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Geralt didn't see the blade.
He only heard Jaskier shout his name before two hands struck his chest and sent him stumbling sideways. By the time he turned, the blade was already buried beneath Jaskier's ribs.
For one impossible second, they simply stared at each other.
Jaskier looked down at the steel as though he couldn't quite understand what it was doing there, then raised his eyes to Geralt.
The attacker pulled the blade free.
Geralt killed him without remembering the motion.
When he turned back, Jaskier was swaying.
"I'm all right," Jaskier said automatically.
Then blood touched his lips.
His knees folded.
Geralt caught him before he hit the ground and lowered him into his lap, tearing open the ruined fabric around the wound.
The sight beneath it made something cold settle inside him.
"No."
He pressed his hand over the wound.
Jaskier cried out, fingers closing around Geralt's wrist.
"Don't stop. Just... keep it there."
Geralt pressed harder. Blood immediately slipped between his fingers.
Too much.
His hands started shaking.
"Geralt."
Geralt stared at the wound.
"Look at me."
He did.
Jaskier was already pale, but his eyes were still clear.
"I'm here. Don't go somewhere else in your head yet."
"It isn't stopping."
"I know."
Jaskier breathed carefully through the pain.
"But I'm still here."
Geralt pulled him closer, keeping pressure on the wound. Jaskier shivered and rested his head against Geralt's shoulder.
"Cold?"
"A little."
Geralt wrapped his coat around him.
Jaskier watched him for a moment.
"You're frightened."
Geralt said nothing.
"I'm frightened too."
That made Geralt look at him.
Jaskier tried to raise a hand, but Geralt had to catch it and bring it the rest of the way to his cheek.
"I'm not giving up."
Geralt leaned into his palm.
"I know."
Jaskier swallowed.
"I don't want to die."
Geralt closed his eyes.
"I don't want to leave you."
Geralt's grip tightened around him.
Then he looked down and saw the pool of blood spreading beneath them.
Jaskier followed his gaze.
Fear flashed across his face.
"Don't."
Geralt looked up.
"Look at me."
Geralt did.
Jaskier's lips had lost almost all their colour.
"Geralt."
Geralt bowed his head.
"Please."
"I'm here."
"Not now."
His voice broke.
"Please, not now. I haven't—"
He stopped.
Jaskier watched him, and somehow the faintest warmth returned to his expression.
"Confessed your undying love to me?"
Geralt broke.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
"Not like this."
Jaskier's expression softened.
"Then don't."
Geralt looked at him.
"Tell me later."
Jaskier's thumb moved weakly against his cheek.
"Somewhere warm. Without all the blood."
A broken laugh escaped Geralt.
For a moment they simply looked at each other.
Years of roads, arguments, songs and things left unsaid seemed to sit between them.
Geralt's hand moved to the back of Jaskier's neck.
Jaskier's breath caught.
Their foreheads touched.
"Geralt."
Geralt pulled back slightly.
Jaskier's gaze dropped to his mouth, then returned to his eyes.
Geralt kissed him.
It was desperate at first, almost frightened, before he softened immediately, remembering how fragile Jaskier felt in his arms.
Jaskier barely had the strength to respond, but his fingers curled weakly into Geralt's coat.
When Geralt pulled away, Jaskier's eyes stayed closed.
"That was..." He paused for breath. "Better."
Geralt almost smiled.
Then Jaskier whispered, "Thank you."
Geralt shook his head.
"Not goodbye."
Jaskier looked at him.
"Just... thank you. For everything."
"Tell me tomorrow."
Jaskier gave the smallest nod.
"Tomorrow."
His eyes fluttered.
"Jaskier."
They opened halfway.
"Stay with me."
Jaskier tried to answer.
"Trying."
Then his eyes closed.
His hand went completely limp.
Geralt froze.
"Jaskier?"
Nothing.
"No."
He shook him.
"Jaskier."
Nothing.
"No, no, no."
Geralt pulled him tighter against his chest.
"Open your eyes. Come on."
He didn't recognize his own voice.
"Please."
Tears fell onto Jaskier's face, mixing with the blood already smeared across his cheek.
Geralt pressed his forehead against Jaskier's.
"Please stay with me. Please."
His whole body shook.
"Don't leave me."
For several terrible seconds, there was nothing.
Then Geralt remembered.
Heartbeat.
His fingers went to Jaskier's throat.
Nothing.
He moved them.
"Come on."
Then—
A faint beat.
Another.
Geralt opened his eyes.
"You're still here."
Something changed in him.
The panic didn't disappear. It hardened.
"No. You're not dying here."
He tore open his potion case and drank one bottle, then another, ignoring the violent burn through his body and the pain of his own injuries suddenly sharpening into focus.
He bound Jaskier's wound tightly and lifted him.
His damaged ribs screamed.
Geralt stood anyway.
Jaskier's head fell against his shoulder.
Geralt held him closer.
"I've got you."
There was a healer beyond the eastern ridge, farther than Geralt should have been able to run in his condition.
It didn't matter.
Enough was Jaskier opening his eyes again.
Nothing less.
Geralt ran.
Jaskier woke four days later.
Geralt was beside the bed before his eyes fully opened.
"Geralt?"
"Here."
Jaskier studied his exhausted face.
"You stayed."
Geralt frowned as though the alternative had never existed.
Jaskier reached out, and Geralt took his hand immediately.
After a long silence, Jaskier said, "I remember."
Geralt went still.
"The undying love part."
Geralt looked away.
"And the kiss."
Jaskier's expression softened.
"You said not like that."
Geralt sat beside him.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then, quietly, "I love you."
Jaskier went still.
"Have for years. Kept thinking there'd be more time."
Geralt finally looked at him.
"Another road. Another winter. I thought there would always be later."
Jaskier squeezed his hand.
"You're here now."
Geralt nodded.
"So am I."
Geralt's thumb moved over his knuckles.
"Wanted you there."
"Where?"
"Everywhere."
Jaskier's eyes filled.
Then he smiled faintly.
"I love you too."
Geralt stared.
"Years?"
"Years."
Geralt leaned closer, but stopped.
Jaskier touched his cheek.
"You can kiss me properly this time."
Geralt did.
Slowly.
Without fear.
Later, when Jaskier's eyes began to close again, Geralt pulled the blanket higher around him.
"Sleep."
Jaskier smiled faintly.
"Geralt?"
"Hm."
"My undying love?"
Geralt sighed and kissed his forehead.
"My undying love is yours."
Jaskier smiled.
"Good."
Geralt stayed beside him, fingers wrapped around Jaskier's hand, feeling the steady pulse beneath his thumb.
This time, he didn't count the beats.