[ CLOSED ] gonna go home and show my cat some memes

[wiedzminka]

Who: Ciri and Jaskier
What: Ciri meets the newest member of witcherfam, Jaskier's emotional support toy gryphon
Where: Cadens
When: early March
Warnings: n/a


[ Ciri is sitting out on the steps leading up to the shop beneath their apartment. She has her sword out on a cloth across her lap, theoretically to clean it but mostly just enjoying the diffuse light of a day fading into sunset, the cooling temperatures and the soft gold-tinged glow the sun casts through the space between the crowded buildings of Cadens.

She sits out here sometimes to people-watch and relax, especially in the evening when it's not so bright and hot. The street isn't among the city's busiest by far (thankfully), but there are so many different folks in Cadens that it rarely gets tiresome to just observe, taking in their various clothing styles, wondering idly where some are hurrying off to or catching snippets of conversation.

Ciri uses a cleaning cloth to polish his sword idly more for something to do with her hands than because it needs it (she takes care of her blades as meticulously as Geralt). When she looks back up again though, she spots a familiar face in the crowd heading her way.

...and a less familiar something accompanying. Ciri squints, raising a hand to shade her eyes against the sun and make sure she's seeing this right. ]

Comments

[cointosser]

[Jaskier's decision on this particular purchase was both well thought out and an impulse purchase. It has been a few too many hours that he has spent pouring his heart out to Moglad, establishing to himself exactly what he needs right now. What he wants. What pleases him. And he knows, especially as Geralt and Ciri venture out further on their hunts, and Hector works at his forge longer hours, and Rinwell studies her books, that what he wants -- or perhaps he needs -- is not to spend so much time alone.

The idea first comes to him when he walks in on Geralt talking to Roach. It's far from a rare occurence, but -- it does give him a spark of a thought.

One that grows when he reocgnizes his nightmares tend to come most often when he's alone. When the light of the lantern Geralt gifted him cannot pierce through the night well enough. When he wakes to know he's alone.

He's so used to not being that way. So accustomed to thinking four steps ahead, as long as he can. The next boat. The next song. The next new face under the tavern. The next hand in his, as he pulls them to the docks.

Jaskier does not want to slip backwards. His headway is limited, small steps forward, but he cannot lose them now.

And thus a black owl-faced creature reached out to him as he passed through the market with a swipe of its paw. That's all it really took.

He could have sent his housemates a warning. He did not. At any rate, they'll be meeting him soon enough, won't they? Jaskier is hardly a man who asks for permission, at any rate. So when he shows up with the gryphon in his arms, wings neatly folded and his head tucked into Jaskier's arm, he stiffens to see Ciri sitting outside.

Jaskier can ignore whatever Geralt's thought on this may be. But Ciri is...]

Ah! Hello, my dear. Enjoying the fresh air? [He says, as if it's clear he is not holding a unfamiliar, possibly dangerous monster in his arms. (Already he has learned the gryphon is far from dangerous.)] I... ah... I know you may have questions, but I can assume many can be answered with, "I wanted to."

[wiedzminka]

[ Jaskier may be relieved to see that Ciri sets aside her sword before she stands, leaving it on the spread-out cloth on one of the steps. She cocks her head curiously, leaning forward to try to get a better look at the creature when Jaskier nears. Feathers, wings-- she can't see its face or much of its limbs, but there is a fluffy tail curling around Jaskier's arm. ]

What... is it?

[ And then, looking up at Jaskier: ]

What are you nervous about?

[ Did he get in trouble somehow? Lose a bet and end up having to babysit something weird? What is happening. ]

[cointosser]

[He is relieved. Not that he thinks the worst of Geralt and Ciri, but the thing, while domesticated, is still a little monster. Technically.

He gives his arms a nudge. The gryphon rolls over, giving a wide yarn with a small, rounded beak. It opens two large, yellow eyes. The sort of eyes Jaskier is already prepared to be terrified by when they appear in the middle of the night.]

It's a gryphon. A -- they call it a toy gryphon. Isn't he sweet? ["Sweet" apparently involves swinging his tail and beginning to chew on Jaskier's sleeve, his claws digging into the wrinkled cloth at his elbow.] Now, look. I know what he looks like, but I promise this breed is very well-behaved. And not dangerous. So there's no need to... go about slaying.

[wiedzminka]

[ Ciri blinks in clear surprise at being informed this is a gryphon. Her lips purse thoughtfully, and she comes closer, leaning over into Jaskier's space so she can take a good long look at the thing when it turns over.

The term toy gryphon is even more baffling. It does seem to have the generally correct anatomy, though... tiny. And very round. The proportions are all wrong. And, once again, tiny.

Her lips quirk. It's. It's fucking adorable, actually.

Ciri reaches out a hand curiously to touch the feathers on the back of its neck while it's distracted by Jaskier's sleeve. ]

What? [ She spares Jaskier a look and a scowl before returning to her observation of the little gryphon-thing, stroking its surprisingly soft feathers until they give way to equally soft fur. ]

Have you no faith in me, Jaskier? I'm not going to start slaying anything!

How did you come to be in possession of such a creature? Please tell me it's not a baby.

[cointosser]

Oi, I know about Geralt's thoughts on monsters! Well. On my attempts to procure them. [One time he tried to bring a baby basilisk from a nest where all the eggs were broken. Geralt, suffice to say, was not very thrilled with the attempt, if only because Jaskier had found the eggs were broken... because they'd hatched.

Near a very angry mother.

He clears his throat. Anyway. This time is much different!]

It isn't. It's young, but no longer a baby. They were bred to be an exotic pet here -- can you believe it? Brought down from the mountains and domesticated like goats! This one is about as big as he'll ever be, and calm as a cactus. I was passing through the market, and... well, I have considered getting myself a companion. While you and Geralt and Rinwell are all away.

[That's as close to admitting that he doesn't want to be alone that he'll come.]

[wiedzminka]

Domesticated? [ She looks surprised, but considers this. Plenty of wild animals have been domesticated before. Why not a 'monster' as well? It doesn't alarm her, though she is a bit suspicious -- just as much as she might be if Jaskier wanted a pet mountain cat. It's not the gryphon's fault. ]

I see.

Well, I have nothing against it. He's very cute. [ She scritches his head, carefully, on the back where it's less in the range of that sharp little beak. ]

What does he eat?

[cointosser]

[He nods, relaxing. Ciri does appear to like it; though, to be fair, he wouldn't believe she'd ever lie about what she liked, either.

He smiles, cuddling the creature close. Even his beak is a rounded, harmless looking little thing -- of course Mog could probably take off a finger, but so could a particularly dedicated goose.

Jaskier had done his research. Asked some of the people of Cadens about them. They were well-known, though the implication was certainly that it was a bit pricy to get one's hands on it. (It was. And he deserves it, for all the coin he's been saving.)]

So far, small desert lizards and moths. But organ meat, chicken, and rabbit suffices. I've already asked Geralt to save some hearts or whatnot from his next hunt.

[wiedzminka]

[ Considering Ciri is usually asking around about beasts that are dangerous or at least pests, it's no wonder she never really came across information about these domesticated little guys. Leave it to Jaskier to find an exotic pet. At least he appears happy.

And Ciri won't deny the little beast is charming.

She grins, rubbing a thumb in little circles on its cheek when the toy gryphon nuzzles her hand like a cat, clearly demanding more attention. ]

Sounds like we'll never have a rat or lizard problem, in that case.

I can't believe you thought I was going to slay him! [ She shakes her head in mock offense, and boops Mog's little beak. ]

Look at him!

[cointosser]

Exactly! That's what I said. Well, Geralt isn't very thrilled about him, but I think he secretly adores him already. You know how Geralt is.

[Cold, unfeeling. Cruel sometimes. And yet soft as a flan for little harmless animals.

He grins.]

Look, I wasn't sure! You could have, I don't know, gryphon-related trauma for all I know. I felt it would be fair to ask before I brought him home, but... he was just there and you understand, don't you? I could not say no to his face. [It's cute and squashed, with big eyes and pretty, oil-slick feathers.] I'm hoping, with time, we can upgrade him to rats so we needn't worry about Roach's stable, either.

[wiedzminka]

Just you wait. Geralt will be confiding in him half as much as he talks to Roach in no time.

May I?

[ Ciri reaches out in an attempt to -- carefully -- take the gryphon into her own arms. She's got quick reflexes. And Mog doesn't seem to, at least not right now. ]

The rats had best watch out. Least they're not as big as the ones at Kaer Morhen.

[cointosser]

[By gods, she's right. Could he perhaps teach Mog to speak a few words? Repeat them? He's seen such a show from birds before, and Mog's at least half a bird and twice as smart.]

My dear, of course! He's rather relaxed, I should think.

[And so Mog carefully exchanges hands, only giving a flick of his furry tail and a shuffle of his wings, before he curls up in Ciri's arms.

Exactly why he adopted such a calm animal.]

I don't remember seeing... you know, that does explain all the brown little pelts I kept seeing. I thought they were placemats.

[He cringes, brushing Mog's fur from his clothing. Ugh. He should've known Witchers wouldn't have placemats.]

[wiedzminka]

[ The gryphon snuggles up against her chest sleepily -- and the precise moment Ciri falls in love with him completely is written all over her face. She pets him slowly, watching his blink lazily until he closes his eyes, tail curled around her forearm.

Oh, no. He's too cute. Danger. ]

Mm?

[ She looks up, blinks as if remembering Jaskier is there after that rush of tiny gryphon induced serotonin. ]

Placemats? Pff! Jaskier-- seriously?

One of those big gross rats was the first animal I ever skinned. Pinned it to my wall, I was so proud of it.

[ She laughs, knowing how stupid it sounds. But for a displaced princess wanting to prove herself as Witcher material, she really had been proud of herself at the time. ]

[cointosser]

[Jaskier knows very well what that expression means, for he's so sure he had the exact same one himself. The moment the merchant knew he was caught on the hook, unable to escape. That he would not say no to the beast, once Mog nudged his head under Jaskier's chin.]

What! Is it truly on me for thinking so? Who goes around putting rat pelts everywhere? [The indignation is mostly for show, but there is a bit that is genuine, mostly because he's being overwhelmed with latent disgust.

Ugh. He ate off one of those. He put his wine bottle on one in that little shitty room.

He's pretty sure there was one hanging on the wall, too.]

You Witchers are all animals, I swear. This is why I'm the one doing the interior decorating!

[He clears his throat, folding his fingers together. He may insult the Witchers, but he still obviously has quite a bit of fondness for them. Especially in how gentle they can still be -- like the way Ciri cradles Mog.]

Apropos of nothing, there was something I meant to tell you. I'm sure Geralt may have mentioned it... well, second thought, he's probably not, considering. I thought you should now, I mean, especially with this particular purchase... I mean to stay here. In Abraxas. With you. With Geralt.

[It's not meant to be any sort of declaration; honestly, at this point, he thinks it should be obvious, right? But perhaps not. And in the end, he does want one thing: for Ciri to trust he will be here for her. No matter what.]

[wiedzminka]

[ Taking Mog, Ciri sits back down on the stoop where her supplies are; Jaskier is invited to join her, of course, not with so many words but just as a matter of course. She settles there letting Mog curl up on her lap and admiring his wings. She is prepared to laugh at Jaskier's impression of Kaer Morhen some more, half lost in the nostalgia.

Then, he changes the subject. Or perhaps, in a way, it was a natural progression of it all along.

Ciri lifts her head, eyes widening. ]

Jaskier...

[ She stares at him, taking a few moments to process this declaration. The newfound meaning of the warm body snoozing in her lap. Misty-eyed, she looks away, blinking quickly to clear the embarrassing swell of emotion from at least being so obvious in her expression.

Unlike Geralt, Jaskier has a life on the Continent that is connected to particular people, places, a name spread far and wide, his hard-won fame and his position at Oxenfurt. He will make many more friends, still. He had dreams tied to the Continent too. He had years-- but that was a time and a place that doesn't exist for Jaskier yet. Never will, if he stays.

Does it matter? The question of the time between them still weighs on her occasionally, but those occasions grow less and less frequent. Whatever the case -- a divergence, an alternate reality, parallel paths that may or may not actually be the same -- the only thing she can (and wants to) focus on is the here and now. She's not looking for those answers anymore. She has something better: the home they've built behind her, the new pet sleeping in her arms, and the newfound of freedom of a life no longer spent looking over her shoulder at every step.

Ciri realizes, deep down, she'd already accepted that Jaskier would stay. She'd assumed, when Geralt told her. She realizes she is relieved, but not at all surprised. ]

Good. Would've been pretty irresponsible for you to buy a weird pet otherwise.

[cointosser]

[Of course he takes the seat. He's nowhere to be, and now he's more pleased than ever that Ciri has so happily embraced the new member of their household. Now he only need show Rinwell, but he estimates with the addition of Hootle, her acceptance will be rather easy to obtain.

Though Jaskier believes that should pertain to anyone. Look how bloody cute he is.

He's quiet while she takes it in, politely pretending he does not see her reaction nor her genuine surprise. Was it so surprising with Geralt, too? He can't imagine it was. Geralt's life has become very much about Ciri, as any parent's would. It is the natural way of things. And, to be fair, Ciri is... has proven to be more life-shattering than normal children.

He puts an arm around her shoulders, giving her a sort of side-embrace. At least it's a rather good reaction. She wants him to stay.]

I'm so relieved to know you expect me to be responsible. And he is not weird! He's a very noble creature, thank you. I cannot imagine how long it took to domesticate a gryphon, of all things.

[As noble as a bird-cat hybrid can be, curving into a ball of black, his squashed face half-hidden behind a paw. Very noble.] I would be a fool to remove myself from such a wonderful home.