Jaskier was in a good mood, a very good mood. His purse was heavy from winning the Bardic competition in Novigrad two days ago and he was still riding high on that win over Valdo. A laugh escaped his lips as he danced around the Inn he was currently staying at, fingers plucking strings to a jaunty drinking song.

This was going to be his last night here before he moved on, promising to meet Geralt somewhere in Temeria. It was a shame they had to part ways but there was a hunt Geralt deemed too dangerous for him to accompany and well Jaskier couldn't turn down the Bardic Competition when he heard Valdo was joining it.

"Well, it's been a pleasure, but this bard needs a little break and a hot meal!" He laughed out, shaking off the hands and waving away the slight heckling for more as he made his way to the bar.

Though something in him seemed to slow and halt his movements as he passed the open doorway to outback, his nose wrinkling at the scent of bile and something else that made Jaskier's stomach curdle.

"This is not what was promised, the posting said 200 crowns for the Selkimore." The voice was rough and raspy, something that was familiar to Jaskier's ears as that's the way Geralt spoke coming down from potions.

"Be glad that's what ye get mutant instead of pitchforks and rocks." The Alderman spat back and Jaskier felt his fury rise at this.

Swinging his lute to his back he turned to the innkeeper and asked her softly for a bath to be drawn in his room and three hot meals ready and waiting upstairs for when he got back, passing over the crowns necessary for her to not question why Jaskier made his way out into the night once the Alderman came back inside.

It was easy enough to follow the Witcher silently, thanking Geralt silently for showing him how. Well, he didn't exactly show him how to sneak up on a Witcher as that was impossible but still. The Witcher of course knew he was being followed, Jaskier could see the tense line of those shoulders in the light of the waning moon.

He followed the Witcher back to the stable and waited, breathing in a way to settle his furious heart and watched with narrowed eyes as the Witcher brushed down a massive black stallion. He took stock of how lean the man was, obvious in a way that made Jaskier's heart ache. It was how Geralt looked when they first met when he was shunned by towns and ate whatever he could catch.

What was worse and what made Jaskier reveal himself were the empty bottles that the Witcher pulled from his side and counted.

"Am I to be chased from the town?" The Witcher asked resigned, back still turned. "Can I at least saddle my horse and then I'll be on my way."

The voice was still gravelly, but the accent made it pleasant to listen to.

"No, I came to bring you back to the Inn, you just saved this town from a Selkimore, you deserve a hot bath and meal," Jaskier stated. "How much did the Alderman stiff you?"

The Witcher snapped his head around to stare at the human that followed him in surprise. He inhaled deeply and over the putrid smell of Selkimore guts he got the hint of honeysuckle and chamomile, no fear, no disgust but the bitter taste of lingering anger.

"120 crowns, it's fine, better than nothing." He replied cautiously.

Rage twisted on the human's face that made the Witcher tense and prepares for the rocks, something but blinked in surprise as the fury twisted into a semblance of guilt and apologetic. He wasn't sure what to make of the human.

"Come, Witcher, there is a hot bath and meal waiting for you in the inn." Jaskier urged using the same voice that he used on Geralt when he was being difficult and stifled the amusement when he saw it worked on the Witcher before him.

When he finally got in better view of Jaskier he took stock of him. Brown hair pulled back into a messy bun, jagged scars lining one side of his face that he kept mostly angled away from Jaskier's prying eyes. His armour was a mess, it looked like it hadn't been able to be mended properly in a while and a shining snarling wolf pendant.

Ah, one of Geralt's brothers… Jaskier hummed as he pulled the Witcher back towards the inn, ignoring the way he tensed under his arm.

The door of the inn slammed open with a bang, startling the people inside to silence as he and the Witcher entered. Jaskier's eyes scanned the room quickly, taking in the fury on the Alderman's face and the fear of the townspeople but that didn't and never stopped Jaskier.

"My fellow people your heroic Witcher returns after fighting the beast! The Selkimore is dead and no longer do you have to fear!" He called out in his most jovial voice as he dragged the Witcher towards the stairs.

A beat, that's all it took for the silence to break, and the small inn exploded in cheers. In the chaos, Jaskier managed to bully the man upstairs and into his room where a steaming bath awaited and three plates off tonight's stew.

"Alright, let's get you cleaned up." Jaskier hummed as he began to remove the armour with familiarity.

"You know usually you are supposed to buy dinner first." The uttered out after a long moment of stunned silence, shaking his head in bewilderment as he was bullied into the bath with a laugh. He was wary, his fingers half forming Axii just in case this human was after something but as he watched the man longer the more things began to click into place.

The lack of fear at the bottomless eyes of Cat, the bright clothes, the familiarity of removing armour… the lute… his body relaxed as he realised that this human meant him no harm. "You're Geralt's bard."

"That I am," Jaskier replied with a smile. "Jaskier Master Bard at your service, its nice to meet one of Geralt's brothers. Now I'm going to assume since I didn't get stabbed, you're the handsome one, Eskel."

Eskel's head snapped to the side, removing his scars from view. "I wouldn't say handsome."

Jaskier hummed and let the subject drop, he remembered Geralt saying that Eskel was very subconscious of his scars. "Now, enjoy your bath and the food laid out before you it's all yours. Geralt is usually ravenous when the potions run their course. I'll be back in a moment."

Eskel watched the bard go with bewilderment. This was not what he expected meeting Geralt's bard would be like, nor would he believe that his body trusted him before his mind did. It was odd. He remembered the first year Geralt came back after Blaviken after not returning for three years muttering about this pesky bard. The year after it was less of a grumbling and more fondness… Eskel nearly tracked the human down the year Geralt came back smiling.

But as Eskel sunk into the bath further, warm and smelling like chamomile with food waiting near his elbow, Eskel could see why Geralt looked better after a year on the Path. The human smelled of sunshine and happiness. A deep hum escaped his lips as he pulled the first bowl before him, maybe, just maybe Eskel can relax for one night without worrying over the gnawing hunger and lack of funds.

Jaskier made his way back down to the celebrating townsfolk and made his way towards the Alderman, taking the seat free across from him with a bright smile too full of teeth and his hand clutching the dagger at his boot.

"What do ye want Bard." The Bard was spat the same way he spat Mutant.

"What I want is the 180 crowns you stiffed my friend," Jaskier replied still grinning, just a little sharper than before. "After all, he did save your town from a monster."

"Why should I pay that mutant, he's just another monster killi…" The man trailed off as the dagger slammed down between his fingers, he felt the slight nick of the blade at the webbing.

Wide dark eyes snapped up to the burning blue of the bard before him and then around to see if anyone saw, his heart spiking with fear as he realised that no one would notice if the Bard stabbed him here and now. Fear spiked and choked his voice as the man stood to loom over him.

"You see that Witcher is my friend and I know you know who I am." Jaskier rumbled slow and soft. "I am the White Wolf's Bard and that man you call a monster, and a mutant is the White Wolf's brother. So, unless you want your town blacklisted by all Witchers then you will give me what is owed to the Witcher and a little extra for damages."

Fury spluttered to life in the Alderman. "Good fuckn' riddance if the mutants stay away, we don't need the likes of those freaks here."

Silence, dead silence ensued after he yelled and brought his eyes towards the crowd once more. His eyes snapped to the bard who was sitting back with a small smirk, the dagger gone from view and with shaky hands he handed over what was asked for him as the town rounded on him in fury.

"My thanks," Jaskier replied with a charming smile and made his way back upstairs, tossing the bag towards Eskel who was now clean and in a fresh set of clothes.

Eskel caught the bag with a lump in his throat, his eyes never leaving the bard who was humming and packing his bag as if what he did downstairs was nothing as if defending a Witcher was an easy task. Something twisted in Eskel's chest, something he doesn't ever recall feeling.

"You know we can't actually blacklist a town right?" He asked after a moment watching as the Bard's shoulders stiffened.

"Fuck, forgot about the hearing," Jaskier muttered to himself and sighed, turning to look at Eskel with a smirk. "I know that, the Path is the Path even if the people are assholes, but he doesn't know that."

A startled laugh escaped Eskel's lips. "You were bluffing?"

"Of course, dear Witcher, I do it all the time when Geralt gets stiffed on payment or overcharged at the market," Jaskier replied with his own laugh. "I've gotten very good, now tell me how bad your stores are?"

The sudden ease that Eskel was feeling fled in a heartbeat as he eyed the bags, specifically his satchel of potions that were little in number. He hadn't had a decent contract in weeks and this was supposed to help him get enough to make more potions for the road or get his armour fixed. Thanks to Jaskier he could do one of those things, but he was sorely lacking still.

A deep sigh escaped his lips and decided that he would trust Jaskier as he would his brothers. my friend… it was uttered with honesty even though they had literally just met. "My potions are low, extremely low. I need to get my armour replaced but… it's been a long lean month."

"Well, I can help with those things, plus food." Jaskier hummed and tossed his spare coin purse to Eskel with ease. It wouldn't make him broke, he still had the money from his winnings it just means that he will have to sleep in lesser quality inns. With a hesitant hum, he tossed the small leather satchel from his bag over as well, the familiar clinking of vials echoing in the room.

"What?" Eskel asked stunned as he opened the last thing thrown at him and took in the vials inside. There was a handful of Swallow, Golden Oriole and Kiss inside.

"Geralt get's hurt a lot, I learnt how to make the healing potions early from watching Geralt. Mind you getting drowner brains for Swallow is a bitch." Jaskier chuckled nervously, his eyes flickering around the room. "I keep a small amount on my person with other first aid things when I have to go fetch him."

"Thank you for the potions but I can't take your money Jaskier," Eskel replied thickly, the lump in his throat making it hard to speak.

Jaskier snapped his eyes back to Eskel with a fury that made the Witcher flinch. "You can and you will, I will not let you starve or Melitele forbid, get killed if I can help it. It's not a lot, mainly the tips I get from performing but you need your armour repaired. I won't be the one to tell Geralt that you died because I let you go with no useable armour, I will not."

Silence stretched on between them, Jaskier busying to pack his things once again and Eskel studying the Bard with something like Respect shining in his eyes.

"I can see why Geralt speaks so highly of you," Eskel murmured after a beat inhaling the slight musk of surprise that wafted off the human.

"He speaks of me?" Jaskier asked with wide eyes.

Eskel frowned but nodded. "He tells us of you each winter, I've been hoping to meet the Bard who gets Geralt to smile.

"Oh," Jaskier breathed out, a soft smile pulling at his lips as what Eskel told him registered. "Your brother is my best friend; I hate to see him suffer so."

There was more to it Eskel knew, he couldn't ignore the smell of sunshine and honeysuckle that wafted off the bard. Jaskier loved his brother, but Eskel would dare not bring it up, it was something they had to discover themselves, but he would give it another year or two and if they hadn't figured out their feelings by then well… Eskel will just have to get involved.

The night grew late and both Eskel and Jaskier prepared for bed, it was an odd experience for Eskel to have a human cuddled into his side radiating trust and happiness. He settled further down in the bed to get comfortable, pulling the bard closer who hummed in comfort.

"Wait," Jaskier uttered popping up on his elbow to stare down at Eskel with a confused frown. "Geralt said you were a goat father, where are they? Is they safe? Warm? Do we need to have them tended to?"

Warmth bloomed in Eskel's chest at the concern that laced Jaskier's voice over his goat's welfare. "Lil' Bleater is fine, she's in the stall with Scorpion, I made sure she had all she needed but I don't take her on hunts if I can."

"Oh good, I'd like to meet her," Jaskier murmured into Eskel's chest as he flopped back down, exhaustion creeping up on him once more.

A chuckle left Eskel as he nodded. "Tomorrow Jaskier, let's sleep."

X

In the light of the morning, Eskel found himself bullied into eating a hearty breakfast by Jaskier before being herded out the door and towards the stable. If Eskel thought that Jaskier's mood towards him would change in the light of day then it was an obvious mistake, the bard was exactly the same if not a bit livelier and brighter.

"Oh! She's beautiful!" Jaskier exclaimed as Eskel let Lil' Bleater out the door, kneeling to give her affectionate pats and some apple slices. "Yes, you are, you have a good father taking care of you don't you."

Eskel jolted as Jaskier went tumbling back as Lil' Bleater gave a very strong affectionate head bump, his hands going to help him up with apologies only to be waved off with laughter as Jaskier just pulled her closer.

"And a fine Witcher companion! You'll be strong enough to fight off fearsome wolves soon enough!" Jaskier chuckled and stood up while dusting himself off. "Well my friend, this is where I part with you, I need to move on if I want to meet Geralt in time, can't have him thinking I've abandoned him."

No, he would think you're dead first before that… Eskel thought to himself as he felt himself being pulled into a brief hug.

"I want you to take this, I got it for Geralt, but you need it more I think," Jaskier stated as he held out a small Lark pendant that pulsed with magic. "If you ever need help, no matter how small just hold it and think of me and I'll come. If I can't then I'll think of something."

Eskel took the small pendant with care; he knew how much these types of pendants cost and here Jaskier was giving him this. "Thank you."

"I mean it Eskel, if you find yourself in the state I found you again and not contact me I will be cross," Jaskier stated firmly, hand on hip and feet planted.

"I will, I promise," Eskel promised deeply as he pulled his Medallion from his head and slipped the lark pendant on with care.

A bright smile graced Jaskier's face that made him seem to shine, it warmed something within Eskel. "Good, be safe on the Path my friend."

"And you on your journey Jaskier," Eskel replied with a warm smile and began to lead Scorpion from the stall. "Till next we meet."

"Till next we meet Eskel."


Author Note: I love Eskel, he's such a sweetheart.