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On good days he could almost forget about them. The keratin horns had started to first grow after he had survived his trials. The first time they had breached the sensitive skin on his head he had been writing in pain for days and the screams had been heard through all of Kaer Morhen.
After the initial growth, the horns didn’t hurt at all, Geralt could still feel them, a bit like nails would feel and sometimes they would feel dry and itch, especially after he had filled them down.
The first time had filed them it had taken hours to figure out what to do and how to get them to be flat against his head. He couldn’t even remember their form, if they would growl curled down to his ears or back, it didn’t matter. Common folk was scared of him already, calling him monstrous and there was no need to feed their fear with his horns.
He made sure to file his horns down monthly, his left giving him more problems as it had been broken before and grew unevenly. His hair would catch on the rough edges and he had lost a few strands this way.
He had been able to hide this grotesque mutation from Jaskier for years, making sure he had time and space for himself every few weeks to take care of his horns.
He and Jaskier had parted a few weeks ago and were supposed to meet up here, in this lovely inn, in a few days, so when he arrived early he decided it was a perfect time to get to the filing again.
He didn’t think that Jaskier would as well be early so he had himself draw a bath and afterwards set down, naked and wet in front of the big mirror in the room and started to work.
Which is how Jaskier found him when he opened the door, ready to greet Geralt warmly but now stopping in his tracks and staring at the rough looking metal file that Geralt had taken to his head and the look of horror in his amber eyes.
They both stared in shock until Geralt shouted for the bard to get out.
“No.” Jaskier shook his head, closing the door behind him and letting his satchel drop to the floor. He walked closer to Geralt until he was standing between his open legs. “Show me.” He whispered carefully and the horror in Geralts eyes was replaced with something way softer.
There was an ugly knot rising from Geralts stomach up his throat as for the first time in years he felt himself afraid. The fear that Jaskier would be disgusted, would leave once and for all was so big that for a second he contemplated the thought to just get up an run, but Jaskiers warm hand on his shoulder stopped him.
“Please Geralt.”
The Witcher grunted and tilted his head, pushed his hair aside with one hand, and waited.
He braced himself for Jaskiers reaction, expecting retching noises, or disgusted sounds or even the sound of running, what he did not expect was soft long fingers brushing through his hair and circling the stumps of his horns.
“Do they hurt?” Jaskier voice was full of emotion and care and so warm Geralt felt himself slightly shaking.
“They itch…” he grunted in response and felt Jaskiers curious hands slightly massage around the rough horns. He closed his eyes as he started to relax and leaned into the touch.
“Hang on…” Jaskier stepped back to his satchel and Geralt could hear him shuffle around before he came back and wiggled himself between Geralts legs. Soon after he could feel hand warm oil dripping on his head and Jaskiers fingers massaging it into his hair and stumps.
His eyes flew open in surprise but Jaskier pushed his head gently down again so he could work.
It was silent for a long time before he could hear Jaskiers soft voice directly into his ear.
“To me, you are perfect, to me you are beautiful. Horns or not.” The bards’ breath tickled against his skin and he wanted to bring his arms up to wrap them around Jaskiers middle.
“I would not mind if you would let them grow out, but I understand why you are not. Humans are the true monsters Geralt.” He smiled and reached for the disregarded file on the floor.
His blue eyes found Geralts amber ones and he smiled so brightly that Geralt felt the sunlight shone right out of him. “Will you let me help dear?”
Geralt was still trembling, overwhelmed with feelings and hope, his voice small when he answered. “Please…”
Carefully Jaskier started to part his hair, to put it back and out of the way before filing, his soft humming filled the room and for the first time since the keratin had cut his head open and formed into horns on his head Geralt didn’t feel like a monster.