[ CLOSED ] here in this garden of bones

[gynvael]

Who: Geralt + Various
When: May
Where: Cadens; Horizon
What: Catch-all for May
Warnings: basic witcher canon stuff, adding as we go



(( starters below. discontinued or at Noa#1979 to plot. ))

Comments

[falcony]

[ it feels...a little too familiar, though also not directly. sam remembers hearing the stories about bucky, about what steve went through back in the forties when he thought he lost him. when he died. and sam was there when he found out about the after, about what hydra had done and the winter soldier, and now hearing it from geralt too...

sam just sort of listens, still and focused. he nods at the mention of the mark because yeah, he remembers what dean had said about it when they talked, about how scared he was about what was going to happen and what he would do. the connection between it all has sam's stomach curling, dread and worry and concern all balling into one, singular knot. ]

Completely? Or...? [ or is dean still in there? that's a question he doesn't have to voice, because geralt would have thought it too. he knows that above anything else, and he knows that for things to get to this point, that it's not a matter of snapping fingers or calling out dean's name. it's not going to be easy.

he set his sights on my people geralt says, and sam can't help the quiet- ] Shit. [ that escapes him. but there isn't any hesitation, just a quick nod. ] Yes, of course. I'll head over there after this. But Geralt.

[ the pause that follows is weighted, where sam holds geralt's attention for a moment and then a moment more. he's trying to decide if he wants to ask when he is pretty sure he already knows the answer. when he's pretty certain he knows the answer, and no, he doesn't like it. but if ciri is in the crosshairs, if julie and nadine and jaskier are too- sam knows where geralt's decisions will have gone.

but, but, he can't escape the thought. the worry. he can hear steve's voice in the back of his head, in answer to his own. he isn't the kind you save, he's the kind you stop and i don't know if i can do that. and in the end, steve had been right, bucky had been in there, and now...

sam swallows, arms crossed over his chest. geralt knows the question is coming, so it shouldn't come as a surprise. ]

What will you do?

[gynvael]

[ Or. Geralt can't say for certain. Eskel had not been thoroughly consumed, but so much of him was swallowed whole that it'd left them with only one choice to make. Where the safety of the others is concerned, Geralt doesn't know if the distinction here will make a difference. Not when it comes to what needs to be done.

Dean didn't merely vanish. Jo was awash in his blood. The body carried out to sea. What could be left? Does it matter when Dean has made his threats all the same, when he has shown no sign of his former self? Perhaps if it'd not been weeks, Geralt may have been more inclined, more determined, to search for the remnants of his friend. But he's mourned Dean. For all intents and purposes, Dean was dead, is laid to rest. He'd begun to move on.

It does not feel as though Dean has returned in any way. It feels as though a monster has taken the face of his friend and worn it to fuck with him.

The look he gives Sam says they both know what he'll say. The only thing he can say. He is not apologetic, but underneath his steely determination, he can't help wishing for another solution. It isn't how he wanted things to go. ] I'm going to make sure he can't hurt anyone.

[ He's lost enough. The more he's found to protect, the more willing he is to do anything to keep what he has safe.

And in truth, Sam is included in that category. A part of him worries about asking Sam for this favour, about putting him in Dean's sights. Sam is only human. He hasn't a single fucking idea what Dean is capable of as some sort of demonic entity come back to life. But he understands Sam would feel worse about being kept in the dark. Jaskier had made him promise not to do this alone, if he needn't. Geralt wants to keep that promise. ]

[falcony]

[ it's not that geralt hesitates at the question, but there is a passing moment of tension. a breath of weight to it, as geralt doesn't answer the question, but does consider it. if dean has been taken over completely, if there is a part of him still there. what sam sees there, though, has him clenching his teeth in response - geralt doesn't say it, perhaps, but something in sam's gut sees it all the same. it doesn't matter.

and that's the foundation of all of this, isn't it? that sam trusts geralt's instincts. he might not agree with him, and more often than not he usually doesn't; their experiences, their lives, their ways of looking at a situation, they're different and have always been different. and sam doesn't like this whole idea, especially not if there's anything of dean still in there, but if he's going after geralt's people...

i'm going to make sure he can't hurt anyone.

sam holds the eye contact, his expression still tense, his jaw still a tight clench. he waits like there might be something else that geralt would want to say, even when sam knows he won't. even when he knows that answer is all the answer he really needs. he is still for another couple of moments, and then another more. ]

Okay. [ he doesn't like the sound of it, doesn't like the way there is still some sort of tightness in his chest at it. he doesn't...he doesn't like it, he doesn't agree with it, and geralt can probably tell in sam's expression. accepting. accepting. sam's arms over his chest tighten.

he considers leaving it there, but the words come out before he can really think about it. ] I know if there's another way, you'll find it, but okay. [ a beat, and then sam nods, lets out a long exhale - slow, heavy, but accepting. ]

Do you think he's in the city?

[gynvael]

[ Geralt is quiet, patient. They've been friends long enough that Geralt is aware of Sam's thoughts. He never needed Sam to spare him them, and he never spared Sam his in return. But it says something, too, that he knows Sam will not turn him away on the basis of conflicting principles alone. Because this is not about Sam or what Sam wants. It is about Geralt, about his family.

Perhaps that's where the foundation of their trust lies.

He's not yet faced Dean. If the demon were to exhibit some remnant of his friend...he isn't certain. The thought weighs heavy. Eskel had not been completely consumed, either. He wishes more than anything he could have saved him. But he couldn't, didn't, and he's prepared for the same outcome with Dean. ]

Not a fucking clue. [ The demon may not even be on this side of the continent. The shoreline between that island and the landmass runs miles. ] But leave that to me. I'm told he should succumb to safeguards for demons on their sphere. Holy water and—

[ Geralt grabs a parchment and a pen, sketching the sigil that Dean once showed him. He never bought it as protection against all demons—that term varies wildly from sphere to sphere—but for something born directly of Dean's realm? It may work. ]

I don't know what abilities he holds in this form. So be careful.

[falcony]

[ perhaps that is exactly where their trust lies. there's still something unsettled in sam's chest at all of this, but it isn't about him. it isn't about what he wants. he knows, more than anything, that if dean - or whatever is left of him - makes any sort of move on ciri, that will be it. for now, all he can do is hope it doesn't come to that.

not a fucking clue and sam shakes his head, every idea coming to mind something that he could have accomplished back home, not here. dean could be anywhere at this point, could be in thorne or at the singularity itself. he could also be waiting outside of mag's, waiting for them.

but geralt says leave that to him, and that's something sam can do without worry. and when he shows the sigil, sam nods, one of his hands moving to his shoulder. where the tattoo dean gave him still is. ] I've seen it before, I can work on setting those up around their place. [ he'll take the parchment even so, if only as an easy reference. ]

You too. [ sam pauses, presses his lips into a thin line, thinking about dean's worry over this exact thing. thinking about how much the very possibility had torn away at him. ] You know where to find me if you need backup with anything else.

[gynvael]

[ Dean's elusive nature is a problem, but not one Geralt is especially concerned by. He can find him. He can track nearly anything, anyone, with enough persistence. Only so many places one can hide on this continent.

He nods in return. Good. All right. ]

I will. [ He can rely on Sam. He knows that. He just—thinks this should be on him. It's his people, his daughter, in danger. And Dean asked him to take care of it should it come to that. Geralt never gave his word, precisely. But he did assure Dean that he would not place Dean's well-being over that of his family. That is not in question.

He straightens up, already moving towards the door. They haven't much time to spare. ] Thank you.

and wrapped. c:

[falcony]

[ sam might not think that way exactly - geralt is his people, and geralt's people are his too. but he also knows geralt, and knows he's going to want to handle this in his way. sam can respect that, sam does respect that, so for now what he can do is what geralt asks of him. he can watch nadine, and julie, and ciri. and that's what he'll do.

geralt straightens, heads for the door, and sam considers the conversation over. he needs to pack up some stuff, but will be heading off to nadine and julie's soon after, and sam turns to get ready on that when geralt thanks him.

sam stills. ] Of course. Always. [ he gives a small smile at that, a reassuring nod. because he means it - always - whenever or if ever. if geralt asks sam for anything, his answer would always be the same. ]

Good luck out there.