"Well, fuck. That doesn't sound like the ones in my world. Thanks for the heads up, I guess." He grins at the question. "Good? I'm amazing. Everyone knew my name at home."
Jaskier drinks just to forget that he has to start his career all over again. Hearing what Lenny has to say makes him empty the pint in one go. At least he's much kinder than Rose about it, and he actually saw something that made him react this way instead of just being generally nosy. Jaskier can't blame him for wanting to protect Midge; he would've probably done the same.
Yet he can't help but feel a little irritated, merely because he's tired of how they keep dancing around the same subject over and over. It just puts Geralt's voice in his head again, telling him to end it before it's too late.
Can you?
Since Lenny is genuinely caring, Jaskier doesn't tell him off. He likes what he's seen of the guy so far, not to mention he doubts Midge would be happy if they don't get along.
"There was a little misunderstanding, but we've already cleared it up. You should ask her to dance - such a keen observer you are, you must already know she'll say yes. Which begs the question--" He tilts his head as he crosses his arms. "Why are you talking to me instead of checking on her?"
Lenny hit a nerve. He’s honestly not trying to make anyone upset.
“I probably will ask her to dance, because that’s a pretty innocent thing, but it means a lot to a woman like her. She’s used to being treated in a certain manner. Guys like me are far out of her league.” He takes a drag of his cigarette. “Midge likes how you treat her though. She likes you. Maybe I’m an asshole for pointing out something obvious like that to you, but I genuinely wasn’t sure if you knew.”
"Yeah. The dancing troupe has come and I like playing for them."
When Lenny says he's out of Midge's league, Jaskier snorts and asks for another pint of beer, sensing that this conversation is going to need it. What is it with these two and all the denial? He could've understood if they thought the other didn't like them back - it'd be a classic case of one-sided pining. But they both seem aware that there's something there, and Jaskier hates how they make it more complicated than it actually is.
"So you're hiding from her, got it." He shakes his head, exasperated by the whole thing. "I assure you that we both know that we like each other. Am I an arsehole for pointing out she likes you too, then?"
“Not really hiding,” he says with a shrug. “If I really didn’t want to see her, I’d leave. Midge has her reasons for not taking things further, as do I. We haven’t discussed it.”
He won’t be bringing it up with her.
“There’s no doubt who she’ll be going home with tonight, or at least who she wants to go home with. You can either have a pleasant evening, or you can keep pushing her towards something she isn’t interested in exploring, but I guarantee that will ruin your night.”
"Mayhaps you should discuss it, then. You both keep denying it, yet it took me only three steps to notice all the eye-fucking."
For two people who supposedly have no interest in exploring something, they sure aren't showing it. They're absolutely ridiculous.
"You're married. That's why she hasn't gone home with you, not because she doesn't want to." His new pint arrives, but he doesn't notice. His eyes are on Lenny, who is hitting too many sore spots. He's much better with words than Rose, that's for sure. "So drop the out of her league crap. It's not kind, it's condescending." He sighs and finally sees the beer, so he takes a very long sip. "This is why you wanted to talk to me? To ask me to stop?"
Lenny has a better picture of Jaskier and Midge’s relationship now. It’s sex, at least from his perspective. She might be trying for something more.
He’s quiet for a moment so that he can choose his words carefully.
“Just because you want something doesn’t mean that it’s good for you or that you ought to have it. I’m no good for her, and that’s a fact.”
Midge shouldn’t have to put up with his heroin addiction. Or the women. Or how he can be violent when he’s high. She’s going places, and she doesn’t need him pulling her down into the gutter with him.
“You don’t have to take my advice. I’m an idiot anyway. I just wanted to give you my take on the situation and let you know that if you keep pushing her, you’ll push her away. But, I’m sure you’ll move on to someone else instead.” He can’t help getting a little dig in, since the guy had the nerve to call him condescending without knowing a damn thing about his life.
Lenny finishes his beer and puts out his cigarette in the ashtray on the bar. “Looking forward to hearing you sing tonight.” He means it too.
Conversation over, Lenny goes off to speak with some of the writers.
It's ironic, because Jaskier is thinking the same thing: this guy doesn't know him, yet he speaks like he understands Jaskier and the way he thinks. His heart constricts when Lenny says moving on to someone else, memories flooding his mind of how he learned the hard fucking way that he can't give people what they want when it comes to love.
Before he can stop himself, his hand closes around Lenny's wrist when he reaches for the ashtray.
"You're right. What you want isn't always what is good for you." He isn't being sarcastic; the agreement is sincere. "And I'm not what Midge needs - which I've already told her. Several times." He hisses the last part, barely containing his anger. He's fucking tired of people looking to put the blame on him when he's been clear about his intentions since the fucking beginning. What his heart feels is irrelevant. "If you truly want her to be happy, if you're truly against the idea of pushing - then don't push her toward me, either. Because right now? You're doing exactly what you're scolding me for."
Jaskier finally lets go of Lenny's wrist then, and doesn't believe him when he says he looks forward to his music. He doesn't answer, though; he just finishes his beer in one go, desperate to drown all the thoughts in his head.
Can you?
His limbs moving on automatic, Jaskier rushes backstage and through the back door so he can make it to the alley. The smell of the trash containers is awful, but he doesn't care now. He just kicks a can as he lets out a very loud fuck, the U elongated enough to scare away a cat.
He's in a bad mood now, but he doesn't want to leave. Usually, this is the kind of thing he'd chase away with a quick orgasm in a bathroom stall, yet sex is what put him on the spot in the first place. Talking to Geralt often worked, too, yet again - this is the one subject where the witcher will make it worse.
Molly finds him, then, innocently looking for her singer to start a jamming session, only for her face to drop when she sees the state Jaskier is in. Before she can ask anything, Jaskier quotes something she said to him in the past (Let's rock their socks off.) before following her inside.
Music is good. Music is orgasmic, too. Music can take over his body and make him forget, at least for a little while. He rushes to the stage and takes his guitar without a word, causing his band to gasp and run after him while teasing him for not doing a proper call.
Usually, Jaskier would say something sweet to the public, introduce the band and all, but now he directly throws himself into the music. They stick to covers so everyone can dance and Jaskier doesn't have to worry about revisions of his new material. He pours all his emotions into his singing and doesn't use a pick on the guitar, wanting to feel the vibrations of the strings right on his skin.
The good thing about covers is that people sing along. Jaskier basks in the attention and lets the cheers of the crowd make love to his ears so he can lose himself in creative bliss.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Jaskier drinks just to forget that he has to start his career all over again. Hearing what Lenny has to say makes him empty the pint in one go. At least he's much kinder than Rose about it, and he actually saw something that made him react this way instead of just being generally nosy. Jaskier can't blame him for wanting to protect Midge; he would've probably done the same.
Yet he can't help but feel a little irritated, merely because he's tired of how they keep dancing around the same subject over and over. It just puts Geralt's voice in his head again, telling him to end it before it's too late.
Can you?
Since Lenny is genuinely caring, Jaskier doesn't tell him off. He likes what he's seen of the guy so far, not to mention he doubts Midge would be happy if they don't get along.
"There was a little misunderstanding, but we've already cleared it up. You should ask her to dance - such a keen observer you are, you must already know she'll say yes. Which begs the question--" He tilts his head as he crosses his arms. "Why are you talking to me instead of checking on her?"
no subject
Lenny hit a nerve. He’s honestly not trying to make anyone upset.
“I probably will ask her to dance, because that’s a pretty innocent thing, but it means a lot to a woman like her. She’s used to being treated in a certain manner. Guys like me are far out of her league.” He takes a drag of his cigarette. “Midge likes how you treat her though. She likes you. Maybe I’m an asshole for pointing out something obvious like that to you, but I genuinely wasn’t sure if you knew.”
no subject
When Lenny says he's out of Midge's league, Jaskier snorts and asks for another pint of beer, sensing that this conversation is going to need it. What is it with these two and all the denial? He could've understood if they thought the other didn't like them back - it'd be a classic case of one-sided pining. But they both seem aware that there's something there, and Jaskier hates how they make it more complicated than it actually is.
"So you're hiding from her, got it." He shakes his head, exasperated by the whole thing. "I assure you that we both know that we like each other. Am I an arsehole for pointing out she likes you too, then?"
no subject
He won’t be bringing it up with her.
“There’s no doubt who she’ll be going home with tonight, or at least who she wants to go home with. You can either have a pleasant evening, or you can keep pushing her towards something she isn’t interested in exploring, but I guarantee that will ruin your night.”
no subject
For two people who supposedly have no interest in exploring something, they sure aren't showing it. They're absolutely ridiculous.
"You're married. That's why she hasn't gone home with you, not because she doesn't want to." His new pint arrives, but he doesn't notice. His eyes are on Lenny, who is hitting too many sore spots. He's much better with words than Rose, that's for sure. "So drop the out of her league crap. It's not kind, it's condescending." He sighs and finally sees the beer, so he takes a very long sip. "This is why you wanted to talk to me? To ask me to stop?"
no subject
He’s quiet for a moment so that he can choose his words carefully.
“Just because you want something doesn’t mean that it’s good for you or that you ought to have it. I’m no good for her, and that’s a fact.”
Midge shouldn’t have to put up with his heroin addiction. Or the women. Or how he can be violent when he’s high. She’s going places, and she doesn’t need him pulling her down into the gutter with him.
“You don’t have to take my advice. I’m an idiot anyway. I just wanted to give you my take on the situation and let you know that if you keep pushing her, you’ll push her away. But, I’m sure you’ll move on to someone else instead.” He can’t help getting a little dig in, since the guy had the nerve to call him condescending without knowing a damn thing about his life.
Lenny finishes his beer and puts out his cigarette in the ashtray on the bar. “Looking forward to hearing you sing tonight.” He means it too.
Conversation over, Lenny goes off to speak with some of the writers.
no subject
Before he can stop himself, his hand closes around Lenny's wrist when he reaches for the ashtray.
"You're right. What you want isn't always what is good for you." He isn't being sarcastic; the agreement is sincere. "And I'm not what Midge needs - which I've already told her. Several times." He hisses the last part, barely containing his anger. He's fucking tired of people looking to put the blame on him when he's been clear about his intentions since the fucking beginning. What his heart feels is irrelevant. "If you truly want her to be happy, if you're truly against the idea of pushing - then don't push her toward me, either. Because right now? You're doing exactly what you're scolding me for."
Jaskier finally lets go of Lenny's wrist then, and doesn't believe him when he says he looks forward to his music. He doesn't answer, though; he just finishes his beer in one go, desperate to drown all the thoughts in his head.
Can you?
His limbs moving on automatic, Jaskier rushes backstage and through the back door so he can make it to the alley. The smell of the trash containers is awful, but he doesn't care now. He just kicks a can as he lets out a very loud fuck, the U elongated enough to scare away a cat.
He's in a bad mood now, but he doesn't want to leave. Usually, this is the kind of thing he'd chase away with a quick orgasm in a bathroom stall, yet sex is what put him on the spot in the first place. Talking to Geralt often worked, too, yet again - this is the one subject where the witcher will make it worse.
Molly finds him, then, innocently looking for her singer to start a jamming session, only for her face to drop when she sees the state Jaskier is in. Before she can ask anything, Jaskier quotes something she said to him in the past (Let's rock their socks off.) before following her inside.
Music is good. Music is orgasmic, too. Music can take over his body and make him forget, at least for a little while. He rushes to the stage and takes his guitar without a word, causing his band to gasp and run after him while teasing him for not doing a proper call.
Usually, Jaskier would say something sweet to the public, introduce the band and all, but now he directly throws himself into the music. They stick to covers so everyone can dance and Jaskier doesn't have to worry about revisions of his new material. He pours all his emotions into his singing and doesn't use a pick on the guitar, wanting to feel the vibrations of the strings right on his skin.
The good thing about covers is that people sing along. Jaskier basks in the attention and lets the cheers of the crowd make love to his ears so he can lose himself in creative bliss.