chainsxwsmile:
Bruce had little interactions with horses beyond passing through farms on the road. For the most part, he could move silently and steadily past them beyond their fences, keeping his gaze ahead and his path straight, such that the horses sensed the Troll wasn’t interested in them. He sympathized with the spooked horse– animals rarely reacted to him with major prejudice. Not like humans. Bruce idled in place, not making a move until Geralt soothed the stallion. Only when the Witcher took to the saddle and guided Roach towards the road did the Troll slowly lumber forward. Bruce took care to stay in the horse’s line of sight, with ample space between the two, and only returning eye contact with shoulders sloped and posture relaxed.
“Heh, I don’t think a Troll travelin’ ‘long side of you is gonna help that reputation,” Bruce jested, giving a half-hearted grin. Instinctually, an ounce of worry built for a moment at the sight of the cockatrice head until the Troll reminded himself of the events that had occurred just moments prior. Somewhere on the amity scale between humans and other Trolls, Geralt fell. Despite the Witcher’s human appearance, however, Bruce found Geralt’s position slink closer towards the Troll part of the scale.
“Can’t say I’d be too much help with the monster problem,” Bruce admitted bashfully. “Unless we’re talkin’ other Trolls, somethin’ like a gryphon’ll see me more as a meal than an equal.” Granted, he had less problems on the road dealing with monsters compared to smaller humans, largely because said monsters decided that the massive, hulking brute wasn’t worth the effort. “But I can hold m’ own in a fight, if need be.”
A rather... uncharacteristic, but well-meant chuckle escapes Geralt for a bit after that last remark. “Relax. I ain’t asking you to hunt Gryphons or Basilisks with me. I was just suggesting, seeing as we’re two souls with no particular place to go, maybe it’d just be better if we stuck together. But if you truly believe that it’d be best if our roads split, then I shall not press it.” he was honestly rather indifferent on whether Bruce did accept his offer or not. A Witcher’s path was usually one traveled alone, after all. But...
For some reason, he had found himself to be a somewhat kindred spirit with this troll. Just someone who had received unwanted and undeserved scorn and jeer, just wanting to make a living. Perhaps it was why he had offered to tag along with Bruce.
“But, like I said before... my reputation is not really something I bother with a lot. I let people think what they want. In the end, all I do is live my life and defend those I deem worthy of defending.”














