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Jaskier writes his songs based on half forgotten dreams. Snippets of bright colors that send his heart racing like a rabbit set free. Green and blue and molten gold dance behind his eyelids and the words fill his journals in illegible scrawl. The music notes form like weeds between sidewalk cracks and Jaskier knows how they long to be heard.
So in a club fogged with weed and worse, he performs on his third hand guitar while the drunks ignore him. He sings until his voice is hoarse, because the feelings he doesn't understand demand to be sung. They fight their way out of him until he’s rasping and sweat-soaked and exhilarated and high. He bows to the uncaring crowd, a successful gladiator.
Across the room, there is a man who hasn't taken his eyes off him the whole night. That is not unusual for Jaskier, who finds love like dropped pennies wherever he goes. He strides over to the stranger undaunted, uncaring that the shadows hide the man's face.
"Ooh, I love how you just sit in the corner and brood".
Geralt has been through this song and dance a few times with Jaskier. By the time Geralt trudges into the twenty-first century he has found Jaskier five times. And five times he has lost him. Each time Geralt fears that he will have to live for untold ages without his bard. Each time Jaskier reincarnates he starts over. Yet he always screws up in the end.
Witchers are not like mages for many reasons, but specifically in the fact that they do age; just slowly. Geralt's hair doesn't look out of place on him anymore, in fact when he looks in the mirror he is startled to see Vesemir. He knows in his now aching bones that this is his last try, so he finds a new bar every night with an open mic and waits. He knows destiny is cruel and uncaring but he finds himself hoping anyway. He tries to blame the bard for his influence.
When Jaskier finally finds him, like he always has, Geralt almost smiles. Instead he gives his review unprompted, "They don't exist." and offers to show him something real.
Jaskier assumes that Geralt sees him as a bratty kid, especially after learning Geralt's real age. And maybe he does, but this time around is not about romance.
This time Geralt shows Jaskier the hidden magic that's left in the world and urges him to protect it.
Jaskier learns music and poetry from the elves.
Crafting and drinking songs from the dwarves.
They stalk the last of the wild griffins so that Geralt could help them mate.
Geralt shows Jaskier the last true dragons and offers them the 4 silver wolf medallions that he keeps with him at all times. He gives the last one to Jaskier.
In return, Jaskier writes about them. The monsters and magic, as well as Geralt, and the strange half formed dreams that are becoming sharper.
Pointed.
They prod at him, hissing for him to see, to remember.