"Protecting their child would be asking about my life to check I'm not a bad person. Not telling me that you need to concentrate on your kids instead of your career." A huff. "You let them get away with saying lots of crap under the excuse of concern."
I don’t think run of the mill people know what to make of you. He throws his hands in the air, cursing in frustration. The difference in their ages and life experiences has suddenly become quite a sharp knife that her hand on his hair surprisingly doesn't protect him from.
"You think I don't know that? It's why I know what to expect! I've lived with it since I was a child - it's given me dark bruises on my body and moldy bread for dinner. It's what sent us both to jail."
Her sister-in-law converted, huh? Jaskier doesn't dare to ask why. And the band-- well, the band has two elves, which is another bomb in its own. Jaskier imagines they wouldn't be hired if that was an issue; they'll be safe at the very least. But he doubts every grey head will approve. At least, the twins won't have to interact with the family like Jaskier will.
Hopefully, the venue staff won't make a fuss. Not wanting to make the argument worse with his worry about the twins, Jaskier distracts his mouth by finishing his glass of water.
“They don’t think women need careers. A lot of people think that way.” Her point is that it’s not some weird, repressed way of thinking. It’s their opinion. It doesn’t mean they’re right about it.
She almost asks what other kind of crap Midge has let them get away with saying, but she thinks she’s pushed things far enough tonight. With his subsequent outburst of emotion, she thinks she made the right choice.
“Jaskier…” she says softly. God, his childhood was horrible, wasn’t it? She keeps stoking his hair. “It’s okay. You’re here now, with me.”
After some hesitation, he buries his face in her neck and takes a deep breath. He really doesn't want to keep pushing or arguing; he just wants to cuddle her. But it's important. They need to be on the same page before the wedding, not to mention it's what Jaskier fought for as the White Wolf's bard and the Sandpiper. Midge may not be a housewife anymore, but there's still a whole world out there she hasn't seen. (Thank goodness Jaskier doesn't know about Shy.)
"Yeah, I am here. In your city. You love your city - it's a good city. Better than my world in many a way, but also similar in many others. Elves and dwarves get the moldy bread, people in Rainbow Road get the bruises, and the story of a young girl on a yellow road is silenced." He sighs. "It's tiring. You're a woman - you should know that."
Jaskier instantly hugs her back, holding her close - clinging to her, even. He hums in agreement to trying their best, but he doesn't know what else to say that won't make another mess out of this. It's hard to link it back to her parents and her career.
That answer, however, he can answer. "The book was banned."
It’s probably better if he doesn’t do that. Her parents are coming around slowly to the idea of her being a comedian, and she knows she can’t force them. She has to show them that she can be a success.
“Oh,” Midge replies. “Lots of books are banned. It doesn’t mean a whole lot here. Some idiot must have been offended by it. They still sell it in the stores. They made a movie out of it.”
"I know. I was looking into it because people at Rainbow Road kept mentioning Dorothy." He gestures to his nightstand, where the book rests with the ribbon of a bookmark peeking out. "The fact that you so naturally said that 'lots of books are banned' is a pretty fucking bad sign, you know."
She sighs. “You’re not wrong, except for the fact that I can walk into any bookstore and buy a book that is considered banned. When the government starts pulling books from the shelves and burning them, then we have a problem. The Nazis did that with books by Jewish authors during the war.”
"They've burned mine as well. Banning rarely stays as just that." He stares at the book on his nightstand. "I'm trying to finish it quickly because they'll play the movie at Rainbow Road for a special event night. I keep meaning to ask you to come but..." A sigh. "I can't promise it won't be awkward."
“It’s been a while since I read it, but it’s a bit long and it drags a bit. The movie is better.”
Midge looks at him. She really brought the tone of the night down by talking about her family, but they have to be able to talk about serious topics every now and then.
Indeed, it's important for them to be able to discuss these things. As depressing as it may be, it's also a sign of a healthy relationship. They can't just fuck and drink; they're supposed to share more than that now that they're official.
"Yeah," he replies in a small voice. "I love that place. I don't want to stop going. I should be able to share it with you."
“I don’t want you to stop going either,” Midge says. She’d hate to be the cause of Jaskier no longer going to a place that means so much to him. “I’ll come, if you want me to. If it’s uncomfortable… I’ll leave.” Maybe the other people won’t want her there because she’s heterosexual? That’s not really the vibe she got during the time that she visited though.
“Jaskier.” Midge waits until he looks at her in order to continue. “No matter what happens with my family, I love you. You make me happier than I’ve been in years.” Her fingers intertwine with his. “The things that make you different are the things that I love about you. I won’t let anyone make you feel bad for being the person that you are.”
"I do want you to come," he says as he raises both his head and his voice, wanting to prove he's serious about this. "That sounds like a good compromise. I'll text you the details, then?" He sounds a bit unsure still. It's definitely not about her being straight - it's the biphobia, and Jaskier being seen as 'giving up'.
Her words make him smile - they also remind him of why having an actual relationship can be so nice. This comfort, this connection, isn't available everywhere. "You're a sweetheart," he replies as he raises her hand to kiss it. "I love you, too, dear. And-- well, everything you just said, I also feel. I don't want you to ever feel bad about who you are, either. Is that spark of yours that I want texting me at 3 a.m."
“Sure,” she says with a nod. Midge doesn’t really understand what Jaskier’s worry is, so he will probably need to explain it to her at some point.
She never wants to make him regret his choice to be in a relationship with her, and hopes that she can be everything that he needs. “Oh, you’re fine with me waking you up at 3AM all the time? I adore you my sweet, handsome, talented, funny bard.” Midge punctuates each word with a kiss to his mouth. “Anyone who doesn’t like you just has bad taste.”
He laughs at the bad taste comment and captures her mouth in a proper kiss. It's a slow and soft one, wanting to simply bask in being with her and melt under her affection.
"Mmmh, we do know all about good taste. After all--" His hand descends on her thigh as he speaks, and he squeals when he touches the still fresh ink. He had forgotten about that. Jaskier stares down at his black hand and lets out a heartfelt- "Fuck."
It’s a lovely kiss, until Jaskier smears the ink on her leg. Midge starts cracking up.
“You probably should clean me up, unless you want your nice sheets to get stained with ink.”
There’s only one shower, which probably goes beyond the limits of the magical soundproofing. Midge would suggest that they wash off in there, but there’s no way that they wouldn’t get up to some trouble.
"Asking me to erase my art after such an important conversation," Jaskier replies with a very joking tone. "Tsk, tsk, you truly are an evil woman."
He picks Midge up and takes her to the bed, where he sits next to her before searching the nightstand drawer for wet wipes. Now he starts cleaning all the ink from her thigh and tits.
"These things are amazing. I wish I had them on the road at home."
Jaskier enjoys pampering his loved ones and grooming them as well. He remembers the morning they bathed together, although washing her had been short-lived because they fucked. Not wanting this to be over yet, Jaskier pulls out more wipes to gently clean off her makeup.
After a pause, he finally dares to ask, "How was it? Being pregnant."
It’s a true testament to how much Midge loves Jaskier that she’s allowing him to remove her makeup. He’s seen her without makeup before, but there’s something particularly intimate about having him remove it. It’s like he’s stripping off her mask.
The question is a little surprising coming from him. “It was… a lot of things. Joyous. Strange at times, to have another person growing inside me. Annoying, when that person got big and made me waddle. Overall, it wasn’t horrible. I did it twice, so it couldn’t have been that bad.”
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I don’t think run of the mill people know what to make of you. He throws his hands in the air, cursing in frustration. The difference in their ages and life experiences has suddenly become quite a sharp knife that her hand on his hair surprisingly doesn't protect him from.
"You think I don't know that? It's why I know what to expect! I've lived with it since I was a child - it's given me dark bruises on my body and moldy bread for dinner. It's what sent us both to jail."
Her sister-in-law converted, huh? Jaskier doesn't dare to ask why. And the band-- well, the band has two elves, which is another bomb in its own. Jaskier imagines they wouldn't be hired if that was an issue; they'll be safe at the very least. But he doubts every grey head will approve. At least, the twins won't have to interact with the family like Jaskier will.
Hopefully, the venue staff won't make a fuss. Not wanting to make the argument worse with his worry about the twins, Jaskier distracts his mouth by finishing his glass of water.
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She almost asks what other kind of crap Midge has let them get away with saying, but she thinks she’s pushed things far enough tonight. With his subsequent outburst of emotion, she thinks she made the right choice.
“Jaskier…” she says softly. God, his childhood was horrible, wasn’t it? She keeps stoking his hair. “It’s okay. You’re here now, with me.”
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"Yeah, I am here. In your city. You love your city - it's a good city. Better than my world in many a way, but also similar in many others. Elves and dwarves get the moldy bread, people in Rainbow Road get the bruises, and the story of a young girl on a yellow road is silenced." He sighs. "It's tiring. You're a woman - you should know that."
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“I know. No world is perfect. No world is fair. We just try the best we can to move people forward.”
She pats his hair, then furrows her brow. “‘The Wizard of Oz’ was silenced?” What’s he talking about?
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That answer, however, he can answer. "The book was banned."
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“Oh,” Midge replies. “Lots of books are banned. It doesn’t mean a whole lot here. Some idiot must have been offended by it. They still sell it in the stores. They made a movie out of it.”
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She sighs. “You’re not wrong, except for the fact that I can walk into any bookstore and buy a book that is considered banned. When the government starts pulling books from the shelves and burning them, then we have a problem. The Nazis did that with books by Jewish authors during the war.”
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"They've burned mine as well. Banning rarely stays as just that." He stares at the book on his nightstand. "I'm trying to finish it quickly because they'll play the movie at Rainbow Road for a special event night. I keep meaning to ask you to come but..." A sigh. "I can't promise it won't be awkward."
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Midge looks at him. She really brought the tone of the night down by talking about her family, but they have to be able to talk about serious topics every now and then.
“Because you’re dating a woman?” she asks.
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"Yeah," he replies in a small voice. "I love that place. I don't want to stop going. I should be able to share it with you."
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“Jaskier.” Midge waits until he looks at her in order to continue. “No matter what happens with my family, I love you. You make me happier than I’ve been in years.” Her fingers intertwine with his. “The things that make you different are the things that I love about you. I won’t let anyone make you feel bad for being the person that you are.”
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Her words make him smile - they also remind him of why having an actual relationship can be so nice. This comfort, this connection, isn't available everywhere. "You're a sweetheart," he replies as he raises her hand to kiss it. "I love you, too, dear. And-- well, everything you just said, I also feel. I don't want you to ever feel bad about who you are, either. Is that spark of yours that I want texting me at 3 a.m."
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She never wants to make him regret his choice to be in a relationship with her, and hopes that she can be everything that he needs. “Oh, you’re fine with me waking you up at 3AM all the time? I adore you my sweet, handsome, talented, funny bard.” Midge punctuates each word with a kiss to his mouth. “Anyone who doesn’t like you just has bad taste.”
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"Mmmh, we do know all about good taste. After all--" His hand descends on her thigh as he speaks, and he squeals when he touches the still fresh ink. He had forgotten about that. Jaskier stares down at his black hand and lets out a heartfelt- "Fuck."
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“You probably should clean me up, unless you want your nice sheets to get stained with ink.”
There’s only one shower, which probably goes beyond the limits of the magical soundproofing. Midge would suggest that they wash off in there, but there’s no way that they wouldn’t get up to some trouble.
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He picks Midge up and takes her to the bed, where he sits next to her before searching the nightstand drawer for wet wipes. Now he starts cleaning all the ink from her thigh and tits.
"These things are amazing. I wish I had them on the road at home."
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Midge enjoys being carried — and being wiped down, basking under the attentions of his hand.
“They’re pretty life changing for parents with babies too.”
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Jaskier enjoys pampering his loved ones and grooming them as well. He remembers the morning they bathed together, although washing her had been short-lived because they fucked. Not wanting this to be over yet, Jaskier pulls out more wipes to gently clean off her makeup.
After a pause, he finally dares to ask, "How was it? Being pregnant."
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The question is a little surprising coming from him. “It was… a lot of things. Joyous. Strange at times, to have another person growing inside me. Annoying, when that person got big and made me waddle. Overall, it wasn’t horrible. I did it twice, so it couldn’t have been that bad.”