definitely a daddy’s little girl.”
He smiled at the thought, hugging her close to him.
“It’s because you spoil her.” You stood up, brushing your fingers over his shoulder, and then you moved into the kitchen to retrieve a kettle for tea.
“I do not.” He quietly disagreed, though he knew very well he did. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his little girl.
Note: Eskel Taglist anyone?? I forgot if I’ve asked this or not but let me know if you want on my Eskel taglist or anything The Witcher taglist!!
The room is chattering amongst themselves as I walk onto the stage. I clear my throat and tap the mic before declaring to the finally quiet room: "ESKEL IS BI BUT MOST DEFINITELY PREFERS MEN." The room boo's, but I do not stand down. Eskel is bi, but he most definitely likes men more.
I WILL CHEER FOR YOU ANON👏👏👏 I agree 100% and I’m so happy to see someone else who agrees that our soft baby Eskel is a bi that prefers men 😭💕
