The last!! chapter of my cat witcher OC (Nix) fic. See the Masterpost for content/warnings. Masterpost here.
Time to say our goodbyes at the end of winter.
-
Aiden walked into Nix’s room as she was packing. He sat on her bed, beside her pack, and started neatly packing her clothes as she piled them beside it.
“So, you’re going down with Eskel,” he said.
“Yeah.”
“I’m happy for you, kit. You’ve been smiling a lot more lately. And I’ll feel better knowing you aren’t out there alone. I know,” he said before she could interrupt, “you’re perfectly capable, but still. It’s lonely. And it can be dangerous.”
“That’s the life,” she said. She dumped the last few items on the bed. “But, I know. I’m glad too,” she said softly.
“I know he’ll be good to you. But, if anything happens—”
“Aiden—”
“If anything happens,” he continued, “you know the route Lambert and I usually take. Come find me, ok?”
“I’ll be fine, Aiden. I’m not a fresh-faced witcher, leaving for my first time out on the path.”
“I know that. But a lot has changed for you lately, and times have been hard, and…listen, I know Eskel, I trust him, alright? And I know you’ve been getting along really well up here. But you never know what it will be like out on the path. So just. In case there are any issues… you know where to find me, hmm? Don’t wait until you’re desperate this time. Ok?”
“You really are a mother hen.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
“Yes mother, if I really need you I know where to find you.”
Aiden smiled, grabbing her hand and pulling her into a tight hug. “I love you.”
“I know,” she said, muffled into his shoulder. “I love you too, you nagging lout.”
He grinned and let her pull back.
“I’ll let you finish and see you downstairs.”
“Alright.”
Aiden left Nix and went to find Eskel, coming across him in the kitchen, packing supplies for the hike down the Killer.
“Hey,” Aiden said.
“Hey. You found Nix?”
Aiden nodded. “I’m glad she’ll be with you. I would have worried if—”
“I know.”
“I wanted to tell you what I do, when she gets overwhelmed, or has an anxiety attack….”
Eskel set down what he was packing and turned his full attention to Aiden.
“We go through the senses. I get her to try to match her breath to mine, then to tell me the most distant sound she can hear, the faintest thing she can smell, the furthest thing she can see, the softest thing she can touch, something she can taste. We don’t always do them all, but it helps ground her.”
“Thank you. I’ll remember.”
Aiden nodded.
“If you hurt her, I know where you live,” Aiden said with a smirk, but something sharper in his eyes.
“I promise to take care of her. If I fail her, I’m all yours,” Eskel replied seriously.
Aiden stepped forward and pulled Eskel into a hug.
“I’m glad. That she’ll have someone; that it’s you.”
“Thank you. Me too.”
Aiden laughed. “I’ll let you finish in here,” he said, heading back into the hall.
Nix had come down and she and Jaskier were teasing each other.
“Sing only good things about us!” Nix said. “And don’t sing about me unless you want me to feed your favourite doublets to Lil Bleater.”
Jaskier gasped. “You wouldn’t!”
Nix narrowed her eyes. “I absolutely would. Anything personal will get all your doublets thrown into his enclosure, including the one you are currently wearing. With you in it.”
“Right,” he said, tugging nervously at the hem of his current doublet. “Of course, my dear. Well, you have fun with your puppy, I mean, Eskel.” He gave her a cheeky smile.
Nix gave him a shove and he laughed, then she pulled him in for a hug. He stood still in surprise for a moment before wrapping his arms around her in turn.
“Be safe, take care of each-other,” Jaskier said.
“You too.”
“I’ll bring new poetry for you next year, but take this for the road.” He handed her a slim book. “You’ll like this one, and it won’t take much room in your pack.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
Geralt got up from where he had been sitting with Lambert at the table to sling an arm around Jaskier’s shoulders.
“Look forward to seeing you next year. Keep my brother in line,” Geralt said with a smirk.
Nix smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Eskel had come out of the kitchen and was making his rounds, giving hugs and murmuring goodbyes. Lambert got up to drape himself over Aiden’s back.
“Don’t let him take any succubus contracts on his own,” Lambert told Nix with a grin.
“Oh shut up, Lambert,” Eskel said with a scowl.
“Why?” Nix asked, brow furrowed.
“I’ll tell you next year,” Lambert promised, and Eskel just sighed.
Vesemir had come from the library to join them.
“We look forward to having you back next year,” he said, giving Nix a warm smile.
“Thank you,” she answered softly.
Eskel had finished his goodbyes and come to stand with Nix, his pack on his back. He caught her eyes and held his hand out.
“Well. Are you ready?”
She took his hand and grinned.
“Yeah. I am.”
-
THAT’S IT FAM. Thank you so so much for those of you who read and enjoyed this, reblogged, left comments or tags, you have truly warmed my heart! If you have things you had hoped to see, please feel free to drop me an ask, and I’ll see what I can do! I have a few others projects I need to attend to now, but if you ask for something, I will likely come back to it.
a mad queen who lies beneath the moon, on the sad lawns of an ancestral garden ✨
huge huge HUGE thank you to @ziorre for making my baby sorceress come to life like this. literally this is better than i could have ever imagined for her, i owe you my life ✨
And I owe you my one for trusting me to draw your incredibly beautiful girl! Thank you so much! (o゜▽゜)o☆
