“I never…” Geralt’s voice is deep with the promise of sleep. “I never tell you enough.”
“Hmm?”
The forest is shimmering with moonlight when Jaskier cracks open his eyes. Geralt is watching him closely, something soft in his expression. They press together on the small bedroll, knees touching, face to face, breaths settled in the quietness of the night.
“How lucky I am,” Geralt adds. “With you. To have you. I don’t tell you enough.”
“Oh,” Jaskier breathes, catching the hint of guilt in Geralt’s voice. “It’s alright.”
“It’s not.”
“Hey.” Jaskier finds Geralt’s hand, squeezes in reassurance. He never wants Geralt’s guilt, not when he carries too much of it already. “None of that. Not with me.”
Geralt sighs softly. “See? Too lucky, perhaps. More than I deserve. I just hope…” he pauses, tentative, “that I’m not too late.”
Moonlight threads between the leaves, catching on Geralt’s hair. Hope shines in his eyes when he looks at Jaskier.
He leans forward, tugging Jaskier’s hand to his lips, and kisses his fingers. One kiss leads to another, on the back of his hand, on his wrist, and then…
“Geralt?”
Jaskier’s breath hitches when Geralt presses a kiss on his forehead, affection clear in the way he hides a tiny smile there.
“I’m not too late, am I?”
Their lips brush against each other’s, breaths mixing. Geralt stops there, lingering, waiting, sweet and kind.
Oh, but he is.
He is too late.
Jaskier pulls away, just a little bit, but it took the strength to move between worlds. Their eyes meet, and for once in a poet’s long life, no words are needed.
This should hurt, Jaskier thinks, when Geralt realizes his answer and that smile fades. It does hurt, deep in his chest, an ache that wouldn’t let up for twenty years.
It still won’t let up, the unfairness of it all.
“Oh.” Geralt retreats, letting go of Jaskier’s hand. “I am.”
Something within Jaskier shudders. “Yeah.”
“I see.”
Coldness surrounds him when Geralt pulls away, turning his back. Jaskier sleeps under the silvery moonlight, fingers still touching his lips.
He dreams of the hope in Geralt’s eyes.
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Roses for You (8)
This had all started when you noticed a link between a book on the language of flowers you had borrowed from Satan’s room and the current lessons from your Seductive Speechcraft and Magical Potions classes.
In Seductive Speechcraft, you had just reached a section on the effectiveness of spells using non-verbal communication: enchanting glances, dance, and offerings. Meanwhile, in Magical Potions, the professor had been discussing the significance of using specific quantities when concocting potions; they had spent fifteen minutes just providing examples – including adding petals from two different flowers when using them for a love spell.
You couldn’t resist discussing the use of flower language – utilizing the type, color, and quantity of the flowers – to specify the magical intent of an offering as a form of seductive speechcraft. Asmo and Solomon listened intently. The same idea popped into both of their minds, and before you knew it, everyone was looking into color and number meanings, searching for the perfect combination to convey their feelings for you and try to put you under their spell. The only rule for their little competition to charm you? Only roses are allowed.
Will you be charmed by their attempts?
Eight Roses - Diavolo
Word Count: +900
Gratitude / Support
“MC,” Diavolo greeted you at the castle door with a huge puppy-energy grin, “come on in.”
“Oh, Diavolo, where’s Barbatos? Doesn’t he usually answer the door?”
“He’s at the market with Simeon. Besides, aren’t you happy to see me?” A pout sat on Diavolo’s lips.
“Of course, I am. I came here because you asked me to; of course, I was looking forward to seeing you. I was just a bit surprised, that’s all.”
Diavolo took your hands in both of his and flashed that sweet, princely smile of his. “Allow me to surprise you again. Will you come to my room with me?”
He awaited the slight nod of your head as if he thought rejection was a possibility. At times, it was unfair that Diavolo’s personality and his status made him so difficult to say “no” to. Fortunately for you, what Diavolo craved – second only to his desire for peace between the three realms – was your happiness. It was easy to indulge him without a second thought. Even though you had no clue what awaited you behind his bedroom door – although given the rose antics of late, you had some clue – you trusted Diavolo entirely.
When you got to his door, Diavolo turned and asked you to close your eyes. You obliged, and with one hand firmly on your back, Diavolo guided you safely into the room. His touch left you slowly with a small squeeze to your side: a signal for you to stand still. The absence was followed by the soft thud of the door closing behind you and some indeterminate noises.
“Should I be concerned?” you asked the entire room, certain that Diavolo was somewhere in there with you.
“Open your eyes, MC.”
Diavolo was on one knee before you, holding out a bouquet of eight roses – four peach and four lavender – in a black anatomical heart vase. As he looked up at you, the sweetness in his gaze was overwhelming – like light brown sugar and honey. Your breath caught in your throat as you stared back, trapped in that sweetness.
A blush grew on Diavolo’s cheeks, suddenly flustered by your speechlessness. His confidence faltered momentarily, and he wondered if the message was unclear. Perhaps you would appreciate the words from his lips more than soft petals and pale colors. Without a second more of hesitation, he spoke: “I’m certain I’ve made it clear how much I adore you by now, but I need you to understand something else: I’m indefinitely grateful to you. All your hard work and support is more than I could have hoped for. You’ve brought so much joy into my life, and I need you to stay by my side. I know I have ambitious goals, and you’re often put in difficult situations because of me, but I couldn’t do this without you. Your presence only encourages me. You’ve charmed me – body and soul – and I’m eternally thankful for all of it. So, thank you, and please let me support you, too.”
Eight roses symbolized his gratitude and support. Peach was also a sign of thanks and appreciation, strengthening the message. Lavender signified his enchantment. Perhaps four of each color implied the lasting, steady nature of those feelings. All of it was stemming up from the heart. You meant so much to the future King of the Devildom. As loved as you were, in that moment, to be appreciated so deeply was worth more than any love you had known before. Tears welled up in your eyes, threatening to spill.
Diavolo noticed and got to his feet, quickly engulfing you in his arms. He held you securely, and that was all you needed to allow a few tears to drip onto his shoulders. In a feeble voice, you whispered against his body, “Thank you.”
“That’s my line,” Diavolo teased and pulled away. He gave you a smile before placing a kiss on your right cheek. Then, the left. He kissed the corner just below your left eye, savoring the precious sight of you closing that eye and scrunching your nose up at him. He did the same on the other side. He kissed your forehead, the bridge of your nose, both corners of your lips, and finally, once all the anticipation had boiled up, and you were grinning, Diavolo placed a gentle kiss on your lips.
When you kissed him back, you returned the sweetness and intensity tenfold – so much so that Diavolo nearly dropped the vase in his hand from surprise. He chuckled against your kiss. I’m supposed to be the one surprising you, he thought.
Without warning, Diavolo lifted you up with one arm. Startled by the sudden movement, you wrapped yourself around him. He walked you towards his bed where he promptly set the vase down on his bedside table. His newly free hand supported your back firmly. You expected him to set you down, too, but he continued to hold you up.
Carefully, you pulled away from him slightly. There was a mischievous look on his face. “Diavolo?”
“We still have a while before Barbatos returns.” Diavolo smirked, running his tongue along one of his canine teeth.
“And?” you teased, knowing full well what that glint in his eyes implied.
Diavolo set you down softly at the edge of the bed and sank to his knees at your feet. He stared up at you through his lashes. One of his hands ran up your leg and squeezed the top of your thigh gently. “Let me give you a reason to feel grateful, too.”
Lucifer (1) | Mammon (2) | Leviathan (3) | Satan (4) | Asmodeus (5) | Beelzebub (6) | Belphegor (7) | Barbatos (9) | Luke (10) | Simeon (11) | Solomon (12) | Thirteen (13) | Raphael (14) | Mephistopheles (15)
A/N: Woo. We're half-way through, now. I wasn't even sure I was going to get over 500 words with this, and it's somehow the longest one so far. I got really into it. I low-key got too into character and cried on behalf of MC. But I can cry really easily if I just get into character. Oops. Hope you enjoy it~
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