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When they had first met, Jaskier thought he would never be lucky enough to have someone like Eskel to be his partner. The man is the definition of a gentle giant and Jaskier wanted to climb him like a damn tree much to Geralt’s dismay.
“You weren’t supposed to meet Eskel, Jask,” Geralt had complained and Jaskier had been hurt as he looked at his best friend.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Geralt had stopped and Jaskier could see he was internally panicking and the only thought that crossed his mind was ‘Good let him panic the bastard’. Geralt only dropped it after that knowing that he had made his best friend hurt.
Even if it had been years later, now with Eskel and him having been in a relationship for years it still bugged him that Geralt never gave him an answer that day. He never told Eskel of what happened, even after them being together for three years, instead he just simply focused on Eskel and just shoved it to the back of his mind.
It was just moments like these where it was late at night and he was home alone curled up on the couch waiting for his boyfriend to come home. It was these moments where the thoughts would creep up on him and he always hated it. Jaskier only sighed as he stretched out to lay across on the couch that they had bought together a couple of years ago. It was actually the first thing they ever bought together and the thought of it always made his heart flutter wildly.
God, even three years later and he felt like a high school boy with his first crush.
When he had gotten a call from his boyfriend a couple hours ago with Eskel sheepishly telling him he would be a couple hours late, Jaskier had accepted it with good grace. Why kick up a fuss? It wasn’t Esekl’s fault that Vesemir wanted him to stay a couple hours late on the farm to take care of the animals, and who was he to prevent Eskel from his beloved animals?
He always felt guilty for dragging Eskel away from the country where he loved being. Even if it was Eskel’s idea to move in with Jaskier in the city so Jaskier could keep going to school to become a professor. Even if Vesemir hired Eskel to help around the farm Jaskier still couldn’t stop feeling the guilt eat away at him every time.
Even if Eskel always kisses the guilt away he still couldn’t help it. But he was too selfish to let Eskel go so he had accepted his fate to live with the guilt. Jaskier hummed as he listened to the tv run in the background, his eyes drooping as he settled farther into the couch. He wasn’t going to fall asleep, he refused to, he was just going to let his eyes rest for a bit is all.
It had only felt like a few minutes that he closed his eyes when he opened them again but he knew it had been hours. The apartment was quiet, dark, the tv was turned off and he groaned as he snuggled deeper into the warm body behind him.
Wait. That wasn’t right.
Jaskier hummed as he took notice of the blanket wrapped around him, an arm thrown around his waist holding him close and Jaskier sighed as he soaked up Eskel’s warmth. He didn’t even hear him come in.
“Esk?” He whispered after a bit only to have Eskel hum before falling back to sleep and he couldn’t stop the smile on his face. This huge man was so bloody adorable.
“Esk.”
“Hmm what?”
Jaskier shivered at the roughness of his lover’s voice, and Eskel only hummed again as he nosed the skin behind his ear.
“Baby, we should go to bed. It’s more comfortable.”
“Here’s fine,” Eskel hummed and Jaskier huffed in laughter.
“You won’t say that in the morning love, trust me, it’s more comfortable in bed,” Jaskier tried to coax but the arm around his waist only pulled him tighter to the big lug behind him.
“Don’t wanna get up.”
“If you get up I can make your favourite breakfast in the morning.”
“The one where it’s the only thing you don’t burn?” Eskel asked and Jaskier huffed in mock offense.
“Good sir how dare, see if I cook it for you now.”
Eskel only chuckled, his voice much deeper since he is now slowly starting to wake up before he placed a kiss on the back of his neck before he was sitting up, dragging Jaskier with him and Jaskier squeaked a little before Eskel’s lips were on his for a sleepy kiss.
“Sorry my little bird, but I have seen you burn water.”
“That was one time!”
“One time is enough,” Eskel teased before he was up on his feet, Jaskier still in his arms.
Jaskier only wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's neck, kissing his jawline in thanks as Eskel only hummed in contentment, walking them to their shared bedroom. This show of strength usually never failed to get Jaskier going, but it wasn’t needed for this moment, this was soft and Jaskier certainly wasn’t going to ruin it.
“Is everything okay at the farm?” Jaskier softly asked as Eskel placed him gently onto the bed before he was crawling under the sheets.
“Yeah, Lil Bleater decided to run off so we had to find her.”
“That trouble maker I swear,” Jaskier teased as he himself crawled under the sheets, curling up so his head rested on Eskel’s shoulder, a leg thrown over top of his.
“Pretty sure she learned her dramatics from you.”
“Excuse you!” Jaskier gasped as he wiggled and Eskel grumbled as he tried to pin him down, “Just for that I am going to teach her to eat your favourtie scarf.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Watch me oh lover of mine, you started this war, I am going to end it,” Jaskier declared before Eskel just rolled on top of him, his head on Jaskier’s chest to stop him from moving.
“Go to sleep Jaskier,” Eskel only told him and Jaskier huffed as he ran his hand through Eskel’s hair, his fingers mapping out whatever skin he could find.
“How am I supposed to? I’m too busy planning my vengeance.”
“Then I call a truce,” Eskel grumbled as he kissed the bottom of Jaskier’s chin, “Now will you go to sleep?”
Jaskier only sighed, “If I must.”
“Yes, you must,” Eskel teased before they both chuckled, “Love you songbird.”
Jaskier wanted to fly every time Eskel said those words, “Love you too.”
There was silence after that and Jaskier could only smile when Eskel started to slowly snore. He loved this man with every fiber of his being and he could never come to regret it. He only yawned before he allowed himself to fall asleep, another day awaited them anyway.