Jaskier has always loved the sea.

Since he was a small boy traveling to visit with his family, it's always calmed him, brought him peace. It's where he goes after the mountain, to recover and move on. It's a small fishing village he finds himself in, not like the bustling cities near the coast from his youth. No, here the locals have fear and reverence for the sea, and for those things that dwell in it.

Locals say there is a sea witch living in a cave by the sea. There on the coast are jagged rocks, remnants of mountains long since eroded by the water. They form small cliffs, a sort of cluster of tiny mountains, if they can be called such. The tide has to be low to find passage to the cave, otherwise it is lost beneath the sea. Legend has it that inside a creature lives, a sea witch. Some say she is a sea goddess from another time no longer worshiped, others say is a mermaid cursed to live on land as punishment for practicing witchcraft. None of the rumors can agree exactly what she is, but they do all agree on one thing—visit the sea witch and bring her an offering and she'll grant you a wish.

Jaskier isn't silly enough to believe in such nonsense, but thinks it'll make for a nice song. He goes to visit the cave for that reason alone. He needs some new material, now that he isn't traveling with Geralt anymore.

The inside of the cave is damp and dank and dark. Expected, really, for a place that spends more time underwater than above. What is unexpected is that there is a woman inside. She's dressed in rags and sea weed is tangled in her hair, her skin pale and near translucent.

Jaskier immediately goes to assist her, only to realize that this woman isn't what she seems. The sea weed is her hair, and her mouth is full of sharp, pointed teeth, her fingernails are long, jagged claws. She really does seem like a sea witch.

"What have you brought to me?" she hisses, her voice wet and cold. It makes him think of drowning.

"Er, I can sing you a song."

She rises to her feet—webbed things more like fins than human feet. Her eyes are solid black, dark like the depths of the ocean. They fix on him eerily without blinking. "And what do you wish?"

Jaskier isn't sure where to go here. There are many things he wants. But none seem worth making a deal with a sea witch. All he really wants is to be by Geralt's side again, to stay there with him forever.

"You love a man. A man with a monster inside. You want to be with him."

Oh, she can read thoughts. Lovely. Jaskier hates when the monsters can do that. Usually Geralt would save him by now, so he's not sure what to do. She doesn't seem violent, this creature, though she is decidedly inhuman. "Yes, well, he doesn't love me back, so no point bringing it up."

She tilts her head to the side, further than a human could bend their neck. "What if I could give you what you want? You and him, together, forever."

"Weren't you listening? He doesn't want me."

She smiles, a horrific thing. "Fools don't know what they want. They do not appreciate what they have until it is lost."

Jaskier's heart tugs in his chest. "You're saying Geralt misses me?"

"His heart aches."

It would be stupid to listen to her. A creature, a monster, something dangerous and deadly. Geralt would scold him for trusting her. But Geralt is not here. "How could we be together?"

"I can give you life, as long as his. Youth. Longevity. More years to spend beside him."

The idea is tempting, so tempting. But he doesn't even know where Geralt is.

"I can take you to him."

He really hates monsters that read thoughts.

The witch steps closer. She smells of salt and brine and death. "I can give you all you desire...for a cost."

There it is. The fine print. The part where he discovers she wants to devour his first born child or bind his soul or something terrible. He should walk away. He should leave this place and not look back.

"What cost?" (He's never been good at doing what he should.)

"Your soul...if you fail."

"If I fail?"

The creature smiles, wicked and horrible. "You want to be with your love, so you will. You'll have him love you back. A kiss is all it will take. A kiss and you can be beside him forever."

Jaskier feels a knot in his stomach. "That's all? I have to kiss him?"

"He has to kiss you within three days."

It seems too easy. Allhe has to do is tell Geralt and Geralt will kiss him to save him. "What's the catch?"

"I'll need something from you. Collateral on our deal."

A cold, sinking feeling blooms in Jaskier's chest. Everything in him is saying this is a bad idea, and he should run away. But if it's his chance to be with Geralt, really be with him, without any excuses then he has to take it, doesn't he? "What do you want?"

"Your voice."

His voice? But how would be tell Geralt how he felt? How would he express himself without his words, his songs, his voice? He talks, it is what he does. Geralt often says he talks too much. "But how can I-"

"Actions speak louder than words, no?" she says, circling around him. "You have your hands, your pretty face. Do you want your man or no?"

Once there had been a conversation when Jaskier was young, a heartfelt confession wrenched out by youth and emotion and too much drink. Geralt had told him witchers and humans couldn't be together, that it didn't work. He said to love him would be to watch him die. But if he has this, he has no reason to deny him. He only has to make Geralt see that he loves him. And Geralt does love him, even if he's never said it. He's shown it in a thousand different little ways. So if Geralt can say it without words, without even meaning to, Jaskier can as well. It won't be easy, but he can do this.

"Yes, I want him."

The witch held out her hand, long fingers wet like the sea. "Then we have a deal?"

Jaskier took her hand and shook it. "We have a deal."