"You're too trusting, bard." Geralt grunted out.
"Excuse me!" Jaskier pitched in disbelief. "If anything, you sir, are just as much to blame for-for leading me to believe Witchers to be honest, respectable and reliable."
Geralt snorted at that, leveling the other an incredulous look. "There is nothing respectable nor honourable about the school of the cat."
The sonneteer sunk back into his pillows with a petulant huff, "Yes well, they don't exactly teach Witcher schools at the bards college, Geralt."
"They don't teach never to give payment before the job's done either by the sounds." The Witcher snorted, standing and tracking back across the room to the pack he'd dumped by the door.
"Geralt of Rivia, was that just a jest I detected." The bard smirked, looking far to pleased of himself for someone who'd just days ago unthinkingly paid a man to lead him to his death.
"You're lucky to be alive." Geralt tossed over his shoulder as he pulled some of the supplies from his pack, including the bard's freshly washed and repaired outfit. The woman who'd repaired the garment had done a fairy decent job of tailoring a new pair of trousers from what was left of his old pair. The hue wasn't quite the same as the doublet but it was purple, and purple was purple right.
"I hadn't noticed, thank you for pointing that out." Jaskier replied sarcastically.
"I'm serious, Jaskier." Geralt snapped, turning back to the bard with a stern look. The man had almost died, he was still too weak to even get out of bed and the idiot was making jokes. He'd have been a meal for the drowners had Geralt not been there, if it weren't for Roach he'd not have found the bard at all. He'd have rode straight past and the drowners would have torn him apart as soon as he fell from that tree and then what. Eventually someone would stumble over Jaskier's remains and word would probably spread, eventually making its way to his own ears, and he'd have to live out the rest of his life feeling guilt over his last words to the man. "What the hell were you thinking. You pay Witchers to get rid of monsters not deliver you to them."
The younger man bristled, light blue eyes narrowing with an anger barely seen on the man. "Oh I don't know, perhaps I thought I'd shovel my own shit for a change." Those words hit harder than Geralt would ever like to admit. "What do you care anyway, you're the one who wanted me gone. Maybe this was life granting you that blessing, and you cannot try and pin this one on me, you were the one to intervene of your own volition."
"Jaskier-" Geralt exhaled, the bard's death would be far from a blessing, because as loathe as he may be to express it out loud he did care for the younger man. He'd never admit to 'very best friend in the whole wide world' but he was willing to admit to friend. The poet however obviously wasn't done yet, as he continued with his tirade.
"I did call out for help though, so I suppose you were only doing your job and I certainly wouldn't want to appear ungrateful. So, tell me Witcher what is the going rate of saving someones life? Not cheap I'd wager, considering the inconvenience I've no doubt caused you. What with not only having to go out of your way to slay the monsters to save the pest who's hounded you these last however many years but then having to drag his sorry self to a healer. I've no coin on me but I'll soon make more and I entend to pay in full, I always repay my debts-"
"Jaskier!" The bard did give slight pause as Geralt's voice grew in tone and volume, he didn't want the man's money. Jaskier owed him nothing, it was he who owed the other an apology, if the poet could just shut up long enough for him to get a word in. He held back the growl of frustration as the bard's anger deflated and he sunk back into the pillows at his back, yet kept talking.
"Your right, I'm being ungrateful. I'm sorry. You Just saved my life and here I am being ungracious, I've not even thanked you yet. So thank you Geralt, if not for you I'd no doubt be drowner food right now. I really do owe you a debt." The man's words were genuine however the small smile fell from his lips nearly as fast at it had graced them, as he straightened again. Brows lowering in a frown and one hand moving to rest on his hip as he started up once more, though his words no longer held the heat from his previous rant. He sounded more like a petulant child than anything, as he huffed.
"No. No! I'm still mad at you, that fillingless pie comment was one thing, but accusations of my being the shoveler of all things shit to fall upon you, as though I am some sort of jinx -and no I do not care whether such a thing is real or folktale-" Jaskier pointed accusingly as Geralt opened his mouth. "And the removal of my presence being a life blessing. I know I can be annoying at times and I often outstay my welcome, but I thought we were friends despite your grumblings, a-and that hurt Geralt! That really hurt."
"Look, I'm sorry okay! Is that what you want to hear. I treated you poorly and took my angers out on you when you didn't deserve it." Geralt snapped out much harsher than he'd intended. Because the damned bard stirred things inside him feelings and possible emotions that didn't even belong there in the first place, he didn't deal with feelings. Spent so damn long trying to push them all down that he didn't know how, so he turned them to one he did, frustration.
"I... W-well yes, but I wasn't expecting it." The bard stammered out in shock, "I- Okay wow, I didn't think Witchers did apologies. Not that I'm complaining, delivery was a little harsh, a little more snarled than one genuinely expects from a heartfelt apology but I'll accept it all the same and grant you my forgiveness."
"That's it." Geralt said, casting his eyes back to the bard with a look Jaskier had come to narrow down to either incredulity or 'you are an idiot', the two tended to go hand in hand so the bard had yet to distinguish between the two. "I unfairly turn my anger on you, blaming you for my troubles and wishing you gone, and all is forgiven just like that?"
"Yes. I mean you did just save my life and you are buying me dinner and a drin- no two drinks, of my choosing, once I am able to stand again, and you are my friend no matter how stubbornly you deny otherwise. Besides, Julian Alfred Pankratz doesn't hold grudges... Well he does but not against friends, so worry not I'd never wish apoplexy struck down upon you."
"I was a complete arse and you would forgive just like that?" Geralt prompted, ignoring the bard's amused murmur of "Your words." Before going on to say, "I don't buy it."
"How about just once in your life accepting a blessing when it comes your way, rather than questioning it." Jaskier scoffed teasingly.
Geralt let out a huff that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, "You are a strange man Jaskier." He turned back to sorting through the pack with a muttered. "I'll never know how I was duped into befriending someone like you."
"What was that, I didn't quite catch it?" The sonneteer asked, cupping his ear playfully.
"Nothing."
"Do my ears decieve or did the mighty White Wolf just admit to being friends." The cot creaked as the bedridden poet propped himself forward in excited amusement.
"You heard wrong, bard." Geralt huffed.
"Oh I definitely heard right, don't you deny it." The smirk was clear in his voice and Geralt couldn't help but groan for letting himself voice such words out loud. "Oh, I knew you liked me you big softy. Quick pass me my lute, I'm feeling inspired. Ooh I'm sensing an epic ballad here, of aspiring friendship, companionship and comradery, a tale of two bosom buddies and their valiant steed-"
"I'm leaving." The Witcher grunted, turning towards the door in threat to leave.
"Come now, Geralt, you would leave while your very best friend in the whole wide world is laying crittically injured in bed, would you?"
"It's certainly tempting." Geralt huffed, tossing the bard's newly repaired clothes at him.
The bundle of folded silk and brocade bouncing off his face still not enough to wipe off the face splitting grin, and Geralt couldn't help but find a small smile gracing his own lips.