"For goodness sake Yennefer, I said it before and I'll say it again I am not going to drop this goddam case. It's not a dead case! You know there is something up with it, I swear it!" A man exclaimed rather enthusiastically with annoyance laced in his British accented voice. The man was talking in an overly tidy office. The walls of the room were practically made of glass. See-through windows as walls, only the back wall was made of wooden orange-brown panels, vertically going from the ground up to the ceiling. A few pictures hung on the wall, mainly of the Detective Cheif Inspector's certificate to show she was certified with a black thin frame. Below the title had her name, Yennefer Yengerberg. Not too far to the right, a picture of a sexy looking woman dressed in as a witch posing with her. That being Yennefer and her partner, Triss.
The Cheif and Detective were standing so the detective was leaning over the overly polished desk, standing with his legs slightly apart and bent forwards at the waist. Gradually getting tired of having this conversation on repeat but never failing to bring the subject up. He slammed his hands down on the desk, bits of scribbled on paper covering the file that Yennefer was reading to ignore the man nearly in his mid-twenties. He looked nothing like a Detective to be completely honest.
His hair looked too smooth for his own good and entirely unmanageable yet somehow tamed through a little product. Baby blue eyes which were piercing against his slightly tanned fair skin, wide and excited all the time and overly friendly. His lips were red as the devil's skin on a summer day. Features not likely found in a senior detective.
"Yennefer, for the love of God I'm one of your best detectives can't you listen-" The Detective's voice raised louder, the whole station now able to hear as silence echoed out in the main area, a couple of eyes wandering off of their own pages and to the office, peeking through the glass windows to see what the commotion was about, others already knew, and other just didn't care.
"PANKRATZ!" Yennefer demanded with her voice at full volume for his attention. An easier way to tell him to shut the hell up, purple eyes blazing as she looked up from her file she had currently reading that had been covered by the Detectives scribbled notes.
"YENNEFER FOR FUCK'S SAKE IT'S ALL THERE" He essentially started screaming at her as he was pointing to certain parts on the paper. It was of a couple of the profiled of people as he gestured to it in frustration. Yennefers' face was starting to contort into an angry snarl. She'd had this conversation fives time this week already and, it was barely fucking Tuesday. But the detective was forcing this upon her. He just kept talking, closer and closer, already suspecting the case had a female behind it instead of a male due to the types of people being taken and them being so discrete.
"DROP THE CASE OR YOU'RE FIRED!" Yennefers words boomed loudly, ringing in the man's head and the echoed out into the station, a power behind them, unseen and untouched. Her raven hair that was too harsh for anyone flowing down her shoulders and back. Her pale skin showing how frequently she gets outside which is practically never. Even though her makeup you could see the tiny of red on her cheeks from being so furious. Her features loosened up as she realized what she had said, anger fading as she opened and closed her mouth, the detective looking at her wide-eyed and extremely hurt.
"Jaskier..." He started in order to try and apologize, her voice calm and smooth as silk which most of the men and women in his field fell for in no time. She battered her eyelids at him in order to apologize. She called him Jaskier for many years, her calling him by his last name means serious business in itself but there were lives at stake, he had to of pressed on. And he had to keep pressing on, even if it meant losing his jobs. His fists closed tightly before picking up all of his notes, anger flaring over him slightly, face annoyed and blank.
"Keep your filthy station who wants to ignore the fact this is happening. Keep them chattering behind my back of how stupid I am and how horrible I am because I fuck both guys and girls. But somehow it seems to be okay that you do it because it's hot when you fuck a girl. Keep the fact that you would rather see people suffer than fix a case because it required a bit more attention than usual. I'm done with this fucking place and these people who pretend to like me. I'm hurt and offended by you Yennefer. I'll never come back here, I'll find my own help somewhere else." Jaskier wanted to say all in one breath, to tell and scream and let off all his frustrations. But instead, he said a simple typical Jaskier answer when pissed off.
"Fine." Face red, eyes storming with an icy flame never seen by the man before. He'd been trying to keep the fact that the people judging him for his sexual involvements didn't bother him but, they all knew what it was like. At least being gay wasn't illegal now, but sure as hell everyone thought differently with it still.
Jaskier turned on the heel of his dark leather shoes, shooting a killer smile at all of his old Co-workers, seeming he was now fired, he could be a bit of an ass without getting into too much shit. He had made up his mind, he wasn't dropping it. He made his way to his fairly clean desk and found an old ragged patched up by duct tape box already sitting there. He rolled his eyes, of course, they couldn't wait to get rid of him. He packed his things rapidly, moving his clock and notes, throwing them into his box. Not like they'd use them anyway even if it was illegal that he kept them.
'Screw them' He thought, very much so unlike himself. He adjusted his purple bow tie which matched his purple waistcoat before clearing his throat and picking up his box. That's all he really kept at the office because everything else seemed to disappear if he kept stuff there overnight so there was no point in bringing a lot of stuff.
That wasn't because he liked guys however, they did that just because he was the new guy. For six years. Which was a bit longer than a 'new guy' should be said 'new guy' especially seeming he also was a senior detective but he ignored that hideous fact? Lord knows he only had one friend in that place, Triss. Who was Yennefer god damn partner of all things?
Jaskier stomped his way across the room, purposely making his shoes tap against the floor as he knew it irritated everyone there. He reached the stairs which lead down, a sigh escaping him. He started to go down them, just hoping that he didn't trip over. The steps were already rough, they grey mixture slapped on and unevenly applied, the concrete obviously not evened out properly and the person who did it must be been in one hell of a rush.
As he was thinking he placed his foot on the next stair to walk, sighing before he realized his foot was half on and half off of the step. Panicking, he placed his other foot on the next stair at the same time as trying to stabilize himself and the too big box he was holding.
"Well, that could've been complete fucking chaos." He sighed as he muttered to himself, his eyes roaming to the ground to concentrate on where the next God awful step was. "Why are these stairs always so horrible, but today, are goddamn chaos." He muttered, his mood not dimmed as much, a slightly amused tug at the corner of his lips. He made it three more steps down before he yelped loudly, the impact of walking into something or someone sent him backward against the stairs.
"Ouch! Shit! Today is not my day." Jaskier's voice echoed around the stairs at the absence of people. No one ever walked up and down these stairs. For a bloody good reason, Jaskier had finally realized. His gaze moved from his scraped hand. He heard a rustle of noise beside him and watched a man walk up the stairs, seeing a black and white suit with cheap 'meant to be' leather shoes tapping against the concrete.
"Oi!" Jaskier ran up the stairs seeing the man had not looked or even acknowledged him. He reached his hand out and gently wrapped his hand around the other man who was walking always wrist. The man had white hair the was half done up into an easily done ponytail at the back. The man walked up the stairs in a pair of two instead of one stair at a time, making Jaskier puffed by the time he actually got to the man even though it wasn't many steps away.
Jaskier huffed in the annoyance of being so unfit, cursing himself mentally with a slight eye roll to the ground. That's when he noticed how small his hand was that was wrapped around a large wrist. He frowned a little bit, older men don't have large wrists usually. His eyes focused past the man's hand, which was now balled in a fist. His focus now towards the tight leather plain pants the man was wearing and Jaskiers eyebrow raised a little. They fit him perfectly and was snug against every muscle of the man.
"Damn," Jaksier muttered to himself, this person was attractive and he had said that without seeing his face yet. Now that was impressive. He continued looking up, blacklight and lose shirt were tucked into his pants, a deep v line that was laced up was visible and then he saw it. He saw him. My gods, he was beautiful. Amber eyes shone in the lights and Jaskier was seeing the galaxies in the man's eyes. He had to blink a couple of times as he looked at the older man's face. The man's brows were slightly knitted together in confusion, he had overly tanned skin from lots of sun exposure with high cheekbones. His lips were thin but looked normal in proportion to the rest of his face and his jawline, oh his jawline. A razor blade couldn't even compete with it.
Jaskier blinked a couple more times without realizing the man had grunted, making a light "hmm" before turning to continue walking up the stairs, obviously done with the conversation. 'Who was this man, he certainly was not in their division so why was he heading that way?' Jaskier thought in his head with his own brows now knitting together in a bit of confusion before he realized the man's waist had slipped from hold.
"Ah wait! Wait just a moment! You just knocked over all of my paperwork and broke my clock!" Jaskier growled as he gestured to the papers scattered pretty much on every step. There were at least 100 pages easy he remembered writing on, lord knows if he kept them all but at least 50 of them would still be in there. His expression turned slightly sad as he noticed how badly his clock had been broken, it laying in 3 bits now with a cracked face on the last stair of the stairwell.
"Hmm" was all that came from the white-haired man, going to move away again, a slight bit of irritation showing on his face through the density of his jaw.
"Woah Woah wait a minute, you have two choices. One be a gentleman and help me clean up the mess we made or two walks away really fast and claim you had nothing to do with it!" Jaskier babbled onwards, trying to get the mysterious stranger to stay. The man had already started up the stairs again, managing to get a reasonable amount of stairs higher.
"I pick the latter one." A rough deep American accented voice echoed from the man's lips to around the room and into Jaskier's ears where he internally melted at the fact his voice was as smooth as silk but rough as sand in your shoes. As he was walking away Jaskier was quick to move and hopped up the stairs again with a lot more effort than he wanted to admit to anyone, even himself.
"Now hang on just a minute there! I know your kind, you're a private detective, aren't you?" Jaskier raised an eyebrow at the other man, he had to be right. His heartbeat nervously in his chest, a couple of extra beats per usual minute. He hoped he was right if he was then he had a plan already forming in his head. And if he wasn't then shit he just hoped he hadn't offended him.
The other man's face hardened slightly and the Detective's face relaxed a little, being a little hopeful and no longer as intense. The other man sighed at the Detective and rolled his eyes at him, turning around. He was gorgeous looking at him front on. Jackie's breath seemed to hitch in his throat as the white-haired man sent a glare at Jaskier and oh God. A shiver went down Jaskiers' spine.
"What do you want, going to arrest me for my own company?" The deep voice was sharp and threatening and the man who it belongs to knew it.
"No no, not really. Considering that fact one I am no longer a cop, two that I need your help and three." He paused and tried to think of a random thing to say before he had to admit it.
"Well there is no three but it would've sounded more dramatic. Anyways, what's your name? Where are you from?" Jaskier's face had brightened up slightly, his breathing evening out as his shoulders rolled back, no longer tense. His bright blue eyes started up at the man with such hope that the man had to melt slightly under the ex-cops hopeful eyes. The man sighed, a deep rumble following after.
"Geralt Roger Eric du Haute-Bellegarde. Private Detective." Well, it wasn't where he was from but it was at least his name. One hell of a long one too. Jackie's face changed to one of surprise and his eyes were wide. It was pretty obvious to Geralt at this point that the other man was one to express his emotions very very openly. The complete opposite of him.
"Ah well I am Julian Alfred Pankratz but everyone calls me Jaskier. Well nearly everyone. My landlady calls me Julian, she's a sweet old thing really. She- hey, hey! Where are you going?" Geralt walked up the stairs again reaching the top of the stairs as he looked down. "I have some business. " He stated before turning on his heel and deciding off. How the hell someone looked so majestic while doing so and being such a grumpy man, Jaskier had no idea.
Jaskier breathed in through his nose and exhaled out of his mouth, letting a long sigh out as he started to pick up each but of paper one by one. As if on cue, there was one bit of paper left. His long elegant fingers went to pick it up. at the same time as he did so, a rough but beautiful hand went to pick it up as well, Jaskier looked up and nearly accidentally head bumped the person who was helping him.
"Oh I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to get in the way- oh Triss. Hello." Jaskier said relaxing as he looked up, meeting bright brown eyes which currently were wet. The woman has beautifully evenly tanned skin and very beautiful facial features as well as thick curly brown hair which went to her shoulders.
"Jaskier, that case. It isn't just you, it is real. I bring someone here to help you due to-" Triss started softly, keeping her voice hushed before Jaksier interrupted.
"And I'm assuming that the private detective Geralt who I met coming down the stairs?" Jasper asked a little bit hopeful, Triss's lips twitching into a slight smirk at the look in Jaskiers eyes. Triss nodded and he swore he could be hugged her, kissed her, and paid any bills she had for a week. But seeming he was now poor and jobless that wouldn't be the case.
Geralt appeared at the top of the stairs, a slightly confused expression until he saw Jaskier and sucked in a breath, holding it in, looked around to the side before exhaling the air from his lungs with a tiny "Fuck." Lingering in the air. Jaskier smirked as he saw the expression on Geralt's face before chuckling.
"Oh, this will be fun." Jaskier laughed out loud and winked at the man, a light blush across his own face. After a few minutes of staring at each other and Triss looking back and forth between the two trying to figure out what was happening, she let out a sigh.
"Jaskier don't piss him off. And Geralt, I know you're a family friend but don't fuck this one up. Now you two play nicely and go to Jaskiers' apartment. If you need anything" she said in a hushed voice "give me a call." She said with a nod to the two of them. She stood her ground, feet slightly apart, and looking at the two of them.
Jaskier gave a quick curt not before walking forwards, starting off with his right foot as per usual. He sighed a little, picking up the box which was rapidly falling apart as he practically ran to the first door, leaning his back against the glass and feeling the coolness of the glass through his shirt and onto his back. He pushed it back and held it open awaiting Geralt to walk past. Geralt's eyebrows raised a little before nodding his head and walking through and past Jaskier, he was obviously quite shocked the bard would bother to be so kind.
Most people take one look at the broad-shouldered man and tell him to 'stop staring' or simply 'fuck off'. It was nice to be treated like another human for once. A tiny curve made its appearance sneakily on the corner of his lips without being known to Geralt. He made a quick "hmm.'' In thanks to the man holding the door open, we'll, Jaskier. Seeming now they had to use names. It was strange Jaskier called him Geralt but I suppose they met before knowing he was going to be working together with the other man.
Jaskier felt a triumphant grin on his face, smirking as he moved off of the door, letting it close behind them and watched as Geralt opened the next door and the man rushed past Geralt in order to get through the door.
"Why thank you Geralt, I appreciate that so much." He said with a polite but over-exaggerated nod of appreciation towards the man. Geralt grumbled as he looked to Jaskier. "Your car?" He frowned at the man, confused as to why he hadn't gotten in his car already. "I uh, I walk everywhere." The man explained.
In reality, he was terrified of driving a car again after the incident. But he would tell Geralt about it later, or so he thought. Although he tried to put it to the back of his head, the younger man's mind was spiraling on 'what if's and 'oh fuck's.
"Get in," Geralt said as his hand slipped into his rather small pocket and pulled out a pair of car keys with a horse keyring made out of sterling silver by the looks of it. He gently pressed the side of the keys, a sigh escaping his lips as he looked to the younger man. A part of him was happy he finally got to meet the detective that he... had heard a lot about.
A very very high-end flash black overly polished beaut of a car unlocked not too far away from them, sitting alone in the corner of the parking space. Jaskier felt the vile rise in his throat, panic started to settle within him. His pulse had quickened, thumping like thousands of horses running at once. Face going pale until he looked like a ghost on a sick day, his skin moist with sweat as his hands started to tremble lightly. It really wasn't helping that it looked like such a flash car, it felt as if he were going to surely vomit inside of it. He looked to Geralt, his face was so hopeful that he'd get in.
"I uh, I'll walk and meet you there, it's 240 Baskiville drive, the whole plot of apartments," Jaskier said hopefully with a smile, his eyes as bright as before and trying not to seem any different. Geralt grunted, annoyed, and disappointed as the hope left his face and honestly his heart. He was sad the man didn't want to ride with him. It was just a good darn car. How hard was it for the man to get into it. Geralt felt the frustration come into his face as he sighed, walking to the other man, having not noticed any of his symptoms, and just thought the man was a wimp. He ripped the box out of the man's hands and opened the boot of the car, threw it in, and slamming it shut with a 'thud'.
"Jaskier." Geralt said and Jaskier looked up hopeful at the man. Geralt gave a fake smile before lightly placing his hand on the terrified mans shoulder. "Get in the fucking car or lose those files." Geralt threatened at quite a rushed pace while shifting his weight from one foot to another without making it noticeable. Honestly, it is the only way he really knew how to communicate.
Jaskier gulped, feeling his gut drop. His eyes grew slightly wider as the breath in his throat caught slightly. 'Fuck. I can't lose those files.' Jaskier inhaled through his nose shakily before holding and releasing his breath while walking towards the polished beauty. A few cycles completed before he opened the door and sat inside of the car, closing the door behind him and wincing at the slamming noise it made, even though it was near non-existant. His back straightened as his shoulders were pulled back, tenser than a tree. He pulled at the large gray strap with a metal bit on the end, clicking on the seat belt with a deep breath, trying to disguise it as a sigh so he didn't seem as affected as he was by being in the car.
Geralt sighed lightly once Jaskier had hopped in the car, making sure they were both done up and ready to go. He put the beautiful automatic in gear and allowing his car to take off. Geralt was a blimming good driver, always aware of his surroundings and speed oddly consistent, almost as good as a hitman Jaskier tried to joke to himself, causing him to calm down a slight bit. Jaskier on the other hand, in reality, was far too busy panicking to notice how well of a driver Geralt actually was and just saw what he wanted to. Jaskier's hands shook as he gripped them together, fingers intertwining harshly in attempt to ease the shaking.
Geralt's jaw clenched slightly every now and again when he would spare a side glance, only just noticing how crappy the ex-detective looked. Geralt's mind was going crazy as felt a pang of guilt hit him in the upper guts, his own shoulders tensing up. He looked down at where the handbrake was and sighed, he couldn't stop. There was a plan.
He indicated out of the heavy traffic, mainly for the sake of Jaskier being maybe slightly calmer. He swiftly moved onto a less busy road that leads to Jaskier's apartment. It was an oddly nice street, houses painted, a tree in every yard and on the sidewalk, little lathes, overly clean driveways. It was like the apple pie side of town.
Without words and not really knowing what to do, the larger man did only what he knew. He moved his other hand from relaxing on his own relaxed lap to moving onto the shaking hands, gently parting them and taking one of Jaskiers' hands in his own. Their fingers were interwoven as Geralt was trying to figure out why the fuck he was so sweet on this guy. Mainly because he knew that look, it looked like memories, ones that haunt. Post-traumatic stress disorder probably, Geralt should know due to his old service.
Jaskier eyes widened as he felt fingertips move onto his palm and slowly break the grip he had on his own hand and moved it, allowing the larger hand to move as he wanted on the little once. Once comfortable, he let it sit on his lap. His heartbeat already fasts from the panicking but this time his heartbeat raced for another reason. A blush crept it's way along his overly paled cheeks as he looked at the two hands that were intertwined, a gentle smile on his lips. Geralt's hands were much bigger than Jaskiers, it was almost comforting with how large they were for him. Getting lost in his own thoughts, Geralt cleared his throat before Jaskiers eyes traveled up to the other man's eyes which were focused on the road but Geralt could feel the eyes on him, causing his own blush. An ever so lightly one, to creep up his neck and along his cheeks.
The two sat like that, in silence for most of the drive before Geralt suddenly a tarted to slow down and stop the car. Jaskier looked confused before looking around out the tinted windows and realized they had made it to their destination. Geralt's amber eyes finally drifted away from the road as he turned the car off and looked to the other man's face, the usual expressionless looking face which actually did hold expression, you just had to know how to find it.
Geralt raised an eyebrow, Jaskier only just realizing then that he had been staring at the man, began to do what he did best by talking his head off.
"Ah, Ah goodness we are finally here. Well that a lot faster than walking, I must say-" He started to babble on before Geralt interrupted him a couple of times.
"Jaskier-" Geralt's deep grumble came out before Jaskier took the reigns again.
"Honestly it is much appreciated that we got here that god darn fast it was actually rather terrifying thou-" He kept talking and talking so Geralt did what he thought might shut him up. He leaned forwards a little bit towards the man with a slightly irritated face that he couldn't get a word in.
"Julian." And it was followed by silence. The deep-voiced man speaking his name made Jaskiers eyes widen and he start to gawk like a fish. Jaskier mouth closed and he swallowed, feeling his Adam's apple bob intently from such a hard swallow as he looked to Geralt, his eyes flickering to his lips and then his eyes. That was a bold move even for Jaskier. Their eyes never left one another, seeming to almost burn holes into each other as Jaskier slowly leaned in closer and closer to Geralt. His eyes were slowly closing his heartbeat racing.
Geralt's eyes flickered to their hands and Jaskier frowned a bit, eyes opening properly and followed his line of sight and his pathetic half-smile had now completely gone. Jaskier had been clutching onto the man's hand so tightly that his nails had dug little tiny crevices along his knuckles, which now that Jaskier had removed his filed nails from it, red began to appear and seep out of them. Starting to dripping down Geralt's hand he started to panic slightly. Fuck it was a good day of yelling and panic and getting fired.
"Oh fuck. Oh fuck, Geralt I am so so sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen. I-" Jaskiers face was dead serious with the corners of his eyes become wet, his eyelashes slightly darker because of the tears threatening to fall.
"Jaskier, it's okay. It's only a scratch." Geralt tried to reason, a slight smile threatening to wash over his face from how adorable the man's concern was. But the blush was enough as it was due to the fact Jaskier just nearly fucking kissed him.
"Only a scratch!? Do you see the blood coming out of it Geralt? Scratches don't bleed." Jaskier said before he opened the car door in a rush. "Right, get inside. I'm going to patch you up."
Geralt blinked a couple of times as the brown-haired man undid his seat belt before undoing Geralt's for him and got out the car, swaying lightly before placing a hand on the beautiful car to stabilizing himself. After a few deep breaths, he began walking to the boot, opening it as it obeyed and slowly opened. Rather painfully slow actually. He quickly grabbed the box, shutting the boot behind him which was a lot easier to do than watching it open.
Geralt was inside the car still. He sighed and looked around it, the overly clean windows, the cleaned car seats. The easy-clean material it was too, not a personal item in it at all. The only thing was the key chain on his keys. He sighed as he looked at the radio and pressed a button, a gun hiding inside of it next to a razor. He extended his hand slowly towards the gun, stopping just before it. "Ah, Fuck." Geralt exclaimed with his face screwed up before he grabbed the taser and closed the compartment.
Jaskier walked over to Geralt's side of the door and opened up his door for him and Geralt raised an eyebrow, he had only just put the taser in his pocket, goddamn lucky he missed it. They sure did have a weird thing with opening doors for each other. Even if the first time he held it open for Jaskier was unintentional. Geralt felt the chuckle threatening to come out but he had to remain professional and so he didn't laugh but smiled at Jaskier as he hopped out of the car.
Jaskier grinned a triumphant one yet again. Geralt certainly didn't mind that though. He shut the door behind himself and walked following Jaskier so he could unlock the bright blue painted door that had dandelions painted at the bottom of it. It wasn't badly done, just strange to see. The place wasn't too bad. It was more like a flat just only with Jaskier in it. The cream color of the exterior wasn't an off milk color like most places are which was in fact, quite a bad color in Geralt's opinion. Jaskier gently opened the door and allowed Geralt to walk behind him, he shut the door afterward, touching the cool metal of the handle.
His gaze moved to ahead where it was a long looking like a corridor, the beige color not reflecting the light in any way. There were four doors to the right and one to the left, as he kept walking he realized the corridor took a sharp left turn and lead through to a kitchen, passing the bathroom and the toilet. A large door was seen directly to the right which leads outside, a mosquito protector door and a normal one which Jaskier was now opening up and goodness, Geralt didn't blame him. It was starting to heat up now that it was heading to midday and it was in the smack bang middle of summer.
Geralt's eyes scanned around. There was an island directly in front of him and parallel to that being it was the sink and the counter continued onwards to a ninety-degree angle. The marble looking blue top was actually given quite the satisfaction to Geralt. A table was to the left of it, nothing flash just a simple deep wooden one that was polished and well looked after. There was a wall behind the table, well actually 3 walls as it was just kinda only just fitting in there. A small cabinet also tucked in the corner. He turned to the left slightly, revealing a diagonal open entranceway to the living room where two couches sat along the back and right wall when looking into it. A cabinet at the closest wall to him and the floors were all a light grey carpet until it got to the kitchen. It was small and dare Geralt to say it, cozy.
Only when Geralt heard the noise of dripping he looked around confused before realizing his hand was dripping blood onto the lino. He held his hand with his other hand as Jaskier appeared. He honestly hoped Jaskier wouldn't feel guilty about it. Geralt did after all just throw I'm into a car which seems to be a big deal to Jaskier. Jaskier raised an eyebrow as he looked at the small puddle that had formed on the floor or goey red, a look flashing across his face.
Geralt's heart clenched at the look in Jaskiers eyes, it wasn't happy like his what he guessed, normal self. Instead, it was guilt-ridden, teary eyes and almost looked like he was punching himself on the inside. Geralt didn't quite know what to do, he knew his usual mood was broody and dim. The corners of his mouth moved up and his eyes softened. His shoulders in their muscular way relaxed and the tension he gave off normally melted away.
Jaskier eyes slightly widened and smooth lips parted from one another. Geralt, the man he had met less than a couple hours ago, was smiling at him, teeth and all. The look in Geralt's eyes, the calm, relaxed side of him made Jaskier feel weak at the knees. Geralt cleared his throat a bit and Jaskier snapped out of it and then blinked a few times before his facial expression changed. The Ruby red lips curling up into a blissful smile.
"Sit down and I'll patch you up, hold your hand out, it's okay if blood gets on the carpet, it's my fault this happened anyways and-" Jaskier startled to babble again while walking over with him, kneeling down in front of Geralt as Geralt sat on the couch.
"Jaskier." Geralt gave him a warning growl before looking at him, soft eyes, and gentle features. His head was at the same height as Jaskiers, facing each other, Blue beautiful ocean eyes staring into firey Amber ones before they flickered away, looking at the larger hand that was bleeding in front of him. Jaskier cleared his throat and gently picked up the larger man's hand which quickly jumped away from the touch before placing it down on the smaller hand.
"It might sting a little..." Jaskier muttered as he used the other hand, lightly patting an alcohol wipe over his knuckles. Surprisingly Geralt didn't even flinch, but his brows pressed together lightly in pain. Jaskier worked away quietly at first before he started humming and Geralt raised an eyebrow, the pain subsiding as the younger man's smooth vocals seemed to wash over him like pain relief. At this rate, Geralt's eyelids were slowly closing, ready to fall asleep unless he stopped. Geralt forced his eyes open. He'd have to ask, or else it would be too late. He was already fighting an internal debate on what he was doing. Going against orders and going for them at the same time.
"Tell me about the case." Geralt grumbled as Jaskier looked up at him slightly surprised as he finished, four sloppily put on bandages put on all in different directions were placed on his hand. Geralt looked at it and chuckled, a deep low rumble escaping from his chest as he felt the cool of the couch against his back as he leaned back.
Jaskier's lips went from being turned upwards at the corners to becoming a flat line, the pain on his face along with remorse clearly shown. The white-haired man suckled in a light breath, not fully knowing how to react to that facial expression that Jaskier was making. "Seven people had gone missing." he started. "Their files are over in that box, yes I know it's not entirely legal but Triss is covering me and saying she put the documents in the basement there and it was classified as a dead case." he quickly rambled on seeing the raised eyebrow that Geralt had given him.
Geralt leaned back sighing and crossed his arms. "So, why do you believe that it's all linked together?" As he asked the question his eyes followed the quickly moving body of Jaskier going towards the box and coming backhanding Geralt the files "Look and you'll see... Hopefully." Jaskier said with a shrug.
Geralt looked at the seven files that now rested in his hands and he sighed and opened them up one by one.
Emma Larking, she was aged 28, blue eyes, green murky colored hair, and a dark complexion. Known for selling drugs on the side, never caught any proof. Worked at a supermarket for 12 years.
Geralt sighed as he looked up at Jaskier, the file didn't have much information at all. How the hell was he supposed to work with this? Damn Coppers really didn't know how to write out a file. He opened up the next one.
Dillin Martene, he was aged 47, blue eyes, his picture he was in a suit, grey hair pulled back neatly, and a light complexion. Known for co-owning a business named-
"Larry's Fish?" Geralt questioned out loud with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head before he kept reading.
I had that job for 31 years. Geralt suddenly had his facial muscles relax as a glint came into his eye and he quickly opened all the other files and laid them side by side. "Jaskier. Why do you think it's related?" Geralt asked quickly as his head snapped up form the files up to Jaskier. "Well at first it's because they all had blue eyes and I found that weird, seven people don't coincidentally all have blue eyes who are missing. If you look close enough though all have a similar facial expression in all the photos-" Geralt snapped his head down to the files and looked closer, he was right. " Also all of their fashion taste was very similar-"
"Their age." Geralt spoke. Jaskier stopping in the mid of his sentence as he frowned. He walked over and sat opposite to Geralt who had now crawled onto the floor with the laid out files around him and sat down and looked at them frowning.
"28..31.. 64...12...15...42...34. Geralt they have nothing in common." Jaskier said with a frown, confused as to what the larger man was getting to. Silently Geralt moved his hand and pointed to their jobs. All were working at the time of disappearance, all were full time, all had been working since they were 16. Jaskier eyes widened in realization as he looked to Geralt with a smile. He wasn't the only one who noticed something was up, he believed him.
"Hmm" Geralt let out in approval that Jaskier had seen it before he raised an eyebrow "Address," he said as he pointed to the addresses. Jaskier raised an eyebrow and looked at it and still couldn't tell what he was on about. Geralt sighed "Jaskier, did you even bother to notice they have no addresses?" he asked with a bushy eyebrow raised as Jaskiers eye grew bigger.
"I- Holy Shit," Jaskier said as he looked to Geralt with his expression happy, lips curling into a wide grin before he grabbed Geralt by the sides of his face and pulled him in. Lips collided with the large brutes' forehead, a sweet sensation moving over them both. Slowly his lips peeled off the man's skin. Geralt blinked a few times, dazed in his feeling of a racing heartbeat.
"The only way you can erase all traces of your address is- well you can't, it's not allowed so that must mean. Holy fuck. Geralt, I think it was an inside job. Explains why nobody wanted to help with the case. Fuck." Jaskier exclaims and he grabbed Geralt's face again and drew him in.
This time Geralt was expecting it so he didn't lean in but stayed still, thinking the man would miss. Big mistake as Jaskier had calculated to kiss his forehead with him coming forwards. Instead of the forehead, Jaskiers lips fell on something completely different.
A chapped, bitten and smooth pair of lips were under his. Geralt as Jaskier both had eyes the size of pancakes before Jaskier pulled back, a little reluctant and confused. The two men stared at each other's red lips, pink cheeks, and counter colored eyes before gazing back to each other's lips. The tension in the air was building faster and faster by the seconds until the two of them lunged at each other.
Geralt was still sitting on the floor, Jaskier on his knees, the files scattered out around them. Geralt's arms were around the younger man's waist and Jaskiers hands were entangled in the white hair that sat upon the man. Geralt gently cupped the bards face with one hand and the kiss they shared was gentle. Nurturing.
Deceiving.
Suddenly a bolt of lightning went through both of them as they felt their lips brush, the tender warmth against one another. Their eyes closed slowly, kissing each other like they were the only thing on this earth left with love alive within them. Geralt swiped his tongue along Jaskier's bottom lip, the sensation running down Jaskiers back.
Slowly, Geralt was the first one to pull back from the kiss as Jaskier went limp in his arms, unconscious. The black covered metal device fell to the floor with a soft thud as Geralt hugged the lump body, rocking back in forth as tears started to fall down his face. Pushing the taser away with his hand before going to move but he sat. Still and in the silence, birds from outside making tiny noises in order to call to their friends. Geralt looked down at the man in his arms, shaking slightly as he moved the brown lock of hair out of the pale man's face. He reached into his pocket and sent the text to the boss.
"It's done - G" He sent it and just as he looked to the younger man he felt it vibrate.
"Dead? - Y"
"Yes. - G" He quickly texted back as he checked the pulse of the younger man, letting out a half held breath as he felt the blood pumping through the unconscious body. The small red dot that had been pointed inside, creating a small circle of heat on Geralt's back had disappeared. Geralt picked up the body and walked him over through the doorway and towards Jaskier's bedroom. Geralt looked at the boy's face, praying in his head for once that the victim was actually okay and unharmed. He'd get a mouthful from him about this layer on anyways.
As soon as he entered the hallway he looked up shocked as he heard a twig snap. His head snapped up as he saw her standing there, a pistol pointed and pressed gently against his forehead.
"I knew I shouldn't have gotten a useless mutt like you to do the job." A familiar females voice rang in his ears as he stated into purple eyes.
"Yenne-" A gunshot rang through the streets as Geralt's body collapsed to the ground in a thud, Jaskiers body being dropped in the process. Yennefer walked over, her four-inch tiny heels clinking against the ground until she stood on Jaskier's chest.
The male opened his eyes slightly dazed until he realized what was happening. He yelped and tried to move but Yennifer dug her heel into Jaskiers stomach, it slicing through his shirt and lightly piercing into his skin, an agonizing scream ringing out from the man as he clawed away at her ankle, not doing too bad of a job actually. Blood was drawn and flowing down her ankle. Geralt was gasping and gurgling like a fish out of the water as the blood sprouted out of the man's throat and onto the ground until he passed out, his body now going cold.
Suddenly Jaskier sat up with a start. He sat up, confused, mainly at how he was still alive. He expected to see a chair and being tied to it but instead, he was completely free. His eyes shifted from his body to looked around. Woods. He sniffed the air. Fire. He wiggled his fingers lightly that gently caressed the form of the lute that lay next to him. Jaskier let out a sniffle, the scent of salt filling Geralt's nose. Geralt who had been looking into the fire sniffed the air and looked past it, seeing Jaskier with tears uncontrollably pouring down his face.
"Jaskier." Geralt simply said as he's never had to comfort anyone before. He stood up and slowly approached the bard who had tears running down his face, shining in the moonlight and fire combined. Geralt went forwards, going to say something else before seeing Jaskier grabbing at his hand and yanking him down. The larger man, knowing how torn the younger man seemed to be, allowed it to happen. He gently pulled the fragile man into his arms, his legs in front of him, and the bard between them curled up into his chest.
Geralt gently stroked the bard, fingertips running through the man's very dirty hair as he rocked the man. Geralt's mind was wild with questions, mainly of why was he crying and smelt so sad. Gently the man hugged him closer as he rocked them slowly and calmly, humming lightly to the tune of Toss A Coin To Your Witcher as it always seemed to make the bard smile even in the shittiest of times. Eventually, the bard fell asleep, and Geralt not too far after.
When morning broke, Geralt was awake but he stayed with the bard on his lap until he woke up. As Jaskier opened his eyes an hour or so later, the blue crystals searched around before he looked up, meeting with Amber ones. 'Fuck' Geralt though. What was he supposed to do now? He sat still, not moving until the bard hopped off of him. Geralt stood and continued as if nothing happened and Jaskier.
Jaskier had never been more grateful that they still hunt normal creatures and monsters. Not the human ones that he had seen. He picked up his lute, a grin on his face as he opened his mouth. The words leaving him as he smiled, not letting on about the pain on his chest from where Yennefers heel had been, the wound covered up with a simple bandage. He didn't know what was going to happen the next time he slept so for now, he would do what he did best. Live and play his beloved lute.
"Toss a coin to your witcher,
OH Valley of plenty,
OH Valley of plenty...."