#hoping he'll get it right. that he'll be good enough and kind enough and nonthreatening enough

[roughentumble]

oh my god ok, another "geralt thinks theyre dating" geraskier concept. theyre at some festival with some local tradition, you give someone a flower crown or a woven bracelet and everyone Knows the intention behind it, it's like a big love declaration. couples all around them are giving these things to the beaus. but somehow jaskier doesnt know-- no one explained it to him, so he just sees people exchanging them. so as a good friend, he gets one for his bestie geralt, who DOES know what they mean and is deeply moved because the man he's in love with just asked him out, in a very romantic way.

they go to bed that night, and the next morning geralt is operating under the assumption that they're now together, because why wouldnt he think that? and he's seen how jaskier is with new relationships, how loving and soft he is, all the wooing and the romance, and geralt admittedly doesnt have a lot of softness in his life, so he's actually really excited for this part. he wants the gentle touches and the poetry, he's excited for the Dating Jaskier experience. so he's using pet names, and waking jaskier gently, and trying to hold his hand and touch him sweetly, buzzing with excitement for this new relationship.

but jaskier has no idea he just asked geralt out the night before. he has no idea why geralt's acting like this. jaskier thinks geralt's just being weird, and that his love is unrequited! so whenever geralt touches him a bit more than friendly, or says something a bit too loving, it just makes him ache and pull away.

it comes to a head after a few weeks-- geralt's been getting more and more withdrawn, each time jaskier pulls away it's just proof in his mind that he's not made for love or soft things, that apparently even jaskier views him as some kind of beast, and jaskier's been burning inside over all these sweet nothings he think literally mean nothing-- when geralt goes to wake jaskier.

he's trying to keep it as simple as possible, walking on eggshells trying not to offend, but he wants that tenderness so badly that he gently shakes jaskier's shoulder, and says "wake up, dear."

once he's awake enough to process what geralt's saying, jaskier snaps at him, patience frayed by the ache deep in his chest, and before geralt even realizes what he's doing, his hand snaps back from jaskier's shoulder and a sob tears its way out of his throat.

#he's confused!!! he doesnt know what he did wrong!! he's been trying over and over to course correct #but jaskier's been getting mad at him so he's scared to bring it up and ask what he'd prefer. so he just keeps trying new things #hoping he'll get it right. that he'll be good enough and kind enough and nonthreatening enough #even though theres the creeping sense of dread that he CANT be good enough. that even his best friend who said he was a good man #is repulsed by his touch and refuses to use the sweet words he uses for the rest of the world #that he's doing it all wrong. that there's something inherently Bad about him. #and jaskier!!! is!!! also not doing great!!!!! the thing he's always wanted is being dangled under his nose!!! #geralt's suddenly Very Nice but surely it must be geralt trying to feel out the edges of what's acceptable in a friendship #because theyre not dating. so geralt must mean it all platonically. and its making jaskier ACHE #but he feels like he cant talk abt it becuz he knows all his feelings and love would come pouring out if he did #and he's sure he'd scare geralt off if he did that!!! #witcher tag #ogc tag #miscomm-union-cation tag