Watch Me Burn

Pairing: Jaskier x Reader

Requested: Yes

Request: “Something with Jaskier flirting with a rival bard?”

A/N: Me, listening to Burn, Butcher Burn for several straight hours to write this? No, never.

—–

You were no stranger to dingy bars and bards with something to prove, but it had been a long day of traveling and you just wanted to drink in peace, not be met with your old nemesis strutting about the place with his damned lute.

“I hear you’re alive; how disappointing,” his voice called as the weathered oak door thudded open before you and your adventuring party, “I’ve also survived, no thanks to you-”

You rolled your eyes, shaking off your party mates’ pointed looks and taking a seat at the bar, easily sweet talking your way into a free ale from the flustered barmaid. Your companions settled into the seats at your sides and you were grateful, hoping, for once, not to be noticed so you wouldn’t have to put on your performance persona yet again.

“All those lonely miles that you ride, now you’ll walk with no one at your side-” Jaskier sang, eyes fixed a million miles away from his audience. “What for d’you yearn? It’s the point of no return…”

Even as you tried to avoid him spotting you, you couldn’t tear your eyes away from your rival. The pain in his eyes was real, a far cry from his usual wide smile and the exaggerations and hyperboles that his tunes were normally filled with. His hair, typically clean and well-kept, hung shaggy and lank in his face.

“At the end of my days when I’m through,” Jaskier’s voice came in a rough growl as emotion began to consume him, “No word that I’ve written will ring quite as true as buuurn, burn Butcher, burn.” He fell back to sit on the edge of the stage, voice beginning to trail away as his fingers began to slow on the stings of his lute. “Watch me burn all the memories of you…”

As his voice echoed through the tavern, you realized exactly who this song was for; Geralt of Rivia, a witcher also known as the White Wolf and the Butcher of Blaviken. He was the same man that Jaskier had been traveling with the last time you’d bumped into him. You’d seen the way Jaskier had looked at the blond, the love in his eyes. You knew what that look meant; after all, it was how Jaskier made you feel.

You pushed yourself to your feet as his song ended, leaving your friends to their drinks and conversation as you prepared to make your exit. You paused as you passed the stage, pulling a gold coin from your coin purse and tossing it toward the downtrodden bard without a word.

“Much obliged, kind sir-” he started, catching it and lifting his eyes to look at his newest benefactor. His eyes hardened as they locked with yours, “The hell do you want?”

You bit out a sigh and shook your head, turning on your heel and making your way out of the tavern. You ignored the sound of Jaskier calling after you as he scrambled to his feet, following quickly behind you.

Eventually you came to a stop on the small porch looking out toward the forest path that led into town and took a seat on the step, resting your arms on your knees as you watched the trees.

“You did always have a flair for dramatic exits,” Jaskier said as he pushed through the tavern door and moved to sit beside you.

The corners of your lips twitched up into the barest hint of a smile, “You always had a flair for writing dramatic songs about your ex.”

Jaskier’s brows furrowed as he shot you a confused glance, “My ex? Who, Geralt?” He let out a bitter laugh, “No, no, we never-”

“So you write songs like that about all your friends then?” you prompted, jerking your head back toward the bar pointedly. “Should I be offended that I haven’t heard my ballad yet?”

A shocked laugh escaped your companion and you couldn’t help a slight feeling of accomplishment taking root. “I don’t know how I would even begin to write about you. There’s so much-” he trailed off, but you could understand. All the years of trying to out-perform each other and the insulting stanzas that you would improvise in your more competitive meetings.

“History?” you prompted.

He nodded, “Yeah. There’s just so much to say, I don’t know where I could even start.”

“You could always use that line about my voice sounding like a raven with a sore throat again,” you supplied with a grin. You’d never been particularly offended by his jesting, and that line had always been a favorite of yours.

He snorted, flipping the coin you’d given him between his fingers idly. Jaskier stayed quiet for a long moment, “You know I never actually meant that, right? I hate to admit it, but you do have a rather good voice.”

In all the years the two of you had known each other, you’d never heard Jaskier pay you an honest compliment before. It was… kind of nice, actually. “You’re quite talented yourself, Jaskier. Among other things.”

Jaskier perked up at the compliment, clearly curious about the ‘other’ as well. “And what might those other things be, hm?”

You faltered, suddenly aware of what you’d said and that there was no taking it back now. You knew that your friends would be laughing at you if they could see what you’d gotten yourself into. “Talented and creative, clearly. Funny, sometimes,” you started quietly, eyes fixed firmly on the horizon, even as his gaze remained fixed firmly on you. “Handsome, perpetually.”

Jaskier’s eyebrows raised and a smile spread over his lips, “You think I’m handsome?”

“Obviously,” you said, fingers tightening against the rough material of your trousers.

“Wish I’d known that sooner,” he said, “I’d have been nicer in the verses I wrote about you. Seen if I could’ve won you over in the first place.”

You laughed, pushing to your feet, “You say that as though you didn’t have my heart from the beginning.” You shook it off, preparing yourself to head back inside the tavern and up to the small room you’d rented for the night.

“Your… heart?” Jaskier sounded confused and you figured you might as well throw it all out into the open. If your heart got broken at least you could start healing.

“My heart, Jaskier,” you confirmed, sucking in a shaky breath before pressing on. “I’ve been in love with you for years. I just never said anything because I doubted you’d be interested.” He stayed quiet and you sighed, scrubbing a hand over your face as you made for the door. “Forget I said anything; good night, Jaskier.”

It took him a moment to process what you’d said, but then Jaskier was up on his feet and scrambling after you. He managed to catch your wrist before you could duck inside, tugging you back to face him and hesitating for only a few seconds before lurching forward to kiss you.

He pulled away after a moment with a fond smile, cocking his head to the side as he studied you. “Well then, are you going to invite me up?”

You couldn’t stop an answering grin and you nodded, taking his hands and lacing your fingers with his. “Sure. We’ll see what you’ve got for that ballad come morning, yeah?”

As the two of you ducked back into the building and up the back stairwell, you ignored your friends’ excited whoops as they caught sight of you, too busy laughing at the silly lyrics your new beau kept proposing between eager kisses.