[closed] home is where..

[rinwell]

Who: Rinwell + Cadens Witcher Crew.
What: A found family reunites with a returning stray.
Where: Free Cities.
When: End of November.
Warnings: Mush. Possibly some swearing.

Comments

[cointosser]

As if Jaskier gives time for Geralt to react; he already knows quite well that Geralt will remain rather quiet, and will have that awfully annoyed-but-fond expression on his face.

Ah. The pool does answer some questions. Several of them, in fact, in such a short answer -- and though he burns with thousands more, he is, truly, only so glad to see her in the first place. Their home has always been comfortable, he likes to think, but they lost so much warmth when she was... gone. When they had to accept that Rinwell was out of their reach.

And now she is back. In some ways, he knows it is awful. Being free (or truly feeling free) and then returning. A second kidnapping. Perhaps further tortures. And to rejoin this world as war marches ever closer...

He does not dwell on those thoughts. It is her face, the quiet in her tone, that he focuses on. "What's this? Has Geralt driven you to be so somber already? We should be already planning a party, not talking about our feelings!" As if Jaskier misses a chance to throw one. But carefully, he releases her and moves his pots out of the way so they are no longer such a danger, though several of them wiggle and wave as if greeting the return of the girl as well. "Though, if I'm honest, I think we are doing... you know, all right. Some things have happened as of late, that are -- well, not to be discussed in so otherwise a happy occasion. Do you want to see your nook? We'll have to clear a bit out, but --" He gasps. "Geralt, we'll need to get her a horse again! You still remember mostly how to ride, don't you?"

[wiedzminka]

From the bottom of the stairs, Ciri can hear something of a commotion up on the landing above. Jaskier's voice, mostly, shouting indistinctly. That, in and of itself, is not entirely unusual. She doesn't think anything of it -- he must be yelling at Geralt, or maybe at Mog, or just at a piece of parchment that isn't making whatever words he wrote on it sound as good as they had in his head.

So when she heads up the stairs, dusty and windswept from a nighttime excursion beyond the city gates, Ciri has every intention of simply ignoring the bard and his excitement, whatever its cause, and heading straight for a bath and her bed.

It's not until she actually opens the door that it registers. There is Jaskier, as expected. Geralt, a tiny bit more of a surprise at this time of day, but not terribly unusual.

And, between them, a figure that takes her a long moment to recognize. Or, rather, to really understand, despite actually recognizing her right away.

Ciri steps inside.

"...Rinwell?"

More than only startled, she sounds... hopeful.

[gynvael]

Geralt lets Jaskier answer on his behalf (Geralt is, as always, in a perpetual state of fine. However that's interpreted). He's content to watch the two of them, silent but fond, until Ciri's footsteps alert him to her arrival.

In the commotion with Jaskier, he'd not even realized she was home. Geralt brightens a bit to see her—because, more than anyone, he understands how rare it is for Ciri to have a loss returned to her, unharmed.

"Found her at the stables," he explains.

He gives them time to reunite before he places a light hand on Rinwell's shoulder.

"You made it in time for dinner."

They don't tend to eat together; Geralt's rare appearances in the city combined with Ciri working and Jaskier's odd hours, flitting about—almost feels a bit. Fitting. That they're somehow all here when Rinwell's returned.