Chapter Text
Since their conversation where they finally got on the same page, Jaskier was pleased with the tone their traveling had taken. While not much outwardly had changed- Geralt still fought monsters for too little coin and Jaskier still sang for adoring and less adoring crowds- Jaskier found that Geralt was slowly letting down some of the guards he’d put up around himself.
They’d taken to sleeping tucked together, even when they were camping in the woods, and his new favorite sight was Geralt sleepily nuzzling against his pulse point before he truly woke and remembered himself. He smiled to himself as Geralt rose to go get Roach ready, enjoying a moment of hedonism watching Geralt walk away before he would have to get up and gather his things.
“How long to Kaer Morhen, do you think?”
He was equally excited to see the famed home of the Wolf WItchers and nervous to meet the people closest to Geralt. He knew Geralt was close to his mentor, Vesemir, and that Geralt bringing an alpha home would raise questions, so Jaskier wanted to be as prepared as possible for what was expected of him.
“About three or four days to the pass, then two days up the mountain.”
“Hardly any time at all,” he mused, plastering on a smile.
Geralt paused in his methodical brushing of Roach. “Second thoughts?”
“No! Definitely not.” Jaskier softened. “You never need to doubt my affections toward you, darling.”
“Then?”
“I just want to know what to expect.”
“From?”
Jaskier sighed. “From your home. Your family. You saw how badly I screwed up even realizing that I was courting you. What if I commit some other faux pas I didn’t bother to learn about?”
Geralt smirked. “Proper etiquette never stopped you before. I remember you inciting a near riot between that wedding party. Three mated pairs, Jaskier.”
“That was a misunderstanding.If they were really bonded, they would have done a better job of caring for their mate. And besides, I never...cared before. I want to do this right.”
Geralt hummed. “Well, witchers don’t usually make a fuss over our presentations, so I don’t think there are any rules for you to break.”
Jaskier smirked. “So, you don’t want me to formally ask for your hand?”
Geralt groaned. “Please don’t.”
“Fine. Steal my fun.”
Geralt hummed. They worked in companionable silence for a bit, until Geralt uncharacteristically broke it. “You should know I’m nervous as well.”
“Nervous about what?”
“I don’t know how to do this.”
Jaskier tilted his head. “Be in a relationship?”
“Be someone’s omega.”
Jaskier raised an eyebrow at hearing Geralt put it so bluntly. He walked over to an open area and sat down, patting the space next to him. In the stories, there were always stumps and fallen trees to sit on, but he’d found that the stories were greatly exaggerated.
Geralt joined him hesitantly, looking off at the rising sun instead of at Jaskier.
“You know I don’t own you right. That I would never want that?”
“I know.”
“Then why are you still tense.”
Geralt stiffened. “I’m not tense.”
Jaskier laughed at the picture he made. “I wouldn’t be able to tell you apart from a scarecrow the way you’re sitting. Now tell me what’s bothering you.”
Geralt hummed as though the question had never occurred to him before. Eventually, he sighed and said, "I'm not soft."
"What?"
Geralt hummed, the way he did when Jaskier was being particularly irksome. "I'm not...soft. Like omegas are supposed to be."
Jaskier went to sit by him. "Is that what you think I want?"
"No. But it's more than that. I don't nest. I don't have heats. I don't know if a bite would take. I'm barely anything."
"And you want those things."
Geralt looked at him the way he did sometimes, like he was expecting shame or pity or disgust. "Aren't you supposed to tell me it's archaic?"
"You're archaic," Jaskier joked, but he softened when Geralt sent him a sharp look. "I mean it. I imagine you grew up when all that was normal. It's only natural you should want something normal."
Geralt snorted. "Natural. I can only imagine how unnatural it would look for anyone to see me like that."
"Then fuck everyone else!" Jaskier said, skating his arms for emphasis. "Geralt, out in the world we can keep things as they are. But between us, in your home…it's just me. And I love you for all of it."
Geralt slid him a wary look. "And if I don't know?"
"Then we'll figure it out together. What traditions work for us."
"Hmm."
Jaskier sighed. "Not everything needs to be a battle, Geralt."
"I know."
Jaskier tried a slightly different tactic. "What else do you know?"
"Hmm?"
"You said you don't know what you want. So, what do you know you like?"
Geralt was silent so long Jaskier almost gave up, but at last he said, "I like how you touch me."
Jaskier couldn't fight the no doubt besotted smile on his face. "Oh? And how do I touch you, darling?"
Geralt glared. "Not like that. I meant...when you gave me the hair tie. Or the brooch. It felt like you were being careful with me."
"Of course I did." He moved closer to Geralt, moving a lock of hair behind his ear and brushing the gland by his throat. He smiled when he felt Geralt let out the smallest sigh. "Like that, love?"
Geralt nodded.
"Only you could make it seem like touching you is a chore. You're gorgeous, darling."
"You don't…"
"Don't what, dear?"
Geralt hmmed. "Don't wish I was...smaller? You don't think it's odd?"
"I hate to break this to you, but you're only an inch taller than me. You may be broader- which I love, by the way, but that’s a topic for later- but I'm not some wilting daisy, Geralt."
"I thought you were a buttercup."
Jaskier laughed, "Clever man."
Geralt huffed a laugh and leaned into Jaskier's touch.
Jaskier ran his fingers through it, musing. "What else are you worried about?"
"I just...don't know how to be an omega."
"And I don’t know how to be an alpha. So let's just be Geralt and Jaskier and figure it out from there?"
Geralt nodded, looking content as he ever did. "I still don't think I'll ever hear the end of it from my brothers."
"Then you must allow me to defend your honor and my own. That I do insist on."
Geralt cast him a sideways glance. "If you must."
"I must. Now, we should continue on. I am so looking forward to helping you build a proper nest."
Geralt looked up at him. "Alphas don't help."
"Well, I'm not most alphas. And knowing what I do about your sense of decor, I feel my assistance is sorely needed if you're going to have the most decadent, comfortable nest you could want for the winter."
"You don't have to do that."
"Oh, but I want to. Nothing would give me more joy than to see you looking comfortable for once. That would please me."
Geralt insisted witchers didn't blush, but he saw the tips of Geralt's ears redden- an interesting concept to save for later. "Alright. If you want."
"Lovely. Now lead on. I can pass the time by getting all the details on your preferences."
"I can leave you at the bottom of the mountain."
Jaskier sputtered and they continued on, bickering as though nothing between them had changed. They were still the witcher and the bard, and Jaskier wouldn't give that up for the world.