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

[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.