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The Bard was fluttering around Eskel like one time he had gotten flowers caught in his hair and a particularly bold hummingbird had decided he would be a perfect meal. It felt just as unreal.
He could still feel the black veins pulsing every time his heart beat but somehow even with the proximity and his heightened senses he still couldn't detect any fear at all coming from the man. It was confusing and rather alarming at this point, he was waiting for the shoe to drop, that instinctual fear to kick in, but the man just kept up his chatter as he set out what may well be a small fortune's worth of oils at the base of the tub he had strong armed Lambert into preparing. Just stared Lambert down and ordered him to do his bidding.
Geralt certainly had interesting taste in Friends…
“Are you planning to stand there until the water gets cold or are you going to get in?” Jaskier gave him that same stare and Eskel now understood perfectly why Lambert had given in so easily, he couldn’t recall the last time a human had been able to look him in the eye and stare him down like that. It was unnerving as hell.
With hesitant fingers, he began to take off his armor. Jaskier went back to organizing his oils thankfully, so he could pretend he was just getting ready for a regular bath without the feeling of eyes on him.
Eskel sank into the water, and waited for Jaskier to leave but the man just started pouring oils into the bath. He tensed up, waiting for the smell to hit him but instead of an overpowering scent that set his eyes watering there was only the lightest hint of lavender and sage.
Jaskier huffed when he looked back at him, “You know Geralt and I have been traveling together for nearly ten years? I do understand how witchers work at this point,” Reaching a hand into the water he stirred the oil in almost casually, like there wasn’t a witcher covered in black veins with pitch black eyes sitting naked in the bath mere inches away.
He knew that they had been traveling together for a while but he didn’t understand why that meant the man was preparing Eskel baths... Instead of getting up and leaving like Eskel thought he might, Jaskier grabbed a cup and poured water gently over Eskel's hair.
“What are you doing?” he barked, not daring to move a muscle.
“I’m washing your hair. It would be easier if you leaned back though... and relaxed,” And just like that he was tugging on Eskel’s shoulder. Without knowing what to do, Eskel just went with it, leaning back against the tub. He couldn’t force himself to relax at all, only felt the urge to tense further actually.
Gentle fingers ran more of that lavender oil through his hair, massaging lightly at his scalp. He could hear quiet humming coming from the bard, he didn’t recognize the song but that wasn’t surprising as the bard knew far more songs that he could ever hope to. Almost against his will his muscles seemed to untense, bit by bit. Those hands moved from his head to his shoulders, working the tension out with a patient pressure.
All too soon Jaskier was pulling away. Eskel wanted to protest but didn’t know where he would start so he said nothing.
“Come on, scrub up so you can get out before you prune. And don’t you go telling me witchers don’t prune, Geralt hasn’t gotten away with that for years.” He was handed a washrag, pre-soaped. Like the rest of this strange interaction he decided it would just be better to do as he was told.
He looked over to see Jaskier was adding more logs to the fire, not that it was cold really. Eskel watched the man putter around, not sure what he was supposed to do now that he was finished washing. Would Jaskier leave now? Was he supposed to get out of the tub with Jaskier in the room? Was whatever this was over?
He was caught watching Jasker flit back and forth, which was apparently a signal that he was done washing.
Jaskier held out a sheet for him that he hadn’t even noticed was sat by the fire until the other man picked it up, “Come on then.”
Eskel was thankful that the potion was finally wearing off, he didn’t know what he looked like right now but he was sure the veins were faded if not gone altogether. He rose from the bath and allowed the bard to drape him in the warm bath sheet.
His elbow was caught in a surprisingly strong grip and he was led to his bed where there were braies set out for him to change into.
“Be a good witcher now and lay on your belly once you’ve changed,” Jaskier wandered away once again, Eskel wasn’t sure what was going on here. Couldn’t figure out why Jaskier was doing any of this.
He settled on his stomach as he was told, arms awkwardly folded under his head. There was a touch at his back, a hand running up and down his spine. His first instinct was to jump and roll away, but he grit his teeth against the impulse.
“Just relax. I’m not afraid of you. I’m not going to hurt you,” Warm oil was poured on his back, and Jaskier started working it in with a pressure that was just on the right side of firm. He grit his teeth to hold back the pur that wanted to come bubbling out now, “You deserve nice things. You deserve to be cared for.”
Without another option, Eskel hid his face in his arms, trying to block out whatever this was. Trying to control the contented pur that threatened to spill out the back of his throat.
A voice startled him from the doorway, “You know, you really should go easy on him. He’s not used to it.”
When he looked up he saw Geralt was dressed in sleep clothes leaning against his doorway. His brother had a knowing smirk on his face that made Eskel fairly certain Geralt was the one who set the bard on him in the first place.
“I am not being difficult. It’s you lot that need to learn how to have good things. I am just teaching you.”
“And did you ask if you could teach him or did you just demand that he do what you want in that nobleman way of yours and my poor brother had no idea what to do but listen to you?”
“That is beside the point. Are you feeling better now Eskel? Relaxed and warm and a little sleepy,” The hands on his back had gentled again, now just sliding up and down his flanks.
“I guess?” What was he supposed to say here? Geralt really did have strange friends...
“Well we’ll work on it.” Jaskier gave him a pat on the shoulder as he got up, shuffling the blankets around and tucking him in of all things.
“Okay?”
“Sleep well Eskel.” And just like that Jaskier took Geralt by the elbow and led him back to their room, leaving him warm and sleepy and still rather confused. That bard is something else...