Sleepless nights
For prompt 27 of @sicktember
Nightmares were not an uncommon occurrence for Geralt. They weren't something he suffered every night, but they happened often enough nonetheless.
It wasn't all that surprising really, the man fought monsters for a living. He had been subjected to mutations as a child that killed most of the others he was raised with. Geralt's life hadn't been an easy one. Which is why Jaskier tried so hard to be there for Geralt when he had a bad night.
When they had first started travelling together Jaskier had no idea the pain and suffering Geralt had lived through, but as time went on he learned more and more and he wanted to ensure that, whenever possible, Geralt would have the comfort he deserved.
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x
The first time Jaskier witnessed one of Geralt's nightmares was a complete accident. He had woken in the middle of the night, and half asleep he had stumbled from his bedroll to just past the treeline to relieve his protesting bladder. Task accomplished, he headed back to his bedding, only to hear the faintest murmur from Geralt on the other side of the firepit. The fire had burnt down to nothing but embers so he made his way carefully in the dark to the witcher's side.
Geralt made a louder sound, a whine that Jaskier was sure the other man would never have made if he were awake. It was at that point he realised that Geralt must be having a nightmare.
It had been a hard week so it wasn't all that surprising. Geralt had taken a contract for a noon wraith, it had been a difficult fight and the family of the murdered bride were devastated when they found out what had become of the girl. With the contract complete they had left the town behind but clearly Geralt was more affected than he let on. Geralt was beginning to toss and turn in his sleep, his whimpers getting louder. Jaskier sat beside him on the cold ground and began to hum a lullaby from his childhood..
As Jaskier hummed Geralt slowly began to calm. When the Witcher finally settled, Jaskier sleepily made his way back to his own bedroll and settled in to get a few more hours of sleep.
When Geralt woke up the next morning he didn’t mention anything about the night before, so Jaskier kept it to himself. No need to rock the boat after all. Geralt had the rest he deserved and Jaskier got to take care of someone he considered a dear friend who in his opinion deserved all the care in the world.
x
The next time Jaskier comforted Geralt through a nightmare was after a particularly vicious mob had chased them out of a town after a contract had not had the desired outcome. People had gone missing, and when Geralt had killed their monster but was unable to return their loved ones hale and whole, they had been run out of town. The people had chased after them, spitting awful lies about Geralt and Jaskier both.
Geralt had hauled Jaskier up onto Roach and gotten them both out of there before things had escalated to physical violence, at least beyond a few pieces of rotten fruit that had been thrown at their retreating backs.
Jaskier had been shaken after that encounter, but once they were far enough from the town to make camp Geralt stayed silent. He unsaddled Roach and helped set up camp before taking off into the woods alone. Jaskier assumed that he had gone to hunt for their supper but he still worried. Geralt was only doing his job after all. Those people had been killed by a monster, Geralt had no part of that.
Eventually Geralt returned, two rabbits in hand already skinned and ready to be cooked. Jaskier took over from Geralt and sorted their dinner out while the Witcher sat and stared into the fire.
After eating in silence Jaskier had finally had enough.
“They were wrong you know,” he said softly, looking at Geralt across the fire.
Geralt didn’t respond immediately and Jaskier just grew more concerned. Geralt was a man of few words most of the time but it had been a long time since he outright ignored Jaskier.
“The people back there. They were wrong Geralt. You did all that you could. It’s not your fault. Those people were already dead long before we even arrived in town.”
Geralt just hummed before standing abruptly and moving to his bed roll.
Jaskier sighed and ran a hand down his face. “Fucking fools the lot of them,” he muttered to himself before taking Geralt’s lead and settling in to try and get some rest.
Despite his efforts sleep eluded him. He lay there staring up at the sky for what felt like hours. He would have gotten up and started playing his lute but he didn’t want to wake Geralt. Instead he sat up and decided to walk around the camp a little to try and reset himself so he could fall asleep. As he stood, he heard Geralt moan in his sleep.
“Fuck,” Jaskier murmured, “look what those bastards have done now.” He crossed the small distance to Geralt’s side quickly and sat beside him humming the same lullaby as the last time he had done this. Eventually Geralt’s breathing slowed, his furrowed brow relaxed and he was sleeping peacefully again.
Jaskier sat there long after Geralt was calm, wishing that he could do more to make things better for his Witcher.
Over time Jaskier learned what was more likely to cause, what he had dubbed in his own mind a ‘bad night’ for Geralt. He would happily stay awake if it meant that Geralt was able to get some rest.
Somewhere along the way he had fallen in love with the broody Witcher and he knew he would do whatever he could to make his life better, even if the other man never knew what he had done.
x
Jaskier knew this would be a bad night for Geralt, how could it not be?
After the shit show that had occurred with the Deathless Mother and Ciri, well Jaskier would be surprised if anyone left in the keep got much sleep that night.
Things had been strained since they had reunited, neither Geralt nor Jaskier quite sure where they stood with one another. But despite it all Jaskier still loved the bloody brute of a Witcher and he knew he couldn’t leave him alone that night to suffer.
Once everyone had gone their separate ways, Yennefer taking Ciri to her room to sleep and Geralt heading to his own room, Jaskier decided to stay awake and see if Geralt suffered nightmares. He hoped that if he did then he could perhaps ease them like he had done for the last two decades.
He went back to his room and finished the bottle of wine he had abandoned there several hours earlier, but gods did it feel like a lot longer than that. There wasn’t much left but at least it took the edge off. Eventually he decided enough time had passed and he couldn’t hear anyone else moving about so he decided to head to Geralt’s room and wait outside.
As quietly as he could he made his way down the hall to Geralt’s room, Jaskier was thankful it wasn’t far or he probably would have gotten himself lost.
Sitting on the cold stone floor he settled in, prepared to wait as long as he needed to, listening out for any sign of distress.
It took longer than Jaskier thought before he heard the first tell tale whimpers coming from Geralt. He stood slowly, his leg gone numb beneath him. Once he was sure he could walk without falling over from his leg giving out, he quietly opened Geralt’s door. He had half expected Geralt to wake at the first sign of movement, but perhaps he was too exhausted, or as Jaskier liked to think, perhaps Geralt knew that Jaskier was someone he could trust. Regardless of the reason Geralt slept on, though he looked anything but restful. He had pushed his blankets down to the end of the bed and he was moaning and thrashing about on the bed.
Jaskier moved closer and began to hum the familiar lullaby that he had used to soothe the Witcher so many times before.
It took longer than it usually did, but then again that wasn’t too much of a shock. They had all had an exceptionally traumatic day.
When Geralt finally calmed, Jaskier could hardly keep his eyes open. At some point he must have drifted off because when he woke up it was to someone saying his name.
“Jaskier?”
“Hmm?” Jaskier replied, more asleep than awake.
“Why are you on the floor of my room?”
Now fully awake, Jaskier opened his eyes. It was still dark apart from a slight glow from the fireplace and he could hardly make Geralt out. He could see enough to know that the Witcher was sitting up in bed leaning down where Jaskier lay on the floor.
“Oh uh. I heard you. I mean…you were having a nightmare. I was just trying to help.”
Geralt looked at him for a long moment before he seemingly came to a realisation.
“You came to me because I was having a nightmare. Jaskier…this isn’t the first time you’ve helped me like this is it?”
“Ah no, it’s not my dear Witcher. Far from it.”
Geralt tugged on Jaskier’s arm until the bard got up from the floor and sat on the bed. Once Jaskier was beside him Geralt moved so that Jaskier could lay beside him.
“When- I mean, how long?”
“Oh years Geralt, the first few times it happened by chance. I heard you at night and I started humming and it seemed to help. Then I started to work out what was more likely to trigger you and made sure that I stayed up.”
Geralt lay there quietly thinking for some time before he spoke again.
“There were mornings where it seemed so hard to wake you, or you were slower than usual. I never realised why. I’m sorry Jaskier. I pushed you some days and you were exhausted from looking after me and I didn’t even know.”
“It was my pleasure Geralt. I just wanted to help you. It’s all I ever really tried to do.”
Geralt turned on his side and looked at Jaskier. “You do so much for me Jaskier. I haven’t been good to you, not like you deserve.”’
Jaskier yawned and closed his eyes, relaxing back onto the mattress.
“Geralt, I know that some things don’t come easily to you. Don’t get me wrong there are times you have been an utter bastard, but I have cared deeply for you for a long time. You are a good person. You deserve to have someone take care of you.”
Geralt moved closer, pulling Jaskier against his side. Jaskier went willingly, rolling over and resting his head on Geralt’s chest. “Thank you Jaskier. For everything you do for me. For being there. I care for you too, even though I don’t show it very well.”
Jaskier sighed, throwing an arm over Geralt and letting his eyes drift closed.
“You are most welcome my dear. Let’s get some sleep shall we?”
Geralt hummed and tightened his hold on Jaskier for a moment before relaxing his grip and closing his own eyes.
Jaskier had never known quite how Geralt would react if he found out that Jaskier had been helping him with his nightmares. It turns out that he was pleasantly surprised. Maybe one day soon he’d even be able to tell Geralt the true extent of his feelings. Things weren’t perfect, there was still Ciri and a million other things to worry about but for now he would just enjoy the moment. Feeling brave he pressed a light kiss to Geralt’s shoulder. Geralt, who was not quite as asleep as Jaskier thought, gave a content sounding sigh and pressed a kiss of his own to the top of Jaskier’s head.
Yes indeed, they would need to have a proper talk about things soon. But not right now. For now he would sleep, safe in Geralt’s arms. And if Geralt happened to have another nightmare, well Jaskier would be right there to soothe him back to sleep.
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