A/N: Chapter updated (02/09/2023)


After the second class, he moved two rows down and she joined him once again. The classroom was now empty, so she took the opportunity to strike up a more intimate conversation. This time, she sat on the chair next to him since sitting on his lap was not a good idea if she wanted to keep a clear head.

"I'm curious about your family," she opened, treading carefully around what she sensed was a touchy subject for him. It didn't take a genius to deduce that him becoming a witcher meant he was either abandoned or won in a game of chance, and neither option would be one to make him happy to discuss his lineage.

"That's something I rarely discuss. What stirred your curiosity?"

"Well, as I said, you have very good defences when you want to keep someone out. If you remember that first Sunday you spent in my care... It felt like slamming into a wall each time..."

"I really am sorry about that," he cut in.

"I wasn't bringing it up to make you feel bad," she said, caressing his cheek tenderly. "My point was that ignoring the fact that you were doing yourself a disservice, you were doing a very good job of keeping me out. It got me thinking that you might have some other innate abilities that you're not aware of. And if it's so, I'm curious to know where you got them from."

"It's more likely my training. Witchers are very resistant to hypnosis and mind control, but not immune. If the opponent is someone skilled, they can achieve a temporary effect on us. Yen could do it... Well, to be precise, she actually did do it once."

She couldn't help but wince at the comparison but continued to explain.

"I'm not sure how this would apply. What I was doing had nothing to do with hypnosis or mind control. I trust you know that by now."

"I'd say yes, but at times there is a certain hypnotizing quality about you," he joked, trying to change the subject, but she was committed to getting a serious answer.

"If I had ill intentions or lacked skill, my tampering could've done much worse to you than whatever Yennefer did," she continued, ignoring his minor diversion. "Whatever protections you have, I assume your distrust of me triggered it, and it took a great deal of energy to get past it. After the last few days, I'm sure this was the main reason for my loss of consciousness."

"So you think it's inherited?" he asked, finally taking the discussion seriously.

She nodded. He thought for a minute before continuing.

"My mother was a sorceress. It's not something I talk about since she gave me up. I remember very little of her and nothing of my father. Last time I saw her, I was injured and barely conscious. I guess it's not impossible there was something different about her. In truth, it's unusual for anyone magically trained to procreate. But you can imagine that it's not something I cared to ask given the circumstances. It wasn't exactly a heartwarming reunion."

"A sorceress..." she repeated. "The more I learn about you, the more intriguing you become. And I expect that this is only the tip of the iceberg. You, Geralt, are one of the more interesting men I've met."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"As you should." She turned at the sound of the door opening. Break time was over. She had to get back to work. "Once again, we'll have to continue our conversation later." She smiled and got up.


With all his list of things he wanted to know, somehow she beat him to it. No matter how she joked about losing her head, in reality, he was the one unable to think straight around her.

Her interest in his family had picked at an old wound and got him thinking about his mother, something he rarely did in recent years. In his youth, he had spent too much time mulling over the reasons she might have had to give him away, but as he got older, it became a moot point. Knowing more about her and her reasons wouldn't change a thing in his life. Maybe because, all in all, he didn't wish to change much. He liked to walk the Path. Each time he killed a monster, he rid a village of a pest. He made the world slightly better and, despite what others thought, the gold was just a bonus. But that didn't mean he had any love for his mother or that he had even forgiven her. No, she was still a raw wound under a fragile scab and Criss had just picked at it.

And she wasn't the first mage to do so.

Vilgefortz had tried to use his parents to convince him they were alike to gain his support and get at Ciri. He never took him and his offer to become a wizard as anything more than a ploy to get him to trade his ward for power, but perhaps it was more than that. Drawing benefits from his lineage wasn't something he had ever seriously considered. The idea of being indebted to his mother didn't sit well with him, although, at the end of the day, he still owed her his life twice over.

He put an elbow on the desk in front of him and rested his chin on his knuckle, watching the students pass by and take their seats. They were all so young - kids compared to him. He envied their carelessness and ignorance of the world, even their short lives. None of them will ever see as much death as he has, nor will they have to watch the world change around them while the mistakes men made stayed the same. Trying not to be attached to anything that had a short lifespan made things even worse. Sometimes he wished the mutations had been more successful in stripping him of emotions. It would have made things so much easier. He wouldn't spend so much time dissecting everything and instead enjoy what was right in front of him without asking too many questions.

Fuck. Why did she have to bring up his family?

He needed to think of something else. Anything else. Remembering his mother had put him in a grim mood that threatened to become malignant.

He focused on the presentation to take his mind off his family and listening to her lecture took him back to his days at the Oxenfurt academy. In her soothing voice, she explained something about action and reaction in all things, directly impacting the evolution of styles in architecture.

Passion and enthusiasm seeped into her every word. It was no wonder, considering she never seemed to do anything halfway even if it killed her. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, remembering how he had paced around her living room wondering if she'd ever wake up. No wonder people thought witchers were heartless. Whenever someone showed him kindness, all he did was look for ulterior motives until he drove that person away. No one would willingly tie themselves to him unless magic was involved, even her. He deserved to be alone and perhaps whatever was between them was doomed to end once he was healed. He sighed again. It was this kind of thinking that ruined everything. For once, he resolved to enjoy things as they come and not sour their relationship with expectations of failure.


Next break, they retreated to the office in the back, picking up Elly along the way.

"I thought you might want to join us for lunch." Criss opened the carefully packed containers and took out three sets of cutlery. "I made some risotto with chicken and parmesan. Nothing too fancy, but I also have some sour cherry cake saved for you. Geralt already had his fill over the weekend." She winked at him.

"Don't mind if I do!"

She scarfed down the contents of the container, all the while still talking to Criss about their work. It was amazing just how much she could talk and not choke on her food.

"I talked to Darren. He said that Wednesday evening would work for him if you wanted to go out," Elly said before heading to her class.

"Alright, then I'll make a reservation for the four of us at the Italian place you guys like."

Geralt's heart sunk a little. Going on a date was not something he had done in a while. In fact, he couldn't really remember when he had done that purposefully. Sweeping women off their feet and taking them to the bedroom was more of his thing; being romantic and sociable was something out of his comfort zone. Noticing his apprehension, Criss smiled and reassuringly rubbed his thigh, without a word.

"I haven't been on a date in a very long time. Maybe this isn't such a good idea..." he told her as he helped her pack up everything.

"We're just going out to eat with them. You shouldn't stress about it. I enjoy your company very much and I'm sure they will too."

"That's just because you're biased. I'm not so sure it's my company you enjoy so much as other things I do to you."

She turned to him, pulled him closer by his shirt collar, and wrapped her hands around his neck. He couldn't resist her. He leaned in and her fingers danced on his skin as she placed a soft kiss on his lips. The tenderness she had about her chipped away at any misgivings he had.

"You have nothing to worry about," she said before letting him go and giving him one of her sweet smiles. "We should return to class, I think they're waiting for me already."

He reclaimed his seat in the classroom, but her kiss was still lingering on his lips, making him distracted. He fell into a reverie, imagining how they would spend the evening. A smile made its way to his lips, thinking of the fire between her thighs and her delicious mouth. He planned on savouring both as soon as they were somewhere more private. His daydreaming was interrupted by the next break when she came to him once again. He patted his knee, inviting her to sit. With a smile, she took her place in his lap.

"One more class until I get to take you home… and get under those clothes," he whispered in her ear and kissed her neck, getting her heart to race.

"You forgot my brother is coming by tonight."

He cursed and growled in disappointment, but she only giggled in response. "You'll just have to wait a little longer."

"Until then..." He ran a hand up her leg while he kissed her.

"We have a few more minutes before the next class begins," she said, placing one hand on his chest and the other on the side of his face.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this," he said.

"Used to what?"

"Having someone take care of me."

"It's what I do. Besides, I owe Ciri."

His smile faded. "That's all? A debt?"

"Of course not, but Ciri is relying on me to return you in good health. Although, sometimes when I'm with you, I forget about that."

"Like this morning?" he asked with a smug smile.

"Mhm."

"Then you might have a tough time remembering because I plan to try my hardest to make you enjoy yourself like that again."