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Chapter Text

It had been a long year on the path, and Lambert couldn’t wait to get home.

Home wasn’t a word that he had associated with the keep until recently, that was something Eskel had helped him with. If there was one person on the continent who considered the world to be against him, it was Lambert, but he had good reason. He had more than a lifetime’s worth of people fail him through the years, and the only one who had managed to get through to him was Eskel.

It all started innocently.  Cuddles by the fire when they just needed someone to be there for them. When the cuddles weren’t enough, they found each other holding hands just to keep the touch that bit longer. Each winter they would sneak off to hold hands in the armoury under the rouse that they were finding weapons to train, and those fleeting moments had moved into something much more passionate.

There were moments where a hand lingered a little longer on Lambert’s neck, or Eskel had given small guidance on what he wanted Lambert to do. The first time Lambert had been asked to be good for him, pushed him over the edge immediately – not that it took much anyway, but that was a different thing entirely. “You gonna be good for me, darlin’” had slipped from the bedroom to everyday interactions, and Lambert very much enjoyed having his behaviour corrected by someone who clearly had their best interests at heart.

‘Eskel’ soon turned to ‘Sir’ as Lambert silently begged for the direction, and Eskel wore the title with pride. Then, accidentally one evening, ‘Sir’ turned to ‘Daddy’, and the response between the pair could have set the continent alight.

He felt understood for the first time in his rather lengthy life, and he had to admit, letting someone else make choices for him was not only incredibly arousing, but it helped relax his thoughts.

Both men had a history of attachment issues throughout the years, and through no fault of their own hadn’t been able to connect with anyone who could understand the complexities of being a witcher. These men were built to be warriors, and verbalising any need for soft interaction was almost impossible, until they shared it together. Geralt had Jaskier, and now, Lambert had Eskel.

There’s only so many times people can fail you before you don’t let them get the opportunity anymore, and he knew that more than anyone. It was difficult for Lambert to feel comfortable with affection without believing it to be a trick, so he usually got there first to reject it. His walls had been built so high that he was comfortable behind them, and when light shone through the cracks, he had come to believe he was undeserving of it.

However, Eskel had managed to get through.

He was home for Eskel. Daddy.

“I’M HERE!!!!! WHERE’S MY WELCOME PARTY?!”

Lambert threw the door open and bellowed through the hallway, wondering why everyone wasn’t making a fuss over him.

“Good to see you lad!”
Vesemir hugged Lambert as he walked into the common area, smooshing his face into his chest.

“You too.” He mumbled back, shoving him off with a grunt. Lambert’s eyes darted around the room, trying to find Eskel’s bags or boots.

“Eskel’s yet to arrive.” Vesemir could obviously tell who Lambert was most eager to see. “Come, there’s some food on the stove, you must be hungry.” Vesemir smiled, relieved that another one of his pack was home.

“Alright, but only if you’ve made it. I’m not eating anything that Geralt’s put his hands on.”

“Oh yippee!” Geralt shouted from the next room, listening to their conversation while he stirred the pot of soup. “I’m so glad you’ve arrived, and you’ve not been eaten by a Cockatrice.”
Lambert laughed and walked through to greet him with a friendly pat on the back that definitely was harder than necessary.

He stood by the window, watching the gate, wishing to see Eskel walk up the path. Geralt passed him a bowl and smiled.

Lambert and Eskel’s relationship was different to anything they’d had before; Lambert needed someone to give him focus and understanding (even when he was doing his best to push it away) and Eskel needed someone he could adore and show love to where others had deemed him too monstrous to be capable. Lambert had found a man who he could be vulnerable around for once in his life, and Eskel had as it turned out, an endless need to be delicate – behind closed doors.

“He’ll be here soon, don’t worry. Now eat something, you look like you need it.”

Lambert rolled his eyes, but if Eskel had told him to eat, he would have followed the instruction in a heartbeat. It was only Eskel who saw the vulnerable side of Lambert for what it was. And Eskel would have seen Lambert’s little strop coming a mile off.

“Oh, fuck off, Geralt. Like you look any better.”  He took the bowl from him with a scowl where a simple thanks would have been enough. Geralt sighed and looked back at him, he could hear Eskel in his head telling him to apologise.

“Thanks.”

He knew if Eskel were here, he’d be chided for that sort of behaviour – something that he looked forward to now. He found it nice having to be accountable for a change.

The fact of the matter was that each of the Witcher’s had been through their own hell – Geralt included, so he didn’t deserve some of the grumpiness Lambert threw his way. They’d all gone through the trials. The rumour was that witcher’s didn’t have feelings; they were incapable. That was nonsense, and frankly, Lambert would have preferred it to be true.

The trials left a nasty mark on each of them that they couldn’t shake. The prize for surviving was endless training to shut out pain, grief and love. It was unnecessary for fighting monsters and it only got in the way of the job. How could a man save their town if he was crying from an open wound? How could a man focus on the job if he had a lover to go home to? How could a man travel for months if he had to look after his child? And yet, as destiny would have it, each witcher found love, scars, and in Geralt’s case at least, a child. Witcher’s did have feelings, they just did a much better job at making sure they never surfaced.

Many of Lambert’s behaviours had been borne of overstimulation and not knowing how to respond appropriately to the situations he was in, and no one had really questioned his behaviour, feeling that it wasn’t really their place. They were all dealing with something.

Lambert took another spoonful of his soup and let the warmth settle in. Eskel, where are you? Come home.

Chapter Text

After settling in, and still no sign of Eskel, regular routine had begun.

Lambert had managed to get out of doing some repairs, but in return, he had to pick another chore to contribute. So, he was on bedding duty – taking all of the sheets from each room to the place they did their laundry and replacing them with new ones. It was a dull task, but it was better than replacing the heavy broken slabs in the training ground where tree roots had pushed the stone apart. It also meant the keep was empty, as Vesemir and Geralt were together, outside.

He did his own room first, bundling everything up into one blanket and taking it downstairs. Vesemir’s was next. He carefully took the sheets off the bed, then, before he left, he had a quick peak into his bedside drawer. There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, a book that he’d been reading, some trinkets, and a little dish of sugared sweets that he’d clearly been hiding from everyone. I’ll be having some of them, he thought, before nabbing a few, remembering the hiding spot for later.

When it was time for Geralt’s room, he rooted around his chest of drawers first before stripping the bed. If he was being made to do housework, they should have expected he’d have a little look. It’s their fault really.

There were lots of little jars with smelly things that definitely weren’t bought by Geralt but by Jaskier. Creams, perfumes, and things he couldn’t identify, but sniffed anyway. As he rubbed a rose scented cream on his hands, he peered over onto Geralt’s desk where he’d been writing a letter that was yet to be finished.

“I miss you. I can’t wait until winter is over so that I can hear your voice again.”

Lambert rolled his eyes, dotting some of the cream onto his nose, ‘yuck, wouldn’t be me’, he thought to himself, but if given the chance he’d be doing the same thing. He put the little jar of cream back and then took off Geralt’s sheets and made his way to Eskel’s door. There was no need to clean anything in there, Eskel would have done it before they left for the winter. But, just in case, he went in anyway.

The room was incredibly tidy, unlike Lambert’s who would leave it a mess and “deal with it when he came back next year” but he never did. There had been one occasion where as part of some “sexy” chores that Eskel had him do, he was to tidy his room with little covering his backside. But even with the reward of having daddy bend him over the newly made bed and tell him how good a job he had done, it still seemed like too big a task to do again, so they mostly slept in Eskel’s room.

Even though it had been empty for months, it still smelled like him. He closed the door and stared over at the bed. He was alone, he thought, he just wanted to sit down for a moment and that wasn’t so bad, right?

He lay down on the bed then leaned back until his face was on the pillow. It smelled like him. “Fuck, where is he? Why isn’t he here yet?” He closed is eyes and drew in a deep breath then began to yearn. Over the years, they had become inseparable, and while Lambert stayed away from putting a name on what this was, neither of them had taken comfort with anyone else outside of the last few winters. Yearning was the simplest term for the feeling he had right now.

He rubbed his face against the pillow, trying to imagine that he had his head on the larger man’s chest and he twitched in his trousers. Lambert’s eyes looked at the door, and he listened closely for a moment. He was alone.

The fact was, Lambert’s stamina didn’t extend to his sex life, and he’d been known to have trouble with lasting. The “perks” the other witcher’s had in the bedroom did not extend to him. It didn’t matter if he was with someone, or alone. It didn’t matter if he’d already came and got the first part of his excitement out of the way and could now enjoy the moment. He just simply didn’t last long, and there was only so many times that “This is what you do to me, baby” would work before it was clear it wasn’t a one off. Yes, it saved him coin on the path if he was paying for the time spent together, but in almost every other scenario, he found it humiliating. That being said, he was alone now. And he was fairly certain he had plenty of time.

He closed his eyes and relaxed into the sheets. His mind wandered, and he played out a little scene in his head where he told Eskel all about his winter. All of the difficult moments and times he got hurt. He imagined the man cooing over him, cuddling him and listening to every little detail while telling him how brave he’d been. That was the fun about imagining it all – there was no way he’d be this open with anyone, but he could in his head, and boy was he confident in his head.

He imagined Eskel holding his face, whispering sweet nothings in his ear that made him giddy.

“I thought about you every day on the path, darlin’, I couldn’t wait to see you.”
Lambert loved it when he got called “darlin’” with that special lilt Eskel had in his voice. If anyone else tried to give him a pet name he’d be furious, but he liked being Eskel’s darlin’.

He imagined them cuddled up close as Eskel continued to whisper. He lazily trailed his fingers down his stomach, then let them sit at the hem of his trousers. His cock had started to fill without being touched, and Lambert knew that if he didn’t deal with this matter himself, it would happen anyway.

He imagined Eskel’s tone changing, as the image of his partner began to press kisses over his temple.

“I’ve been so long without you, you wouldn’t believe the thoughts I’ve been having about you. Have you been a good boy for Daddy?”

‘Fuck,’ Lambert sighed under his breath as his hand started to slip lower. He opened one eye and checked the door again before closing it, unlacing his breeches. His mind wandered, he imagined his hand wasn’t his own, imagined that he was being rewarded for being so good over the last few months and the image made him blush, biting his bottom lip to hold back a smile.

He thought of his reply, so loud and clear, unlike how bashful he would definitely be in real life; “I’ve been so good, daddy, I promise.” His heart rate quickened like the breaths he was taking, and soon enough, he took himself in his hand. His own hand was much smaller than Eskel’s, but he did a good job of imagining the rest.

“I know you have, you’re always good, aren’t you? So perfect, so well behaved. You just lie back and let me do everything for you, pup. You can do that for me, can’t you?”

Lambert found himself repeating little agreeing noises out loud, imagining strong hands pumping his hard cock and laying on thick praise for being good. He pushed his trousers down round his ankles to let his knees fall open. His spare hand made its way between his legs to cradle his balls, and he quickened his pace.

Listening to praise in real life was sometimes difficult for him, he had found himself disagreeing or unable to reply when he was praised even though he craved it so. But in his head, even if he didn’t know how to reply, Eskel continued giving it to him anyway.

The combination of the scent of Eskel’s sheets and being truly alone meant that this impending premature orgasm would have to be worked into the narrative. It was something Lambert felt he had to address with Eskel early on since he knew he wouldn’t be able to hide it. Thankfully, he apparently found it endearing and apparently was a turn on for him. Lambert found that hard to believe, and had thought that maybe he would have said that regardless, since what else could he have said? It wasn’t like it was something he could improve on – gods knew he’d tried. That being said, in his imagined scenario today, it would definitely be a positive.

“Please, daddy, I’m desperate” Lambert imagined batting his lashes, acting coy, “I can’t last much longer.”
His ears were ringing, and he wasn’t sure whether he was babbling out loud, but he was glad that everyone was outside of the keep. He bucked his hips up to his own touch with frantic need and imagined Eskel kissing his forehead, responding with soothing noises as his pace quickened with his hand.

“I know, darlin’, you’ve done really well lasting as long as you have. It’s not your fault, is it? Are you gonna be good and cum for daddy?”

Lambert imagined staring into the larger man’s eyes and nodding, gently helping him through it all. ‘Fuck – daddy’, he moaned out loud, as his balls tightened and his jaw dropped. His heart was pounding as he pumped his cock at a rate his body was controlling on its own. Then, after three long, drawn-out strokes his spend coated his hand and shirt, and the ecstasy of it all meant that Lambert didn’t care where it landed.

He lay there, letting the feeling of his tingling skin wash over him, imagining Eskel pulling him in for a tight cuddle to tell him he’d done a good job. Once he had come to his senses, he opened his eyes and looked down at the mess he’d made, including on Eskel’s sheets. He pulled his shirt over his head and bundled it up with the sheets, then made his way to where they kept the laundry – which Lambert would now be forced to do since he’d be hiding it. He rooted around for one of Eskel’s shirts that were in his drawers, it was a bit bigger than the size he’d normally wear, but there was something pretty comforting about that in itself.

When he got downstairs, Geralt was coming in to get something to drink before returning to his work.

“You’re giving yourself more work.”

Lambert looked up at him from the pile of sheets that he was organising to clean, raising an eyebrow. Geralt gulped down a mug of water, then wiped his face on the back of his arm.

“What?”
“Just saying, you’re giving yourself more work. Don’t need to do Eskel’s if he’s not slept in ‘em.”

Lambert grumbled under his breath, of course he’d notice.

“They were dusty. Gods forbid someone wants to keep a clean house, Geralt.”

Geralt almost spat the rest of his water back out at the idea that Lambert wanted to do extra cleaning up, and Lambert considered that maybe he wasn’t a very good liar.

“Have you not got work to be getting on with, Pretty Boy?”

Geralt stared at him for a moment, put the mug down and nodded before leaving, and Lambert breathed a sigh of relief. Geralt was right though; he had given himself more work – all because of that scent in Eskel’s room. The same scent that was on the shirt he was wearing.

He pulled the collar up above his nose, and took a deep breath in. When did he start longing to be held, he thought. ‘This is exactly what Vesemir wanted us to avoid.’ It didn’t stop him though, and he smiled, imagining that Eskel was standing with him while he did the chores. ‘Sap. If anyone found out I was doing this, my reputation would be over.’

Chapter Text

A week had passed, and still no sign.

Lambert had been particularly cantankerous the last few nights. Settling down for winter was usually difficult for him, but Eskel had been late, and he was never late. There was something at the back of his mind that worried he had been harmed on the path, and trying not to think about it was only making him more agitated.

It was safer to be at Kaer Morhen for the winter, but as the work slowed down and there was nothing left to distract him, there was always more time to think. He’d rather be working.

To try and keep himself busy, he had gone off to the laboratory to begin grinding gems to dust. It was time consuming, but the items cost less if they could make the dust themselves, and they had an abundance of time over winter. He had managed to make 2 bottles of amethyst dust before losing concentration and cutting his knuckles.

“Fuck!”
He yelped, before throwing the nearest tool to hand at the wall. He brought his hand to his mouth and licked the blood from the cut. If Eskel was here, he’d have kissed it better, he thought, then rolled his eyes at how soppy that sounded.

Of course, it wasn’t long before someone had come to check on him – and regret it.

“Don’t even open your fuckin’ mouth, Geralt. I swear. I’m not in the mood, today. Just go away.”
Lambert tried his best to keep his tone civilised, feeling ready to throw hands. Geralt stepped forward silently and picked up the file that had been thrown and placed it back on the table. Why did he have to be so calm all the time?

“He’ll be here soon you know. He’s made of strong stuff.”
Lambert scoffed at the way Geralt tilted his head, like he knew what he was thinking. He did, but he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was right.

“Who? Eskel? Like I care. Just let me get on with my work, pretty boy. You’ve spent too much time with your bard, you’ve caught feelings, and I don’t want them to spread.”

Geralt laughed and picked the glass bottle back up that Lambert was using and gave it to him. It was almost full, and Lambert figured he’d just cork what was there and be done with it.

“You know, it does help to talk sometimes, Lambert.” As Geralt went to leave, he gave Lambert a pat on the shoulder. A similar one that Lambert had given Geralt when he arrived. As Lambert recoiled from the unwanted affection, the bottle slipped from his grasp, landing on the table and puffing the purple dust back at him. He heard Geralt hold in laughter and the daggers that he shot back with his eyes were enough to make the white wolf leave immediately.

He made fists with each hand and made his way over to a mirror. He looked at himself with white hot rage as his purple reflection sparkled back. If he weren’t so furious he would have laughed at how silly he looked. He grabbed a rag and got as much off as he could, but every little light that hit him in the room was now catching on his skin and twinkling back.

He made his way to the kitchen to get bucket of water to have a quick wash when the doors to the keep opened.

Eskel flung his bags into the hallway and stomped his boots just outside the door, removing any snow that was on them. Lambert darted his head towards the direction of the sound, then ran through the halls to find him. He was here.

“Esk?”
Was all he managed with wide eyes, his stomach filling with butterflies. In another life, he’d have wrapped his arms around him and sank into a kiss that he dreamt of every single night since they last parted. But that didn’t come naturally to him.

“Lamb! You wouldn’t believe how cold it is out there. I’m glad I’m finally here, I got caught up on a job in town and didn’t realise how much it was gonna push me back. Help me with my bags, would ya?”

Lambert walked forward and lifted one of the heavier ones, the heavier the bag – the more Eskel will be impressed. Of course – he was a witcher, and there wouldn’t have been a struggle anyway, but Eskel liked to praise Lambert for these little things, and Lambert craved it. When he stood back up, Eskel cupped his face and smirked.

“Why do you look like you’re covered in Siren cum? Did I get here too late and you’ve moved on?”
Unlike Geralt, Eskel was not afraid to full belly laugh in front of Lambert, as he rubbed at his face with his thumb.

“Get off, it’s amethyst dust. And you can carry your own damn bags if you’re going to be-”
Eskel muffled the end of the sentence as he pulled him in for a cuddle, kicking the keep doors shut behind him with his foot.

“I missed you, pup.”
The air was squeezed out of his lungs and Lambert felt Eskel nosing at his neck, clearly trying to take his own comfort from the long journey. He considered for a few seconds, and cuddled him back, finally enjoying the moment.

“I missed you too…” There was something missing from the end of his sentence, but he wasn’t ready yet. Instead, he whispered, so quietly that he was almost inaudible; “So much.”

“Let’s get these bags upstairs, then I think both of us could do with a bath, what do you think? My little mermaid.”
Eskel grinned, smudging the purple glitter that coated him across his forehead. Lambert only grumbled back, but he knew he’d be getting scruffed into being washed regardless. His skin tingled from the touch, and it was dizzying. He looked about quickly to make sure no one was watching them before nuzzling into his hand.

“Okay, you go on ahead and I’ll say hello to Geralt and Vesemir. I’ll be right up pup, I promise. Go on.”

Lambert nodded. It was only a small instruction, but it made his head fuzzy nonetheless, feeling safe in the fact that Eskel was safe. Home.

Chapter Text

Lambert yelped as a bucket of almost freezing cold water was dumped over his head.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! You know you LITERALLY have the ability to heat that up with your fucking fingertips?”

“Wow, I missed this. Whisper sweet nothings just like that in my ear.” The older witcher smirked, getting into the large tub behind him and pulling him close. It was like he’d never left. Lambert let his eyes close as he let Eskel wash over his body with a soft cloth. Lambert shivered as he cast igni on the water he sat in to heat it back up to a reasonable temperature.

“Relax, Darlin’.” He purred, and Lambert tried his best before two large hands pressed down on his shoulders to move them from up next to his ears.

“Don’t tell me to breathe.”
Lambert pre-empted him, knowing he was going to be forced to relax whether he liked it or not.

Eskel laughed, “Okay, don’t then. See how far that gets you.”
He held his breath out of principal before breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth, steadily, without being asked. It was funny how easily he followed orders when he wasn’t on the path.

The water slowly began to have a purple sheen the cleaner Lambert got. When Eskel ran the cloth over his fingers, Lambert sucked air through his teeth at the little sting from the cut he got earlier. Eskel lifted his hand up to look at it out of the water.

“What happened, darlin’?”
The cut was tiny, and no where near anything that a witcher would worry about, but as soon as Eskel was home for winter and had Lambert in his arms, his attention to detail and care was tenfold. Not only that, but Lambert reacted in ways he normally wouldn’t, looking for reassurance with little things that he was perfectly capable of handling himself.

“Nothin’,” Lambert almost slurred back, not ready to drop into this role yet, but the feeling was calling him. “Just a little accident with the lab stuff earlier. It’s not so bad.”

Eskel took the cloth to his finger, and gently cleaned it, then peppered slow gentle kisses onto his hand.

“You need to be careful, pup.” “I know.”

Lambert’s voice was light, and his replies no longer held the sting of attitude that had been there before the bath.

Eskel cupped his hands into the water and gently washed it over Lambert’s hair, massaging out the product he’d been using to swoop it back. His hair always looked short, but there was enough on top to look fluffy when it wasn’t held in place with the bear fat he would steal from the lab ingredients cupboard.  Lambert, along with many other men on the continent were convinced that it stimulated hair growth, however Eskel, who was very much not convinced, just thought it smelled bad and was filled with glee when he got to wash it out.

Eskel stood up to get out of the tub and retrieved two towels. He quickly dried himself off with one, then offered his hand to help Lambert out. Lambert stood with half lidded eyes and enjoyed the feeling of being dried off and having his hair fluffed up. The feeling of warmth and sure hands taking over was not only making him a sleepy, but receiving this intimate touch was filling out his cock.

“You warm enough, Lamb?”
The older witcher was getting himself into his own headspace, one where he was allowed to check over his partner, adoring him, and Lambert was happy to follow.

“Mmhmm…” he sang back.

“That feel nice, darlin’?” “Mmm…”
Eskel had clearly noticed what his presence was doing to his body. Lambert sighed, letting his eyes close as he was dried off. He listened as the larger man knelt beside him. A large hand made its way to his lower back to steady him. Eskel draped the towel over the other open hand and placed it directly underneath Lambert’s growing cock.

“Mmph, Esk-“ The flat, soft but textured surface instinctively made him buck his hips forward. It was so easy to get him going.

“Shhh, Lamb” Eskel hushed him, stroking circles on his back, “I can see you need this. You know what you get like if you’re frustrated.”
Lambert nodded and began humping against the fabric. Daddy knows best, he silently thought, enjoying the feeling that Eskel had set up for him. If he was being told he needed it, he must need it.

It was true though, Lambert got into his own head sometimes, and there had been one particularly prickly night for him where he needed something but wasn’t sure what – of course after Eskel had worked his hands on him, the relief washed away all the tenseness in his body, and the tangled-up thoughts with it.

The idea that Eskel knew when he needed to cum for his own good, and he could oversee that instead of Lambert. In many cases, taking the thoughts from him was exactly what he needed. He always had a safe word, and it was regularly checked, but for the most part, Eskel could scent changes in emotion in him way before there would be any need to use it, and he was always highly tuned to these little changes.

All of the witcher’s had their own strengths, and along with his knack for signs, Eskel’s scenting ability was the best in the keep. It didn’t matter who it was, if someone’s mood was changing, Eskel knew, sometimes before them. His empathy on the path, however, came at a cost, and being able to use these skills to bring comfort to people could really only be used behind closed doors with the other wolves.

Lambert put his hands onto Eskel’s shoulders, steadying himself as his legs became weak. He probably could have held himself up, but leaning on Eskel meant something more. He trusted him.

“D… Esk,” Lambert started, torn between headspaces, his thoughts being quickly washed away with the comfort of it all. He looked down and watched as he twitched against the cloth, trying to find that sweet spot beneath his cockhead. “Esk, please…”

It was desperate, and the noises that escaped Lambert’s mouth were uncontrolled. Instead of the guttural, performative moans that he would have used while fucking while on the path, these were high pitched whines. The noises only saved for him. Eskel tilted his hand and the way that Lambert threw his head back told him he’d found the right position.

Mere seconds had gone by with only the friction of the fabric giving him pleasure, and he was already painfully desperate. He could feel his cheeks redden the closer he got, knowing that his little problem was about to rear its head again. He didn’t want this to be over so soon, but he was so close that he couldn’t stop his hips from rolling, seeking the feeling that his body clearly needed. Eskel had helped him in the past before, a simple flick of his fingers into axii and it could postpone him for a while. But his body became sensitive, and his fingers dug into the shoulders beneath him.

“N… no, no, no, Esk, I can’t st-… Help?”
His voice cracked, and if it didn’t feel so good it would have been humiliating as he humped against Eskel’s hand. Both of them knew his cries of “no” were at finishing too soon, and under no circumstances did they mean stop – again, something they had previously discussed.

“Listen to your body, Lamb. Your poor legs are shaking. Who are you holding back for, huh? You know there’s nothin’ I love more than to know you’re happy. You take what you need, go on.”

That was all he needed before he wordlessly pulsed into the towel he had been grinding against, gripping Eskel’s shoulders in fear that if he let go he’d fall over. Before opening his eyes, he felt the soft, warm feeling of Eskel’s tongue, gently cleaning up every drop that was spilled, slowly, knowing that at any moment the feeling may be too much. Lambert whimpered, enjoying the comforting heat that came with it. He began to babble, and Eskel finished drying him off before helping him get dressed.

“Esk, I really, really fuckin missed you.”
“I know you did, darlin’. I didn’t stop thinkin’ about you all year.”

Once they were ready, Eskel took Lambert’s hand, and they made their way for something to eat with Geralt and Vesemir. Lambert couldn’t stand public displays of affection, but he didn’t want to be apart from him now that he had him back.

After dinner, there was talking, and catching up, and more talking and Lambert was already sick of the pleasantries. He’d already done all this. It was his turn with Eskel. He’d wanted to lie together, enjoying each other all night, just the two of them, but he knew it wasn’t polite. Why did everything need to be polite? He felt a little embarrassed at the jealousy that built up as Eskel told his stories from the path over ale and cards, while all he wanted to do was keep the larger man all to himself. But he could be patient. He would be patient. Daddy would want him to be patient, and daddy would be so proud if he managed to wait.

He couldn’t wait to say it out loud again.

“You want dealt in?”
Geralt looked over at Lambert, who had zoned out a while back.

“No.”
He realised he sounded like a sulking child but at this point he felt like he’d been patient enough.

“Oh, come on, don’t be a prick all your life.”
Geralt grinned, looking for a rise out of him, and received a sighed ‘Geralt’, from Eskel who knew he was just poking the bear. There was no malice in it, they spoke to each other like that every day, but Lambert was grumpy and that was usually everyone else problem.

Lambert only had to draw in a breath before Eskel looked at him with his eyebrow raised. He clamped his mouth shut and crossed his arms. Just another hour and I’ll have him to myself, he thought.

Chapter Text

Lambert eventually grew tired of waiting and had grumpily taken himself to bed in a huff. There was part of him that knew if he’d just waited for Eskel, then took his hand and said; can we go to bed now? The man would have happily said yes. However, Lambert’s mind didn’t work that way, and he had decided that if he wasn’t going to get Eskel right then and there, he’d go to bed alone and that will show him. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was trying to show Eskel, but he was going to anyway. Brat.

His bedroom was silent, and silence was far louder than anything else. It left a nasty feeling in his stomach. There was a time when he was younger where he’d enjoy sitting in that feeling. He welcomed the late-night guilt with ale and self-deprecation, fantasising about what-if’s that could never be changed.  The funny thing was, late night sadness and guilt, in many ways, felt safe to him. He expected to feel like that, and when he didn’t; when he felt happy and loved and cared for? He expected it to be cruelly taken away from him. Just like every other time he had found something he liked. So, he didn’t trust it. But sadness he could trust.

He ruminated on top of his blankets, working himself up into another mood. He had been alone in the room for at least half an hour, and to be honest, he thought he’d stomped off with enough noise that Eskel would have known he wanted him to follow behind.

The fact was, Eskel did know. Years of building trust and understanding all of Lambert’s little tells. How he fidgeted when he was ready to boil over. How he scratched when he was clearly finished with training for the day. How he picked at his nails, looking around the room for an exit when conversation was clearly too much but he would never dream of letting anyone know he was uncomfortable. Eskel knew.

When Lambert was cold, or hungry, or needed to bathe, but wasn’t ready to give himself any self-care or attention; Eskel knew.

When Lambert’s head was full of thoughts, unable to be stilled. When his body was shaking with all of his emotions fighting at one time. When all he needed were strong, stable hands and even stronger direction; Eskel knew.

When he ached for touch, and love and for someone to take over his mind and do all of his thinking for him; Daddy knew.

There were things Daddy knew that no one else did, and Lambert had found himself opening up about things that even he had forgotten were there. There was something about the new title that separated his feelings in this headspace to “real life.” His Eskel, and he was Eskel’s pup. Still, knowing he could go to Eskel and trust him with his life was different to actually initiating it. He often felt embarrassed at running to him when he needed comfort, and put the thought of looking for it out of his mind.
“You’re the man of the house when your father’s off out. Time to start actin’ like one”, he’d hear his mother say in his head, something he hadn’t heard since he was a child.  He didn’t know how to ask for comfort then, if there was any to be had, and he still didn’t now.

Eskel had watched with a smile as Lambert declared everyone’s company “more than enough” for the evening and stomped off to bed. He had waited only 10 more minutes before he excused himself to his own room in preparation for a certain grumbly visitor he was sure to have in his room tonight.

They had waited all winter, and Lambert was out of his routine of asking for help. Nights that needed a bit more thought and care when the younger witcher’s guard was up and Eskel was prepared, like he was every year they came back.

Enough was enough, Lambert thought, “I’ve been waiting for attention all year, I’ve been patient enough.” He grumbled out loud, feeling himself slipping into the headspace he was desperate to be in. He padded down the hall wearing a night shirt and smalls and nervously chapped on Eskel’s door. It opened, and there he stood, taking up the whole frame, wearing nothing but his underwear.

“Oh? So you’ve decided to join me, have you?”

Chapter Text

Eskel’s scent alone overpowered him, making his knees weak. He gestured for Lambert to come inside and the older witcher shut the door behind him. Eskel walked past Lambert who stood at the bottom of the bed. He was grumpy, but he wasn’t disobedient. He hadn’t said a thing, and yet Lambert could feel his presence gripping him. Eskel’s nostrils flared as he scented his neck. He stood in front of him and his eyes narrowed, then he silently got into bed. Lambert knew that the man was trying to figure out what he needed before he asked, a talent that that was very much welcomed – and he was very good at.

“It’s quiet in here.”
Lambert suddenly felt exposed as Eskel met his eyes, not really knowing what to say other than, I need you to kiss me, but I’m not fuckin askin’.

“Well, it’s nighttime, isn’t it, pup? It’s bound to be quiet.”
He held his smile back when Lambert glared at him, he knew no one else in the keep would have gotten away with the tone he was using with the younger man.

“Are you joining me?” He asked, as if Lambert would have said no, he just nodded hypnotically.

Eskel pulled the covers back and they both relaxed into each other. The second time that Lambert had been in this bed since he’d been back. He stared at the ceiling whilst Eskel lay on his side, feeling eyes on him, patiently waiting for him to settle.

Eskel pulled him into his body, and Lambert buried his face into his bare chest. He felt skilled hands rub his back as he tucked himself under Eskel’s chin, looking for something. Lambert wasn’t a small man, but compared to Eskel he was, and he liked it that way.

“You’ve waited so patiently for me, haven’t you pup?”

He noticed. His voice was hypnotic. The deep tones vibrated through Lambert’s body like a spell, and he was familiar with this line of questioning – it led to praise. Praise he desperately craved.

“Yes, and you have no idea how hard it is for me to be patient.” He laid it on thick, hoping that Eskel would catch on. Of course, he would.

“I know, and you barely complained at all tonight. You’ve been on your best behaviour since I came back.” That wasn’t true, he’d complained plenty, but Lambert’s head felt floaty anyway as he nodded into Eskel’s chest enjoying being told how good he was.

“Geralt tells me that you were tidying up in here for me coming back. What a good boy you are.”
Lambert stilled – what did Geralt tell him? He’d need to be careful so that he didn’t give the game away when he didn’t need to.

“…Hm? Oh yeah, that’s right I was uh, cleaning everyone’s sheets, so I did yours too. You know I like to be… thorough. It’s really fuckin’ hot in here, right?” Okay, reel it in, try to be convincing – he thought, pulling his shirt over his head and throwing it across the room.

Eskel hummed and Lambert couldn’t stop himself from rising to the bait.

“What?” Lambert replied, sitting up on his elbow. He glared back at him, but all he could think was; Don’t push it, why did you ask, you’re literally trying to get caught.

“No, nothing. You just… obviously, like to be thorough. Like you said.”

They stared at each other for a moment, squinting, seeing who would break first. He lay back down and cuddled back into his partner. Eskel took the opportunity to draw little swirls on Lambert’s chest with the tips of his fingers, and the younger man twitched in his smalls. Eskel made sure to whisp over Lambert’s nipples, making him bite his lip. He looked down at his chest rising and falling, he was certain that if Eskel spent enough time there, he could be brought over the edge by just being pinched – but that would maybe be another night.

“I think you need to be looked after tonight, darlin’, all that… hard work, what do you think?” Eskel took one of his nipples between his thumb and index finger, drawing out a noise that Lambert wasn’t sure he’d made before. Yes, yes, he definitely could cum just from this.

Daddy knows best he thought, but he wasn’t going to say that out loud, though thinking it made him yearn.

Eskel was a well-built man. A man who carried not only incredible amounts of muscle but held extra weight in all the most delightful places. Lambert reached over to squeeze at Eskel’s side, roaming the larger man’s body. He pressed his forehead against Eskel’s and stole a gentle kiss.

“You tryin’ to tease me, darlin’” Eskel pressed the words against Lambert’s lips.

“Is it working?” Lambert grinned until one of Eskel’s thighs made its way between his own and it made his body feel like melted butter. He couldn’t stop himself rutting down as he moaned into the man’s mouth. He found a resting place for his hands, grabbing a handful of the beautiful body in front of him.

 “Fuck.” The word had slipped out before he had thought about it. Eskel clicked his tongue and lifted his thigh to meet Lambert’s cock just a little harder.

“You know better than to be usin’ those words, pup. I know you do.”

Those words alone were going to push him over the edge. He needed Eskel, and that need was undefinable. He needed love, he needed to be held, he needed touched, he needed kissed, he needed it all and needed now.

“Sorry.” Tell me how to be good, daddy, he thought, but was too nervous to say. This was all so much easier when he imagined it, but getting the words out felt terrifying. Lambert pressed against Eskel’s body, pushing him onto his back. This would be a better position to feel that glorious pressure between his legs. As Lambert dropped his head to Eskel’s shoulder, the larger witcher took the opportunity to gently bite his earlobe.

“You think you deserve feelin’ so good with a filthy mouth like that, Lamb?”

Lambert’s cock pulsed, creating an almost humiliating wet patch in his smalls. The feeling nearly brought him over the edge then and there - this wasn’t going to take long at this rate. Lambert dropped his jaw, and an almost silent moan left his lips as he had to stop moving his body in fear that it would be over far too soon. He sat up and straddled over his lover’s thigh.

“Hey now, let me help, pretty thing.”
Eskel grabbed his waist, helping him with his movements. Lambert looked into his eyes, and ran his fingers over the chest beneath him, drinking the sight in. He was painfully hard now and filled with need. Eskel had taken such good care of him so far, he wanted to give something back.

“Esk… I… I want to make you feel the way you make me feel.” Lambert whispered, still gently rocking.

“Oh? Lamb, you already make me feel good. You don’t need to busy your head up with thoughts like that.” Eskel took Lambert’s forearms and gently pulled him back down so that he was resting on top. Lambert kissed up Eskel’s jaw, still rutting down on his thigh. He managed to find Eskel’s mouth, pressing eagerly against his lips and he let out a noise that only a trained witcher could hear, and even then, he would have tried his hardest to keep it inside.

“Please…” Daddy threatened to leave his lips, “I want to try, Esk. You do everything for me and I want to make you feel good. I want to… Let me fuck you.”

“Watch your language.” The words were clear, and the tone was exactly what Lambert was looking for – he could feel it in his bones. It was soft enough that Lambert knew he wasn’t really getting a row, but the subtext – Daddy was in charge here. “Pup’s that talk like that get nothin’, you understand?”

Lambert’s underwear suddenly felt much tighter, if Eskel was going to let him fuck him, it would need to be soon. “I just want you, Esk. Just you. All to myself.”

“You’ve got me, darlin’. I promise.” The relief from his words ran through his body like a river, filling him with both ease and adrenaline. “You’ve got every bit of me, as long as you want me.” Large hands found their way to his back and neck, holding the smaller man in place as they desperately took what they’d been waiting all day for. Lambert kissed down the larger man’s body, intentionally trying to leave little marks as he went. His Eskel. His.

Eskel placed his hand onto Lambert’s head, threading his fingers through the hair that would normally be slicked back, pulling ever so slightly. Enough to make him moan. Lambert didn’t like anything rough; he just liked the weighted show of strength that told him he didn’t need to be the protector here. The idea that there was nothing that Eskel couldn’t handle – and Lambert wanted to be handled. He kissed all the way down his stomach until he got to Eskel’s hips, waiting at his underwear. Lambert could see how much Eskel needed him. They were all well-endowed, but Eskel was particularly gifted.

“Can I?” Lambert asked, waiting for permission. Eskel smiled and nodded, letting Lambert eagerly strip him bare, then took care of his own. His head was dizzy now, that familiar floaty feeling that he was so excited for. He stayed still between Eskel’s legs, staring down, getting lost in his own thoughts. His jaw was loose, and his body started to sway.

“What do you need, Lamb, huh? I can see you thinkin’.” Lambert looked up, slightly embarrassed that he’d zoned out for a moment.

“Sorry, d…” He stopped. Daddy could never be used until Eskel said it, if he didn’t, there was something inside Lambert that made him feel as if he might take it back. Like Eskel would laugh at him for even thinking about it. There was nothing that Eskel had ever done to give him that impression, but the fear was still there. “I want to taste you. But, I was being patient.”

Eskel covered his mouth with his hand, hiding a smile. “Lamb, darlin’, my well-behaved thing. You’ve been so patient for me already, my good pup. If you wanna taste me, you can.”

Lambert smiled like it was his birthday, and leaned over, pressing his nose against Eskel’s inner thigh, mouthing thank you’s as he went. He placed delicate kisses trying his best to draw this out, but all he wanted was his mouth filled. All he wanted was to be good for daddy. He eagerly wrapped his hand around Eskel’s cock, thumbing over the head, and licked a stripe against his balls. Soon, his mouth was full, and as he moaned, the vibrations sent shivers up Eskel’s body, accidentally making him buck up into Lambert’s mouth.

“Fuck… sorry darlin’, your mouth feels so good.”

Lambert lifted his head and looked through his lashes at his lover; “Language…”, he uttered, grinning smugly before taking him back into his mouth, swallowing every drop of precum he could.

“Awh, I’m a bad influence, aren’t I? I should know better, huh?” Eskel scrunched more of his hair making Lambert moan again. He gripped Eskel’s thighs as he worked his cock in his mouth while his own began to drip down his leg. Lambert swallowed around Eskel’s head and as he felt his lover moan beneath him, he quickly held the base of his own cock so that he could calm himself down.

“Eskel,” He panted, lifting his head. “If we want to… you know, I um… It should be soon is all. I just want this to be so good for you.” His honesty earned him a little scritch to his scalp.

“You need help darlin’?” The larger wolf lifted his fingers to offer axii to help.

“No, I’m okay. I can manage.” Lambert wasn’t sure why he said that because it certainly wasn’t the case, maybe, he thought, maybe he could wing it?

Eskel reached over to the bedside table to get their oil and passed it to Lambert. He uncorked the bottle and generously poured the liquid over two of his fingers, slowly. One, because it would tease his partner, but two, and the most important reason, it bought him a bit of time to calm down. He spread Eskel’s legs, then, keeping eye contact with him, Lambert gently circled his opening with his fingers.

“Mmph, you keep goin’ like that I’ll need to use axii on myself.” Eskel tilted his hips up, looking for more and Lambert gave him it, sliding two of his fingers inside with ease. He looked down as his fingers slowly disappeared inside his lover, in and out, pulling the lowest groans from his chest. He was certain he could feel those moans through his own body. His jaw went slack, watching as he took the larger wolf apart, curving his fingers at just the right angle. Every single movement he made was sending shivers through his body. What his cock needed and what his head needed felt like two totally different things and he needed was daddy. He considered for a moment, just staring, willing the words to just appear without having to say them.

“What did I do to deserve you, pup, huh?”

Lambert didn’t reply. He watched as Eskel bucked his hips up to meet his movements, hypnotised by the pace while his own cock leaked onto the bed untouched. The world went fuzzy around him and he no longer noticed anything other than those fingers working the larger man open. Before long, Eskel’s words pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Fuck, you enjoy that pretty thing? Makin’ a mess of Daddy?” Lambert’s eyes darted up to met Eskel’s, like a startled deer, then he realised he’d been drooling. He said it.

“Is that what you need, pup? Is that the big scary word that you can’t say?”

Lambert nodded furiously and his fingers stilled. Eskel must have noticed how startled he was and began reassuring him.

“Yes, daddy.”
Fuck, the relief from saying it made him feel like he could faint. It was funny how one word could change his whole demeanour, leaving his body limp.

“Poor thing, you know you don’t have to be scared, pup. What’s got you so worked up, huh? You wanna come up here with daddy?” Lambert thought for a moment, still saying nothing lest he say the wrong thing. “You can still fuck me, you’ll just get a cuddle too.” Eskel grinned, letting Lambert know that he could still follow through on his plan.

Lambert removed his fingers quickly, just excited that he finally could relax when he heard Eskel suck air through his teeth.

“Oof Baby, careful.” “Shit, sorry.”
Lambert gained a raised eyebrow for his language as he clambered up his partners chest. “Sorry, daddy.”

Eskel pulled him in close as he lay between his lover’s legs. Lambert steadied his hands on either side of Eskel’s head, and leaned in, keeping their lips inches apart.

“I want…” He paused, and Eskel didn’t interrupt. The arms around him grew tighter, holding him in the safety that told him he could speak freely. “I just want to make you feel good, daddy.”

He pressed his cock to Eskel’s opening, waiting for permission.

“You always make me feel good, Lamb.”
And with that, Eskel wrapped his leg’s around Lambert’s waist and pulled him inside, groaning immediately, knowing it was probably echoing round the keep. The younger witcher’s legs began to shake at the sudden intense feeling. He stayed seated inside his partner for a moment, kissing over Eskel’s shoulder, not moving, until he remembered he had to do the work. He slowly rolled his hips and buried his face into Eskel’s neck, placing kisses that he hoped would leave marks in the morning. Every little nip made Eskel moan beneath him.

“That feel good Lam-“ “YES.”
He picked up the pace, pushing his hands underneath Eskel’s shoulders so that he could easily pull himself inside.

“Does that feel good, daddy? Am I doin’ it the way you like it?”
He echoed, then lifted his head, looking for reassurance in his eyes as he pumped his cock in and out of him with growing pace.

“You’re doin’ so well, darlin’. You’re my good pup. So, so good, pleasin’ daddy like this. Where’d you learn these skills huh?”

Lambert blushed, feeling every word go straight between his legs. He was close. Too close. Barely a minute had gone by and all he wanted to do was make Eskel feel the way he felt. He was desperate, and he could feel his hips moving without any restraint or means to hold back. He knew that if he pulled out now, the tight feeling of removing himself would push him over the edge and he’d ruin any orgasm he was going to have.

“D… daddy I can’t hold back any longer I’m sorry, I want to be good.” He babbled without question. He knew that regardless of what Eskel replied, he wouldn’t be able to follow the instruction anyway – he was too far gone. He buried his face into Eskel’s chest, feeling each of his moans vibrate through his skin.

“You are good, baby. So good, treatin’ me so well. Whatever did I do to deserve you, huh? Daddy wants to feel how much you missed him.” Eskel peppered kisses over his head as Lambert rutted into him erratically. The older wolf wrapped his legs firmly around Lambert to keep him seated, then, while keeping his own cock untouched, he held his partner close to his body and let the praise keep flowing. “That’s it, good job. Who’s my good pup?”

“Me, I am, daddy- Fuck… fuck.” Lambert’s whole body tensed as he began to fill up his partner. Each thrust that emptied from him was accompanied by a stream of expletives that he was willing to risk the punishment.

“Good pup, my good, good thing. That’s it, give Daddy every last drop.”
Eskel groaned, spurring him on more. Lambert searched for Eskel’s arms with his hands, looking to grab onto the muscle that lay under the soft skin there. Eskel took that as a sign that he was going to at a loss for words soon and took his moment to take over.

He waited until Lambert had stopped rutting against him, then helped him slide out, laying the smaller man on his back so that he was now looking up at him.

Lambert could barely keep his eyes open, but he always wanted the same thing, and after a few years of this particular dance, both of them knew what was next.

“Please…” “I know darlin’, you got me.”

Lambert nodded and closed his eyes, drowsy from not only his orgasm but everything Eskel had been saying to him. After letting the world go fuzzy round the edges, the words soon did too, and the praise surrounded him like a cloud. He could hear Eskel take himself in his hand, and Lambert patiently waited with his eyes closed, until soon, he could feel the larger wolf paint his chest with his cum.

“Daddy…”
“I know, pretty thing…” Eskel panted, barely able to get his words out now. “Daddy… daddy’s gonna make sure you’re marked.” Lambert felt Eskel bend over him, holding his body up now with one hand as he got the last few strokes of cum out. “All mine, baby…”

Lambert liked to stay like that for a while, so Eskel rarely prepared much for after their time spend together. He’d have a towel ready so that he was presentable enough to leave his room, then go and get the things he needed to clean Lambert up. The younger wolf lay on the bed, coated and scented, tired. Just the way he liked it. It didn’t feel like long until Eskel was back with the cloths and water.

“Fuck, Lamb, I really missed you. So much. You alright? You ready to get cleaned up?”
Lambert nodded, smiling, blissed out. He felt Eskel begin his routine, gentle touches that would keep Lambert as sleepy as possible. Now that the tension was out of the room, they could just be themselves.

There was nothing Eskel liked more than looking after people. He had a caring side to him that he rarely got to show, so once they were in the keep, he got to relax, whether that was mending clothes, cooking or just looking after the other Witchers. There was nothing he wanted to do more. It took Lambert a long time to accept that someone wanted to do this for him, but once he did, he looked forward to it just as much as the older wolf.

“You took so long coming back… I thought, well. I don’t know what I thought.”
Eskel kissed his head, then began running the wet cloth over his body, catching any runaway water that might fall on the bed.

“I know, pup. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.” He peppered kisses over any space that he could find after each swipe of the cloth. Lambert whimpered and took pleasure in being moved around.

“It’s okay, you’re here now.” Lambert whispered, gently opening his eyes. His body twitched feeling every little touch of Eskel’s lips. But Eskel was too far away. Yes, he was right there, but Lambert wanted to be against him. Don’t ask for more, he thought, knitting his eyebrows together. More is what he wanted, but something told him he didn’t deserve it. That same feeling that made him push away people’s help on a daily basis, rearing its head to piss him off when he was having the most anticipated night of his year.

Lambert could feel himself getting angry. Misplaced anger that he didn’t know what to do with. He needed reassurance, but what else could Eskel possibly give him that he wasn’t already giving him right now?  As if on cue, he could feel Eskel press his nose into his neck, questioning him without words. He liked that, knowing he was being taken care of. He wasn’t sure what he wanted, but he hoped Eskel would just know for him and that he could read whatever this feeling was.

“Tell me what you need, pup. I’ll give you anything.” Eskel whispered into his ear, then hovered over him letting Lambert meet his eyes. “All I want is for you to be happy.”

It was too much, but not enough. It felt like all the love in the continent wouldn’t be enough to shake this weird instinct that he should just leave Eskel to it and stop bothering him. Let him get the rest he needed from the journey on the path. The words caught in his throat before he was able to simply say he wanted a hug. Witcher’s didn’t ask for hugs. The last thing he wanted was to get all Lambert in this situation, but sometimes it just happened.

“Make it easier for me, Lamb, then I can help. Tell me, clearly, with words, what you need.” A large hand cupped his face, the edge of his palm dangerously close to his neck. Lambert hated anyone touching the front of his neck, but the feeling of Eskel’s was a comforting reminder of the strength that the larger man had that could be used at any time to protect him.

“You just sit nice for me then, just a few moments while I clean you off, then I’ll get back in bed, okay?”

Lambert nodded, his eyes wide now since for some reason he was very much awake but exhausted at the same time. He did as Eskel asked, waiting very patiently without moving around at all as the older man gently washed him all over. Once he was finished and dried him off, he retrieved a clean shirt of his own and lifted Lambert enough to put it on him before putting on his own nightclothes. It was better, just a little, and Lambert made sure to do a great big smile so that Eskel didn’t worry about him. Any weird thoughts he had would surely just ruin the moment he figured, so stayed silent.

Eskel buried his face into Lambert’s neck, then after scenting him, made eye contact again.

“Lamb, baby, you reek of worry. Whatever it is you think you’ve done, you’ve not. I know you. Now you’ve got to trust me, remember? Don’t keep it all bottled up in there, because I know it hurts.”

Why was he always right? All Lambert wanted to do was to cuddle back into his chest and hide his face. Asking for touch felt so unnatural to him, and he knew Eskel was looking for words right now. He considered trying to go about this without talking it out, but he knew it would come out one way or another.

“I want this.” Lambert nodded, falsely grinning to pretend to himself that he wasn’t feeling like crying for some weird reason. Witcher’s did not cry.

“I’m here, darlin’, don’t go into your own head, I need you talkin’ to me, alright? You know the rules. You’re being so good for me.” Eskel got into the bed and pulled Lambert on top of him. He ran fingers through his hair, setting off the little goosebumps he’d get with the soft touch.

Lambert got too far into his head sometimes and it always led to the same thing – a drop. Eskel learned from that mistake quickly and never made it again. But it was still difficult for Lambert to offer these thoughts freely. Is that where this was going, Lambert thought, it certainly felt the same. A bottomless pit of neediness where he was desperate to just get off, just do something kinky and it was being fucked up with his own emotions and the extreme need to be coddled and told he was loved. Doesn’t sound like any witcher I know, he cursed internally.

“Please…” “I’m here, Lamb, I’ve got you. What’s wrong?”
Lambert’s lips parted, and he buried his face into Eskel’s neck, sucking at the skin there just to feel it in his mouth. The only thing he knew was that this perfect man who was holding him was the only person in the world he wanted to be with right now. The only person who could stop the noise. Daddy.

“Easy now… relax, daddy’s got you. I’ve always got you, Lamb, don’t you ever forget that. No need to be embarrassed, or worried, or scared when you’re with me. Okay?”

He nodded but he had no words to reply with. Eskel wrapped his arms around him, holding his whole body like he’d never let go. With one easy movement, the larger witcher sat up, putting his back against the headboard pulling Lambert up with him. Eskel’s nostrils flared again, and Lambert recoiled hoping he wouldn’t be told to leave the room.

“Easy darlin’, I’m not goin’ anywhere tonight. Everything’s okay.” How did he know, Lambert thought, as he was pulled to the larger man’s chest again. Hold me, he silently begged, suddenly feeling his chest go tight.

“I want you, Lambert. I want you here. I want you with me, always. You are always welcome in here with me, I promise.” Every few words were punctuated with a kiss to his head and soothing touches on his back that slid down to his behind, cradling him tight. “I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again. It’s not a burden to share feelings with someone you have sex with, alright? Fuck, Lamb, what I wouldn’t give to undo all of the hurt the world has caused you to make you feel this way. C’mere.”

After a while of just being held, Lambert’s heartrate started to go back to normal, and his muscles were relaxing. Lambert moved to lie beside him, resting his head on the larger man’s shoulder.

“We spend too long apart, pup. You know if you asked, I’d jump at the chance to be with you all year, right? This isn’t just a way to get my kicks when I’m locked up in here at winter.” Lambert nodded, imagining what it would be like to work with Eskel all year. Someone to cuddle after hunts like Geralt had with his bard.

Eskel scratched at Lambert’s scalp and blew cool air onto his neck.
“You seem a little bit better, Lamb. Remember we have all winter, there’s no rush for anything.” He passed Lambert a mug of water, watching to make sure he drank it.

“I said I was overwhelmed, I didn’t say stop kissing me.”
Lambert felt the low rumble of Eskel’s laugh through his body with giggled apologies. He brought the mug up to his mouth, suddenly feeling thirstier – Eskel was right, again.

“So…” Eskel nosed at his cheek, “When were you going to tell me you came on my sheets and had to wash them? Or were you just hoping I wouldn’t ask?”
Lambert almost choked on the water he’d been drinking.

“Geralt.” Lambert made to get up and storm right into his room before he was scruffed back.

“Easy,” He laughed as Lambert squinted his eyes. “It wasn’t Geralt. I mean, yes, I got suspicious when he said you’d been doing chores of your own free will, but I could smell you on my bed. You think I can’t smell your scent from mile away, pup?” Lambert huffed as his hair was ruffled, he did think he’d gotten away with it.

He finished the water, handing the mug to Eskel, then pulled the blankets over both of them to cuddle in.

“I missed you.” He whispered into Eskel’s ram, squeezing him tight.

“I’m here now, Lamb.” Eskel unstuck his arm from Lambert’s grip, and used it to wrap around the smaller wolf, pulling him in to get some sleep. “Daddy’s here. All winter.”