[ Four, but not counting Flagg. So he is gone. ] We've twice the people than our beds now in Cadens.
[ He can relate. Bringing people in without it ever being acknowledged. The mage girl never left; last time he came home, there was Alucard's necromancer (or is it Jaskier's necromancer by this point?) shucking desert scorpions with Ciri on the dining table, and Geralt had fallen into bed and didn't ask. He supposes they're all strays in this place, one way or another.
There's the faintest tension when she reaches for him, but it fades quickly enough. Returning brings its own set of problems. Maybe it's contrary, to hold no desire to get back to those closest to him, but the truth is he doesn't. He wants to retreat where no questions will come, where he can quietly work to bury it, alone, until it is no longer so sharp and bright. If it'd only been Thorne, if Yennefer had thrown him to the wolves, he'd know what to think. She hadn't. Not like that. It's a complicated thing, to feel betrayed by what she did when he'd have not wanted it any other way. When he knows he'd find it altogether unforgivable if she hadn't, if she'd risked Ciri's life in favour of him.
When Julie says a day or two, it almost seems to put him at ease. He'll take a day or two to breathe. Although, do they—? The realization comes incredibly late, but he's not been fully present. He rubs his temple. No amount of herbs in the world will rid him of this fucking headache. ] Do they know I'm here?
no subject
[ He can relate. Bringing people in without it ever being acknowledged. The mage girl never left; last time he came home, there was Alucard's necromancer (or is it Jaskier's necromancer by this point?) shucking desert scorpions with Ciri on the dining table, and Geralt had fallen into bed and didn't ask. He supposes they're all strays in this place, one way or another.
There's the faintest tension when she reaches for him, but it fades quickly enough. Returning brings its own set of problems. Maybe it's contrary, to hold no desire to get back to those closest to him, but the truth is he doesn't. He wants to retreat where no questions will come, where he can quietly work to bury it, alone, until it is no longer so sharp and bright. If it'd only been Thorne, if Yennefer had thrown him to the wolves, he'd know what to think. She hadn't. Not like that. It's a complicated thing, to feel betrayed by what she did when he'd have not wanted it any other way. When he knows he'd find it altogether unforgivable if she hadn't, if she'd risked Ciri's life in favour of him.
When Julie says a day or two, it almost seems to put him at ease. He'll take a day or two to breathe. Although, do they—? The realization comes incredibly late, but he's not been fully present. He rubs his temple. No amount of herbs in the world will rid him of this fucking headache. ] Do they know I'm here?