Not the Plan

by AlexaMondragon

Notes:

I just wanted to write some A/B/O fluffs of my favourite couple.

Chapter 1

Not the Plan

Jaskier’s long term boyfriend cheated on him on their anniversary with a dark-haired Goddess and now he’s wallowing in the best pity party he can give himself. In a bar in the most insidious part of New York, he’s pretty sure that someone will mug him if he opens his mouth within the vicinity of the bar, but he’s not in the mood for upbeat tunes that people called music, rubbing against the prettiest people in NYC, but he’s definitely in the mood to get into some trouble.

And the trouble is a six-foot-something with the most gruesome scars he’s ever seen someone sport on their face. The right side of his lip upturned into a permanent snarl, showing off amazing canines, thick eyebrows downturned and black. Like bushy caterpillars, his intoxicated mind supplies. The man just oozes alpha pheromones in the air, and he’s surprised no one in the bar is choking on it. Jaskier, discreetly, takes a little more generous whiff of air in his general vicinity and a tingle runs up Jaskier’s spine at the smell of sandalwood and petrichor, with a hint of campfire and grass. This man’s scent is the embodiment of Nature herself!

Jaskier can feel the purr vibrating in his chest, a drop of sweat rolling down his temple and his body grow hot. He quietly whimpers in his arms that he leans over them on the dirty bar. He’s pretty sure the splotch next to him is blood, dried, brown, old, dirty blood, but he can’t give a single care in the world right now.

He lets out a silent whine into his clothed arms and presses a hand to his abdomen, specifically on where his uterus is. His frustration builds inside of him and the tears start to fall from his pathetic cornflower-blue eyes.

This was supposed to be the day they finally mate and make a family! He’s been waiting so long for this opportunity! Now he’s here, in heat and in pain, his supposed to be mate ran off with another, stronger and more beautiful omega. A more capable omega. A reliable omega. A real omega.

He sobs pathetically and bites down on his arm to muffle a distress call. Knowing very well that if he does, he’ll cause the biggest alpha tournament this side of wrong. He needs to go home and suffer through this alone. He needs his comforters, his toys, and his nest. He needs…

He couldn’t remember anything of what happened 24 hours later. All he knows is that he’s in a warm embrace one minute, now he’s in a hospital bed with six-foot-something sleeping in a plastic chair next to his bed. He looks terribly uncomfortable and his posture is so awkward Jaskier can practically feel the ache later. Six foot something looks much less intimidating in his sleep. His tousled brown hair in a mess, drool is slowly making its way towards the floor and his broad shoulders…Jaskier swallows a sudden lump in his throat.

He tries to sit up in the slightly hard bed and whimpers a little too loudly when a sharp pain shoots up from his lower regions, which prompted six-foot-something to jolt awake and tips his plastic chair backwards, he groans on the floor. He shakes his head to get rid of the sleepiness and brilliant amber eyes turn to look at Jaskier. The omega believes that if he looks closely into his eyes, he could see the flecks of gold or muted yellow in them, and isn’t that the most beautiful things the omega has ever seen.

“Wow…” He breathes out and the alpha clears his throat, eyes looking anywhere but the omega on the hospital bed and face turns away to hide the scars. Jaskier feels oddly sad at that action.

“I’m glad you’re awake…I, uh, I should call in a nurse.” His deep voice sounds like a rough maned wolf’s roar bark and Jaskier’s omega brain tingles at the resonance.

He stands and, good God! Up closer he’s a lot thicker than Jaskier can comprehend! His sleeves are rolled up to show off well-toned forearms; littered with scars thick and thin. His entire body built like a brick shithouse! But the way he carries himself is the opposite of how he’s built, his shoulders are lowered and he’s standing in a bit of a slump, trying to make himself appear smaller. Jaskier has the strangest urge to get up and nuzzle him until he feels better.

He opens the door and seems to be looking around before he hears the alpha speaking lowly to a nurse. A few nods later and the nurse walks in. She’s another omega, which, okay odd, usually they would have to call a doctor as well to come to check the patients over, but before he could ask anything, the nurse answers for him; probably because the other omega can see his confusion.

“We don’t usually let any other alphas in with a newly mated omega. Your alpha brought you here two days ago when he notices that you started bleeding from your rectum and requested personally to not bring alphas into the room. We found out that it was only a little tear and patched you up nicely. I advise you to not do anything strenuous for the next couple of weeks and we will prescribe you some medication for pain and ointment to make your wounds heal quicker, and it seems in your chart says that you’re allowed to go home today. We’ll bring a wheelchair for you and your alpha can take care of the rest.”

Jaskier tuned everything out the second she mentioned newly mated. His brain refuses to function and hear anything else, but he hopes that the alpha in the room with them is actually paying attention because everything in Jaskier is very confused right now.

He’s mated??!! He’s mated??!! He’s mated???!!! By the time the nurse has left the room, he finally gets a resemblance of consciousness and his eyes turn to the alpha, hopefully, to get some answers, but the man only looks guilty and ashamed. Jaskier almost felt his hackles raised. He’s mated, probably un-consensual and he panics and runs a hand on his scent gland, but is confused when he didn’t feel a scar, pain, or anything. Just smooth and unmarred skin.

He hears a throat clear and looks up, he notices a bandaged patch on his scent gland and shame fills in Jaskier’s being instead. The alpha must’ve scent his distress and averts his eyes back to the linoleum floor.

“I apologize sincerely if this wasn’t…uh, exactly what you expected to wake up in. No, wait, that doesn’t sound right. Uuuhh, I hope that you can forgive me if this isn’t what you … uhh.” He seems to be struggling with finding the right words and Jaskier feels a tiny bit part in his mind that finds his flustering endearing and cute. Which is not the sentiment that he normally associates alphas with.

Jaskier clears his throat and decides to save the man from his own embarrassment, “It’s, it’s alright. If anything, it seems that I need to apologize to you, since…umm,” He points to his neck and the alpha lifts a hand to run his fingers lightly on it. He seems to unconsciously let out a deep rumble of content and Jaskier is confused.

“I think this is really my fault. I should’ve left you in my motel room to ride out your heat, but you kept clinging to me and would whine in distress whenever I leave. You kept me pinned to your, uh, temporary nest and wouldn’t let me move unless to get food and go to the bathroom.”

He seems to struggle to remember things that happened in Jaskier’s drug-induced heat and Jaskier felt the heat rise up to his cheeks at how demanding and dominating he was over the man.

“I guess I finally caved two days after when I woke up to you riding me …” His cheeks start to heat up here,” … and, and it seems that after, after I knotted you, I’m so sorry, you passed out. I woke up hours later with my neck bleeding and you're unconscious. I took you to the hospital when I noticed blood coming out of you.”

He finishes that one on a low note and Jaskier nods.

He takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. Well, what’s done is done. This alpha is now bound to him, but he’s not bound to the alpha, which he is thankful, he didn’t think that he could handle being mated to a stranger. Which he probably needs to ask his name and his general biography.

“I’m the one who should be apologizing, dear.” The term of endearment seems to have startled him, but Jaskier continues, “I’m the one that bonded you to me and I forced you to bed me. I don’t know how I can repay you for looking out for me and restraining yourself from mating me the first two days. Oh God, I practically raped you!” He whines in distress and the alpha moves over to comfort the omega. His large hands hover over his shoulders, not knowing if he can hold the omega to comfort him. But it seems that the alpha is taking his sweet time stressing himself that the omega takes initiative and throws his arms around the stunned alpha.

“I’m so sorry!” He sobbed on the alpha’s shoulder and buries himself deeper into the scent, which until this very moment he realises, has been calm and non-threatening. This man is doing everything in him to not spook Jaskier and he holds onto the alpha a little tighter.

He can feel big hands caressing his back comfortingly and little by little Jaskier calms down. The omega finally pulls away, but he keeps a hand on the alpha’s bicep and the alpha keeps his hands on his shoulders.

“Better?”

Jaskier nods, wiping his eyes with a free hand. He takes in one last sniffle and looks at the alpha gently holding him.

“I’m so sorry, can I ask for your name if it’s no trouble?” He gives a small smile and the alpha seems to relax more.

“I’m Eskel. And you?”

“Jaskier.”

Eskel nods, this is good, they’re getting somewhere.

“Let me take you home because I’m pretty much responsible for you until you get better. Where do you live?”

“I live around the Oxenfurt University area. A studio apartment a block away from the university. Where is this Hospital anyway?”

“Not far from the University, just 30 mins by car.”

The nurse came back for the omega with a wheelchair and the rest of the day goes as planned. Eskel takes the omega to his fairly new pick-up truck and drives them to the omega’s apartment.

Jaskier clear his throat to start a conversation with the gentle alpha, “So, where do you live if I may ask?”

The alpha purses his lips and answers, “I live in Kaer Morhen, a bit further away from the big city.” He gives no more information, but Jaskier knows of its existence.

“Kaer Morhen, isn’t that the reformed institution?” He needs to tread this carefully, an alpha this gentle doesn’t come out of that horrible institute unscarred and sane.

The alpha nods, he doesn’t seem to be troubled by this; either that or he’s really good at hiding his emotions.

“It is, but my foster father bought the place years ago after the previous owner fled.”

He stops and Jaskier will respect that the alpha is not going to share any further. They finally made it to Jaskier’s studio apartment and the alpha insists on carrying him up, Jaskier relents when he made a move to stand then a sharp pain shoots up his spine and he whimpers pathetically.

He carries the omega like he weighs nothing and manoeuvres a bit to unlock the door with the keys the omega gave. Jaskier is gently deposited on his big, soft bed. Eskel even tucks the comforter around him to ensure the omega will get as much warmth as he needs.

Before he leaves, he gives the omega his contact information, in case he needs help with anything and leaves with a polite goodbye. The moment he leaves, Jaskier assess the damage he’s done.

He’s bound the alpha to him, but he doesn’t seem troubled with that notion. An alpha that was bounded to the omega will be unable to mate and bond with any other omegas, it’s the same thing vice versa, but omegas will have a harder time being separated for too long from their alphas; makes them sick and ill.

And it seems that the alpha has knotted him during his drug-induced heat and Jaskier has a niggling feeling that he may have gotten himself pregnant with the alpha’s pup. Or pups. Jaskier heaves a heavy sigh, this is not turning out the way he planned it.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

It’s two weeks later, he’s as healed as before he mated to the alpha, and he hasn’t made a move to call or text him since dropping Jaskier off in his apartment. Alright, that’s a complete lie, Eskel actually checks in every once in a while and in those times Jaskier steals those little moments to chat with the alpha.

The man rarely uses the typical message talk; lots of abbreviations and up-to-date slangs, he actually types the words in full and at times gives Jaskier cute little goat stickers and in those moments Jaskier awes and coos in the quiet of his little studio apartment.

His classes are conducted online after Jaskier explained to the head department for his division that he’s been in a minor accident and is incapable of being at campus grounds. He’s just lucky that his students are less than 200 this semester, he didn’t think he could read all the responses from his students.

And during his bed-rest, he could feel tell-tale nausea and dizzy spells happening to him so suddenly at random times. When he went to the clinic after he’s healed up nice and moving doesn’t ache his poor behind, even more, he quickly runs to the little family clinic at least a 15-minute walk from his apartment to get a blood test and lo and behold, he’s already pregnant.

He takes in a deep breath and lets it out. He can do this. This is what he wanted. No, it’s not! He wanted a mate to celebrate this happy occasion with! He wants to be held and kissed multiple times and twirled around in big burly arms!

He breaks down at his apartment and contemplates telling Eskel. He’s not ridding this pup, they’re innocent.

He gathers up his nerves and calls the alpha. If he doesn’t want to be involved, that’s fine. But Jaskier will forever be regretful for accidentally tying the kind alpha to him. He feels a lump form in his throat and the tears and sniffles starts, just when he lets out the most pitiful whine, Eskel picks up.

“Jaskier! What’s wrong?! Are you hurt?!”

“I’m pregnant.” He whispers out wetly and the line went silent.

There’s the sound of scuffling and cursing and a loud thump sounds like the alpha dropped his phone. Jaskier hiccups and Eskel’s voice comes through the line again.

“Where are you?”

“I-in my apartment.”

“Don’t go anywhere, I’ll come to you!” He hangs up and Jaskier slides on the floor. Jaskier leans on the front door and waits.

Jaskier closes his eyes and the hours' tick away. Letting his mind clear up from the event of this morning and breathes.

It’s twilight when there’s a frantic knocking at his door and Jaskier jolts awake, he’s lying on the floor, he must’ve fallen asleep while waiting.

He must’ve been too slow because it sounds like the alpha is frantically calling his name now. He rises up and opens the door and there stands the alpha in all his glory. Jaskier looks him up and down and notices his peculiar choice of clothing. His shoes are of different brands, one an ugly green sneaker and one maroon loafer, his jacket is inside-out, his plaid is buttoned haphazardly, and there’s a white t-shirt with oil stains and fingerprints. He’s panting like he didn’t bother with the elevator and ran up at least 5 flights of stairs instead.

“A-are you okay?” He starts. And that’s when Jaskier finally thinks, fuck it, and drags the alpha into a hug and the other complies, albeit slowly and carefully.

“I’ve got you. I’ve got you, we’ll get through this.” He coos and comforts and Jaskier buries himself in the alpha’s hold, his nose running over his scent gland and fingers gripping the jacket tightly. And Jaskier believes him, hung onto his comforts and drank up his words like a thirsty man in a desert.

They’ll be okay.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

That’s when Eskel becomes constant in his life. He became a familiar routine in Jaskier’s schedule and it feels so nice. Every choice regarding their situation, Jaskier makes the call. If he wants the alpha to stay for a week, Eskel would pack his bags and a sleeping bag the very first time Jaskier invites him to sleepover. Jaskier looks at the article for sleeping like it personally offended him and squirrels Eskel into his bed. Wrapping his limbs around the gentle giant alpha and snuggling into his warmth. Eskel never brought the sleeping bag ever again.

“Your feet are very cold, Jaskier.”

“Mmmmm, please warm them up.”

The next thing he knows, his feet are tucked between Eskel’s warmer ones and he purrs.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

It was by the third appointment in Jaskier’s fifth month is when Eskel asks about whether Jaskier plans to move to a bigger apartment and Jaskier contemplates that for a few days. When Eskel came back the next week to stay over, Jaskier answers,

“I was planning to move into the house that my parents bought as a congratulations gift for finally settling down.” Being the youngest to ever graduate to a professor at the tender age of 23, Jaskier has been holding off plans to mate until he’s secure and ready, but things don’t always go the way he planned it to be. He’s nearing 30 now and he longs for pups and the mate that he loved. But it seems that he’s been gifted with the mate that he needed. He looks at Eskel.

Eskel looks at the omega, bewildered and Jaskier smiles serenely at the alpha.

“Move in with me, with us.” He brings his big hand to his soft, slightly rounded belly and Eskel melts.

“Your parents know of…of us?” He can feel the dread and insecurity climbing up his spine. But the omega is happy and that’s all that Eskel cares about.

“Oh they know, but I fibbed them a bit and told them I met you a little few months earlier before taking you as my mate.”

But Jaskier’s neck is still barren of a mating mark, and they didn’t want to bond without the blissful ignorance of his heat to cover the pain. And Jaskier has seen just how sharp and broad Eskel’s canines are.

“I want you around with us, Eskel. I couldn’t have asked for a better mate.” He declares softly, his hand tightens on Eskel’s.

The alpha seems to be holding in tears and he buries his face in Jaskier’s neck and nuzzles lovingly.

“I-I love you, songbird.”

“I love you too.”

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Jaskier is in bed-rest again, this time in their new house and Eskel is painting in the nursery room.

It turns out, his foster family didn’t know that their slightly timid and gentle brother had taken a mate and is expecting their first pup, to say that they were shocked was an understatement of the century. This is definitely not how he planned to inform his mate’s family.  

One fine day, when Jaskier’s belly was round and the little bairn happily using his bladder as football, a resounding and frantic series of knocks sounds at the door of their house. When Jaskier opens the door, it’s to a very angry and intimidating looking alpha with short, slick back hair and the scent of gunpowder and slightly burnt pie washes over the omega and his whines of distress must’ve been so loud that Eskel ran from the backyard and tackle the alpha with a mighty roar.

Eskel very nearly pommeled Lambert into the ground and the other alpha had to yield embarrassingly quickly before Eskel would send the alpha to the hospital.

“Lambert! You son of a bitch, haven’t you ever heard of a phone and calling me first??!!” He gripes and snarls, Jaskier is still shaking and whining behind the protective alpha.

“I thought I’d give you a surprise visit! I didn’t mean to scare your omega! Now get off me, you oaf!” He slaps Eskel’s biceps and the alpha finally lets him go from his punishing grip. He was still growling a little and turns to the omega to take in his scent and to calm down.

“Jesus fuck! And to think this is the warm welcome I’d get.” He straightens up and cracks his back.

“We ain’t that young to be wrestling you buffoon. I thought you were going to answer the door, honestly. Fuck, my back.”

That’s when Jaskier finally meets with one of Eskel’s brothers and with one familiar alpha in his territory, Eskel isn’t as strung up with him like any other strange alphas. After that rather eye-opening introduction and the fierce protective instincts that Eskel showed, let’s just say that that night, they didn’t get much sleep with how hungry Jaskier was for a feral Eskel.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Sometimes Jaskier would wake in the middle of the night to Eskel lowly talking to their pup. Jaskier realizes that he must’ve woken the alpha up with his moaning and whining when the pup wakes up in the middle of the night, restless and turning in his belly and the alpha wakes up to talk to them to rest.

“…and maybe someday, I’ll teach you to play the guitar. Your ma can probably teach you to play a million instruments, but I would really like to teach you guitar. It’s one of the few instruments I’m good at.” He hums, his head lightly leaning on Jaskier’s belly and he runs his fingers through dark brown hair and Eskel croons.

“We can’t wait to see you, sweetheart.” His deep rumble purr resonates in the room and Jaskier could feel the baby settling down and he too fell asleep to that wonderful lullaby.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

The pup decided to make his debut in the world when he was busy conducting an online class. He has been feeling a throbbing pain in his lower back and they kept coming back every hour and Eskel is not in the house right now. He currently at the project site where he had to be to oversee the construction of a client’s house and he’s been gone the whole morning and all through the afternoon.

One of his students notice that Jaskier seems to be in distress and without his phone nearby, he asks her to call his alpha as he breathes and tries to relax.

His students’ words of praises and comfort bring Jaskier to tears and this is not how he imagined his labour to start. They already prepared the overnight bag and it sits ready at the front of the house. He moans long and painfully and his students kept encouraging him to breathe and relax and oh he’s so giving them A’s for this class! They’re the best!

 It was an hour; to Jaskier, it felt like forever, when his mate finally made it to the house. He ends the class for Jaskier quite hastily and hefts his omega in his arms. Gently going down the stairs and to the pick-up, their overnight bag already in the car and Eskel drives as fast and as safely he can to the hospital.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Jaskier spent the next two days in pain and shortness of breath, the baby not making their entrance to the world as easy as they’d hoped, but when the time came, Eskel was right next to him and his hand was ready to be crushed and mentally he was prepared to be yelled and insulted and … well, he was just very prepared.

Hours of hard labour, and it was at 3 a.m when their son finally showed himself. Eskel had the honour to cut the cord and tend to Jaskier as the doctor and nurses take the baby away to be cleaned and record information. The pup is finally in their arms the moment Jaskier wakes up from his quick nap. Swaddled in baby blue and with a tuft of dirty blonde hair peeking out from under a mitten cap, Jaskier raises a brow at Eskel, both his parent’s hair is dark brown, and Eskel seems puzzled too, “Maybe one of my former parents had blonde hair?”

They didn’t care, the pup is healthy and a tad larger than average new-borns, but when the doctor looks at Eskel, they seem to nod to themselves and continued to inform them the pup’s general health.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

The first night the pup spends at home, he’s in the loving and protective embrace of Eskel and Jaskier wraps his arms around the alpha’s waist, snuggling into him. He watches the pup taking deep breathes and Eskel croons in his sleep. His face seeming years younger in his sleep and Jaskier looks at his bond bite. The scar is still prominent but it’s not as angry red and ugly to look at.

Maybe they’ll finally bond in Jaskier next heat. And this house has too many rooms; 4 to be exact. And he’s very confident that they’ll have more pups in the future after a couple of years. Jaskier will make sure of it. He wants to fill this house with laughter and plenty of love.

He smiles lovingly at the two. This is definitely not how he planned to have a family, but this is exactly everything he needed. He closes his eyes and falls asleep to the alpha’s gentle crooning.

End

Chapter 2

Notes:

*Aheem clears throat like an 80-year-old bear* Hey. So, it's been almost *checks date* 4 bloody years!! Damn. I actually did plan to come back to this little story because I loved this ship so, still do, and I'm coming back to it because I needed to write something easy and fluffy to combat writer's block...So, for anyone new here, hey, how are ya? For old fans, I hope you like the new additions. *confetti pops*

Jaskier and Eskel had spent nearly a couple of months at home getting to know their pup and learning to care for their baby during the first few weeks. But now it seems they had a grasp on diaper duties and the cue for nap times when the baby grows fussier than usual. Jaskier’s mother had been a great help to the new parents as they needed to adjust their entire livelihood now that there was a baby on board.

Emily Pankratz-nee Scott took to liking to Eskel as soon as she laid eyes on him with the tiny puppy in his arms. Fussing over both the pup and alpha larger than life in front of her and it amuses Jaskier how she can just, affectionately, boss around such an alpha and his alpha just amuses her, never questioning her, follows her orders to the dot, all while nodding and seeming to take in her advice to heart. His father seems to hover around his mate and grandchild and Eskel tries to keep a respectful distance from the two, knowing full well that even older and confident in their relationship, an alpha will always look after their mate and any pup in their care. Eskel has taken caring for his pup like a duck to water and Jaskier is all the more grateful that the alpha has taken the brunt of the work as he recovers.

Any guilt he harboured for dumping all the responsibilities was kissed away in the quiet of the night in their bed. Eskel keeps reminding him that the pup is his responsibility as well and that Jaskier is not doing this alone.

The omega is all the more endeared when his alpha keeps on updating his foster father about the baby and getting his advice for pup rearing. Jaskier had wondered if the older alpha; Vesemir, his alpha’s father figure, had ever cared for a pup? Well, he’ll just have to ask the man himself soon.

“Let’s go to your home this weekend.” Jaskier decided on Monday afternoon. His expressions copying his baby’s as he feeds the three-month-old pup from his breast. The baby giggles at his mother’s silliness, Eskel just continues to stare at the duo and lowers a spoonful of eggs and bacon from his mouth, contemplating the idea.

It has been a long while since he’s been home, longer still since the thought of going home entered his mind. It’s just, that his time has been filled with Jaskier and pup and the new job site he’s looking after, no time for visits or even the thought of introducing Jaskier to his family, his son’s grandfather and uncles and aunts. Then there was Jaskier’s parents coming over and staying to help, Jaskier healing up from giving birth and the Alpha’s overprotectiveness of not wanting the newborn to travel too far from the safety of the house.

But it seems that things have calmed down for the better, their son is now a little older and Jaskier seems antsy to leave the house after being bed-ridden for a good majority of his maternity leave. Eskel feels like it’s time that his little family is ready to make the journey to his old home. But he needs to make a call to the old alpha first. He nods to the omega, agreeing to his plans.

“Aye, I need to make a call to them first, but I’m sure he’ll be excited to meet the both of you.” He reaches over to his pup and wipes away the little stray milk from his cheek.

“Excellent, I’ll pack up what we need and you can make that call after breakfast.” He nods, a large grin on his face and eyes shining at the prospect of meeting his father-in-law.

“We can leave as soon as Wednesday since you’ve finished with your obligation at the site and with free time, we can stay there for a week! Ooh, this is so exciting!” He jumps in his seat and little Lyle copies his mother, clapping and happily screeching, Jaskier squeals and they both seem to have delved into their little world of happy clapping and giggles. Eskel just smiles fondly at the two, his breakfast lay cooling as he basks in the sounds of his loved ones.

It’ll be nice to see the family again. He thought. His brothers are gonna be happy to see him again and with a family of his own to boot. He hopes that they’ll be as happy for him as Jaskier’s parents are happy to see him.

Jaskier has prepared their bags early that night, his high hopes of this impromptu visit and the instant approval from Eskel’s father fuels his eagerness to see where his mate grew up and essentially add more family members for his little one to familiarize himself with, building up more support for himself and just the general of adding more familial love for his baby excites him.

Even with little Lyle strapped to his back, Jaskier’s energy doesn’t seem to have depleted the slightest, which amuses Eskel to no end. Watching his mate squirrel away their colourful wardrobe into the luggage; Eskel winces a bit at the size of said luggage, teasingly asking if they were going to be gone for a week or a month instead. He gets an indignant pout and what seems to be an attempted eye-roll from the little one, which melts his heart instantly.

“You know, we still have a couple of days before we have to leave, and the drive takes a little more than half a day to get there.” He walks into the room and hugs his mate from behind, nuzzling the pup’s dirty blonde hair and crooning when the pup giggles from his sire’s fuzzy chin.

“I know, I know, but I’m just really restless now. I’m also excited to meet your family and you heard what your father said, your brothers are around the country and have the time for a visit. You told me that they travelled a lot and it’s hard for you lot to get together. So, now there’s this opportunity that I don’t want to miss!” He exclaimed, straining his neck to see his alpha, eyes shining in determination and there was no way Eskel couldn’t kiss him. So he does, on the cheek, then he moves to his nose, then finally his lips.

“I’m sure they’re just as eager to meet the both of you as you are of them. And I can bet they they’re scrambling to get there quicker to clean up the place and get everything in tip-top shape, since apparently, my old man let loose that I married a genius musical scholar.” He bumps his nose on the pup’s temple and Jaskier guffaws dramatically.

“I hope they know that I’m not as supercilious as many ‘well-established’ and ‘properly groomed’ pompous professors in ‘esteemed universities’, and I’ll have you know, I’ve grown in humble origins! I -” He continues to rant and Eskel chuckles appropriately and squeezes the two to his person just a little tighter.

 

~~~0000~~~

 

They packed up Eskel’s jeep; he upgraded from the old truck in the hopes that the extensions would keep the drive smoother and Eskel would still be able to carry his tools and equipment around when they weren’t travelling around to Jaskier’s parents’ home and vacation spots. They took out his tools and extra baggage and Eskel does a deep check-up of the engine and whatever else that needs to be reinforced or cleaned or pumped and screwed tight.

Jaskier’s little 2010 Kia is not meant to travel far ranges and Eskel has warned Jaskier that the road to his old home is overgrown with wild weed and a little off the paved roads. He wants his family to be able to have the most comfortable and safe journey there and nothing short of travelling through a bubble-encased car; Jaskier joked, they’ll be able to arrive safely and securely.

They left home just as the sun douses the sky with its light, the birds just started to fly through the sky and the house was locked and luggages packed into the back of the jeep. Little Lyle sits up front with his dam, tucked comfortably in his arms and leaning on his chest and torso. He truly wakes when they’re an hour into the drive, the skies cleared of any clouds and almost as blue as his eyes. They had to make a few stops along the way to change his diapers and stretch their legs from getting cramped.

Eskel would hold onto Lyle the most whenever they have these stops, for Jaskier to unpack their food to eat at every break from the road and to take over driving for his mate halfway through the journey. Everything went relatively safe and Eskel would sleep with the pup in his secure hold, by the time Jaskier’s driven up to the overgrowth that covers Eskel’s home, the alpha takes over the final end of their journey, the pup in a sluggish mood still after his filling lunch of Jaskier’s breast milk and warmth in his sire’s arms. Eskel carefully makes his way through the gravel road, noting that the weeds have almost completely overtaken the bit of road left, he grumbles that his brothers are doing an awful job at maintaining the grounds and his mind is already doing mental checklists of what to cut away and clear out before they both reached the open grounds of Eskel’s home. The old institute-turned-family home looms a slightly great distance from the opened gates. Eskel speculates that it must’ve been left open for his arrival and drives up to the mansion steps, looking over at Jaskier to see his eyes taking in everything around them with lit-up joy.

Eskel hopes and prays to any God listening that the mansion is a least a little baby-proofed.

Chapter 3

Notes:

Okay, you have to know that I kinda dropped 'Witcher' very early on, but I still loved the characters, so I'm going off that Geralt is still an asshole and deserves a few pommelings before he could even get NEAR Jaskier and his pup.

When Eskel drove up the driveway to the wide steps that lead up to the large double mahogany doors, their pup was just yawning himself awake from his nap and looked around him drowsily, Jaskier nuzzles his chubby cheek and breathed in his milky scent mixed with his and Eskel’s. The alpha notices that only a Harley Davidson is at the driveway parking spot, he instantly knows that Lambert has beaten everyone else in arriving home first as he wont to do, and he notes that the motorcycle is uncovered. This means that he got called in first by Vesemir for an emergency which he needs to look over before he deems it safe enough for his pup and mate to make their way deeper into the mansion.

He parks at his designated parking spot next to the house, the garage has not opened yet as it needs its remote he doesn’t have any more seeing that he’s permanently moved in with Jaskier now. He switches off the ignition and hops down the truck, quickly making his way to open Jaskier’s door. The omega smiles gratefully at the thoughtful alpha and Eskel helps him jump down from the truck to lessen the risk of startling Lyle.

“Why don’t you bring yourself and Lyle in first? I’ll go check to see if they’re anywhere in the house. Don’t carry the luggage, I’ll get them.” Jaskier snorts at him and rolls his eyes at the alpha playfully, but he knows that if he disobeys Eskel will be cross with him. He worries too much for the omega. It’s endearing at least.

“Alright, alright. Go find them first. I’ll just bring out Lyle’s baby carrier and – “

“I’ll get that, don’t worry.” He gives a long kiss on Jaskier’s cheek and gently nuzzles Lyle’s soft dirty blonde hair. The omega smiles endearingly at him as he takes out the carrier and carries it to the door, awaiting Jaskier to reach him.

Jaskier climbs up the steps and takes a few seconds to admire the columns that support the extended roof of the front mansion, noting the overgrown creeping devil’s ivy and the greenery that has spilt onto the steps. The mansion may look like it needs more tender caring, but just seeing the growth of greenery and the obvious care of the wildflowers and hanging potted plants, he thinks that this place has hidden charms only if you care to look for it. He looks to the regal mahogany doors, noting the wolf design stained glass on it and the way the light reflects off of it in glimmering colours and he looks to Eskel standing next to it all and thinks,

Everything here is so beautiful, even the residents. Despite its reputation and its tragic past. He makes his last few steps next to Eskel and raises himself on his tiptoes to kiss his scarred side cheek and the alpha croons adoringly at him, cheeks flushing red and smile wide with eyes that show his love towards Jaskier. He opens the doors and it groans so loudly and he notes Eskel wincing at that, he already knows that his alpha is itching to find everything that needs fixing.

Jaskier is met with a large hallway with marble flooring and double staircases that lead up to the first floor. He looks around the large area and Eskel speaks up from behind him as he eyes everything,

“A lot of the furniture in this place got auctioned off or sold or donated because we thought we didn’t need any of them anymore. It was just clutter. After they were all gone, we had a lot, and a lot, of open spaces. But I’m sure that means it’s safer from anyone getting bumped into unnecessary fixtures.”

He brings Jaskier to a side room, and explains that it’s a study turned cosy little nook where you just read and doze off at the fireplace and Jaskier is happy to see that there are blankets, thick and fluffy on the chaise adjacent to the large fireplace. Eskel also took note of that,

“Ah, they must’ve known that I wanted to introduce you here first.” He notices that Jaskier makes himself towards the large shelves at the far wall in the room, Lyle gently drooling on his shoulder, indicating that he’s still sleepy from the drive and Eskel puts the carrier next to the chaise and walks over to Jaskier to pick up Lyle. The omega easily hands over the baby to his sire and Eskel wipes off his drool, kisses his chubby cheek and tucks him in his baby blue carrier. The pup sleeps almost instantly and Eskel runs his large hand on his head gently.

He makes his way over to Jaskier, seeing that he’s already picked a book and is now engrossed in its contents. He wraps his arms around his waist and nuzzles into his shoulder,

“I’m going to go find where the rest are. Do you want to stay here a bit longer?”

All he gets is a hum of confirmation and a distracted nod. Eskel chuckles and takes in a deep breath of his mate’s scent and goes off to find the rest of his family. Closing the door gently, the room’s bay windows cover the entire front wall of the mansion, so the two occupants are not worried if they get too cold this late into October, the sun still shines a warmth throughout the mansion and Jaskier can always close one of the heavy drapes on half the window.

He takes one last look at the two most precious people to him before he closes the door and goes off to find the others.

~~~~0000~~~~

Jaskier didn’t realize that a lot of time had passed before he heard little Lyle waking up from his nap. His little face scrunches up like a little dried raisin and Jaskier puts his book down and instantly tends to his baby. He checks his diaper and notes that it’s a little dirty and concludes it’s time for a nappy change. He leaves the little room in search of a bathroom, and luckily being him that has grown up in familiar places like this, he finds the bathroom easy enough and with expert ease, he cleans little Lyle with warm water and powders his bottom and slides on his new fresh and clean nappies.

“Comfy now, eh?” Jaskier teases as Lyle blows bubbles at Jaskier, indicating his happiness at clean diapers and bottom. Jaskier buries his face in Lyle’s tummy and the baby squeals as Jaskier pretends to nom on his round tummy.

“My little baby so sweet and clean,

So plump and round,

Mummy is so glad of the alpha he’s found,

He gave me such a cute little bean!”

Jaskier tickles his little one and delights in the squeals and his hands slapping at his face playfully. Then the baby’s tummy grumbled loudly for a second before Jaskier packed up Lyle’s things, threw away the dirty diaper in the bin next to the sink and brought them both back to the little reading room to feed his little one.

“Haaah, with how much you eat, it wouldn’t surprise me if you grow up to be the size of a goliath. You have a giant’s appetite, little one.”

He opens the top few of his button-up and directs the baby to his already leaking teat. It seems that his body knows it's late lunchtime more than he does himself. After Lyle has had his fill of milk and burped and wiped off the little bit of milk drooled from his lips, the baby is content to then just look around the bright room in his carrier as Jaskier puts back the many books he’s read earlier. He hears the front doors opening and Lyle seems to hear it too as he begins flailing his little arms, thinking that it’s his sire.

“Wait a moment, sweething. I’ll go fetch him, yeah?”

He walks out of the room to catch Eskel, only to bump into a familiar solid body. He quickly backs away to apologize only to be looking into too familiar harsh champagne-colored eyes. His scent of leather and pine woods during a storm, now a harsh thunderous scent filled with a hint of forest fire.

“What are you doing here?” He bites out harshly, his thick pale eyebrows in an angry arch at him, but Jaskier is speechless. His throat had closed itself the second he recognizes the woodsy scent and petrified now that the alpha seems pissed off. His instincts tell him to drive the alpha away from his vulnerable pup and fast!

“It doesn’t matter, you need to leave!” He roughly grabs Jaskier’s arm and drags him away to the entrance. All the while making dangerous accusations to the omega, about how he needs to let him go and stalking him to his home is disgusting and unbecoming of him, threats of calling the police on him and Jaskier does nothing but desperately tries to pull his arm away from the bruising clamp. Trying to get to his baby, his little one is innocent in all this, his pup that he’s leaving behind and at that thought, something snaps in him and he begins wailing and screaming at the white-haired man to let him go.  

“No!! No! Let me go!! Geralt, let me go!! Please, I’ll leave!! Just let me go first!! GERALT, PLEASE!!” He’s openly sobbing and urgently trying to pry his fingers off his arm but they wouldn’t budge and in the distance, he can hear the start of a little shrill crying and his heart breaks and breaks and his mind is tormented at the devastating crying he’s never heard from his pup before and he reinforces his efforts in trying to escape but Geralt’s grip doesn’t lessen and he wails out in agony. A little piece of himself is alone and scared and crying out for him and he can’t do anything, his cries fall on deaf ears to the other alpha.

“Geralt, please!! Let me go and I’ll leave and you’ll never see me again but please please please let me go!!” He gasps and chokes on his spit and tears blind his vision but he can still hear his baby calling for him as if he’s mere inches away from him. He has plopped himself down onto the floor to slow the man but he’s relentless. Dragging Jaskier on the floor as he kicks and squirms to be let free. Feeling the nails dig into his skin but he doesn’t care!! His baby needs him!!

Just as they reached the entrance they could hear a distant roar throughout the house, the resonance bouncing off the walls and if they stay still enough, the picture frames on the walls are shaking from the intensity and rage in the bellow somewhere in the house. Jaskier’s sobs and wailings are still going strong, not noticing the deep angry pheromones filling the area of the large hall as his nose is clogged, not noticing the hulking man that is his alpha stalking into view of the two, his eyes bleeding a bloody red at the scene he sees.

The cries of both his pup and mate deafening his ears and increasing his need to kill and protect and kill, kill, KILL!

Geralt’s reasoning is unheard to him as he charges like a freight train to his brother and tackles him before pommeling and kicking and throwing him off of him before charging him again and rams into his body with his larger frame, almost crushing him into the wall. Their blood splattered onto the walls and floor. In Eskel’s mind, this other alpha had hurt his little family and in his primal logic, he needs to die.