[ they all have their own trauma, their own dark shadows that follow them around. sam's counseled enough veterans to know that when someone comes to the point of being comfortable with opening up, it is never pity they are looking for. sam knows first hand, how ugly it could feel to open yourself up to someone and to see that distance, that look, staring back at you. he respects geralt too much to even think to pity him for what he's survived. but there is a level of compassion, of understanding, of listening to what he wants to say and letting it be just that.

and when geralt agrees, when he gives the grunt of agreement that yes, that is what he means, that he's one of the only few left. there is so much sam could ask, about that. so much that his training as a counselor has him thinking about. but geralt didn't move to share this because he wanted a session, and so sam tucks all that away, watching geralt for any signs. that he's overstepping, that this is uncomfortable. but when he opens the door for sam to ask, sam finds himself hesitating.

or, perhaps, hesitating isn't the right word. but sam waits or a moment before the words come out of him, watching geralt with a curious look. ]

If given the choice, would you do it again? [ sam winces, a bit once he asks, like it doesn't exactly sound as he'd wanted it to, when it finally came out. ] You mentioned that you were young, and no kid should ever have to go through something that...something like that. But do you like being a Witcher? [ thanks for the terminology to use here, jaskier, or else sam would be totally lost in this conversation. ] Would you have chosen to become one if you'd been allowed to chose?

[ and...okay. more than one question, technically, but the gist is all the same. ]