( OPEN ) cold ground got a hold on me

[gynvael]

Who: Geralt + Jaskier, Yennefer; You
When: September // Septeril
Where: Aefenglom
What: Full moon + events/quests later
Warnings: Body horror

[ prompts in comments. find me at discontinued for plotting. ]

OPEN: quests + wildcard

CLOSED: full moon | wish break

Comments

[cointosser]

[As much time as he's spent communicating (or attempting to) with Geralt, he knows whatever happened could not come out across text. After Jaskier has picked himself off the ground, gasping for breath, his heart nearly collapsing in his chest, he grabbed for the device. Geralt, where are you? Are you all right?

He was, and Geralt had assumed the worst of him as well. But something had happened. Something that wasn't the two of them, which could only mean one goddamn thing. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. It was Yennefer. Of course it was! The blasted woman had been so confident of her little bird. And Jaskier had been right to worry. This just bloody proved it.

He couldn't be angry. He wasn't. No, instead he was worry -- sick with it, so much that he nearly vomited in his own garden after the first message. It was overwhelming, almost, and he could not pull apart what was his worry -- for the woman he had only begun to learn about, really -- or Geralt's.

The less words, or time spent not looking for her, the better. He didn't need to ask what Geralt was feeling. He knows well now. In as few words as possible, he tells Geralt only that he's on his way, that he has a tracking spell in mind, to meet at her cottage. It's not far from his own, and in this moment it's a blessing. Jaskier grabs a tome from his study desk, his bag, and runs off to her cottage. If he's not fast enough, Geralt will leave without him.

He can't let that happen. Not after that successful full moon. The Coven warned about strong emotions and Monsters --

When he does see Geralt, it's clear that thought wasn't so unkind as it was truthful; it's impossible to miss the dark claws on the tips of his fingers as he offers a wineglass.]

I believe so. I've never tried this before, so just -- I know it isn't fair, but be patient with me, please? [He plants the wineglass on the ground, kneeling beside it with the tome open on his leg. His head is racing, and he can feel Geralt like a cloud full of lightning roiling just behind him. He's only attempted this spell once or twice in between of his actual studies, and Jaskier can only assume it won't be pinpoint accuracy. He builds magic in his fingertips, the nails beginning to glow. Whether it's from having Geralt so close, or from a lack to do for his magic, it comes to his call easily.

He knows it better now, with months sharing his body. The magic. What it feels like when he uses it, how to pull at it. How to mold it into something specific, like clay, instead of let it wild and loose to hope it did what he wanted.

It was hard to describe. A ping. A pull? A pull towards the center of the city, north.] I feel her. I think. [He doesn't add that means she must be alive. (Right?)] North. Towards... shit. [He holds his head, pushing the magic to lock tighter. The city is enormous.] The Coven? We can check there, find help if she's not there.

[gynvael]

[ On the surface, Geralt looks like he's waiting for something of little importance, one foot up against the wall where he's been leaning. But his eyes are fixed on Jaskier. The lines of his shoulders are tense.

He's not patient. Not right now. He also knows rushing will just make Jaskier nervous and fuck up his spell. So Geralt keeps his mouth shut. Doesn't hurry him like he wants to. Instead, he's shifting between the street and the magic gathering at the bard's fingertips. As if she'll appear from the crowd, nothing the matter at all, and ask him what the fuck the two of them are doing with her wineglass.

Wishful thinking. He's not one for those, usually.

His expression changes the second Jaskier names the Coven. The infirmary is there. If something's wrong and she's there --

As stubborn as she is, Geralt had trusted she was working it out with her familiar. As far as he'd heard, they were a viable solution. But the two of them are not...usual cases. He suspects that's why he went feral so easily, and why Yennefer is struggling more with her magic than she's been letting on. Maybe he'd been too fucking avoidant about it, not wanting to press and start another fight. Or to accuse her of something he'd regret down the line.

He leaves without a word. Jaskier will follow, he knows. With his mind on Yennefer, he's suddenly glad to have the bard with him: he can feel the pull of the change, rising to the surface. But it never breaks through, manifesting only in the smallest changes.

What he might find at the Coven, Geralt tries to put out of his mind. It won't help, fixating on what-ifs. When he gets there, he'll know. ]

[cointosser]

[He has to say that things have certainly changed in these months. Not so much between them, but... because of it? The Bond, certainly, and Jaskier going from human to, er, magic human. There was no chance that mere months ago he could have performed a spell while ignoring Geralt's overbearing presence pressing down on him, the fear and stress roiling off of him. It's not often he has had a chance to see Geralt disquieted so. Even if he's still, calm to the outsider, Jaskier knows better from how coiled his body has become. Normally something he would never be able to ignore. A smart man wouldn't ignore that sort of thing when their companion was a monster hunter. (Jaskier was not a smart man.)

He plucks the wineglass up the moment Geralt moves, closing the tome and tucking it against his side as he catches up to him. He notes Geralt doesn't run off without him though he is clearly much faster, and unlike a panicked Jaskier may have in the before times, he only notes it and doesn't bring it up.

He can feel something dragging at him, but also how it's equalizing. It's... not as bad as it could be. Even if Geralt's hair has grown thicker, the nails at his fingertips now claws. A bit of the terror inside him peeking out.

As they get closer to the Coven, he holds the glass out.] Yes, this is the right way. It's getting stronger. It's still quite broad, but I'm fairly certain it's somewhere in the Coven. And it -- it makes sense, I mean, to go there if something was wrong. They would help her.

[gynvael]

[ Geralt files away Jaskier's information without responding. He's moving quickly, but not so quick as to leave Jaskier behind -- even if it means the bard needs to jog here and there to keep up with him.

More than anything, he hates not knowing. Especially here in this world where nothing is quite the same: not the monsters, not the magic, not the city. Not himself even.

At least a Monster roaming the Coven grounds isn't an unusual thing. He makes his way through without much attention, and Jaskier at his side means most can tell he's properly bonded. By the time he reaches the infirmary, his restraint is near its limits. A woman, he demands from the nearest witch. Purple eyes, dark hair. They look at once sympathetic and put off by his insistence, but he gets directed down a corridor into a room.

He pushes open the door. She's there, more still than he's ever seen her, but he can hear the beat of her heart. His hand curls around hers.

Funny, how it works. He'd been so focused on finding her that now that he's here, he realizes there's fuck all he can do. (She's likely to wake, the witch tells him. It's small comfort.)

His attention snaps to Jaskier suddenly. Despite his racing mind, he can't help piecing things together: what caused the snap inside him? ] Did you feel something? Before?

[cointosser]

[By the time they've gotten to the Coven, Jaskier is sticky with a thin sheen of sweat from the effort of keeping up; or, rather, trying to hurry himself. Yennefer is... extremely complicated, and he doesn't understand a whit of her, but he has no ill will towards her (now). Certainly not with the awful things that come as downsides to being a witch in this place.

His breath comes in hard bursts, but he still manages the journey without slowing down. The Bond, or many, many years spent on the road, often without horses.

Jaskier is silent when he follows Geralt into the room where she must be staying. For all his time knowing Geralt, he has never seen him like this. Never seen the sheen to his eyes, or how gently he reaches for her still hand. He doesn't need to ask to know she's still alive, but... then what the fuck happened?

Cautiously, he approaches from behind, setting a hand on Geralt's shoulder. It shifts slightly when Geralt's sharp gaze turns to him.] Before? [He frowns.] Yes, absolutely. It was... I don't know what it was. I thought something had happened to you, or the Bond had broken somehow. [He pauses, lifting his hand away, rubbing at his fingers as he does under scrutiny that lasts too long.] Visceral. That's how I would describe it.

[gynvael]

[ What the fuck happened is the question of the day. Geralt doesn't know. He thinks...it feels like something's missing, but he doesn't want to believe it. Not until Yennefer's awake to confirm it. (Which she will be. He won't accept anything less.)

He doesn't pull away from Jaskier's hand. So Jaskier had felt it, too. It worries him: he knows Jaskier had agreed to the risks, but it doesn't mean he wants to be right up against them so soon after their bonding. ]

So did I. [ It's a quiet admission that he doesn't elaborate on. There's not much he can do here. No monsters to slay or curses to break. He just needs to wait. ] You don't need to be here.

[ Though something tells him Jaskier won't be leaving. Still. ]

[cointosser]

[It doesn't surprise him to hear it was both ways, if only because they had sought to find each other so immediately. (A vote of confidence that Geralt does care for him, at long last.) While he's relieved their Bond is strong, intact, that means...

Well, it's the logical conclusion, isn't it? The only thing that bonds Jaskier to the sorceress right now?

It's only through Geralt. And their connection --

Jaskier brings up a chair beside him, already shaking his head. It's striking, how immediately he realizes this feels familiar. On the mountain, when they thought their companions were lost. As if Geralt is pulling away from him... but the wall that was there before is not so strong as it once was.]

You must think me a ghastly companion if you believe I'd leave you now, Geralt. We'll wait for her together.

[gynvael]

[ Mm. Of course Jaskier will stay. Geralt doesn't try to convince him otherwise; it's as close as he'll come to admitting that he wants him here. His relationship with Yennefer's not been a secret, but nor is it something they've made known. For a number of reasons. Only Jaskier knows them both better than anyone.

Even now, he's not sure what kind of relationship it is. He only knows that seeing her here makes his blood run cold. The thought that maybe he's something to do with it only furthers the chill.

So they wait. Not much else to do. Geralt forgets about everything he'd meant to do today. He wants to be here when she wakes. Some part of him is afraid of leaving. It's been too many times he's lost someone because he wasn't looking. Because he hadn't been there. ]

[cointosser]

[Jaskier cannot recall a time he was ever skilled at waiting. For anything. Not a single damn thing. But the silence passes between them, with Yennefer at the bed only feet away, in a state he has never seen her in and, can estimate easily, she would prefer he never had. He has no doubt she'll wake up, of course, being what she is and as strong as she is, or at least Geralt believes her to be. He supposes sorceresses don't survive so long being fools.

He would argue her stubbornness led to this, but -- well, it's Jaskier, and he's not the sort to ever argue against stubbornness. (Maybe later.)

Eventually, though, he does stand, knowing he's not to suggest Geralt leave her side. He gives him a touch on the shoulder and leaves himself, going through the Coven to secure them some supplies to last the night, or... however long it may take.

He returns to the room, bearing a tray of filled teacups and some food. He offers it to Geralt.] Here. If you're going to stare at her all night, at least eat so you stay awake.

[gynvael]

[ When Jaskier leaves, Geralt thinks little of it. Not that he doesn't care; he simply knows his friend. He has a feeling he knows where Jaskier has gone off to.

And sure enough, the bard returns with food and drink. He glances up. Food's the last damn thing on his mind. But Jaskier's right. He's not worth much if he starves himself.
He takes the bread and cheese off the tray, and splits the roll in half. For a moment, he's silent. ]

I keep thinking I should've pressed her harder. [ He scoffs quietly. ] Instead of trying to avoid another argument.

[cointosser]

[Silence is their constant companion today. Jaskier himself does not attempt to fill it. It's too much. Not a time for jokes.

The very least he can do is help take care of his friend. A simple thing as it is to retrieve a few snacks and tea.]

You know that would've made it worse. [He does not need to know Yennefer intimately to be sure of that. Headstrong, he thinks, would be a polite way to describe her. Excessively polite, to the point of being not true.] In fact, it all may have happened sooner. And, I think -- if it were me -- I would be quite annoyed with the idea you thought you could stop it.

[He musses about with his fingers, spinning a new, plain silver ring on his index.] I don't claim to be a master, of course, but having magic now... I can tell you, sometimes it does make you feel a bit invincible.