( OPEN ) february catch-all

[gynvael]

Who: Geralt + Jaskier; Yennefer; You
When: February // Feoveuer
Where: Aefenglom
What: A rescue. Not quite from who you'd expect. + other things as they come.
Warnings: Violence, CW related to the current event.

[ starters in comments. plot with me at discontinued! ]

OPEN: post-kidnapping

CLOSED: Jaskier | Yennefer | Jaskier pt. ii | yennefer + myr

Comments

[gynvael]

[ That response is predictable, too. It brings the faintest twitch to his lips as they trek over roots and half-melted snow.

He appreciates stability, too. He's missed it. Maybe a funny thing for a Witcher to say, one might think, but there's nothing more predictable than going from contract to contract, unattached. People are what make things complicated. ]

I suppose we all start somewhere. [ The edge of bitterness, he doesn't bother to hide. He doesn't know if it's better to have learned from an early age or not. Does going through some shit at boyhood give one a leg up? He'd wager some might tell him that's the case. (He assumes his mother would -- that it's part of his fucking destiny.) ]

Your people were safe, though. [ A question is in the statement. Alucard hasn't mentioned anything about his Bonded or someone he knows being taken—so either they weren't or Alucard doesn't want to talk about it. ]

[cryptsleeper]

Unfortunately so. And never for a good reason either. Just some person with more ambition than sense or consideration for others.

[It's a nice way to say fucking assholes. Because it's always a bad combination of ambition and lack of consideration in Alucard's experience. The bishop who murdered his mother wanted a promotion - a witch killing could help that. The village wise woman who alerted the man wanted her old job and respect back. The people responsible for the bullshit here wanted to be right.

Alucard's careful as he sidesteps a large root, huffing out. His breath condenses, then evaporates into the air.]

I only knew one personally, this time. We...[He has a strong disagreement for pretty much everything Hector has ever done but like, especially with the whole helping Dracula try to destroy Wallachia thing specifically.] dislike each other.

[gynvael]

[ Ambition or fear, he thinks. Or a combination. Either way, he appreciates he doesn't need to explain himself much to Alucard, nor answer questions he'd rather not touch on.

He looks over. Curiosity flits across his expression. ] Did you leave him there?

[ The question is more to gauge the level of dislike Alucard is referring to. It's not only Alucard's disposition that's understated; most of his speech is, too. Dislike could mean anything from an irritating colleague to a blood feud. ]

[cryptsleeper]

I did not.

[It's a rather flat response, all things considered. Alucard's feelings on Hector have gone through some changes - the red hot fury of why did you help my father instead of guide him through grief? Don't you realize he might have listened to you? had abated quickly, but the assistance Hector lent was unforgiveable. They sniped back and forth as judgmental catty night world residents do instead. A livable compromise, as they seemed to always run across each other.]

I was raised better than that.

[gynvael]

[ That grants something of an answer. The sound Geralt makes is thoughtful. ]

You were lucky.

[ Luck is not a quality he attributes to his childhood much, but on this topic, he sometimes thinks he was, too. There's far worse to have grown up under than Vesemir -- but one man can only do so much when it comes to wrangling dozens of boys without parents.

Though it does bring up a longing he rarely feels and acknowledges even less. He hasn't spoken to the old man in awhile, and he's not certain when he can anymore. ]

[cryptsleeper]

I was. And am, for the memory of it.

[Alucard's generally good at downplaying his feelings and hiding them under a polite mask. That doesn't happen in this moment. His mouth thins into a frown, and his eyes turn downward. Long blond hair provides a curtain that cuts off the rest, but the unsteady breath that follows says everything about the sudden upswell of emotion.

But this sure as hell isn't about him and Alucard knows it. Tension hangs too heavy, and the only refuge Alucard has left is a little bit of rudeness.]

Hector's still an ass though.

[gynvael]

[ His gaze is askance. Geralt tends not to ask because that's the easy pattern they've established with each other -- Alucard volunteers information when he wants, and Geralt simply takes it for what it is -- but this time, he knows better than to ask.

He'd not be surprised, he thinks, if he learns later Hector were somehow involved with the death of his parents.

There's a quiet huff, a faint lift to his lips. ]

If we meet, I'll be sure to let him know.

[cryptsleeper]

[Hector was more accomplice to a terrible fucking idea, but Hector also has some bad understandings of ethics.]

Don't waste your breath. It won't impact him anyway.

[gynvael]

Mm. [ At some point, Geralt will put two and two together, and realize Hector is the man that called Jaskier a specimen while they were held captive. But not today. Fortunately.

He stops at the edge of the forest, the wall and its gates looming up ahead. A part of him doesn't quite want to go back. It's been a welcome distraction, to talk of something other than the heaviness in the air between his Bonded.

Still. He can't leave Jaskier alone for long. He glances over his shoulder, and there's something gentler in his gaze not often seen. ] Take care of yourself.

[cryptsleeper]

[Look, if it gets to that point, please come find him Geralt. Alucard will shit talk Hector's approach to science and humanity for as long as you let him. He will in fact take great joy in doing so. they should do this.

So they're back. It's a shorter walk than Alucard might have liked, but he can take advantage of the early light to run errands and then nap for a while. But perhaps one more trail, then to civilization.

He offers Geralt a small smile that's meant for solidarity. The situation sucks. Alucard doesn't envy going through it.]

You too. I'll be doing the same route the rest of the week.

[If you need to talk.]