Sometime in December

[every_blossom_blooming]

After winter's first real bitter snap, Nina was pleased to find Geralt of Rivia spending more time in the city, either in his own apartment or hers. She'd made it clear that he was welcome to stay with her as often and as long as he wanted. She lived on the top floor, which meant no noise from above, and she kept a comfortable home these days. She gave him a key and left the invitation open.

She'd been looking for jobs for a few months; maybe she was being too picky. She helped Geralt when he had jobs that she could be useful for, and she'd started a small side business doing tailoring and "aura calming." She didn't have Genya's talent for it, but she had some skill, especially since Inej started helping her find things to include in her tailoring kit to make the things she needed.

She did most of her work out of her apartment, which meant that some days she had clients leaving or getting work done when Geralt came in from the woods.

"The effects will fade in a week," she warned the middle-aged man that had been sitting at her kitchen table. "Likely the hair first, then skin, then the eyes. If you want it to last longer, you'll have to come for touch-ups."

Nina ushered him to the door and winked at Geralt when she saw him come in.

Comments

[worstsin]

The skin of her thigh was impossibly soft, it was warm pressed against him, and yet he shivered deliciously, his back prickling with pleasure and anticipation.

"Have I mentioned I love that thing you do?"

[every_blossom_blooming]

"Maybe once or twice, now that I mostly use it for healing and tantalizing instead of crippling."

Now and then she still felt a bit bad about what she had done on their first meeting, and then again back in the autumn, when she'd had the most vivid nightmare. But Geralt hadn't blamed her for it or even held it against her, even if the second time she could have killed him.

"It-- it's nice to know a man that isn't afraid of me," she confessed. Even Matthias, who had desired her and maybe even loved her, had been afraid of her. He still was.

[worstsin]

He would never be afraid of Nina, not because of her ability to rend and control bodies. Nina had power, and Geralt, in his atheism and infinite insolence, didn't fear power. Only loss.

He kissed her throat, dragged his flat teeth over her chin. Geralt dug in his trousers, searching for a vial of sweet almond oil.

[every_blossom_blooming]

A sweet sigh escaped at the gentle scrape of his teeth. It made her arch toward him and she pushed a hand into his hair, fingers tangling.

For all his time in the woods and saints knew where else, his hair was always so damn soft. "Mm, what are you after?" she asked when she realized he was reaching for something. She squeezed his sides with her thighs, just because she could. Soft and curved as she was, she was still a soldier underneath it all.

[worstsin]

Geralt grunted, distracted by the aching feel of her thighs pressed around him.

"Oil. Was in my pocket."

It always was, more for his equipment than Nina. But it was convenient there as well.

"You ready? You wanna?"

[every_blossom_blooming]

"Yes," she answered, breathless and bright. "Was I being too subtle?" she teased.

His eyes were golden in the low light of her bedroom and she cradled his face for a moment, anchoring him for another kiss. "I'm ready," she murmured sweetly against his mouth. "And I want you, Geralt."

[worstsin]

Their coupling was s it always was; slow, sweet, creative, careless. Nina had enthusiasm and charm, Geralt attentiveness and experience. They both had the desire to linger as long as possible after, soaking in oxytocin, sweat and hair mingled on the pillows.

Geralt sighed, content and comfortable against Nina's side.

[every_blossom_blooming]

Sex with Geralt was easy, effortless; they both had stamina and the will to please each other, and by the time they finished, Nina felt like she could just lay in bed and luxuriate for hours.

She grinned and stretched lazily before she snuggled up against Geralt, head against his shoulder.

"It's snowing," she said, a tired smile in her voice as she looked out the bedroom window.

[worstsin]

"Reminds me of Kaedwen. It was always snowing there."

Kaedwen had two seasons; snow and fog.

Geralt looked his chin over Nina's shoulder, watching the snow fall ovr it. His eyes shifted to thin slits, peering deeply out into the dark.

"Not going out again tonight."

The witcher was a slugabed, given half the chance.

[every_blossom_blooming]

"Everywhere I've ever lived has snow. In Ravka it was beautiful. We'd skate on the frozen ponds or lake. In Ketterdam, in made the city look pretty, until the dirt and grime mixed with it. And in Fjerda, it was just... cold."

She shivered at the memory and tucked against Geralt more. She smiled at the sentiment. "No, of course not. The only moving we'll be doing is either under the blankets or into a bath."

[worstsin]

"You gonna steal all the blankets in your sleep again?"

He was teasing, mostly, and tossed the soft, thick blanket ovr Nina before carefully putting his hair back up in its tie to finish drying.

[every_blossom_blooming]

"I can generate extra body heat, thank you," Nina sniffed, trying to sound like she was pouting. But then she smiled and twisted toward him, watching as he put his hair back.

"If I steal them, it's in retaliation."

[worstsin]

Geralt chuckled, a low sound, before dropping his head back again in comfortable sleepiness. He stared at Nina for a long moment in appreciative satisfaction. Soon, his expression grew thoughtful, and then curved into his smile.

"Nerpa."

[every_blossom_blooming]

Nina turned so that she could see his face after he spoke again. His smile, soft and subtle, always caught something in her chest. It made her feel warm all over, and she felt compelled to return the expression.

She smiled at him.

"Nerpa?"

The word was vaguely familiar, but for a moment she couldn't place it.

[worstsin]

"It's a type of seal," Geralt said, without dissembling. It was a type of honesty that Yennefer ha always found t turns both charming and infuriating. Geralt wasn't likely to outgrow it, for better or worse.

He pushed himself up in the bed and blinked at Nina.

[every_blossom_blooming]

Nina blinked, and her cheeks got pink when Geralt told her it was a kind of seal. Then she laughed and hit him with one of the pillows, right in the chest.

"A seal?" she squeaked. "I've gone from a little red bird to a seal?"

[worstsin]

Geralt laughed before becoming serious again, a little too serious. He pushed the pillow away and leaned closer to Nina.

"I like seals."

[every_blossom_blooming]

Nina tried to suppress a smile, because how could she not smile when Geralt was being so solemn? About seals? And as he leaned closer, she felt a faint, pleasant catch in her chest.

"And I remind you of one?" she pressed, lifting an eyebrow like a challenge. Her mouth quirked; not smiling was becoming terribly difficult.