[Closed]

[rollstoseduce]

Who: A metaphorical wolf, an actual wolf, a bard, a swordcat, a rat king, a poison king, a horse with wings, a horse with a bug fish name and a wyvern eta and now a second horse
Where: National Park
When: Some time during 4th wall
Summary: Sparring! Powers! Potions! Animals! Secrets revealed, oh my!
Rating: let's give it an R for naughty jokes and references in narration



So you want to fight a witcher?
>Yes
>No
>Gwent

Comments

[vrdantwind]

"Yeah." Claude glowers at nothing, eyes slightly distant. "When he acted like they were such scum, and fussed over how he was going to treat me better...I thought that meant he was invested in never making me feel the way they did. And definitely that he'd never end up making me feel worse than any of them did. I thought he cared about me, and how I felt, how he made me feel, about treating me well. I mean, some of it he came out and said; some of it was just heavily implied. But then - well, you know how he acted. He acted as though none of that was true, like he hadn't considered any of that stuff at all.

"And he told me that he didn't want, or couldn't have, someone like me - a 'controlling personality' - in his life. That his problem is who I am, more than anything else." Claude shifts slightly against Grant. He doesn't quite curl up on himself; the shift isn't so obvious. But there's a feeling that he wants to make himself smaller, and is forcibly overriding the reaction - a tension, combined with the ducking of his head, that suggests the desire to retreat, to shrink, even if he's not acting on it. Perhaps he finds it too shameful, too seemingly cowardly, to allow himself that. "People have always written me off for the blood in my veins, not who I am."

A hand, resting on his leg, fists itself in the fabric beneath his fingers. "And he attacked me for reminding me of - of nobles. He hates the nobility. He's suffered at their hands before, to the point where he ran away from some responsibilities of his to have freedom and distance from them. He acted like I'm just like the backbiting nobles he's known. Even if that was true, and I know it isn't, it makes me so damn angry. He got to cut and run, ditch his responsibilities, be fancy free, got to leave situations that made him uncomfortable as soon as he was capable of it, no longer be accountable for anything, burn whatever bridges he likes...not just with the nobility, but it feels like maybe that's all he's been doing ever since, like he found one solution that works and never figured out any others. But I've never had those options. The person he's so disgusted with is the person I've had to be, because I put other things before myself. My country, my people, the good I can do in the world if I can achieve my dreams.

"Even if I was anything like he said, it'd be because I had to live in the world he got to run away from, and he holds it against me. I should resent him for his being able to spit on a system he was able to escape, and me for reminding him of it...!" Claude forces himself to stop and breathe for a moment. "...it's even worse, because it feels like the only reason he can make such a stupid comparison, acting like I've ever treated him like some scheming, back-stabbing noble, is because he's had the privilege of being away from court for so long that he's forgotten what it's really like. Another opportunity I haven't had. If all you need to do to be acting like a noble is remember something he said and point out that his own logic also applies to him when it's about something he doesn't want to hear, then it's a lot easier to become a noble than anyone ever realized. There's a lot of things he doesn't want to hear, and a lot of hypocrisies and logical fallacies a person can call him on. If you want your own title, Grant, we could go get you one today."

There's a manic, bitter sort of humor in the last sentence. Claude's almost trembling with a sense of - outrage? Injustice? He's not sure. It's all so blindingly, frustratingly, ridiculously stupid the more he thinks of it all.

[woofdad]

Subtle though it might be, Grant notices that shift in posture, the way Claude keeps himself from moving any further. So, the moment Claude finishes talking, his voice shaking, Grant moves in turn - and he doesn't hold off from what he actually wants to do; he lets go of Claude's hand, for the sole purpose of putting his arms around him and pulling him in close, one hand cradling the back of his head.

He notices the sound he's been making as he does it, and does his best to tone it down - part of him still worries that being pulled around by an actively growling werewolf wouldn't be all that comforting. But Claude can still probably feel it as Grant wraps himself around him, as if his bulk could shield him from the world.

"He's full of it," Grant grumbles in agreement. "Sounds to me like a stupid fuckin' kid scrambling to justify himself."

He huffs quietly. "'Course, given that he can't be much younger than you, he's not even a kid. But he's sure acting like one, treating everything that bothers him like some kind of attack."

[vrdantwind]

The growl doesn't disturb Claude at all; he trusts Grant, for one thing, and for another he recognizes that in this context it's definitely not directed at him in any case. He tucks himself readily into Grant's arms with a sigh, trying to let the warm comfort of Grant's body leech the tension and anger out of him.

At Grant's remark about Jaskier's age, Claude can't help a small chuckle - just at the general deceptiveness of Jaskier's appearance. It doesn't quite occur to him what Grant's reaction might be when he responds. "Oh, he's much older than me. He should be...41 now, since he's had a birthday since he first told me his age."

Grant isn't just going to hit the roof; he's going to go through it. And Claude has no idea, because he's personally never assigned much significance to Jaskier's age at all.

[woofdad]

"He's--" There's... a brief pause. Grant keeps holding Claude close, the need to comfort him overriding the impulse to just. Lean back and see if he can tell if Claude is serious.

He's pretty sure he's serious.

When he does speak again, Grant... doesn't sound very amused. He's sure to find it sort of darkly funny later, considering the thought of a man almost a decade older than Grant himself acting in a way that strikes Grant as so juvenile, but right now there's just another surge of frustration rising in his chest.

"Well, so much for whatever goddamn pinch of leniency youthful inexperience could get him. Must be nice to be so fucking carefree, you don't see the problem with ditching a guy barely over half your age the moment--" He grinds his teeth together, cutting himself off. Claude doesn't need attention drawn again to the timing of Jaskier's decision. "Jesus Christ."

[vrdantwind]

The ferocity of Grant's anger takes Claude by surprise; he thinks this might be the angriest he's ever seen his lover. On the one hand...it's rather flattering, to see how upset Grant is on his behalf. On the other hand, though - Claude hates seeing Grant so upset.

He reaches up, sliding his fingers into that luxurious hair of Grant's as he guides the man's face down to look at him. "It's okay, Grant," he says softly. "Or, well...it's not, we both know it's not, but you're more important to me than he is. So I don't want you this bothered over someone who's not worth it." He smiles, faintly. "Or over me, for that matter. You being your sweet self helps me a hundred times more than any amount of anger at him."

He pauses. "Although we could both fantasize for a few minutes about you roundhousing him as a form of healthy mental exercise." He smiles up at Grant. "You know it's not the anger that bothers me, right? It's just...seeing you so upset, when I never want you to have to be."

He feels this is worth specifying. He knows Grant's worries about appearing aggressive, and on a completely separate level, Claude is intensely gratified and flattered that Grant trusts him enough to let himself be so angry around him. To not stifle those reactions because of worries about how Claude will perceive him. So Claude wants to be very clear that it's a desire to soothe Grant's distress that's motivating him here, rather than Claude wanting to stifle that aggression that Grant so rarely allows himself to express(or encouraging Grant to stifle it himself).

[woofdad]

For all that he'd bristled at what he was finding out about Jaskier, Grant deflates just as quickly, almost as soon as Claude touches him, as if just getting angry for those few moments exhausted him. There's always the chance it will flare up again, but for now he can lean into Claude's touch and try to calm down.

Which feels a little ridiculous. Claude shouldn't have to be the one comforting him right now.

"Right... yeah. Just... hate it. You shouldn't have to be upset, either." He settles a hand over Claude's, turns his head to kiss his boyfriend's palm before mumbling against it. "And-- I would rather do anything I can to help than waste time getting angry."

[vrdantwind]

"I know." Claude smiles at that kiss to his hand, slightly moving it against Grant's own hand and his lips in what he hopes qualifies as an encouraging gesture. (There's only so much movement of any kind he can manage with one partially restrained hand, and it's not exactly like those movements can be eloquent, but he likes what's happening here and is okay with lots more of it.) "And honestly...I haven't had many people get upset on my behalf in my life. Definitely not like that. I won't pretend it didn't feel good.

"But for something to get a guy like you, who's so careful about controlling himself, that worked up...I can't help but worry. It must've been pretty extreme." There's a hint of a questioning look in his eyes as he studies Grant; he gets the feeling there's a reason it got to Grant that deeply. After all, Jaskier's age is a rather less significant fact than his actions, which Grant was already aware of. So Claude suspects there's something deeper at play here that he doesn't know about.

[woofdad]

Grant smiles weakly, rubbing his thumb over Claude's knuckles. "Well... glad to provide that, at least." Genuinely, if his outburst could somehow provide any kind of comfort, he's very glad to hear it.

But now he has to stop and consider... how to explain. And, as he considers that, embarrassment warms his skin slightly under Claude's hand. "It's... actually sort of stupid, I guess."

Unfortunately, he's probably gonna have to talk more clearly for this, so he reluctantly turns his head again so his mouth isn't right against Claude's palm - though his hand stays right where it is. "Where I'm from... obviously, someone doing what Jaskier did to you is horrible, no matter what. But, when there's a difference in age that large... the thing is, it's generally thought that someone significantly older than their sexual partner has some kind of advantage over said partner; even if the younger person has been through a lot, the older one has... lived more life, if that makes sense. It'll also often be assumed that the older person has more sexual experience, though that's obviously not always true.

"That's not to say, of course, that it's considered universally wrong for someone Jaskier's age to be involved with someone your age; obviously you're still an adult, and you can make your own decisions. But... it's not unheard of for older people to target younger ones for sexual relationships, sometimes with intent to exploit that potential imbalance. Now, that's... not to say I think that was Jaskier's intent. But, uh..."

He hesitates, brow furrowing slightly as he adjusts his hand to fully hold Claude's. "...I dunno if this is making sense. But I know you remember how hesitant I was to get involved with you guys. Back home, when it came to everything I just talked about... basically, with who and what I am, I would have been under more scrutiny than most. It would have almost been expected that I'd exploit you. That I'd... basically do, with premeditation, what Jaskier seems to have done on impulse. So... it just pisses me off to see someone older than myself acting so carelessly about these things, even if I know the standards and expectations with regards to age are doubtless different where he's from, just like where you're from."

[vrdantwind]

"It's not stupid," Claude contradicts, even before Grant gives him the explanation. "It means something to you, and that's enough."

He listens, quiet and intent, to Grant's explanation, and his expression softens as he does. "Of course that'd bother you," he murmurs, once Grant finishes speaking. "You've been holding yourself to such strict standards of behavior, trying to be so careful of others even when you know you've got the best of intentions...and then Jaskier just comes along, clearly never having stressed about that sort of thing a day in his life, takes no precautions or particular care as a result, and hurts someone in exactly the same way people from your world would hold you in suspicion of doing if it had been you. And worse, he doesn't just pull that with a stranger - he pulls it with one of your own boyfriends, who you trusted him with. None of that is stupid, Grant. You've got every right to be angry."

Claude rests his head against Grant's shoulder, looking up at him as his thumb gently strokes Grant's cheek. "Although I don't think he's worth it. You're a better man than he is. You would've been careful with me in ways he never would have been, no matter what kind of mindsets people from your world have or how they look at relationships with age gaps. And it's not like anyone seems to think much of how he treated me, so...even if he'd had those standards applied to him, too, I don't think how it looks to anyone else would have made him act any better. The only things that could have changed how he acted were if he was someone different...or if I was, I guess."

Because Claude can't shake that knowledge. Jaskier has loyalty, and compassion, and love, and thoughtfulness, and a capacity for carefulness, and tolerance for not just minor foibles and annoyances but major personality flaws and vicious falling outs. Jaskier is perfectly capable of treating someone important to him far better than he'd treated Claude. He'd just decided Claude wasn't worth a fraction of any of that. Certainly, who Jaskier is has a large influence on that decision...but Claude can't help thinking of the fact that, at some point, Geralt was new to Jaskier, too. And yet Geralt had brought out the very best in Jaskier over the course of their acquaintance, enough for it to become such a long one. If Claude had appealed to Jaskier the way Geralt had, couldn't he have done similarly?

Claude can't feel it's too much of a loss, all things considered - someone who'd treat people the way Jaskier treated him when someone didn't hit the exact right notes with them isn't the catch they think they are. But in a way, that just makes it all the more insulting that someone like Jaskier could find Claude so wanting.

[woofdad]

Claude's summary, and the quiet affirmations that go with it, are at least enough to get Grant to relax a little against him, even if that frustration with Jaskier is still buried in his chest.

...And starts burning all over again at Claude's last sentence. He twists to kiss Claude's forehead - seems like a better use of his mouth than just letting his lips press together in annoyance the way his face is trying to do.

The worst part is, that's not something he can refute. That Jaskier doesn't act this way with everyone is just true; Grant might not know him well, but he knows that much. "I know it's kind of trite to say he just doesn't deserve you - but he doesn't."

[vrdantwind]

That makes Claude smile a bit, despite everything. "If he ever did," he remarks, "he certainly doesn't anymore." He shifts to wind his arms around Grant's neck, pulling him down to rest their foreheads together, eyes gazing warmly into the single one of Grant's. "But you do."